2838 தான் ஓர் உருவே தனி வித்து ஆய்த் * தன்னில் மூவர் முதலாய * வானோர் பலரும் முனிவரும் * மற்றும் மற்றும் முற்றும் ஆய் ** தான் ஓர் பெருநீர் தன்னுள்ளே தோற்றி * அதனுள் கண்வளரும் * வானோர் பெருமான் மா மாயன் * வைகுந்தன் எம் பெருமானே (4) **
2838. The Supreme Lord beside whom there was none.
Created the first three (Brahmā, Śiva and Indra), this, that and the other,
(Devas, Sages, men, birds, beasts and all) with no external aid (i) whatever
And reposed (in Yoga nidra) on the vast expanse of water,
He had raised; the wondrous Lord, Chief of celestials, Vaikuntaṉ, is also my Master (ii).
Explanatory Notes
(i) The Lord is at once the Material (Upādāna) cause, Operative (nimitta) cause and Instrumental or efficient (Sahakāri) cause of Creation.
(ii) This is the key word for this stanza. The Master has come to reclaim His property (the Āzhvār) and He shall not be a party to its slipping through the fingers.
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.)
thān — ḥe (who is indicated by the word -sath-); ŏr uruvĕ — ḥaving single form/substratum (sahakāri nirapĕkshathvam- since he does not expect any assistance from any one- he is the ancillary cause); thani — singular (nimiththānthara rahithan- one who does not depend on the desire of any one else- he is the efficient cause); viththu āy — being the seed (upādhāna- seeking no other raw-material- since he is the material cause); thannil — (thus being the all three types of causes) his own inherent nature having sankalpam (vow); mūvar — the three (brahmā, rudhra, indhra); mudhalāya — et al, starting with,; vānŏr — dhĕvathās (celestial beings); munivarum — rishis (sages); palarum — many forms of jīvāthmās; maṝum — other human forms; maṝum — other animal forms and plant forms; muṝumāy — all; thān — ḥe (who has the sankalpam/vow); thannul̤l̤ĕ — as part of his inherent nature (within himself); ŏr — without second entity (since there is no other entity); peru nīr — ṣingular causal ocean; thŏṝi — created; adhan ul̤ — (to create brahmā et al) inside that; kaṇ val̤arum — lying down; vaikundhan — resident of paramapadham; vānŏr perumān — controller of nithyasūris; māmāyan — (being without any expectation) with his amaśing qualities and actions, having unlimited simplicity; em perumānĕ — my master-
Detailed WBW explanation
Highlights from Nampiḷḷai's Vyākhyānam as documented by Vadakkuth Thiruvīdhip Piḷḷai
Note: For any object, three types of causes are generally delineated:
Upādhāna kāraṇam (material cause): The substance that transforms to become the object;
Nimitta kāraṇam (efficient cause): The agent that facilitates the transformation;