by Sri Vanamamalai Padmanabhan

In the preceding pAsuram it was observed that pirAtti was accused of being without mercy. This is a blemish as she is mercy personified. In this pAsuram the blemish of gopikAs is referred to.

The gopikAs approach Lord krishNA at His abode. They do it as per procedure. They go along with srEvaishNavites. They approach the Lord with pirAtti's purushakAram. Then is it not strange that these gopikAs also can have some blemish? Their spotless reputation does not warrant this. However, this question itself is posed by them.

"muppathu mUvar amararku mun chenRu" starts the pAsuram. The ArAyirappadi commentary is replete with meanings in this context. "O Lord, you have gone and helped the dhEvAs. These dhEvas called you and you went. They had desired materialistic benefits. They do not have death(amararku). They have capability to take care of themselves. However, even before they thought of You rescued them. You took to alms for their sake. In our case, we approached You. We are at your doorsteps. We have thought about You. We are not as capable as they are. We do not want any materialsitic benefits. Is this our mistake? thinking about You? Coming to Your doorsteps?"

Here, four pAsuram-s are quoted two from nAchiyAr thrimozhi, one from periya thirumozhi and one from thiru voi mozhi.

periya thirumozhi - 'vun manathAl en ninaindhirundhAi'- 2-7-1. Lord please tell what is in Your mind regarding parakAla nAyaki. The Lord's mind and thinking about us is the ultimate. His thinking about us is more relevant rather than us thinking.

nAchiyAr thirumozhi - 8-2- "sAmathin niRamkoNda thALALan vArthai ennEA". Here, at least the Lord's reply is awaited even if He does not show Himself in person. Here the Lord's message is more valuable is the point to be noted.

nAchiyAr thirumozhi 8-1 "..thennEr pAi vEnkatathu en thirumAlum pOndhAnE". The Lord Has come to thiruvEnKatam. srEvaishNavites await His visit for rescue like piratti waiting in lAnkA to be rescued by Him. Hence, it is for His benefit. He is taking efforts is the point to be observed here.

thiru voi mozhi "ezhudhum ennum idhu migai" 9-2-9 Even the small effort of adorning Him with flowers and dhEpam-s is considered by the Lord as lot of efforts_idhu migai.

Thus from the above four pAsuram-s the emerging point is that it is His mind, His approach, His actions towards us which is valuable rather than we approaching Him. We srEvaishNavites are supposed to be passive with the conviction that He will come and rescue us and the benefit of salavation is for Him (chEthana lAbhan Eswaranukku). Hence, the gopikAs have doubt in their minds whether approaching Him at his doorsteps is a blemsih.