Thiruppavai - Pasuram12

kanaiththu iLam katrerumai kanRukku irangi

ninaiththu mulai vazhiyE ninRu paal sOra

nanaiththu illam sERaakkum naR chelvan thangaay

panith thalai veezha nin vaasaR kadai patri(ch)

chinaththinaal then ilangai(k) kOmaanai(ch) chetra

manaththukku iniyaanai(p) paadavum nee vaay thiRavaay

iniththaan ezhundhiraay eedhenna pEr uRakkam

anaiththu illaththaarum aRindhElOr embaavaay

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கனைத்திளங் கற்றெருமை கன்றுக் கிரங்கி

நினைத்து முலைவழியே நின்றுபால் சோர

நனைத்தில்லம் சேறாக்கும் நற்செல்வன் தங்காய்!

பனித்தலை வீழநின் வாசல் கடைபற்றிச்

சினத்தினால் தென்னிலங்கைக் கோமானைச் செற்ற

மனத்துக் கினியானைப் பாடவும்நீ வாய்திறவாய்!

இனித்தான் எழுந்திராய்; ஈதென்ன பேருறக்கம்?

அனைத்தில்லத் தாரும் அறிந்தேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

---- MEANING ----

In the previous paasuram, ANDAL awakened the sleeping Gopi with her father in mind (KOVALAR tamm poRRkkodiyE); here She awakens the Gopi with her brother in mind (NaRRc-chelvan TangAi). This brother is the one, who watches over KrishNa from getting into trouble and accompanies KrishNa every where like His shadow (JananyAcchAr Swamy).

Oh Younger sister of the rich cowherd, whose house is rendered muddy and slushy by the profuse milk flowing from the udders of the (unmilked) She-buffalo, who thinks of her calf, and with great affection spots out abundant milk! Even when we have come all the way to the entrance of your house, unmindful of the heavy dew-fall on our head, and even when we sing

(in chorus) to our heart's content, the glory of the dear Lord (viz)., RaamA, who has slain angrily the emperor of LankA in the south, nevertheless, you do not respond to us at all and have not opened your mouth. Atleast, kindly get up now! Why do you prolong your sleep? People in all other houses already woken up.

You, the sister (thangaay) of the good (nal) prosperous (chelvan) cowherd, whose buffaloes (erumai) are yielding (sOra) so much milk (paal), through (vazhiyE) their breasts (mulai). They are standing (ninRu) and bellowing (kanaththu); out of passion (iRangi) to their crying (katru) young (iLam) calves (kanRu), that the house (illam) has become (aagi) wet (nanai) and swampy (sER) with milk! While the cold mist (pani) is falling (veezha) on our heads (thalai), we are holding on (patri) to your (nin) front door (vaasal kadai); we are singing (paada) about the one who gives us sweet (iniyaan) thoughts (manam), the one who destroyed (chetra) the ruler (kOmaan) of southern lanka (then ilangai) in his anger (sinam). You (nee) are not opening (thiRavaay) your mouth (vaay). At least (thaan) wake up (ezhundhiraay) now (ini). What (enna) is this (eedhu) big (pEr) sleep (uRakkam), after all (anaiththu) others in the house (illaththaar) are aware of (aRindhu) all this?

Purport

Oh, young sister of the prosperous cowherd! The mansion is filled with mud and slush with the buffaloes pouring forth milk from their udder in their yearning to suckle their young calves. Here we are at your threshold unmindful of dew falling on our head, singing the glory of our beloved Lord (Rama), who destroyed, out of righteous indignation the King of Lanka, in the south. What about you? Not a word in response to our call! All the residents are awake and about. What is all this deep slumber? At least now, get up and get going!



More Insight

This gopi is the sister of a cowherd who, unlike the duty-conscious one in the previous verse, totally neglects the daily duty of milking the young she-buffalo so as to be close to Krishna and serving Him. He is called NAR SELVAN; thereby indicating that for a Srivaishnava it is not the doing or neglect of Nitya Karma which helps attaining salvation,but it is God alone who is the Means for salvation. For example for a temple priest who is always engaged in Antaranga Kainkarya there may be neglect of his daily duties; this would however not be considered as sin .

MANATTUKKU INIYAN- Sri Rama, unlike Krishna brings joy to the minds of his devotees as well as adversaries. This is said by Andal, the very personification of the Love for Sri Krishna, and hence is the richest tribute paid to Sri Rama. It might be recalled that she,in NACHIYAR TIRUMOZHI goes to the extent of blaming Yashoda for bringing up Krishna to be a very bad boy.(Vembeyaaga valarthaale).It is not such an extraordinary thing or a great wonder if Sri Rama is loved by His devotees and subjects; but when even Ravana is fascinated by His valour, it makes the derivation of His name apt (Ranjaneeyasya Vikramaih).

SINATTINAAL - out of anger but without hatred. Rama had no hatred towards Ravana. Actually He wanted Ravana as a devotee; it was Ravana's own hatred which caused his downfall. It was only when he tried to attack Hanuman that Rama became furious and showered arrows on Ravana (kopasya Vasameyivaan).So He is always ready to forgive sins against Himself but not against His devotees.

Bhavam:

Mother MahAlakshmi thinks about Her young children (chEthanams) and She has nirvEdham for them because of their suffering and takes great pity (daya) on them. She feeds them the milk of JnA~na through Her breasts (mulai vazhiyAha) copiously until the heart of the chEthanam is drenched (“ninRu sOra nanaitthu seRu aakkum”) and the chEthanam becomes the possessor of limitless, evergrowing Jn~Ana sampath.

Oh beautiful lady, the sister of the possessor of such visEsha Jn~anam! Please achieve through pancha samskAram the vivEkam banishing dEhathma bramam and take refuge at the sacred feet of the Lord, who is the embodiment of Sathyam, Jn~Anam, anantham, amalam and Aanandam. That prapatthi removes ancient prArabdha karmAs. It is easy to practice by anyone.

Knowing how easy it is to practice, please awaken. The BhagavathAs around You have known the KshaNa phala daayakam of Prapatthi and have performed Prapatthi. Why you alone have the tendency to stay in the darkness of SamsAra kaaLa Raathri?