Thiruppavai paasuram 16 is an important one as it is the stage where the gopis enter the house (temple or Vaikuntham) of Lord Narayana in the form of Krishna to besiege for his darshan and blessings.
Paasuram 16
Naayaganaay ninRa Nandagopan udaiya
Koil kaappaane kodi thhonrum thoraNa
Vaasal kaappaane maNi kaDavam thaaL thiRavaay
Aayar siRumiyomukku arai paRai
Maayan maNi vaNNan nennele vaay neRundaaN
Thooyomaay vandhom thuyiLeda paaduvaan
Vaayaal munnamunNam maatRaadhe amma nee
Nesanilai kadhavam neekkeLor embaavay
Outer, literal meaning of this paasuram
Oh, dear (embaavay) guard of our king Nandagopan's (temple) palace, oh guard at the highly visible flag-staff (the Garuda dhwaja) that is decorated with thoraNams (festoons), please unlock the bejeweled door to let us in.
Lord Krishna, who is full of wondrous deeds and whose complexion is like that of blue sapphire gems, has already promised us to bestow with Parai.
We have come here without sleeping (with a pure heart) to awaken Him with praising songs.
Please don't say no to us immediately, kindly open the door without hesitation listening to our request.
In-depth inner meaning of this paasuram 16 of Thiruppavai
The gopis are the devotees. In order to enter the Lord's Vaikuntham, they have to first cross the doors by appeasing the gate-keepers.
The gate-keepers here refer to the teachers or acharyas who show us the path to moksha. The temple is the abode of Lord Narayana, Vaikuntham. There are two Dwarapalakas (gatekeepers), one who guards the building and the other who guards the entrance to Lord's presence. Here, the guards are the two mantras of moola mantra and dhvaya mantra as revealed by Lord Narayana to Goddess Lakshmi and through her to other Acharyas. So, the devotees should seek the help of these two mantras to possess God's blessings.
Hence, the request is made to the Acharyas to kindly accept us into their presence as disciples without refusing our prayers instantly (as we have come to them with a pure heart) and impart us these two mantras so that we can reach the abode of Lord Narayana who has already promised through his various avatars that he will grant moksha to all those who seek his protection with a pure heart and sincere efforts.
