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IDU OR ARPUDAM KELEER- PART 5

From the Bhakti List Archives

L&T-ECCG-Buildings & Factories • September 18, 1999 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,
Sri lakshmi nrusimha divya paadukaa sEvaka SrivaN satakOpa Sri Vedaanta
desika yateendra mahaa dEsikaaya namah:

In the previous posting parts 1 to 4 on this topic, we saw 
		*	How periyaazhvaar identified KaNNan with thirumaal, 
		*	How he described the entire world was tied down by
his divine music thru the paasurams (without the meanings of the paasurams),

		*	Certain points on observations of bagavathaas. 
		*	The meanings in detail for the first four paasurams 
		*	Verses of few other bakthas who relished the kuzhal
oothal episode of krishna leelai

In the first part of this "idu Or arpudam kELeer" series, we saw "kuzhal
vaai maduththu oothi vantha aayappilLLai azhagu" (3-4-9) with its meaning as
visualised by Periyaazhvaar. 

In the third part, we saw the paasuram alone of Kulasekara PerumaaL (KP) in
his "perumaaL thirumozhi" 6-9 - titled Ermalar poonkuzhal, which is in
similar lines of periyaazhvaar. 

Before we take up the fifth arpudam by periyaazhvaar, now let us see the
meaning of this KP paasuram.
		"Mangala nan vana maalai maarvil ilanga mayil thazhaip peeli
soodi
		PongiLa vaadai araiyil saththi poonkoththuk kaadhir puraip
peithu
		Kongu naRunkuzhalaargalOdu kuzhainthu kuzhal inithu oothi
vanthaai
		EngaLukkE orunaaL vanthootha un kuzhal innisai pOdharaathE" 

Mangala nan vana maalai - the vaijayanthi maalai which gives all auspicious
things -subham -nallavai- good things- so nan- tulasi maalai - so mangala
nan maalai 

[Now, the scientists have prooved tulasi, whereever it exists, it serves as
air purifier with medical properties,  removes cold, cough, etc besides
other medical properties] 

maarvil ilanga - hanging in the chest. 
The word ilanga has special position here. Whenever the word ilanga is used,
the subject person for whom, this verb is used is understood to be of
exalted status- like a king. KP could have simply said, vanamaalai thonga or
soodi but says ilanga.
 
whether tulasi adds beauty to kaNNan or kaNNan adds beauty to tulasi is
doubtful. Tulasi is of dark green- kaNNan is of dark cloud coloured- neerada
samaneeyan- what adds beauty to whom? 

KP says- maarvil vanamaalai ilanga- so hey reader folks -I am not making it
clear - but I say ilanga - from this you please infer. We can infer kaNNan
only add beauty to tulasi. 

mayil thazhaip peeli soodi--yet another beautiful selection of words. Here
the word thazhai has two meanings- thazhai is a bunch of leaves, thazhai is
also an umbrella made of peacock's feathers, like a tree has lot of leaves,
peacock also a lot of feathers. peeli is each feather [refer the famous
kuRaL - peeli pei sakaadum achchiRum appaNdam saala miguththup peyin. Even
though it may be feather of peacock, if it is loaded beyond certain limits
in a cart, the axle of the cart will break].

mayil peeli thazhai soodi- just he took the feathers and simply tucked in
KaNNan's tresses in a bunch -no proper arrangement. But simply gathered and
tucked in- so it appears as thazhai in his head - mayil peeliyai thazhai
pOla soodi- because it is kaNNan, this careless tucking also adds beauty.

another meaning or usage
*	he comes under the mayil thazhai- comes under the shade using the
umbrella made of peacock feathers,
*	peeli soodi - with feathers of peacock in his crown, under the
umbrella.

PongiLavaadai araiyil saththi - the aadai- dress in the waist 
Pongum iLa nilaa pOnRa aadai - dress is of the colour of the cresent moon in
the sukla paksham - light yellow colour.
peethaambaram- yasya peetham ambaram dharathi sa: peethaambaram -every word
selection is marvellous

poonkoththuk kaadhir puNarap peithu - here flowers are bunched [kothu]
-flowers mixed (puNara) and inserted in the ear lobe - peithu- it is not
serugi inserted but peithu- like rain, a lot are kept- inserted in the hole
of the ear- why?

If you observe children, when they are happy and walking, they will not
simply walk. First three or four steps ordinary walk- then a small jump -
then two or three step running- again a twist or turn to see whether some
body is observing. Then walk - a jump again etc. it is a mixture of walking
running jumping turning etc.

KaNNan, when he is coming with his friends, is happy and is doing all these.
While  walking and doing all these, the flowers should not fall on the way-
so it is puNarap peithu. 

- [please recollect valankaathinmEl thOnRip poo aNinthu of periyazhvaar]

[in part 3 where this paasuram was quoted, it was mentioned as puraippeithu
which may please be read corrected as puNarappeithu, that was taken from
another book wherein it may be a printer's devil]

Kongu naRunkuzhalaargalOdu kuzhainthu - kongu naadu is part of sEra naadu in
those days (present dharmapuri district). Kulasekara is the king of
sEranaadu- so the patriotism comes out. It is mixed with kaNNan bakthi.
KaNNan comes mingling with young girls of kongu naadu who have goodlooking
black long hair - that too how- kuzhainthu- siriththu pEsi- avargaLai
mayakki- thaanum mayanguvathupOl baavanai seithu- so kuzhainthu-

[A cross reference from subramania bharathy- sindhu nadhiyin misai
nilavinilE sEra nannattiLam peNgaLudanE sundara thelunginil paattisaiththE
for the beauty of sEra naattu ilampeNgal]

kuzhal inithu oothi vanthaai- you came playing the flute. This is in past
tense. So an incidence of the past. Why? Next line gives the answer.

EngaLukkE orunaaL vanthootha un kuzhal innisai pOdharaathE-  a slight
anvayam is to be done. OrunaaL vanthu engalukkE un kuzhal ootha innisai
pOdharaathE- please come one day and give us your flute music only for us-
POdharaathE means tharuvaayE. 

It may appear a little contradictory in the last line to ask krishna "you
come again and give us your flute music" when in the previous line KP says
kaNNan came playing flute with all alankaarams, with sEra naattu girls, as
said in the previous 3 lines. 

Even though just now heard kaNNan's music, the desire is coming up again to
ask for more of his music. So a request, "hey krishnaa why not you come
again?" by aazhvaar. 

One more by MGV on behalf of BHAKTI_net members- "hey krishnaa why not you
come again and give us your music?".

Now let us see the meaning of pEyaazhvaar paasuram also.
		KOvalanaai aanirai meiththuk kuzhal oothi 
		maavalanaai keeNda manivaNNan mEvi
		ari uruvaagi iraNiyana thaagam
		theri ugiraal keendaan sinam   (paasuram 42)

kOvalanaai- the gOpaalan- aayan- cowherd
aanirai - the flock of cows- pasukkoottangal
mEiththu- grassed the flock of cows
kuzhal oothi- playing the flute
maavalanaai- in the roopam of hayam - the horse
keenda - ploughed or opened 
maNi vaNNan- thaan aNinthuLLa maniyinaal vaNNam perubavan maNivaNNan
whether it is syamanthaga maNi or kowsthubha mani -both are kaNNan only -
but in the hayagreeva roopam it can be taken as kowsthuba mani 
mEvi- paranthu - spread- maavalanaai paranthu- is to refer the saving of the
vEdams in the hayagreeva avathaaram
ari uruvaagi- in the shape of lionman
iraNiyanathaagam- the heart of HiraNyan
sinam theri- with anger
ugiraal keeNdaan- tore with nails.

See how nicely three avathaarams are covered in one stanzaa- kuzhal oothum
kaNNan, vEdham kaaththa hayagreevan, narasingan. 

Now let us see meaning of the fifth arpudam presented by periyaazhvaar: 

3.6.5	Madhusoodhan vaayil kuzhalin Osai seviyai paRRi vaanga
Nannarampudaiya thumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu kinnara
mithunangaLum tham tham kinnaram thodugilOm enRanarE.

ThumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu - Why? They recollected this kaNNan
is the same person- who? Mun narasinghamadhaagi - earlier narasimhan - the
man lion - the ferocious person who tore hiranya kasibu- also the
mannaranchum madhusoodhan - who killed the ferocious arakkan madhu - about
whom all kings were afraid but kaNNan was not afraid. In the fight kaNNan
killed madhu and got the name madhusoodhan. The very presence of kaNNan
makes naarada and tumburu to fear - when he plays flute and the music is so
nice - it is aanandam mixed with fear. 

Naaradaa is always singing music in praise of naaraayaNa and it is his
practice. But when he heard kaNNan's music, he simply forgot his rhythm and
music.

Another person in such music habit is thumburu who is also the dEvalOka
musician. The noted musicians Thumburu and Naarada lost their balanceof mind
when they started listening to KaNNan's music. That is the power of kaNNan's
music.

The kinnaraas are the musicians of the devaloka, and they also missed their
sruthi. Kinnaras always play music as couples- kinnara mithunangal- the male
provides the taala and women plays the musical instrument. When kaNNan plays
music these people forgot their music and refused to touch their instruments
- kinnaram thodigilOm enRanarE.

See the arpudam- kaNNan's music just makes the music professionals to miss
their balance and thereby they refuse to start playing their music. Is this
not an arpudam?

Before concluding this part let us see another baktha who enjoyed krishnaa's
music. 

Here, he calls him "Oh, you, the very embodiment of music".

		Gaana moorthE- sri krishna vENu gaana moorthE
		Gaana lOla thribhuvana paala paahi - gaana

		Maaninee maNee sree rukmaNee
		Maanasaabahaara maara janaka dhivys - gaana

		Naveneetha chora nandha sath kichora
		Naramithra dheera narasimha soora
		Nava mEga thEja nagajaa sagaja
		Nara kaanthakaaja natha thyagaraaja - gaana

	(nouka charithram of thyaagaraaja - song in the raaga gaanamoorthy)

		Oh krishna! Oh, the embodiment of music! Oh the flute music
embodiment! Oh vENu gaanapriyaa (lover of flute music)! Oh, the lord of this
world, lOka naatha! Oh sri rukmani's loving husband! Father of manmatha!
Butter thief! Son of king Nanda! Friend of Arjuna! Oh narasimha! The new
cloud coloured lord! Paarvathi's brother! Killer of narakaasura! Save this
bowing thyaagarajaa.

		Here he enjoys krishnaa as embodiment of music, not simply
music but music from the flute (vENu gaana moorthE). All other words are
fitting nicely but why suddenly narasimha - does narasimha have any
connection with music? [Is there any reference in Narasimha avathaaram for
music - bhagavathaas can provide information please]

		Krishnaa plays music in the forest- every body obeys and
surrenders to his music. Similarly in the forest, the lion is the king and
orders to all animals, everybody simply obeys to his orders. Lion is
compared or elevated to kannan's level (only for this obeying aspect) - king
of music prowess kaNNan- king of physical prowess lion - kinglion- manlion -
narasimhan- narasingaavathaaram. 

		There is no wonder to go back to narasimham from krishna by
thyagaraaja - is also in the footsteps of periyaazhvaar to call mun
narasingamadhaagi.

Dasan
Vasudevan M.G.