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Re: Varutham of Lord Narashinga

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Mani Varadarajan • March 22, 2002 


>     Dear Learned members,
>
>     In 6th paasuram of Pallandu by Periyazwar, he says Pandhanai
>     theera pallandhu. I read somwhere that Pandhanai means
>     Varuttham. If so what is the varuttham of Lord Narashima
>     after killing Hiranyakashibu?  adiyen

Dear Smt. Geetha,

You bring up an interesting question. Though I have heard and
recited this pAsuram many times, I never bothered to think
about the meaning of this word. Thanks to you, I have gotten
the opportunity read what others have to say as well as look
into the acharyas' commentaries on this verse.

The Tamil Lexicon gives the following meanings for pantanai
(pandhanai): 1. attachment; 2. bondage of the soul; 3. disease
of children; 4. daughter.  Here, only the first two meanings
are relevant for us.  This is a tadbhava from the Sanskrit
'bandhana' which literally means attachment.

According to this reading, the Alvar may be using pantanai to
refer to himself; i.e., 'pantanai tIra pallANDu ... enRu pADuminE'
could mean that by singing pallANDu to perumAL he (the Alvar)
is free from all his attachments, viz., miseries of bondage.

However, this meaning does not fit well into Periyalvar's
overall theme of overwhelming concern for perumAL and minimal
concern for himself. The commentators beginning with 
Periyavaaccaan Pillai therefore adopt the rasa-laden meaning 
mentioned by Sri Gunaseelan. Periyalvar is concerned about
the 'anukkam' or infantile weakness of Narasimha, who 
immediately after having taken "birth" has to destroy
Hiranyakashipu.

A beautiful anubhavam indeed!

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,
Mani











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