Thirumaalai – Meyyellam Poga Vittu (33)

இந்த பதிவின் தமிழ் பதிவை இங்கே காணலாம், நன்றி.

Thirumalai Till Now

As the saying goes “Thirumaalai (the prabandham) ariyaadhaar, Thirumaalaye (Perumalai) ariyaadhaar”, we all need to learn and understand Thirumaalai , sung by Thondaradipodi Azhwaar, to know more and more about Perumal/Emperumaan.

Azhwaar’s Experience and Preaching

In the first three hymns (1-3) of this Divyaprabandham, Azhwaar enjoyed the experiences, graced by Emperumaan on him and in the subsequent eleven hymns, (4-14) Azhwaar was preaching us his experiences with Emperumaan or Paramathma. When people raised many objections, Azhwaar responded to them to follow Sri Rama, by “silaiyinaal ilangai setra devane devan aavaan”; and asked them to follow Sri Krishna, who is simple and easy to approach, as ‘katrinam meytha kazhalinai panimin‘; and finally Aranganathan, by mentioning ‘uybavaruku uyyum vannam Thiruvarangam kaatinaan”. 

Favours of Emperuman to Azhwaar

Azhwar moved on to describe the great favours he received from Periyaperumal in the next ten hymns, 15 to 24.

• Emperumaan clarified Azhwaar’s doubts on the concept of Paramatma, the supreme most concept among the twentysix concepts of our tradition (sampradhayam) in Meyyerke meyyanaagum.
• Emperumaan entered the heart of Azhwaar in Soodhanaai Kalvanaai, and made Azhwaar’s devotion and affection towards Periyaperumal to swell.
• Emperumaan melted the hardened heart of Azhwaar and graced Azhwaar with His dharsan and blessings, in spite of Azhwaar’s belief that he was not worth to receive any favours from Periyaperumal, Virumbi ninru.
• Emperumaan nullified Azhwaar’s long time loss of not seeking Emperumaan’s dharsan and made Azhwaar to worship Him, which made Azhwaar’s eyes to pour out tears of joy, in ini thirai thivalai modha.
• Emperumaan created the four directions and kept His holy parts of His form in each of these directions so that He can be worshipped to get abode / Moksham in Kuda Thisai mudiyai.
• Emperumaan made Azhwaar happy by making him realise that His lustrous and effulgent Holy form and parts are only for the happiness of His devotees in Paayum Neer Arangam.
• Emperumaan made Azhwaar realise, that he missed experiencing Him for a such a long time, mainly because Azhwaar did not surrender to Him completely, which shattered Azhwaar, Panivinal manamadhu onri.
• Emperumaan made Azhwaar sing that we can simply follow what the Vedas had already said about Him and we need not toil to create anything new to speak about Him in, Pesitre pesal allaal.
• Emperumaan showed the beauty of His reclining posture to Azhwaar in Thiruvarangam, that made Azhwaar to realise that he would not live without His dharsan, in Gangaiyil punidhamaaya.
• Emperumaan made Azhwaar realise and sing that he did not have any pre-requisites for total surrender, and that helped Azhwaar to get prepared for total surrender to Him in Vella Neer parandhu paayum.

Naichyaanusandhaanam

After the first three subtopics of Thirumalai, namely, Azhwaar’s experience (1-3), Azhwaar’s preaching based on his experience (4-14), and the favours graced by Him to Azhwaar (15-24), now Azhwaar sings that he did not have any good qualities but only bad qualities in the next 10 hymns (25-34), which is the fourth subsection, known as naichiyaanusandhaanam in our tradition.

No to Good things

In Kulithu Moondru Analai (25), Azhwaar mentioned that he did not have any of the qualification that were needed to practice Karma, Gnana or Bakthi yogams (Actions, Knowledge or Devotion) and Azhwaar requested Periyaperumal to bless him with everything including the qualifications onward.

In Podhellam Podhu Kondu (26), Azhwaar mentioned that he did not do the normal poojas and singing slokas on Him, which anyone could have done, even if they were not qualified to practice, karma, gnana or bakthi yogams.

In “kurangugal malaiyai nooka” (27), Azhwaar stated that he did not do any service similar to the ones done by squirrels and monkeys, with good intention during the Rama incarnation.

In Umbaraal ariyalaaha” (28), Azhwaar said that his mind did not think about Paramaatma as his saviour, like the elephant Gajendra, which was saved by Emperumaan. after a crocodile caught its legs.

• In Kulithu moondru analai (25) Azhwaar, said that he did not do prayers using all the three elements, thinking through mind, offering flowers using hands and reciting holy chants using mouth. In Podhellam Podhu Kondu (26), Azhwaar mentioned that he did not chant prayers. In kurangugal malayai nooka, (27), Azhwaar mentioned that he did not do any service. In Umbaraal ariyalaaha” (28) Azhwaar mentioned that he did not think.
• So, initially Azhwaar said that he did not use all the three elements together in his prayers, and subsequently Azhwaar said no to each one of them in the subsequent hymns.

In Oorlien, kaani illai, (29) Azhwaar said that he did not have any association whatsoever, with Divyadesams, as He is committed to protect all those who have any association with Divyadesams like chanting of Tirupallandu, or holding any piece of land for doing some service to Him.

Yes to all bad things

The fourth part of Azhwaar’s Naichyanusanthanam, consists of ten verses 25 to 34, where Azhwaar says that he had no good qualities, in the five hymns from 25 to 29 and from 30 to 34, says that he has all kinds of bad qualities.

In Manathilor thooymai illai (30), Azhwaar declared that he had all the bad qualities and there was no bad quality left in this world, which he did not have, as Emperumaan would have graced Azhwaar with moksham, as long as he did not have any bad qualities, even if AZHWAAR did not have any good quality.

In Thavathulaar thammil allen (31) Azhwaar said that he did not possess any of the means, that the Shastras meant for attaining salvation, like doing yagnas, or donating to others, instead he had wasted the birth, by drowning himself into the worldly pleasures, showing hatred towards everyone, thereby he became undesired even to his own relatives.

In the 32nd song Arthu Vandu Alambum Solai, Azhwaar states that he did not know or understand even one single way to reach Him. Azhwaar also stated about himself as a human being, who was unable to let go of what he liked, and behaved like a stupid, came in front of Emperumaan without knowing the criteria and that was his stupidity.

Now let us move on to the next hymn.

Hymn 33

Mei ellaam Poga Vittu, viri kuzhalaaril pattu, poi ellaam podhindhu konda potkanen, vandhu ninren, Ayyane, Arangane, un arul ennum aasai thanaal, poiyanen vandhu ninren, poiyanen poiyanene ! (33)

Azhwaar, sang about his lowly qualities and cried that he had nowhere else to go and came in front of Emperumaan, only due to Azhwaar’s desire for the Emperumaan’s mercy.

Azhwaar, in the last eight songs, sang that he had no positivity and there was no shortage of bad qualities either; became an unwanted person to people around also. Emperumaan wanted to know whether those words were truly from Azhwaar’s heart. Azhwaar said that was also a lie. Emperumaan asked, if Azhwaar did not have any means, how could He bless him ? Azhwaar said that he expected only the association with Emperumaan’s holy feet and His grace.

If Azhwaar could not be truthful in all the three as thoughts, words and actions, he could have been truthful at least in one among them. But Azhwaar was not. He was desirous in the worldly things, and was left with nothing but falsehood. But If he had the blessings from Emperumaan, that would make him beleive that he had no shortcomings, and Azhwaar with that desire, came in front of Emperumaan seeking His Holy feet, only with fear and shame

Now let us go through in some details.

Mei Ellam Poga Vittu

Mei means Truth that is beneficial to all the living things and should depict true state of things. The route of all the good things that were mentioned by Azhwaar as though he did not possess is the Truth with the above mentioned meaning.

The sloka 32, from Kaisika Mahathmiyam is taken here as a quote here. The sloka is “Satya moolamidham sarvam loka; satye prathishtitha; Naaham mithyaa pravashyaami satyameva vadhaamyaham;” This means that the world is created from the Truth; This world is sustained by The Truth. In Kaiska mahathmiyam, Nampaaduvaan said that he would only speak truth and all those who are involved with Emperumaan would never utter a lie.

Truth (Mei) is manifold; the thoughts should be truthful, and speaking the same should also be truthful and ultimately truthful in action also. When any of these things are different, or mentioned differently with different people or applied differently for different people, it is not complete truthfulness. That’s why Azhwaar says Truth in all respects, when he said “Mei Ellam”. Azhwaar said that he was not only non-truthful, also made sure that the people around him and in the country were non-truthful, by using the words “poga vittu“, meaning ‘letting go”. Since Emperumaan knows everything, everyone should speak only the truth in front of Him. Azhwaar regretted that he lied even before Him.

Viri Kuzhalaaril Pattu

Azhwaar mentioned that his association with other women, as the reason for completely abandoning the Truth by ‘Viri Kuhalaril Pattu’. It is how falsehood can not be endured by those who love Emperumaan, same manner, truth can not be endured by those who enjoy the company of such women. Here Thiruvaimozhi (5.10.2) is quoted. Nammazhwaar says, ‘adhu idhu udhu ennal avana alla, ennai un seygai naivikkum” meaning that the followers of Emperumaan get involved fully with all the actions that are associated with Emperuman, in the same way, those who are associated with such women, would also get involved completely

Here ‘Pattu’ means irretrievably entangled. Azhwaar says that even when he is having the dharsan of the beauty of His form or Thirumeni in person, because of the advices from his Acharya or guru, he is caught in their net as his heart still thinks of those women.

Poi Yellam Podhindhu konda

Azhwaar says that just as truth has been completely rejected, falsehood has been completely included. He says that just as connection with Emperumaan makes even the liars to speak the truth, so as the connection with other women makes truth-tellers to lie.

Like truth, falsehood is multifaceted, so he refers to it as everything by calling “ellaam“. He says that he kept with him everything that could be called a lie.

When Azhwaar says “podhindhu konda“, it means ’embodied’ and he says that he had kept all the lies with him without letting them escape anywhere. Azhwaar says that any man, if ever wanted to lie to his girl friends, must come to Azhwaar and ask for it, as he had taken the entire lease of lying. He says that just as security is strengthened in all the eight directions of a fort and the people are kept inside and prevented from going out, so the lies are made sure that none of them would leave Azhwaar.

Potkanen Vandhu Ninren

Since, those who speak truth alone can approach Emperumaan, He cannot be approached if Azhwaar’s inferiority alone is taken into consideration. Because there was no other means, he came and stood in front of Emperumaan. Those who have followed the procedures to reach Him would ‘stand’ in front of His door, like a worker standing in front of his employer to receive the wages. Azhwaar says that he too had come in front of Him and stood much similar to those who have followed the ways to reach Him. Azhwaar said that he had no other go hence came in front of Him in “Potkanen“.

Ayyane Arangane

Azhwaar uses “Ayyane” here to insist about his natural relationship with Emperumaan. Emperumaan asked, why Azhwaar could not go to the women ( Virikuzhalaaril pattu) but yearns to reach Paramapadham, that is attainable only by people who have conquered internal and external senses. Azhwaar said that it was because he had a relationship with Emperumaan, that was indestructible by him and that relationship had occurred naturally. He continued that he came in front of Emperumaan like the children who have harmed their parents, coming back to them through the backdoors seeking help.

Emperumaan wanted to know from Azhwaar on how he discovered his natural relationship with Him. Was it through reading the scriptures, or because of the teachings of the Acharyas’ . Azhwaar explained this by the word Arangane, which means that he came to Emperumaan in Thiruvarangam, whose only aim is to uplift all the samsaaris and grant them Moksham . Azhwaar continued that the reclining form of Emperumaan in Thiruvarangam, shows that even though there would be people who detest Emperumaan, and He does not hate anyone, and has vowed that He would not leave Thiruvarangam until He takes everyone here to Moksham.

Un arul ennum aasai thannaal

Azhwaar said that he came to receive the mercy of Emperuman. It is like even those who have harmed themselves to the extent of perishing, need the mercy of Emperumaan. The reason for the above statement is the way Rama showed mercy to Kakasura . Even when Rama tried to kill Kakasura with Brahmastra, Rama’s mercy was such that Kakasura came back and fell in Ramapiran’s foot. Ramayana, Sundara Kanda, 38.34 says that Kakasura, who had surrendered and fell to the earth, though he deserved to be killed, was saved by the grace of Rama, who deserved surrendering. The exact meaning of that sloka is ‘Seeing the crow fallen on the ground, O Kakutstha (Ram), you who are a saviour of those who seek refuge, saved him out of compassion, even though he deserved to be killed. (34). And the next sloka says “Rama, you saw the crow in pain and despondency who returned to you and said that it is not possible to make Brahma’s weapon ineffectual. You may tell now. (what should be done.)” (35).

Poiyanen vandhu ninren

Emperumaan said that He was looking at Jeevathmaas like Azhwaar, who

• knew that they had no merits and
• knew that they had all demerits, and
• those who also knew the natural relationship with Emperumaan.

When Emperumaan wanted to ascertain the same from Azhwaar, he said that these were also not true. He said that he could not speak any one thing as truth to Emperumaan, as He naturally knows everything .

To say that he was a liar, as in “Poiyanen” is to say that he had all the vices. Having no refuge, other than Him no other shelter, realising He alone is the source is the Surrender to Emperumaan. This is stipulated in shastraas. He said that he did it because he was told that doing this in front of Him would be beneficial. The comment is that he really did not say that he went in front of Him with his demerits in mind.

Poiyanen Poiyanene

Azhwaar said that he lied in such a capability that even Emperumaan, who, by His nature, knows everything as they are, also believed those lies as Truth. In the earlier hymns, all the words said by azhwaar like “aadharam peruga vaitha azhagan”(16), “kanninai kallikkumaare”(17), paniyarumbu uthirumaalo “(18), “udal enaku urgumaalo “(19) were all false garlands, and Emperumaan believed that those were true and hence Azhwaar said strongly that he was a liar, by mentioning the words twice, like Poiyanen, Poiyanene: Azhwaar completed this this verse by saying how many lies he had told in front of Emperuman, where every one should tell only the truths to survive.

Let us catchup again in the next song. Thanks.