Thiruppavai - Pasuram3

Ongi ulagaLandha uththaman pEr paadi

naangaL nam paavaikku(ch) chaatri neeraadinaal

theenginRi naadellaam thingaL mum maari peydhu

Ongu peRum senN nel oodu kayalugaLa(p)

poonguvaLai(p) pOdhil poRi vandu kaN paduppa(th)

thEngaadhE pukkirundhu seerththa mulai patri

vaanga kudam niRaikkum vaLLal perum pasukkaL

neengaadha selvam niRaindhElOr embaavaay

ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமன் பேர்பாடி

நாங்கள் நம் பாவைக்குச் சாற்றிநீர் ஆடினால்,

தீங்கின்றி நாடெல்லாம் திங்கள்மும் மாரிபெய்து

ஓங்கு பெருஞ்செந்நெ லூடு கயல் உகளப்

பூங்குவளைப் போதில் பொறிவண்டு கண்படுப்ப,

தேங்காதே புக்கிருந்து சீர்த்த முலைபற்றி

வாங்கக் குடம் நிறைக்கும் வள்ளல் பெரும்பசுக்கள்

நீங்காத செல்வம் நிறைந்தேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

----- MEANING -----

If we adhere to the Vratam-Paavai nOnbhu sing in praise of the holy names of the Utthaman, Lord Thrivikraman who grew to a cosmic form and measured the three worlds in two strides and put His third step on the head of Emperor MahABali, and then take the bath (in sacred YamunA) in the name of our Vratham, there will be three timely showers (of rain) in the country and there will be no harm at all.The country will be rich and plentiful the fish (kayal) will roam about amidst tall stalks of large red paddy crops (drinking sufficient honey from fallen-pollen and becoming dazed); the bees with spots (all over their bodies) will fall asleep amidst the petals of KuvaLai-flower (Blue Lotus/ NeelOthpalam) the great, profusely milk-giving, generous cows will yield milk just filling up a number of milk-cans very quickly to skillful people who milk that huge quantum. The whole country will be filled with undecaying wealth and prosperity , if the good people take to righteous path and sing the glory of Lord. If we (naangaL) bathe (neeraadinaal) and perform our (nam) 'paavai nOnbu' (paavaikku chaatri), chanting (paadi) the name (pEr) of the best Lord (uththaman), who measured (aLandha) all three (Ongi) worlds (ulagu). The whole (ellaam) country (naadu) will be free of (inRi) evil (theengu). It will rain (peydhu) three rainfalls (mum maari) every month (thingaL). Little fish (kayal) will play (ugaLa) amidst (oodu) overgrown (Ongu) big (perum) rice fields (sen nel); bright (poRi) beas (vandu) lieing drowsily over (kaN paduppa) the flower bushes (poonguvaLai); Cows standing (pukkirundhu) motionless (thEngaadhE), cowherds milking (seerththa mulai patri vaanga), the generous (vaLLal) and big (perum) cows (pasu) fill up (niRaikkum) the containers (kudam); the land will be filled with (niRaindhu) long lasting (neengaadha) prosperity (chelvam).


Purport

When we sing the glory of the the Lord (Trivikrama) who took the cosmic form and measured the three worlds in two gigantic strides and put his foot, for the third stride on the emperor Mahabali, and when we perform the paavi nonbu the whole country will be rid of evils. It will then rain three times every month. Fishes will gleam and leap amidst the rich paddy plants. Spotted bees will fall sleep among the water lillies. Cow milked tirelessly will yield copious bounties enough to fill pots and pots. Prosperity will thus prevade the land.



More Insight


In this verse ANDAL wishes for rain and consequential prosperity for the whole world as the world is the property of her Lord.So who is a Sri Vaishnava? It is he who while being detached with reference to the riches of the world,is at the same time aspiring for them considering them as his Lord's riches.Hence all Sri Vaishnavas after daily prayer recite the verse which says "Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu" every one should be happy. Andal tells the girls,"If we,girls,recite the NAME of the Lord who measured the entire universe with his three steps and observe this vow then the whole world will become prosperous."Note the text which says "Uthaman PER"(his NAME).She could have simply said "if we sing the glory of the Lord." But she says instead, the NAME of the Lord. Which means that the NAME OF THE LORD (the Tiru Ashtakshara Mantra, the Eight-Syllabled one) is more efficacious than the Lord Himself. When, in the court hall of Duryodhana, Draupadi was being disrobed by Dussaasana, it was only the NAME "Govinda" which saved her modesty while the Lord failed her.
But we Prapannas (Surrenderers) seek salvation only from Him.The Mantra is only for understanding the true nature of the Soul,Lord,and the mutual relationship; it is essentially to promote the ARTHA PANCHAKA knowledge.
NEENGATHA Selvam - we see that riches do not remain for long with any man; then what does NEENGATHA mean? It refers to the Moksha Aiswarya, Service of God, obtained through the recommendation of Sri Mahalakshmi.


Bhavam:

"NeerAdinAl” here refers to the UpadEsam of SaraNAgathi rahasyam by SadAchAryAs and its observance by SadhsishyAs. “MummAri” is benefits of attaining the fruits of the Vratham (SaraNAgathi) by Upadesam, study of divya Prabhandhams & enjoying the ArchA moorthis at their dhivya desams. “Ongu peru-sennalUdu Kayal ukaLa” are PrapannAs thriving in the land rich with AchAryAs, who are like strong fishes jumping with joy in the paddy fields, who see their efforts by Ukthi and AchArya Nishtai (to do SaraNAgathi) have borne fruit. “PoomkuvaLai pOthil PoRi VaNDu kaNN Paduppa” refers to Sriman NarAyaNa sleeping without worry in our heart lotuses (Hrudhaya Kamalams) that His work through His AchAryAs has been successful. He sleeps like a content farmer, who has realized abundant crops. “VaLLal perum pasukkaL” compares to generous AchAryAs, who never expect any returns. They use the equivalent of the four fingers of the udders of the abundant milk giving cows to impart knowledge about the three parama rahasyams of Sri VaishNavam. The four fingers of the udder through which this milk of Knowledge (Jn~ana milk) flows are Vedam, Smruthi, Saathvika PurANams and AzhwAr Paasurams. "NeengAtha Selvam NiRainthu” is the undiminishing wealth of Jn~Anam at all times on His Leela VibhUthi (Earth) & in His Transcendent world of Sri Vaikuntam.