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Re: [Oppiliappan] Digest Number 335-Thitthikkum Amudu

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sadagopaniyengar • March 12, 2003 


           Dear Shri Sudarshan,

                       A good question indeed-why should Azhwar say
"Thitthikkum amudhU" instead of mere "amudu", which would make the meaning
clear? Is it a case of overemphasis or does it have some special meaning? It
must, for every word and syllable of Azhwar sreesooktis is pregnant with
meaning and tautology or "punarukti" are blemishes unattributable to Divya
Prabandas, as these are the outpourings of bhaktAs blessed with "mayarvara
madinalam". Nor does Azhwar resort to phrases merely as "pAda pooraNam",
just to complete the sentence or ensure conformity with metrical
requirements.

                      1.  If we take the entire sentence, "eNNam pugundu
thitthikkum amudu", the meaning is somewhat clear. While the ordinary nectar
can only sweeten the palate, the Lord, who is an "amudu" beyond compare,
makes the mind, body and every nerve therein tingle with ecstasy. This is
the meaning we get if we place emphasis on the word"eNNam".

                  2.   If the word "pugundu" is taken as the key word, then
it might mean this- whereas nectar has to be imbibed orally by the user, and
doesn't go into the user's system on its own volition, the Lord enters us on
His own, uninvited, and makes us delirious with delight. This is borne out
by similar references elesewhere too in Tiruvaimozhi-" ThirumAl vandu en
nenju niraya pugundAn", "en mAya Akkai idanuL pukku" etc.

                    Incidentally, there are other differences too between
the ordinary ambrosia and the Lord as an "amudu"-

                 3. There is no lasting use for nectar , as the first dose
itself confers immortality. If taken thereafter, even this sweet
amudu might pall. Emperuman, on the other hand, is an "ArAvamudu", who gives
us new and newer experiences in delight, every time we see, hear or talk
about Him. Nectar might make us say "Enough" (ParyAptam), but the Lord is an
aparyApta amrita, and His anubhavam never palls on us.

                 4. Though it might confer immortality, Nectar is not
immortal by itself. Once it enters the system of a person, it undergoes the
normal metabolic changes and ceases to exist. Not so the Lord, who confers
on us eternal and everlasting bliss, without He Himself losing any of His
original qualities.

                 5.           The immortality conferred by Ambrosia might be
a mixed blessing and allows us only to remain forever bound to the Samsara
Chakra. In fact, some might call it a curse, instead of a boon, to remain
alive forever. ArAvamudu, on the other hand, blesses us with the sort of
immortality that results in eternal bliss, removed forever from the mundane
morass.

               6.   Nectar was obtained after herculean effort by churning
the ocean, with the entire population of DEvAs and asurAs ranged on either
side, using Mantara Parvata as the churning rod, the poisonous snake VAsuki
as the rope and the Lord Himself as the stabilising force propping up the
mountain. In contrast, ArAvamudu is attainable with practically no effort at
all, by adopting the extremely easy upAya of SaranAgati.

              7.  While Nectar had its origins in the Milky Ocean and could
not have conferred amaratvam on anyone existing prior to its emergence, the
Lord is "anAdi" (without an origin) and has always been around to gladden
generation after innumerable generation of mortals, taking them all to
Paramapadam at the appropriate time ("Veedum thanrum nindru nindrE").
              dasan, sadagopan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________________________________________________


>Dear friends,


In the TiruvoimOzhi decad on Tiruvengadam, NammAzhwar sings as
follows:

vaNNa maruLkoL aNimEga vaNNaa!* maaya ammaanE,*
eNNam pugundhu thiththikkum amuthE!* imaiyOr athipathiyE,*
theNNal aruvi maNipon muththalaikkum* thiruvENGkadaththaanE,*
aNNalE! un adisEra*  adiyERku aavaa vennaayE! 6.10.3


The AzhwAr might have easily said "eNNam pugundha amuthE!" or
something similar, and still have conveyed the same degree of delight
savoured in the thought of 'tiruvengadatthAn'! Did NammAzhwAr add
"thiththikkum" merely for the purpose of ensuring poetic metre/rhyme
or is there some other subtle message he sought to convey through the
seeming redundancy of phrase?

Comments/views welcome.

Thanking you,
Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan










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