Chapter 8
Āzhvār is astonished to see as Lord displays His peculiar form - (மாயா வாமனனே!)
எம்பெருமானது விசித்திர விபூதியைக் கண்டு ஆழ்வார் ஆச்சரியப்படுதல்
Deciding to wipe away all of Āzhvār’s worries, Bhagavān was waiting for the right moment to intervene. Even though Āzhvār was aware of Bhagavān’s thought process, “ I am literally at death’s doorstep but He doesn’t allow my life force to separate from my body” says a surprised Āzhvār. In order to jolt Āzhvār even more, Bhagavān makes him aware that His nature is unfathomable to anyone, exhibits His unusual form. Āzhvār is stunned upon seeing Bhagavān, as elaborated in these hymns.
ஆழ்வாரின் வருத்தத்தைத் தீர்க்க எண்ணிய பகவான், அதற்கொரு நேரத்தை எதிர்பார்த்திருந்தான். இது ஆழ்வாருக்குத் தெரியுமாயினும், “உயிர் போகவேண்டிய நிலை எனக்கு ஏற்பட்டிருந்தும் போகவொட்டாமல் வைத்திருக்கிறானே” என்று நினைத்து வியந்தார். ஆழ்வாரை மேலும் வியக்கச் செய்யத்தன் விசித்திர விபூதித்துவத்தைப் பகவான் காட்டுகிறான். அது கண்ட ஆழ்வார் வியப்புறுகிறார் இத்திருவாய்மொழியில்.
Verses: 3530 to 3540
Grammar: Kaliviruththam / கலிவிருத்தம்
Pan: பாலை யாழ்
Recital benefits: will be always His dear devotees
- Verse 1:
My dear devotee, I am indeed the slayer of demons like Madhu and Kaiṭabha. I am the embodiment of the five elements, the creator of all beings, their sustainer, and their ultimate destination. My presence pervades everything that can be named and even that which transcends words. My form is beyond comprehension, yet I dwell within all things, everywhere. - Verse 2:
Oh, Achuta, adorned with a cool tuḷacī garland on Your beautiful locks! Please enlighten me about the marvel that You embody. You are the radiant Sun, the soothing Moon, and the sparkling stars in the vast sky. You are also the encompassing darkness, the pouring rains, the fame that illuminates, and the infamy that shadows. Furthermore, You are the relentless Death with its piercing gaze. - Verse 3:
Let me unveil the marvelous wonder You are, oh, great Charioteer. You hold the cycle of Yugas, controlling the vast and varied phenomena of the universe with Your discus. - Verse 4:
My dear devotee, your question delves into the profound mysteries of existence. As the Supreme Master, I oversee both the unchanging essence of individuals, existing in various gradations, and the ever-changing phenomena that populate the vast universe. Resting upon my serpent bed in the Milk Ocean, I contemplate the grand tapestry of creation. My plans, if they can be called such, unfold according to the divine order, guiding the cosmos towards its ultimate purpose. - Verse 5:
My wondrous Lord, adorned with fragrant tuḷaci on Your locks so fine! You liberated me from all unwholesome bonds and made me Your devotee. You govern the bodies that confine and the souls that dwell within them, overseeing their growth and decline. Yet, You have chosen to keep me in this mortal frame. I am curious to know what allure You find in this perishable form, please enlighten me. - Verse 6:
Oh, Vāmaṉa, of captivating allure, please grant me understanding. It seems that the individuals ensnared in the whirlpool of diverse experiences—heat and cold, wonder and the wondrous, confusion and clarity, victory and defeat, good and bad deeds, and their repercussions—are all ordained by You. However, the immense sorrows inflicted upon Your subjects by such playful activities of Yours remain perplexing. - Verse 7:
Oh, Kaṇṇā, with Your radiant crown, You subject me to great distress, presenting numerous temptations and unwholesome desires, leading to misery for all beings, both stationary and mobile. I wonder why You engage in such troublesome play. - Verse 8:
Oh, Kaṇṇā, my Master, Your playfulness is beyond comprehension. You create and control the three worlds, pervading them inside and out with your immense power. - Verse 9:
Indeed, dear devotee, the intricacies of my being are endless. I control the senses—the avenues through which you experience the world: taste, sight, sound, touch, and smell. Each sense offers its own unique perception, and I oversee them all with boundless care and wisdom. - Verse 10:
Indeed, dear devotee, I exist in all forms—both sentient and non-sentient, subtle and gross. The ancient Vedas, filled with wisdom, speak of my omnipresence, encompassing all that is known and unknown. Yet, for my devotees, I am simply what they perceive and contemplate me to be, their understanding shaping their devotion. - Verse 11:
Those who earnestly chant these ten songs from the thousand composed by Caṭakōpaṉ of Kurukūr, revealing the Lord's profound essence, will forever bask in unending divine bliss.