kaNNum suzhanRu

kaNNum suzhanRu

thirunaRaiyUr 1

In the previous tirumozhi AzhwAr said ‘tirunaraiyoor tEnE’. From this tirumozhi for nearly ten pattu’s he is going to enjoy the tirunaraiyoor nambi only. The pASuras came as flood from his heart.

In the previous pASura AzhwAr wanted to go to paramapada. But BagavAn said ‘AzhwAr! There are many tirupatis which are equal to paramapada and I stay in all of them as I am in paramapada. So what is the hurry to go there? Can’t You enjoy me in these divya dESas? So AzhwAr goes from one tirupati to other enjoying Him in all places.

kaNNum Suzhanru peeLaiyODeeLai vanduEnginAl
paNNin mozhiyAr paiyanaDamin ennAdamun|
viNNum malaiyum vEdamum vELviyumAyinAn
naNNu naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

Normally people say ‘let us enjoy when we can. Youth is for enjoying the pleasures of the company of beautiful women, wine and dance. When the old age comes let us chant His names and go to divya dESa.’ But the unrestricted enjoyment of youthful days end up in diseases and incapacity etc. during old age. The vAsana remains seeking the women at old age, walking with the help of a staff. But the young women do not want them and make fun of their shivering form, dirty rolling eyes, coughing and spitting phlegm. Before all these happen let us enjoy going to divya dESas and worshipping Him even when we are young and strong. Let us go to tirunaraiyoor and think of Him who is sky, Boomi, mountains, vEdas, yAgas, etc.

konguN kuzhalAr kooDiyirundu Sirittu neer
ingennirumi embAlvandadenru ihazhAdamun |
tingaLerikAl SenjuDarAyavan tESuDai
nangaL naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The young women who wear scented flowers on their hair gather at one place chatting and laughing. They make fun of an old man, who not satiated with his desire for ladies after all these years of enjoyment, comes to them. ‘Why do you cough so badly? Why should you come here? We don’t want you! Go away!’ Still the man is enchanted by their looks, laughter and long hair. He stands there not minding their sarcastic words—well! Before all of these happen to you, let us worship Him who is agni, air, sun, moon etc and all that is created residing in tirunaraiyoor.

kongAr kuzhalAr kooDiyirundu Sirittu emmai
engOlamaiyA enninikkANbadennAda mun |
SengOlvalavan tAL paNindEttittihazhumoor
nangOn naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The harlots decorating themselves with honey-laden fresh flowers on their hair, wearing ornaments and good dresses gather in the houses, laugh loudly making merry. An old man with a stick in his hand to support himself comes there to enjoy their company. The girls laugh at him and say Oh! Old man! Why do You stare at us? Go away! We don’t want you! They make fun of him who is appreciating their natural beauty as well as their made up beauty. Before all these happen let us go to tirunaraiyoor and worship Him.

sengOl valavan tAL paNindu Ettum—In tiruvallikkENi it is king toNDaimAn; in paramEchchura viNNaharam it is king pallava mallaiyarkOn; in aTTabuyakaram it is king vayiramEGan; in nandipura viNNaharam it is king nandivarman and in tirunaraiyoor it is king SengaNAn kOchchOzhan. These kings are very much devoted to the deities in the respective tirupatis.

kombum aravamum valliyum venranuNNEriDai
vambuN kuzhalAr vASalaDaittu ihazhAdamun |
Sembon kamuhu inamdAn kaniyum Selum SOlaiSoozh
namban naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

They make fun of the old man who has come to their doorstep to enter in. They make fun of him and laugh at him. Still he lingers there hoping for some one to take pity on him, call him inside and give him the pleasure of their company. Alas! They humiliate him and push him out shutting the door at his face when the young man come to the house. This humiliation is due to your old age, disease and unending desires. If you realize this, come to tirunaraiyoor where BagavAn is ever waiting for you with the doors always open and receive you with love and affection. AzhwAr says the divya dESa is very beautiful with the areca nut grooves with golden coloured fruits hanging from them.

vilangum kayalum vElum oNkAviyum venrakaN
SalangoNDa SollAr tAngaL Sirittu ihazhAdamun |
malangum varAlum vALaiyum pAi vayalSoozhtaru
nalngoL naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The young women have eyes that defeat in beauty and form the doe, fish, spear and sengazhuneer flowers. They speak caustically and sarcastically at the old man who desires their company. They chase Him away without mercy. Before this happens to us too when we become old, let us go to tirunaraiyoor and worship Him who is waiting for us welcoming us with a smile on His lips, mercy in His eyes. The city is beautiful and prosperous with fields where fish of different varieties jump and play.

minnEriDaiyAr vETkaiyai mATTriyirundu
en neer irumi embAl vandadenru ihazhAdamun |
tonneer ilangaimalanga vilangueriyooTTinAn
nanneer naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The young beautiful maidens tease the old man when they had loved earlier when he was young. They drive him away from the house not able to bear the sight of him nor hear the coughing. Before this happens to you make up your mind to think of BagavAn at tirunaraiyoor who as rAma caused hanumAn to burn the city of lankApuri.

ilangai malanga vilangeri ooTTinAn—is another reading which means (vilangu) hanumAn burnt the city. If it is read as ‘ilangu’ eri ooTTinAn then it means with blazing fire.

rAvaNa was a very powerful and mighty rAkShasa who ruled over his kingdom where not only the subjects but also the dEvas would obey his order. The fire god can cook food and give enough heat during cold season; not more than that (i.e. he cannot burn or cause destruction). But after rAma came he (fire god) got his full liberty to burn the city and do full justice to his job.

villErnudalAr vETkaiyai mATTriSirittu ivan
pollAn tirundAnennum puranurai kETpadan mun |
SollAr marainAngOdi ulahil nilAyavar
nallAr naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The beautiful young harlots talk about the old man who waits at their doorstep ‘he is old and haggard; neither handsome nor rich; not sane too; has wrinkled skin and looks ugly’. So saying they send him out ignoring him. Before this happens to you, Oh! men! Go to tirunaraiyoor where vaidikas chant four vEdas, live a vEdic way of life and where live BagavAn with all splendour calling you to His tiruvaDi.

vALoNkaN nallAr tAngaL madanan enrAr tammai
kELminhaL eeLaiyODEngu kizhavan ennAdamun |
vELvum vizhavum veediyil enrum arAdavoor
nALum naraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

The young beautiful ladies used to call him (this old man) earlier ‘ a manmatha’. Now they ask the maids ‘who is standing there coughing and spitting phlegm? What does he want? Send him out; We don’t want him.’ Before this happens to you ‘Oh! My mind! Go and seek Him in tirunaraiyoor where there are always the sounds of yAgas and festivals conducted are heard. you feel proud now that you are young and handsome but days are not far when you will be like this old man rejected by all—says AzhwAr.

kaniSErndilangu nalvAyavan kAdanmaiviTTiDa
kuniSErnduDalam kOlil taLarndiLaiyAda mun |
paniSErviSumbil pAlmadikOLviDuttAniDam
naniSErnaraiyoor nAmtozhudum ezhunenjamE ||

Once-upon-a time young man is old now; is weak and lean; is afflicted by many diseases; has a staff to support him; has hunch back; has lost the love of young women, who are beautiful with red lips. Before you become as old and as neglected as this man, come to tirunaraiyoor where resides emberumAn’ who removed the duhKa of the moon god and who is ever compassionate and loving to His Baktas that He is always ready to receive them, to hear their woes and to remove them instantaneously.

piraiSEr nudalAr pENudal nammaiyilAdamun
naraiSEr pozhilSoozh naraiyoor tozhu nenjamEyenra|
karaiyAr neDuvEl mangaiyar kOn kalikanri Sol
maravAdu uraippavar vAnavarkku innaraSAvarE ||

In these pASuras AzhwAr has advised us that young women do not like and respect old men who still desire to seek their pleasures. They, who formerly thought them ‘manmathas’ cast them away as rags. So beware of them. Be wise enough to come to tirunaraiyoor and worship Him who is ever present in order to seek Your company. He is ready to give divine bliss instead of the transient carnal pleasures that those harlots can give.

karaiyAr neDuvEl—AzhwAr is quick to kill the enemies of BagavAn and BAgavatas that he has no time to clean his blood-stained spear.