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[tiruvengadam] Selected excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy's ThiruppAvai Monograph: Part XXXIII-> Twenty Seventh day : " KOODARAI VELLUM SEER GOVINDHA" Dinam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • January 11, 2001 


Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Significance of the 27th Paasuram
**********************************
Dear BhakthAs: The Paavai Nonbhu is nearing 
completion. Andal thinks about SanmAnam (sambhAvanai)
from the Lord for the Gopis ,who observed this Vratham.
Upanishad BhAshyakArar describes the prayer of Gopis
of whom ANDAL is one , this way:

" ThvAmm gathvA vrathOpakaraNam sarvam sampAdhya
sarva jana slAganIya SambhAvanA-roopENa asmAbhi: 
prApthavyAn bahumAnAn vijn~yApamA:"
 
( We have arrived at the foot of Your bed and 
have received all the accessories for the celebration
of the Vratham and seek the sambhAvanais that we should
be eligible for , which are praised by all the people
of the world ).

Koodi irunthu kuLirnthElOrempAvAi: "SanghI-bhUya sthithvA 
hrushtai: ithyartha: , BhOgyam ithyartha:"

( Koodiirunthu aananthatthudan bhujikka kadavathu
is the prArthanai ).

JnaanyAchAryAr points out that in the "MaalE maNivaNNA "
paasuram that preceded today's paasuram , the Gopis 
referred to Svaroopa Siddhi ( AathmA's svaroopam to
perform kiamkaryam always to the Lord as His servant).
He says that in today's paasuram , the alankAram for 
them (who completed the Vratham) is described.

PBA Swamy explains that "MaalE MaNivaNNA " paasuram
announced the Gopis receving Sankham , PaRai , PallANDu-
isaippAr , ViLakku , Kodi and VidhAnam .These five are a few of 
the many blessings that are attained in parama Padham as revealed 
by Swamy NammAzhwAr in His "SoozhvisumpaNi Muhil" pathikam:

(1)" KaaLangaL valampuri kalanthengum isaitthana" : Sankham 
(2)" ThUriyam Muzhakkina" : PaRais/ BhEri Vaadhyams 
(3)"Thodarnthengum thOtthiram sollinar ":,Vaazhthinar Mahizhnthe:
    PallANDu Isaippar
(4)"NiRai Kuda ViLakkamum mathimuka madanthayar yEnthinar 
    vanthE : kOla ViLakku
(5)"MaamaNi MaNtapatthu": VidhAnam that hides the ceiling/sky  

PBA Swamy points out that the "Koodarai Vellum " Paasuram 
elaborates further on the Upanishadic utterances regarding
Muktha-BhOgAvaLis ( the items of enjoyment of a Mukthan
in parama Padham of the Dhivya dampathis).

Additional Significance of this Paasuram (adiyEn):
***************************************************
The Govindha Naama SankIrthanam starts first in this 
paasuram ( Koodarai vellum SEER GOVINDHAN) and reaches 
a crescendo during the next two paasurams :"KURAIVONRUMILLAATHA
GOVINDHAA" in "KaRavaikaL pin  senRu " paasuram and 
" iRRai paRai KoLLvAnananRu KANN GOVINDHA  " in 
"SiRRam SiRukAlE" Paasuram. The Phala Sruthi is sung in 
ANDAL's own words ( Bhattar PirAn Godhai Sonna) in
the FINAL , Vangak Kadal Paasuram.Until the final (30th)
Paasuram ,the Gopis were at the front end awakening 
their fellow Gopis, conversing with the occupants of 
Nandha Bhavanam and finally addressing the Lord Himself.
The paasurams were Gopi-Mukham .

The greatness and the myriad meanings of the Name ,
GOVINDHAN is discussed in detail in an earlier
posting along with the Mahimai of the Name , "Godhai"
for ANDAL along Vedic lines (Three postings in Bhakthi
List Archives : December 22, 1996).

Literal Meaning of this Paasuram ( Dr.Raghavan):
************************************************ 
(The exultation of the Gopis is expressed by them ,
when the Lord listens to their appeal and fulfills
their desires). Oh Lord GovindhA ! You have the benign 
supermacy of winning over Your opponents. We shall get
the drum (paRai) from You ,the sakthi to sing eulogies 
about You.Thus, we get the reward of great eclat and 
glory of all the worlds. We will adorn ourselves with many
ornaments: bracelets,shoulder ornaments ,ear-studs
and rings, ornaments in the form of flowers (at 
the vertex of the ear) , anklets et al. We will 
wear new clothes(as You give us Your divine company ).
(getting Your personal contact)we will be very joyous,
eat food prepared using milk with sumptuous ghee --
(a) that envelops it, and (b) that is flowing so much
as to spill over (through one's forearm) upto our
elbows , when one eats a morsel of food ( ksheerAnnam ).
(Through the contact with You) We shall ever be united 
and thus become cool in heart and stay joyous.

The inner Meanings Of Padhams (different Commentators)
*******************************************************
In this paasuram, the Gopis request the boon of
Saayujyam that is a boon beyond SaalOkyam , 
SaamIpyam and Saaroopyam . Upanishads describe
Saayujyam as the highest of boons for a Mukthan
and refers to it with " sOsnuthe" or saha BhOjanam
of the aanandham of Sri Vaikuntam with the Lord.

KoodAr: These , who are not with the Lord are of four kinds : 
(a) those with no Jn~Anam at all about EmperumAn 
(b)Those who chase after material things/uNdiyE udayE 
uhanathavar(c)Those who do not comprehend the soulabhyam 
(ease of access) guNam of the Lord and stay away from Him 
(d)those , who can not stand His vaibhavam and are resentful 
( maayayA apahrutha Jn~AnA: aasurIm BhAvamAsthithA:).These
are dhvEshis like SisupAlan .

KoodArai vellum seer GovindhA : With His anantha kalyANa gunams
(seer) ,the Lord wins them (vimukhAs)all over , one by one . 
He has different prescriptions as Viadhya Veera Raaghavan for
each of the vimukhA patients though His The guNams like 
Souryam , Souseelyam , Soundharyam . Even IndrA ,
who sent a deluge of rain at Govardhanam ended up recognizing 
the Supermacy of the Lord & performed Govindha-
PattAbhishEkam .Govindhan defeats the KoodAr and is
defeated in turn by the Koodinavar through their Bhakthi/
prapatthi anushtAnams. He becomes YathOkthakAri to those 
devotees(Koodinavar).

Through the speech of Gopis , ANDAL points out that 
the Lord incarnates to bring back the erring Jeevans under His 
sway ;they stayed away earlier from Him and suffered as a result
of their separation from Him . He could not bear with
their sufferings . They(vimukhAs) observe later (thru 
a sadAchAryan) upAya anushtAnam (prapatthi) and get
rewarded with parisukaL (SammAnam) that are coveted by
the people of world ( yaam perum sammAnam nadu puhazhum 
parisinAl).

Loka VilakshaNa sanmAnams(Abhinava Desikan): Five objects
are mentioned here , which have links to the SanmmAnams
that a Muktha Jeevan obtains in Sri Vaikuntam:

The five hundred apsaras women greeting the muktha Jeevan 
with five different presents( satham mAlA hasthA: satham anjana
hasthA; satham chUrNa hasthA; satham vAsO hasthA; satham phaNa 
hasthA:)at the other side of VirajA river.Then the " palkalanum 
aNivOm " experience happens to the Muktha jeevan through 
absorbtion of 'the Lord's divine fragrance and Jn~Ana 
vikAsam ( tamm Brahma gandha:pravisathi , Brahma tEja:
pravisathi, Brahma yasa: pravisathi). The eight atributes 
are gained by them at this stage( apahathapApmA vijarO vimruthu:
VisOkha: vijigathsOapipAsa: sathya kAma: sathya sankalpa:).
They do not age, they conquer death and are freed from hunger,
thirst et al. They enjoy BrahmAnandham ( paal SOru mooda
ney peythu muzhankai vazhi vaarak koodiyirunthu kuLirnthu).
Associated with the nectar of anubhavam (paramAnnam)of 
the dhivya dampathis, they enjoy the company of other 
Muktha Jeevans.They enjoy this rarest of rare ShADguNyAnnam 
and accompanies the Lord , wherever He goes (KaamAnnI 
Kaamaroopi anusancharan). They enter the cool , nectarine
pond of BrahmAnubhavam and are filled with bliss (yEsha
Brahma pravishtOsmi greeshmE seethamiva Hrudham).

Until now, BhagavathArAdhanam ( maanasIka and Bahir
AaarAdhanam :ijyai/yAgam) were referred to in 
the paasurams.In this paasuram ,the anuyAgam 
(antharyAmyAradhanam) is celebrated (Bhunjan chinthaya 
GOVINDHAM) . Those who consume SaathvIka aahAram
with the rememberance of Govindha naamam 
(according to aahAra niyamam )get the benefits of 
satthva-JnAnam and unceasing rememberence of the Lord
( Aaahara Suddhou sathtva Sudhdi: , sathva suddhou 
dhruvA Smruthi:).Govindhan , the GuNa Poornan 
(seer Govindhan) grants them  that boon .The BhOgya-
BhUthars (BhakthAs) join with the BhOkthA( the EmperumAn)
and enjoy the Saha BhOjanam described by KoushidhIki
Upanishad in a state of never ending union with Him.

The Feasting referred to Here (PerukkAraNai Swamy)
***************************************************
The first five paasurams of ThiruppAvai are about
the rules of the nOnpu and the state of preparation.
>From the Sixth to Fifteenth , it is for the awakening
of fellow-gOpis. The 16th paasuram is connected with
the arrival of the gOpis at the Lord's house (NaayakanAi).
In this count, "MaalE maNivaNNA " paasuram becomes 
the eleventh .It symbolizes EkAdasi, the day of
UpavAsam (fasting). The Twelfth one ( Koodarai vellum
Seer GovindhA ) denotes DhvAdasi, the day to break
fast and feast .The nOnpu is for feasting on DhvAdasi
day after observing the vratham . AndAl seems to be saying 
to the Gopis to present ther naivEdhyam of KsheerAnnam
(akkaara Vadisil) to the Lord (of ThirumAlirumchOlai):

"nooRu taDA niRaintha AKKAARAVADISIL SonnEn 
 yERu ThiruvudayAn inRu vanthivai koLLUnkolO"

NamO NaarAyaNA !
Andal, Azhagiya Singar CharaNamE SaraNam
RaamAnuja Dasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 

  
    
  
  

 
         
     

   


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