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ThiruppAvai first pAsuram

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • February 18, 1999 


Sri:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

ThiruppAvai- the essence of all vEdAs- the seed of all vEdAs- was 
written in an inimitable style by our ThiruppAvai Swami Sri Samapth 
Rangarajan - 67 posts on the first pAsuram. What a narration it was! As 
commanded by Sri Sampath Rengi, it is my pleasure to jot down my usual 
"little" worthy post on this first pAsuram of ThiruppAvai. 

Sri AndAL - GodhA PiraaTTi sang 30 verses on performing the nOmbhu 
("saraNAgathy" nOnbhu), on the lines of the nOnbhu that was performed by 
Cowherd girls at Nandha Gokulam, during KrishNAvataar. She sings on her 
pledge (vratham) that she (along with her friends) undertook, KrishNA's 
Greatest KalyANa guNAs, her requesting the Lord KrishNan for pardoning 
her trespasses committed, (not by her, on our behalf for our trespasses, 
the most merciful compassionate BhUmi PiraaTTi appeals to the Lord), her 
plea for His grace to bless her with eternal servitude to the Lord and 
her declaration that the way and the goal is the Unbounded Beauty with 
limitless attributes, Blemishless, Faultless, Sriya: pathih Sriman 
Narayanan. She sings the 30th pAsuram for all of us and advises us to 
sing these 30 pAsurams of ThiruppAvai to get His Grace for ever and for 
everything! 

Let us proceed to enjoy the beauty of the first pAsuram. 

maargazhith thingaL madhi niRaindha nannaaLaal *
neeraadap pOdhuveer pOdhuminO nErizhaiyeer *
seer malgum aayppaadic chelvac chiRumeergaaL *
koorvER kodunthozhilan nandhagOpan kumaran *
yEraarndha kaNNi yashOdhai iLaNchingam *
kaar mEnic chengaN kadhir madhiyam pOl mugaththaan *
naaraayaNanE namakkE paRai tharuvaan *
paarOr pugazhap padindhElOr embaavaay.

"Oh young Girls! The Ones who wear faultless ornaments, who get so much 
radiance (madhi niRaindha) on their faces listening to this, who are 
blessed with the treasure of being born in Ayarpaadi with the wealth of 
Bhagawadh Sambhandham and Bhagwadh jnAnam! Those who have a longing 
desire for service to the Lord are qualified to join me on this "nannAL" 
(the most auspicious day- the day that has appeared of its own accord 
for the observance of the vow and is the good day only when one 
understands all about himself and his eternal connection and servitude 
/relationship with the Lord) for performing this "saraNAgathy nOnbhu" to 
immerse ourselves in KrishNAnubhavam, and for being praised by everyone 
all over the world. 

He - the son of Nandhagopan - (who never lets anyone- even an insect- 
get away with troubling the "Kutti KaNNan", as if it is he who saves the 
Lord- but he is like periyAzhwAr; he simply punishes them to the 
severest extent, with his spear (vEl)- hence "cruel" Nandhagopan. 
Nandagopan's vigilance in guarding Krishna with his very sharp spear in 
hand symbolises and characterises the quality of a SriVaishnava) - the 
lion cub of YashOdhA- (who has dark, long most beautiful eyes, who has 
spoiled KaNNan with those charming child pranks) is the One who has cool 
dark cloud-like ThirumEni (Divine Body) and has merciful red lined, Red 
Lotus like Divine eyes, who has the beaming brightness on His face like 
the Cool bright lovely moon, who has the lustrous Thirumukha maNdalam 
(Divine face) like the Shining Sun- KrishNan- is Sriman Narayanan and He 
alone is the One who can grant salvation even to "us" (the earthly souls 
-jIvAthmAs- in spite of all our apacharams- He grants us simply because 
we have sought and surrendered to His Feet- simply because we have 
expressed a desire (also, due to His Grace) to ask Him for serving Him). 
What an aacharyam! How Compassionate! What a dayai! How Great! How 
merciful! 

(This reminds me of Sri Bharat's recent excellent post quoting Embaar's 
:"icchaiyE adhikaaram' irakkamE upaayam; inimaiyE upEyam"- meaning: 
desire for Him alone is the qualification. His compassion alone is the 
Means to attain Him; The enjoyment of (serving )Him alone is the Goal!)

Narayana! Narayana!

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan      



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