Tiruppavai: Verse 9

thUmaNi mAdaththu

thUmaNi mAdaththuch chutrum viLakkeriyath

thUbam kamazhath thuyilaNaimEl kaNvaLarum

mAmAn magaLe! maNikkadhavam thALthiravAi

mAmIr! avaLai yezhuppIrO unmagaLthAn

UmaiyO? andrich chevidO? ananthalO?

yEmap perunthuyil mandhirap pattAlO?

mAmAyan mAdhavan vaikunthan yendrendru

nAmam palavum navindrElOr empAvAi.

Word meaning

thU maNi mAdaththu

• In a mansion decorated with pure gems

sutrum

• All around

viLakku eriya

• Lamps glow

dhUpam kamazha

• Fragrance of incense permeates

thuyil aNai mEl

• On a bed that lulls to sleep the one who lies on it

kaN vaLarum

• One who sleeps

mAmAn magaLE

• Oh! My uncle’s daughter!

maNi kadhavam thAL

• The bejeweled doors’ latches

thiravAi

• Do open

mAmIr

• Aunt!

avaLai yezhuppIrO

• Won’t you wake her up?

un magaLthAn

• This daughter of yours

UmaiyO?

• Is she incapable of talking?

andri

• Or

sevidO?

• Is she hard of hearing?

ananthalO?

• Is she exhausted?

yEmappattAlO?

• Is she being held captive?

perum thuyil mandhirappattALO?

• Has a spell been cast on her to send her into a deep sleep?

mAmAyan

• He who is capable of remarkable feats that cannot even be imagined

mAdhavan

• The beloved of Sri (name of Narayana’s consort)

vaikunthan yendru yendru

• Lord of Vaikuntha (name of Narayana’s celestial abode) and so on and so forth

nAmam palavum navindru

• We have recited so many such names of his (despite which your daughter has not risen yet)

El Or empAvAi

Hear, and resolve to do as said, my girl.

Commentary

Andal, whose songs from verse 6 were addressed to those who were not aware that a new day had dawned is now at the doorstep of one who is disinclined to get up despite knowing the fact.

The allegory of a house that is steeped in comfort and grandeur, peace and auspiciousness is used to indicate that the person who is now being addressed is someone who has transcended the mundane and is conscious of the epitome of bliss, personified by Sriman Narayana.

Andal’s attempt is to get everyone to join in her mission to submit to Krishna. None is too high or too low: All jivAtma-s are equal in the realm of kainkarya or service to the paramAtma, the supreme spirit.