Search:
Bhakti List Archives

idu or arpudam keleer -part 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

L&T-ECCG-Buildings & Factories • September 14, 1999 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

Sri lakshmi nrusimha divya paadukaa sEvaka SrivaN satakOpa Sri Vedaanta
desika yateendra mahaa dEsikaaya namah:

In the previous postings parts1 to 3 on this topic, we saw 
		*	How periyaazhvaar identified KaNNan with thirumaal, 
		*	How he described the entire world was tied down by
his divine music thru the paasurams (without the meanings of the paasurams),

		*	Certain points on observations of bagavathaas. 
		*	The meanings in detail for the first two paasurams
and few others who relished the kuzhal oothal episode of krishna leelai

Now let us see meaning of two more paasurams: 
3.6.3 VaaniLampadiyar vanthu vantheeNdi manamurugi malarkkaNgal panippa
thEnaLavu seri koonthal avizha senni vErppach chevi sErthu ninRanarE.

		vaan iLam padiyar - the servants of the devaas- came down to
brindaavan from the dEva lOkam, - because the vaaniLavarasu - the young
prince of dEvalOkam is playing the flute, who is also the vaikunthakkuttan-
the young boy from srivaikuntam. 

		Whenever the young ones of a rich family or king or person
of that exalted status, is taking part in some music dance drama or
entertainment, or providing the entertainment, it is usual that the servants
are the first and important participants in such programmes. Whether they
are able to enjoy the entertainment or not, it is immaterial. 

		The Lord prince of dEva lOkam is playing flute. So the
servants- vaaniLampadiyar vanthu - as per this practice, these servants
arrived at the scene- vantheeNdi -they came close to kaNNan and were
listening to the music with the mind simply bent upon Kannan's music -manam
urugi. 

		MalarkkaNgaL panippa- the beautiful flower like eyed
(imaiyaa imaiyOr- who don't wink the eyes) dEvaas listened to the music with
tears rolling- panippa- like dews collecting and dripping from edge of
leaves or grass, the tear drops collect and then drips from their eyes. 

		thEnaLavu seri koonthal avizha - the hair tresses became
loose because they came rushing to listen to the music. What is that
thEnaLavu - these devaas are wearing flowers from dEvalOkam which is rare in
boomi - so these bees of brindaavan enjoy the honey dripping from these
devalOka flowers which appears to aazhvaar that the koonthal itself drips
the honey- so thEnaLavu. seri - means serintha- niraintha - full of honey
and as well the hair is full on the heads of these dEvaas.

		Senni vErppa - when the mind is rapt attention to some
thing, the body starts sweating- to reduce the heat generated by the
attentiveness - this is a natural phenomenon of the body- which is
highlighted by aazhvaar very nicely. (Azhvaar is he scientist, psychologist,
musician all combined in one to say these things? My answer will be a firm
yes)

		Sevi serththu ninranarE - the ears were fully glued to the
music. To sum up the servants of dEvalOkam were simply overawed by the power
of KaNNan's music. 

		This is the next arpudam because servants will not be able
to fully appreciate the music to that extent because their literacy level,
IQ level etc, which is the general opinion, and that is negatived here.

[Another point on the vaaniLampadiyar- in one of the commentaries the urai
aasiriyar has mentioned vaaniLampadiyar as young and nicely shaped apsara
sthree -iLam -young, padiyar- uruvam udaiyavar. In the devaas apsaras
gantharvar and all there is no mooppu- jaraa- young and old is not there for
them - it is only for human beings here in this bhoolOkam. That is why it is
taken as servants in the explanations in 3-6-3 above].

3.6.4 MEnakaiyOdu thilOththamai arambai uruppasi aravar veLgi mayangi
vaanagampadiyil vaai thirappinRi aadal paadal avai maarinar thaamE.

		The celestial dancers like mEnakai, thilOththamai, rambai,
oorvasi (uruppasi) were simply carried away in Kannan's music. They thought
the karunchiRukkan- the dark coloured aayar paiyan - who does not know
valadhu idathu, what is he going to play on the flute? May be he is able to
produce some sound but not music. 

(please observe the selection of words to mention about the lord first and
then the incidence of the arpudam, in each paasuram 
		*	in 3-6-1 it is thirumaal, kOvalar sirumiyar and
their shame is removed, 
		*	in 3-6-2 govindan, mangaimaar and the nice
comparison with other creations like peacocks and deer,
		*	in 3-6-3 vaaniLavarasu, vaikunthakkuttan,
vaaniLampadiyar and their reception of Krishnaa's music
		*	in 3-6-4 karunchirukkan, the damsels of devalokam
and the change in their routines or their normal behaviour
		 and enjoy how the levels of arpudam are so nicely linked)

		But when they reached the vaanagampadi- the entry point to
the boomi -just the steps- they were ashamed- veLGi- these ladies think "oh
what a song- what a music- what we thought is totally wrong"- in the music
mayangi- simply taken aback. Usually, these ladies wherever they are they
are - inside the music hall listening to the concert or other places, even
then they can not postpone their talking, it is their nature. In the music
hall some comments about music or that man sang song differently etc -but
here vaai thirappinRi - says aazhvaar - means they missed their natural
characteristics.  

		Ramba menaka all forgot their dancing, not only that the
dancers started singing, singers started dancing etc, viz. they did not know
what they were doing finally. 

		Why this kind of reaction? The power of KaNNan's music. This
is another arputham to change the very nature of the persons, let it be
manushyan or dEvan. 

Let us see some more about "kaNNan kuzhal oothi" from others in this post.
Please see the same Govindan kuzhal kondu oothinapOdu, what is Nammaazhvaar
anubhavam
		OothumaththeenkuzhaRkE uyyEn naan
		Athu mozhinthu idaiththan sei kOlath 
		Thoothu sei kangaL kondu onRu pEsith 
		thoomozhi  isaigaL kondu onRu nOkki
		pEduRu mugam seithu nonthu nonthu
		pEthai nenjaRavarap paadum paattai
		yaadum onRaRigilam amma amma
		maalaiyum vanthathu maayan vaaraan.

Thirumangai mannan refers the 'kaNNan kuzhal oothi' in two places.

Nandan peRRa madhalai aNNal ilaikkuzhal oothi nam chErikkE alluththaan
vantha pinnai -  periya thiru mozhi 10-7-6

"Ivvaayanvaai Engu vEinkuzhal ennOdaadum iLamaiyE" 
- in periya thiru mozhi 11-2-2
"Swami dEsikan says, he wants to have a dharsanam of Govindan with his flute
on the lips and on the head crown decorated with peacock feathers, during
his last travel- of leaving this body- with the intention of going to
mOksham - in gopaala vimsathi  (since prapatti is already carried out, and
hence to have the smaranam of Govindan) - slokam 12"- in gopaala vimsathi 
		Adharaahitha Chaaru vamsca naalaah:  
		makutaalambi mayuura pincha malaa:  
		harineela scilaavibhanga neelaa:
		prathibhaa: santhu mama anthima prayaaNE

There is a slokam from Sree Leelasukar who enjoyed Kannan very much and on
this kuzhal oothum topic which reads  

		Vyasthyasthapaadhamavathamsitha barhibarham
		Saacheekruthaanana nivEscitha vENurandhram
		ThEja: param paramakaaruNikam purasthaath
		PraaNa prayaaNa samayE mama sannidhhaththaam 
		--- Slokam 2.22 sree krushna karNaamrutham

Meaning: That Krishnaa with the crossed feet, 
		*	having peacock feathers decorated in the head, 
		*	having the head inclined on one side, 
		*	having the holes of the flute near the mouth ready
to play the music, 
		*	having so much of benevolence towards his devotees, 
		*	having the body with the bright divine light
(paranjothi  swaroopam), 
let that krishna appear before me when my life is just going out of this
body ( praaNa prayaaNa samayE).

Please observe similarity of views or raasikyam levels between Swami Desikan
and Leela sukar. That is why it is said "wise men think alike" perhaps.

Dasan Vasudevan M.G.