Thiruvaimozi 1.9

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1.9.2

 

Soozhal palapalavallaan thollaiyankaalatthulagai

kEzhal onRaagi idandha kESavan ennudai ammaan

vEzhamaruppai oSitthaan viNNavarkkeNNalariyaan

aaza nedunkadal SErndhaan avan ennarugalilaanE

 

My Lord Kesava who has taken many

incarnations, who brought the earth from the sea as the incomparable Varaha in

ancient times, who plucked the tusk of the elephant Kuvalayaapeeda, who is in comprehensible even

to devas and who reclines in the deep

and broad milky ocean , is near me.

 

Soozhal pala pala vallaan-

The Lord has appeared in different

forms in different circumstances in His incarnations. The word soozhal

is used here in the sense of environment.

 

thollaiankaalatthu- long ago in ancient times. Azhvar referring to

the varahavathara says that it happened in ancient times since it happened in

paadhmakalpa or svetavaraha kalpa. In Srimadbhagavatha the Varahavathara was

mentioned as the first.

 

kezhal onraagi- Becoming the boar. The word am, meaning beautiful, in the previous line could be

associated withthis line to mean that the varaha roopa of the Lord was beautiful.

 

ulagai idandha- when He

retrieved the earth from under the sea.

 

kESavan- this epithet meaning the one with beautiful hair, is used

here to denote that the locks of the Lord never was ruffled in all His

avataras, meaning, without moving even a hair on His head he was able to

accomplish His feat, fighting and killing Hiranyaksha and bringing the earth

from under the sea.

 

Thyagaraja sings, alakalella laadagagani aaraaNmuni

etupongenO, meaning, how did the

sage Visvamithra enjoy the locks of hair playing on the forehead or Rama while

he fought with the asuras as well as when he lifted the bow of Siva and broke

it. That is in both cases his hair stayed beautiful, not being dishevelled.

 

vEzhamaruppai oSitthaan- Now the reference is to the most recent

avatara as Krishna, in which the Lord plucked

out the tusk of the elephant kuvalayaapeeda , which was driven against Him by

the orders of Kamsa. vEzha mean an elephant and maruppu is the tusk. Thus Azvar

denotes all the avataras in between by mentioning the first and the

last. (Kalkiavatara is yet to come)

 

viNNavarkku eNNal ariyaan- He is incomprehensible even to the

devas.

 

aazham nedukadal sErndhaan- he who is reclining in the milky ocean

which is deep and wide.

 

Not only that but,

 

avan en arugal ilaan- He has come near me. First Azvar felt His

presence in the vicinity and now he could feel Him near. He who reclines in the

milky ocean so that the devas have to go there to get his favour has come near

me Himself.

 

ennudai ammaan- Azvar takes

pride in saying that such a Lord is my master.