Thiruppavai - Pasuram23

maari malai muzhainchil manni(k) kidandhu uRangum

seeriya singam aRivutru(th) thee vizhiththu

vEri mayir ponga eppaadum pErndhu udhaRi

moori nimirndhu muzhangi(p) puRappattu(p)

pOdharumaa pOlE nee poovaippoo vaNNaa un

kOyil ninRu iNGNGanE pOndharuLi(k) kOppudaiya

seeriya singaasanaththu irundhu yaam vandha

kaariyam aaraayndhu aruLElOr embaavaay

மாரிமலை முழைஞ்சில் மன்னிக் கிடந்துறங்கும்

சீரியசிங்கம் அறிவுற்றுத் தீவிழித்து,

வேரிமயிர் பொங்க எப்பாடும் பேர்ந்துதறி,

மூரிநிமிர்ந்து முழங்கிப் புறப்பட்டுப்,

போதருமா போலேநீ பூவைப்பூவண்ணா! உன்

கோயில்நின்றும் இங்ஙனே போந்தருளிக் கோப்புடைய

சீரியசிங் காசனத்திருந்து யாம்வந்த

காரியம் ஆராய்ந் தருளேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

---- MEANING ----

In the words of the Young girls, ANDAL describes how the Lord should majestically come out of His chamber). Just as the majestic lion (Seeriya Singam) crouching in sleep inside the mountain-cave during the rainy season, on becoming awake, opens its fire-emitting eyes, (looks all around as the King of beasts), sizes vigorously the locks of hairs of its fragrant manes standing erect, shakes itself up, gets up majestically, comes out of the cave with a loud roar (simha Naatham), even so, May You, the Lord of enchanting bluish hue of KaayAmpoo flower, emerge from Your holy shrine (aasthAnam) and come out this way--blessing us by the darsanasoubhAgyam of Your gait --and be seated on the perfectly suited and well-deserving throne; and then, May You kindly look into the aim and purpose of our coming here (and awakening You). Just like (pOlE) a brave (seeriya) lion (singam) lying (manni kidandhu) and sleeping (uRangu) inside a mountain (malai) cave (muzhainchu) comes to his senses (aRivutru): starts (puRapaattu) to comes out (pOdharum) during rainy (maari) season, opening his eyes (vizhi) like fire (thee), shaking (ponga) his mane (vEri mayir), bending (pErndhu) his body on all sides (eppaadum), shaking (udhaRi) and stretching the body to get it into shape (moori), standing erect (nimirndhu), and roaring (muzhangi), You (nee) please come out (pOndhu). You, who are the color (vaNNaa) of the bilberry (poovai) flower (poo), will you please sit (irundhu) on top of the great (seeriya) throne (singaasanam) and examine (aaraayndhu) the purpose (kaariyam) of our (yaam) coming (vandha) to your (un) decorated (kOppudaiya) temple (kOyil), and having come (pOndhu), our standing (ninRu) this way (iNGNGanE), and bless us (aruLElOr).

Purport

Our Lord, of eternal enchanting bluish hue, the colour of the Kaayambu flower! Just as the Lion wakes up from its winter hibernation in the mountain cave, opening its fiery flashy eyes, shaking all its limbs vigorously, ruffling its mane in the action, standing upright and stepping out with a mighty roar, may you please proceed from your bed-chamber to your lofty ornamented throne! Won't you please grant us your gracious audience and pray, listen to our entreaties?






More Insight

Sri Krishna felt sad on hearing this pathetic appeal from the Gopis who had come as refugees, when they were attendants of Nappinnai. He also recollected two similar incidents in His previous birth as Rama: 1) The Dandaka forest sages came and exhibited their bodies mutilated by the demons; and He had to apologize for His tardiness 2) When Vibhishana came to Him, He thought He alone was responsible for all the humiliations he had suffered at Ravana's hands.

When this is His behavior towards even men, what then to speak of women! So Sri Krishna consoled them and promised to do whatever they wanted. They request Him to stir out of His bedchamber with all splendor and grandeur. They had seen His sleeping posture, but now they want to see His grand gait as well as His sitting posture on His royal throne.(Ninravarum Irundavarum Kidandavarum). Like a lion sleeping with a lioness in a mountain cave during the rainy season, you sleep with Nappinnai, being a jewel for Her bosom. Now O Lord, Awake and stride out".

Krishna asked: "Do you want me to appear before you like RAGHAVA SIMHA or YADAVA SIMHA or NARASIMHA?" Gopis replied: "We merely gave the simile of the lion to stress the fact that your greatness is natural to you, just as a lion cub even at birth is the king of the jungle and doesn't need any coronation. Further it is like calling you POOVAI PPOO VANNA when this comparison of your supreme bodily complexion to this flower's is unworthy and highly improper."

UN KOYIL is note worthy. In the 16th verse the Gopis said "NANDAGOPAN KOYIL" (Nanda's mansion).Now they say "Krishna's mansion". Strictly speaking to whom does it belong? It belongs to both; just like the Hridaya Kamalam (heart of man) where both the soul and God reside; or like AZHWAR TIRUNAGARI which belongs to both Saint NAMMAZHWAR and the deity POLINDU NINRA BIRAAN.

Bhavam:

Maari malai muzhanjil Mannik kidanthuRungum seriya Sigham aRivuRRu Thee Vizhitthu = Receiving the blessing of dhivya Jn~Anam from Lakshmi-narasimha, who is the enduring principle of the rahasyams of Vedams (Upanishads), which pour down (knowledge about) PuNyams and Paapams and awakening as a result of His dhivya anugraham.

vEri mayir ponga yeppAdum pErnthu udhaRi moori nimirnthu nee muzhanki puRappattu yeppAdum povaip poo VaNNA= May you journey to Sri Vaikuntam to the sound of mangaLa vAdhyams! May You, who never procrastinated about the performance of your nithya karmAs, spread the glories of that Lord of fragrant kEsams and supreme Buddhi VikAsam!
Poovaip Poo VaNNA = Oh Aathma Jn~Ani with blossomed Jn~Anam!
yAmm vantha Kaariyam aarAyntharuL = Please intercede with the Lord for us to be blessed with sarva- vidha Kaimkaryam (nithya Kaimkaryam). The ThiruvadikaL (feet) and the ThirukkaikaL (hands) of the Lord are the key limbs, which are behind His majestic gait and unparalleled generosity to bless us with what we seek according to Abhinava Desikan. Hence, the Gopis praise His gambeera Nadai and boon-granting hands. Indirectly, they praise His souseelyam, Soulabhyam and Paraakramam (valour). Since Thrivikrama, Raama and KrishnAvathArams are dear to them, they take instances from these avathArams to salute His nadai with Srimath GaambhIryam and His auspicious varadhAna hastham.