Monday, March 28, 2011

Thiruppavai - Pasuram8


keezh vaanam veLLenRu erumai siRu veedu
mEyvaan parandhana kaaN mikkuLLa piLLaigaLum
pOvaan pOginRaarai(p) pOgaamal kaaththu unnai(k)
koovuvaan vandhu ninROm kOdhugalam udaiya
paavaay ezhundhiraay paadi(p) paRai kondu
maavaay piLandhaanai mallarai maattiya
dhEvaadhi dhEvanai(ch) chenRu naam sEviththaal
aavaavenRu aaraayndhu aruLElOr embaayaay


கீழ்வானம் வெள்ளென்று, எருமை சிறுவீடு
மேய்வான் பரந்தனகாண்; மிக்குள்ள பிள்ளைகளும்
போவான் போகின்றாரைப் போகாமல் காத்துன்னைக்
கூவுவான் வந்து நின்றோம், கோதுகலமுடைய
பாவாய்! எழுந்திராய்; பாடிப் பறைகொண்டு
மாவாய் பிளந்தானை, மல்லரை மாட்டிய
தேவாதி தேவனைச் சென்றுநாம் சேவித்தால்
ஆவாவென் றாராய்ந் தருளேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.



----- MEANING ----


In this paasuram, ANDAL awakens another Utthama adhikAri (kOthUkalamudaya Paavai) and asks her to join the BhAgavatha GhOshti. In Gokulam, the Cowherds had three kinds of wealth: Cows, Sheep and Buffalo (JananyAcchAr).

Oh beautiful girl full of uthsAham (kuthUhalam) for the Lord! Day break is approaching as seen by the whitening of the Eastern sky from the earlier red hue linked with AruNOdhayam. Awaken! The hungry buffalos have been led to the pastures close to home (siRu Veedu mEyvAN) for their “breakfast” of dewy grass. We have detained the other Gopis, who were ready to go to the place of vratham so that you can join with us all. We have assembled in front of your house to awaken you and take you with us.

Please get up. If we sing about our Lord's glory together, He will give us the vrathOpakaranams (Drum and other saamagriyAs to observe our vratham). When we approach our Lord prostrate before Him in all humility, that Lord (KrishNa), the Lord of all gods (Devaathi Devan) will be moved and have DayA for us and will inquire about our yOga KshEmam with great interest (aavA yenRu=haa haa yenRu)

The eastern (keezh) sky (vaanam) is whitening (vEL). The water buffaloes (eRumai), which started grazing (mEyvaan), just a little (siRu) while (veedu) ago, have spread all over (parandhana) the place. Look! (kaaN). The children (piLLai), who are serious (mikkuLLa) about 'maargazhi nonbu', are going (pOvaan). We have stopped (pOgaamal) those people who are going (pOginRaarai) and have come (vandhu) standing (ninROm) and are waiting (kaaththu) and calling (koovuvaan) you (unnai). You happy (kOdhugalam udaiya) girl (paavaay), wake up (ezhundhiraay) If we (naam) sing (paadi),  observe the 'paavai nOnbu' (paRai kondu) and go (chenRu) and worship (sEvi) the Lord of the devas (dhEvaadhi dhEva), who split (piLandhaan) the Asura who came as a horse (maavaay), who conquered (maattiya) the wreslers (mallar), he will examine (aaraayndhu) our requirements, and bless (aruL) us with plenty (aa aa enRu).

Purport

Wake up you vivacious young girl! The Eastern sky has already brightened. The buffaloes have already set out to feed themselves on the dewy grass We have even kept the other girls from moving ahead, for your sake and here we are, at you doorstep. Come, let us march singing the praise of our Lord of Lords who killed the demon Kesi who came in the guise of a horse by cleaving his mouth and who slew the wrestlers sent by Kamsaa. Our Lord will surely bestow His grace on us after due consideration for our devotion.


More Insight

Here a girl who is Krishna's particular sweetheart is being woken up. She can be compared to NAMMAZHWAR (Krishna- trishna tatvam) the very embodiment of deep devotion to Sri Krishna. Her company is certain to accomplish their desire. KOTHUGALAMUDAYA PAVAAI is a most beautiful form of address.

"The horizon has become bright. Get up." say the girls. But she astonishes them by replying, "It is the luster from your moon-like faces which has brightened the Eastern quarter. The day is yet to dawn."

The second sign of daybreak mentioned in this stanza indicates that Andal has indeed been transformed into a gopi - "The buffaloes are fast dispersing in the fields searching for the tender green grass with the dew drops of dawn clinging to them. If we delay, Krishna would have followed them into the forest and our purpose would be lost." This statement could not have come out of the lips of anyone other than a true cowherdess. So Andal has totally identified herself with a gopi, living with the cowherds and taking part in all their daily chores.

Her father Sri Vishnuchitta was a learned Vedic authority and had even written a rule book for conducting sacrifices called Kalpa Sutra. He too assumed the role of Yasoda to the extent of participating in every childish activity of Krishna. For this his daughter affectionately calls him, "Bhogattil Vazhuvada Puduvayarkon"(one who has not missed a single opportunity to enjoy Krishna). Now his daughter does the same.

The conclusion is this: Only that caste is desirable, which is congenial for the enjoyment of God and which is calculated to bring down His Grace on us.


Bhavam:


Oh Joyous Maiden, who is very dear to the Lord! Please come and join this ghOshti. We have come to take you with us on our journey to AchAryan, who protects our Indhriyams from entering into destructive ways and who by the power of Jn~Anam and anushtAna sakthi destroys Naasthikan as well as Kudhrushtis (Those who have viparItha Jn~Anam and interpret Veda Manthrams wrongly).


That AchAryan is greater than even sarvEsvaran for us. We should sing his praise through his taniyan and get our minds cleared by the anushtAnam of Prapatthi and understand well the mode of behavior after prapatthi & practise it; afterwards, placing AchAryan in front, if we arrive at Bhagavath SannidhAnam and prostrate before The Lord of Lords, He will be elated and inquire carefully into our qualifications as aartha prapannan (One who is desirous of Moksham without delay) or dhruptha Prapannan (One who wishes MoKsham at the time of falling of this body) and grant us the appropriate prapatthi phalan.

In addition to the deep spiritual insight gleaned from the passages of this paasuram, one can not but fall at the sacred feet of ANDAL for Her immaculate poetic skills in the description of the advancement of dawn. Those who have seen the red hue of dawn shifting slowly into different degrees of whiteness as the Sun climbs up can relate well to Her choice words “Keezh Vaanam VeLLenRu”. ThoNDardippodi's ThirupaLLIyezhucchi paasura Vaakhyams alos echo in our minds: “SudaroLi paranthana Soozh disai yellAM thunniya thAtakai minnoLi surungi”.






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