SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam 9
Mantra ratna anusanthana santhatha spurithadharam |
Tadartha tattva nityana sannadhdha pulakothkamam ||
Word to word meaning
- Mantra ratna anusanthana santhatha spurithadharam – His lips are gently shaking always because he keeps pronouncing Dvaya, the crowning jewel among Mantras,
- Tadartha tattva nityana sannadhdha pulakothkamam – Pulsating by thoroughly meditating the true meaning of Dvaya Mantra….
Commentary
In this Sloka, he describes the beauty of lips. Dvaya Mantra is as follows: Sriman Narayana Charanow Saranam Prapadhye / Srimathe Narayanaya Namaha //. This is of a greater glory than Tirumantra – Om Namo Narayanaya, Moola Mantra is called Mantra Rajam and this is called Mantra Ratnam. Mantra Ratnam means that among the Mantras, this is a crowning jewel.
It is to be noted that Sage Parasara informs Narada as follows: Among the Mantras, this is the greatest mantra. Among the secrets, this is the greatest secret. Very quickly it will cross the ocean of birth. This will clarify the doubts that arise in Tirumantra. All sins will be wiped out. This Saranagati Mantra creates all prosperity and welfare. Hence this is called Mantra Ratna. Anusanthanam means slowly pronouncing. Always Mamunigal keeps pronouncing Dvaya Mantra and hence his lips always shiver gently. Sage Parasara says that till our soul departs from the body, one has to pronounce Dvaya Mantra repeatedly. Since pronouncing the Mantra slowly, it is learnt that the Mantra should be safeguarded without hearing to others as codified in Sastra and Mamunigal takes due care.
Since pronouncing the Mantra without being aware of its meaning is not appropriate for adhikaris, it is stated that Mamunigal keeps pronouncing the Mantra with its meanings. The meaning of Dvaya is to seek the refuge of the Lord, accompanied with Goddess. Further the truth is – due to the recommendation of Goddess and with Her help the emergence of attributes like vatsalya, in Sriman Narayana along with His Divya Mangala Vigraha and his holy feet constitute the holy combination. The word nityana means uninterruptedly thinking. The devotees of Lord, who uninterruptedly thought of the above truths will always be in bliss. Likewise Mamunigal experienced the same here. By thinking of Dvaya Mantra and its meaning, is actually prapatti and that prapatti is to be done for a single time and need not repeat. Though for the liberation, one can do prapatti for a single time, but for spending good time as well as experiencing the meanings of that Mantra uninterruptedly, it can be repeated. Hence Mamunigal keeps chanting it.
There is another method of giving the meaning for the word thathartha tattva nityanam. Periya Vachchan Pillai, a great commentator says as follows: Vishnu is Chief, who accepts the kainkarya of a devotee. His Divya Mangala Vigraha is manifested with several good attributes and Nammalvar called Sri Satari represents His feet, and Sri Ramanuja is manifested as the feet of Nammalvar. The word Guru applies to Sri Ramanuja only and not for anybody. Accordingly, Sri Ramanuja is the meaning for the word Charana in Dvaya Mantra – Sriman Narayana Charanow Saranam This is the meaning of thathartha tattvam. This means that the feet of Sriman Narayana is not of the Lord, but of Sri Bhagavath Ramanuja’s feet, which is the true purport of Dvaya Mantra.
Mamunigal is a devotee of Sri Ramanuja and considered his feet are to be thought of repeatedly, and this interpretation is more glorious compared to earlier meaning of Dvaya. In Sloka 12, Acharya Erumbiappa says that he desired to see Mamunigal who experienced the meditation of Dvaya and its meaning as notified in Vishnu Tattva.
Translation by Dr M Varadarajan
Source: http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2015/09/purva-dhinacharya-tamil-9/
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