Selected Excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri
U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph'
In this Paasuram , a Gopi known for the beauty of her eyes is being
awakened. The Upanishad BhAshyakArar translates the "pOtharikkaNNinAi"
address of ANDAL as : " Pushpa SoukumArya HAri NayanE!".The beauty of this
Gopi's eyes is bewitching . That attacted KrishNan in the first place to
her. She is lying in her bed reflecting sweetly on the heroic exploits
Krishnan.
She is also going over nostalgically in her mind about the sambhOgam
she had with KrsihNan in that very same bed , which still retains His fragrance
(dhivya Gandham of this Sarva Ghandhan ).
Outiside her bed chamber , a shrill argument has broken out as a result
of one gopi addressing Raaman as "manatthukkiniyAn" in the previous Paasuram
. The assembled group has broken into equal groups .One half maintains
that Raaman is superior
and the other insists that KrishNan is way ahead of Raaman in KalyANa
GuNams. A senior gopi steps in as a mediator and points out that both Raaman
and KrishNan are one and the same Sriman NaarAyanan and peace is restored.
The united Gopis now invite the Gopi inside enjoying KapaDa Nidhrai to
join them .
Literal Meaning of the Paasuram (Dr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan):
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(It is portrayed here that the Gopis , performing Paavai nOnbhu awaken
another girl , who has earlier had a glimpse of Godly bliss, and who generally
keeps aloof, avoiding association with others). All our friends have now
reached the designated place for assembly ( Paavaik- KaLam pukkAr). They
went there singing the praise of our KrishNan , who tore open the mouth
of BakAsuran ( the demonn , who in the form of a crane , came to assault
Him ), and who , in His earlier avathAram as RaamA ,
chopped off the ten heads of the treacherous demon king (RaavaNA )
and destroyed him . The Venus has now arisen and the Jupiter has already
set. Harken , many birds (have gotten up ) and are chirping . Oh Young
and beautiful girl with charming eyes resembling a flower and that of a
doe ! all of us should go to the river and plunge deeply in the water that
makes us shiver ; instead you are wiling away the time lying on the bed
,--is this peoper ? Oh dear girl ! it is truly a great day for us . Kindly
leave your restraint (and aloofness) and join us freely.
SapdEsArthams( Inner Meanings ): Abhinava Desikan
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This paasuram is about a sishyan , who is sitting apart without going
to his AchAryan's side during KaalakshEpa vrutthi ( the activity of learning)
.
The AchAryan is saluted as " puLLin Vaai keeNDAn and pollA arakkanai
kiLLik kaLainthan" since he has controlled the ten IndriyAs and manas;
he has destroyed further the Bhaka Vrutthis ( Crane like , pretending naasthikAs
and dhurvAdhis ). This sishyan is invited to sing the praise of the AchAryan
like the other sishyAs , who have already reached the side of the AchAryan
for absorbing the visEsha arthams of Sri Sookthis from him .This KaalakshEpa
kootam is described as " Paavaik kalam ". The sishyAs are enjoined to sit
still like statues ( padhumaikaL pOl) in a state of rapture absorbing
the special meanings
of Sri Sookthis that are being explained by the AchAryan. This is the
blessed day of SadAchArya sambhandham ( nannAL). You must join us and share
with us fully all your knowledge obtained through deep reflections over
the AchArya UpadEsams that you have been blessed to receive.
PerukkAranai Swamy's svApadEsArthams
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Oh Gopi with serious intent on spending your time on sadh Vishayams!
Some members of our group have already reached the AchAryan's house to
attend to his KaalakshEpam intended for gaining Moksha siddhi as adhikAris
for performing prapatthi.
They have arrived at the AchArya Peetam singing the AchAryan's
glories during their journey there .
Jn~Anam (VeLLI= Venus)has arisen (udhayam); Ajn~Anam ( ViyAzhan=Jupiter)has disappeared (asthamanm). The AchAryAs as GatakAs ( one who unites the chEthanams with BhagavAn through aathma samarpaNam ) are actively performing upadEsams on SaasthrArthams.It is strange to see you sitting still (in samsAram) like a statue instead of aspiring for Moksha Sukham of being with the Dhivya Dampathis and Nithya , Muktha Jeevans in Sri Vaikuntam.On this auspicious day to acquire the covetable wealth of divine jn~Anam , please discard your activities relating to AathmApahAram and goals of just being satisfied with Kaivalyam and enjoy the company of the Lord with the help of the AchAryan in the spirit of "avibhAgEna dhrushtathvAth".
Additional thoughts of PerukkAraNai Swamy
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(1) This gopi is firm about her assessment that it is the Lord , who
has to come to her because of her most beautiful eyes. She does not think
that she should go to Him.
(2) "PuLLin Vaaik keenDAnai" is about KrishNa's valor. After
He cleaved the beak of Bakaasuran and killed him , then , the young gOpAs
plucked the feathers of the bird-shaped asuran and hung them(feahters)
up like a thOraNam to remind all about
what would happen if some one commits unpardonable apachAram to the
Lord ( YaadhavAbhudayam of Swamy Desikan ).
(3)" pollA arakkan " is Raavanan ; saadhu arakkan is his saathvik
brother , VibhishaNNan .His saathvik tendency and gratefulness to Raamachandran
for accepting his Prapathti is described by Kamban as: " panju yena sivakkum
menkAl Deviyai pirittha paavi
Vanchahanukku-ILaya yennai , varuha yenRu aruL seythAnE".
(4) " pOtharikkaNNinAi ": Swamy gives 10 intrepretations to this lovely address of the gOpis.
(5) KuLLakkuLira Kudainthu NeerAdAthE ": This deep immersion
in the pond of Bhagavath anubhavam is KuLLak kuLira NeerAduvathu ( yEsha
Brahma pravishtOsmi). KulasEkarar in Mukuntha Maalai referred to this aanandha
anubhavam as :" Hari Sarasi vighAhya". Dipping for snAnam in the water
upto the neck is "Kudainthu neerAduvathu"; performing snAnam with
BhagavAn (as in theerthavAri or avabrutham ) is " KuLirak kudainthu
neerAduvathu". Bathing in sacred YamunA with BhagavAn and BhAgavathars
is "kuLLak kuLira kudainthu neerAdukai".The SnAnam performed without Bhagavan
naama smaraNam and uccharaNam is like crows and elephants taking bath in
the river. The snAnam perfromed with Bhagavath smaraNam and VaruNa manthra
Japam involving VaruNAntharyAmi, BhagavAn, is the Utthama snAnam referrd
to by ANDAL here.
(6) "PaLLikkidatthiyO?": The gOpi being awakened is really not sleeping .She is chewing in her mind over her blissful anubhavam of union earlier with the Lord on that bed . She had KrishNa sparsam before. The gopis say:" You are like a Paavai ( Bhommai) and as such do not have the skills to understand that the MaayAvi has left and that he is no longer at your side. Please desist from the act of picking fallen grains from the field instead of accessing the grains stored in the granary ( ViLaintha nell kidakka , udhir nell pRukkuhiRAyO?)" .
(7)"kaLLam Tavirnthu": It is not permitted to enjoy sweet things by oneself(self-gratification); they have to be shared with other bhakthAs of the Lord. This Paasura vaakyam has led some commentators to connect this paasuram to AchArya RaamAnujA , since he did not keep the UpadEsams on rahasyArthams that he received from ThirukkOshtiyUr nampi just to himself , but spread it through AchArya paramparai for the ujjeevanam of limitless samsAris . "KaLlam tavithavar RaamAnujar " is the statement recognizing his oudhAryam.
(8) another thought about neerAttam: Thinking of the Lord is NeerAttam;
ArchAvathAra sEvai is "kudainthu neerAttam"; Thinking of Vibhava avathAram
( RaamA and KrishNA ) is KuLira NeerAttam"; the darsanam of Sri VaikuntanAthan
is " KuLLak KuLira NeerAttam", the ultimate bliss .
Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr ThiruvadigaLE Saranam ,
Sarvam KrushNArpanam asthu
RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri
SatakOpan
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