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thirup pAvai - part 25 - "singam"

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • December 30, 1998 


Dear bAgawathAs,				  mArgazhi, Day 15

       When an alliance is sought one will also seek for bridegroom 
with  the  best  qualifications.  The  best  qualifications  for  a  
"shathriyA" are several. The Aaychiyars are seeking Lord krishna as
their bridegroom and the shathriya lakshnam are  addressed  here by 
the  tamil  word  "singam" or lion. For Aaychiyars during that time, 
it  was  also  required to seek an alliance in which the bridegroom 
may possess all the aspects of a shathriya.

	In tamil "singam" means lion, "iLam simgam" means Lion cub. 
Here the word singam  is  also  used to seprately to denote certain 
aspects of the Lord. The word "Singam" is used to address soemone's 
"valimai" or strength. HE is already strong enough  to  defeat  the 
"mallars" or  wrestlers. (Didn't  HE  defeat  the "mallars" in  the  
wrestling later?). The word "Singam" is used  to  also  address the 
veeram or "bravery". (did He not win  over  the  mighty  kAmsa even 
when  HE was very young and everyone were worried  about HIS safety 
when HE was invited  to  visit  the  King  KamsA?).  The tamil word 
"Singam"  also  represents "heroism". HE  was  the  leader  for the 
gOpiyars. The tamil word singam is also used to address the "power"
or "sakthi"  one may possess. 

	HE was indeed the most powerful as HE did  destroy  so many 
asurAs within this young age itself, and no other vaibavam displays
this "power" of the Lord  at this age.  Lord Rama destroyed thAdakA 
and her pack of asurAs at an young age as well.  However, some  may 
say that HE  was present with  lakshmana and Sage viswAmira at that 
moment, and that HE did destroy   them   as   the  Sage  ViswAmitra  
requested  HIM to protect the  yAgam by  destroying  the frequently 
offending asurAs. In Lord Sri  KrishnA's episode HE was  all  alone 
most of the situations excepting for a few, when Lord BalarAma also 
joined HIM. 

     It is a normal desire for anyone to seek an alliance in  which 
the bridegroom is well to do and is capable of taking care of their 
daughter. ie whether the bridegroom is wealthy enough  or  does  he 
have the potential for making  a  living?  There  are  some   words  
presented in "thirup pAvai" that will also  indicate this  capacity 
of the bridegroom for this holy alliance. However, the current word
in search "singam" also conveys some  of  this  aspects. It conveys 
HIS superiority  (the status or the position as superior over many)  
over  the entire clan of "Aychiars".  HE is the  chief for them and 
Lion is the King or the empire of the jungle kingdom. And there  is
enormous wealth available for  Sri Krishna who  is the son  of  the 
chief  of  the  gOkulam,  (ie   lion's  cub or "iLam  singam")  Sri 
NadagOpan's family as well.

	As a paramAtma He is also aware of our plight and will rush
to accept us atonce when we have performed this  saranAgathi nOnbu.
A  metaphor to  HIS  (Lion as  Sriman  nArAyana  or  Sri  NarsimhA)  
unique capacity is awareness. We as jivAtmAs may not hesitate  even 
a moment to fall at His holy feet and do sarnAgathi nOnbu. 

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



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