Premika Bhavanam, Chennai

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Sri Swamigal has been rendering ‘Upanyãsam’ (discourses), in Tamizh, in Premika Bhavanam. This is being brought to you here.

There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãsam’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamigal.

Sri Swamigal,

" So, just as having a 'rasa kulligai' in the hand, the devotees ('Bhakthãs') hold Krishna in their fists! Since Ãndãl holds Krishna Himself in her fist is there any want for her? Therefore, the month that she chooses is the most auspicious one. So, 'Mãrgazhith thingal' -- the month of Mãrgazhi - 'thingal' means month. Or, 'Mãrgazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanãllãl' - this Mãrgazhi month: everyone knows that Mãrgazhi itself refers only to Mãrgazhi month. So, here the usage of the term 'thingal' could have been to mean Monday (in Tamizh 'thingal' carries the dual meaning of 'Month' and 'Monday'). 'madhinirainda nannãllãl' - The Swamy says it is full moon ('Poornima') The moon is full. - ('madhi'-moon; 'nirainda'-full) so, 'madhinirainda nanãllãl'. In another place he says, 'Today it has struck you to perform a good act, take a vow of worship for the attainment of God. So, only today you have a good buddhi. -'madhinirainda nanãllãl' - Only today the 'buddhi is full'. Why? You have realised that you should attain Bhagavãn. The thought to take up this vow of worship (‘nonbu’) with a view to attain Bhagavaan has come into you. And how is this 'nonbu'? This is also experiencing Bhagavãn ('Bhagavat anubhavam'). Here it is not performance of religious rites ('Karmanushtãnas'). It is not a difficult path. Since this path is of getting together to speak about Bhagavãn, it is 'madhinirainda nanãllãl' - It is 'suklapaksha' (when the movement of time/ days is towards full moon). 'Suklapaksha' is auspicious for the conduct of any good work. The Swaamy explains that it is full moon (‘Poornima’). The ‘nonbu’ has been taken up in the month of Mãrgazhi on a Monday and whence it is full moon. He does not mention the Star of the day because in each month one knows the star that falls on full moon. When one says Chithra poornima it is the star Chithra on that day. When one speaks of (the month) Vaikasi poornima everyone knows that it is Visãkha star. On Ãdi poornima the star is Pooram. Similarly, on Purattãsi poornima the star is Shravanam. The star is Poosam in Thai poornima. And Mãrgazhi poornima it is Thiruvãdhirai. - 'Mãrgazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanãllãl'.

Click here for the Thiruppãvai (1) in Tamil

'Neerãdap podhuveer! Podumino, nerizhaiyeer!' - The swamy says, 'neerãdap podhuveer' - this is a festival ('utsav') of bath ('neerãdal'). So Ãndãl calls out, "Come, let us all have a bath together." What is the need for inviting everyone? As soon as Bhagavãn incarnated in Gokulam, as soon as Krishna was born in Gokulam, all the Gopis, "Chitrãmbarah pathi shikhãchutamãlyavarshãh Nandãlayam savalayã vrajateervirejurvyãlolakundalapayodharahãrashobhãh " Sukhãchãriar describes how the Gopis rushed to see Krishna. 'chitrãmbarãh' --The gopis wore new colourful clothing; 'mãlya varsha' -- while they rushed the flowers on their heads fall down on the ground - 'mãlya varsha'. 'Nandãlayam' they all run to Nanda's palace. As they rush they bump into each other and fall down 'Oduvãr, vizhuvãr, ugandu ãllipãr', says the Swamy. They bump into each other and fall down. They then get up and hug each other and together rush into Nanda's palace. This was the state of the Gopis! They had never been separated from Krishna since his birth and Krishna plays innumerable 'lilãs' (Divine sport) with them, viz. 'Navaneetha chora Lilã' and after growing up 'dãna Lilã'. 'Dãna lilã' means, these gopis used to go around selling butter, curd, milk, etc. While they were on their selling rounds, Krishna would block their way at some point and snatch and eat the butter, curd, milk, etc. This is one type of lilã. Bhagavãn plays this kind of a lilã also. This is found in Bhãgavatam. This is known as 'dãna lilã'. Thus, when the gopis go about selling milk, butter, curd, etc. Krishna snatches their pots and empties them. He then sends them home with the empty pots. The little gopis used to report all these to their parents. "Ma! Krishna touched me, spoke to me". The parents are at a loss to know whether Krishna had snatched away the milk, butter and curd or these young girls had given it to him voluntarily! Sukhãchãrya; ugandu ãlippãr; Sukãchãriar thus describes these 'Rasa roopamãna lilãs' (Divine amorous sport) of the Lord. As Krishna grows up all the elders in the Kingdom advise the young girls, "All these days all of you were friendly with Krishna, speaking and playing with him. Krishna was but a child then and so were you all. But now Krishna has grown up and so have all of you. Henceforth all of you should not mingle with him as freely as you had been. You should not see or speak to him." But the young gopis cannot abstain themselves from seeing Krishna. They desire to speak to Krishna, see Krishna and play with Krishna. But, since the grandmothers and other elders at home had forbidden them from meeting Krishna, these young ones are restless; this 'vow' ('nonbu') to perform worship becomes a pretext (to meet Krishna). They meet Chãndilya Maharishi and tell him of the 'nonbu'. Will anyone accept if they spoke the truth that they had taken up this vow for attaining Krishna? So they all got together and arrived at a decision. And what was this decision? 'There have been no rains in the Kingdom. Something has to be done to bring rains. So all of us have taken up the performance of this vow of worship!'

It was Chãndilya Maharishi who was the Guru of Nandababa. So, the gopis met Chãndilya Maharishi and informed him of the 'nonbu'. He knew their real feelings! The Maharishi knew what was the real reason behind their taking up the vow. So, the Maharishi tells Nandababa, "The young ones have taken up the vow to perform worship and because of this the whole Kingdom will prosper. So, let them take up this vow!" Since the Maharishi had opined thus, Nandababa was very happy.

'Mãrgazhi thingal madhinirainda nanãllãl
neerãdap poduveer! Podhumino, nerizhaiyeer!'

- Where were they going to perform this worship? Bathing in the Yamuna, they were going to perform this worship on the banks of the Yamuna. 'Neerãdap poduveer' - here what was 'neerãttam' (bath)? It was 'Krishna 'rathi' (the company of Krishna). They were going to bathe in Krishna 'rathi'. In this Krishna 'rathi' they were going to have the 'neerãttam' (bath).

'Neerãdap poduveer! Podumino, nerizhaiyeer! seermalgum ãipãdich chelvach chirumeergãl!'

The Swamy says, 'Seermalgum ãipãdich' . What is the great occasion? Here, when Lakshmi was born off the Divine Ocean (‘Pãrkadal’) she brought along innumerable gifts. When a girl is married off, gifts (‘sreedhanam’) such as jewels and many other things are sent along with her. What gifts did Mahalakshmi bring along when she came from the Divine Ocean? 'Kalpaka vruksha' (the divine tree of bounty), 'Pãrijãtha' flower, 'Airãvata’ (elephant) all these came along with Mahalakshmi. All these accompanied her as her parental gifts. So, all these gifts would be with the one with whom Mahalakshmi resides. With just one Mahalakshmi, treasures such as 'Kalpaka vruksha', ‘Airãvata’ (elephant); ‘amrutha’ (ambrosia); How is this kingdom (‘ãipãdi’) of the shepherds? It is said that Lakshmi resided in each and every home! Each gopi was a Lakshmi! Therefore, the Swamy says, 'Seermalgum ãipãdi'. If each and every house had Lakshmi ('Grihe' 'Grihe' Lakshmi) could anyone describe the wealth of that house? Then, could anyone describe the prosperity of the whole Kingdom? 'Seermalgum ãipãdich chelvach chirumeergãl' - Here he says, 'Chelvach chirumeergãl' - having said 'Seermalgum' (overflowing with wealth) why call them Chelvach chirumeergãl (wealthy girls)? What was the wealth ('selvam') that they possessed? They were in possession of the wealth of steadfast Krishna bhakti!! - 'Chelvach chirumeergãl' -- "“It is only all of you who are really wealthy. Why so? Because, all of you possess Krishna bhakti! Don’t you?” ---- 'Chelvach chirumeergãl'

'Koorvel kodunthozhilan nandago pankumaran' --- it is said, 'Koorvel kodunthozhilan'. It seems he (Nandababa's son Krishna) is holding a spear in his hand. And what purpose did it serve? He (Krishna) used to graze the cattle. Brindavan is a forest, is it not? Many wild animals lived in this Brindavan. To protect the cattle from the attack of the wild animals he holds a spear in his hand. 'Koorvel kodunthozhilan nandagopan' - What incidents have been taking place ever since Krishna's birth? Nandababa sits beside Krishna holding the spear. What was the reason? Putãna attacked Krishna, Trinãvartha attacked him, Sakatãsura attacked him and many such asuras attacked him. Seeing such dangers, one after another, Nandababa developed fear (for Krishna's safety). He had no heart to be separated from Krishna even for a moment: making Krishna sit beside him, holding a spear in his hand he waits to prick even a mosquito that might trouble Krishna! 'Koorvel kodunthozhilan nandago pankumaran' - Why not address as Nandagopar? But here he is being referred to as Nandagopan. (In Tamizh the sound 'r' denotes respect and 'n' used for one who is younger or a friend) He is so unassuming. Easy to approach and mingle with. On seeing Nandababa on the streets even a young gopi would only say "Hey! see Nandagopan is going" and not as Nandagopar because he was so unassuming and easy to mix with. - 'Nandagopan kumaran'!

'Errarndha kanni Yasodai illanjchingam' --- Yasoda was heavy. So she had big eyes. But here, 'Errarndha kanni' -- how are her eyes? Very big! What was the reason for them being so big? Seeing the innumerable wonderful feats of Krishna ever since he was born, viz. someone like Putãna comes to kill him and how does she come? Dressed delightfully! What do the gopis tell each other when they see Putãna ? 'She is verily Mahalakshmi who has come.' This is how Putana comes. Once Bhagavãn has sucked the life out of her, how does one find her? She has fallen down like a huge mountain! Well! Putana is gone. But what happens? Her attack is followed by the attack of asura Trinãvarta, then Sakatãsura. Even since Bhagavãn was born - well! He was tied to the stone grinder and He freed Nalakubara and Manigriva of their curse. Yasoda's eyes have thus become so big due to repeatedly seeing Krishna perform such wonderful feats one after another right from his birth.

'Errandha kanni Yasodhai illanjchingam' - 'illanjchingam' - Well! it seems after having destroyed an asura like Putãna, Krishna will not give the glance of pride to Yasodha, 'See! What a great feat I have accomplished!' He killed Sakatãsura, killed Trinãvarta, lifted the mountain and danced on the poisonous snake Kãliya. Having accomplished such wonderful feats Bhagavãn will not go up to his parents with pride. But what will he do? The mother (Yasodha) would have kept butter in some pot. He would eat it up without anyone's knowledge and give the mother a glance as if he had accomplished a great feat! He feels only this as a great feat and not the lifting of Govardhana mountain or the destruction of Putãna ! So, 'Errandha kanni yasodai illanjchingam!'

'Kãrmenich chegann kadhirmadhiyam polmugathhãn'. ---- 'Kãrmenich chengann' - Krishna is dark. How dark is he? The Ãzhwãr explains, " the gopis used to go to the shop to buy turmeric. It is called 'pathu manjal'. To test its quality one should rub it on some surface. Before going to the shop they would go to Nanadababa's palace and call out to Krishna, "Krishna come with us". They would take him along with them to the shop. They would instruct Krishna to bend and would rub the turmeric on his back to test the quality! If they could make out the turmeric colour on the dark body it confirmed its superior quality! - 'Kãrmenich chengann' - he was that dark!

---- 'kadhirmadhium polmugathãn'--- How are his eyes? Was one eye like the Sun and the other like the Moon? No, no. His one eye itself held the Sun and the Moon in it!

---- 'kãrmenich chengann kadhirmadhium polmugathãn' - In what way was he 'kadhirmadhium'? If Putãna comes the eyes blaze like the Sun and when the gopis come they are cool like the Moon! So, 'kadhirmadhium polmugathãn'.

'Nãrãyanane namakke paraitharuvãn' - This Nãrãyana is one who could bestow us with Sri Vaikuntam. One who can bestow us with Sri Vainkuntam means that He can bestow us with everything including Sri Vaikuntam. One who can fulfill all our desires - 'parai tharuvãn' - So, let us all get together today and sing His praises- 'Nãrãyanane namakke paraithaurvãn' - Let us all get together to sing His praises. --- 'Pãror pugazhap padinthelo rembãvãi' - "The whole world is going to compliment us. In what way would the people praise us? 'These young girls have taken up the vow of worship for bringing the rains. These girls have taken up such good work.' This is what the people would say. The Mahãns of the later ages would say, 'Look at the way the gopis have enjoyed Krishna. They have been so devoted to Krishna.' Thus all of us will be showered with glory." -'Pãror pugazhap padindhelo rembãvãi' "

"GOPIKÃ JEEVANASMARANAM
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!"

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NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

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