Śrī Āṇḍāḷ Tiruppāvai
Pasuram 05
Māyanai · mannu vaḍa-madurai · maindanai ||
Tūya peru-nīr · Yamunait turai-vanai ||
Āyar kulattinil · tōnrum aṇi viḷakkai ||
Tāyaik kuḍal viḷakkam · seydha Dāmodaranai ||
Tūyōmāy vandu nām · tū-malar tūvittu toḻudu ||
Vāyināl pāḍi · manattināl sindhikka ||
Pōya piḷaiyum · pukutaruvān ninranavum ||
Tīyinil tūṣāgum · seppēlōr empāvāy ||
Symbolic Meaning Explanation
· = Word pause (subtle pause) | || = Full line pause
Word - Word Meaning
Māyanai : the wondrous one who performs divine acts; mannu vaḍa-madurai maindanai : the son born in the enduring northern Mathura; tūya peru-nīr Yamunait turai-vanai : the one who dwells on the banks of the pure and mighty Yamuna; āyar kulattinil tōnrum aṇi viḷakkai : the beautiful lamp that shines forth in the cowherd clan; tāyaik kuḍal viḷakkam seydha Dāmodaranai : Damodara who brought radiance to his mother’s womb; tūyōmāy vandu nām : we, having come in purity; tū-malar tūvittu toḻudu : offering pure flowers and bowing in reverence; vāyināl pāḍi : singing with the mouth; manattināl sindhikka : contemplating with the mind; pōya piḷaiyum pukutaruvān ninranavum : the one who removes past faults and grants grace; tīyinil tūṣāgum seppēlōr empāvāy : saying that good results will surely come, O Pāvai.
Meaning (Simple English Explanation)
In this verse, the young devotees remember the Lord as one who is close, gentle, and full of loving play. They think of him as the child who lived among simple people, played by the river, and was bound by his mother’s affection. By recalling him in this intimate way, their hearts feel warmth rather than fear, and closeness rather than distance.
They believe that when they come with clean intent, offer flowers, sing with their voices, and hold him in their minds, their past mistakes slowly lose their hold. The verse carries the feeling that sincere remembrance itself purifies life, and that goodness flows naturally when devotion is simple and wholehearted.
Important English Language Notes
In this verse, Māyanai : functions as an evocative descriptor highlighting wonder and intimacy rather than mystery; mannu vaḍa-madurai : uses permanence to suggest enduring sacred presence; tūya peru-nīr : intensifies purity through paired adjectives; Yamunait turai-vanai : expresses location through relational dwelling rather than ownership; āyar kulattinil tōnrum : emphasizes emergence within a community, not separation from it; aṇi viḷakkai : operates as a visual metaphor of guidance and beauty; tāyaik kuḍal viḷakkam seydha : conveys maternal affection through imagery of inner radiance; vāyināl pāḍi – manattināl sindhikka : forms a balanced verbal structure uniting speech and thought; seppēlōr empāvāy : serves as a gentle invitational closure addressed to the collective listener.
Śrī Vaiṣṇava Traditional Commentary
In this verse Āṇḍāḷ gently reveals the path of surrender shaped by affection rather than fear. The Lord who performs wondrous deeds chooses to appear among simple cowherds and allows himself to be bound by a mother’s love, showing that supreme greatness willingly comes under the control of devotion. Remembering such nearness awakens trust in the heart and removes the sense of distance between the soul and the Lord. When speech is used in praise and the mind rests steadily on him, past faults lose their power without effort. The teachers of the tradition see here a quiet assurance that loving dependence alone draws divine grace, and that this grace becomes the true means and the true fruit for the soul.
Essence of the Meaning in Prose Form
This verse flows with a feeling of closeness and trust toward the divine, showing that devotion grows most naturally through warmth and familiarity rather than distance or fear. By remembering the Lord as one who lived among ordinary people and accepted loving bonds, the heart learns to approach him without hesitation. When thought, speech, and intention move together in this gentle remembrance, inner burdens begin to loosen, and a quiet confidence arises that goodness will unfold through grace rather than strain.
Daily Self-Reflection (Optional)
Today I can notice how naturally my thoughts turn toward the divine in simple moments. I may reflect on whether my words, actions, and inner intentions feel aligned or scattered. Instead of dwelling on past mistakes, I can gently observe if I am moving forward with a lighter heart. As the day ends, I can sense where quiet trust is beginning to take root within me.