Thirupavai Pasuram 4

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2012/12/thirupavai-pasuram-3.html

Thirupavai is called as Sanga Tamil because it has all three modes of enetertainment iyal(prose literature), isai(poetry/music) and natakam(drama). The fourth pasuram is in the form of a drama (natakam).

aazhi mazhai(k) kaNNaa onRu nee kai karavEl

In the first three pasurams Andal Nachiar addressed her friends but here she addresses aazhi mazhai(k) kaNNaa which means aazhi mazhaiku annan and refers to deity in charge of rain showers. Why does she address this deity all of a sudden now? The deity stood in front of Andal Nachiar as he heard her sing in the previous pasuram that the surrounding area will be blessed by good rain showers by singing the praise of the Lord. The deity in charge of rain wanted to perform kaimkaryams to Andal and her friends.

This pasuram shows us about the way in which the celestials seek to serve true Bagawathas. Purusha Suktam says that the devas will appear before those people who have sought refuge under the protection of Lord Narayana to find out if they could be of any help. The old 108 divya desam temples do not have a sanctum for navagraha devathas. Vishnu temples in general do not have sannidhi for navagraha devathas the only exception is the temple of Koodalazhagar in Madurai. The reason why Vishnu temples don’t have a sannidhi for navagraha devathas is because Vishnu is the Supreme Being. The navagraha devathas work under His control. Since we worship the controller of the navagraha devathas there is no reason to worship the controlled navagraha devathas. Vedam has said that those people who have faith in Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Being as their sole protector will be saluted by other deities.

kanakaruchirA kAvyAKhyAthA shanaIscharaNOchithA

shrithagurubuDhA BhAsvadhrUpa dhvijADhipasEvithA

vihithaviBhavA nithyam viShNO: padhE maNipAdhukE!

thvamasi mahathI vishvEShAm na: shuBhA grahamaNdalI 

Swami Desikan states that the planets, namely; the Budhan, Sukran, Sani, Guru Rahu, Ketu, Mangal, Soorya and Chandra in the celestial sphere cling to the Padukai of Perumal. Hence the planets do not harm those people who seek refuge under the divine feet of Perumal and worship His padukai thus making it unnecessary to have a sannidhi for navagraha devathas.

aazhi uL pukku mugandhu kodu aarthu Eri

The deity in charge of rain asked Andal Nachiar how and where he should shower rain.

Andal Nachiar asked him to shower rain everywhere even in the area inhabited by sinners showing us her maternal affection for all jeevatmas. She asked him to drink water completely from the middle of the ocean (azhi) leaving only the sand. She insists that he should drink water from the middle of the ocean as it will be free from pollution.

She said, ‘On your way back to the shore you should announce your approach by rumbling. To show us that you have consumed enough water, your body should look as dark as the body of Lord Narayana.’

Andal didn’t say you should look dark like Narayana but said that his body should look dark like the body of Narayana. The reason Andal said that his body should be like the body of Narayana and not that he should look like Narayana is because he can only try to dress like Narayana. He will not be able to be as compassionate as Lord Narayana.

Once a year Namperumal at Sri Rangam dresses up as Thayar; his costume is known as Mohini Alankaram. Sri Parasara Bhattar was known always to favour Ranganayaki Thayar. Once when Perumal dressed up as Mohini, He sent for Bhattar. After Bhattar arrived, Perumal expected Bhattar to state that Perumal looked exactly like Thayar but Bhattar replied that even though Perumal dressed up like Thayar He lacked the compassionate glance of Thayar in both His eyes since one eye of Perumal is the Sun used to scorch enemies and only the other eye is the moon cool full of compassion turned towards His devotees. Bhattar stated that both the eyes of Thayar were cool like the moon and she showered compassion even on Her enemies.  Similar to Perumal being unable to look just like Thayar, the deity in charge of rain will never be able to look like Perumal. 

Picture 1: Namperumal Mohini Alankaram.

 Picture 2: Ranganayaki Thayar

aazhi pOl minni valamburi pOl ninRu adhirndhu

She insists that the deity of rain should produce brilliant lightening that look like the Sudarsana Chakra in the hands of Perumal with beautiful broad shoulders. Perumal has broad shoulders to show that He protects everyone at all times from every kind of danger produced by everybody else. She asked the deity of rain to produce thunder to sound similar to Panchajanyam. Panchajanyam causes happiness in the heart of Bagawathas but fear in the minds of their enemies.

thaazhaadhE saarnga mudhaiththa sara mazhai pOl

vaazha ulaginil peydhidaay naangaLum

maargazhi neeraada magizhndhElOr

She asked the deity to shower rain in the same way in which the arrows shot by Lord Rama fall on His enemies in a shower but Andal asked the deity of rain to make rain showers to cause benefit to everyone. She asked him to provide shower after they finish their morning bath and that the showers should not hinder any Bagawathas. Everyone should feel happy to receive the rain showers.

Alternate Meaning: 

aazhi mazhai(k) kaNNaa onRu nee kai karavEl

Arjuna requested Perumal to give him upadesam by saying the following slokam. (Ref: http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-02-07.html)

This Slokam is chanted by Sri Vaishnavas while requesting an Acharyan to accept him/her as a disciple and perform samasrayanam. The slokam has to be adjusted for the word “sishyaha” as it is in masculine gender by women. This fourth pasuram was composed by Andal Nachiar for us to use in place of the difficult Sanskrit slokam to request an Acharyan to accept us as his disciple. The pasuram also speak about the characteristics of a good Acharyan.

An Acharyan’s eyes should be wet because of his happiness in serving Perumal as well as sorrow in seeing that we do not strive to attain Perumal’s divine feet. The Acharyan should provide good instructions even if the disciple doesn’t have the mentality to accept good instruction. The Acharyan should correct the errors made by the disciple.

aazhi uL pukku mugandhu kodu aarthu Eri

Swami Ramanujar said that, ‘Swami Alavandar is an ocean of nectar. I dip in this ocean and obtain the best gems to give to my disciples.’

This means that the Acharyan should research and analyze the granthams written by poorvacharyas, understand the concepts and state with great conviction the instructions to his disciples.

oozhi mudhalvan uruvam pOl mey kaRuththu(p)

While listening to the lectures of our Acharyan we get the feeling that we are in the presence of Perumal Himself. Perumal appeared like dark rain bearing clouds when He created this Universe.

paazhii am thOLudai(p) paRpanaaban kaiyil

Of the twelve names Perumal chanted daily while wearing thiruman, the eleventh name is Padmanaban & the twelfth is Damodaran.  Padmanaban denotes  superiority as Perumal is with Brahma on the lotus that appeared from His navel. Brahma in turn created Shiva thus as Padmanaba, Perumal shows us that He is the chief of both Brahma as well as Shiva.

 Lord Krishna incarnated as the son of Devaki & Vasudeva. He appeared as a child but along with His consort. Devaki and Vasudeva obtained Goddess Sridevi as their daughter-in-law on the same night! Parents await the birth of their grandchild after their son has been married. Devaki and Vasudeva did not have to wait for a long time as on the Lord’s lotus like navel they found His son Brahma sitting on a lotus bloom chanting the Vedas! To describe the child Brahma on the Lord’s navel, Sukacharyar used the word balakam in the slokam “Tam adbhutam Balakam” in Srimad Bagawatam. The word “Ka” is used to denote Brahma. Sukacharyar could have used “Balan” to depict the divine child but he specifically used the word “Balakam” to draw our attention to Lord Brahma present in the navel of the Divine Child. Both the words “bala” as well as “balakam” mean child. The word “balakam” is used in the sloka to let us know about the divine child who appeared with “ka”!Hi name Damodaran reveals His simplicity and ease of accessibility, saulabhyam.

As a child, Krishna was bound to a mortar by Yashoda. Yashoda did not tie Krishna but Krishna allowed himself to be tied to the mortar by his mother. If he had wished to remain untied, she could have never accomplished this feat. His glory increased because he let himself be tied by Yashoda; his coming down to our world is similar to heads of states interacting with common people to gain popularity, the only difference is that Paramatma is not looking to gain popularity. He has only our interest in his heart and works to help us. After Krishna brought down the two Yamalarjuna trees with the mortar He was tied to, Yashoda inspected Krishna to make sure He wasn’t hurt by the falling trees. ‘How did you manage to drag the mortar? She questioned Him.

She looked at His waist and was shocked. She hadn’t tied the rope tightly but somehow the rope had scarred Krishna’s waist. His smooth waist now displayed the rope marks. Krishna sported the rope marks with pride to show us the ease with which we can approach Him and even bind Him if only we felt an ounce of love Yashoda had for Him.

yamm durgraham sumanasO manasAapi nityam

bandacchidam paramam ISam udAharanti |

dAmnA nibaddha iti Susruma tamm bhavantam

nAlam babhUvitha! bata! slathanAya tasya ||

MEANING:

Oh KrishNA ! You are beyond comprehension in the past, present or future even

by one with an auspicious mind. You are eulogized by the DevAs as the One who

can break the bonds of our KarmAs and as being always with the lady of

Supreme auspiciousness, Sri Devi. We hear that You known for such power and

majesty and yet were tied to a hustling mortar with fine rope and you could

not loosen Yourself from that knot. What a surprise!

aazhi pOl minni valamburi pOl ninRu adhirndhu

An Acharyan shines with the effulgence of Sudarasana Chakra and sounds like the Panchajanyam in the hands of Padmanabhan while establishing the paratvam(superiority) of Perumal in debates.

thaazhaadhE saarnga mudhaiththa sara mazhai pOl

An Acharyan must bless his disciple with many kalakshepams/upanyasams and shower his disciple with divine knowledge similar to the way in which Lord Rama showered His enemies with a rain of arrows.

vaazha ulaginil peydhidaay naangaLum

The instructions provided by the Acharyan must be possible for the disciples to follow in this world.

maargazhi neeraada magizhndhElOr

The disciples should lead a happy life feeling grateful to their sadacharyan for showing them the right path. The sadacharyan should feel happy that he was able to save the chetanams and show them the right path that leads out of samsara.

This pasuram must be chanted by disciples while requesting an Acharyan to guide them by providing them with spiritual instructions.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2012/12/thirupavai-pasuram-5.html