nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-55

[Guest guest]

Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-46

 

“vaippan maNi vilakkA mAmadhiyai mAlukkendru

eppozhudhum kaineetum yAnaiyai-eppAdum

vEduvaLaikka kuRavar villedukkum vEnkatamE

nAduvaLaith thAdudhumEl nandru”

 

In thirumalai, even animals and less intellectual tribal people, engage themselves in bhagavat/bhAgavata kainkaryams. Then what to say about the other folks?

 

(vaippan maNi vilakkA mAmadhiyai mAlukkendru eppozhudhum kaineetum yAnaiyai) This is the nature of the animals in thirumalai. An elephant residing in thirumalai sees the full moon in the night. Since thirumalai is praised as “mangul thOi senni vadavEnkatam” the moon appears to be very close. The elephant eagerly lifts its trunk to catch hold of the moon wanting it to be placed as a non-diminishing light (nandA vilakku) in front of thiruvenkatamudiyan. The elephant tried once, all in vain but still it did not lose heart. It keeps on trying why? It is due to its great thirst for bhagavat kainkaryam the elephant keeps on trying. Due to the greatness of the divya desam even an animal that lives in forests shows deep love and devotion towards the lord.

 

(eppAdum vEdu valaikka) The hunters who are not blessed to live in thirumalai are filled with rajo/tamo gunas. They with the wish to hunt the elephants in thirumalai reach the divine land. They surround the elephants to capture them. The elephants are very sincere trying to catch hold of the moon and hence don’t even notice the hunters surrounding them.

What will happen to the elephants?

 

(kuRavar villedukkum) The tribal people in thirumalai get hold of their bows and arrows. They defend the elephants against the hunters.

 

(eppAdum vEdu-kuRavar) The hunters are referred as “eppAdumulla vEdargal” along with an adjective by azhvar whereas the tribes are referred to as “kuRavar” without any adjective. This implies that the tribes belong to thirumalai. The hunters lack the opportunity to be in a divya desam and hence are harsh in mind. They continue to do their family profession of killing, whereas the tribes blessed to be in thirumalai though born in a lowly clan of harsh minded people still are filled with sAtvika guna. They show their anger only to those who cause danger to bhagavatas.

 

(eppAdum vEdu –kuRavar) wherever, in which ever clan one may be born divya desa vAsam creates a great amount of change in ones character;

 

(vEduvalaikka kuRavar villedukkum)

 

“vEdargal yAnaiyai valaiththuk kola, andha yAnaiyai adippadarkAga kuRavar villai edukkum padiyAna” ----- Arumpadha vurai

[The hunters surround the elephants and the tribes take their bow and arrow to kill the elephants.] In this commentary there is no mention about the dEsa vaibhavam.

 

On the contrary PeriavAchAn pillai’s commentary reads,

“purampuLLa vEdar soozha, thirumalaiyilE varththikkum kuRavar villeduththapadi edhirkkum”

[The hunters living outside thirumalai surround the elephants and the tribes in thirumalai defend the elephants with their bow and arrow]

 

Appillai Sri manavAla mAmunikal’s shisya in his commentary writes,

“avargalai naligaikkAga”

 

Therefore, it is clear that the above said meaning will be more apt, well accepted by both azhvar and periavachan pillai.

 

(kuRavar villedukkum vEnkatamE nAduvaLaiththu AdudhumEl nandru) Thirumalai makes even less intellectual people scholars. So everyone irrespective of his or her level of knowledge come round thirumalai and dances with joy.

 

(vEdu vaLaikka kuRavar, villedukkum vEnkatamE ….. nandru) when even animals are saved from danger in thirumalai what to say about others?

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan