upadhEsa raththina mAlai – Simple Explanation – pAsurams 60 and 61

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

upadhEsa raththina mAlai

<< previous

pAsuram 60

Sixtieth pAsuram. Starting with this pAsuram, he mercifully explains the devotion towards AchArya, which is highlighted as an eminent meaning in SrIvachana bhUshaNam. In this pAsuram, he says mercifully that emperumAn will not cherish those who are without devotion towards their AchAryas.

than guruvin thALiNaigaL thannil anbu onRu illAdhAr
anbu than pAl seydhAlum ambuyaikOn – inba migu
viNNAdu thAn aLikka vENdiyirAn AdhalAl
naNNAr avargaL thirunAdu

If a person does not have devotion towards the divine feet of his AchArya, emperumAn will not desire to give him a place in paramapadham which has unlimited bliss, irrespective of the extent of devotion which that person has towards emperumAn, the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi. Thus, one who does not have devotion towards his AchArya will not attain the divine abode of paramapadham. Since emperumAn has been referred through his connection with pirAtti [SrI mahAlakshmi] with the usage of the term ambuyaikOn, it appears that even with the presence of pirAtti, who recommends the chEthana to emperumAn by hiding the faults of the chEthana, near  him, emperumAn will not accept those who are not devoted to their AchAryas.

pAsuram 61

Sixty first pAsuram. mAmunigaL mercifully says that emperumAn, the consort of SrI mahAlakshmi, will grant paramapadham to those who have connection with their AchAryas.

gyAnam anuttAnam ivai nanRagavE udaiyan
Ana guruvai adaindhakkAl – mAnilaththIr
thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan
thAnE vaigundham tharum

Oh those who are on this expansive earth! If one surrenders to one’s AchAryan who has true knowledge on matters related to artha panchakam and activities aligned to that knowledge, SrIman nArAyaNan, who is the lord of SrI mahAlakshmi who dwells on the lotus full of honey, will grant SrI vaikuNtam to such a follower, on his own.

In this pAsuram, mAmunigaL has mercifully and clearly stated about how a good AchAryan will be. It is very important that an AchAryan should have knowledge about artha panchakam – the five meanings – knowledge about self, knowledge about emperumAn, knowledge about the means to attain emperumAn, knowledge about the benefit [after reaching emperumAn] and knowledge about the impediments in attaining the benefit. Further, in line with this knowledge, a person should attain emperumAn as the means and surrender to him through an AchAryan and involve in carrying out kainkaryam to emperumAn and that AchAryan. mAmunigaL mercifully says in this pAsuram that one should surrender to one’s AchAryan and look up to him as the refuge. Those who are like this need not take any efforts on their own to reach paramapadham; emperumAn himself will grant it. This pAsuram is the essence of the entire prabandham.

Sources: http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2019/11/upadhesa-raththina-malai-tamil-60/, http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2019/12/upadhesa-raththina-malai-tamil-61/

adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org

Leave a Comment