Śrī Āṇḍāḷ Tiruppāvai
Pasuram 03
Ongi ulagalandha uttaman · pēr pādi ||
Nāṅgaḷ nam pāvaikku · chātri · nīrāḍināl ||
Tīṅgin ṟi nādellām · tiṅgaḷ mummāri peydhu ||
Ongu peru sennel · ūḍu · kayal ugaḷ ||
Pūṅguvalai pōdhil · poṟivaṇḍu kanbaḍuppa ||
Tēṅgādē pukkirundhu · sīrtta · mulai patri ||
Vāṅga kuḍam niṟaikkum · vaṇṇa · paśuvām ||
Niṅgāda selvam · niṟaindēlōr · empāvāy ||
Symbolic Meaning Explanation
· = Word pause (subtle pause) | || = Full line pause
Word - Word Meaning
Ongi : rising high, flourishing; ulagalanda : who measured and encompassed the worlds; uttaman : the Supreme, the Perfect One; pēr pādi : singing His divine name and qualities; nāṅgaḷ : we; nam pāvaikku : for our Pāvai observance; chātri : having duly undertaken the vow; nīrāḍināl : if we bathe in ritual purity; tīṅgin ṟi : without any evil or misfortune; nādellām : throughout the land; tiṅgaḷ mummāri : timely and orderly threefold rains; peydhu : pouring down; ongu peru sennel : tall and abundant paddy crops; ūḍu kayal ugaḷ : fish freely sporting in the canals; pūṅguvalai pōdhil : in flower-filled groves; poṟivaṇḍu kanbaḍuppa : bees swarming and humming; tēṅgādē pukkirundhu : entering without fear or hindrance; sīrtta mulai patri : clinging to well-filled udders; vāṅga kuḍam niṟaikkum : filling the milk-pots to the brim; vaṇṇa paśuvām : beautiful, healthy cows; niṅgāda selvam : unfailing, enduring prosperity; niṟaindēlōr empāvāy : thus may all be fulfilled—O companions, join the Pāvai vow.
Meaning (Simple English Explanation)
If we sing the divine name of the Supreme Lord who once measured and encompassed all the worlds, and if we sincerely observe the Pāvai vow with inner purity, then goodness will prevail everywhere. Timely rains will fall across the land, crops will grow tall and plentiful, waterways will be full of life, and nature will flourish in beauty. Cows will live without fear and give abundant milk, filling every vessel. In this way, lasting prosperity and well-being will settle in society. Through this pāsuram, Āṇḍāḷ teaches that heartfelt devotion to the Lord does not benefit the devotee alone—it brings harmony, abundance, and balance to the entire world, and therefore invites everyone to join in this sacred observance.
Important English Language Notes
Ongi : conveys not merely physical height but flourishing, expansive growth, suggesting both material abundance and moral elevation; ulagalanda : “the One who measured the worlds,” a compact verbal form evoking the Vāmana–Trivikrama act and establishing divine sovereignty through action; uttaman : not simply “good” or “excellent,” but the Perfect and Supreme Being, complete in all qualities; pēr pādi : indicates continuous singing of the Lord’s name and attributes, emphasizing living devotion rather than a single act of praise; nīrāḍināl : carries a conditional sense (“if we bathe/observe”), implying that the promised results depend upon disciplined inner purity; tiṅgaḷ mummāri : an idiomatic expression for orderly, seasonal rainfall, highlighting balance rather than excess; ongu peru sennel : imagery of tall, dense paddy crops reinforcing the idea of stable agricultural prosperity; kayaḷ ugaḷ : fish moving freely in waterways, symbolizing ecological health and abundance; poṟivaṇḍu kanbaḍuppa : bees swarming in flower-filled groves, a poetic marker of natural harmony; tēṅgādē pukkirundhu : “entering without fear,” linguistically signaling social safety and trust; vāṅga kuḍam niṟaikkum : vessels filled to the brim, an idiom for surplus rather than mere sufficiency; niṅgāda selvam : prosperity that does not diminish, stressing continuity and stability; empāvāy : a soft collective address that transforms the verse into an inclusive invitation rather than a private aspiration.
Śrī Vaiṣṇava Traditional Commentary
In this pāsuram, Āṇḍāḷ presents devotion not as a private spiritual exercise but as a force that sustains and harmonizes the entire world. By opening with “Ongi ulagalandha uttaman”, she recalls the Vāmana–Trivikrama act, firmly establishing the Lord as the sovereign of all realms. In the Śrī Vaiṣṇava understanding, remembrance of the Lord’s supreme ownership is essential before any vow or practice can bear fruit. The emphasis on singing the divine name highlights nāma-saṅkīrtana as a purifying discipline that precedes and empowers all external observances.
The conditional tone of the verse makes it clear that the fruits described—timely rains, flourishing crops, abundant cattle, and social security—are not rewards for ritual alone, but manifestations of divine grace responding to sincere inner purity. These images are not presented as ends in themselves; rather, they signify a world aligned with dharma, where the presence of the Lord is tangibly felt in everyday life. Cows entering homes without fear and vessels overflowing with milk symbolise a society rooted in trust, compassion, and natural order.
From a Śrī Vaiṣṇava perspective, “niṅgāda selvam” points beyond material wealth to enduring well-being sustained by the Lord’s grace. The closing call “empāvāy” transforms the pāsuram into a communal invitation, affirming that bhakti is inherently collective. True devotion, as Āṇḍāḷ teaches here, purifies the individual, stabilizes society, and ultimately draws all beings toward the protective refuge of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa.
Essence of the Meaning in Prose Form
The life of devotion begins with remembrance of the Lord through His divine name. When the heart is purified by such sincere devotion and disciplined observance, its effect is not limited to the individual alone. Divine grace naturally flows outward, bringing balance, harmony, and abundance to the world. Orderly seasons, flourishing nature, and fearlessness in daily life are signs of a society aligned with dharma. True prosperity is not excess wealth, but enduring well-being sustained by the presence of the Lord. Through this pāsuram, Āṇḍāḷ teaches that when devotion becomes the foundation of life, both the inner world of the devotee and the outer world of creation are gently transformed.
Daily Self-Reflection (Optional)
Today, pause and reflect on whether your devotion remains only a private practice or whether it quietly shapes the world around you. Consider how inner purity, discipline, and remembrance of the Lord influence your speech, actions, and relationships. Ask yourself if your daily choices contribute to harmony, trust, and well-being in your immediate environment. Pasuram 03 reminds us that when devotion is sincere and steady, its fruits naturally extend beyond the self, nurturing balance and peace in the larger world.