Base@¥ég s?I«éu@g gxa¿ - ywc@%g

Feigning motherly love, she cradled You in her arms, and snugly entreated You to feed on her surging, radiant breasts. Then, You putting on the child's natural innocence and joy outwardly, but with seething anger inside, pretended to drink milk but sucked her life out.

Azhwar relates demoness Putana's story in this pasuram to illustrate how one would come to grief if he were to approach the Lord with fake devotion. Swami Nammazhwar’s note of warning is germane to recall here.

 

Slunñm     igg8uagrp9arjJi£señsurtfi ( Q-ator. 9-10.)

 

 

Qu(gpwpwx aOu,g|Qox Qu$@p.

Seeing her drop dead thus, and with overflowing concern, the fearless cow-herd queen Yashoda then and there breast-fed You. In comparison to her melting compassion, is the vast expanse of this universe surrounded by oceans that You once scaled, any bigger?

Azhwar mentions this episode again to underscore mother Yashoda's overpowering concern in behalf of her child Krishna, and how she hastened to breast-feed him as an midote to the poison ingested by the child from Putana's breast. Narayana scaled the worlds as Sri Vamana out of his overwhelming protective concern for Indra. This was an extra- ordinary act of'a'sritha va'tsa1aya' and 'nirhetuka krupa' of the Lord for all the beings of the worlds. As the Supreme Master, He did not have to ask anything of Mahabali, but still He did because Bali was His devotee too,though an errant one. Even so, in Azhwar's estimation, all this redemptive grace of the Lord, great as it is,falls just short of Yashoda's love which is afterall human.

 

»xapBwsé uLiu»au.                           10

Oh Protector of everything, as a child You with a mere mck smashed the leviathan rolling cart into smithereens. Accepting the gift of this earth, You, with caressing touch, brought to life this withering universe. Because my thoughts are centred on You, I constantly recite Your name, and my hands gather flowers for You. You must remove the residue of my past impressions.

Azhwar refers to the episode of Sakata'sura' who came to kill child Krishna disguised as a big cart.With a mere push of his leg, the child Krishna smashed the cart into smitheieens. Dwelling on his continuing fascination for Va'manavathara', Azhwar reverts to how the Lord desirous of protecting His devotee Indra who had lost his kingdom

 

to Mahabali, went to Mahabali and asked him for the gift of three paces of land. This He did, because Mahabali was also ms devotee, and deserved a milder form of punishment like a reprimand, while being taught a lesson for the breach of trust he had committed in abrogating to himself all that truly and totally belonged to Narayana. The main purpose was ' a'sritha rakshanam '. In saying ' nnñvifi', ' §f ', ' &', ( 'contemplating', 'reciting His name', 'offering flowers’, Azhwar underlines the total involvement of his body, mind, and spirit.

 

 

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