SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Subsequently, nAyanAr is explaining what was stated in the previous sUthram about the jumbled sequence of praNavam in the first pAsuram of thiruvAimozhi, through the instructions of trustworthy person.
chUrNikai 53
puraviyEzh oru kAludaiya thErilE thiruchchakkaram oththuk kAlachakkarach chengOl nadAvi jyOthiSchakra oLi surukki agnIshOmIya thEjOmruthaththukku URRum mandhEharkkuch chendhIyum mukthi mArgath thalai vAsalum kaNNAvAn kaNNil piRandha kaNmaNiyum thrayImayamumAna maNdalaththilE thaNdAmarai sumakkath thOLvaLaiyum kuzhaiyum thiruchcheyya mudiyum Aramum padaiyum thigazhum ponmEniyum senjudarth thAmaraik kaNNumAy aNiniRamUrthi Idhennumbadi iraNdaiyum thanniRamAkkugiRa seyyALAna vidhyaiyOdE arukkan mEvina sadhAdhyEya thEjassin sAmarasOdhgAna nAmam uLLuRaiyAna AdhyanthangaLAlE OrAyiramAm avaRRilE onRai AyiramugaththinAl aruLina thIrtham polE thIrthangaL AyiramumAga vistharikkiRAr enRu vEdha guru upadhESam.
Simple Explanation
vEdhAchArya bhattar explains that “uth”, the divine name of bhagavAn, SrIman nArAyaNa, who is present in the sUrya maNdala (the sun planet) with his beautiful divine ornaments, weapons etc., is elaborated in thousand pAsurams to purify the world, starting with “uyarvaRa” and ending with “uyarndhE“, which are similar to the river gangA, the sacred water which is from the lotus feet of bhagavAn, which had thousand tributaries to purify the world.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
puraviyEzh oru kAludaiya thErilE
That is – as said in siRiya thirumadal “kArAr puraviyEzh pUNda” (reined by seven horses) and periya thirumozhi 5.7.8 “oru kAludaiya thEr” (chariot having one wheel), in the chariot which is having seven chandhas (meters) namely gAyathri, bruhathi, ushNik, jagathi, thrishtup, anushtup, pankthi: as seven horses pulling it, and having the single wheel of time. It is said in vEdham “saptha yunjanthi ratham Eka chakram” (single wheeled chariot is carried by seven horses), SrIvishNu purANam 2.8.4 “hayAScha saptha chandhAmsi thEshAm nAmAni mE SruNu | gAyathri cha bruhathyushNik jagathi thrishtup Eva cha: anushtup pankthi: ithyukthA: chandhAmsi harayOravE: ||” (Seven chandhas are the horses; hear their names from me; gAyathri, bruhathi, ushNik, jagathi, thrishtup, anushtup, pankthi: are those; these are the horses for sun). While there is another quote from vEdham “EkO aSvO vahathi saptha nAmA” (A horse which is having seven names is carrying sun), please see it in the current context, wherever these is explanation for the same.
As said in SrIvishNu purANam 2.8.3 “thrinAbi mathibanjarE shaNNEminyakshayAthmakE | samvathsara mayE kruthsnam kAlachakrEthmakE prathishtitham ||” (Having centre portion which is split into 3 parts each of which has 4 sub-parts, having the five years namely samvathsaram, parivathsaram, idhAvathsaram, anuvathsaram and ithvathsaram, as supporting spokes, having 6 seasons as the wheel portion, everything is contained in the kAla chakram (the wheel of time), which is eternal like flowing flood). Since, this chariot is having seven horses and one wheel, it is distinguished from all other chariots.
Subsequently, nAyanAr is narrating the maNdalam (sun planet).
thiruchchakkaram oththu
That is – as said in thiruviruththam 88 “ammEruvil senjudarOn thirumAl thirukkaith thiruchchakkaram okkum” (sUrya, with his reddish rays, on top of the mEru mountain, is a match for the divine sudharSana chakram held in the divine hand of sarvESvaran), due to the circular form and the radiance, it matches sudharSana chakra.
kAlachakkarach chengOl nadAvi
That is – as said in thiruviruththam 33 “thiruchchakaraththAl agal visumbum nilanum iruLAr vinai kedachchengOl nadAvudhir” (You are ruling both the expansive sky and this earth such that sins which are caused by ignorance run away, through your divine disc), similar to the divine chakra which is the instrument of ISvaran to manage both the realms, as said in thiruvAimozhi 7.2.7 “kAla chakkaraththAy” (being the controller of the wheel of time), conducting the orders of bhagavAn who is the controller of time as said in thiruviruththam 13 “thanivaLar sengOl nadAvu” (ruling the world with his effulgence which is forever growing).
jyOthiSchakra oLi surukki
That is – as said in thiruppaLLiyezhuchchi 3 “sudaroLi parandhana sUzhdhisai ellAm” (The sun’s rays have spread everywhere), by his overflowing radiance which spreads in all directions, he minimises the radiance of light-emitting objects such as stars etc as said in the same pAsuram “thunniya thAragai minnoLi surungi” (The well-spread light of the stars, which were closely located, has lost its light).
agnIshOmIya thEjOmruthaththukku URRum
That is – as said in ashtakam 2 “agnim vAvAdhithyas sAyam praviSathi thasmAdhagnir dhUrAnnaktham dhadhruSE: ubhE hi thEjasI sampadhyEthE” (Sun enters fire in the evening time; hence fire is seen at a distance in the night; these two lights are joining) and SrIvishNu purANam 2.8.20 “prabhA vivasvathO rAthrau astham gachchathi bhAskarE | vichadhyagnimathO rAthrau vahnir dhUrAn prakASathE ||” (During the time of sunset, sun’s light enters fire. Thus fire is shining from a distance, in the night), since sun makes its light to enter fire during sunset, and increases fire’s radiance in the night, sun is set to be the source of fire.
As said in SrIvishNu purANam 2.12.3 “kshINam pItham surais sOmam ApyAyathi dhIpthimAn | maithrEyaikakalam santham raSminaikEna bhAskara: || kramENAyEna pIthOsau dhEvaisthEna niSAcharam | ApyAyayathyanudhinam bhAskarO vArithasra: ||” (Oh maithrEya! dhEvathAs consumed amrutha (nectar) from the moon and hence he lost his portions. The shining sun makes moon who only has a single portion left, grow, with the help of the ray named sushumnA. Just as the moon was consumed by dhEvathAs, he is nurtured by the sun), in krishNa paksham (waning fortnight), from prathamA till chathurdhaSi, dhEvathAs consumed the fourteen portion, in the scheme of one portion per day, filled with nectar. The fifteenth portion is consumed on the evening of amAvAsyA, by pithrus. In this manner, the moon which has lost all its portions, during the Sukla paksham (waxing fortnight), from prathmA to paurNami, sun adds a portion every day, through his rays. This is why, it is said “sOmanudaiya chandamruthaththukku URRu” (the source of moon’s nectar). Thus, the sun remains the source of fire’s radiance and moon’s nectar.
mandhEharkkuch chendhIyum
That is – mandhEhas are those rAkshasas (demons) who hold on to the wheel of sun’s chariot during sandhyA (meeting of two sessions) times, stop the chariot from going forward, and try to kill sun by engaging with him in a great battle; at that time brAhmaNas would throw water which is sanctified with gAyathri manthram, up in the air in the form of arghyam, and by the force of that water sanctified with gAyathri manthram, red fire appears in the Adhithya maNdalam (sun planet); those mandhEhas will fall in that red fire and die. This is mercifully indicated by AzhwAr in thiruviruththam 82 “mINdavaRRuL erikoL sendhIvIzhasuraraippOla” (Just like demons die in the splendour of sUriyan’s flames); hence it will be burning fire for mandhEhas. AzhwAr sang rAkshasas as asuras due to the fact that rAkshasas also have demoniac nature as said in periya thirumozhi 1.4.1 “thAnavanAgam tharaNiyil puraLa” (to make the body of rAvaNa who is a descendant of dhanu clan, roll on the earth) and periya thirumozhi 2.2.2 “thAnavan vAL arakkan” (rAvaNa, the demoniac person, having a sword) [rAkshasas are evil people in human species; asuras are evil people in celestial species. At times, the terms are interchangeably used]. vEdham says “thadhuhavA EthE brahmavAdhina: pUrvAbhimukhA: | sandhyAyAm gAyathriyA abhimanthrithA Apa Urdhvam vikshIbandhi ||” (That is why those who have studied vEdham, during sandhyA times, facing east, throw water up in the air, which was sanctified with gAyathri manthram); SrIvishNu purANam says “sandhyAkAlE thu samprApthE raudhrE paramathAruNE mandhEhA rAkshasA gOrAs sUryam ichchanthi gAdhithum | prajApathi kruthaS chApa: thEshAm maithrEya rakshasAm akshayathvam SarIrANAm maraNam cha dhinEdhinE ||” (When the cruel and harsh sandhyA kAlam arrives, the cruel rAkshasas named mandhEhas desire to kill sUrya. Oh sage maithrEya! brahmA has given them a curse to have imperishable body and daily death; hence a fierce battle started between sun and those mandhEhas. Oh sage maithrEya! Because of this, the best among brAhmaNas throw water sanctified with praNavam and gAyathri manthram, up in the air; those sinners are killed by such water which turns into vajra (a very strong weapon)). This is why it is said in vEdham and purANam that the arghya water thrown up by brAhmaNas here, will turn into vajra and kill those rAkshasas. Because of this, it can be said that such arghya water will add radiance to sun planet and will kill those who come close to it.
mukthi mArgath thalai vAsalum
That is – while travelling in archirAdhi gathi which is the path towards mOksham, as said in “archishamEvAbi sambavanthi” (They reach agni [lOkam] only) etc, not only one is going through archis (agni) etc, as said in “bidhvA sUryasya maNdalam” (tearing through sun planet) and in siRiya thirumadal “thErAr nirai kadhirOn maNdalaththaik kINdu pukku” (tearing through sun planet) and periya thirumozhi 4.5.10 “vengadhirp paridhi vattaththUdu pOy” (going through the middle of sun’s orbit), since AthmA goes through sun planet and this is the one before breaking through the top cover of the aNdam (oval shaped universe), this is known as the “thalai vAsal” (final gate) for this path.
kaNNAvAn kaNNil piRandha kaNmaNiyum
That is – as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.8.3 “kaN AvAn enRum maNNOr viNNORkku” (being the controller, resides in the abundantly cool thiruvEnkadam always, for the residents of material and spiritual realms), yajur vEdham “chakshur dhEvAnAmudhamarthyAnAm” (bhagavAn is the controller for celestials and humans), born from the eyes of bhagavAn who is the vision of everyone as said in purusha sUktham “chakshOs sUryO ajAyathA:” (sUrya was born from bhagavAn’s eyes) and remains as the vision for the universe as said in “jagadhEka chakshushE” (Only vision for the universe).
thrayImayamumAna maNdalaththilE
That is – as said in “thrayi mayAya” (filled with vEdham), in the Adhithya maNdalam, which is filled with vEdham. With this, the savithru maNdala (the sun planet) where he resides is mercifully explained thus far as said in chAndhOgya upanishath “dhyEyas sadhA savithru maNdala madhyavarthI nArAyaNas sarasijAsana sannivishta: | kEyUravAn makara kuNdalavAn kirItIhArI hiraNmaya vapu: dhrutha Sanka chakra:” (nArAyaNa who is seated on the lotus seat, having shoulder bracelets, ear rings, crown, garland, golden divine form, holding divine discus and conch, is to be meditated upon as the one who is residing in the centre of sun planet).
Further, nAyanAr explains how such emperumAn resides in the sun planet.
thaNdAmarai sumakka
That is – as said in thiruvAimozhi 4.5.8 “thaN thAmarai sumakkum pAdhap perumAn” (the supreme lord carried by fresh lotus flower), he is remaining on a lotus flower as said in “sarasi jAsana sannivishta:“.
thOL vaLaiyum kuzhaiyum
With this, “kEyUravAn makara kuNdalavAn” is explained [that is – having shoulder bracelets and ear-rings].
thiruchcheyya mudiyum Aramum padaiyum
With this, “kirItIhArI dhrutha Sanka chakra:” is explained [ that is – having crown, and holding divine conch and divine discus].
thigazhum ponmEniyum
That is – as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1.5.10 “Aramum padaiyum thigazha” (as the necklace and weapons shine), to have all the previously highlighted divine weapons and ornaments shine. the divine body which is in golden complexion as said in mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi 1 “ponmEni kaNdEn” (I saw the golden form). It is said in chAndhOgya upanishath “ya EshOntharAdhithyE hiraNmaya: purushO dhruSyathE hiraNyasmaSrur hiraNyakESa ApraNakAth sarva Eva suvarNa:” (The lord who is present in the centre of sun planet and is seen by yOgis, is having golden moustache, golden hair; all his limbs are in golden complexion) and “hiraNmaya vapu:” (golden form).
senjudarth thAmarai kaNNumAy aNiniRamUrthi Idhennumbadi
That is – after saying in thiruvAimozhi 5.4.9 “anjudara veyyOn aNi nedundhEr thOnRAdhAl” (as the beautiful tall chariot of Adhithya, the hot sun, who is having beautiful rays, is not appearing), AzhwAr said “senjudarth thAmaraik kaN selvanum vArAnAl” (since emperumAn, who is SrImAn and is having lotus flower like radiant reddish eye(s), has not come), considering bhagavAn who is residing in the sun planet only. Sruthi also said about bhagavAn who is present in such abode in chAndhOgya upanishath 1.7 “thasya yathA kapyAsam puNdarIkam EvamakshiNI” (he has two divine eyes which are like lotus, blossomed by sun). Thus, bhagavAn is said to have divine eyes which are like lotuses which are having reddish radiance while being blossomed by the sun’s rays.
aNiniRamUrthi Idhennumbadi iraNdaiyum thanniRamAkkugiRa seyyALAna vidhyaiyOdE
That is – as said in mUnRAm thiruvandhAdhi 1 “thirukkaNdEn” (saw SrI mahAlakshmi), after seeing her, seeing his divine form as said in “rukmAbam” (gold like form), and though it is said to be in “ponmEni kaNdEn” (saw his golden form), seeing his divine form’s complexion which is beautiful due to being mixed with her divine form’s complexion which is similar to that of the mild-sun’s complexion, AzhwAr said “thigazhum arukkan aNi niRamum kaNdEn” (I had the fortune to worship beautiful, resplendent radiance like that of the shining sun). As said in thiruvAimozhi 4.4.2 “seyyadhOr gyAiRRaik kAttich chirIdharan mUrththi Idhennum” (pointing with the hands at the unique sun with reddish light, she says “this is the form of the one who is worshipped along with periya pirAttiyAr”), by the radiance of her divine form which is pervaded in her abode, being unique, one will be bewildered to say that the sun planet is the same as the divine form of SrIman nArAyaNa, she makes bhagavAn’s divine form and the sun planet to have her reddish complexion. Due to her reddish complexion, she is said in SrI sUktham as “hiraNya varNAm” (having golden complexion) and is identified by that complexion as said in thiruvAimozhi 9.4.1 “kamala malar mEl seyyAL” (the reddish person who is seated on the lotus flower). She is known as vidhyA as said in “vidhyA sahAyam Adhithya samastha vidhyA prasAdhakam” (bhagavAn who is residing in sun planet, who is together with periya pirAtti who is known as vidhyA and who grants vidhyA (knowledge)) and “vidhyA sahAyavantham mAm Adhithyastham sanAthanam” (One who has periya pirAtti as his companion, who is in sun planet and who is eternal). [emperumAn] With such periya pirAttiyAr.
arukkan mEvina
That is – as said in periya thirumozhi 2.1.7 “vAnidai arukkan mEvi niRpARku” (for the antharAthmA of sun who is roaming in the sky), one who is remaining in the centre of sun planet. It is said in chAndhOgya upanishath “ya EshOntharAdhithyE” (one who is present in the sun planet) – that is being spoken about here.
sadhAdhyEya thEjassin
That is – as said in “dhyEyas sadhA“, being the object of those who meditate always, on the matters of the radiant bhagavAn as said in kAtakam “hiraNmayaS Shakunir brahma nAma yEna sUryas thapathi thEjasEththa:” (the bird named brahmam is made of gold; with his radiance, the sun is shining), gAyathri manthram “thath savithur varENyam” (meditaing upon the radiance of bhagavAn, who is the cause of all) and SrIrangarAja sthavam 2.79 “thEja: param thath savithur varENyam dhAmnA parENApraNakAth suvarNam” (vEdhams are identifying you to be the one who gives radiance to sun and his radiance which helps people meditate on sun; you are fully made of gold).
sAmarasOdhgAna nAmam uLLuRaiyAna AdhyanthangaLAlE
That is – since it is said in chAndhOgya upanishath “sAmna udhgIthO rasa:” (udhgItham remains the taste of sAmam), there is udhgAnam which is known as udhgItham and which is the essence of chandhOga sAmam; in that, there is the divine name “uth” as said in “thasya udhithi nAma” (that name, known as uth); to indicate that such name “uth” is the essence of thiruvAimozhi, it is having the beginning and ending according to that. Since thiruvAimozhi starts with “uyarvu” and ends with “uyarndhE”, ukAram (syllable “u”) is in the beginning and thakAram (the syllable “th”) is at the end. Since it is said “AdhyanthangaLAlE“, it is to indicate that this is the reason for subsequent explanations.
OrAyiramAm avaRRilE onRai
That is – one divine name among the thousand divine names where each divine name can protect us in thousand ways as said in thiruvAimozhi 9.3.1 “OrAyiramAy ulagEzhaLikkum” (emperumAn is having thousand distinguished divine names where each one of them is protecting all chEthanas and achEthanas in thousand ways).
AyiramugaththinAl aruLina thIrtham polE thIrthangaL AyiramumAga vistharikkiRAr enRu vEdha guru upadhESam
That is – vEdhAchArya bhattar would mercifully explain that just as there is one gangA which has branched out as thousand tributaries to purify the world as said in periya thirumozhi 1.4.7 “AyiramugaththinAl aruLi mandharaththizhindha gangai” (sarvESvaran mercifully desired in his divine heart to have gangA flow in thousand tributaries from manthara mountain and fall down), nammAzhwAr elaborated the one divine name (uth) into thousand pAsurams to purify the world as said in thiruvAimozhi 7.10.11 “thIrththangaL Ayiram” (the purifying thousand pAsurams).
The verb “vistharikkiRAr” (elaborates) follows the previously mentioned concept of apaurushEyathvam (un-authored by a person); this is to be observed here.
Thus, starting from chUrNikai 39 “evvulagaththu evvevaiyum“, the following points have been explained
- nammAzhwAr’s four prabandhams having equivalence with four vEdhams
- AzhwAr’s prabandhams having angams (ancillory texts) and upAngams (sub-ancillory texts)
- AzhwAr’s prabandhams having the main qualities of vEdham
- AzhwArr’s authorship not being a hindrance for his prabandhams’ nithyathvam (eternal) and apaurushEyathvam (un-authored)
- which prabandham is equivalent to which vEdham
- in that, thiruvAimozhi which is having equivalence with sAma vEdham, is actually equal to chandhOga sAma upanishath which is the best part of sAma vEdham
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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