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thirup pAvai - part 19 - "koor vEl kodum"

From the Bhakti List Archives

Rengarajan • Sat Jan 10 1998 - 18:47:08 PST 


Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam


"koor vEl kodunthozhilan"

"koor"  means   that  which is sharp. vEl means a spear. In those 
days  the  popular  weapon  for  house keepingand safe keepin was 
"vEl". It is said that Sri Nandagopan and his men were keeping  a
constant vigil on Sri Krishna that Kamsa's emissaries  would  not 
harm Sri Krishna despite several failed attempts. 
        
        The vaibavam  took  place in aaypAdi. Lord Sri Krishna is 
the  "jagath  rakshagan".  ie.,  HE  protects the entire universe. 
Then  Why  would  he  need  some  one  to  protect HIM ? Isn't it 
Sri  ANDAL delivered these pAsurams after Sri Krishna avathAram ?
The  reason  is  similar  to  periyAzwar singing pallANdu for the 
eternal Lord. The  simplest  understanding is that Sri ANDAL took 
the bhAvam of gOpiyar and took  us  all  there  as  if  the whole 
avathAram is taking place now. When reading these veses there  is 
a sense of security felt within that we are in the company of the
Lord as an avathAram currently. This is one of  the  reason  that 
achAryAs interpret that these 30 verses of thirup pAvai itself is
an avathAram in kali.

        Coming to the original line,  the  word "kodum thozhilan" 
means, one who is doing this duty of vigilance as HIS profession.
Sri  NadagOpan  was  the  chief of the aayAr kulam and now after 
Sri Krishnav vijayam his profession  or  occupation has  changed
entirely such that he has devoted his entire time in  keeping  a 
constant  vigil  on  Lord  Sri  Krishna  and beleived that he is 
protecting  HIM.  The  word "nandagOpan  kumaran"  here has been 
discussed earlier to bring out the overall essence of this first
pAsuram.

        The word "kumaran" means  "Son".  Why  is  that  Lord is 
addressed here as  nandagOpan  kumaran  while  during many other 
citations  in  "Sri  math  bAgawatham",  Lord  is  addressed  as 
"vAsudeva nandan". Sri Krishna avathAram has many purposes.   Of 
which the references  to  Sri  Krishna  as  Sri  Nandagopan  and 
Sri yasOdhAs son are meant for conveying the achArya thaththuvam 
and  mantra  upadEsam.  Vasudeva nandan is for referring to  HIS
para thaththuvam. 

        The word "kumaran" also refers to the paruvam or the age
of the Lord. ie., bAlyam. The ripe age  for  accepting  a  bride 
(jivAtma). When addressing some as some  one's  son  in a  Tamil 
marriage inviatation it is referred as so and so's kumaran. When
someone is older and is  addresed  as  someone  else's  son,  in 
presenting an accomplishment or anyother, such elderly person is
addressed  as  "thiruk  kumArar".  ie., kumaran becomes kumArar. 
Such differences between the two words kumaran and kumAran shows
the different age or paruvam for the two addressed. 


Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam 
Sampath Rengarajan