Day 8 - Keezhvaanam vellendru - கீழ்வானம் வெள்ளென்று

Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Azhwar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

keezhvaanam veLLendRu earumai siRuviidu

meivaan parandhanakaaN mikkuLLa piLLaigaLum

poovaanpoo ginRaaraip poogaamal kaaththu unnai

kuuvuvan vandhuninRom koothu kalamutaiya

paavay! eazundhiraai paatip paRaikondu

maavaay piLandhaanai mallarai maattiya

dhevaadhi dhevanaich chenDrunaam seevithaal

aavaaven(Ru) aaraayn(thu) aruLelo rembaavay.

கீழ்வானம் வெள்ளென்று எருமை சிறுவீடு

மேய்வான் பரந்தனகாண் மிக்குள்ள பிள்ளைகளும்

போவான்போ கின்றாரை போகாமல் காத்து உன்னை

கூவுவான் வந்துநின்றோம் கோது கலமுடைய

பாவாய்! எழுந்திராய் பாடிப் பறைகொண்டு

மாவாய் பிளந்தானை மல்லரை மாட்டிய

தேவாதி தேவனைச் சென்று நாம் சேவித்தால்

ஆவாவென்(று) ஆராய்ந்(து) அருளெலோ ரெம்பாவை.

Introduction:

In the 6th Pasuram, Aandal woke up a girl who is new to Bhagavath Vishayam and in the 7th she woke up a girl who has knowledge about Bhagavath Sambandham. In this Pasuram, she tries to wake up a girl, who is near and dear to Shri. Krishna.

Padhapadhaartham - பதபதார்த்தம் - Word by Word Meaning:

koodhu kalamudaiya paavaay/கோது கலமுடைய பாவாய்: the one who is loved by Shri Krishna

kiizhvaanam/கீழ்வானம் : The sky in the east

veLLenRu/வெள்ளென்று : to brighten

earumai/எருமை - buffalo

meeivaan/மேய்வான் - to graze

siRuviidu/சிறுவீடு - to let out the buffalo's to graze early in the morning for a while, like breakfast, before milking them

parandhana kaaN/பரந்தன காண் : to spread out in the fields

poovaan pooginRaar/போவான் போகின்றார் : those who are going for the sake of it

mikkuLLa piLLaikaLum/மிக்குள்ள பிள்ளைகளும் : and the other girls

poogaamal kaaththu/போகாமல் காத்து - to prevent from going

unnai kuuvuvaan/உன்னை கூவுவான் - to call you to go along

vandhu ninRom/வந்து நின்றோம் - we came here and are standing

eazhundhiraai/எழுந்திராய் : please wakeup

paadi/பாடி : to sing the praise of Shri Krishna

paRai kondu/பறை கொண்டு : to attain Moksha

maa vaai piLandhaanai/மா வாய் பிளந்தானை : to kill the demon in the shape of a horse by splitting its mouth

mallarai maattiya/மல்லரை மாட்டிய : and to kill the wrestlers

dheevaadhi dhevanai/தேவாதி தேவனை : the king of all Nithyasooris

naam sendRu seeviththaal/நாம் சென்று சேவித்தால் : if we go and pray and be subservient

aaraaindhu/ஆராய்ந்து : to listen to us and make a judgement

aa aa enRu aruL/ஆ ஆ என்று அருள் : He will grace us with His Kalyana Gunangal, by pitying us.

Meaning:

kodhukalamudaiya paavai/கோதுகலமுடைய பாவாய்: Andal says, "Hey girl! The one that Shri Krishna likes very much. Please wake up and come along with us. It is already dawn and you can see the sunlight in the eastern sky."

keezhvaanam vellendru earumai siruveedu/கீழ்வானம் வெள்ளென்று எருமை சிருவீடு: Andal also shows another happening to prove that it is dawn. She refers to the Buffalos which have been let out to graze (break fast) just before they will be milked. She tells the girl who is sleeping that it is time to wake up and it be better fast, as the Buffalos and cows will be milked soon and Krishna will go away to rear them and we will not get to see them.

The girls asks, "Why me?! Where are the rest of those who havent joined you?".

poovan pogindraarai poogamal kaaththu/போவான் போகின்றாரை போகாமல் காத்து - Andal says, "You are the one who is dear to Shri Krishna. If you dont turn up with us, Krishna will feel very bad and you cannot be the reason for that. The other girls, those who are sleeping are much younger to you and those who are not here have already gone ahead. We cannot go without you and so we stopped and are trying to go along with you".

Here Aandal tells a crucial Sri Vaishnava Philosophy, of being with Adiyaars/Bhagavathas is more important than to be with Krishna himself. Bhagavatha Samslesham is more important than Bhagavath Samslesham and without Bhagavadha Samslesham, Bhagavath Samslesham wont be enjoyable.

Aandal, instead of talking about the cows is talking about the buffalos here!! It is because, the buffalo is used as a representation for the Tamasik nature of the human. As the buffalos are let out to graze early in the morning, the Brahma Muhoortha time, is the time when Tamasik qualities are at their low and Saathwik qualities are at a high.

poovaan poogindraarai/போவான் போகின்றாரை - When the girl, asks Aandal the purpose of going along, Aandal replies, "The purpose of going to see Krishna, it itself. What more reason do we want to go and see Him than to enjoy and embrace His presence? It is Swayam Prayojanam/ஸ்வயம் ப்ரயோஜனம்."

maavaai piLandhaanai/மாவாய் பிளந்தானை - "And so we are here in front of your house, trying to wake you up and take you along with us so that as a Bhagavatha Goshti we can enjoy Krishna Anubhavam. Let us sing the praise of the supreme God who killed the demon named Kesi, with the face as that of a horse, and who killed the two wrestlers who were stationed by Kamsa to kill Him."

Krishna always wants to come and see us. But if we go early to meet him at his place, he will be shocked and he will shower his grace on us. He will understand that we have all the qualities as that of a student (Sishya/சிஷ்யா) and will as a true aacharya shower the Knowledge on us.

In this Paasuram, there are many Sampradhayic meanings:

koodhukalamudaiya paavai/கோதுகலமுடைய பாவாய்: Here Aandal refers to the girl as the one who is close to the hearts of Shri Krishna. This girl, being a representative of an adiyar, on whom Shri Krishna showers his love and blessings. This tells that more than the love and affection that Adiyars have on Perumal, the love that Perumal has on the Adiyars are much more and that He feels very sad even if one of such Adiyars (Jeevathma) wont reach Him.

The Pasuram also highligths the fact that Bhagavatha Samslesham (Togetherness with Bhagavathas) is what Emberuman likes and also highlights this as a very important quality of a Shri Vaishnava.

The Paasuram also tells that Aandal follows the footsetps of Thondaradipodi Aazhwar in trying to wake up (Thiruppali Eazhuchi) someone. Thondaradipodi Aazhwar sang Thiruppalli Ezhuchi to wake up Emberuman. Aandal does the same to wake up HIS Adiyars.

Adinaayen Ramanuja Dasan