Monthly Archives: October 2018

thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 7th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 7.8.5 – pAsangaL nIkki

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Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fifth pAsuram, AzhwAr merciful explains the main principle of this decad saying “You have eliminated my attachment towards material aspects and fully sustain on you, yet it is amazing that you are leaving me in this material world”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

pAsangaL nIkki ennai unakkE aRak koNdittu nI
vAsa malarth thaNdhuzhAy mudi mAyavanE! aruLAy
kAyamum sIvanumAyk kazhivAyp piRappAyp pinnum nI
mAyangaL seydhu vaiththi ivai enna mayakkukkaLE

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

ennai – me (who is totally subservient to you, who is fully protected by you)
pAsangaL – inapt aspects
nIkki – eliminating

(as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.9.4 “thanakkEyAga enaikkoLLum IdhE“)
unakkE aRa – to exist exclusively for your sake
koNdittu – accepting
vAsam – having great fragrance manifesting total subservience
malar – having flower
thaN thuzhAy – decorated with fresh thiruththuzhAy (thuLasi)
mudi – having hair
mAyavanE – Oh amazingly enjoyable one!
nI – you (who are protector and the enjoyable one)
kAyamum – the body which binds
sIvanum – bound soul
kazhivu piRappu – the death and birth (which occur to these)
Ay – while at your disposal
pinnum – further

(nI – you)
(to become attached to body etc)
mAyangaL – deceptions such as avidhyA (ignorance), karma (puNya/pApa), vAsanA (impressions), ruchi (taste)
seydhu – created
vaiththi – and placed;
ivai – these
enna mayakkukkaL – what kind of bewildering acts!
aruLAy – mercifully explain

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

Oh amazingly enjoyable one who eliminated inapt aspects from me and accepted me to exist exclusively for your sake, who is having hair which is decorated with fresh thiruththuzhAy having flower and great fragrance manifesting total subservience! While the body [matter] which binds and the souls which are bound, and their death and birth, at your disposal, you further created deceptions such as avidhyA, karma, vAsanA, ruchi and placed them. What kind of bewildering acts are these! Mercifully explain.

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • pAsangaL nIkki – Eliminating ignorance. Eliminating avidhyA etc and the bondage of tight ropes which are in the form of karma.
  • ennai – me who is engaged in worldly pleasures.
  • unakkE aRak koNdittu – Made me to be as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.1.1 “thuyar ARu sudaradi thozhudhezhu” (to rise after worshipping the divine feet which eliminate sorrows).

What did emperumAn manifest to eliminate the bondage and to make AzhwAr exist fully for him?

  • vAsa malar … – He manifested the thuLasi garland on his hair and eliminated AzhwAr’s attachment to worldly pleasures and made AzhwAr exist fully for him.
  • aruLAy – Did you develop me into such [advanced] state to torment me by keeping me here?
  • kAyam … – Body and soul, and birth and death.
  • pinnum … – After granting knowledge about you, you are still placing me in this samsAram where I don’t fit anymore.
  • ivai enna mayakkukkaLE – What kind of inconceivable acts are these! I thought that you accepted me since you eliminated my attachment towards worldly pleasures and developed my attachment towards you; but I am thinking that you are planning to abandon me since you have still kept me in this samsAram; what kind of bewilderment is this!

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA periya thiruvandhAdhi

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 17 – sUzhndhadiyAr

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There are two avathArikais and two vyAkyAnams for this pAsuram, depending on whether one reads the pAsuram from the point of view of emperumAn or of his followers. First, let us consider the case where the pAsuram is read from the point of view of emperumAn.

avathArikai  – 1

AzhwAr says that in order to cherish his followers, when emperumAn gets close to them and even if they do not welcome him, he does  not take it hard on himself.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

sUzhndhadiyAr vENdinakkAl thOnRAdhu vittAlum
vAzhndhiduvar pinnum tham vAy thiRavAr sUzhndhengum
vALvaraigaL pOlarakkan vanthalaigaL thAm idiyath
thALvarai villEndhinAr thAm

Word by Word Meanings

engum sUzhndhu – surrounding on all sides
vAL varaigaL pOl – similar to shiny mountains
arakkan van thalaigaL thAm idiya – such that the strong heads of demon rAvaNa are rent asunder
thAL varai vil – bow, like a mountain, reaching to his foot
EndhinAr thAm – emperumAn who bore (the bow)
sUzhndhu – taking many incarnations
adiyAr vENdinakkAl – when searching for those who are willing to be his servitors
thOnRAdhu vittAlum – even if he does  not get any follower
vAzhndhiduvar – he will remain joyous
pinnum – even after (reaching paramapadham)
tham vAy thiRavAr – he will not discuss this (with pirAtti)

vyAkyAnam – 1

sUzhndhadiyAr vENdinakkAl thOnRAdhu vittAlum vAzhndhiduvar – Just as it is mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 2-7-6 “edhir sUzhal pukku”, emperumAn will remain joyous even if he does not get desired welcome from samsAris (dwellers of materialistic realm) when he takes incarnations repeatedly, expecting to get followers who will welcome him, thinking “We have taken all efforts for their sake”.

pinnum tham vAy thiRavAr – when he is together with pirAtti (SrI mahAlakshmi), he will not tell even her that these people did not welcome him. When children commit mistakes, it is normal for the father to discuss these with the mother and get comforted. AzhwAr says that emperumAn [the father] will not tell even her [the mother]. The 364th sUthram (aphorism) in SrIvachana bhUshaNam chapter 3 “aRivikka uriyavan agappada vAy thiRavAdhE sarvagya vishayangaLukkum mAraikkum ennA ninRadhirE” (when the apt person is available, not talking to him about this and hiding everything from him are considered as normal) and the explanation given by SrI maNavALa mAmunigaL for that sUthram are an explanation for this pAsuram.

sUzhndhengum vALvaraigaL pOlarakkan van thalaigaL thAm idiyath thAL varai villEndhinAr thAm – emperumAn held his bow (in his incarnation as SrI rAma) which was like a mountain reaching down to his foot and surrounded the demon rAvaNa with his arrows which made people think that it was only SrI rAma’s arrows wherever they saw, and severed the heads of rAvaNa which were like shiny mountains. Even though emperumAn has such power (with his omnipotence), he appeared powerless when his followers are indifferent to him. He will not tell even pirAtti that they are indifferent to him.

Let us now consider the pAsuram from the point of view of the followers of emperumAn and go through the 2nd avathArikai and vyAkyAnam.

avathArikai  – 2

AzhwAr says that when emperumAn’s followers are worshipping him, and even if he does not manifest himself to them, they will not despise him. They will remain quiet, thinking “Let him do what his divine mind decides”

vyAkyAnam – 2

adiyAr sUzhndhu vENdinakkAl thOnRAdhu vittAlum vAzhndhiduvar – When emperumAn’s followers pray to emperumAn, with lot of sorrow, to manifest himself to them, and even if emperumAn does not show himself before them, they will remain quiet, saying “Shouldn’t we, his servitors, be patient with him, the Lord, and look at whatever he does?”

pinnum tham vAy thiRavAr – they will not discuss this with those who keep talking about the shortcomings in emperumAn’s auspicious qualities.

sUzhndhengum vALvaraigaL . . . . thAL varai villEndhinAr thAm – they will not detest if SrI rAma, who armed himself with a bow to protect good people, did not manifest himself to them.

We will move on to the 18th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 7th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 7.8.4 – kaLLavizh thAmarai

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

Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the fourth pAsuram, AzhwAr mercifully explains how emperumAn is having nithya (eternal) and anithya (transient) entities as his wealth.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “You are having lotus eyes which reveal your enjoyability in the form of supremacy and simplicity, and you are having eternal and transient entities as your wealth; how do you meditate about the protection of such entities?”

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

kaL avizh thAmaraik kaN kaNNanE! enakkonRaruLAy
uLLadhum illadhumAy ulappillanavAy viyavAy
veLLath thadangadaluL vida nAgaNai mEl maruvi
uLLap pal yOgu seydhi ivai enna upAyangaLE!

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

kaL – honey
avizh – sprouting
athAmarai – like fresh lotus flower
kaN – having divine eyes
kaNNanE – Oh krishNa!
enakku – for me

(the means of protection which you are contemplating)
onRu – one
aruLAy – you should mercifully tell;
uLLadhum – being eternal (due to being nithyam) [chith (sentient beings)]
illadhumAy – being transient (due to having forms which keep changing) [achith (insentient objects)]
ulappillanavAy – being innumerable
viyavAy – having entities which have differences, as your prakAra (form)

(to protect all these chEthanas and achEthanas)
veLLam – fully
thadam – having space
kadal uL – in milk ocean
vidam – spitting out poison (being invincible by enemies)
nAgaNai mEl – on the mattress called thiruvananthAzhwAn
maruvi – fitting well
uLLam – in your divine heart
pal – many types
yOgu – thoughts for protection
seydhi – contemplating;
ivai – these
enna – what
upAyangaL – means!

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

Oh krishNa who is having divine eyes which appear like fresh lotus flowers which sprout honey! you should mercifully tell me one thing; you are having innumerable eternal and transient entities which have differences, as your prakAra; you are contemplating many types of thoughts in your divine heart for the protection of such entities, while fitting well on the mattress called thiruvananthAzhwAn who is spitting out poison, in the fully, spacious milk ocean; what means are you contemplating! I am not sure about what is going on in your divine heart. Are you thinking to incarnate? Are you thinking about how to eliminate the hurdles? Are you thinking about how to fulfil the desires [of such entities]? Are you thinking about uniting with your devotees? Are you thinking to become victorious? You should firmly and mercifully explain which is the one that you are thinking about.

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • kaL avizh … – Oh one who is having divine eyes which resemble freshly blossomed lotus flower and who is obedient! emperumAn‘s wealth is attractive to AzhwAr just as his divine eyes. Alternative explanation – just as his divine eyes is hurting AzhwAr, experiencing his wealth too is causing hurt. What is causing hurt here? When one has a doubt due to lack of clarity on a particular subject, one will be distressed, and that would cause hurt. piLLAn explains “AzhwAr is reminiscing what he said in previous decad ‘sUzhavum thAmarai nAL malar pOl vandhu thOnRum‘ (They came and appeared like fresh lotus flower which is surrounding everywhere)”. Hearing this nanjIyar mercifully said “it will be nice if this too is similar to the experience AzhwAr had previously; but this being in a different taste, as the context here is AzhwAr being awakened from his previous bewilderment, that principle will not fit here”.
  • uLLadhum … – Being the controller for the innumerable AthmAs (souls) which are said as existing [sath] and the variegated achith (matter) which are said as non-existing [asath]. As said in SrIvishNu purANam 2.13.96 “yaththu kAlAntharENApi nAnya samgyAm upaithi vai | pariNAmAdhi sambhUthAm thath vasthu nrupathachcha kim ||” (Oh king! That which has no changes such as growth or shrinkage, is called vasthu; you analyse about that), since achith is transitory it can be said as non-existing; and since AthmA is always singular in form, it is said as existing.
  • veLLath thadam kadal uL … – In milk ocean, fitting well on thiruvananthAzhwAn who is spitting poison to stop unfavourable ones from getting close. AdhiSEsha would have his fear placed in inappropriate place [where there is no reason for fear] and spit poison as said in nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi 10 “AngAravaram adhu kEttu azhal umizhum – pUngAr aravaNaiyAn” (emperumAn has the furious AdhiSEshan as his mattress, who is spitting fire on hearing the praises of brahmA et al during thrivikrama avathAram, mistaking it to be an army of attackers).
  • uLLap pal yOgu seydhi – You are having many thoughts in your divine mind for our protection. Just as there are so many different chEthanas (AthmAs), his thoughts are also so variegated and vast. How is this fitting with the preceding and succeeding sections [this is related to emperumAn being upAyam, while rest of the pAsuram, decad is focussed on AzhwAr enjoying emperumAn’s wealth]? achith, being transitory, should be given up; AthmA [chith], being singular in nature, should be pursued; ISvara would be the controller for both achith and chith; such emperumAn thinks “This chEthana has karma which he performs and has his own desires; unless he develops desire to reach me, he will not have the means to reach me; as he does not have that, what shall be done” and is resting there, thinking about the means to uplift him thinking “what shall we do to make him reach me, while he does not have the desire and does not say as in thiruviruththam 1 ‘inninRa nIrmai ini yAm uRAmai’ (I cannot bear this lowly life)” as if he said that.
  • ivai enna upAyangaLE – As the chEthanas are many, their protection will also be in many forms; and since emperumAn is sarvagya (omniscient) he will know all such means; what [amazing] means are these!

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

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iyaRpA periya thiruvandhAdhi

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 16 – sIrAl piRandhu

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avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr experienced the reclining posture of emperumAn in thiruppARkadal (milky ocean), wherein emperumAn was waiting expectantly for someone (his devotees) to approach and attain him. In this pAsuram, he says “Is it only expectation that he has? Did he not incarnate as a mendicant too, in order to retrieve his possession?”

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

sIrAl piRandhu siRappAl vaLarAdhu
pEr vAmanAgAkkAl pErALA mArbArap
pulgi nI uNdumizhndha bhUmi nIr ERparidhE
sollu nI yAmaRiyach chUzhndhu

Word by Word Meanings

pErALA – Oh supreme being!
sIrAl piRandhu – being born into a wealthy family
siRappAl vaLarAdhu – not growing up in a grand manner
pEr vAman AgAkkAl – even if you had not borne the name of vAman
nI – you
mArbu Ara pulgi – (during your incarnation as varAha, the great boar) embracing with  your chest
uNdu – swallowing (during the time of deluge)
umizhndha – spitting it out (during the time of creation)
bhUmi – this world
nIr ERpu aridhE – is not possible to take it in alms?
nI – you
sUzhndhu – analyse
yAm aRiya – such that we know
sollu – please tell

vyAkyAnam

sIrAl piRandhu – Couldn’t you have been born similar to the divine son of chakravarthy (emperor) dhaSaratha who observed rituals such as puthra kAmEshti yAga using his wealth and his penance, as mentioned in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 66-3 “mahathA thapasA rAma mahathA chApi  karmaNA I rAjyA dhaSarathEnAsi labdhO’mruthamivAmarai:  II” (Oh SrI rAma! Just as dhEvas obtained nectar, you were obtained by emperor dhaSaratha through great penance and great deeds). Couldn’t you have been like kaNNa (krishNa) who was obtained by vasudhEva after observing anantha vratha  (anantha here could mean the name of a specific ritual or innumerable rituals)?

siRappAl vaLarAdhu – Couldn’t you have been brought up by the great gyAni (one with lot of knowledge) SrI sumanthra or vaSishta who nurtured you thoroughly? Couldn’t you have grown up like kaNNa who ate up all the butter saved by his favourite devotees and who killed the unfavourable entities such as pUthanA?

pEr vAman AgAkkAl – should you have assumed the most famous name of vAmana through which you made all the dwarfs, living then, to be referred to as thrivikrama? Couldn’t you have assumed a great name such as Sriya:pathi (consort of SrI mahAlakshmi)? It was inside the hut of athithi, the consort of sage kashyapa that you were born; you grew up without having anyone to nurture you with care; your name was vAmana (dwarf).

AzhwAr says further whether he couldn’t have obtained this earth from mAvali (mahAbali) if he had not lowered himself to such an extent.

pErALA – Oh one who has great affection! Just as this AzhwAr said “eththiRam” (in thiruvAimozhi 1-3-1) even before saying about his activity, he engages with the simplicity of emperumAn by saying pErALA. He says that he cannot see the limit to emperumAn’s partiality towards his followers.

mArbArappulgi nI uNdumizhndha bhUmi nIr ERparidhE – if you didn’t manifest such simplicity, is it impossible to obtain from mahAbali this earth, which underwent as many transformations as cotton undergoes (twelve transformations, from flower stage to cloth stage) by way of being embraced by you tightly when you dug it out during your incarnation as varAha, being swallowed by you during deluge, being spat out during next cycle of creation etc?

sollu nI yAmaRIyach chUzhndhu – you must analyse the reason for incarnating with such simplicity and explain to us, so that we will know. Since AzhwAr cannot estimate such simplicity, he is asking emperumAn himself to explain this. When emperumAn speaks about his incarnations as in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4-9 “janma karma cha mE dhivyam Evam yO vEththi thathvatha: I thyakthvA dhEham punarjanma naithi mAmEthi sO’rjuna II” (Oh arjuna! One who knows truthfully my aprAkrutha (not related to primordial matter) birth and my activities, will not take birth again after relinquishing his body; he attains me), he only called his incarnation as dhivyam (divine) but did not elaborate on it. vEdham (sacred texts) too , when speaking about the mystery of his incarnation as in purusha sUktham, mentioned that only intelligent people will know about it “ajAyamAnO bahudhA vijAyathE thasya dhIrA: parijAnanthi yOnim” (even though he (emperumAn)  is without any birth, he incarnates many times; only the knowledgeable ones know the mysteries of his incarnations) [Hence AzhwAr is requesting emperumAn to state the reasons himself].

We will go on to the 17th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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Other sahasranAmam

SrIvishNu sahasranAmam – pUrva pItikA – Part 4

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<< pUrva pItikA – Part 3

The authority of all varNas for worship of the Lord :

The word ‘nAra:’ generally indicates the natural authority to worship the Supreme Godhead as they wish to have it. bhagavAn is the One who is worshipped without any fear even by those who possess condemnable qualities, actions and births, merely due to having the greatest quality of developing taste in devotion. Once such people start worshipping bhagavAn thus, they shall be freed from all sins and distastes and shall be transformed into the most righteous ones, just as the sins are washed away by the flooding waters of gangA by taking a holy dip.

In SrI bhagavath-gIthA, bhagavAn – while talking about the qualities – says thus: “I am equal to all the beings, and I have no love or hatred towards anyone”. In connection with actions, He says “even if the one practicing very bad things in life sings my glories with unwavering mind, he should be considered as a pious man”. About the births, bhagavAn also says, “Oh pArtha! All sinful people born of various births such as the females, vaiSyas and Sudhras also take refuge in me and attain the highest abode”.

The people who follow ill deeds are not liked by bhagavAn, The statements from the scriptures such as “the ones without perseverance, peace, and composition of mind, and the ones who practice ill deeds are never dear to the Lord”. Even the brahma sUthras have concluded that people of all ASramas (brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sanyAsa) as well as the ones without ASramas (such as widowers, and the like) are equally eligible for the knowledge about the brahman, and also indicate that all such people should have their mind under control with both internal and external restraint.

There is no restriction for anyone in chanting the names of the Lord who is the natural friend and relative of one and all, who is also just like a mother who is most affectionate towards her child, under any circumstances. This freedom of chanting the Lord’s names can be seen among a multitude of prime personalities such as gajEndhra – the elephant, jatAyu – the eagle, vAyasa – the crow, vibhIshaNa – the sibling of the king of demons, the common populace of kOsala (subjects in the kingdom of SrI rAma), gOpikAs – the cowherd womenfolk, mAlAkAra – the florist at mathurA, and others.

The ‘apaSUdhrAdhikaraNa’ chapter of brahma sUthras denies the eligibility for knowledge about the Supreme Self from the vEdhas and upanishadhs to the athraivarNikas (Sudhras – not belonging to the three varNas namely brAhmana, kshathriya and vaiSya) due to non-prescription of their practicing the various purifying acts such as service unto the preceptor, and others, which in turn are the limbs to the knowledge about the various oblations. So the natural eligibility to take refuge of bhagavAn (to gain the same result as that of learning the vEdhas) has been with these people – the athraivarNikas. Thus, they also have the utmost eligibility for attaining the Supreme by the various paths such as listening to His glories, thinking about Him and the like, which are celebrated by the upanishadhs as the highways for gaining the knowledge about Him and finally attaining Him. Such people (the ones ineligible for study of vEdhas) would have desired for various fruits in the past due to the adulteration of their sAthvik qualities by rajas and thamas at some point in time, due to which they would be born in various births such as females, Sudhras, various birds and animals. Examples of such people
are vidhura, dharma vyAdha. Such people would be disgusted about the origin of their births that they have acquired due to their own actions (karma).  This is shown by SrI Saunaka as well, thus: “Even though people like dharma vyAdha are born into lower births due to their past karmas, yet they attain the Supreme abode due to their instincts of worshipping the Lord – just as sabari attained mOksham”.

A quote from the mahAbhAratha may be remembered: “Oh king of kings! dharma always purifies a person who listens about it, sees it, talks about it, practices it and approves of it”.

The bhagavath-dharma (duties performed to attain the Supreme Godhead) has the power to penetrate into the minds of its beneficiary, approver as well as its practitioner.

Some statements from various scriptures quote thus:

  • All sins are washed away when one chants His names aloud, worships Him, sees Him or prostrates before Him. Then who will not serve the Supreme Lord hari?
  • hari is the One who protects those who chant His names, think about Him, meditate on Him, worship Him, and serve Him. He protects them in all respects granting them immense benefits both in this world as well as the neither.
  • He protects all those who listen about Him, read about Him, and see Him etc.
    Apart from these, the ithihAsa and  purANas also permit even the lowliest dog-eaters to sing the glories of the Lord.
  • bhagavAn declares this in His own words in the vishnNu dharmam thus: “nAradha! If my devotee says ‘nama:’ unto me with all sincerity, he shall attain the supreme abode, even if he is a lowly dog-eater”.

Statements such as these, along with the various anecdotes, are verily the proofs that such practitioners of the bhagavath-dharma such as chanting His divine names shall gain all due respects in the society and also attain the supreme abode at the end. Since these are well established facts, there is no contradiction in these facts to what the scriptures have to say either.

Non-restriction in terms of time and place for meditation, worship, etc

The usage of the word ‘sadhA’ indicates non-restriction in terms of time. Similarly, it also tells us about the non-dependency on the place of chanting, physical and mental purity while chanting, etc. Thus, a person need not see the various time units such as ayana (half year), ruthu (season), mAsa (month), paksha (dark/bright fortnight), nakshathra (star of the day), muhUrtha (the time in a day) etc.

To this effect, we should see the various statements made by the sages, as given below:

  • One should always chant the holy names of the wielder of Chakra – the Supreme Lord – at every time and at every place. When this is done, the person would never be impure at anytime, since the Supreme Lord Hari Himself will purify that person.
  • When one wakes up early in the morning chanting the names of the Supreme Lord as dhEva, krishNa, and gOvindha, then he shall not see any bad things coming his way during the rest of the day.
  • Even if chanting the names of bhagavAn is small in nature, the fruits of such actions are humongous. This is illustrated by a quote from the SrI bhagavath-gIthA that says:
    “Even if such a dharma is followed in miniscule, it protects the practitioner from great fears”.
  • The one who chants the names of the Lord is well equipped to progress towards mOksha.
  • If one rests his mind in achyutha – the Supreme Lord, he shall not reach the hell. To such a person, even the thoughts about the lowly heavens are a great obstacle to reach bhagavAn. Even the brahma lOkam (the highest position in this creation) turns miniscule to him. The One who resides in the unadulterated minds of such pure souls shall Himself grant the highest position of salvation unto them. Given these facts, then, what is really surprising in the fact that a person is freed of all his sins if he just sings the glories of the Lord by chanting his various names?” bhagavan gets pleased with the length of detailed worship and yields the fruits, so also He will be equally pleased with a sincere devotee who takes up the lighter form of worship – namely “chanting His names” – with a pure thought.
  • Even if my devotee offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even just water – with true devotion, I shall partake of it with the most pleased state of mind.
  • The vyAsa smrithi says, “If a person offers a flower or just water to bhagavan by chanting the purusha sUktha, then the whole of this world  (with all animate and inanimate objects) has been worshipped by him”.
  • The vishNu dharma says “Even if a person offers the entire Earth stuffed with precious pearls to krishNa, janArdhana is not easily attained by him if he is impure at heart.”
  • Penance is not faulty, studies are not faulty, natural prescriptions of vEdhas aren’t faulty. The action of restraining the mind from sensual pleasures is also not faulty. The real root of fault is at the heart, where the person lacks purity of thoughts.
  • Schools of fish reside in the sacred rivers such as gangA. Flocks of birds reside in many temples. But, since they lack the sacred thoughts, they do not attain the fruits of being in those sacred places. Thus, the real fruits of pilgrimages and visits to holy shrines are only dependant on our purity of thoughts.

Thus that which was attained in krutha yuga by severe penance, that which was attained in thrEtha yuga by extensive oblations and sacrificial rites, that which was attained during the dhvApara yuga by detailed worship, shall be attained by a seeker during this kali yugam just by singing the glorious names of kESava.

(to be continued…)

adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 7th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 7.8.3 – chiththirath thEr

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Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the third pAsuram, AzhwAr says “emperumAn is the one who is having the many yugas starting with kruth yuga, and all the dhEvas (celestial beings), manushyas (human beings) et al who exist in those times, as his wealth”.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “Being great and yet being subservient towards your followers, and while remaining as all entities starting with time, you should mercifully explain your uniqueness of being unconnected with them”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

chiththirath thEr valavA! thiruchchakkaraththAy aruLAy
eththanai Or ugamum avaiyAy avaRRuL iyalum
oththa oN pal poruLgaL ulappillanavAy viyavAy
viththagaththAy niRRi nI ivai enna vidamangaLE!

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

(as per the situation)
chiththiram – in many ways
thEr – chariot
valavA – one who can conduct
thiruchchakkaraththAy – similarly, oh one who is having the weapon, divine chakra, which can transform day into night!
aruLAy – you should mercifully explain;
eththanai – having variations [in yugas] such as krutha, thrEthA, dhvApara and kali
Or – distinguished to be incomparable with one another
ugamum – being the controller of yugas
avaiyAy – being the time
avaRRuL – in it
iyalum – occurring
oththa – being the same in being the embodiment of knowledge
oN – having distinguished aspects such as being self-illuminating, being knowledgeable etc
pal – having distinguished natures as said in “EkO bahUnAm”
ulappillana – innumerable
poruLgaL – chith (sentient) and achith (insentient) entities
Ay – having them as your form
viyavu – for the differences (in them such as dhEva, manushya forms which conceal the equality of the souls)
Ay – being the controller

(while being like this)
viththagaththAl – being amazing due to being unaffected by their defects as said in “namaksnigdhAni bhUthAni”
nI niRRi – you remain;
ivai enna vidamangaL – what kind of uniqueness is this?

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

Oh one who can conduct your chariot in many ways and who is having the weapon, divine chakra, which can transform day into night! You should mercifully explain; your are being the controller of yugas which are having variations such as krutha, thrEthA, dhvApara and kali, and are distinguished to be incomparable with one another; you are being the time and having as your form, the innumerable chith (sentient) and achith (insentient) objects which are existing within the scope of such time, being the same in being the embodiment of knowledge, having distinguished aspects such as being self-illuminating, being knowledgeable etc and having distinguished natures as said in “EkO bahUnAm“; you are being the controller for their differences; yet, you remain amazing due to being unaffected by their defects as said in “namaksnigdhAni bhUthAni“; what kind of uniqueness is this?

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • chiththirath thEr valavA – Oh one who can conduct the chariot in amazing ways! His amazing acts include – when dhrONa arranged the armies and waited at the entrance, emperumAn went around him and placed the chariot beyond his reach, stopping him from being able to fight; bhIshma can aim for distant target, and arjuna’s arrow will fall short; hence when bhIshma takes aim, emperumAn will drive the chariot too far away from his sight and when arjuna takes him, he will drive the chariot to be too close to bhIshma; this ability of driving the chariot makes AzhwAr praise emperumAn as “chiththirath thEr valavA“.
  • thiruchchakkaraththAy – Oh one who is having the weapon which can transform day into night [as done while killing jayadhradha]!
  • eththanai Or ugamum avaiyAy – being the controller of yugas such as krutha etc.
  • avaRRuL iyalum – residing within the time frame of the yugas.
  • oththa … – Being equal in one aspect, and at the same time being different in another aspect, having distinguished, many types of objects – having many such objects as your prakAra (form). Being equal by the species such as dhEva, manushya et al, but being different due to being individual entities. While all AthmAs will be equal due to being embodiment of knowledge, due to the individual identity, they will all be separate/different from one another.
  • viththagaththAy niRRi nI – You remain causing amazement for everyone.
  • ivai enna vidamangaLE – What kind of togetherness of unrelated objects is this!

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA periya thiruvandhAdhi

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 15 – pArththOr edhiridhA

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avathArikai

Thinking of the lowliness of his heart, AzhwAr moved away from emperumAn in the previous pAsuram. In this pAsuram, he tells his heart “If we think of your lowly activities, it is proper that we move away from emperumAn. But if we think of emperumAn’s activities, we can approach him”.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

pArththOr edhiridhA nenjE padu thuyaram
perththOdhap pIdazhivAm pEchchillai ArththOdham
tham mEni(th)thAL thadavath thAngidandhu thammudaiya
semmEnik kaN vaLarvAr sIr

Word by Word Meanings

nenjE – Oh mind (which is leaving emperumAn due to being unsuitable)
Odham – ocean
Arththu – agitating
tham mEni thAL thadava – rubbing his divine physical form and divine feet
thAm kidandhu – lying down
thammudaiya semmEni kaN vaLarvAr – one who is closing his reddish eyes and carrying out yOganidhdhirai (a meditative posture where the body is relaxed and mind is fully alert)
sIr – his auspicious qualities
padu thuyaram pErththu – not thinking of our suffering
Odha – if we meditate
pIdu azhivAm pEchchillai – that emperumAn’s greatness will be destroyed will not happen
edhiridhA – at the very beginning
pArththu Or – knowing (this), analyse

vyAkyAnam

nenjE edhiridhA pArththu Or – Oh heart! Analyse this at the very beginning, seeing it directly.

But, what is to be analysed?

Arththu Odham tham mEni thAL thadava thAm kidandhu thammudaiya semmEnik kaN vaLarvAr sIr padu thuyaram pErththOdha pIdazhivAm pEchchillai – emperumAn is lying in the roaring ocean which is gently rubbing against his divine form and divine feet. He is in yOganidhrA posture (wherein the body if fully relaxed and the mind is fully alert). If we forget our sorrows and think of his auspicious qualities, there is no possibility that such thinking will lead to destruction of his greatness. The word semmEnikkaN would refer to reddish coloured eyes. For the words tham mEnith thAL, periyavAchchAn piLLai, the commentator for this prabandham, considers the meaning as ‘his reddish divine feet’.

We will take up the 16th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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thiruvAimozhi thiruvAimozhi 7th centum

thiruvAimozhi – 7.8.2 – angaN malar

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

Full series >> Seventh Centum >> Eighth decad

Previous pAsuram

Introduction for this pAsuram

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s introduction

No specific introduction.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction

In the second pAsuram, AzhwAr is mercifully explaining how emperumAn is having entities such as chandhra (moon), sUrya (sun) etc as his wealth.

Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction

Subsequently, AzhwAr says “Your highness who has the completeness acquired by fulfilling your desire, should mercifully explain your variegated nature of having chandhra, sUrya etc as your wealth”.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

See nanjIyar‘s introduction.

pAsuram

angaN malarth thaNduzhAy mudi achchudhanE! aruLAy
thingaLum gyayiRumAych chezhum pal sudarAy iruLAy
pongu pozhi mazhaiyAyp pugazhAyp pazhiyAyp pinnum nI
vengaN vengURRamumAm ivai enna vichiththiramE!

Listen

Word-by-Word meanings (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

am – distinguished
kaL – having honey
malar – having flower
thaN – invigorating
thuzhAy – decorated with thiruththuzhAy (thuLasi)
mudi – having hair
achchudhanE – Oh achyutha who does not fail (due to complete lordship acquired after accomplishing the desired task)
aruLAy – you should mercifully explain!

(those who give out coolness and heat)
thingaLum – moon
gyAyiRumAy – being sun
sezhum – distinguished
pal – many
sudarAy – luminous objects such as planets, stars
iruLAy – darkness (in which, creatures cannot see the objects)
pongu – in abundance (for the growth of such creatures)
pozhi – pouring
mazhaiyAy – being rain
pugazhAy – glories (which were earned by the crop etc which grew abundantly due to the rain [and were shared to others])
pazhiyAy – blame (due to inapt recipient etc)

(when such blame becomes large)
pinnum – further
vem kaN – being with cruel eyes (to destroy them)
vem – with cruelty
kURRamumAm – being death personified
ivai – these aspects
enna vichithram – how variegated?

Simple translation (based on vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi)

Oh achyutha who is having hair which is decorated with distinguished, honey filled, flowered thiruththuzhAy and who does not fail! You should mercifully explain! How variegated your aspects are? You are being moon, sun and many distinguished, luminous objects such as planets, stars; you are being darkness; you are being the rain which is pouring in abundance; you are being glories and blame, and further being with cruel eyes as cruel death personified.

vyAkyAnams (commentaries)

Highlights from thirukkurukaippirAn piLLAn‘s vyAkyAnam

See vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s translation.

Highlights from nanjIyar‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s vyAkyAnam

See nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam.

Highlights from nampiLLai‘s vyAkyAnam as documented by vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai

  • am kaL malar … – Oh one who is having beautiful thiruththuzhAy which has honey and flower, on your divine hair and having that beauty eternally without any change ever! Experiencing bhagavAn’s wealth is as enjoyable for AzhwAr, as his garland on his hair. piLLAn explains, AzhwAr is reminiscing what he said in the previous decad as in thiruvAimozhi 7.7.9 “viLginRa pUnthaNduzhAy virai nARa vandhu” (to spread the fragrance of thiruththuzhAy which has blossomed flower). Here, AzhwAr is enjoying emperumAn‘s hair through sAkshAthkAram (internal vision) instead of being harmed by uruveLippAdu (visualisation) as said in previous decad “mAyan kuzhal viLginRa pUndhaNdhuzhAy virai nARa vandhu“.
  • thingaLum gyAyiRumAy – As said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.10.13 “sUryAmSu janitham thApam ninyE thArApathiS Samam” (The heat caused by sun’s rays was removed by the moon, you are being the moon which refreshes chEthanas (sentient beings) by eliminating the heat caused by sun’s rays, and being the sun which eliminates the wetness caused by moon.
  • sezhum pal sudarAy – being the stars which have movements which determine the gain and loss of chEthanas.
  • iruLAy – being the darkness which helps in enjoyment of chEthanas.
  • pongu pozhi mazhaiyAy – Being the rain which helps producing crops which help all creatures.
  • pugazhAy – fame which is desired by all
  • pazhiyAy – blame which should be eliminated by struggling hard by everyone
  • pinnum – further
  • vem kaN vem kURRamumAm – As said in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 65.4 “purAbhUthvA mrudhurdhAntha: sarva bhUtha hithE ratha: | na krOdha vaSAm Apanna: prakruthim hAthum arhasi ||” (SrI rAma should not give up his natural calmness and assume anger, after previously being very kind hearted, being in full control over his senses and being desirous of doing good to all creatures), once their conduct becomes too bad, instead of showering his cool glance, he himself shows his cruel glance.
  • vem kURRam – Being very cruel-hearted to make demoniac persons cry for water. This explains how emperumAn becomes the antharyAmi of rudhra etc during samhAram (annihilation).
  • ivai enna vichiththiramE – How variegated are these! Kindly explain.

In the next article we will enjoy the next pAsuram.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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iyaRpA periya thiruvandhAdhi

periya thiruvandhAdhi – 14 – sAyAl kariyAnai

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avathArikai

In the previous pAsuram, AzhwAr had requested emperumAn to show him his divine physical form. Once he thinks of the divine physical form of emperumAn, he starts moving away from emperumAn again, saying “Seeing such a distinguished divine form with these eyes is an inappropriate activity”. He says that his approaching emperumAn is much similar to the way pUthanA (the demon who tried to kill infant krishNa) approached emperumAn.

Let us go through the pAsuram and its meanings:

sAyAl kariyAnai uLLaRiyArAy nenjE
pEyAr mulai koduththAr pEyarAy nI yAr pOyth
thEmbUN suvaiththu UNaRindhaRindhum thIvinaiyAm
pAmbAr vAy kainIttal pArththi

Word by Word Meanings

nenjE – Oh my mind!
sAyAl kariyAnai – krishNa, who is dark in complexion
uL aRiyArAy – not knowing how to enjoy, after entering
pEyAr – pUthanA, the fiend
pEyarAy mulai koduththAr – being a fiend, she offered her (poisoned) bosom
pOy – going repeatedly
thEmbu UN suvaiththu – enjoying Sabdha (sound) etc which keep eroding the AthmA (soul)
UN aRindhum aRindhum – even after knowing the result
thIvinaiyAm pAmbAr vAy – inside the mouth of the snake samsAram (materialistic realm) which nurtures only evil qualities
kai nIttal pArththi – you are trying to put out your hand
nI yAr – how lowly are you (in comparison with pUthanA)?

vyAkyAnam

sAyAl kariyAnai – sAyal refers to complexion. Thus, one who is black in complexion.

uL aRiyArAy – not knowing how to enjoy, after entering; not knowing that the supreme being has come down as an infant, crying for mother’s milk and, not knowing as to how to engage with that simplicity. We can also construe this as meaning that she (pUthanA) did not know that it is actually sarvESvaran who has come down.

nenjE pEyAr mulai koduththAr pEyarAy – Oh my mind! pUthanA did not engage with deceit after taking birth as a human being. Did she not engage with that deceitful act because she was a fiend?

nI yAr – when compared to her, what a lowly entity are you [AzhwAr tells his mind]! When looking at you, who should have been engaging with SAsthras (sacred texts), hailing from the human birth but instead are harming emperumAn, pUthanA appears to be fit for being considered as a nithyasUris!

thEmbUN suvaiththu UNaRindhu aRindhum thIvinaiyAm pAmbAr vAy kai nIttal pArththi – you are engaging  with worldly pursuits of Sabdha, sparSa, rUpa, rasa, gandha (the five senses of sound, touch, form, taste and smell) even after knowing very well that these pursuits will keep eroding the nature of AthmA. This is similar to a person putting out his hand inside the mouth of a (poisonous) snake. How are you related to pUthanA? In this interpretation, the word nI yAr wonders whether one is related to pUthanA. The word pOy could be added to suvaiththu or to kai nIttal pArththi. The opinion here is that despite knowing that the result of engaging repeatedly with worldly pursuits is only ruinous for AthmA, you [reference here is to AzhwAr’s mind] are repeatedly putting out your hand inside the mouth of the poisonous snake, which is what samsAram is. The word thEmbUN refers to worldly pursuits which cause ruin to AthmA’s nature. Alternatively, thEmbUN could refer to bringing a bad name to emperumAn by the heart by its being unsuitable to approach emperumAn and the heart repeatedly carrying out this. Thus this will mean that the heart, knowing well that its approaching emperumAn will bring bad name to emperumAn, is repeatedly doing this, just like one puts out his hand into the mouth of a poisonous snake. In both interpretations, it is clear that you are much lowlier than pUthanA. The end letter Ar in pEyAr, pAmbAr would indicate the nature of cruelty brought about by these entities.

We will move on to the 15th pAsuram next.

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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