Summary
periAzhwAr narrates in the following verses the fate of thosewho are not devotees of the Lord and as a consequence the insults,
pains and suffering that they would undergo at the time of their death.
Finally they would also suffer the dreaded punishment at the hands
of Yama and his agents. On the other hand, AzhwAr assures
those who faithully worship Lord nArAyaNA, that these sufferings
will not be there and they would certainly attain
Vaikuntam and serve the Lord for ever.
(1)
aasaivaay senRa sindhaiyaraahi* annai aththan enpuththirar boomi*
vaasavaar kuzhalaaL enRu mayangi* maaLum ellaik kaNvaay thiRavaadhE*
kEsavaa! purushOththamaa! enRum* kEzhalaakiya kEdilee! enRum*
pEsuvaaravar eydhum perumai* pEsuvaan pugil nam paramanRE
Purport
Thoughts deeply attached to one's mother, father, son, land and dearwife with scented hair; one faints with eyes/mouth shut as death's near.
kEsavaa! purushOththamaa! Oh, who took avatar as a faultless Boar!
thus His devotees utter His names & worship; none can praise them more!
(2)
seeyinaal seRindhERiya puNmEl* seRRalERik kuzhambirundhu* engum
eeyinaal arippuNdu mayangi* ellai vaay senRu sErvadhan munnam*
vaayinaal namO naaraNaa venRu* maththagath thidaik kaigaLaik kooppi*
pOyinaal pinnai iththisaikku enRum* piNaik kodukkilum pOgavottaarE.
Purport
wounds spread over, emitting puss; ants & flies creeping on them;causing itching, as the body lay dying; before that state can come;
if one can say 'namO nArAyaNA' with folded hands raised above head;
He goes to vaikuntam for sure & never again returns to this mortal shed.
(3)
sOrvinaal poruL vaiththa dhuNdaagil* sollu sollenRu suRRum irundhu*
aarvinavilum vaay thiRavaadhE*andha kaalam adaivadhan munnam*
maarvam enbadhOr kOyil amaiththu*maadhavan ennum dheyvaththai naatti*
aarvam enbadhOr poovida vallaarkku*aravathaNdaththil uyyalumaamE
Purport
Relatives surround one who's weak, dying and voice choking;asking "where are your assets?". Before final days come knocking
if one can worship making his heart a temple, mAdhavA its God,
and his love as flower, can escape punishment from yama's squad.
(4)
mEl ezhundhadhOr vaayuk kiLarndhu* mEl midaRRinai uLLezha vaangi*
kaalum kaiyum vidhir vidhirththERik*kaNNuRakkam adhaavadhan munnam*
moolamaagiya oRRai yezhuththai*moonRu maaththirai uLLezha vaangi*
vElai vaNNanai mEvudhiraagil*viNNagaththinil mEvalumaamE.
Purport
Breathing heavily, the heart sinks; the legs and hands tremble;eyes draw-in and finally close; one who chants before the body crumble;
the single syllable mantra OM 3 seconds while inwardly drawing the air**;
& meditate on the ocean-hued Lord, will attain paramapada* without a scare.
*highest abode/Vaikunta
**it's just figurative. The real technique has to be learned only from
a guru/acharya.
**it's just figurative. The real technique has to be learned only from
a guru/acharya.
(5)
madi vazhi vandhu neer pulan sOra vaayil attiya kanjiyum meeNdE*
kadai vazhi vaarak kaNdamadaippa* kaNNuRakkam adhaavadhan munnam*
thodai vazhi ummai naaygaL kavaraa*soolaththaal ummaip paayvadhum seyyaar*
idaivazhiyil neer kooRaiyum izhaveer*irudeekEsan enREththa valleerE.
Purport
Peeing involuntarily; porridge which is fed into the mouth comes outfrom the side. Before the long sleep takes over, if only you've a clout
with hrusheekEsA and worship Him, *dogs won't go after your thighs;
*men won't pierce you with spear; don't lose your dress on the way, be wise!
*all these cruel treatments meted out as punishment by yamA and his
agents can be avoided if one surrenders to the Lord.
agents can be avoided if one surrenders to the Lord.
(6)
angam vittavai aindhum agaRRi*aavi mookkinil sOdhiththa pinnai*
sangam vittavar kaiyai maRiththu*paiyavE thalai saayppadhan munnam*
vangam vittulavum kadaRpaLLi maayanai*madhusoodhananai maarbil
thanga vittu vaiththu* aavadhOr karumam saadhippaarkku* enRum saadhikkalaamE.
h4>Purportonce the 5-praNAs* depart the body, relatives check the nose
to confirm if the breath has stopped; not speaking, just shows
hand, put head down & cry; Before this happens, keep the dark hued
Lord in the heart,to serve Him always in His presence with gratitude.
*prANa, apAna, vyAna, uThAna, samAna
(7)
thennavan thamar seppamilaadhaar*sEvadhakkuvaar pOlap pugundhu*
pinnum vankayiRRaal piNiththeRRi*pin munnaaga izhuppadhan munnam*
innavan inaiyaan enRu solli*eNNi uLLaththu iruLaRa nOkki*
mannavan madhusoodhana enbaar*vaanagaththu manRaadigaL thaamE.
Purport
When yamA's agents arrive, they neither show compassion nor pity;tie men with rope like oxes; drag them & take them to their city*;
But talking about His names & His pastimes, dispelling darkness of mind;
one goes to vaikuntam & vie with the residents to serve the Lord in-kind.
*yama loka
(8)
koodik koodi uRRaargaL irundhu* kuRRam niRka naRRangaL paRaindhu*
paadippaadi Or paadaiyil ittu*narippadaikku oru paagudam pOlE*
kOdimoodi eduppadhan munnam*kowththuvamudaik gOvindhanOdu*
koodiyaadiya uLLaththaraanaal* kuRippidam kadandhu uyyalumaamE
Purport
when one dies, his kin gather to praise his good deeds;suppressing bad ones, many sing and dance; then proceeds
with body covered in cloth, like food to the foxes. Ahead of this,
if govindA had been praised & sung,one can give yamA's place a miss.
(9)
vaayoru pakkam vaangi valippa*vaarndha neerk kuzhik kaNkaL mizhaRRa*
thaay oru pakkam thandhai oru pakkam*thaaramum oru pakkam alaRRa*
thee Oru pakkam sErvadhan munnam* sengaNmaalodum sikkena suRRa
maay* oru pakkam niRka vallaarkku*aravathaNdaththil uyyalumaamE.
Purport
As death nears, mouth pulls aside, eyes dig in & roll;father, mother and wife scream for the departed soul;
Before the pyre is lit, if one looks upon red eyed Lord as kin;
there's no need to be afraid of punishment from yamA for sin.
(10)
seththup pOvadhOr pOdhu ninaindhu*seyyum seygaigaL dhEva piraanmEl*
paththaraayiRandhaar peRum pERRai*paazhith thOL vishNu chiththan puththoorkkOn*
siththam nan korungith thirumaalai*seydha maalai ivai paththum vallaar*
siththam nan korungith thirumaal mEl*senRa sindhai peRuvar thaamE.
Purport
Death brings agony to non-devotees and blessing to Lord's devotees;recalling thus, mighty Vishnu-chittan of Srivilliputtur compose these;
A garland of ten pAsurams focussing on thirumaal with devotion;
reciting these, one's mind will also get fixed on Lord with elation.