MoondRam thiruvandhAdhi-Paasuram-25

Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara MunayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-25

“thozhudhAl pazhudhuNdE? toonee rulagam

  muzhuduNdu moikuzhalA LAychi – vizhuduNda

  vAyAnai mAl vidaiyEzh seRRAnai vAnavarkkum

  sEyAnai nenjE siRandhu”

"தொழுதால் பழுதுண்டே? தூநீருலகம் 

  முழுதுண்டு மொய்குழலா ளாய்ச்சி-விழுதுண்ட 

  வாயானை மால்விடையேழ் செற்றானை வானவர்க்கும் 

  சேயானை நெஞ்சே சிறந்து "

 

too neer vulagam – Earth/World surrounded by ocean of pure water;

muzhudhu – entirely;

vuNdu – swallowed and placed in the stomach;

mA kuzhalAL Aychi – yeshodha with thick hairtufts;

vizhudhu – butter;

vuNda vAyAnai – the divine mouth that ate;

mAl vidai Eazh seRRAnai – the fighter who won over all the seven well built oxens;

vAnavarkkum sEyAnai – the Supreme Lord not accessible even by the brahma rudras;

nEnjE! – Oh! My mind;

siRandhu – with prominence;

thozhudhAl – if prostrated;

pazhudhu vuNdE – Will there be any lapse?

Introduction

Listening to azhvar’s words, the mind started to think otherwise.  For so many many years (janmas) there have been numerous obstacles that have prevented us from reaching the divine Lord.  What if many more come in our way? Now azhvar assures his mind that once we surrender to His Excellency all your hurdles will be removed smoothly.

[Translator’s Note: This is a very common doubt in the mind of anyone trying to reach the lord.  Same as been answered by Sri godha devi in her 5^th paasuram in Thiruppavai “mAyanai mannu….poya pizhaiyum pugutharuvAn nindranavum teeyinil toosAgum cheppu”]

Commentary

(nenJE!) Oh! My mind, though you know His nature still you are unnecessarily afraid.  Don’t you see all that He has done to pull you towards Him?

Most part of this paasuram highlights emperuman’s activities to draw the attention of all chetanas towards Him.

(tooneerulagam muzhuduNdu) He swallowed the earth surrounded by crystal clear water in entirety and placed them safely in His stomach.

Azhvar adds the adjective “tooneerulagam” indicating that the ocean that has the nature to send waves with just the slightest wind blowing now calmly went into emperuman’s stomach without any shake or waves.

The purity is absolutely preserved due to the agadithagatanA sAmarthiyam (the ablility of the supreme power to do things that are not perceivable by humans) of the Lord.

(moi kuzhalAL Aychi vizhuduNda vAyAnai) Not getting satisfied with swallowing the worlds, still having lot of space in His divine stomach reached the house of yesodha, the cowherd, with beautiful hairtufts, interested in the freshly churned butter with the very hands of the divine mother.  Interestingly though there was so much butter in his own house Krishna stole butter (note: no one steals their own property, all these were drama) and revealed the same with His own mouth.

Emperuman greatly aspires for the objects touched by His bhakthas (beloved ones).  He goes to any extent to achieve the same even in incorrect ways. Only then his stomach gets filled.

[Translator”s Note:  Azhvar highlights yeshodha’s hairtuft here probably because during churning of butter the hairtuft becomes loose because of the hard job involved ….the curd in gokulam is so thick and not that easy to churn.  Like in those days the hairlock of the tavil vidwans become loose by the end of the kacheri.]

(mAl vidaiyEzh seRRAnai) The one who killed the seven strong bulls that where stopping Him from marrying nappinnai piratti.

With all the above azhvar ensures that emperuman is capable of removing all the hurdles on our way.

(vAnavarkkum sEyAnai) Even though emperuman is so easily accessible to even the innocent cowherds, for the devas (brahma, rudra and others) who attempt to reach him by their self effort (assuming to possess higher knowledge and power) He is inaccessible to both mind and words.

Azhvar now insists the nature of emperuman to be low to the lowest (eliyavargalukku eliyavan)

(siRandhu thozhudAl pazhuduNdE) So realize the relationship between us and the supreme power and act according to your nature of servitude (seshatva svaroopam) and prostrate Him.  What then can stop you?

The Lord protects us from deep danger (during pralaya) and protects us in His stomach.  He makes Himself accessible to devotees who do not depend on their self efforts or knowledge.  He removes all the hurdles in our way to reach Him.  For the innocent who surrender to Him he sits near their feet.  Oh mind after knowing all these is there any thing to worry?

Interesting points from DivyArthdeepikai of kanchi swamy

In the previous paasuram azhvar instructed his mind to pay its obeisance towards the divinity but for some reason the mind kept quiet so now azhvar is enquiring to his mind if there is anything wrong (will that act get wasted?) in surrendering to the Lord who is capable of removing all the obstacles that can stop a jeeva from reaching him quoting examples of Lord protecting the world during pralaya, and as a medicine for swallowing the worlds reached the house of yeshodha wanting butter and with a soft body like that butter played with the strong bulls for the sake of nappinai piratti and inspite of making himself so accessible still not reachable by the devas who depend on their self effort? 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

Jeeyar thiruvadigalE sharNam