Thiruppavai — song 3 : ஓங்கி உலகளந்த

ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமன் பேர்பாடி
நாங்கள் நம்பாவைக்குச் சாற்றி நீராடினால்,
தீங்கின்றி நாடெல்லாம் திங்கள் மும்மாரி பெய்து,
ஓங்கு பெருஞ் செந்நெல் ஊடுகயல் உகள,
பூங்குவளைப் போதில் பொறிவண்டு கண்படுப்ப,
தேங்காதே புக்கிருந்து சீர்த்த முலைபற்றி
வாங்கக்குடம் நிறைக்கும் வள்ளல் பெரும் பசுக்கள்
நீங்காத செல்வம் நிறைந்தேலோரெம்பாவாய்!

Singing the praise of the good Lord who rose and measured the worlds

When we do the holy bath and begin our intense tapas

It will rain all through the season, but without losses

and the fishes happily prance amidst the irrigated paddy crops

and the bee rests gently in the petals of the flowers

the overflowing udders that is managed by skilled

the benevolent cows that fill pots with prosperity

Everlasting riches fill our lives, my girls

1. 108th divyadesam “Srivaikuntam”, the abode of Lord Narayana is given in the 1st song. 107th divyadesam “Thiruparkadal/ocean of milk” in the 2nd song. Here in the 3rd song, to set the grand canvas, Mother andal is bringing the viraat swarupa/viswaroopa of the Lord by invoking the Trivikrama avatara

2. What did he do — He had penetrated the 3 worlds — earth, above-earth and below-earth. It can be widely perceived the inner worlds of the sadhaka, where the Lord has grown in all planes — bhoo, bhuvar and suvar; And, he continues to grow

3. Utthaman — also called Purushottaman. Many qualities can be attributed to that name — one is like the air & moon, who functions for the benefit of others only

4. Naama 24 in Sri Vishnu Sahasranama is “purushottama” — One who conceives a theory and executes it; As the Lord conceived this universe , executes and sustains it

5. It reinforces the age-old concept that God’s name is greater than the God (just like the ornamented gold is much more endearing than the unmodified pure gold)

6. Sastras says 3 rains in a monthly cycle are guaranteed, when the following does their karma as prescribed — the learned, the king and the blessed women. Also, the 3 rains indicate the 3 types of water involved in the Trivikramana avatara — when poured by Mahabali on the hands of the young boy, when Lord brahma offers abhishekam to the leg in the top and the stimulation of Akash Ganga from the feet of the Lord (It is said in the scriptures that Akash ganga had its origin with trivikrama avatara and tapped further to the earth by Lord Siva)

7. In Sri Vaishnava sampradaya, 3 mantras are important ; Here the saranagati mantra is mentioned implicitly

a. Astkashari (Om Namo Narayanaya) mentioned in the 1st song

b. Dvayam mantra (Sriman Narayana charanau saranam prapadye srimathe Narayanaya namah) mentioned in the 2nd song

c. Charama sloka/Sarangati mantra –

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।18.66।।

Abandoning all forms of rites and duties, take refuge in Me alone. I shall free you from all sins. (Therefore) do not grieve (Sw.Gambirananda)

8. From line 4–7, the local landscape of farming/grazing community is mentioned in a poetic way; Again, they carry subtle meaning as deciphered by the great commentators of Srivaishnava sampradaya

a. Swimming fishes amidst healthy paddy crop — ecstatic gurus on finding the awakening in their proteges

b. Drowsy beetle amidst the flower bed of blue lotus — the antaryami, Lord deeply ensconced in our spiritual heart with contentment that the message has reached the sadhakas through the teachers

c. Overflowing udders of the cows managed deftly — The disciples who catches the feet of the Guru after realizing their worth in terms of knowledge, wisdom and sincerity to teach. Here, the importance of both the acharya and shishya are stressed; without one, the other become redundant in terms of knowledge transfer

9. Professor Ma.pe.Srinivasan gives the corresponding poem in Kamba Ramayanam:

கயம் தரு நறும்புனல் கையில் தீண்டலும்

பயந்தவர்களும் இகழ் குறளன், பார்த்து எதிர்

வியந்தவர் வெருக் கொள, விசும்பின் ஓங்கினான் -

உயர்ந்தவர்க்கு உதவிய உதவி ஒப்பவே.

A humble attempt to share my understanding across the scriptural spectrum. The omissions and commissions belongs to me and not to the great acharyas

Ref:

1. http://www.asayana.com/religion/18-2/ — English translation

2. கம்பனும் ஆழ்வார்களும் — ம.பெ ஸ்ரீனிவாசன்