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pavai 29-30

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Krishna Kalale • January 19, 1998 


>Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 19:23:57 +0500 (GMT+0500)
>From: Bharat A 
>To: kkalale
>Subject: pavai 29-30
>
>
>Dear Sri Kalale;
>I hope you got my earlier emails.I'm enclosing the final part
>of the series.Sri ESB has put in continuous effort during the
>last 30 days in keeping to the schedule despite his ill health
>in the middle.I hope you liked it.
>Sri ESB is used to talking to a live audience and feels handicapped
>in not being able to guage the reactions of the readers.So please
>write to me your reaction as well as any comments you have recd
>so that he can feel that he has in fact written to a live
>audience.
>BHARAT
> 
> 
> 
>        29.SITTAMSIRU KAALE
> 
>        This stanza clearly tells us of the highest Purushaartha
>        (the end of human life),explaining the meaning of PARAI.
>        Asking  for Parai is a pretext; as the cowherds proposed
>        this "nonbu' for getting rain and as it came in handy for
>        Gopis(Andal) to keep looking at the face of Lord Krishna
>        for as long as they liked,they accepted it.Their real
>        intention is to get KAINKARYA (eternal service)at the
>        lotus-feet of the Lord.The word NARAYANANE used in the
>        first stanza was explained in the previous verse;the
>        word PARAI is explained here.
> 
>        Both "Means" and "End" are the same in Sri Vaishnava
>        Sampradaaya;it is Sriman Narayana himself.If those who
>        take Him as the "Means' have contact with other "Means"
>        like Karmayoga etc,it is akin to pollution due to contact
>        with a dead body(because Karma Yoga etc are by nature
>        inert and need His Presence to give Result).And if they 
>        consider their act of Surrender to the Lord
>        (Prapatti) itself to be the "Means", it is like accretion
>        of sin due to contact with a chandaala(because anything
>        which has the taint of the ego pollutes the purity of
>        the Prapanna).
> 
>        Similarly regarding the "End" also there are two mistakes
>        which need to to be avoided: 1)Desiring other mundane
>        things from Him,which would be like desiring to eat poisoned
>        or contaminated food; and 2)serving the Lord for one's own
>        enjoyment rather than exclusively for His pleasure(Swaartha
>        Kainkarya),which would be like eating food left over from
>        another eater (Uchchishtha Bhojana).
> 
>         Both these types of Purities (UPAAYA SUDDHI and UPEYA
>         SUDDHI) need to be strictly ensured by a Prapanna.The
>         previous verse (28) speaks of UPAAYA SUDDHI -"UNTANNAI..
>         ..PUNNIYAM YAAM UDEYOM"- You ALONE are our Means.The
>         present verse enjoins UPEYA SUDDHI - "UNAKKE NAAM AAT_
>         SEYVOM" -We serve you for the sake of your happiness
>         ALONE,and we derive happiness on seeing your enjoyment.
> 
>         Even the least trace of selfish enjoyment is to be
>         totally erased in the service of God.It is just as in
>         the case of sandal paste,cool breeze,flowers,ornaments
>         etc which give pleasure to man,without themselves feeling
>         any;the only difference being that man not being inert like
>         them  feels happy looking at the pleasure of the Lord.
> 
>         Krishna ordered His servants to bring the huge kettle-
>         drum (PARAI).Then Andal says,"O Wonder! you have not 
>         understood us.We require only your everlasting,most
>         enjoyable service.We wish to be always born alongwith you,
>         and  keep company with you always to serve you.(Like
>         Lakshmana who served Rama whether He was in Ayodhya
>         or in the forest.).Kindly guard us from evincing
>         interest in anything except you."
> 
>         Just as the body serves a man,the Soul,which is the
>         body of the Lord (Yasya aatma sareeram),should serve
>         Him.This is the natural law.This is the message of
>         Andal in this crowning verse.
> 
> 
>         30.VANGAKKADAL KADAINDA
> 
>         Those who study this Tiruppavai are forever acceptable to
>         Sri Mahalakshmi and Sriman Narayana - this is the gist of
>         this stanza.In days of yore,in Dwaapara Yuga,Gopis actually
>         performed this Nonbu.Later on Sri andal imitated them in 
>         her heart.Both Gopis and Andal got the service of the Lord.
>         So also even without performing the rite or imitating it,
>         just by chanting this Divya Prabandha,people will get the
>         same fruit (Kainkarya).Sri PARASARA BHATTAR said,"Just as the
>         mother cow gives milk even in the presence of its dead and
>         stuffed calf (TOL KANRUKKUM IRANGUMAPOLE) so also the Lord
>         will bless us even though we are absolutely devoid of the
>         supreme devotion of Andal,merely because we are repeating
>         her words."
> 
>         Gopis had surrendered themselves to Sri Krishna;but their
>         Saranaagati would gain fruit only through the PURUSHAKAARA
>         (recommendation) of Sri Mahalakshmi.The Lord had churned
>         the Milky Ocean to get her; and so the Gopis begin by chanting
>         that herculean effort of the Lord.VANGAKKADAL was churned
>         only to get Sri Devi who had remained hidden there.Thus
>         He became MAA(Lakshmi's)-DHAVA(husband).In stanza 2 Andal said
>         ADI PAADI- singing the glory of His Feet; here in 30 she
>         says KESAVANAI -of Him who has fascinating locks of hair.
>         Thus she enjoys the Lord's Form from His Holy Feet to His
>         Head (Aa paada choodam).
> 
>         
>         The meaning of the POORVA KHANDA (first half) of the DVAYA
>         Mantra is implied in this first line.
>         
>         
>         The word "SRIMAT" (He who is ever in the company of SRI) in
>         DVAYA mantra is represented here by MAADAHAVANAI.
>         
>         " NARAYANA" in DVAYA means He who has the noble qualities
>         of VAATSALYA,SWAAMITVA,SAUSHILYA,SAULABHYA,GNAANA and SHAKTI.
>         
>         These are brought out in the present paasuram as under:
> 
>         1.KADAL KADAINDA -Lord Vishnu ,turning a blind eye (Kaanaa-
>         kkannittu) towards the blemishes of all the gods and demons,
>         churned the ocean to get them nectar;this is VAATSALYA.
>         2.He established His Supremacy by managing the entire
>         operation single-handedly; this is SWAAMITVA.
>         3.He even worked in cooperation with worst criminals -
>         the lowliest of the lowly; this is SAUSHILYA.
>         4.He took the guise of a charming cherub and personally
>         distributed the nectar;this is SAULABHYA.
>         5.He had the requisite knowledge,the know-how to churn
>         the ocean; this is GNAANA.
>         6.And He had the required strength to complete the task
>         up to the end; this is SHAKTI.
> 
>         KESAVANAI- By referring to the locks of hair, His Form is
>         implied; that is the meaning of "CHARANAU" in the DVAYA.
> 
>         Those who recite the Tiruppavai paasurams are sure to be
>         blessed by Him.They will get everything here and finally
>         attain Salvation.Sri PARASARA BHATTAR used to say,"every
>         one should every morning recite all the 30 verses;or at
>         least the 29th one-SITTAM SIRUKALE; if he finds even that
>         difficult, he should at least bring to his mind how much
>         exquisite joy WE added to our days and nights through  
>         chanting,understanding,discussing and in fact living
>         with these Divine Verses (Naam irunda iruppai ninaippadu)."
> 
>         Those who thus take refuge unto Him will serve Him for
>         ever and ever;no rebirth for them.Let us also chant these
>         sweet songs and make our mother SRI GODA DEVI's appearance
>         in this world useful and purposeful.
>                             SRIRASTU
> 
>            SRIMATYAI VISHNUCHITTARYA MANO NANDANA HETAVE
>            NANDA NANDANA SUNDARYAI GODAAYAI NITYA MANGALAM
>
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