Thiruppavai - 26th verse- maalE maNivaNNA! - Alinilaiyaay! aruL...

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Today’s verse is the 26th verse.

Let us continue to enjoy the wonderful commentary of His Holiness Srimath

Paravakkottai Andavan of Sri Poundarikapuram Swami ashramam, Srirangam –

translated into English by Sri CG Balaji Swami.

 

maalE! maNivaNNaa! maarkazhi nIraatuvaan *

mElaiyaar ceyvanakaL vENtuvana kEttiyEl *

NYaalaththai ellaam natuNGka muralvana *

paal anna vaNNaththu un paaNYcacanniyamE *

pOlvana caNGkaNGkaL pOyp paatutaiyanavE *

caalap perum paRaiyE pallaaNtu icaippaarE *

kOla viLakkE kotiyE vithaanamE *

aalin ilaiyaay aruL ElOr empaavaay. 26.

 

In this verse, Andal and her maids seek from Kannan all the

prerequisite materials for their nombu ritual that was being

observed on the banks of the river Yamuna. Having obtained

Kannan, their only wish was to have a blissful time with Him. They

decided then to continue with the nombu and prayed for the

materials from Kannan.

 

To spend the time delightfully with Kannan, a serene place of

solitude is of much need. On the pretext of performing the nombu

ritual, they planned to take Him to the outskirts of the city to the

banks of the river Yamuna, which is a place of solitude and

serenity. The nombu ritual helped them to behold the visage of

Kannan in front of their dwellings. It helped them to recite the

infinite names of Kannan with devotion and also enabled the elders

to accept the Gopis mingling so freely with Kannan.

The Gopis say, “Oh Maale! Who preserves limitless affection

for those who seek Him. Oh Manivanna! Whose divine form is of a

dark bluish hue. Sri, who was born in a beautiful lotus stood

captivated by your charm and took her throne in the cosmos of

your hearts. Similar to the preserving of the precious stone in the

tresses of one’s attire, you have so humble a nature that enables

others to rule you over so easily.â€

 

Kannan then requests them to speak out their wants. The

Gopis reply “maargazhi neeraaduvaan – It is considered fortunate to take a

holy dip in the sacred rivers during the months of thula and maasi.

Similarly, in the month of margazhi, it is prescribed to bathe very

early in the morning and to observe this nombu ritual.

Kannan then questions them about the authority of this

practice, as He was unaware of it. The Gopis reply “mElaiyaar seyvanaagaLâ€

– We are only following the footsteps of our wise

ancestors. Have you forgotten your statement in the Bhagavad

Geetha, that the practices followed by posterity based on the

footsteps of their ancestors is to be considered as authoritative.

Kannan then says “vENduvana kEttiyEl – Fine. Please ask

your needs and it shall be bestowed.

 

jnAlatthaiyellaam nadunga muralvana un paalanna vaNNatthun

paanchajanniyamE pOlvana sankangaL– We need conches similar to the

milk white conch Panchajanya that you hold in your hand. But we

do not need the conches whose resound shivers the whole universe.

Especially we do not need the kind of conch that you made use of

on the battlefield of Kurukshetra that had sent shivers down

Duryodhana and his allies. We only need a conch that may be used

to awaken everybody from their morning slumber.

 

pOipaadudayanavE saalaperumpaRayE – We need percussion

instruments that are wide and well sounding. They may be used

during processions.

 

pallaaNdisaippaarE – We need savants who would sing the

songs of Pallandu.

 

KolaviLakkE – We need auspicious lamps for

everyone to carry along on the path.

 

kodiyE vidhAnamE – We need tall flag posts to let know that we

are observing the nombu. To keep us away from the showering mist

we need a pandal to be erected. Pray grant us with all these

requistes.

 

Kannan then says that he does not have all these in His

possession.

 

The Gopis reply “aalin ilaiyaay†– You donned the guise of a

small baby and swallowed the entire universe and reclined on the

palm leaf. Is there anything that you do not possess?

Kannan then says “Fine. Here it is. I have given you all. Take

it and retire back.

 

Gopis say “aruL†– Retiring back? Where would we go without

you? Just as how, a day without the Sun, a night without the moon

and cattle without the ox, do not have any appeal and do not bear

any exquisiteness, similarly we are nothing without Kannan. We

therefore pray unto you to bless us with your benign grace and to

come along with us to the banks of the Yamuna for the nombu.

The Gopis reinstate with clarity that without His volition, not

even an atom would move

 

Andal ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan