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IDU OR ARPUDAM KELEER - PART 6

From the Bhakti List Archives

L&T-ECCG-Buildings & Factories • September 28, 1999 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

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

In the previous posting parts 1 to 5 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 five paasurams 
		*	Verses of few other bakthas who relished the kuzhal
oothal episode of krishna leelai

1.	Before we really take up the next arpudam presented by periyaazhvaar
we will see  the meaning of the Ambujam Krishnaa song "gaana mazhai" -

	gaana mazhai pozhiginraan kaNNan 
	yamuna theeraththilE yaadava kulam sezhikka - (gaana)

	Krishnaa is raining music (flute music) on the riverbanks of yamuna
river - the thamasa river-. The purpose for this rain is prosperity of the
yaadava kulam - the cowherd clan.

	aanandhamaagavE aruL perugavE
	munivarum mayangidum mohana roopan - vENu (gaanamazhai)

	How he sings- with pleasure, and with flowing grace (aruL perugavE).
In the beauty of the roopam of krishnaa, the saints are simply mesmerised -
munivarum mayangum mohana roopan. The people who carry out the silent vow
[mouna viratham] are called munivar and they have very good control over the
senses. Such munivars are simply bowled over by kaNNan's mohana roopam -
beautiful physique. He also rains the flute music.  

	theenchuvai idhazhil vEynkuzhal vaiththE
	thigattaa amudhaai dEvarum virumbum - vENu (gaanamazhai)

	The sweet lips carry the bamboo flute and rains the music. This
music is liked by the demigods as the nectar - dEvargaL virumbum amudha
gaanam (theenchuvai - I am unable to express the depth in the meaning of
this word by saying sweet). 

	kuyilinam koovida mayilinam aadida
	aavinam karainthida anchugamum konja
	kOvalar kaLiththida gopiyar aada
	gOvindan kuzhal oothi - (gaanamazhai)

	Because Govindan is singing on the flute, the herds of cuckoo birds
make their charecteristic sound in joy, the flocks of peacocks dance, the
crowds of cows get themselves dissolved in the music, the parrots are making
their own noise in their language, the gopaalar are enjoying.
	 
	[Recall periyaazhvaar in - Paravaiyin kaNangaL koodu thuranthu
vanthu padu kaadu kidappa karavaiyin kaNangaL kaal parappittu
kavizhnthirangi seviyaattagillaavE- we will see the meaning in detail later
for this arpudam of periyaazhvaar which is very very special].

	Ambaram thanilE thumburu naaradar 
	arambaiyarum aadal paadal maranthida
	achchuthan aanandan aayar kula thilakan
	ambuja naabhan aarvamudan - muraLi (gaanamazhai)

	In the skies the dEvalOka musicians thumburu and naaradaa have
forgotten their music. The damsels like ramba, menaka and others have
forgotten their music and dance. The Lord achyutan - who never leaves any
body unprotected - kai vidaathavan, the aanandan -who gives pleasure to all,
the darling and Lord of the cowherd clan in brindaavan- the Lord who has
lotus flower in the navel -naaraayaNan- is playing with zeal and zest the
flute and rains the flute music.

	Again refer back to periyaazhvaar -
	MEnakaiyOdu thilOththamai arambai uruppasiaravar veLgi mayangi
vaanagampadiyil vaai thirappinRi aadal paadal avai maarinar thaamE.

	Nannarampudaiya thumburuvOdu naaradanum veeNai maRanthu kinnara
mithunangaLum tham tham kinnaram thodugilOm enRanarE.

	Perhaps the poetess is greatly influenced by our aazhvaar to compose
this song. But the song whenever sung with depth and with feeling will make
tears roll down the cheeks of the serious krishna baktha and music listener.


2.	Now let us see another picturesque scene by periyaazhvaar, similar
to mangala nan vanamaalai of KP on the same "kuzhal oothi baala leelai" of
beloved krishnaa. This is in addition to the "valankaathin mEl" appearing in
same thazhaigaLum decad. 

	[I am adding it now, since it also concerns the same kuzhal oothi
baala leelai. First I thought I will concentrate on the 10 arpudams alone
but krishnaa's flute lures me and makes this writeup longer and longer]. 

	"ThazhaigaLum thongalum thadhumbi engum
	ThaNNumai ekkam maththaLi thaazh peeli
	KuzhalgaLum geethamumaagi engum
	GOvindan varuginRa koottam kaNdu
	Mazhai kolO varugirathenRu"	3-4-1 thazhaigaLum decad of
periyaazhvaar

	A slight anvayam first- "thazhaigalum thongalum kuzhalgaLum thaazh
peeli thadhumbi engum thaNNumai ekkam maththaLi geethamum aagi govindan
varuginRa[thu] kaNdu koottam engum mazhai kolO varugirathenRu"

	ThazhaigaLum- Umbrellas with peacock feathers
	Thongal- garlands of flowers
	KuzhalgaLum- the hair tresses
	Thazh peeli thadhumbi- full of peacock feathers

	KaNNan is coming under the umbrella of peacock feathers with
garlands of flower in the chest dangling in the speed of walking. The hair
is nicely plaited into a crown and peacock feathers are inserted to make the
already beautiful kaNNan still more beautiful. 

	[just another line from another ambujam krishnaa song- "Mayir peeli
saRRe koNdai thanil asaiya, makara kundalangaL iru sevi ilanga, mathi mugam
thanilE muruval viLaiyaada, madhura mohana kuzhal isai kootta, mangaiyar
kaNgaL maiyal kaatta, mathi mayangi, aruL sorinthu, iNainthu, onRaai" in the
song "aadinayE kaNNaa" in raaga mohana kalyani- made famous by MLV]

	KaNNan is coming with his friends who are playing the full
orchestra- 
	- kaNNan flute
	- another boy- thaNNumai- a small drum- siRu paRai
	- third person -ekkam- cymbols- thaaLam - chappaLaa 
	- fourth person- maththaLam- mrudangam or drums

	Geethamum aagi- with music every where, 
	Govindan varuginRathu Kandu koottam Engum mazhai kolO
varugirathenRu- the gopees seeing kaNNan coming they think rain is coming
[gopees male and female all]
	 
	Because rain is life giver by providing the basic need of water- and
the life saver.
	So Govindan as the name suggests he is rakshakan not only to cows,
but also the whole world, so his coming appears as though rain is coming. 

	[I heard some time ago from a senior bhagavatha, that the word
govindan has 27 meanings. I am unable to recollect except one or two.
Members in the net can give as many as possible, if not all the 27]

3.	Now let us see Sree Sukabrahmam what he has to say in his srimad
bhaghavatam on this govindan coming playing flute. Please observe the dress
comparison which is similar to periyaazhvaar (perhaps aazhvaar has taken
clue from sukhar) or azhvaar visualised sukar's description.

	Bharhaapeetam natavaravapu: karNayo: karNeekaaram bibrathvaasa:
kanaka kapiscam vaijayantheem ca maalaam randhraan vENO: adharasudhaayaa
poorayan brundhaaraaNyam svapadaramaNam praaviscath geetha keerthi: 

	Krishnaa comes playing [or singing] the flute with the lips covering
the holes of flute, comes like a sutradhaara, [in the drama entering the
stage to announce some thing big is coming- the raasakreetai to begin with
immediately - govardhana giri episode, and later things]. Krishnaa comes
with peacock feathers on his hair tresses, golden brown coloured dress,
tulasi maalai in the chest, karNeekaaram flowers in the ears, and enters
brindaavan with the flock of gopa girls around him.

	randhraan vENO: adharasudhaayaa poorayan-  this is a special in
sukha brahmam - The flute having tasted the amrutam from krishnaa's lips
enjoys touching it again and again. 

	[Cross reference -marupposiththa maadhavan than vaaychchuvaiyum
naaRRamum viruppuRRu kEtkinRen soolazhi veN sanghE of aandaaL- nachchiyaar
thirumozhi].

4.	Now let us turn to Swami Desikan who has enjoyed this govindan
coming.

	Chithraakalpa  scravasi kalayan laangaleekarNapooram
	BarhOththamsa sphurithachikurO bandhujeevam dhadhaana:
	Gunjaabadhdhhaa murasi laLithaam dhhaarayan haarayashtim
	GOpasthreeNaam jayathi kithava: kO api koumaara haari- gopaala
vimsathi slokam 17

	Krishnaa, the winner of young ones -koumaarahaari (girls, boys,
calves, all young ones without exception) with white flowers in the ears,
red flowers in the hands, kunthumaNi garlands in the chest, the hair nicely
tied into tresses, with peacock feathers crowning the hair dressing, comes
with pictursque postures and wins the hearts of one and all.

	Please see the raasikyam is similar between sukha brahmam, swami
desikan and periyaazhvaar. Valankaathin mEl thOnRip poo, karNeekaaram
flowers, kunthumaNi maalai, vaijayanthi maalai - only the items vary but the
rasanai on kaNNan is identical. 

5. Now we will turn to the next arpudam of periyaazhvaar.

3.6.6 ambaram thiriyum kaanthapparellaam amuda geetha valaiyaal surukkundu
nam paramenRu naaNi mayangi nainthu sOrnthu kai maRiththu ninRanarE.
		Ambaram is aakaasam- the sky space
		Thiriyum- roaming
		Kaanthappar- gandharvaas
		Amuda geetha valaiyaal- the net created by the music, which
is better than nectar
		SurukkuNdu- tied down
		Nam - ours
		Param- this word has 3 meanings - vasam (possession) -
baaram (weight) - uyarvu- ERRam- elevation
		[Nam param anRu- it is not possible for us to raise to that
level (uyarvu)
		It is not within our capacity or possession to play music
like that.
		The weight of krishnaa's music is too much for us to bear
and hence becomes subservient.]
		EnRu NaaNi- vetkappattu- shied
		Mayangi- became unconscious- really- no - became inactive-
can say mesmerised by music
		Nainthu- became pale
		SOrnthu- became tired
		Kai mariththu ninRanarE - with hands tied, they stood- who
gandharvaas

		Ambaram thiriyum kaanthappar - gandharvaas who are supposed
to be roaming always in the devalokam, aakaasam and other places, they also
missed their routine [like others covered in earlier parts], they were
caught in the flute music net, of beloved krishnaa and unable to move even. 

		One more reason is also there for these gandharvaas unable
to move. In the beginning of this verse periyazhvaar says "dEvargaL singam"
- if the lion of dEvaas is standing and playing the music, will these people
have the guts to move- singaththin mun vanthuvittu - can you just leave in
the middle? 

		They, with folded hands were just listening, thinking that
'Unless the music stops, we will not be able to get back to our senses and
do our normal things'. Nam param anRu- it is not within our capacity -
further they also have a desire -because the person playing flute is "nam
paraman" - our supreme Lord- when our man is playing shall we move away from
that place - that is why they are not interested in moving.

		See the arpudam- the gandharvaas are tied down in krishnaa's
music and unable to move from the place. 

Now let us turn to another very staunch krishna baktha who has sung all most
on all krishna baala leelaigal - viz. Ooththukkaadu venkatasubbaiyer. 

[I was told by a very senior bhagavatha that whenever venkatasubbier go into
trance then only the song used to pour out. During such occasions krishnaa's
jathi sollal (uttering of the jathi by krishnaa was heard in the middle by
Sri iyer and that is why there are several jathis in the songs). Of course
the songs are a little kada kada thamizh (a little tough). But the krishna
bakthi in the songs are beyond any measurement and songs are so sweet]
 
This song is vasantha raagam

Neela malar kOla thirumEni kaNdu moham koNdu
Nenjam niraivaanathE- nin iniya, nuN adhisaya  - neela

SOlai thanil nadamaadum thooya kuzhal isai paadum 
sugamodu maasuNamum magizha viriththaadum
iragu nizhal amarum ezhilukku ezhilaana - neela

vaana villil kaaNuginRa vaNNa vaNNa niramellaam 
nin ezhilil vanthu vanthu saraN pugunthathO
mOna ezhil kaaNa naan, nee vaan mathi aanathu anji
moola naadham sabai pOnathO- nin kuzhalil 
gaana mazhai pozhinthida gantharva kinnararum 
maanamanji marainthanarO- nin kuzhalil
thEnaruvi pol oLirum un vadhana 
theenchvaiyil viLaiyaadum makaram ena - neela

Dasan 
Vasudevan M.G.