2394. O sages, you do tapas, make your bodies weak
as if they were small empty cages and you suffer.
You do not know the path that leads to Mokshā.
He, Mokshā, is the truth, the meaning of the ancient Vedās,
the most excellent thing for the gods in the sky,
Nārāyanan himself.
Word by Word (WBW) meaning
(The words may be rearranged to facilitate conversion from poetry to prose (Aṉvayam). Please read the meanings (in black) continuously to form the sentence and understand the simplified meaning based on the Divyārtha Dīpikai for the verse.)
vīdu ākkum peṝī aṛiyādhu — not knowing the path to attain mŏksham (liberation); mey — physical body; varuththi — creating distress through fasting etc; kūdu ākki — making it very much like a skeleton, without any strength; ninṛu — carrying out penance like this for a long time; uṇdu koṇdu — eating thereafter; uzhalvīr — ŏh those who are toiling!; vīdu ākkum — one who can grant mŏksham (liberation); mey porul̤dhān — he is certainly a means; vĕdham mudhal porul̤dhān — he has been shown as the supreme being by sacred texts; viṇṇavarkku — for nithyasūris (permanent dwellers of ṣrīvaikuṇtam); nal porul̤dhān — the enjoyable entity; nārāyaṇan — it is only ṣrīman nārāyaṇa
Detailed Explanation
Avathārikai (Introduction)
In the preceding verses, the Āzhvār mercifully established the profound truth that those who possess true knowledge of Emperumān are assuredly united with Him. Upon hearing this, those who arduously follow other spiritual paths posed a challenge. They argued, "The sacred vēdas themselves declare that attaining Him is exceptionally