Thiruppavai Meanings: Paasuram 5 :: Maayanai mannu

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On hearing AnDAL's invitation to attend the vow, a big group of

gOpikAs assemble to enjoy company mutually. One among them raised a

doubt, " When we do all this to get to enjoy the company of Krishna,

we should not forget that we have done enough sins that will pose

barricades in our path to salvation. " Further on she goes over to

explain the story of how much of plans and preparations Dasaratha

made for Rama's coronation, with his kula guru, maharishi Vasishta

fixing the date, with the whole city of AyOdhyA singing in bliss and

finally question, " But Rama went to forests forsaking the city and

His PdhukA's decorated the royal throne and reigned for fourteen long

years. So what is the surety that we will succeed our mission? "

 

AnDAL sings this pAsuram as a reply to that question. You will be

freed of all your obstacles just by reciting His divine names, having

your thoughts always filled by Him and offering flowers to His lotus

feet. By doing these simple deeds, all your sins committed before

your surrender at His lotus feet and those committed inadvertently

after it will all perish. Just that your sins committed prior to your

surrender will be burnt to ashes and those done after it will not

stick on to you, like water droplets on a lotus leaf.

 

EmperumAn can be compared with milk, as its both a pleasurable food

and also a medicine to cure bile. AzhwAr rightly calls him,

maruththuvanAi ninRa mAmanivanna.

 

 

" theeyinil dhoosAgum seppu "

 

 

Introduction to second part:

 

As we enjoyed the first 5 pAsurams as introduction to the whole of

thiruppAvai and the details about conducting the vows etc, AnDAL

sings the next ten songs to wake up Her sleeping friends, calling

them all to join the divine group of bhAgavadhAs to conduct the vow.

The two groups of people one asleep and the other awake represents

the two kinds of devotees, mainly the " kainkarya nishTA " or those

interested in serving the Lord, like LakshmanA and the " guna nishTA "

or those who are happy merely by meditating on the wonderful

qualities of the Lord, like BharathA.

 

AzhwAr sings about the presence of both these kinds devotees in

Srivaikuntam as such. He refers to them as " vaikunthaththu amararum "

and " munivarum " respectively. Just like how poison acts differently

on different people, that is a few faint, a few resist etc, KrishnAs

attributes reacted the same way with His devotees. The ones sleeping

are regarded at par with the ones awake.

 

Now comes the million dollar question. Why is AnDAL so keen on

increasing the head count of gOpikAs? Why cant She just continue with

the ones who are awake? The answer is given by AzhwAr when He sings

about how we worship Him. AzhwAr says, " vEdham vallArgaLai konDu

vinnOr perumAn thirupAdham panindhu " . That is, it is best to approach

EmperumAn with the guidance and support of sacred men.

 

Here sacred men mean, any devotee of His who feel He is the sole

means to liberation and do not tend to practice any other

alternative.

 

The reason for this that, we as human beings have committed enough

sins for Him to punish us using His rights to act independently,

being the most supreme being. Hence the necessity to approach Him

through a recommending authority becomes inevitable. This person acts

like a boat to help us cross the mighty river of virtues of Sriman

NarayanA. Moreover enjoying His qualities would be best done in a big

group of devotees where they can treat each other mutually with the

nectar of the Lords greatness.

 

Those gOpikAs who are awake represent those devotees of His who are

interested in serving Him and the ones asleep are those who have firm

faith that at any cost He is the only means to liberate and will

definitely do it. This is exactly why the pAsurams 6-15 are suppose

to be refering to different AzhwArs.

 

 

Andal thiruvadikale saranam

Azvar Emperumanaar Jeeyar Thiruvadikale saranam