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

Ninth Pasuram ( ThUmaNi maadaththu..)

Literal Meaning according to Dr.V.K.S.N. Raghavan

 (The cowherd women folk practising the Srivratham  (Paavai Nonbhu) awaken another maiden , who has self  complacency in her earnest devotion to the Lord).  Oh the daughter of our uncle! You are taking rest  and sleeping on the soft bed , while the lamps are lit  all round the dazzling hall(with inlaid gem stones )of your mansion filled with aroma of the incense . Please (get up) and open the lever-lock of the shining doors (with inlaid gems ) of your chambers.( As the inside  of the chambers is apparent , these gopis could see within the enclosure  and so call the aunt , the mistreess of the house). Dear Aunt !Could you please
awaken your daughter? Is She dumb or deaf or exhausted and tired out? Or has She been cursed with long spell of sleep ? (may be , that is the reason for her sleeping without responding to us). To awaken her from this  hypnotic sleep , (let us) recite as remedy , the numerous names of the Lord as " God of the Supreme magical power  ( MahAmAyan), the Lord of Goddess MahA Lakshmi  ( Maadhavan) and Vaikuntan ( the Lord of Sri Vaikuntam).

Inner Meanings of this Paasuram

 " MaamAn mahaLE ":

Here a very subtle SaasthrArtham  is revealed . By addressing the sleeping girl as the daughter of the uncle , dEha sambhandham
(bodily relationship as a Bandhu ) is indicated.  BandhUs are of two kinds: anukoolars and prathikoolars.  anukoola BhandhUs are supportive of Bhagavath-BhAgavatha- AchArya Kaimkaryams .Prathikoola BhandhUs are against such kaimkaryams and interfere with the performance of such kaimkaryams .One has to seek the company of  the anukoola BhanthUs and reject the company of  Prathikoola BhandhUs. The Gopi who is being awakened is an anukoola BhnadhU and hence she is awakened
with ardour.( Sri PBA Swamy)

" MaamAn MahaLE ":

MaamAn is the SadAchAryan , who is  more important than Father, Mother and all BhandhUs. MaamAn MahaL is the antharanga sishyan of that AchAryan (Sri UtthamUr Swamy ) adiyEn is reminded of the relationship of Prakrutham Azhagiya Singar as antharanga sishyan to  HH the 42nd Pattam Azhagiya Singar of blessed memory.

"ThoomaNi maadatthu suRRum ViLakkeriya ": Mudhal Paadham
 
ThoomaNi Maadam is the eternal, defect free , all revealing Vedam (Nigama Soudham). " SuRRum " refers to the six angams
(limbs ) of Vedam like SeekshA et al ." ViLakku" is Jn~Anam or UpabrumhaNams like Smruthi , PurANas that explain  the esoteric meanings of the VedAs.( Sri UtthamUr Swamy)

Sri PBA Swamy intreprets this first Paadham of eight lined paasuram this way: The place from where there is  an unhindered view of the environs is called Maadam. This is also decribed as "Praj~nA PrasAdham" by sages.

MaNi Maadam connotes the Maadam made luminous with  nava vidha (nava rathna) sambhandhams . These nine kinds of
relationships are: Pithru-Puthra BhAvam , sEsah-sEshi BhAvam , Bharthru-BhAryA BhAvam, sva-SvAmi BhAvam , Jn~Athru-Jn~yea BhAvam , AadhAra-aadhEya BhAvam , Rakshya-Rakshaka BhAvam and SarirAthma BhAvam.  The intellect (consciousness) that comprehends thes realtionships is ThoomaNi Maadam.

" SuRRum ViLakku Yeriya "

refers to the Jn~Ana dheepams shining in that ThoomaNi Maadam.AzhwArs have referred to  this Jn~Ana dheepam (ViLakku)often :" Jn~Anac Chudar ViLakku yERRinEn  , uytthuNar-vennum oLi koLL viLakkERRi ,  mikkAnai maRayAi virintha ViLakkai" et al. All of these  paasuram passages relate to the Sakala Saasthra Bheeja  Bhutha "AkAra Vaachyan", Sriman NaarAyanan.For the YajamAnan  of the ThoomaNi Madam , these sublime meanings  of Moola Manthram are shining all around.

PerukkAranai Swamy describes the ThoomaNi Maadatthu adhikAri as the one who has the clear comprehension of  the UpabruhmaNams of Vedam like Githai, Manu Smruthi, Saathvika PurANams , which elaborate on the Lord saluted by the Vedams as Akhila hEya prathyanIkan ( full of all Utthama GuNams) amd anantha KalyANa GuNa Svaroopan ( embodiment of limitless auspicious attributes).

SECOND PAADHAM: " DhUpam kamazha Thyuil anai mEl kaNN VaLarum " :

Abhinava Desikan refers to three things with respect to "DhUpam Kmazha": (1) Jn~Anam (2) AnushtAnam and (3) VairAgyam. This adhikAri is resplendent with the practice of Nithya , naimitthika  KarmAnushtAnams and has dispassionate view (VairAgyam) towards life's happenings .

" Thyuil aNai mEl kaNN vaLarum " :

This adhikAri has the aanandhAnubhavam of a Brahma Jn~Ani. "mEl KaNN VaLarum " has been intrepreted by Sri PBA Swamy as the adhikAri blessed with Jn~Ana chakshus that is expanding day by day (mElE mElE Valarum KaNN).

Third Paadham : " MaamAn MahaLE ! MaNik Kathavam ThALL thiRavAi" :

The inner meaning of MaamAn MahaLE  has been covered earlier. The most precious esoteric meanings are kept under lock and key by SadAchAryAs until the Sadh-sishyan earnestly begs for their Upadesam . Then , the SadAchAryan unbolts the lock of
the gem-studded door blocking that jn~Anam. PerukkAranai Swamy intreprets the KarmAs as the lock for the door ( sarIram) hiding the AathmA (Kousthubha MaNi).

FOURTH AND FIFTH PAADHAMS :

"MaamIr avaLai yezhuppIrO ?  Unn MahaL thaann UmayO ? anRic cheviDO? ananthalO?

PerukkAraNai Swamy identifies " MaamIr "as an address to MahA Lakshmi ( LakshmI SambhOdhanam).

MaamIr also stands for AchAryAs and their AchAryAs .The appeal is made to them to instruct this adhikAri on Brahma Vidhyai and prepare them for kaimkaryam . After receiving this parama MangaLa UpadEsam from AchAryAs , the adhikAri becomes deaf , dumb and bind.

Sri PBA Swamy quotes a Neethi Saasthra Vachanam  in this context : " parivAdhEshu yE MookhA: , pathirAccha parOkthishu , pararanthrEshu jAthyAndhAs  dhairjitham bhuvana thrayam " This blessed adhikAri  benefiting from AchArya UpadEsam will be dumb when it comes to nindhanam (criticism ) of others , deaf to other's blaming them , blind when it comes to seeing the dhOshams of others according to the above Neethi Saasthra Vaakyam .

" Unn mahaL thAnn ANANTHALO?"

is the concluding  line of the fifth Paadham . "MahaL " is realted  by Sri PerukkAraNai Swamy as Prapannan , who
is LakshmI puthran  .

Abhinava Desikan intreprets "ananthal" as matham  or Gharvam or IrumAppu or Justifiable pride  based on the knowledge that this Uttham adhikAri  being keenly aware of his aakinchanyam (helplessness), ananya gathithvam ( having no one else for succor
and recourse except the Lord) and MahA VisvAsam  ( Total faith in the Lord as SaraNAgatha Rakshaka  Achyuthan ).

SIXTH PAADHAM : " YEMA PERUM THUYIL MANTHIRAPPATTAALO?"

Are You under the spell of incantation of a Manthram ? Are You bound still by a Manthra PrayOgam? This Utthama adhikAri is under the spell of ashtAksharam ( SvarakshaNE svAnvaya nivruthi nyAyam according to Sri PBA Swamy). That AshtAkshara manthram has caused this adhikAri  "Yema Perum thuyil" as AzhwAr stated: " peyyumA  muhil pOl VaNNA ---mayyal yERRi mayakka unn mukam MAAYA MANTHIRAM THAANN KOLO?".

SEVENTH & EIGHTH PAADHAMS: "MAAMAAYAN MAADHAVAN
VAIKUNTHAN YENRENRU NAAMAM PALAVUM NAVINRU --".

PerukkAraNai Swamy has beautiful interpretations of the word chosen by ANDAL : "MAAMAAYAN". He gives three intrepretatons:
(1) Maa+aayan = the Big Gopa KumAran
(2)Maa+ aayan = that Gopa Kumaaran associated with MahA Lakshmi ( Maa sabdham of MaalOlan, Maadhavan);

He is thus Sriya: Pathi (3) maa+ aayan = maa being "not "  and aayan meaning " a cowherd boy ". Our Lord is not  a Aayan (not born in the cowherd clan) but is MahA VishNu  incarnating as GopAlan for Dharma Samrakshanam .

" Maadhavan Vaikunthan yenrenRu naama palavum navinRu":

EmperumAn's sankalpam makes us remember Him or forget Him ( Mattha Smruthi: of Geethai). When the Sahasra- Naamams of the Lord are recited , all anishtams  (inauspiciousness) are removed . AzhwAr says in this context: " pErAyiramudayeer pEr kaNDeer  nunn mahaLai theerA nOy seythan". His sankalpam is behind Subham and anishtam. Hence learning about
and reciting His many Naamams (Naamam palavum naavinRu) like MaamAyan , Maadhavan , Vaikunthan and others  gives one the parama sukham of  immeresion in the blissful ocean of Bhagavath anubhavam in a state of "anyath kimchith karthum dhrashtum smarthum" ( not being able to do anything , see anything or think of anything).

Sri PBA Swamy suggests that the naamams of " MaamAyan , Maadhavan , Vaikunhtan--" will fit the SadhAchAryan as well since AchAryan is a MaamAYan , who performs many wonderous deeds ( alchemist who transforms Iron (us) in to Gold through His Upadesams), Maatavan or MahA Tapasvi ( tapa: SvAdhyAya Niratham tapasvi) and  Vaikuntan( Vaikunta-prathan , who helps us to reach Vaikuntam through Prapatthi maargam).
 

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

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