Thiruppavai — 9 : தூமணி மாடத்து
தூமணி மாடத்துச் சுற்றும் விளக்கெரிய
தூபம் கமழ துயிலணைமேல் கண்வளரும்
மாமான் மகளே! மணிக்கதவம் தாள்திறவாய்;
மாமீர் அவளை எழுப்பீரோ? உன் மகள்தான்
ஊமையோ? அன்றி செவிடோ அனந்தலோ?
ஏமப் பெருந்துயில் மந்திரப் பட்டாளோ?
மாமாயன் மாதவன் வைகுந்தன் என்றென்று
நாமம் பலவும் நவின்றேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்!
In a clean well decorated stately room surrounded by auspicious lamps
Amidst burning of incense sticks, sleeping on the bed
Uncle’s daughter, open the gem embedded door
Oh Aunt, please wake her up; Is your daughter
Dumb or deaf or damn tired or
Secured by you in the room or hypnotized to sleep for a longer period
One why does unimaginable things, Madhavan, Srivaikuntanathan
Having uttered many such names; still she is sleeping
1. Here, the Gopika is representing the sadhaka who is on the verge of attaining the Moksha, who is in the service of Lord like Lakshmana and Bharatha
2. Here the manor represents the Annamaya kosha or the physical body using which the entire sadhana has to be performed
3. The lighted lamps represent the Jnana-deepams around us — scriptures, learned souls, fellow sadhakas etc that reflects the essence of knowledge related to the Lord
4. The incense sticks again refers to the bubbling knowledge that blossoms and dissipates in all directions
5. Uncle represents the Acharya and Uncle’s daughter mentions the most intimate disciple of that Acharya
6. Opening the gem door indicates the negation of egotism (called mamakaram which is subtly different from Ahamkaram the ego. Mamakaram is mine, possessiveness of things) and keeping an open mind; somewhere, I read this, “Mind is like a parchute, it works only when it opens”. The most precious aspects are kept under lock. Here, it indicates that we are already that Godly personality/Atma Swaroopa; like the cloud hiding the sun, it is covered by cobwebs like ego, possessive mind etc
7. Aunt represents the Divine mother Lakshmi or the lineage of the Acharyas
8. The sadhaka receives the necessary upadesham from Guru and goes silent in all senses; intrinsically focusing on the sadhana
9. With a suspicion they are asking, under what spell she has been hyponitized; Is it due to Ashtakshara Mantram — Om Namo Narayana
10. Then the group was reminded of the thousand of names of the Lord; Interestingly, the thousand headed Adisesha attempted to chant all the names of the Lord and accepted his defeat
11. Thirumazhisai Aazhwar is represented here
