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Selected excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy's ThiruppAvai Monograph: Part XXI-> Fourteenth day : UngaL Puzhakkadai Dinam

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Sadagopan • Thu Dec 28 2000 - 20:55:25 PST 


Sriamthyai Godhayai Nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Dear BhakthAs:

In this paasuram , a silver tongued leader of the Gopis
is being awakened. This young Gopi had loudly proclaimed
the evening before that she will wake up first and then 
wake all the other Gopis. Now , she has forgotten all about that 
promise and is sleeping cozily . The Gopis waiting outside are 
annoyed and yet want to have this silver tongued Gopi 
with them , when they go to meet KrishNan , since She has
the powerful persuavasive skills to influence Krishna to grant 
the boons that they desire. They remind the sleeping Gopi
about signs of advancing dawn ( PrabhAtha chihnam: Raktha- 
PadmAni vikasithAni, Kumudha mukhAni cha sankuchithAni ).

BhuvarAhAcchAr Swamy points out the UpadEsam that 
ANDAL houses in this Paasuram : " Use your tongue 
not merely for tasting delicious dishes , but for singing 
about the lotus-eyed Lord . That is the main purpose for 
which it ( the tongue) was gifted to you in the first place".

Literal Meaning (Dr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan)
*************************************
(The maidens awaken another group-leader).Already it is 
day-dawn , for even the Senkazhuneer flowers(red lotuses)
have bloomed and Aambal flowers have closed their buds, in
the small tank of your back-yard garden. The saints with
ochre-robes and white teeth have started to visit their 
respective holy shrines for blowing the conch . Oh our Lady
who boasted (by word of mouth) yesterday that you will come
and awaken us at first! now , please get up. You are not
ashamed ; you are but a chatterer. Let us sing the glory 
of the Lord of lotus-like eyes (pankayak kaNNan) , who
holds aloft on His mighty hands, the Conch and the discus 
(the symbol of His supermacy among all gods).

" NangAi , NaaNAthAi , NaavudayAi" 
**********************************
"NangAi":The Gopis address the sleeping Gopi with above three 
chosen names and their import is explained by Sri PBA Swamy.
Utthama PurushAs are addressed as Nampi and Utthama
Sthrees are referred to as Nangai. Nampi is the one ,
who has advanced skills in all fields (Sakala Paandithyam) 
and anushtAna sampath .That Nampi is the Swamy as well.
The ladies of such outstanding attributes are recognized as
Nangai(Swaamini). This Gopi is one such Nangai .

NaaNAthAi: NaaN not only means modesty (adakkam ) but
also ahankaaram in an esoteric context .For instance ,
Swamy Desikan has stated at the end of one chillaRai
Rahasyam (?) , " nANN periyOmallOm " ( We do not have
ahamkAram/nANN ( egotism , conceit , haughtiness , self-love ).
Swamy Desikan describes himself as one devoid of ahamkAram.
This Nangai is free of the dhOsham of ahamkAra-mamakArams 
and hence the name "nANAthAi" fits her well .

"NaavudayAi": Every one in the world has a tongue ( Naakku).
Naaku produces Vaak or speech. Those tongues producing Vaak
that nourishes the universe (like AchAryAs) are the true
possessors of Naaku ( naavudayavar). SithA pirAtti addreses
HanUmAn and says in this context: " VachA dharmam avApnuhi"
( May You obtain the phalan of having Vaak/ Vaai padaittha 
prayOjanma peRuvAyAha! ).That is the blessed Vaak , which is
used to eulogize the Lord ( Saa jihvA yaa Harim sthouthi).
AchArya RaamAnujA has been saluted as " Jayathi Sakala 
VidhyA Vaahini janma saila:"  He is the Naavudayava 
Nampi, whose Vaak is fragrant with sakala saasthrams 
and Vidhyais . 

Sri PBA Swamy observes further that one should take note of
the "PramANa NirdhArana-roopa SaasthrArthams" housed in 
this paasuram . VedAnthis accept as PramANam three 
entities: Prathyaksham , anumAnam and sabdham . These
three pramANams are illustrated in this paasuaram .
Please refer to Sriman Hari's excellent postings on 
the above three pramANams  in his postings on SaraNAgathi
journal. Here , the matter of "Ungal Puzhakkadai--" is
anumAna PramANam. "Tavatthavar tankaL ThirukkOil SankiduvAn
pOhinrAr " is Prathykasha PramANam. " YenkaLai munnam 
yezhuppuvAn Vaai pEsum NangAi" , the aaptha vaakyam(sabdham)  
is sAsthra pramANam . Thus all pramANams are covered here.

The Inner meanings for Paasura Vaakyams ( PerukkAranai Swamy)
*************************************************************
1.  "UngaL Puzhakkadai thOttatthu vaaviyuL Senkazhuneer
     vaai nehizhnthu":= Jn~Anam has blossomed in the heart
     of the tree in SamsAram allocated for the chEthanams 

2. " Aambhal vaai Koombina":= The flowers like Kaamam ,
     mathsaram et al associated with aj~nam have closed their
     petals .

3. " SenkaRk kodikkURai veNN pall tavatthavar tankaL thirukkOil
     sangiduvAn pOhinRAr"= Many wearing the sacred clay (ThirumaNN)
     originating from SvEtha dhvIpam , wearing red bordered vasthrams
     and possessing the power of great penance are meditating on the Lord
     in their Hrudhaya PuNDarIkam through PraNavOpAsanam .

4. " YenkaLai munnam yezhuppuvAn vaai pEsum NangAi 
     YezhunthirAI"= May You as UtthamAdhikAri , who 
     stated to wake us immersed in the timeless samsAram ,
     get up and bless us !

5. " NaaNAthAi NaavudayAyai" Oh Uthama AdhikAri , who is
     not reticent about instructing us on sadh Vishayams !
     Oh Nangai who is blessed with sadh-Vaak to recite 
     the names of our Lord !

6.  "Sankodu Chakkaram yEnthum Tatakkaiyaan Pankayakkananai 
     paada"= Please instruct us on the margam of UpAsanai of
     the Lord who holds the unique symbols like Sankam
     and chakkaram in His hands to denote His Parathvam.

ANDAL , Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadikaLE SaraNam
RaamAnuja Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan  
        
  


 
 
    




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