sthOthra rathnam – 53

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

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Introduction

emperumAn mercifully thinks “How can I let ALavandhAr be bewildered?” and asks “Who are you and to whom did you submit yourself?” ALavandhAr determined [his own nature], as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.4 “enadhAvi Aviyum nI … enadhAvi yAr? yAnAr?“, ALavandhAr says “You have accepted your own possession; even Athma samarpaNam (submitting oneself) is like AthmApahAram (stealing the AthmA)” and regrets his act of submitting of the self. Two reasons are given for submitting oneself:

  • For AthmA which is fully dependent on bhagavAn, due to independence caused by time immemorial ignorance, turning away from bhagavAn, as a result fearing to be finished, [one submits oneself to bhagavAn] realizing oneself to be a servitor/possession of bhagavAn, a vow taken by the mind.
  • Like one will carefully protect the ornaments of a king and submit to the king at the appropriate time, submitting the self to Isvara.

But both these principles do not make sense. One can only accept that oneself is his original possession, and samarpaNam (submitting oneself) is also considered as AthmApahAram (stealing of AthmA or claiming that AthmA is now owned by self and is being submitted to ISvara).

mama nAtha ! yadhasthi yO’smyaham
sakalam thadhdhi thavaiva mAdhava |
niyathasvamithi prabudhdhadhI:
athavA kinnu samarpayAmi thE ||

Word by word meaning

nAtha mAdhava! – Oh emperumAn who is sarvasvAmi (lord of all) and lakshmI nAtha (divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi)!
mama yath asthi – whatever is owned by me
ya: aham asmi – I who am existing
thath sakalam – all of those
thava Eva – by you only
niyatha svam – always owned
ithi – as
prabudhdha dhI: – me who knows this
thE – for you
kim nu samarpayAmi – what can I submit?

Simple Translation

Oh emperumAn who is sarvasvAmi (lord of all) and lakshmI nAtha (divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi)! All of whatever is owned by me and I who am existing are always owned by you only. What can I, who knows this, submit for you?

  • nAtha – akhila jagath svAmin (Oh lord of all the world)! [It’s] Explaining his relationship with all.
  • mama yath asthi yO’ham asmi – qualities, wealth etc which are part of my ownership; and I, the abode of such aspects.
  • thath sakalam – Whatever is aupAdhika (incidental) and svAbhAvika (natural).
  • mAdhava thavaiva – They belong to you who is SrIya:pathi (divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi) and sarva SEshi (lord of all). Usage of the term “Eva” (only) eliminates anything belonging to any one else.
  • hi – Highlighting the popularity of this principle as said in mahAbhAratham AraNya parvam 192.56 “sarvEshAmEva lOkAnAm pithA mAthA cha mAdhava: | …” (lakshmInAtha (lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) is the father and mother of all worlds; Oh best among men! you surrender unto him who is the apt refuge).
  • nAtha mAdhava – Saying that all entities are exclusively subservient to the one who is sarvasvAmi and SrIya:pathi. thiruvAimozhi 2.9.9yAnE nI en udaimaiyum nIyE” (I am yours and my belongings are also yours).
  • niyathasvam ithi … – [Always your belonging] Even the samarpaNam (submitting) is unnecessary. Whether I am clear in knowledge or bewildered.
  • ithi prabudhdhadhI: – I who is having such clear knowledge.
  • athavA – Now highlighting the difference [of the true nature] from the principle of samarpaNam (submission) which was explained previously.
  • thE kinnu samarpayAmi – What will I submit to you who [already] owns this [I]? Who is accepting? Who is submitting? Since I am not the lord, I cannot accept. And since I am not independent, I cannot submit. Until one attains liberation, this act of submitting oneself due to fear in samsAram and repenting such submission due to knowing the true nature of self will go on.

In the next article we will enjoy the next SlOkam.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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