004. மூன்று முப்பதாறினோடு (Medley of Threes)

மூன்றுமுப்ப தாறினோடொ ரைந்துமைந்து மைந்துமாய்

மூன்றுமூர்த்தி யாகிமூன்று மூன்றுமூன்று மூன்றுமாய்

தோன்றுசோதி மூன்றுமாய்த் துளக்கமில் விளக்கமாய்

ஏன்றெனாவி யுள்புகுந்த தென்கொலோவெம் மீசனே

பதம் பிரித்தது:

மூன்று முப்பது ஆறினோடு ஓர் ஐந்தும் ஐந்தும் ஐந்துமாய்
மூன்று மூர்த்தி ஆகி மூன்று, மூன்றுமூன்று மூன்றுமாய்

தோன்று சோதி மூன்றுமாய்த் துளக்கமில் விளக்கமாய்

ஏன்றென் ஆவியுள் புகுந்தது என்கொலோ எம் ஈசனே

Transliteration:

moondu muppth aarinodor ainthu mainthu mainthumaay
moondru moorthiyaagi moondu moondru moondrumaay
thOndru soothi moondrumaayth thuLakkamil viLakkamaay
Endre naaviyuL puguntha thenkolO vemmeesanE!

Translation:

A threesome and a score of trios enjoined by a triplet of penta – thou become!
Thou manifest as the Triad and as a quartet of trios,
and even as the triple spring lights or as the steady lamp.
How great! Thou entered my spirit!! O My Lord.

Explanation:

In view of the complicated medley of Digits given in this verse, I present the interpretations given by great teachers (vyakhyanakarthas) of the past:

Threesome (3) + a score of trios (12 * 3) + triplet of penta (5 *3 ) gives a total of 3+36+15=54. This number represents the 54 alphabets of Sanskrit Language which consists of 33 consonants 16 vowels and 5 special letters (which do not belong to the other categories).
Azhwar, who talked about the Lord as one who is the material cause of this world and cannot be understood except through ‘vedantha’ the later part of the vedas in the first verse, answered the question as to how the devotees can attain him, in the second verse, enumerating the organs, actions and devotions needed to achieve that and implied that even these are also controlled only by the Lord.
Therefore, in the third verse, he implicitly explained that the Lord is so mysterious that even the above stated actions and devotions cannot on their own effort reveal the Lord unless the Lord himself wills to reveal himself to the devotee on account of his unconditional grace. (யாவர் காண வல்லரே?)
In this verse, Azhwar, states that the Lord has entered into his spirit and wonders how and why he has done so when he did not worship him through the Vedas which are made up of alphabets, which only manifest him. (ஏன்றென் ஆவியுள் புகுந்தது என்கொலோ) This explains why the number 54 is brought forth here – this represents the alphabets which in turn culminate in the vedas, which manifest the Lord.
The Triad (மூன்று மூர்த்தி) represents the three categories of the Alphabets – Consonants, Vowels and the Special Letters. The quartet of trios (4 *3=12) – (மூன்றுமூன்றுமூன்று மூன்றுமாய்) twelve alphabets are the Sanskrit alphabets that compose the Thirumandhiram – “Om Namo Narayanayah’ – which is revered to represent the Lord.
The triple Spring (தோன்று) Lights are the three separate phonemes ‘a’, ‘u’ ‘m’ which together form the pranavam (‘OM’) sound. The steady (துளக்கமில்) Lamp (விளக்கமாய்) is the akshara ‘a’ which is said to represent the Lord himself as the premier alphabet.