Pathudai - பத்துடையடியவர் அவதாரிகை

In the First Thiruvaimozhi, Aazhwar enjoyed the kalayana Gunam - Paratvam of Emperuman, In the second He enjoyed the Gunam - Bhajaneeyatvam. In this Thiruvaimozhi, Sri Aazhwar is talking about a Gunam that is most useful for people like us - Saulabyam(elimai - ஸௌலப்யம்). Out of all charitrams Aazhwar is mentioning about how easily he was caught and bound to the mortar, pleading, for stealing butter from the milkmaid's churning pail - மத்துறு கடை வெண்ணெய் களவினில் உரவிடையாப்புண்டு எத்திறம் உரலினோடிணைந்திருந்தேங்கிய எளிவே.

When starting avatharikai for this thiruvaimozhi, Sri Nampillai beautifully emphasizes the greatness of this Gunam. He does  it with an example. Is it possible for a person who lost both his hands to climb on an Elephant? The general answer is NO. However if the Elephant itslef bends down and allows the person to climb, then he can easily climb. Such is the saulabyam of Emperuman who lifts(retrieves) us from samsaram by himself.

Sri Nampillai continues, If reaching Emperuman is so simple then how there are people still who doesn't do this? The answer he gives is that, that noble simplicity of Emperuman itself make people not reach him. Emperuman took many avatarams to show his simplicity, however people started to question "Is he just another one among us? Is he also just another one who steals Butter and get caught for the act?".   Again, He emphasizes his answer with examples. 

• Noble people create Ponds and wells to be used by public. However we see both types of usages for the ponds - good and bad. Some people use it for drinking and other purposes and some people commit suicide diving in the pond. It is absolutely not the mistake of the pond - அறவோர் சிலர் ஏரி கல்லினால், சேற்றிலே தலையை நொழுந்திப் பட்டுப் போகாநிற்பர் சிலர்; விடாயர் அதிலே முழ்கி விடாய் தீர்ந்து போகாநிற்பர்கள்.
• When we light a Lamp, It gives brightness to the place, however there are few insects which fall in the fire and finish themselves. So it is not the mistake of the lamp - விளக்கை ஏற்றினால் அதிலே விட்டில் முதலிய சில பொருள்கள் விழுந்து முடிந்து போம்; சிலர், அதன் ஒளியிலே உய்வு பெறுவர்கள்.

In similar lines, many Aazhwars have described Emperuman as Pond and Lamp. Few instances are ‘வாசத்தடம்’, ‘மரகதமணித்தடம்’ and ‘வேங்கடமலைமேல் மேவிய வேத நல் விளக்கை’, ‘ஆயர் குலத்தினில் தோன்றும் அணிவிளக்கை’, ‘வெங்கதிரோன் குலத்துக்கு ஓர் விளக்காய்த் தோன்றி’.

In Krishnavataram, there were both types of people. First type is people who stood against Emperuman and perished viz. Banasuran, Sisupalan, Chakatasuran etc. However there were people who realized the greatness of Emperuman and this Gunam - Saulabyam and achieved him through their love like Akroorar, Malakarar etc - சிசுபாலன், பூதனை, சகடாசுரன், இரட்டைமருத மரங்கள் இவர்கள் எதிரிட்டு முடிவுற்றமையும், அக்குரூரர் மாலாகாரர் முதலியோர் அடைந்து உய்வு பெற்றமையும் காண்க.

In the next post, we shall see the essence of this Thiruvaimozhi.

Dasan

Madhusudhanan MA