Krishna embraces his mother

என் புறம் புல்குவான் - The Frontal Embrace and The Hug from the Back

Periyazhvar ends the first canto of his Pillai Tamil Composition with a mother's longing for the loving hug from her child. 

Even the urination of the child is a thing of beauty!!!!

In the final two decads of the first canto, Periyazhvar brings to us the mother’s yearnings for a hug from her little one whom she loves so dearly. In the penultimate decad, she experiences his frontal embrace while in the last decad, she enjoys his special hug from behind. Through these last 20 verses, Periyazhvar also encapsulates his description from the earlier decads in the first canto reviving our memories of the young child’s early days and his activities during the first few months.

She asks the handsome one who has a golden girdle and a jewel on the brow and whose anklets provide for a beautiful music to come in a flash and cling on to her waist like a flash of lightening that strikes after the clouds come together (மின் இயல் மேகம் விரைந்து எதிர் வந்தார் போல் என் இடைக்கு ஓட்டரா அச்சோ அச்சோ).

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Yashodha praises her son as one whose curly locks swarms his red lips just like bees suck nectar from red lotus flowers.

Despite his being tender, he holds conch discus sword mace and bow in his hands. With these qualities she says she is ever eager for his frontal embrace.

Highlights his noble qualities

When the poisonous snake was creating trouble, he went inside the ocean and defeated and stood atop the 5hooded Serpent. And yet later pitying the snake he blessed it.

Straightens the Hunch!!!

He asked for sandal paste to be smeared on his body. When the hunch back maid pasted the most fragrant of sandals on him, he was so happy that he gifted her immediately by straightening her hunch (தேறி அவளும் திரு வுருவம் பூச ஊறிய கூனினை உள்ளே ஒடுங்க அன்று ஏற உருவினாய்).

Periyazhvar describes the royal scene at the court of the Kauravas. King Duryodhana was seated majestically on his crown surrounded by his ministers and feudal kings who seemed like the rays around the blazing sun. When he entered, Duryodhana involuntarily stood up. And then his inherent quality came to the fore and sat down giving a wry ‘almost why did I stand’ kind of look at him. But just his gaze sent scorching waves at Duryodhana.

His answer to Sukracharya

In the Trivikrama Avatara he went to the yagna of Bali and asked for 3pieces of land. When preceptor Sukra, who knew the motives behind these boons, tried to intervene, he pierced his eyes with just a blade of sacred grass.

 (தக்கது இது அன்று என்று தானம் விளக்கிய சுக்கிரன் கண்ணைத் துரும்பால் கிளறிய )

His reply to Namushi

Having provided insights into the ease with which he poked Sukracharya’s eyes, Periyazhvar follows up the story with a description of the Lord’s action against Bali’s son Namushi. Having watched the dwarf suddenly measure a huge step, Namushi came forward and questioned the measurement and suggested that it seemed like a magical trick and that his father had not known of this gigantic size when he agreed on the boon. Namushi instructed him to measure once again in the dwarf’s original form, to which he answered by just throwing him high into the sky (என்ன இது மாயம் என் அப்பன் அறிந்திலன் முன்னைய வண்ணமே கொண்டு அளவாய் என்ன மண்ணு நமுசியை வானில் சுழற்றிய மின்னு முடியனே).

Quells Shiva’s arrogance

His greatness is brought to light through the episode of quelling Shiva’s ego. When Shiva remarked that no one in the entire 7 worlds, universe and ocean was able to fill his skull bowl, the Lord came and filled it instantly (கண்ட கடலும் உலகு ஏழும் முண்டத்துக்கு ஆற்றா முகில் வண்ணா  ஒ என்று இண்டைச் சடை முடி ஈசன் இரக்கொள்ள மண்டை நிறைத்தானே ). 

Once when the 4 Vedas went into oblivion shrinking the world into darkness, he was the one who secured it back and brought light back into the world, by taking the form of a swan.

After thus praising the child’s great achievements, repeatedly Yashodha sought the frontal loving embrace of her child saying she is indeed blessed to have a child like him.

Give me a hug from behind!!!

In the final decad of the first canto, Periyazhvar finds Yashodha even describing her son’s urination as a thing of beauty. She says that the urine trickling down as a lovely sight to watch.

Yashodha describes the ornaments in different parts of his body. With bracelets on his wrists, armlets, bangles, necklace and golden girdle in the waist, how beautiful it is to receive a hug from him from behind.

Periyazhvar, like in the previous decad, highlights the role he played in Mahabaratha war. The unruly Duryodhana and his brothers wanted to hold on to their huge wealth and refused to share it with their cousins the Pandavas. Dhananjaya fell at his feet and sought refuge. And he obliged by driving his chariot to victory.

Periyazhvar looks back at the earlier decads and reminds us of the armlets, bracelets, necklaces worn by him and the sweet music resonating from his perfect anklets. And also as to how his toddling was so enjoyable to everyone. He played around shady trees singing and dancing around. He just wore a bronze leaf around his waist. He had a nice tuff on his head with peacock feathers. He sought alms of just three feet from the great King Bali. And then in the midst of all the kings he measured the entire world stunning the entire audience into silence. He held an umbrella atop him and stood in a unique posture.

As a child of just a few months, he quietly turned the mortar upside down and stood on top of that. He consumed the entire milk and butter kept in slings till his stomach became full and then acted innocent.

With a flute he played melodious tunes standing atop a sand dune delighting the elders. The Vedic seers who listened to this piece of sweet music worshiped him. The celestials congregated in big numbers and enjoyed his presentation (Periyazhvar describes this in an elaborate way in the third canto as to how his flute recital impacted different beings including animals and even non living things).

To test his love for her, his beloved suddenly desired the beautiful Kalpataru tree from Indra’s garden. To please her he went there and in a few moments placed the plant in her bright moon lit garden (கற்பகம் காவு கருதிய காதலிக்கு இப்பொழுது ஈவன் என்று இந்திரன் காவினில் நிற்பன செய்து நிலாத் திகழ் முற்றத்துள் உய்த்தவன்).

The big shouldered Yashodha recounted through these verses her child’s delightful hug from behind.