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thirup pAvai - munnurai - part 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • December 11, 1997 


Dear bAgwathALs,

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

     We are  planning to present the  understanding for the
thaniyans  and *some* of the
major  aspects of thirup  pAvai (of the 30  verses), in the coming
days.  This will be a team effort  posted by both Sri Varadhan and
adiyEn.  Please  tune  in to look  for the  postings.  We  request
learned  bAgwathALs  to step in and add to it  whenever  they feel
necessary.  We donot  know if we can  simply  complete  this  task
within  this  month  of   mArgazhi.  This  is  perumAL  and  godhA
pirAtti's  work and we simply pray to them and hope that they will
bless us with atleast somewhat basic understanding of these verses
and provide meaningful discussions.

	An incident  from achArya  vaibavam  comes to mind.  It is
very  important to note from the  kalAshEbhams  of achAryALs  that
azhwAr's pAsurams are not easy to do vyAkyAnams  without anubavam.
Sri PradivAdhi Bayankaram SwamigaL used to do vyAkyAnam for 3 hours
non stop for one Pasuram of  thiruppAvai.  When Sri  Ramanujar was
approached  by the sishyALs to do vyAkyAnam  for thiru vaay mozhi,
it is believed  that he said, " I may not want to do it by myself.
(Later on the first vyAkyAnam was delivered by his direct disciple
thirukurukoor  piLLAn).  Because  there is a potential  scope that
these nools are to be learnt by everyone by their own anubavam and
that it is very apt that there should be so many  vyAkyAnams  that
must come out for these from each  generation  of  achAryALs.  The
understanding of this must continue to grow.  (meaning each time a
soul  reads it and feels it  (anubavam)  they may come out with an
unique  bagwath  anubavam  and such will  become  vyAkyAnam).  For
brahma sudhram there is a definite  vyAkyAnam and hence my bAshyam
is delivered  for that.  If I write a vyAkyAnam  like that for the
thirumozhis, the future  generation of SrivaishnvaLs may fix their
mind  in it  and  say  that  this  is the  only  valid  vyAkyAnam.
instead, I desire that each one have their own anubavam."  In fact
the second of the five last (commandments)  rules of Sri Ramanujar
was  understood  by some schools  like these.  ie., azwar  aruLich
cheyalai pravarpiththaL.

	When bagwath Sri  Ramanujar  would say like that, we donot
even think that 4000 divya  prabhandam  is just a one layer seyyuL
with literal  meanings  from the words as they merely  appear.  We
donot even dare  presenting one simple meaning and cocluding it as
the  only  meaning  or  of  that  sort.  i.e.,  We  recognize  the
importance  attached to it by Sri  Ramanujar,  when handling  this
tamil vedam.  We recognize  the existance   of so many  (atleast 3
layers of) meanings and would attempt to see these verses from the
kalAkshEbams we have heard from different schools.  We will simply
attempt to present an infant  ramblings  of our  understanding  of
this sAgaram known as 4000 divya prabhandham.  We would attempt to
present  them with  these in our minds  such that this  ghOsti can
enjoy it.

	It is believed that Thirup pAvai is the only prabhandam of
4000 divya prabhandham that is written in most of the major indian
languages and all  Srivaishnavas  around the globe do anusanthAnam
of these 30 verses  irrespective  of their language.  The pAsurams
are written in many languages so that one need not even know tamil
and yet they can simply read it in their  language and still spell
the words of the pAsuram in Tamil.  ie., as similar to  chanting a
mantra.  All over the world (6 crores)  (approximately 60 million)
of  tamil  speaking  people  living  in 63  countries  as  well do
anusanthAnam  of these verses during this month.  Thus it is worth
a try to attempt to understand this one more time.


     It is  important  to discuss  the  introduction  prior to the
verses  themselves  for any kavi or kAvyam.  We attempt to present
the various vyAkyAnams on the essence of thirup pAvai as to what it
contains and some related aspects of our achArya vaibavam prior to
discussing   the  verses  from  thirup  pAvai.  This  is  like  an
executive summary (second part will be posted by Sri Varadhan) but
these are little longer than a  professional  one.  Please forgive
us of any apachArams  that may have  occurred  while  attempting
to discuss these. We intend to post only the details of our
understanding from PV pillai and Sru Puththur swamigaL's father's
vyAkyAnam and other kAlakshEbhams. We donot intend to get into any
arguments and would merely present the details. So please forgive
us if we donot answer your questions in the open net.

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Sri Boomi dEvi thAyAr samEtha Sri Oppiliappan thiruvadikaLE
saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan