New insight – This paasuram is all about getting people together and building the community… the new age way is to have reunions, preferably online. One school batch of mine manages to meet regularly every alternate year, while with another school batch, it’s like herding cats. Just as the word reunion is mentioned, the WhatsApp group goes silent :):). My MBA batch on the other hand meets regularly and the connections are reinforced.
As GenZ is more comfortable “texting” each other even as they sit across from one another, this Paasuram takes on a whole new meaning. Humans thrive with in-person interactions. However beautiful and cuddly the soft toy is, a mother’s embrace or a friend’s hug is irreplaceable. Yes, technology is useful in times like the recent Covid pandemic. We can stay in touch with our loved ones and see them over video, but meeting in-person is something else altogether.
At work too, it’s important to have a blend of in-person meetings and the virtual meetings. Technology has to be leveraged, but human interactions are critical to create sustainable organisations. Trust, empathy and teamwork needs in-person meetings.
So make efforts to meet in-person, especially friends and family, ofcourse work colleagues too.
Am amazed at the way Andal persists with getting all her friends to join her for the Margazhi celebration or Nonbu. In this day and age where four people living in the same house communicate over Whatsapp, just singing these Paasurams is refreshing. In Paasuram #10 Andal tries to get a really lazy friend of hers to come out of her house and join in the celebration.
As always do read Thirupaavai Paasuram #9 before reading Paasuram #10.
Click on this link to read the Paasurams and their meanings in Tamil – Thirupaavai Paadalkalum Villakamum.
Notru Chuvarkam – Paasuram #10
நோற்றுச் சுவர்க்கம் புகுகின்ற அம்மனாய்! மாற்றமும் தராரோ? வாசல் திறவாதார் நாற்றத் துழாய்முடி நாராயணன் நம்மால் போற்றப் பறைதரும் புண்ணியனால் பண்டொருநாள் கூற்றத்தின் வாய்வீழ்ந்த கும்பகருணனும் தோற்றும் உனக்கே பெருந்துயில் தான் தந்தானோ? ஆற்ற அனந்தல் உடையாய்! அருங்கலமே! தேற்றமாய் வந்து திறவேலோர் எம்பாவாய்.
Tamil Translation
முற்பிறவியில் எம்பெருமான் நாராயணனை எண்ணி நோன்பிருந்ததன் பயனாக, இப்போது சொர்க்கம் போல் சுகத்தை அனுபவிக்கின்ற பெண்ணே! உன் இல்லக்கதவை திறக்காவிட்டாலும் பரவாயில்லை. பேசவும் மாட்டாயோ? நறுமணம் வீசும் துளசியை தலையில் அணிந்த நாராயணனை நாம் போற்றி பாடினால் அவன் நம் நோன்புக்குரிய பலனை உடனே தருவான். முன்னொரு காலத்தில், கும்பகர்ணனை தூக்கத்திற்கு உதாரணமாகச் சொன்னாõர்கள். நீ அவனையும் தோற்கடித்து விடுவாய் போல் தெரிகிறது. சோம்பலின் இருப்பிடமே! கிடைத்தற்கரிய அணிகலனே! தடுமாற்றம் இல்லாமல் கதவைத் திறந்து வெளியே வா.
English Translation
In Paasuram #10 Andal equates one of her friends with Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s brother who mistakenly received the boon of sleeping for 6 months of the year !! She says it seems you are the very definition of laziness. How can you remain asleep ? Don’t we have to get together and sing Narayanan’s name ?
There is a great lesson for life in this paasuram – share your happiness with others. Andal goes house to house and urges her friends to join in the Margazhi celebration. Today we wish each other on Whatsapp for all important occasions 😔. Soon there will be a bot that will send out birthday and anniversary wishes without your knowledge. Why bother with friends at all if you don’t want to take them along in all your life experiences ?
Something to reflect on certainly.
MLV singing Thirupaavai Paasuram #10
Here’s the link to the Mp3 of Paasuram #10 on Wynk – https://wynk.in/u/RWEh183A1.
Note :
The 30 paasurams known as Thirupaavai are written by Andal and are a part of the Naalayira Divyaprabhandams (4000 verses singing the praises of Bhagwan Vishnu). For Iyengars, it’s a lifelong mission to memorise the Naalayira Divyaprabhandams and understand their meaning. These songs are written by the 12 Azhwars (saints is the closest translation possible) of whom Andal is the only female.
#Thirupaavai #Margazhi
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