TIRUPPAVAI 11 – KARRU KARAVAI
PASURAM 484
seRRAr tiRal azhiyach senRu seruch seyyum *
kuRRam onRillAda kOvalar tam poRkoDiyE! *
puRRaravalgul punamayilE pOdarAy! **
suRRattut tOzhimAr, ellArum vandu * nin
muRRam pugundu mugil vaNNan pEr pADa *
siRRAdE pEsAdE selvap peNDAtti! * nI
eRRukku uRangum poruLElOr empAvAy (11)
ANDAL goes to wake up the sixth friend, an extraordinary beautiful girl (porkoDi) of a distinguished and wealthy family in this pAsuram.
Oh, the unblemished golden jewel of the cowherds who have milked at a stretch many milch cows. They are capable of vanquishing their enemies in their home ground. Oh, golden creeper (beautiful girl), you resemble a peacock (punamayilE) and have a hip like a snake’s hood (puRRaravalgul). Oh, the one dearest to Krishna, please get up and come. All your friends in the neighborhood have gathered in your court yard (muRRam) and are singing the praise of the dark cloud hued Lord KrishNa. Oh! rich girl! (selva penDATTi)! What is the use of you sleeping motionless (siRRAdE) and without response (pEsAdE)?
The underlying idea of this song is that having a rich wealth of knowledge blessed by an AchAryan, we should not give ourselves to tamO guNa but sing bhagavan nAma s and engage in Ananda anubhavam of Lord KrishNa.
KEY WORDS: kaRRu - young, kaRAvai - cows, kaNangaL - herd, seRRAr - enemies, tiraL azhiya - strength destroyed, senRu seruch seyyum - go and vanquish the enemies, kOvalar - gOpas, cowherds, pokoDi - golden creeper, pOdarAy - join us, eRRukku poruL uRangum- What is the reason for your sleep?
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 11
TIRUPPAVAI 12 - KANAITTILAM
PASURAM 485
ninaittu mulai vazhiyE ninRu pAl sOra *
nanaittillam sERAkkum naRselvan tangAy! *
panittalai vIzha nin vAsaR kaDai paRRich **
sinattinAl tennilangaik, kOmAnaich seRRa *
manattukkiniyAnaip pADavum nI vAy tiRavAy *
inittAn ezhundirAy Idenna pEruRakkam! *
anaittillattArum aRindElOr empAvAy (12)
The buffalos spout milk profusely at the very thought of their young calf and the place becomes slushy mixed with mud and milk. Oh the sister of such a wealthy man (Nar chelvan tangAi)! We, your friends, are standing at your entrance unmindful of the heavy dew falling on our head. Please wake up and open your mouth to sing the glory of our Lord Raama who is very dear to our heart, the one who angrily slain down the emperor of LankA. Oh sweet girl, Its time to get up from your long sleep. The people of other houses are aware that you are still asleep.
The inner truth is that the Lord pours out His mercy at the very thought of His bhaktas, without any discrimination.
KEY WORDS: ilam kaNRu eRumai - buffaloes having young calfs, Kanaittu - are calling their calves, ninRu pA sOra - and leaking abundant milk, sErAkkum - making the house slushy, sinattinAl - out of anger, ten ilangai kOmAn - the king of the southern land of lankA.
ESOTERICA: The cowherd in this pAsuram is referred as "narselvan" meaning "wealthy". It is the wealth of kainkarya sri which he possesses. He is always thinking of KrishNa and ways to do service to KrishNa. He is like iLaya perumAL lakshmaNa who offers uninterrrupted service to Lord rAma.
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "manattukku iniyAn, Lord rAma". (12)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 12
TIRUPPAVAI 13 – PULLINVAY KEENDANAI
PASURAM 486
ANDAL and her friends now wake up the eighth girl, a friend who knows about the pAvai nOnbu but is trying to avoid their association.
Arise from bed and join me in singing the praises of Lord KrishNa who tore open the mouth of the demon-crane bakAsura (puLLin vAy keeNDAnai), and Lord rAma who defeated the wicked king rAvaNa by effortlessly chopping off his ten proud heads (pollA arakkanai). Sukran, The Venus star (veLLi) has risen and the Jupiter star (viyAzhan-guru) has set down. In this beautiful conjunction, all the other girls have gone to the sacred arena selected for the nOnbu and to bathe in the Yamuna river, but you are still sleeping. Birds have started chirping. Oh maiden! You possess eyes that resemble that of a deer (or a lotus on which bees suck nectar). Why do you still lie on bed, reluctant to take a dip in cool waters and sing bhagavan nAmas? As this is an auspicious day for nOnbu, shed your shamelessness, wake up and join us, and perform the nOnbu with us in an amicable manner.
This pAsuram advises that a prapanna should engage in bhagavat kainkaryam of the valorous Lord and join the bhAgavatas who help him retain that thirst for ever.
KEY WORDS: keertimai - glories, pAvai kaLam - The sacred place where the mArgazhi nOnbu was performed, pOdari - lotus, deer, paLLi - bed, kiDattiyO - Why are you sleeping on?
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "pullinvAy keeNDAn" - KrishNa who killed the crane demon bakAsura, and "pollA arakkanai kiLLi kaLainthAn" - rAma who killed rAvaNa. (13)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 13
TIRUPPAVAI 14 – UNGAL PUZHAKKADAI
PASURAM 487
The young girls now plead the ninth friend who had earlier promised to lead the group but failed to do so.
Oh little girl! Wake up! The red lotuses in your backyard have already blossomed (sengkazhuneer vAy nigazhndu) and the lily has shut its petals (Ambal vAy koombinakAN). The sanyAsis clad in saffron robes look bright with sparkling teeth after performing their nitya anuShTAnas early in the morning. They are proceeding to open the temple doors and give the opening call. Let us emulate this pure sattva guNa and participate in the morning prayers. Oh shameless and talkative girl! nangAy! (nANAdAy nAvuDaiyAy). You have failed in your commitment to get up first and awaken us all. Never mind, get up and use your speech skills to sing about Lord KrishNa who holds his shankh and chakra in his big hands that do great deeds (taDa kaiyan). Does He not please you with His lotus like eyes filled with kAruNyam? (pangaya kaNNanai).
This pAsuram directs the intelligent and skillful people to follow the path of our seers in pAratantriyam and sEshatvam (i.e) To understand that Jeevan is not an independent entity (not a swatantran). He and all his skills are dependent on the Lord (pAratantriyam) and He is a small fraction of the para brahmaN. (shEshatvam). Hence He should surrender to the Lord.
KEY WORDS: puzhakkaDai - backyard, vAvi - pond, sengal poDi koorai - robes dyed in red by dipping the fabric in brick powder, nANAdAy - shameless, nAvu - talkative, speech, taDa kai - big hands, benevolent hand, pangaya - lotus
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "sangODum chakkaram Endum taDakkaiyan" (shank-chakradhAri), "pangaya kaNNAnai" (puNDareekAksha). (14)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 14
TIRUPPAVAI AUDIO LESSONS 15 TO 22
TIRUPPAVAI 15 – ELLE ILANGKILYE
PASURAM 488
This pAsuram is in the form of a dialogue between ANDAL and the tenth gOpi friend who is still sleeping. ANDAL doesn't want to leave behind any of her friends while proceeding for the pAvai nOnbu. She stands outside the gOpi 's house and wakes her up. Lets understand this pAsuram in dialogue format.
ANDAL...." Oh! The much talented dame, resembling a young parrot! Are you still asleep?"
The girl who is still drowsy, replies..." Don't call out with your high pitched voices! I will come! Wait!"
ANDAL..." Oh yes! We know that you are smart and have a a sharp tongue!"
The girl..." It is you girls who are smart, not me. Please forgive me as I am at fault.
ANDAL..." Wake up and join us to perform the vratam."
The girl..." Have all of you come?"
ANDAL..." Yes. You can come out and count them if you want."
The girl..."Ok, Where do we go?"
ANDAL..." Come, we shall go and sing the praise of the one who killed the mighty elephant (val Anai), KuvalayApeeDam; the one who is capable of winning over enemies and making them His devotees."
This pAsuram defines the 'shreevaishNava lakshaNam' of not disrespecting bhAgavatas and taking the blame on ourselves for the known or unknown mistakes. This diffuses any situation and evens out issues.
KEY WORDS: sil enRu azhaiyEnmin! - Don't shrill and call!, vallai - smartness, kaTTuRai - sharp speech, nanE tAn Ayiduga - Its my own fault that I haven't yet got up, pOndARO - Have they come?, pOndAr - They have come, pOndu - Get up, eNNi koL - and count for yourself, mARRAr - enemies, mARRazhikka - destroy the enemies.
The tirunAmams of this pAsuram are "val Anai konRAnai", vallAn", "mAyan", the one who destroys enemies in a magical way. (15)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 15
TIRUPPAVAI 16 – NAYAGANAY NINDRA
PASURAM 489
On reaching Nandagopan's residence, ANDAL requests the sentry guarding the main entrance (kOyil kAppAnE), and the guard protecting the inner door (vAyil kAppAnE) studded with gems and decorated with flags and festoons. She says that she has come to get the paRai-drum, which the blue hued mAyan KrishNa had already promised to them a day earlier. Addressing the doorkeepers as "ammA", she further justifies that the little AyarpADi girls have come all the way with a pure heart to wake Him up and so they should not refuse entry into krishNa's house in the beginning itself. She requests them to open the pair of doors that are interlocked with each other.
In shreevaishnNava practice one seeks the help of dwArapAlakas, AchAryas and pirATTi, to reach the Lord in the temple. Here, ANDAL seeks Nandagopan, YashOdA, BalarAman and ultimately, KrishNa.
ESOTERICA: Inner meaning by Shri perukkAraNai swAmi - "kOyil kAppAnE" denotes Moola mantram; "vAyil KaappAnE " refers to dvaya mantram, nennalE vaai nErndAn - refers to charama shlOkam.
KEY WORDS: kOyil kAppAn - kshEtrAdhipati (gate keeper), vAyil kAppAn - dwAra adhyakshAdipati (door keeper), siRumiyar Om - We are little, innocent girls (not like bhootana who came in the guise of yashOdA), aRai paRAi - reverberating drum (the drum that resounds the beat according to the rhythm taught by the drum-beater),nennalE - yesterday, mARRAdE ammA - Don't refuse, swAmi!, nEya nilaikadavu - the pair of doors that are interlocked as if meditating on krishNa.
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "maNivaNNan", krishNa of the hue of a blue gem. (16)
TREASUERS OF TIRUPPAVAI 16
TIRUPPAVAI 17 - AMBARAME TANEERE
PASURAM 490
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O King NandagopA! You, who are known for your charity in giving away food, water and clothing! Kindly get up!! Oh queen yashOdA! the compassionate leader of all women folk! The auspicious lamp of Gokulam (kula viLakkE), Our goddess (Em perumATTi), please rise up! O Lord of Lords who measured all the worlds with your lotus feet and blessed every being, do not sleep anymore!! Yet kaNNan does not stir. O prosperous and powerful balarAmA (baladEvA) whose feet are adorned with reddish golden anklets (sem poR kazhalaDi), please wake up from your sleep and awaken your younger brother (umbiyum) too.
This pAsuram conveys the message that those who worship the Lord and wish to attain Him, should contemplate upon their preceptors and seek their approval first.
KEY WORDS: ambaram - clothes, taNNeer - water, sOr - food, kombanAr - cowherds, kozhundE - the tender leaf of a plant that fades immediately the plant is sick. In the same way, yashOdA also becomes sad if any resident of gOkula is sad, ambaram - sky, ooDaruttu - pierce and rise, umbar - dEvas, kOmAn - king of, umbi - younger brother.
ESOTERICA:
NandagOpAla is equated to AchAryan (pitA) who grants us three gifts being 1. vaikunTham, 2. virajA and 3. Ananda anubhavam. (ambaram is vaikuNTham, taNNeer is virajA nadee, sOru is paramAnandam). EmperumATTi yashOdA is equated to tirumantram which is like the mother. BalarAma is AdisEshan incarnation. He always assists Lord vishNu in all His incarnations. Umbi is krishNa, the supreme Lord Himself.
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "umbar kOmAn" - the leader of the dEvas. (17)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 17
TIRUPPAVAI 18 – UNDU MADAGALITRAN
PASURAM 491
ANDAL and her friends now wait outside the chamber of Lord krishNa and His beloved consort Nappinnai. They try to wake up Nappinai .
Oh daughter in law of nandagOpa! (nandagOpAlan marumagaLE)! NandagOpa has the habit of winning over vigorous elephants Iin rut (undu madagaLiRRan). He is the one with valiant shoulders, who will never leave a battle without victory (ODAda tOLvaliyan - bhujabala parAkramam). Oh dear Nappinnai, the one with fragrant tresses! Look! Everywhere, the cocks have finished crowing. Flocks of cuckoos are sitting on the kurukkatti flowers ( madhavi pandal mEl), and have completed their morning song many times. Oh delightful lady holding the play ball of flowers (pandAr viRali) in your lotus like soft hands. We wish to sing the praise of your husband (un maittunan). Please come and open the door with joy so that we enjoy the pleasant sound created by the clanging of your shining bangles.
The highlight of this pAsuram is that we need the intercession (purushakAram) of Nappinnai devi, the consort of Lord KrishNa, to reach the supreme Lord nArAyanA.
KEY WORDS: undu - won over, mada - ichor flowing out of elephant's temple when it is in the state of musth, kaIiRu = elephant, kaLiRRan - elephants, nappinnAi (nar + pinnai) - the one having beautiful or thick tresses or the one who became the last consort of vishNu after shreedEvi and bhoodEvi, kaDai - latch of the door, palkAl - many times, seerAr vaLai - Nappinai's bangles are fitting well in her hands and not falling down, as she is healthy and happy with the love showered by krishNa.
ANECDOTES:
1. NAPPINNAI was the incarnation of NeeLA dEvi, one of the three consorts of Lord nArAyaNa. She was the daughter of Kumban, yashOdA's brother. KrishNa tamed his seven ferocious bulls to marry nappinnai. Hence she is referred as NandagOpan's daugher-in- law.
2. TIRUPPAVAI JEEYAR: "undu madagaLiRRan" pAsuram earned swAmi rAmAnuja the name - "tiruppAvai jeeyar". Once, saint rAmAnuja was seeking alms reciting tiruppAvai in shreerangam. When he reached swAmi mahApoorNa’s (periya nambi) house, he sang 18th pAsuram 'undumadagaliRRan'. As he was uttering the words “seerAr vaLai olippa vandu tiravAy”, the door opened and "attuzhAy", the little daughter of periya nambi came out. Thinking that nappinnai pirATTi herself had opened the door, uDaiyavar fainted. Periya Nambi came out and asked rAmAnuja - "enna? undumadgaliRRan pAsuram anusandhAnamO?". Due to rAmAnuja's deep engrossment in tiruppAvai, He is celebrated as "tiruppAvai jeeyar".
ESOTERICA:
Nappinnai who is referred as "pandAr virali" actually holds a flower ball on one hand and embraces krishNa with the other hand. This shows how she has control over leelA vibhooti (ball) and nitya vibhooti (krishNa). The ball that refers to jeevAtmas is the leelOpakaraNam - object of play for bhagavAn. We pray nappiNNai to convert us into bhOgOpakaraNam - object of enjoyment for bhagavAn in nityavibhooti.
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "nappinnAi maittuNan" - the husband of nappinnai. (18)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 18
TIRUPPAVAI 19 – KUTTU VILAKKERIYA
PASURAM 492
Oh my Lord sleeping luxuriously in a room decorated with tall and beautiful lamps, with an attractive bed which is gorgeous, pleasant, soft, fragrant and bright, supported by legs made of ivory from the tusks of the elephant. (kuvalayApeeDam) ! Oh the one with a broad chest filled with generosity! ( malar mArbA)! You are enjoying yourself resting on the chest of Nappinnai (nappinnai kongai mEl vaittu kiDanda malar mArbA) who has bedecked her tresses with strands of jasmine flowers, the fragrance spreading all around the room. We plead you to arise and speak to us ! (Nappinnai stops KaNNan from getting up). Oh Nappinnai pirATTii! You have captivated KanNNan with your beautiful black eyes (maittaDangkaNNinAy)! You cannot bear separation from your husband (un maNALanai) even for a moment. This behavior does not fit into your nature filled with mercy. We came with a hope that you will allow us to see kaNNan, but you pretend to be sleeping.
This pAsuram reveals that a true devotee of PerumAL will always consider (goddess MahAlakshmi) and VishNu together as the upAyam (path) and the upEyam (goal).
KEY WORDS: kuttuvilakku - tall brass lamps with five faces, kOTTukAl - legs made with elephant tusk, pancha-sayanam - A bed made of cotton (panju), (or) a five layered bed stuffed with five soft materials namely swan feathers, flowers, pure cotton, kOrA grass and peacock feathers அன்னத்தூவி, பூ, இலவம்பஞ், கோரை, மயிர்தூவி, (or) A bed that has five qualities - beautiful, cool, soft, fragrant and white; அழகு, குளர்ச்சி, மார்த்தவம், பரிமளம், வெண்மை (or) A bed stuffed with five materials namely choir, flowers, cotton, wool and silk, malar mArbA - broad chested, kottu alar - bunches of jasmine blooming, poo kuzhal - tresses decorated with flowers, kongai - bosom, tuyil - sleep, ezha - awaken, maNALan - husband, pirivARRal - inseparable, tattuvam anRu - your behaviour is not warranted, tagavu anRu - is not befitting Your swaroopam and Your guNam.
ESOTERICA: KrishNa and Nappinnai are believed to be telling each other to get up and grace the jeevAtmAs who have approached them. And when one gets up, the other says: "Wait I ll go", but they again stay on bed embracing each other. Hence, the delay in getting up. The phrase "nappinnai kongai mEl vaittu kiDanda malar marbA" was the basis for the tiruppAvai taniyan "neeLA tunga stanagiri taTee" by Shri ParAsara BhaTTar.
The tirunAmams of this pAsuram are "malarmarbA" - having a garlanded chest, and "maittaDankaNNi maNAlan" - the husband of the kohl-eyed one. (19)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 19
TIRUPPAVAI 20 – MUPPATTU MOOVAR
PASURAM 493
ANDAL and her friends praise the Lord and Nappinnai to seek their attention.
O heroic One (KaliyE)! You have always hastened to protect the 33 devas (muppattu mUvar ) whenever they were in trouble, thus removing their anxiety (kappam). Please wake up. Oh! The protector of devotees! (cheppam uDayAy), The omnipotent one (tiRaL uDaiyAy)! You are the pure Lord (vimalA) who scorches (veppam) your enemies (seRRAr) with your refulgence. Please wake up as we seek your compassionate glances of grace immediately.
They turn to Nappinai pirATTi and say: Oh lady nappinnai ! One with a tender, pot like bosom, rosy lips and slender waist! You are Goddess Shreedevi (tiruvE)! Kindly wake up your beloved one (un maNAlanai). Relieve us from the pangs of separation. Now, we wish to collect the hand fan (ukkamum -Happiness) and mirror (taTTOLiyum - Knowledge) and kaNNan as gifts for the nOnbu. May we be bathe in His ocean of mercy. At last, Nappinai gets up.
This pAsuram hints that we should desire to do eternal service at the lotus feet of the leaders of the universe - tAyAr and perumAL.
KEY WORDS: kappam - fear, tavirkkum - remove, kali - Lord krishNa, the foe of enemies, marungul - waist, ukkam - fan, taTToLi - mirror, neerATTElOr
ESOTERICA: ukkam refers to the AlavaTTam or visiri kainkaryam for perumAL. taTToli refers to the shODasha upachArams - showing mirror etc. for perumAL. The other inner meaning is that the girls pray to Nappinnai to give them the two upakaraNams being kainkaryam (service) and sEshatvam (state of eternal servitude) just like ShreedEvi is endowed with.
The tirunAmam of this pAsuram is "kappam tavirkum kali", "seppam uDaiyavan", "tiraL uDaiyavan", "seRRArkku veppam koDukkum vimalA". (20)
TREASURES OF TIRUPPAVAI 20
