Thiruppavai - Pasuram9

thoomaNi maadaththu sutrum viLakkeriya(th)

thoopam kamazha(th) thuyilaNaimEl kaN vaLarum

maamaan magaLE maNi(k) kadhavam thaazh thiRavaay

maameer avaLai ezhuppeerO un magaL thaan

oomaiyO anRi sevidO ananthalO

Ema(p) perunN thuyil mandhira(p) pattaaLO

maamaayan maadhavan vaikundhan enRenRu

naaman palavum navinRElOr enbaavaay

தூமணி மாடத்துச் சுற்றும் விளக்கெரிய,

தூமங் கமழத் துயிலணைமேல் கண்வளரும்

மாமான் மகளே! மணிக்கதவம் தாள்திறவாய்;

மாமீர்! அவளை எழுப்பீரோ? உம்மகள்தான்

ஊமையோ? அன்றிச் செவிடோ அனந்தலோ?

ஏமப் பெருந்துயில் மந்திரப் பட்டாளோ?

மாமாயன், மாதவன், வைகுந்தன் என்றென்று

நாமம் பலவும் நவின்றேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

----- MEANING ------

In the eighth paasuram, ANDAL and Gopis awakened a Gopi, who is like a Muktha Jeevan. In the ninth paasuram of the day, they awaken one, who is like a nithya mukthar (JananyAchAryar).

(The cowherd women folk practicing the Srivratham (Paavai Nonbhu) awaken another maiden, who has self complacency in her earnest devotion to the Lord). Oh the daughter of our uncle! You are taking rest and sleeping on the soft bed, while the lamps are lit all round the dazzling hall (with inlaid gem stones) of your mansion filled with aroma of the incense.

Please (get up) and open the lever-lock of the shining doors (with inlaid gems) of your chambers. (As the

inside of the chambers is apparent, these gopis could see within the enclosure and so call the aunt, the mistress of the house). Dear Aunt! Could you please awaken your daughter? Is She dumb or deaf or exhausted and tired out? Or has She been cursed with long spell of sleep? Let us recite as remedy, the numerous names of the Lord as” God of the

Supreme magical power (MahAmAyan), the Lord of Goddess MahA Lakshmi (Maadhavan) and Vaikuntan (the Lord of Sri Vaikuntam).

Hey, daughter (magaL) of my uncle (mamman), you who are sleeping (kaN vaLarum) on (mEl) a mattress (thuyil aNai) in a palace (maadam) with flawless jewels (thoo maNi), with lamps (viLakku) burning (eriya) all around (sutrum) and surrounded (kamazha) by incense (dhoopam), open (thiRavaay) the latch (thaazh) of the jewelled (maNi) door (kadhavam). Hey auntie (maameer), will you wake (ezhuppeerO) her (avaLai) up. Is your (un) daughter (magaL) indeed (thaan) dumb (oomaiyO), or (anRi) deaf (sevidO), or lazy (ananthalO), or is she cursed (mandhira) and captivated (Ema pattaaLo) into a coma (perun thuyil). (Hurry up). We must benefit (navindhu) by repeating (enRenRu) the many (pala) names (naamam) of the great Mayan (maa maayan) Madhavan, Vaikuntan.

Purport

Dear maternal cousin! How long are you going to be asleep on your luxurious bed in the gem-studded mansion, surrounded by lights all around and bathed in fragrance of incense? Open the lever lock of that ornamental door. Aunty! Won't you wake her up please? What is wrong with her? Is she gone dumb or deaf or is she just exhausted? Or has she fallen into a deep trance as a result of our Lord, some magical incantation? Shall we chant the thousand and odd names of our Lord-God of the great mystic power, the spouse of Goddess Mahalaksmi, the supreme Lord of Vaikunda and so on and on and get her to wake up?



More Insight


The gopi woken up in this verse has unflinching faith in the Lord's UPAYA BHAVA. In this regard she matches very well with Sita who,when Hanuman suggested that he carry her back to Rama, sternly refused and rebuked him saying that he was equal to Ravana,(Ravana-tulya) in this that while Ravana robbed Rama of one of his possessions, Sita; Hanuman is trying to rob Him of another, His "Sarva loka rakshakatvam" (sole right to protect all). Then she added, "With my power of chastity which cooled your burning tail, I could have saved myself; but that would have only destroyed Rama’s reputation. He alone by His prowess should rescue me and establish his valour. Tat Tasya Sadrusam Bhavet. That alone would be befitting to Him." Hanuman applauded these words.

So also this girl having transferred her burden to Sri Krishna, sleeps having total faith in His words, "Ananyah chintayanto mam...... Yoga kshemam vahamyaham". ANDAL teaches us in this stanza that a soul after surrendering to the Lord should be like this gopi.

"MAMAN MAGALE!" - Oh, my uncle's daughter! Though blood relationship is condemned as it contributes to worldly attachment, the same is most welcome if it helps to do service to God and His devotees.

Bhavam:

ThoomaNi maadatthu suRRum ViLakkeriya”. ThoomaNi Maadam is the eternal, defect free, all revealing Vedam (Nigama Soudham). “SuRRum” refers to the six angams (limbs) of Vedam like SeekshA et al. “ViLakku” is Jn~Anam or UpabrumhaNams like Smruthi, PurANas that explain the meanings of VedAs.


“SuRRum ViLakku Yeriya” is the Jn~Ana dheepams shining in that ThoomaNi Maadam. AzhwArs have referred to this Jn~Ana dheepam (ViLakku) often:

“AkAra Vaachyan”, Sriman NaarAyanan.

"DhUpam kamazha Thyuil anai mEl kaNN VaLarum”: are (1) Jn~Anam (2) AnushtAnam (3) VairAgyam.

“MaamIr avaLai yezhuppIrO? Unn MahaL thaann UmayO? anRic cheviDO? ananthalO?: address to MahA Lakshmi (LakshmI SambhOdhanam)

“maamaayan maadhavan vaikundhan enRenRu naaman palavum navinRu”. the words chosen by ANDAL: “MAAMAAYAN”. He gives three interpretations: (1) Maa+aayan = the Big Gopa KumAran (2) Maa+ aayan = that Gopa Kumaaran associated with MahA Lakshmi (Maa sabdham of MaalOlan, Maadhavan); He is thus Sriya: Pathi (3) maa+ aayan = maa being “not” and aayan meaning “a cowherd boy”. Our Lord is not a Aayan (not born in the cowherd clan) but is MahA VishNu incarnating as GopAlan for Dharma Samrakshanam.