This has been long pending. I believe it is time. This is one of my favorite decads of Periya Thirumozhi of beloved Kaliyan. I am partial to this due to multiple reasons (1) this is our ancestral divya desam (holy place) where my grandfather was born and before him others lived (2) This is another set of songs by Thirumangai azhwar (3) I came to know much later the uniqueness of this decad of songs and their significance. Apart from the many elders from whom I heard some of these directly, the primary source is Sri U.Ve. PBA swamy's Divyartha Deepikai.
I thought of multiple ways to present this and finally decided that the traditional style is the best. So an introduction followed by the Gist of each of the songs seems to be a logical way to cover it. So here we go...
Azhwar reaches Thiruvindhalur (modern Mayiladuthurai) to get the darshan of Parimalaranganatha Perumal expecting the perumal to look at him first, receive him, enquire about him, hug him and finally provide him a set of tasks to do to perumal in servitude (now talk about expectation :-). But then, this is our beloved Azhwar and if he does not have it, who can!! Perumal decides to extract these 10 songs, one presumes :-).
Perumal keeps quiet and does not provide darshan. Azhwar is shattered. The songs flow out as a flood out of his suffering. Typically in such cases, it becomes Nayaki pasurams as the situation is perfect for Romantic Mysticism.The highlight is that the same kind of emotion comes out with Azhwar in his "Male" state of mind. The result is simply fantastic. He basically asks Perumal "How can you leave me like this in hunger and live happily"?
This is pathos at its best but conveyed in a highly sarcastic manner by Azhwar. If there is a person almost dying of thirst, he wishes just a drop of water. This does not mean that a drop of water is enough but he just needs a drop of water to start and hope for living. Azhwar requests the same here as just a little darshan( ஒருகால்). Not that it is enough but being Thirumangai Azhwar he thinks "Once he shows himself, I will hold him for good" :-)
நும்மை தொழுதோம் - There are two interpretations here. Azhwar first refers this as "You" meaning the Vigraha form of god. Out of the five states (Para (eternal Abode), Vyuha (parkadal basically for sustaining the universe), Vibhava (The various Avatars) , Antharyami (inner soul or soul of the souls) and Archai (Vigraha or Idols). The reason is that Vigraha is the easiest and without any other confusion or effort. So he makes a point that there should not be a delay here!! As a second interpretation, he refers to "You" as the goal of his life where he does not have scope for any other interest. So where can he go if he cannot have darshan. As a contrast, think of us, if we go to a movie as a goal and dont get a ticket , we will come back and watch TV as an alternative. For Azhwar there is no "Other" choice!!
நுந்தம் பணிசெய்திருக்கும் நும்மடியோம் - Here he does not refer to the fact that he is already serving him as it has not yet happened. He is yearning here that he has been born to do that and he has not got it. So he is praying for that.
இம்மைக்கு இன்பம் பெற்றோம் - It seems Azhwar is saying "I got happiness/pleasure". How can it be as he has not got anything? Here azhwar refers to the knowledge of the soul and the divine and the fact that the soul is in servitude. Since Azhwar has that knowledge, that is happiness. But he is suffering because he is unable to implement it. The second interpretation is more sweet. வஞ்ச புகழ்ச்சி - When some one does not provide water or food, he is referred to as one who provides plenty of water and food :-) So Azhwar says I got all happiness and pleasure by serving perumal when in reality he did not get anything!!
எந்தாய் இந்தளூரீரே - This is a direct attack. Did you come here all the way from the divine abode just to make me suffer like this? Nothing can be more direct than this.
After expressing his suffering Azhwar now requests perumal to provide a solution.
எம்மைக் கடிதாக்கருமம் அருளி - As you have given me the knowledge of servitude of the souls to the divine, please provide a chance for me to serve you.
ஆவாவென்றிரங்கி - No matter what the solution is only in perumal's grace and pity towards us. My personal interpretation for this esoteric concept - We have the necessary and sufficient condition in Math. Similarly the sufficient condition is Perumal's grace and pity towards us. Worhip is a necessity not because it gets us his grace but because it is what a soul should do.
நம்மை - Azhwar refers to perumal here as நம்மை. Example given by swami is the typical usage in the world as நம்ம வீட்ல when you are talking to some one and refer to their house.
ஒருகால் காட்டி நடந்தால் - Instead of saying காட்டினால் (meaning just Darshan), Azhwar seems to refer to Procession (புறப்பாடு) of perumal here.
I thought of multiple ways to present this and finally decided that the traditional style is the best. So an introduction followed by the Gist of each of the songs seems to be a logical way to cover it. So here we go...
Azhwar reaches Thiruvindhalur (modern Mayiladuthurai) to get the darshan of Parimalaranganatha Perumal expecting the perumal to look at him first, receive him, enquire about him, hug him and finally provide him a set of tasks to do to perumal in servitude (now talk about expectation :-). But then, this is our beloved Azhwar and if he does not have it, who can!! Perumal decides to extract these 10 songs, one presumes :-).
Perumal keeps quiet and does not provide darshan. Azhwar is shattered. The songs flow out as a flood out of his suffering. Typically in such cases, it becomes Nayaki pasurams as the situation is perfect for Romantic Mysticism.The highlight is that the same kind of emotion comes out with Azhwar in his "Male" state of mind. The result is simply fantastic. He basically asks Perumal "How can you leave me like this in hunger and live happily"?
This is pathos at its best but conveyed in a highly sarcastic manner by Azhwar. If there is a person almost dying of thirst, he wishes just a drop of water. This does not mean that a drop of water is enough but he just needs a drop of water to start and hope for living. Azhwar requests the same here as just a little darshan( ஒருகால்). Not that it is enough but being Thirumangai Azhwar he thinks "Once he shows himself, I will hold him for good" :-)
நும்மை தொழுதோம் - There are two interpretations here. Azhwar first refers this as "You" meaning the Vigraha form of god. Out of the five states (Para (eternal Abode), Vyuha (parkadal basically for sustaining the universe), Vibhava (The various Avatars) , Antharyami (inner soul or soul of the souls) and Archai (Vigraha or Idols). The reason is that Vigraha is the easiest and without any other confusion or effort. So he makes a point that there should not be a delay here!! As a second interpretation, he refers to "You" as the goal of his life where he does not have scope for any other interest. So where can he go if he cannot have darshan. As a contrast, think of us, if we go to a movie as a goal and dont get a ticket , we will come back and watch TV as an alternative. For Azhwar there is no "Other" choice!!
நுந்தம் பணிசெய்திருக்கும் நும்மடியோம் - Here he does not refer to the fact that he is already serving him as it has not yet happened. He is yearning here that he has been born to do that and he has not got it. So he is praying for that.
இம்மைக்கு இன்பம் பெற்றோம் - It seems Azhwar is saying "I got happiness/pleasure". How can it be as he has not got anything? Here azhwar refers to the knowledge of the soul and the divine and the fact that the soul is in servitude. Since Azhwar has that knowledge, that is happiness. But he is suffering because he is unable to implement it. The second interpretation is more sweet. வஞ்ச புகழ்ச்சி - When some one does not provide water or food, he is referred to as one who provides plenty of water and food :-) So Azhwar says I got all happiness and pleasure by serving perumal when in reality he did not get anything!!
எந்தாய் இந்தளூரீரே - This is a direct attack. Did you come here all the way from the divine abode just to make me suffer like this? Nothing can be more direct than this.
After expressing his suffering Azhwar now requests perumal to provide a solution.
எம்மைக் கடிதாக்கருமம் அருளி - As you have given me the knowledge of servitude of the souls to the divine, please provide a chance for me to serve you.
ஆவாவென்றிரங்கி - No matter what the solution is only in perumal's grace and pity towards us. My personal interpretation for this esoteric concept - We have the necessary and sufficient condition in Math. Similarly the sufficient condition is Perumal's grace and pity towards us. Worhip is a necessity not because it gets us his grace but because it is what a soul should do.
நம்மை - Azhwar refers to perumal here as நம்மை. Example given by swami is the typical usage in the world as நம்ம வீட்ல when you are talking to some one and refer to their house.
ஒருகால் காட்டி நடந்தால் - Instead of saying காட்டினால் (meaning just Darshan), Azhwar seems to refer to Procession (புறப்பாடு) of perumal here.
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