On each day of Maargazhi/ Dhanurmasam, one verse from Andal’s divine poem, the Tiruppavai. is savored. Today’s verse, “Ongi ulagaLanda”, is the third one of the work. What I have presented is the surface meaning. Each verse can actually be understood in many poetic and profoundly philosophical ways.
Tiruppavai Paintings/Illustrations Courtesy: Kesav’s KrishnaforToday. Religion World would like to acknowledge and thank the FB page of Mr Kehsav for using them.
Ongi ulagaLandha
Ongi ulagaLandha uththaman pEr paadi *
naangaL nam paavaikkuc caaRRi neer aadinaal *
theenginRi naadellaam thingaL mum maari peydhu *
Ongu peRuNY sen^n^el oodu kayal ugaLap *
poonguvaLaip pOdhil poRi vandu kaN paduppath *
thEngaadhE pukkirundhu seerththa mulai paRRi
vaangak * kudam niRaikkum vaLLal perum pasukkaL *
neengaadha selvam niRaindhElOr embaavaay
Translation
In this Verse ANDAL wishes for rain and consequential; prosperity for the whole world as the world is the property of her Lord. So who is a Sri Vaishnava ? It is he who while being detached with reference to the riches of the world,is at the same time aspiring for them considering them as his Lord’s riches. Hence all Sri Vaishnavas after daily prayer recite the verse which says “Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu” everyone should be happy.
Andal tells the girls,”If we,girls,recite the NAME of the Lord who measured the entire universe with his three steps and observe this vow then the whole world will become prosperous.” Note the text which says “Uthaman PER”(his NAME). She could have simply said “if we sing the glory of the Lord. ” But she says instead, the NAME of the Lord. Which means that the NAME OF THE LORD (the Tiru Ashtakshara Mantra,the Eight-Syllabled one) is more efficacious than the Lord Himself. When,in the court hall of Duryodhana,Draupadi was being disrobed by Dussaasana,it was only the NAME “Govinda” which saved her modesty while the Lord failed her.
But we Prapannas (Surrenderers) seek salvation only from Him.The Mantra is only for understanding the true nature of the Soul,Lord, and the mutual relationship; it is essentially to promote the ARTHA PANCHAKA knowledge. NEENGATHA Selvam – we see that riches do not remain for long with any man; then what does NEENGATHA mean ? It refers to the Moksha Aiswarya,Service of God, obtained through the recommendation of Sri Mahalakshmi.
Word for Word meaning
Ongi grown tall
ulagu world(s)
aLandha measured
uththaman best, highest One (Vishnu as Trivikrama, Vamana)
pEr name
paadi singing
naangaL we
nam paavaikku for our paavai vow
caaRRi observing, in the name of (lit. wearing)
neeraadinaal bathe
theengu evil
inRi without
naadu ellaam whole country
thingaL (every) month
mum maari three types of rainfall
peydhu will fall (rain)
Ongu tall, overgrown
perum big
cen^n^el high-quality paddy crops
oodu amidst
kayal a type of small fish
ugaLa will playfully swim around
poom beautiful
kuvaLai a Tamil poetic landscape (neydhal); a type of flower
pOdhil in that flower
poRi shining, beautiful
vaNdu bees
kaN paduppa sleeping
thEngaadE without moving (without any fear)
pukku go inside
irundhu staying
seerththa bountiful
mulai udders
paRRi grasp
vaanga extracting
kudam pots
niRaikkum fill up
vaLLal generous
perum pasukkaL
big cows
neengadha unremitting, undecaying
selvam wealth
niRaindhu (the land will be) full of
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Must Read : Dhanurmasam : Tiruppavai – Pasuram 2
Must Watch : Tiruppavai – Pasuram 3 by Chinna Jeeyar Swamy
Rendition by ML Vasanthakumari : Tiruppavai – Pasuram 3
