SatakOpar AndhAti : Part XIII: Verse 12 and 13, Based on U.Ve. N.R. KrishNaswamy IyengAr's anubhavam in Tamil

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Sri:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Swamy NammAzhwAr:

 

In this seyyuL , the mood is that of a Talaivan ( chieftain) talking to his friend in

fond reflection of his Talaivi ( dear lady with whom he is in love) soon after parting with her .He is overcome by his fond memories. This is what he recalls in the style of "iyalidamkooRal " in the Tamizh poetry's grammar:KuruhUr SatakOpan set Sanskrit Vedas in chasteTamizh ( senthanmizh). His face is compared to the red lotus flower by the poet Kambar.The lips are compared to the softness of Ilavam Panju flower ; the whiteness of the rows of teeth are compared to Mullai flowers ; the two darting eyes are equated to two spears. Few words emanate from that mouth but they taste like honey .That lotus face is my life-sustaining force ; it is the soul of my soul ; it is the force within my body and breath .It is the PrANa of PrANans.

 

The text of the twelfth SeyyuL

 

ilavE-itazhumLavE mullaiyuLLiyampum mozhiyums-

silavE avai sezhum tEnokkumE Tamizh senchorkaLAl

palavEdam mozhintAn KuruhUrp-padhumatthiraNDu

salavElkaLum uLavE athu kaaNN yeNN tani uyirE

 

Word by Word Meaning

 

Semm-Tamizh pala vEdhamum mozinthAn= The AzhwAr born at KuruhUr blessed us with many Vedhams in the chaste Tamizh .

 

KuruhUr padhumatthu ilavE ithazhum , Mullai uLavE uLL mozhiyum silavE iyampum athu sezhum tEnokkum= In the face of this KuruhUr lotus ( AzhwAr born at KuruhUr) , one finds the soft lips like the flower of Ilavam Panju tree ;the rows of teeth are like the buds of Mullai flower; from that mouth defined by the Ilavam flower and Mullai buds emanate few words , which are sweet like honey .

 

appadhumatthil sala iraNDu vElkaLum uLavE= In that gently moving lotus face are two eyes that move rapidly like two spears.

 

athu yenn yennudaya tani uyirE= For me ( yenakku) , this Lotus face of the AzhwAr

( athu) is my ( yennudaya) soul's soul ( tani uyirE).

 

Kambhar points out that Swamy NammAzhwAr is the PrANan of his five PrANans

( the force within the body and breath). The Pancha PrANans are PrANa , apAna, SamAna, UdhAna and Vyaana . There is a MahA PrANa that is the ruler of all these five PrANAs . About this MahA PrANa , Taittirya Upanishad says: " From PrANa indeed all living forms are born, they remain alive by PrANa , at the end they merge into it". The MahA PrANa ( tani uyir) is the subtle energy , which is the basis of all life . It is the subtle energy which works in eaxh and every cell , muscle , nerve and organ. Without that MahA PrANa , the body and mind are dead. PraSna Upanishad of the Atarva Veda discusses in great detail the nature and the glory of this MahA PraNa . Six inquirers after Brahman seek instruction from the great sage PippalAdhar on creation of the Universe,the relationship between the indhriyAs and the vital airs in the body( Pancha PrANAs) , the entry of PrANa into the body ( the nature and origination of PrANa) , the states of consciousness such as dream and sleep and the relationship of MahA PrANa with indhriyAs and mind during these states of consciousness .

 

To understand the context of Kambhar's declaration that Swamy NammAzhwAr is the PrANan of his PrANan , we can reflect on the following two Mantrams from PraSnOpanishad:

 

" Like spokes on the hub of the chariot wheel, everything is fixed on PrANa-the riks, the Samans,sacrifices ,the moving and non-moving beings ". PraSnOpanishad:2.6

 

" All this Universe is uder control of PrANa . Whatever is established in heaven is also under the control of PrANa. So protect us even as a Mother protects her sons.Ordain for us wealth and agreeable inteligence ( MaatEva putrAn rakshasva SrIsccha prajn~Am cha vidEhi na:) ". PraSnOpanishad:2.13

DhAsan , V.Sadagopanhttp://www.Oppiliappan.org