TIRUKKURUNTANDAKAM
DECEMBER 2021
TIRUKKURUNTANDAKAM
PASURAMS 1 TO 10
gadiyinai kanjanmALa kaNDu mun aNDamALum |
madiyinai mAlai vAzhtti vaNangi en manattuvanda
vidiyinai kaNDu koNDa toNDanEn viDugilEnE || (1)
2032. I shall never leave Him, my master who has graciously entered my mind and heart.
Nidhiyinai - "yO vai nihitah guhAyAm’- says taittireeyaOpaniShad., ‘vaitta mA nidiyAm madusoodanai’- says nammAzhwAr. He is the treasure (Nidhi) that needs to be safeguarded in the depths of our heart, like the wealth that is buried and preserved.
The riches will never allow one to rest peacefully. The hidden treasure leaves the owner constantly on the watch out, lest someone steals it. In the same way, those connected to EmperumAn are also under the same constraint. What if emperumAn quietly slides off from His devotees. As nammAzhvAr also says, - ‘kaNNAra kaNDu kazhivadOr kAdaluRRArkum uNDO kaNgaL tunjudalE’
A wealthy person is arrogant about his acquisition. In the same way, those who have kept EmperumAn close to the heart are conceited. They boast that there could be none as blessed as them.
The whole world adores the wealthiest as well as those closest to the Lord.
Those who lose wealth, cry madly. In the same way, those who lose the Lord do cry too. ( when rAmapirAn left, BharatAzhvAn rolled over the floor and cried).
Only those who are lucky become rich, in the same way, only those destined can become a devotee of the Lord.
PavaLatooNai - Bearing all the weight, a pillar gives support to the shelter. For the sake of the bhakta, EmperumAn takes all the responsibilities and protects those who seek Him. So He is referred to as not any ordinary pillar, but a precious coral one.
Gatiyinai - He becomes the ultimate goal for those who melt at the very thought of Him.
He is the one who killed the wicked Kamsa and restored His divine rule over the place.
Matiyinai - Whether we think about Him or not, He thinks about us always and even at the time of death, when we can't think about Him.
‘aham smarAmi madbhaktam nayAmi paramAm gatim’, He says in varAha purANa.
MAlai - How much ever He cares for His bhaktas, He always feels that He has not done enough and keeps thinking what more He can do.
Vidiyinai - While referring to this, AzhvAr refers that all his fortune has emerged as the Lord and entered his heart. I prostrate and offer my obeisance to Him and will not let Him go. (1)
ETTrinai imayam mEya ezhil maNittiraLai inba |
ATTrinai amudamtannai avuNanAr uyiraiyuNDa
kooTTrinai guNam koNDu uLLam kooru nee koorumArE || (2)
2033. He has the universe made of all the five elements like the air, water and fire etc. as His physique; He is the valorous one who destroyed the fortified Lanka. [meaning, this body is the LankA surrounded by the ocean of life (samsArA), ruled by the ten indriyas (referring to the ten-headed rAvaNA), where the jeevAtmA is imprisoned (similar to Sita pirATTi ). The gurus try to emancipate us (similar to HanumAn consoling SitapirAtti). Finally, similar to how Lanka got destroyed by the Lord; our body gets destroyed and reaches God.]
He resides in Tirupiriti, the Divya Desam situated in the HimAlayas.
He is the most beautiful gem.
He is like the water that quenches the thirst. ( He is the one who can save us from this samsAric suffering)
He is the divine nectar
He is the one who took the life of HiraNyan (meaning, He stands as the Yama for those who trouble His bhaktas).
Oh! My dear heart, Always praise and hail the kalyANa guNas of this Lord. (2)
Ayirundu amudam koNDa appanai embirAnai |
vEyirum SOlaiSoozhndu virikadiririya ninra
mAyiram sOlai mEya maindanai vaNanginEnE || (3)
2034. He is the great facilitator, who churned the magnificent TirupArkaDal ( the milky ocean) erecting the huge Mandara mountain as the churning rod, bringing out the divine nectar for the sake of the dEvas along with so many other things like the moon and so on for the sake of others.
I worship this Lord my master, who has taken as His eternal abode in TIRUMALIRUMSOLAI which is canopied by tall bamboo orchards that prevent the entry of sunrays. He is the Lord of abundant compassion. (3)
pookkezhuvaNNanArai pOdarakkanavilkaNDu |
vAkkinAl karumam tannAl manattinAl SirattaitannAl
vETkaimeedoora vAngi vizhunginErku iniyavArE || (4)
2035. On a curious note, AzhvAr places a question before the Lord asking him the reason, "How is it possible that I relish and enjoy this divine experience"? I realised and integrated with the Lord who incarnated as the MahAvarAha Moorti and scooped the Mother Earth on His tusk, as He appeared in my dreams. At that very moment, with the utmost diligence, I worshiped Him from my heart, chanting and praising Him, and with my deeds thus involving all three senses ( manam, mozhi and mei). I felt I had swallowed Him into me, like swallowing the food. Even NammAzhvAr says about such kind of bhakti in his pAsuram - "unnum chOru" which can be quoted here. (4)
arum peralanbu pukkiTTu aDimai pooNDu uindupOnEn |
varum puyalvaNNanArai maruvi en manattu vaittu
karumbinin SArupOla paruhinErku iniyavArE || (5)
2036. The red hot iron gets cooled by absorbing the water, once immersed in it. Similarly, I drank the essence of bhakti and got cooled reaching closer to Him. As a result, I got emancipated, becoming His subservient devotee with utmost devotion. AzhvAr exclaims that he is surprised how this cloud-hued Lord (similar to the cloud that reaches a different place and showers) reached me and entered the heart, constantly lingering in my mind and giving me pleasure similar to drinking sugarcane juice. As quoted by NammAzhvAr, parugu neerum kaNNanE.
உண்ணும் சோறு பருகு நீர் தின்னும் வெற்றிலை யும் எல்லாம்
கண்ணன் எம்பெருமான் என்று [TiruvAimozhi -6.7.1] (5)
kOvinai kuDandaimEya kurumaNittiraLai inba |
pAvinai pachchaittEnai paimbonnai amarar Senni
poovinai pugazhum toNDar en Solli puhazhvartAmE || (6)
2037. Those who worship the Lord, chant something while praying. I really wonder, what they sing in praise of Him. He is the paramount chief among all three lords Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra or the chieftain of Brahma, Rudra and Indra. He is the Supreme one who for the sake of Indra, beseeched the three measure of land from King MahAbali. Not only for Indra, but in the interest of protecting even the common man, in this samsAric world, He has opted to recline in TirukkuDandai. He is like the precious blue sapphire. He is like the melodious music to the ears and the fresh sweet nectar to taste. He is dear to the heart like the desirous jewels. He is the chief of Nityasooris and similar to the flower that they adore on their head. So AzhvAr really wonders how a devotee can praise this supreme one! He further adds that the pAsurams he is writing are not to praise Him but to while away the time. (6)
meimmaiyai virinda SOlai viyan tiruvarangam mEya |
Semmaiyai karumai tannai tirumalai orumaiyAnai
tanmaiyai ninaivAr enran talaimiSai mannuvArE || (7)
2038. In this pAsuram, AzhvAr says, that those who have lingering thoughts about the divine qualities of the Lord who gives us the pleasures of this world and thereafter ( by means of thinking about His qualities here and thereafter being able to do kainkaryam in the eternal world), who is the only means for mOksha, who resides in vast orchard bound TIRUVARANGAM, who takes different hues in different yugAs,( In Kruta yuga, - milky white , trEtAyuga - red, dwApara yuga- green and in kaliyuga - dark colour.), who can understand the Lord who stands in TiruvEnkaTam and graces both Nityasooris and the people of the Bhoomi, they are fit to be adorned on my head. (7)
tEniDai karumbin SATTrai tiruvinai maruvivAzhAr |
mAniDa piraviyandO madikkilar koLha tandam
ooniDai kurambai vAzhkkaikku urudiyE vENDinArE || (8)
2039. Here AzhvAr expresses his concern over the common man's interest in the mortal physique rather than reaching eternal bliss.
Lord TirumAl, who has a fondness towards His bhaktas, is like the dark rain-bearing clouds that reach the vast sky.
He is the sweetest, similar to the sugarcane juice that has been irrigated by the flowing honey supplied by the mountain bees. ( sugarcane juice is already sweet, so if it is irrigated by honey, one can imagine how much sweeter it can be).
He is the consort to the Goddess of wealth adding glories to her.
So, why don't the people of the world not reach out to the Almighty EmperumAn? Even if He showers on His own these foolish people shun away. When it is so precious to take human birth, instead of realising the superpower, why do these people indulge in worldly pleasures and fill their stomachs? (8)
koLLimEl erumbupOla kuzhaiyumAl enranuLLam |
teLLiyeer dEvarkkellAm dEvarAi ulaham koNDa
oLLiyeer ummaiyallAl ezhumaiyum tuNaiyilOmE || (9)
2040. Dejected with peoples' attitude, AzhvAr deserts them and feels contented that at least he is in close proximity with the Lord.
He cries, oh lord, my mind keeps constantly wavering not being able to firmly fix myself in anything, like the ant that has got caught on the firewood. Only you can help me out of it. ( even Arjuna, called Jitendra who had won over all indriyas, cries to Lord Krishna in Bhagavat geetA saying that his mind is wavering constantly. Then where are we?) Oh almighty, You stand undeterred at all times. You who is the king of all dEvas, unmindful of your state stooped down asking for alms to the King mahAbali for the sake of Indra, who had surrendered to You. I have none other than you as my saviour. (9)
pattimaikku anbuDaiyEn AvadE paNiyAi endAi |
muttoLi maragadamE muzhangoLi mugilvaNNA en
atta nin aDimaiyallAl Adumonru arigilEnE || (10)
2041. Oh Lord, I am helpless as a sinful person, since my mind doesn't stay steadfast. In this condition, please shower your grace on me so that I show at least a little bit of love towards you, though not utmost devotion. (Extraordinary desire is referred to as பத்திமை, whereas limited desire is referred to as அன்பு). Oh my master! You are so cool as the pearl, precious like the emerald and radiantly cloud hued. As I am indulged in your beauty, I would love to have enough desire so as to do uninterrupted, endless Kaimkaryam at your Lotus feet rather than only admiring at you. (10)
TIRUKKURUNTANDAKAM
PASURAMS 11 TO 20
kaNDu tAn kavalai teerppAn AvadE paNiyAi endAi |
aNDamAi eNDiSaikkum AdiyAi neediyAna
paNDamAm paramaSOdi ninnaiyE paravuvEnE || (11)
entAy, paNiyAy! EmperumAnE, Show mercy on me! I have been a paramabhaktan contemplating deeply on you, cherishing my sharanAgati at your divine feet (tiruvaDi tozhal) and expressing different ways of my dAsyam by mouth. Albeit I know for sure that I do not possess the power to end my worries through my own efforts like mAnasa, kArmana and vAchA kainkaryams mentioned above. These kainkaryams bear no fruits unless You yourself shower your kind anugraham on me. Hence, Oh Lord of the universe! The foundation of the eight directions (ashta dikpAlakas) ! The immeasurable wealth! The supreme light! Having no other recourse, I shall revert to you and sing only your praises, pleading You to protect me. (11)
tooimaiyil toNDanEn nAn SollinEn tollainAmam |
pAviyEn pizhaittavArenru anjinErku anjalenru
kAvipOl vaNNarvandu en kaNNuLE tOrinArE || (12)
Oh tirumAl of tiruvarangam! Aren’t you the pure prANa of the whole universe? That being so, it is appalling that I, an impure person who performs lowly deeds dared to sing your countless nAmas with the saliva-filled mouth set inside my dirty body. Just when I was feeling ashamed of this apachAram, the dark blue-hued Lord shown inside my eye with his abhaya hastam saying “Azhveer, Don’t worry! (anjal)”. (12)
arum piNipAvamellAm aganrana ennai viTTu |
Surumbamar SOlaiSoozhnda arangamA kOyil koNDa
karumbinai kaNDu koNDu en kaNNiNai kaLikkumArE || (13)
2044. A red hot iron spits out water instead of absorbing it. In a similar manner, all my age-old sins have vanished away from me. The testimony to this declaration is the fact that my eyes are sumptuously rejoicing the sweet sugarcane like Lord RanganAtha who has taken abode in arangamA kOyil surrounded by groves inhabited by honeybees. What a fortune that my eyes are engaged in the anubhavam of this paramabhOgyan who is doing nitya sannidhi only to drive away our miseries. (13)
pAviyEn Aha eNNi adanuLLE pazhuttozhindEn |
tooviSEr annam mannum Soozhpunal kuDandaiyAnai
pAviyEn pAviyAdu pAviyEn AyinEnE || (14)
2045. For a seemingly endless time, I craved the company of attractive women whose beauty surpassed the beauty of blue lily flowers. Falling into their lustful trap, again and again, I became an expert sinner. If alone I had the wisdom to engage my senses in the enjoyment of ArAvamuda perumAL of tirukuDandai surrounded by abundant water bodies inhabited by the beautiful, two-winged swans conveying the great virtues of gyAna and anuSThAna, I would not have become a thoughtless, great sinner (mahApApi). (4)
anbinAl anuman vandu AngaDiyiNaipaNiya ninrArku |
enbelAm urugiyukkiTTu ennuDai nenjamennum
anbinAl jnAnaneer koNDu ATTuvan aDiyanEnE || (15)
2046. Once upon a time, setting the cruel rAvANa’s fortified LankA on fire, siriya tiruvaDi HanumAn returned to kishkintA, prostrated Lord rAma’s divine pair of feet, gave him the chooDAmaNi sent by seetA as a proof and conveyed to Lord rAma, the good news of finding her saying “kaNDEn seetaiyai!”. Remembering the happy reaction on rAma’s face on that day, aDiyen’s bones melt and weaken my body. So I shall perform mAnasa tirumanjanam for Lord rAma , with the water of wisdom (gyAnam) mixed with the perfume of love from my heart (mAnaseeka neerATTudal) (15)
tAyamA pravai ponga taDavarai tirittu vAnOrkku |
eeyumAl embirAnArkku ennuDai SorkaLennum
tooyamAmAlai koNDu SooTTuvan toNDanEnE || (16)
2047. In the previous pAsuram, AzhvAr performed tirumanjanam. In this pAsuram, he offers a garland of words to Lord VishNu who took the four avatAras.
To Lord RAma who killed demon mAreecha disguised as the deer (mAyamAn mAya seRRu);
To Lord KrishNa who dragged the mortar to split the twin maruda trees giving them mukti from nArada’s shApam (marudu ira naDandum),
To Lord trivikrama who measured all the worlds showing his paratvam (vaiyam tAy – vayam tAvi -),
To Lord koorma who helped churn the surging ocean by bearing the mandara mountain, to grant amruta to the dEvas (am mA paravai ponga taDavarai tiruttu vAnOrkku eeyum);
To my Lord tirumAl who is named so because He is Ashrita vyAmOhashAli (one who captivates his devotees), aDiyEn shall offer a beautiful and pure garland of pAsurams that speak of His greatness. (16)
ESinAr uindu pOnAr enbadu ivvulagin vaNNam |
pESinEn ESamATTEn pEdaiyEn piravi neettarku
AsaiyO peridu koLga alaikaDal vaNNar pAlE || (17)
2048. AzhvAr’s humility is evident from this pAsuram.
In our vaishNava siddhAntam, both categories of men i.e those who praise God as well as those who criticize God attain mOksha. I am unsure as to which category I belong to. Those who talk about the Lord of tiruppEr or any divya dEsam are supposed to be learned scholars. But I am not learned enough to praise Him. And those who criticize the Lord like SishupAlan are also transformed later and they finally attain mOksha. I am unwilling to join SishupAlan’s group either because I cannot criticize bhagavAn just for the purpose of attaining mOksha. But I can say honestly that I have manifold love for the Lord who has the hue of the surging ocean. May He grant mOksha to me of his own accord.
This pAsuram is a classic example of how pure love for the Lord can grant liberation notwithstanding the svabhaava of people. (17)
aLappil aimbulan aDakki anbavar kaNNEvaittu |
tuLakkamil SindaiSeidu tOnralum SuDarviTTu AngE
viLakkinai vidiyil kANbAr meimmaiyE kANgirpArE || (18)
2049. The yoga sootras of Patanjali advise that yOga is about restraining the mind from taking various forms ( योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरॊध: yOgashchitta vRutti nirOdha:). It also advocates the control of the five pain-bearing obstructions (klEshas) in the practice of yOga.
( अविद्यास्मितारागद्वॆषाभिनिवॆशा: क्लॆशा: avidyaasmitArAgadvEShAbhinivEshA: klEshA:).
avidyA means ignorance (agyAnam).
asmitA means ego (ahankAra)
rAga means attachment (ichchA)
dvEsha means aversion (shatrU)
abhinivEsha means clinging to life and fearing death (svarasavAhi)
The yOgis follow the shastravidhis to control the aforesaid five klEshas. They sit in yOgAsana posture, close their eyelids in meditation, control their panchEndriyas from wandering, bring their minds to concentrate by looking at the tip of the nose, and do uninterrupted bhakti yOga like that of the smooth dripping of oil (tailadhArA). Despite such strenuous efforts of the body and mind, will the yOgis really get to see the effulgent Lord as the tEja swaroopa? It is very rare, says AzhvAr. Unless bhagavAn shows Himself through his unconditional mercy, it is difficult to see Him with our own efforts. Only when He decides to show Himself, we can experience Him. He is indeed the siddhOpAyam (goal) and sadhyOpAyam (means). (18)
uNDiyAn SAbam teertta oruvanoor ulagamEttum |
kaNDiyoor arangam meyyam kachchi pEr mallaiyenru
maNDinAr uyyalallAl maRRaiyArkku uyyalAmE || (19)
Of all the paths to upliftment, that which gives sure result is visiting Lord VishNu residing in divya dEsams and talking about His greatness at all times.
As a punishment for clipping off Lord BrahmA’s fifth head, Shiva was cursed that BrahmA’s skull would stick onto his hand and fall off only when it was filled up to its brim. ShivA wandered around in many sacred places seeking alms holding the crumbling skull as the begging bowl, but in vain. Finally, it was in BadarikAshramam that Lord NArAyaNa filled up his skull saying “akshayam” and relieved Shiva from his brahmahatti dOsha thereby showing His paratvam. May the people of the world remember this story and visit/praise the supreme Lord at widely extolled temples like tirukaNDiyoor, tiruvarangam, tirumeyyam, tirukachchi, tiruppErnagar and tirukaDalmallai to experience His paratvam and saulabhyam. They are sure to be elevated, not the others who set their minds on other subjects. (19)
tEmalar tooviyEttum SEvaDiSengaNmAlai |
mAnavEl kaliyan Sonna vaNDamizh mAlai nAlaindum
oonamadinrivallAr oLiviSumbALvar tAmE || (20)
2051. Kaliyan, the wielder of the esteemed spear, has composed this chaste tamizh garland of twenty verses on the lotus-eyed Lord whose divine feet are ever worshipped with honey-filled flowers by Indra, the King of Gods and BrahmA born of the lotus. Those who sing this pAsurams as swayam prayOjanam (without expecting any result) are sure to rule the lustrous VaikunTham. (20)
TIRUMANGAI AZHVAR TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM
