திருப்பாவை - 4 (ஆழி மழைக்கண்ணா)

ஆழி மழைக்கண்ணா! ஒன்று நீ கைகரவேல்
ஆழியுள் புக்கு முகந்துகொ டார்த்தேறி,
ஊழி முதல்வன் உருவம்போல் மெய்கறுத்து
பாழியந் தோளுடைப் பற்பநா பன்கையில்
ஆழிபோல் மின்னி, வலம்புரிபோல் நின்றதிர்ந்து,
தாழாதே சார்ங்கம் உதைத்த சரமழைபோல்
வாழ உலகினில் பெய்திடாய், நாங்களும்
மார்கழி நீராட மகிழ்ந்தேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.



Explanation
Oh Lord (KaNNaa) of rain (mazhai) and oceans (aazhi), please do not
discontinue (kai karavEl), any thing (OnRu). Diving (pukku) into (uL) the
ocean (aazhi); fetching the water (mugandhu kodu), causing thunder (aarthu);
going up to the sky (ERi); darkening (kaRuththu) your body (mey) like (pOl)
the form (uruvam) (uruvam) of the prime Lord (mudhalvan) of the universe
(oozhi); standing (ninRu) and roaring (adhirndhu) like (pOl) the shining
(minni) conch (valamburi) and the chakram (aazhi) of Lord Padhmanabha
(paRpanaaban) with broad (paazhi) and beautiful (am) shoulders (thOl);
please do cause it rain (peydhidaay), like a torrential rain (sara mazhai)
like (pOl) shooting (udhaiththa) with the divine bow (saarngam), without
delay (thaazhaadhE); so that we (naangal) may live (vaazhndhida). Let us
enjoy (magizhndhElor) the maargazhi nonbu (maargazhi neeraada).

Purport
O Lord Varuna (God of Rains), please do not hold back your gift of rains. For the sake of the prosperity of the world and for our sake so that we can gleefully bathe in the river during this scared month, plunge into the sea, gather as much water as there is, make thunder, and rise into the sky in the form of a cloud mass which would resemble, in its black color, the body of our primordial Lord (Vishnu). May you then pour down your bountiful showers! You will then become resplendent with lightning like the discus held by Lord Padmanabha. Your thunderous roar would reverberate like the couch called Panchajanya held by our Lord in his left hand. May you bring forth rains in abundance without a pause in the manner of the flow of arrows from the bow of Sri Rama called Sarngam!

More Insight
The Presiding Deity of Rain was keenly observing the happenings in this world. He saw his master Sriman Narayana serving all the gopis. So he thought that taking orders from the gopis and carrying out their commands was the best and easiest means of pleasing his master. So approaching Andal who was in the guise of a gopi he requests her to command him; and she does so in a detailed manner in this verse.

The inner significance is as follows: Just as the heir apparent to the throne is always feared and respected by all ministers and officers so are the Sri Vaishnavas by inferior gods. Hence When a Sri Vaishnava worships other deities like Indra, Rudra Varuna etc, he is doing something inappropriate as well as ridiculous. It will only cause his downfall and ruin his chance of getting salvation. So Beware!

So here the Rain God who has come to hear her command is told, "Go to the middle region of the sea, drink the entire water leaving not a drop, and then pour it out in its entirety without discriminating between the places where the good and bad live. The rain, which resembles the arrows shot by Sri Rama to shatter the demons to pieces, should instead bring forth happiness and prosperity to the entire land."

A Sri Vaishnava is one who always thinks of everything good for everyone in this world.