srI:
srImathE satakOpAya nama:
srImathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srImath varavaramunayE nama:
Full series >> First Centum >> First decad
Note: vaiyadhikaraNyam means two or more aspects having different substratum. For example, a chair may be held by the earth and a flower pot may be held by a table. It also means two or more words which are focussed on explaining different entities.
Introduction for this pAsuram
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction
It is explained that bhagavAn is the object of all worshippable aspects.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
It is explained that everything is sustained by emperumAn.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
Subsequently, emperumAn sustaining everything in the form of protection is explained through vaiyadhikaraNyam (that he is the one who is related to all different entities).
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
Sustenance (of everything) is also under the disposal of bhagavAn through vaiyadhikaraNyam.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
nammAzhwAr says sthithi (sustenance) is also under emperumAn‘s disposal Just like the true nature is (explained in previous pAsuram). A person may control a house. Another person may control a village. Another may control a crowd. Another person (indhra) may control 3 worlds (bhUr, bhUva:, suva:). Another person (brahmA) may control 14 worlds (from brahma lOkam to pAthALa lOkam). Irrespective of the person protecting a house or the 14 worlds, it is because of bhagavAn being the antharAthmA (in-dwelling soul) that they are able to protect and they get protected. Without his presence, no one will have the independant ability to control/protect anything. This is explained in vishNu purANam “nahi pAlanasAmarthyam ruthE sarvEswaram harim” (Other than the supreme lord hari, no one has the (natural) ability to protect others).
As explained in thaiththirIya upanishath “yadhvEdhAdhau svara: prOkthO vEdhAnthE cha prathishtitha:” – whatever is created from bhagavAn during srushti (creation) will settle back into bhagavAn himself during layam (devolution), just like jewels are taken out of a jewel box, worn and then placed back in the jewel box. That praNavam, which has akAram as the first letter indicates bhagavAn as the rakshaka (protector). That bhagavAn is the sarvEswaran – supreme lord.
pAsuram
அவரவர் தமதமது அறிவறி வகை வகை
அவரவர் இறையவர் எனவடி அடைவர்கள்
அவரவர் இறையவர் குறைவிலர் இறையவர்
அவரவர் விதி வழி அடைய நின்றனரே
avaravar thamadhamadhu aRivaRi vagai vagai
avaravar iRaiyavar enavadi adaivargaL
avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivilar iRaiyavar
avaravar vidhi vazhi adaiya ninRanarE
Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
avaravar – those adhikAris (qualified persons who are interested in certain goals)
thamadhamadhu – their
aRivaRi vagaivagai – different levels/varieties of knowledge
avaravar – those dhEvathAs according to their desire
iRaiyavar ena – assumed as the master who will fulfil their desires
adi adaivargaL – approach, take shelter
avaravar – those dhEvathAs
iRaiyavar – being the master who fulfils such desires
kuRaivilar – appropriate
iRaiyavar – being sarva swAmy (supreme lord)
avaravar – such adhikAris
vidhi vazhi – per vidhi (karmA/fate)
adaiya – attaining the goal
ninRanar – situated as the antharAthmA
Simple transalation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)
Different adhikAris (qualified persons) based on their level of knowledge take shelter of different dhEvathAs according to their desire assuming them as their master who will fulfil their desires. It is appropriate for those dhEvathAs to be the ones who fulfil those desires. But, it is bhagavAn who is the master of everyone who stays as the antharAthmA (in-dwelling soul) of those dhEvathAs, ensures that such persons who desire for certain goals get their goals fulfilled according to their karmA.
avaravar vidhivazhi adaiya ninRanar is also explained as follows. emperumAn is present as the antharAthmA of those dhEvathAs who can take shelter of emperumAn (as explained in sAsthram) to fulfill the desires of their devotees.
vyAkyAnams (commentaries)
Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam
Persons worship indhra et al through jyOthishtOmam etc, according to their gyAnam considering them as their benefactor. Those dhEvathAs are quite capable of fulfilling the desires of such persons who worship them as applicable for such worship. How is this possible? By following the principles of sAsthram, if a dhEvathA is worshiped, bhagavAn being the antharyAmi of that dhEvathA, facilitates the fulfillment of such results as he is the real object of worship.
Many pramANams from bhagavath gIthA etc., are highlighted to establish this principle. Since emperumAn, being the antharAthmA of everything, is the true object of worship and the true benefactor of all fruits, protecting everything is also under his full disposal.
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam
Very similar to nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
avaravar is explained as individuals who are different based on their guNam (quality) of sathvam (goodness), rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance).
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam
Very similar to nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai
- avaravar – In thamizh “avaravar” when casually said indicates “someone” (that means, not so important persons). nampiLLai explains that AzhwAr does not give much importance to such worshippers of other dhEvathAs. It also indicates different types of persons.
- thamadhamadhu – their goals which are different based on their quality (sathvam, rajas, thamas).
- aRivaRi – the gyAnam (knowledge) which leads to such goals.
- vagaivagai – due to the different types of desires, they may pursue different types of means to attain the goal
- Based on the guNam, one has ruchi (taste/desire) for the goals and such desire will lead to the particular means to attain such goals. An individual may be filled with rajO guNam (passion) or with thamO guNam (ignorance, lethargy, etc) or misra sathvam (tainted sathvam – since sudhdha sathvam is very rare to see) – so their gyAnam will also be in the same mode.
- avaravar iRaiyavar ena adi adivargaL – Those dhEvathAs are very difficult to worship and please. In some cases, they (rudhra) insisted to their devotees to kill their own son and bring the flesh, (skandhan) insisted his devotee to bring the flesh of a goat etc. But to please bhagavAn, just an anjali (namaskAram – folded hands) is sufficient as explained in bharathwAja samhithai “anjali: paramA mudhrA kshipiram dhEvaprasAdhinI” (anjali is the ultimate act which induces the blessings of bhagavAn). nammAzhwAr says “adi adaivargaL” (will take shelter of lotus feet) as he is used to that in his group (of AzhwArs). When sugrIva did not help srI rAma and lakshmaNa as promised, lakshmaNa came and gave a huge roar and created fear in the hearts of sugrIva. On hearing that sugrIva asked hanumAn what to do and hanumAn said just perform an anjali and that will please lakshmaNa (and srI rAma too).
- avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivilar – the ones who are worshiping are doing according to their nature and the ones who are worshiped are being the benefactor according to their nature – everything is appropriate according to their situation.
- iRaiyavar – Since bhagavAn is the supreme god for the worshippers, the dhEvathAs and nammAzhwAr himself as explained in nArAyaNa sUktham “pathim visvasya” (master of everyone).
- As explained in bhagavath gIthA by bhagavAn himself, whoever worships other dhEvathAs with bhakthi will reach such dhEvathA and get his/her desires fulfilled.
- When a son gets angry with his mother and leaves home, the mother will try to help him through others. Similarly, when jIvAthmAs are not mature enough to worship srIman nArAyaNan directly, emperumAn will help them through the dhEvathAs whom he has himself appointed. It is because of his existence that jIvAthmAs are able to approach such dhEvathAs and such dhEvathAs are able to protect them. If he does not allow that, these dhEvathAs are as good as a scarecrow which stands protecting the fields.
In the next article we will see the next pAsuram.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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Avaravar thamathamathu – people are bestowed with different levels of intelligence. 2nd line – Based on their bestowed intelligence, they choose their god and surrender unto that god. 3rd line – The gods chosen by them are not inferior. This is in terms of fulfilling the desires of the seekers. They can fulfill every desire except moksha and will consider the karma of the individual while deciding on the time and quantum of fulfilment or rejection thereof. For moksha seekers , all gods except emberuman have to express inability and will have to bless the individual concerned with intelligence to seek emberuman. Thus, this is a cycle which starts from the first line.
Fourth line – Avaravar vidhivazhi – Fate plays a major role in guiding them to the correct path. The quest for correct path actually starts with knowing that emberuman is the true lord. Actually this knowledge is also granted by emberuman himself. Mayavara madhinalam arulinan evan ? Avan…