Thiruvaimozi-1.5.5

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1.5.5

 

maanEy nOkki madavaaLai maarvil kondaai maadhavaa

koonE sidhaiya undai vil niRatthil theRitthaai govinda

vaanaar chodhi maNivanNNaa madhusoodhaa nee aruLaai un

thEnE malarum thiruppaadham serumaarRu vinaiyEnE

 

maanEy nOkki madavaaLai- refers to Lakshmi whose glance is soft like that of deer because she is always merciful towards all.

 

maarvil kondaai maadhavaa- Azvar calls the Lord by he name Madhava, meaning maayaaH DhavaH, the consort of Maa, Lakshmi, whom He placed in His chest.

 

koonE sidhaiya undai vil niRatthil theRitthaai govinda- This refers to Krishna straightening the hunch of Thrivakra who offered him inguents, she was carrying to Kamsa. in Mathura. Krishna pressed her feet with his feet and with his thumb under her chin straightened her hunch as easily as flicking with the little finger.. This can be taken to mean Rama also according to the story that he hit the hunch of Manthara with his play-bow. KoonE sidhaiya means to hurt her hunch. But the reference to the Lord as Govinda indicates the incident in Krshnavathara. But the commentators are of the opinion that the name govinda will also apply to Rama as the word `go' has a meaning of earth and Rama is the protector of the earth. Thus the line has reference to both Krishna and Rama.

 

vaanaar chodhi maNivaNNaa- The sapphire blue lustre of the Lord pervades the sky

 

madhusoodha nee aruLaai- Azvar entreats the Lord and addresses Him as madhusoodha, the slayer of the demon Madhu, who with Kaitabha, another demon, stands for rajas and thamas.

 

What did the azvar want the Lord to do?

 

thEnE malarum thiruppaadham sErumaaRu- to make him reach the feet of the Lord from which flows honey. The feet of the Lord are like lotus and the honey that flows from His feet is His grace which is enjoyed as honey by the devotees.

 

The Lord lying on the banyan leaf puts His foot in His mouth as though He wants to test what is so sweet about his feet that it is desired by the devotees.

 

vinaiyEn- Azvar refers to himself as the one who had a lot of sin as the result of karma which was why he first wanted to go away from the Lord thinking that he does not deserve His grace. But the Lord would not let him go and here he prays that the Lord should grace him that he should attain the feet of the Lord and do His kainkaryam.