undhimEl

undhimEl

thiruvarangam 1

undimEl nAnmuhanai paDaittAn ulahuNDavan
endai pemmAn imaiyOrhaL tAdaikkiDam enbarAl |
SandinODu maNiyumkozhikkum punalkAviri
andipOlum nirattAr vayalSoozh tennarangamE ||

emberumAn— who is the chief of nitya sooris, who swallowed the worlds during praLaya, who created brahma in His nABikamala, who is the Lord to my kula—resides in Sree rangam which is surrounded by kAvEri river, who brings sandal wood trees and gems.

andipOlum nirattAr vayal—The twilight sky will be dark in dusk and red at dawn. So it is interpreted in both ways—looking dark with the full-grown crops or red with paddy crops.

vaiyamuNDu AlilaimEvumAyan maNineeNmuDi
paikoLnAhattaNaiyAn payilumiDam enbarAl |
taiyal nallAr kuzhal mAlaiyum maTTravar taDamulai
Seyya SAndum kalandizhi punalSoozh tennarangamE ||

The river kAvEri brings in her current the flowers worned on the heads and the sandal paste rubbed on their breasts when the high caste woman take bath in the river. Here resides emberumAn who lies on a tiny banyan leaf, after swallowing all the worlds wearing a tall crown indicating His Lordship.

paNDivvaiyamaLappAn SenrumAvali kaiyilneer
koNDa AzhittaDakkai kuraLaniDam enbarAl |
vaNDupADum maduvAr punal vandizhikAviri
aNDanArum pozhil Soozhndu azhahAr tennarangamE ||

In Sree rangam the river kAvEri is mixed with honey flowing from the lotus and the flowering trees on the shore. The bees hover above the river smelling the honey and humming with joy. Here resides emberumAn who as vAmana went to mahAbai’s yAga Boomi to get three feet of land. The asura gave the gift by pouring water into His hand. BagavAn received it in His long hand carrying chakrAyudha.

viLaitta vempOr viral vALarakkan nahar pAzhpaDa
vaLaitta valvil taDakkaiyavanukkiDam enbarAl |
tuLaikkaiyAnai maruppum ahilumkoNarndundi mun
tiLaikkum Selvappunal kAviriSoozh tennarangamE ||

tiruvarangam is surrounded by the river kAvEri the water of which brings the tusks of huge elephant and the tall ahil trees. Here resides Sree ranganAtha who bent His great bow to kill the rAkShasa’s and rAvaNa who carried the sword as a weapon of war.

vambulAm koondal maNDOdari kAdalan vAnpuha
ambu tannAl muninda azhahaniDam enbarAl |
umbar kOnum ulahEzhum vandeeNDi vaNangum nal
SembonArum madiLSoozhndu azhahAr tennarangamE ||

Sree rAma discharged angrily the sharp arrows which went fast killing the mighty rAvaNa, the husband of beautiful maNDOdari and made him to reach the veeraswarga (the heaven where those who die, in the war field, go). He resides in tiruvarangam where brahma and other dEvas and all the people of seven worlds come to worship Him. This divya dESa is a beautiful city surrounded by golden forts.

kalaiyuDuttavahalalhul van pEimahaL tAyena
mulaikoDuttAL uyiruNDavan vAzhumiDam enbarAl |
kulaiyeDutta kadali pozhilooDum vandundi mun
alaiyeDukkum punal kAviri SoozhtennarangamE ||

tiruvarangam is the place where kaNNan resides who sucked the life (along with the milk) of pootana. The rAkShasi who came to feed Him disguised as yaSOda wearing a silk saree round her broad hips. This divya dESa is rich in fertile lands with plantain trees having bunches of plantains irrigated by the holy kAvEri.

kanjannenjum kaDumallarum SakaTamum kAlinAl
tunjavenra SuDarAzhiyAn vAzhumiDam enbarAl |
manjuSEr mALihai neeDu ahilpuhaiyum maraiyOr
Senjol vELvipuhaiyum kamazhum tennarangamE ||

Sree kriShNa ruined kamsas plan, killed the mallas and kicked SakaTAsura and killed kamsa kicking him with His tiruvaDi. He resides in tiruvarangam where the sky is full of fragrant smoke rising from the burning ahil (from the huge buildings whose tops touch the clouds) and the sacrificial fire from the houses of brAhmaNas who perform the rites as prescribed in vEda.

EnameenAmaiyODu ariyum SirukuraLumAi
tAnumAya daraNittalaivaniDam enbarAl |
vAnum maNNum niraiyappuhundeeNDi vaNangum nal
tEnum pAlum kalanadannavar SEr tennarangamE ||

In Sree rangam all the dEvas and all the people of all the worlds come in large numbers and gather to worship Him, discuss His glory and sing hymns. emberumAn who has taken avatAras like matsya, koorma, varAha, narasimha, vAmana and Sree rAma resides in this great city.

tAnumAya—refers to Sree rAma avatAra. In eTTAm pattu also AzhwAr talks of daSAvatAra and says ‘tAnAi’ referring to Sree rAma avatAra.

tEnum pAlum kalandannavar—can be interpreted as honey with honey and milk with milk—not having any difference (homogenous).

SEyanenrum mihapperiyan nuNNErmaiyinAya
mAyaiyai ArumariyAvahaiyAniDam enbarAl |
vEyin muttum maNiyum koNarndAr punalkAviri
Ayapon mAmadiLSoozhndu azhahAr tennarangamE ||

Sree rangam is surrounded by big beautiful forts, and the holy river kAvEri the current of which brings the pearls and gems from the bamboo. It is the divya dESa where resides emberumAn who is said to be very far, very big and very small. His nature is not understood by anyone including brahma.

Seyai enrum------------immayaiyai Arum ariyA vahaiyAn—He is far in paramapada whose wonderful and remarkable nature no one can understand.

nuNErmaiyinAi— He is the subtlest of the subtle. He is all pervasive—pervades even the subtle sky. Hence He is not understood by anyone.

mihapperiyan—He is very immense—‘tOLhaL AyirattAi, tALhaL AyirattAi”— You have thousand arms, thousand faces, thousand eyes and thousand feet—He is the virAT swaroopa. His nature and form is beyond our imagination.

allimAdar amarum tirumArvan arangattai
kallin mannu madiL mangaiyar kOn kalikanri Sol |
nalliSaimAlaihaL nAliraNDumiraNDumuDan
vallavar tAm ulahANDu pin vAnulahALvarE ||

tirumangai AzhwAr has sung these ten pASuras on emberumAn in whose tirumArbu pirATTi lives leaving her birth place, the lotus. Those who read them with concentration will rule over this earth and later go to paramapada to enjoy the bliss.