upadhEsa raththina mAlai – Simple Explanation – pAsurams 53 and 54

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

upadhEsa raththina mAlai

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pAsuram 53

Fifty third pAsuram. Starting with this pAsuram, he mercifully gives the essence and the glories of SrIvachana bhUshaNam, mercifully written by lOckAchAryar, and which shows the essence of AzhwAr’s aruLichcheyals. In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL mercifully states the great benefit rendered by lOkAchAryar.

anna pugazh mudumbai aNNal ulagAsiriyan
innaruLAl seydha kalai yAvaiyilum – unnil
thigazh vachana bUdaNaththin sIrmai onRukkillai
pugazhalla ivvArththai mey ippOdhu

As explained in the earlier pAsuram, piLLai lOkAchAriyar, who had such greatness, who was the chief of the clan of mudumbai, who is the lord for us all, with his great compassion, composed rahasya granthams (confidential SAsthras) based on the confidential meanings which were transmitted through the lineage of AchArya – sishya (teacher – student) by AchAryars who had come before him, and showed the path for people to uplift themselves. If one were to analyse all the granthams which he had mercifully written, there is none which will equal the greatness of SrI vachana bhUshaNam. This is not said to praise his work superficially. This grantham has the distinction of revealing truth, vEdhAnthams (upanishaths or end parts of vEdhas which seek and establish the identity of the supreme being) and the greatness of the mercy of AchArya which is the essence of AzhwArs’ aruLichcheyals.

pAsuram 54

Fifty fourth pAsuram. mAmunigaL says that piLLai lOkAchAryAr who wrote this grantham which has such greatness, gave an apt title for it, himself.

munnam kuravOr mozhindha vachanangaL
thannai migak koNdu kaRROr tham uyirkku – minnaNiyAch
chErach chamaiththavarE sIr vachana bUdaNam ennum
pEr ikkalaikku ittAr pin

With the help of the wealth of wise utterances given out by preceptors who came ahead of piLLai lOkAchAryar, he compiled this grantham which those who have learnt well from elders the meanings of SAsthras and sampradhAyas (traditional texts and beliefs) would happily adorn as an ornament. Having compiled it, he also gave it the divine name of SrI vachana bhUshaNam. Just as an ornament made of rathnams (gem stones) is called as rathna bhUshaNam (ornament of gems), since this grantham was compiled with the divine utterances of preceptors, it was named as SrIvachana bhUshaNam. Its distinguishing feature is that unlike being an ornament for the body, it is an ornament for AthmA (soul).

Sources: http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2019/11/upadhesa-raththina-malai-tamil-53/, http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2019/11/upadhesa-raththina-malai-tamil-54/

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

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