Selected Excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph'
 

Eighteenth Pasuram ( Undhu madha kaLiRRan..)

In this Paasuram , an esoteric doctrine of Sri Vaishnavism is included. According to this doctrine , the Lord and Sri Devi are inseparable and they serve together  as UpAyam (means) and UpEyam (Ultimate goal) .This fundamental doctrine is known as "Yeka Seshithvam" . With this in mind, ANDAL wakes up Goddess Nappinnai , the consort of the Lord now and appeals to Her.

Literal meaning of the Paasuram
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Oh daughter-in-law of King NandagOpA , who has the proud gait of elephants  and who is known for His valiant  shoulders with invincible strength ( that he would  never leave a battle field without victory).  Oh Nappinnai with enchanting fragrant black tresses !  Kindly unlock Your door. Hearken , the cocks have awakened now everywhere and are making lound noises. Hearken, even  the group of cuckoos , sitting on the bower of Maadhavi (Kurukkatthi) flowers , have cooed gently many times.  Oh Young Lady holding the sporting ball with Your fingers   as BhOgOpakaraNam ! As we wish to sing about Your Lord's  names , please come with joy and open the door with Your  red lotus-like soft hands , which create a plesant sound  (sunAdham)from the movement of Your bracelets adorning  Your forearms .(This is the famous Paasuram associated  with AchAryA RaamAnujA's swoon , when he identified  AthtuzhAi , the daughter of his AchAryAn , with Nappinnai , when she(Atthuzhai) opened the door of her house with  jangling bangles to offer Bikshai to RamanujA ).

Inner meanings according to Abhinava Desikan
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In our AarAdhanam , we awaken (invoke) AchAryan and Ananatha-Garuda-VishvaksEnar (nithyasooris)  first and then awaken PirAtti. Here through  the awakening of Nappinnai , all the three parties are awakened .

In KrishNavathAram , unitl the time of the Lord's  residence in Gokulam , Nappinai PirAtti was PradhAnam  (chief wife)and enjoyed the andharangam of the Lord. Nappinnai is the incarnation of NeeLA dEvi.Therefore ,  the Gopis approach Nappinnai seeking her intercession  (PurushakAram).Without PurushakAram of PirAtti, Saasthrams  say that one should not approach BhagavAn . Even PirAtti would  not intervene unless that the chEthanam has sath sahavAsam and SadAchArya ambhandham.Therefore as poorvAngam (preliminaries ) , the Gopis related to the gate keepers, and NandhagOpan . Nappinai's close relative is NandhagOpan .  Therefore , the Gopis address Napinnai cleverly as " NandhagOpAlan MarumahaLE "here.

NandhagOpan's Isvaryam is indicated with " Unthu mathakaLiRRin OdAtha ThOlvaliyan" in this paasuram . Besides his wealth 
of cattle , NandagOpAlan is known for the herd of elephants  befitting his role as the king of GopAs. His Bhuja bala parakramam is also indicated by the reference to  the elephants in rut , which NandhagOpan is able to subjugate .

Inner Meanings by PerukkAraNai Swamy
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Here the PrAdhAnyam of PurushakAra BhUthai,Nappinnai is saluted .

"vanthengum KOZHI azhaitthana KaaNN ": The reference to kOzhi (Cock) is a reference to one of the Vaishnava LakshaNams. VaishNavAs are said to be like "(1)Kokku(Crane) , (2)kOzhi ,(3) Uppu (salt) and(4) Oomai (dumb) . In the case of kOzhi, it wakes up in the morning and wakes others up by crowing three times. The reasons for crowing thrice  are given as:

(1) to remind us about thrikAla sandhyAvandhanam
(2)To remind us about the japam of three rahasyams: Thirumanthiram ,  Dhvayam and charama slOkam
(3) to remind us thatWe need  the three lakshaNams:BrAmanathvam ,VaishNavathvam and  Prapannathvam.

kOzhi also stirs up the dirt and picks the essentials and discards the rest(kuppai kiLaruthal).It is hence  a Saara-grAhi.

Inner Meanings of Individual passages
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Unthu madha KaLLiRRIn    One who has got Ubhaya VibhUthi  and therefore does not pay heed to others

OdAtha thOL valiyan      One with unobstructed sankalpam

NandhagOpAlan            Oh MahA Lakshmi ,who embraces
marumahaLE                 that Lord of Ubhaya VibhUthi
                                     and unobstructed sankalpam !
 
ghandham kamazhum        Please banish the obstacles that
Kuzhali kadai                    stand in the way of attaining
                                        Kesavan (Your Lord of fragrant
                                        tresses).Please remove our sins
                                        and say "asthu tE dayaiva sarvam
                                        sampathsyathe"

kOzhi vanthu                   SaaragrAhis like us (like kOzhi)
yengum azhaitthana       are going everywhere you are
kANN                          and performing our prapatthi.
                                    Please take note of this.

Maadhavi pandhal         Valmiki , Sukhar and other sages
mEl pal kaal kuyil          are sitting on the VedAntha SaakhAs
Koovina KaaNN            and are singing Your Lord's glories

panthAr virali unn           For converting us , who are like
maitthunar pEr paaDa     instruments of play (LeelOpakaranam)
                                      for Him into bhOgOpakaraNam for Him

senthAmarai olippa       please  create sunAdhams (auspicious dhvani) from the ornaments that You  are wearing

Vanthu thiRavAi          and remove the anger of Your Lord  at us!

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyana , NaarAyana !

Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr ThiruvadigaLE Saranam ,
Sarvam KrushNArpanam asthu
RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan

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