Pasuram 17 of Andals Thiruppavai

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76214700/Andal-s-Thiruppavai-in-easy-to-readTamil-text-and-English The full text of all 30 Pasurams may be found here. Also, a scholarly discussion can be found at the link given below. http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru2.pdf A word-by-word translation is given at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/ See below the images of the English and Tamil texts of Pasuram No. 17 of Andals Thiruppavai. For those who wish to read the text in other languages, please go to http://www.prapatti.com Andal is considered to be Sridevis amsaavataaram. She was born at Srivilliputoor (close to Kanchipuram, also the city where Indira Gandhis son and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated), as the daughter of PeriyAzhwar. She is also the only female among the 12 SriVaishNavite Azhwars. She longed for union with Her Lord and insisted that she should be taken to Srirangam where she eventually merged with Lord Ranganatha. You can read more about Andal at the link given above (or click here). The immortal Thiruppavai, attributed to Her, is a divine composition, filled with deep esoteric meanings, on which many commentaries have been written over the centuries. In the first pasuram, ANDAL invites Her friends for the Vratham observance (Sakhi JanAn aahvayanthi). In the second paasuram, She spells out the rites to be observed and the deeds to be abandoned (Karma Phalam upadisanthi). In the third Paasuram, She describes the fruits of the Vratham (Vrathasya Phalam Vadanthi). The aacaaryas who have blessed us are considered to be like the milk giving cows with overflowing udders. In the fourth Paasuram, Andal is directing her prayers to Varuna (actually to KrishNa who had the complexion darker than the darkest rain bearing clouds), the god of the rains, and comparing the bounty bestowing by aacaryas to the bounteous rains showered by Varuna. In Pasuram 5 Andal tells us that He would completely burn off all of our accumulated sins much like a fire burns pieces of straw thrown into it.

Page 1 of 10

PAASURAM 17

Courtesy: http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/tamil/naalaayiram/aandaal/tiruppaavai.pdf
Page 2 of 10

Simple Word for Word meanings (http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/vstp17.html )

amparamE thaNNIrE cORE aRaNYceyyum * The clothes cool water food (You who) gave to charity emperumaan nan^thakOpaalaa ezhun^thiraay * Our leader NandaGopAlan wake up . kompanaarkku ellaam kozhun^thE kula viLakkE * The women folk - all (the)leader(of)(and the)light of the family emperumaatti yacOthaay aRivuRaay * Our Lady YasOdha come to senses . amparam UtaRuththu ONGki uLaku aLan^tha * Sky (you who) split open (You the) giant (the) world (that) measured umpar kOmaanE uRaNGkaathu ezhun^thiraay * devAs King (of) stop sleeping (and) wake up . cem poR kazhal atic celvaa palathEvaa * Pure gold anklets (on) feet (wearing) prosperous BalarAma umpiyum nIyum uRaNGk Your brother and you wake up . El Or empaavaay Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu

Then, in Pasurams 6 to 15, Andal finishes waking up 10 different types of bhaktas and they all join her in the performance of the Paavai nombhu. In Pasuram 16, the arrival of the entire party at the palace of Nanda Maharaja is described. They ask the doorkeepers to let them in. Now, in Pasuram 17, they have entered the inner bedchambers are waking up Nanda Maharaja, Mother Yashoda, Krishna and His younger brother Baladeva. Each of them is praised in this pasuram. Nanda Maharaja is praised as the generous one who has given charity abundantly in the form of clothing, food, and water at times of need (during seasons of drought). Mother Yashoda is praised as the shining light to all in the community bringing joy to all. Next they see Krishna who is praised as Trivikrama who rose to
Page 3 of 10

cover all the worlds with just two strides (in order to restore to the gods the kingdom that they had lost to Maharaja Bali). Finally, they praise Baladeva, the elder brother of Krishna who is adorned with beautiful golden anklets (and who was in the womb of Devaki before Krishna appeared). From http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/ahobilavalli/thiruppavai.pdf MEANING OF THE 17th PAASURAM (V. SADAGOPAN) The guards, after having realised that the ensemble of Gopis was very dear to Kannan, threw open the palace doors for them conducting them into the corridors. The ensemble then plans to wake up Nandagopan, Yashoda, Balarama and Kannan. Fearing that some Gopi might take away Kannan, Nandagopan was asleep in the first couch. But is such a thing possible? Yes it is. The land of Shonitanagara was ruled by Banasura, the son of Bali chakravarthi. He had a daughter by name Usha. She lost her heart to Aniruddha, the grandson of Kannan having seen Him in her dream. Her maid Chitraloka, using the power of Yoga, brought Aniruddha in his sleep along with his couch and presented him to Usha. Being wary of such situations, Nandagopa therefore slept in the first couch.

Page 4 of 10

ambaramE thaNNeerE sORE aRam seyyum emberumaan nandhagOpaalaa ezhundhiraay Oh generous Nandagopa, who, during the times of drought, gave away in charity, clothing, food and water to the subjects of AyarpAdi, awake to bestow upon us the supreme Lord Kannan, who is the delectable most of foods and the relishable most of potable water, that satiates our hunger and thirst. In this world, different relations like father, mother, brother, son, friend et al, give us delight and make us happy in their own ways. Kannan on the other hand gives us pleasure and delight in every way. You, who shall be bestowing upon us such an objects of bliss is indeed our Lord (). Wake up Oh Lord, wake up. Next they approach towards Yashoda. kombanaarkku ellaam kozhundhE kula viLakkE emberumaatti yasOdhaay aRivuRaay - The branches of vanchi tree bend themselves to offer support during times of torrential floods. Similar to this, Yashoda gave happiness to everybody, overlooking the effort and weariness on her part. Kozhundu She was like the maid in command to all. She was intuitive of the difficulties that might come upon her folks and would always help them in alleviating the same. Kulavilakke She stood bedazzling as the light of the entire woman community. Having begotten Kannan, Yashoda was like a sovereign to the whole universe. When Nandagopa, who bestows grace and benevolence upon us that do good to us in turn (hitam), is already awake, is it correct for Yashoda, who bestows upon us the fruits of all our desires (ishtam), to be asleep still? Will there be any despair for the womenfolk, while the knowledgeable Yashoda is awake? Having taken her permission, they then behold, through the window, the divine visage of Kannan, who is reclining in the next couch. ambaram ooda aRuththu Ongi ulagu aLandha umbar kOmaanE -When the Devas sought back from you, the kingdom that they had lost to Bali, you assumed a magnificent form, so huge, that rose over the skies. The
Page 5 of 10

shadow of your lotus foot took everything in its shade. With your other foot, you blessed everyone with munificent grace just as how a mother would caress her babys head with drops of oil. You also adorned the celestials, daily votaries and all the worlds as embellishments to your lotus feet and made one and all Srivaishnavas. uRangaadhu ezhundhiraay You have bestowed your lotus feet to those who knew you not and even without their bidding. Arise oh Kannan, to bestow your lotus feet upon us who are aware of your essential nature (svarupam) and who have sought you as our refuge and our object of delightful contemplation. Hanuman says to Seetha, Sri Rama who is now separated from you is always awake and never sleeps. If at all he sleeps for a while, he takes your name sweetly while waking up Andal says Is it correct on your part to lay asleep while you have actually incarnated to wake us up from sleep with your holy names on our lips?. Kannan then directs them to Balaraman. As per protocol, Balarama should have been awakened first and then Kannan. He is the incarnation of Adisheshan a great devotee and preceptor. Since he is the subservient and also the reclining couch for Perumal, he incarnated prior to Kannan. Having realised their oversight they approach Baladeva now. sem poR kazhaladi(ch) chelvaa baladhEvaa Lakshmana was born later to Sri Rama and engaged himself in Sri Ramas servitude. But, Balarama was born before Kannan and stayed in His servitude. Balarama housed himself in Devakis womb before Kannan. He had purified Devakis womb with the touch of his feet. It is because of this reason that the eighth child of Devaki did not have the same fate as the six that were born before Balarama. The touch of his feet brought prosperity and auspiciousness.

Page 6 of 10

umbiyum neeyun uRangEl Your brother Kannan is obedient to you and so are you to him. Pray arise from your slumber, heeding to our prayers. At times when Kannan would disappear, Balarama would console the weeping Gopis who had lost their hearts to Kannan, with sweet and soothing words of joy. Subjects, who embark upon worshipping the Lord, should begin the same contemplating upon their preceptors and should then seek their approval for the same. This purport gleams forth through this verse. The following taken verbatim from http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru2.pdf Dear BhakthAs: In the previous Paasuram, the gatekeepers were requested to open the doors of NandagOpan's palace so that the Gopis can get inside and wake up King NandagOpan, Queen YasOdhA, Lord KrishNA and Prince BaladEvan, the elder brother of Sri KrishNA. The gatekeepers obliged and the Gopis stand now in front of the bed chambers of each of them and appeal to them to awaken. LITERAL MEANING OF THE PAASURAM (DR. V. K. S. N. RAGHAVAN): Oh King NandagOpA, Our Sire and the one reputed for high charity in giving away many clothes, abundant water, and large quantity of food! Kindly awaken! Oh Queen yasOdhA, the foremost scion among women of sterling character (lit. who are slim and firm like Vanjik Kombhu)! Oh Devi, who is the beacon light (of the whole woman kind! Please rise up! Oh Lord of Gods, who grew (into a gigantic form) and pierced through the space, and measured (with two steps) all the worlds! Please refrain from sleep and get up! Oh Prince BaladEvA (the strong and powerful Lord) adorning the golden anklets of a Hero! May Your younger brother and yourself get up without prolonging your sleep (uRangEl).

Page 7 of 10

THE INNER MEANINGS OF THE PAASURAM (SRI PBA SWAMY) Here NandagOpar, YasOdhai, KrishNan and BalarAman are sequentially awakened as symbols of AchAryan, Thiru Manthiram, the Meaning of Thiru Manthiram and the Essence of Thiru Manthiram (AshtAsharam, Moola Manthram). The ascendance of NandagOpar in this order of salutation (EmperumAN NandagOpAlA) may sound odd, but he is the NiyAmakan (commander) of even the Sarva NiyAmakan (Our Lord, the controller and commander of one and all). In this paasuram EmperumAn NandagOpan is identified as performing dhAnam of Amparam, TaNNIr and sORu. Amparam stands for AakAsam (Sri Vaikuntam: ParamAkAsa sabdha Vaachya pradesam /nalamanthamillAthOr Naadu). NandagOpan is invoked FIVE times in ThiruppAvai (Paasurams 1, 16, 17, 18 and 21) to perform MangaLAsAsanam for His generosity, parAkramam and wealth. YasOdhai is awakened next as kompanArkellAm kozhundhE KulaviLakkE. She is the One, who has the bhAgyam of having the Lord as Her son (ThiruvilEn yEnonRum peRRilEn, yellaam dhaiva nangai yasodhai peRRaaLe). YasOdhA is the brightest lamp of the GopAla kulam (Kula ViLakku) for enhancing the radiance of Aayar kulatthinil thOnRum aNi viLakku (Lord KrishNA). NandagOpan and YasOdhA are extrapolated to the ranks of the Lord and His PirAtti here. Next KaNNan (YasOdhai iLam singam) is awakened with the appeal (ampara mooDaRutthu Ongi ulahaLantha Umbar kOmAnE! urangAthu yezhunthirAi). Here, the link between KrishNan and His earlier ThrivikramAvatharam is made. Thrice in ThiruppAvai, ANDAL refers to ThrivikramAvatharam (Paasuram 3, 17 and 18) as Ongi UlahaLantha Utthaman, UlahaLantha Umbar KomAnE and anRivvulaham aLanthAi adip pORRI. YasOdhai herself warns the people of Gokulam not to mistake the Kuttik KaNNan as helpless One and asks them to go find out about His power and soulabhyam from MahA Bali Chakravarthy (SiRiyan yenRu yenniLam singatthai ihazhEl KaNDAi, siRumayin vaarthayai Maavaliyidaic-chenRu kEL. In ThrivikramAavthAram, His sacred feet touched every one in the Universe independent of their rank, status, education or tapas. KaNNan at Gokulam mingled with the cowherd girls and boys as well as with kings and sages later at BrundhAvanam and DhvArakai. Thus, this ease of access (Soulabhyam) is common both to KrishNAvathAram and ThrivikramAvathAram and the Gopis celebrate this aspect of BhagavAn's kalyANa guNams.
Page 8 of 10

The Gopis awaken KrishNA; He does not stir. They recognize that He has to be awakened through His elder brother, BaladEvan and address latter as the heroic one (SempoRRk Kazhaladi SelvA Bala dEvA). They ask the brothers to awaken together and bless them (Umpiyum Neeyum uRangEl). The combined appeal to the BhAgavathOtthaman BalarAman (AdhisEshAvathAram) and BhagavAn is for reminding us that BhAgavatha Seshathvam and Bhagavath Seshathvam are inseparable. Sri P. B. A. Swamy referred to Amaparam earlier as AakAsam or Sri VaikunTam (ParamAkAsam). The next dhAnam that NandagOpan is known for is the giving away of water (TaNNIr) for those, who are thirsty. TaNNIr here stands for Virajai, the sacred river in Sri VaikuNTam. The One, who bathes people in Virajai is recognized as NandagOpan. sORu is the annam identified in Upanishad (annam BrahmEthi vyajAnAth). AchAryan is the One, who helps us experience BrahmAnubhavam with Saama GhAnam (ahamanAthOham annAthOham). As Swamy NammAzhwAr recognized (Yeduttha pErALan NandhagOpan), the king of Gokulum is equatable to AchAryan. He had the incomparable wealth of KaNNan as his child and had ParipUrNa BrahmAnubhavam. INNER MEANINGS: ABHINAVA DESIKA UTTHAMUR SWAMY In the pancha kaala PrakriyAs, this paasuram is linkable to the stage of Bhagavath AarAdhanam, where AdhisEshan and other Nithya Sooris are invoked to join the AaarAdhanam for BhagavAn. SempoRRk Kazhaladi identifies with the samarpaNam of Paadhukai for the Lord (AdhisEshan) during one stage of the AarAdhanam. When one proceeds to perform AarAdhanam, the first salutation goes to AchAryans. In Sri Vaikuntam itself, the first salutations are to AchAryAs before approaching the Lord and His dEvis. The awakening (salutation) of the AchAryan in Bhagavath sannidhAnam is covered in this AmparamE TaNNIrE sORE paasuram. Amparam can be split into am+Param. am means beautiful and Param means ParamAthma Vasthu. Therefore amparam means altogether the sarva VyApi Lord, Sri VishNu-NaarAyaNan, the AkAra Vaachyan. TaNNIr or water is absolutely essential to grow annam. Hence, TaNNIr is UpAyam or Bhakthiroopa DhyAnam. sORu is parama purushArtham as described in Upanishad Vidhyais (Aanandhamaya, Samvarga and VaisvAnara Vidhyais): the parmaanna Parama Purusha Prabhu is the PurushArtham (Ultimate goal and end).
Page 9 of 10

INNER MEANINGS BY PERUKKARANAI SWAMY (SELECTED EXCERPTS) The gopis say: Oh NandagOpA! You give away generously food, clothing and water to all those, who seek them. These are anithya (perishable items) vasthus. Please grant us as DhAnam, the food known as Kuttik KaNNan. He is uNNUm sORu, Paruhu neer, Thinnum VeRRilai for us. He is our Taaraka, Posahaka BhOgya Nithya vasthu. The AaypAdi girls had great attachment to ThrivikramAvathAram. That is why they referred thrice in ThiruppAvai the mysterious deeds of Thrivikraman (Ongi UlahaLantha, amparam oodarutthu Ongi ulhaLanatha and anRi ivvulaham alanthAi adip pORRI). When One has reverence and attachment for an object, we invoke its name thrice The peace invocation for instance is made thrice in vedhams (PraNavam ShAnthi: ShAnthi:ShAnthi:). SempoRRk Kazhaladi BaladEvA: the Paadhukai, which is embellished with Gold (Kaanchana/SvarNa Paadhukai) of the Lord (PadhukE Hema BhUshithE) is saluted here. In the previous Paasuram, the three Sri VaishNava Rahasyams were referred to. In this Paasuram, the MEANINGS of the three rahasyams are alluded to. Amparam is PraNavam; sORu is NaarAyaNAya; TaNNIR is Nama: Sabdham of the Moola manthram. ANDAL uses Am, the BhIjAksharam as a woman through choice of the word Amparam. TaNNIr can be split into TaNN + Neer (Cool water fall). The UpAyam of Bhakthi that flows like Tila Thail TAArai is implied here. Nama: sabdham includes SaraNAgathi. SaraNAgathi is an angam for Bhakthi and therefore the two upAyams of Bhakthi and Prapatthi are included by use of the word, TaNNIr. Our Lord is SORu in the spirit of Swamy NammAzhwAr's anubhavam (UNNum SORu, Paruhu neer ---). From AmparamE--NandagOpAlA, AchAryan, who stands in the form of PithA is invoked. From KompanArkkellAm-- --YasOdhA, the Manthram that stands in the role of Mother is invoked. YasOdhA is the Yasas giving Mother. The Vedam says in this context: YasO Brahma: In SempoRRk Kazhaladi--Umpiyum Neeyum uRangEL, anugraham from the Lord and His Tamar (BhAgavathAs) are beseeched.

Page 10 of 10