- Tiruppavai –20
Transliteration
Muppaththu moovar amarar-ku-mun senru
Kappam thavirkkum kaliye! Thuyilezhaai!
Seppamudayaai! Thiraludayaay! Settraarku
Veppam kodukkum vimalaa! Thuyilezhaai!
Seppanna menmulai-ch-chevvaai-ch-chirumarungal
Nappinnai nangaai!Thiruvey! Thuyilezhaai!
Ukkamum thattoliyum thandun manaalanai
Ippothe emmai neer att-el or empaavaai
Translation from Tamil.
Valiant warrior, you confront enemies, before
33 crore celestials complain of fear of demons
Pure, upright with immense strength, and kind,
Inclined to protect always: You have no enemies
But you terrorize the Foes of your devotees, Awake!,
O beauty Neela, with two gold pots of bosom, pink lips,
Slender waist; Perfect, No less than Lakshmi, wake up
Get us fan, mirror and make Krishna to bathe with us.
It’s a romantic song intertwined with philosophical wisdom, symbolic lessons and devotional waking up of both Sri Krishna and his lovely concert.
Gopikas led by Goda address Krishnasay: Muppattu Muvar amararku musenru kappam tavirkum kaliye Tuyilezai = O Warrior, you rush to fight the demons even before the celestial beings approach you with fear of Asuras. You shower unlimited favours to 33 crore immortals unasked. Don’t you hear the devotional prayers of five lakh gopikas? Is it because they are in less number of 5 lakh. We are requesting you to get up and give us what you have promised to us.
We generally know that Devathas are around 33 crore. But, according to Vedas they are: Eight Vasuvus, Eleven Rudras, Twelve Adityas, and Two celestial physicians (Ashwini), Only 33, not 33 crore. These celestials are superior and immortal bodies. When they also find difficult to ward off the problems created by demons, they seek refuge in You. But even before they request your help, you in advance rush to ward off the dangers. Will you help only immortals? Celestial beings are highly knowledgeable. We do not know much. They have no death. The Sruti says: one who has knowledge of Brahman is immune to death, thus he is immortal. Avidya (lack of knowledge) is an enemy for not only Devathas, but everyone. Before their minds are overpowered by the enemy of Avidya, you strike them to save. Similarly the Supreme Self removes all causes of fear among sages of disturbing the continuous meditation of Brahman. Only the grace of Brahman can destroy the ignorance. He gives the Knowledge. Helps frightened sages from the apprehension of bondage of rebirth. Gopikas are seeking such help.
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Do you help those who are already strong, immortal and not devotees like us who depend on Your grace. They have different purposes. They want to protect or regain the kingdoms. We do not have any other interests. We want You only. Indra, whom you are protecting whenever his kingdom is threatened, strikes you with Vajrayudham when you were taking the Parijata tree from his garden. Those eight rulers in charge of eight different directions (Dishas) appear worthy of your protection. We completely surrender to You, but we are ignored. We are not asking for nectar and immortality. It is enough if your face and your looks are more than amritha for us. We can no more tolerate separation from you. We have no fear of enemies. But we fear not to lose privilege of watching your beauty when you awaken. We want sing your praise. Help us winning over this fear. You need not fight for us, or wage war against demons, lift a mountain like Mandhara during churning of milk ocean. You have saved Arjun from mortal weapon Shakti hurled by Bhagadatta. Facilitate us to have glimpse of your radiant beauty while asleep and waking from sleep, your affectionate looks, hear your melodious words.
Seppa Mudaiyay, Tiral Udaiyay = you are personification of great uprightness and insurmountable valour. Serrarkku veppam kodukkum vimala tuyilezai =O stainless person, you instill the enemy with enormous fear. Get up from sleep for us. Seppam means both protection and uprightness, which means consistency in thought, word and action. You never breach your words. But you have asked us to come together and promised to bless us. You are efficient enough to protect all the Lokas. You can inflict chilling fear in enemies. You are unblemished. Do not be angry at us for using harsh words with Nappinna. Having said these thinks with Sri Krishna, they turn to Neela and invoke her generosity. They praise her physical beauty – rosy lips, full bosom, and thin waist and call her a perfectly complete personality. Krishna wins her after a tough fight with seven strong bulls. It was a great hardship for him. As he won her with valiant efforts, He loves her most. That is her perfection referred to by Goda and her companions. I am awake and aware of your prayers. I am just thinking what to give you. What do you want?
Also Read : Neela Devi mediates between Jeeva and Paramatma
Ukkamum Tattolium Tandun Manaalanai Ippode Yemmai Neerattu elo -rempaavaay = give us the fan and the mirror; and arrange that we may have association with Krishna in bathing.
The words though give obvious meaning of shringara, their inner meaning is divine and philosophical. Rosy lips indicate affection for the progeny, the whole world of beings. Her pair of fully grown bosom indicates Jnana and Bhakti or Para Bhakti and Paramabhakti. Para Bhakti is desire for having darshan. Parama Bhakti means the devotees concern that he may lose sight of Bhagawan. This jnana gives detachment from all objects unconnected with Him… “Paramatma Niyorakta Virakta Aparamatmani”.
The Gopikas are asking Neela to give Krishna to them. All the Gopikas are sages in Treta Yuga during the times of Sri Rama, whom they loved. As per the philosophy – Vaishnavism, Except Parama purusha Paramatma, every other living being is woman who desire to enjoy Brahmanandam. Here giving Krishna to Gopikas means facilitating deep meditation about Krishna, which is Snana of Bhagavdhyana. Neela, who passed through the processes of Jnana, Bhakti, detachment and experienced Supreme Lord, is requested take up Purushakara and facilitate all Jeevas to have Brahmanandam.
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For bathing, they are asking for a mirror and a fan. One needs to look into mirror to see the face. The moment we watch our face in the mirror, are proud of it. Element of ego enters. That is indicated by micro drops of sweat on face immediately after bathing, which can be wiped out by fan. They ask for three- mirror, fan and Paratma. Mirror gives knowledge about the self, (Swa Swaroopa Jnana) it is Omkaram (Pranava), Fan removes ego (Ahamkaram). Ego is replaced by the Namah, and the third is Paramatma Himself. Everyone should always remember that it is not ‘me’ and it is ‘not mine’. Namah means ‘not mine’. Asking for Paramatma Himself means desiring for proximity with Him. Snana means Saannihityam. (Bathing with Krishna means being nearer to Him). Om Namah encourages detachment, then, one will enjoy the real bliss- Brahmananda. Omkara (mirror given self knowledge), Replacing Ahamkara with Namah (sweat removed by fan), enjoying proximity with Him and having undisturbed meditation i.e., Brahmanandam. This is the message of this Pashuram.
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