ramanuja digest 491-nappinnai

[Guest guest]

Dear srEvaishNavites,

This is regarding ms nappinnai"s question -vis-a-vis vyAkyAnam-s for

thiruppAvai pAsurangaL.

pAsuram 18 : ARAyirappadi -swAmi azhagia maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr.

After explaining that the devotees are seeking purushakAram of nappinnai

akin to seeking purushakAram of pirAtti in sri rAmAyaNam, the vyAkyAnam runs

as follows:

"pirAtti munnAga saraNam puga anROA pramANam solliRRu. ingu nappinnai

pirAttiyai anROa saraNam pugugiRadhu" ennil;

periya pirAtti allAdha nAichimAR srakchandhanAdhigaLObhAdhi

upakaraNakOdiyAgaiyAlum, ivargaLai avayava kOdiyilE avaL

ninaithirukkaiyAlum,pirAttikkuth thiruvadigaLObhAdhiyAga ninaithirukkaiyAlE

ivaLaip paRRugirArgaL.

paradhasaiyil-nAichimAr mUvaraiyum munnidak kadavadhu; "kUndhal malarmangai"

thiru-voi-mozhi 5-6-11, ithyAdhi; vyUhAvasthaiyil nAchimAr iruvarai munnidak

kadavadhu, "chandhani menmulaiyAl tharaNi mangai" periya thiru-mozhi

2-10-2,ennak kadavadhiRe: rAmAvathArathil periya pirAtti oruvarumAi irukkum;

srE varAhap prAdhurbhAvathil srE bhUmip pirAttiyai munnidum;

krishNavathArathil pradhAna mahishi ivaLAgaiyAlE nappinnai pirAttiyai

munnidugiRArgaL."

 

The precedents and the evidences point out seeking refuge and

purushakAram through periya pirAtti. Then why come they surrender unto

nappinnai pirAtti is the question raised here. Since, the pirAtti other than

periya-pirAtti is viewed as her divine feet, they are seeking refuge unto

nappinnai pirAtti.

In para dhasai-parama padham- all the three pirAttis are sought as refuge. refer

thiru-voi-mozhip pAsuram 5-6-11

"kUndhal malarmangaikkum-periya pirAttiyAr,

maNmadandhaikkum-bhUmippirAttiyAr

kula Ayar kozhundhukkum - nElA pirAtti"

How do we know that this pAsuram is addressed towards parAvashtai?

Edu: " oru avathAram anRikkEA upaya vibhUdhi nAdhanAna pUrNa vishayathil

anukkarikkiRAr"

Here definition for three pirAttiar-s is significant in this regard:

periya pirAtti: sarvEswaranudiaya aiswaryathukkum hEadhubhUdhaiyAi irukkum i.e

sarvEswaranudaiya sampathAyirukkiRa peirya pirAtti.

bhUmip pirAtti: adhukku viLai bhUmiyAi irukkiRa bhumip pirAtti.

nappinnaip pirAtti: adhanudaiya pala rUpamAiyirukkum nappinnai pirAtti.

In vyUha dhasai two pirAtti-s are sought as refuge refer periya thiru-mozhip

pAsuram 2-10-2 peirya pirAtti and bhUmip pirAtti

" chandhani men mulaiyAl= peirya pirAtti;

tharaNi mangai= bhUmip pirAtti.;

thAm iruvar adivarudum thanmaiyAnai".

In vArahavasthai -srI bhUmip pirAtti is sought refuge in.

In rAmAvathAram-peirya pirAtti is sought as refgue and

In krishNAvathAram since nappinnai pirAtti is perceived as pradhAna mahishi

she is being sought as refuge i.e nElA dhEvi.

 

The lines in ARAyirappadi vyAkyanam of 20th pAsuram will help us in

understanding this better.

"thiruvE thuyil ezhyAi" avaL pEAr padaithAl, seivadhum avaLaip pOlE irukka

vENdAvO? avaLudaiya vAchaka sabthathai vunakkuch sollumbOdhu dheha

guNangaLum Athma guNangaLum vuNdAnAlum, pathu mAsam AsridhArthamAga

vuRangAdhirundha avaL padi vunakkum vuNdAga vENdum kAN"

 

"Having got her name, should you not be like Her? She suffered 10months

for the sake of devotees. Should you not take that attitude'

We should bear in mind that the above words are addressed at nappinnai

pirAtti comparing her with periya pirAtti.

These two commentaries indicate that in this avadhAram (ref 18th pAsruam) she is

not peirya pirAtti and in fact an explanation is even given why they have taken

refuge in nappinnai instead of periya pirAtti.

In 20th pAsuram -where she is addressed as "thiru" she is compared with

peirya=pirAttiAr and surprise is expressed that despirte this address she is not

acting akin to periya pirAttiyAr's attitude.

I leave the conclusions to you.

swAmi azhagia maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr thirivadigaLe saraNam

dhAsan

vAnamAmalai padmanAbhan

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

Dear Sri Padmanabhan

Accept my pranams. Mere words can not express how grateful

I am to you for quoting and explaining ARAyirappadi vyAkhyAnam for

T:18,19,20 by Swami Azhagiya MaNavALa PerumAL NAyanAr. ONly now,I am

getting to understand the beauty and the esoteric meanings of those

pAsurams. My heartfelt thanks to you.

 

AzhvAR EmperumAnAr JIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam

NC Nappinnai