Thiruppavai - Pasuram15

ellE! iLam kiLiyE innam uRangudhiyO

chil enRu azhaiyEn min nangaiyeer pOdharuginREn

vallai un katturaigaL paNdE un vaay aRidhum

valleergaL neengaLE naanE thaan aayiduga

ollai nee pOdhaay unakkenna vERudaiyai

ellaarum pOndhaarO pOndhaar pOndhu eNNikkoL

val aanai konRaanai maatraarai maatrazhikka

vallaanai maayanai(p) paadElOr embaavaay

எல்லே இளங்கிளியே! இன்னம் உறங்குதியோ?

சில்லென் றழையேன்மின், நங்கைமீர்! போதர்கின்றேன்;

‘வல்லை, உன் கட்டுரைகள்! பண்டேஉன் வாயறிதும்!’

‘வல்லீர்கள் நீங்களே, நானேதான் ஆயிடுக!’

‘ஒல்லைநீ போதாய், உனக்கென்ன வேறுடையை?’

‘எல்லோரும் போந்தாரோ?’ ‘போந்தார், போந்து எண்ணிக்கொள்’

வல்லானை கொன்றானை, மாற்றாரை மாற்றழிக்க

வல்லானை, மாயனைப் பாடேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

---- MEANING ----

This paasuram unlike the other awakening paasurams, is set in Paraspara SamvAdham (mutual dialog) pattern/mode to heighten the rasAnubhavam about the importance of BhAgavatha Daasyam over Bhagavath daasyam ANDAL points out that “Bhagavath daasyathtukku ellai nilam is BhAgavatha daasyam” and sings about the latter first in “ellE iLankiLiyE” and then goes on to sing about Bhagavath daasyam (later) in “SiRRam siRukAlE” paasuram.

Those who understand the importance of BhAgavath daasyam and stay away from the apachArams to the servants of the Lord are very, very dear to Him. That is why our Lord says in His upadEsam: “Jn~Anithu aathmaiva” and “mama bhaktha bhakthEshu”. Another utthama Sri VaishNavar wants the boon of being the Lord's servant's servants seven times over

(Thvath Bhruthya Bhruthya--).

Swamy NammAzhwAr celebrates the importance of BhAgaavtha-daasyam in “nedumARkkadimai--”. ThiruppANar instructs us in this context: “adiyArkku yennai aatpaduthtum Vimalan”. Swamy aammAzhwAr referred to saptha parva daasyathvam in his paasurap pahuthi: “adiyAr adiyAr tamm adiyAr adiyAr-”.

What surprise (ellE)!, You beautiful parrot (kiLiyE)! you are still (innam) sleeping (uRangu)! The girl replies, "Hey girls (nangaiyeer)!, Don't call(azhaiyEn) me with such mind (min) chilling (chil) words. I am coming (aruginREn) in a little while (pOdhu)." We have known about (aRidhum) your (un) smart (vallai) tales (katturaigaL) for a long time (pandE) from your (un) own mouth (vaay). The girl says, "Ok, you (neengaL) are the smart (valleergaL) ones, Let me (naanE) be the loser (thaan aayiduga)". You (nee) start (pOdhaay) quickly (ollai) then. What (enna) other (vERu) job (udaiyai) do you (unakku) have? Come out (pOndhu) and count yourself (eNNi koL); all (ellaarum) who are coming (pOndhaar), have come (pOndhu). Let us sing (paadEl) the praise of the Lord (maayan), who destroyed (azhikka) the enemies (maatraar) in a war (maatru), and who killed (konRaan) the powerful (val) elephant (aanai). [the word 'pOndhu' is derived from 'pO' in the same manner as 'vandhu' is derived from 'vaa']

Purport

The girl: Don't you scream! My good friends! I shall come presently.
Group: Yes indeed! Don't we know you, full of eloquent promises!
Girl: Oh yes, I agree, you are the ones gifted with eloquence. Or let it be myself, if you insist.
Group: (Enough of all this banter!) Come along. Don't you be thinking of this and that.
Girl: Have all the girls come?
Group: Sure, you can count them, if you so choose.
Girl: Pardon me, what is the program?
Group: As we move down to the river, we shall keep on singing the glories of our mysterious Lord, Sri Krishna who killed the mighty elephant, Kuvalaya peetam, sent by Kamsa and who vanquished many other foes as well.


More Insight

This pasuram which brings out the characteristics of a SriVaishnava is considered to be the very essence of Tiruppavai by our Acharyas.

The girl who is woken up begins to sing.

1. YELLE ILANKILIYE -the implied sense is that the speech of the devotees is most welcome.

2. INNAM URANGUDIYO -It is wrong to indulge in other things if the company of Bhagavatas is available.

3. CHIL ENRU AZHAYENMIN - Not a single harsh word should be used with the Bhaktas.

4. NANGAIMIR PODARGINREN - Devotees should be addressed respectfully.

5. VALLAI UN KATTURAIGAL - Even the chastisement by a Bhakta (which will always be constructive) should be accepted gratefully.

6. VALLEERGAL NEENGALE NAANE THAN AAYIDUGA - owning others mistakes as one's own is the hallmark of a Sri Vaishnava. For ex. Bharata holds himself responsible for Rama's exile.

7. OLLAI NEE PODAAY - Separation from devotees even for a second is unbearable.

8. UNAKKENNA VERUDAYAI - The path laid down by one's ancestors is to be followed, not what is dictated by one's own mind.

9. ELLAARUM PONDAARO PONDU ENNIKKOL- seeing a congregation of devotees is the most desired fruit in this life. The enjoyment is not complete even if one devotee is missing. Their sight and touch are all contributory factors to one's enjoyment.

10. VALLAANAI..etc - Singing His virtues, valour, victory etc are vital to a Sri Vaishnava as a means of pleasing other Srivaishnavas; as such it results in the service of Bhagavatas.

These Ten Commandments (golden rules) are to be cherished as they constitute the acid test for testing whether one is really a Sri Vaishnava.

Bhavam:

TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF UTTHAMA

SRI VAISHNAVAAS

(1) “ellE ilankiLiyE”: the implied sense is that the speech of the devotee (BhagavathA) is most welcome.
(2) “innam uRangudiyO?”: it is wrong to indulge in other things (vishayams) when the companyof BhagavathAs is available.
(3) “chil yenRu azhayEnmin” : Not a single harsh word should be used in conversation with BhAgavathAs.
(4) “nangaimeer pOdarhinREn”: BhAgavathAs should be addressed most respectfully with utter/sincere humility.
(5) “Vallai un katturaigaL”: even the chastisement by a BhAgavathA (which will always be constructive) should be accepted gracefully.
(6) “ValleergaL neengaLE naane thaan aayiduga”: Owning others' mistakes as one's own is the hallmark (LakshaNam) of a true Sri VaishNavan.
(7) “ollai nee pOdhAi”: separation form the BhAgavathAs even for a second is unbearable.(8) “unakenna vERudayai”: The path laid down by one's poorvAs need to be followed, not what is dictated by one's own mind.
(9) “ellArum pOndhArO pOnthAr ponthu yeNNikkoL”: seeing a congregation of BhAgavathAs (and being part of that group)is the most desired fruit in this life.
(10) “VallAnai konRAnai mARRArai mARRazhikka vallAnai Mayanai paadu”: Singing His (Lord's) virtues, valour, victory and other kalyANa guNAs are vital to a Sri VaishNavA as means of pleasing other Sri VaishNavAs; as such, it results in the service of BhAgavathAs (BhAgavatha daasyam.

These ten golden rules are to be cherished by us says ANDAL, the avathAram of BhUmi Devi