SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
As said in hArItha smruthi 8-141 “prApyasya brahmanO rUpam prApthuScha prathyagAthmana: | prApthyupAyam palam prApthEs thathA prApthi virOdhi cha | vadhanthi sakalA vEdhA: sEthihAsa purANakA: | munayaScha mahAthmAnO vEdha vEdhArtha vEdhina: ||” (All vEdhams together with ithihAsas and purANas, and those great sages who know the text and meaning of vEdhams speak about artha panchakam – the nature of brahmam which is to be attained, the nature of jIvAthmA who attains brahmam, the means, the benefit after attaining brahmam and the hurdles which stop the attainment), viLAnjOlaip piLLai considers that one who directly and mercifully explains artha panchakam which is highlighted to be understood in vEdha vAkyams (statements of vEdham) which are focussed on truth, the three words in thirumanthram which is the essence of such vEdham and in the pAsurams of AzhwArs who are well established in such meanings, is the sadhAchAryan (true AchAryan) and mercifully explains the same [in this pAsuram].
pAsuram
ambon arangarkkum Avikkum andharanga
sambandham kAttith thadai kAtti – umbar
thivam ennum vAzhvukkuch chErndha neRi kAttum
avan anRO AchAriyan
Word-by-word meanings
am – beautiful
pon – pure
arangarkkum – for periya perumAL who has SrIrangam as his temple
Avikkum – for AthmAs which are of three categories viz badhdha (bound), muktha (liberated) and nithya (eternally free)
andharanga sambandham – the close relationship of ananyArha SEshathvam (being an exclusive servitor of bhagavAn)
kAtti – reveal
thadai kAtti – reveal the hurdles of the thoughts relating to the goal, means, supremacy of bhagvAn and self’s exclusive servitude towards such bhagavAn
umbar thivam ennum – performing eternal kainkaryam in the abode which is at the disposal of nithyasUris
vAzhvukku – for the great life
sErndha – matching
neRi – prapaththi which is the means
kAttum avan anRO – the one who reveals through explaining thirumanthram
AchAriyan – the true AchAryan
Simple Explanation
Isn’t the one who reveals artha panchakam viz 1) periya perumAL who has beautiful, pure SrIrangam as his temple 2) AthmAs which are of three categories viz badhdha (bound), muktha (liberated) and nithya (eternally free) and the close relationship of ananyArha SEshathvam towards such periya perumAL 3) the hurdles of the thoughts relating to the goal, means, supremacy of bhagvAn and self’s exclusive servitude towards such bhagavAn 4) prapaththi which is the means matching the goal, and 5) goal i.e. great life of performing eternal kainkaryam in the abode which is at the disposal of nithyasUris through thirumanthram, true AchAryan?
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
am pon arangarkkum … – piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully explained that the one who mercifully instructs artha panchakam is the AchAryan as in mumukshuppadi 5th sUthram “samsArigaL thangaLaiyum ISvaranaiyum maRandhu …“. viLAnjOlaip piLLai follows his words and says “kAttum avan anRO AchAriyan“; it appears that he is the one who fully follows the divine feet of piLLai lOkAchAryar. The nature of speaking the same words is a unique quality of our elders.
As said in vAdhikEsari kArikA “ukthArtha viSadhIkAra yukthArthAnthara bOdhanam | matham vivaraNam thathra mahithAnAm manIshiNAm ||” (It is the principle of revered elders that vyAkhyAnam (commentary) is to clarify the stated concept, and describe suitable ideas), the first word of thirumanthram, that is praNavam (aum), has three syllables, when split; these help one understand the meanings which are shown in that praNavam; mercifully considering the manthra SEsham (remainder of thirumanthram) which has two words, to be the direct revealer of such distinguished meanings; hence praNavam is elaborated in the last two words of thirumanthram.
It is said in thaiththirIya upanishath “thasya prakruthileenasya ya: parassa mahESvara:” (the great lord is the meaning of thirumanthram), “akArO vishNu vAchina:” (The letter “a” indicates vishNu), thiruchchandha viruththam 4 “thuLakkamil viLakkamAy” (being indicated by akAram, who is imperishable) and in sanksrit etymology “ava-rakshaNE” (protection). Considering these, viLAnjOlaip piLLai is keeping in his divine heart 1) akAram along with vibhakthi (verb) is explicitly explaining sarvESvaran who is SrIya:pathi (lord of SrI mahAlakshmi) and his rakshakathva (being the protector) and SEshithva (lordship) and there is unspoken auspicious qualities which help his protection and 2) nArAyaNa padham which elaborates thirumanthram, and is mercifully saying “ambon arangarkkum …”.
am pon arangarkkum – periya perumAL who is protector of all, lord of all and is decorated with auspicious qualities such as being the refuge for the refugeless ones, is having this beautiful, purifying great city of SrIrangam. Such SrIrangam is both bhOgyam (sweet) and pAvanam (purifying) even for such periya perumAL since it is said to be thennarangam (beautiful arangam) and ponnarangam (pure/desirable arangam) as SrImathurA is said to be “SubhA” (auspicious) and “pApaharA” (one which eliminates the sins). The reason for the sweetness is due to the presence of abundant water, shades and fertile land as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.8.7 “thezhippudaiya kAviri vandhadi thozhum sIrarangam” (The beautiful SrIrangam where the rich cauvery river comes and caresses his divine feet), periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.8.4 “thEn thoduththa malarch chOlaith thiruvarangam” (SrIrangam where the flower gardens are swarmed by bees) and periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.9.10 “inidhAgath thirukkaNgaL vaLarginRa thiruvarangam” (SrIrangam where periya perumAL is mercifully resting with pleasure). The reason for the purifying nature is due to the ability to eliminate darkness and the self-illumination as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.9.6 “thisai viLakkAy niRkinRa thiruvarangam” (SrIrangam which remains as the light house) and periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.9.7 “sezhumaNigaL vitterikkum” (Where the best gems are shining). Just as periya perumAL has ubhaya lingathvam (two identities, viz being the abode of all auspicious qualities and being the opposite of defects), this SrIrangam is also having the same nature; emperumAn is of the nature to grant his qualities to those which are connected to him.
emperumAn has to be identified with a special aspect as in “am pon arangarkkum” (the one who is present in the beautiful, gold like SrIrangam); just as bhAgavathas are identified by bhagavAn as said in thiruvAimozhi 5.6.11 “thirumAl adiyArgaL” (devotees of SrIman nArAyaNa), emperumAn is also identified by his dhivyadhESam. It is said in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 28.10 “rAmAnujam lakshmaNa pUrvajancha” (lakshmaNa, the brother of SrI rAma, and his elder brother, SrI rAma)
am pon arangarkkum – Here beauty and purifying nature could be attributed to periya perumAL himself as said in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 11.2 “en arangaththu innamudhar kuzhalazhgar vAyazhagar” (The beautiful nectar, SrIranganAtha in SrIrangam who is having beautiful hair and beautiful lips) and thirunedundhANdagam 14 “arangamEya andhaNanai” (the pure one who is firmly residing in SrIrangam). With this, his ubhaya lingathvam – having all auspicious qualities and being opposite of all defects, is emphasised. Since this ubhaya lingathvam shows supremacy, viLAnjOlaip piLLai is explaining this as the identity for periya perumAL. With the two attributes “am pon“, viLAnjOlaip piLLai is also mercifully indicating SrI mahAlakshmi’s purushakAra bhAvam (recommendatory role) which is shown by piLLai lOkAchAryar in SrIvachana bhUshaNam 7 “purushakAramAmbOdhu krupaiyum pArathanthryamum ananyArhathvamum vENum” (While doing purushakAram, krupai (mercy), pArathanthryam (total dependence) and ananyArhathvam (not existing for anyone else) are required) etc since pirAtti is seen to be contained in bhagavAn’s svarUpam which is indicated in “arangarkku” as said in lakshmI thanthram “ahanthA brahmaNasthasya” (I remain the consciousness of brahmam) and in mumukshuppadi 131 “ivaLOdE kUdiyE vasthuvinudaiya uNmai” (Only in conjunction with her is his existence).
Alterantive explanation.
“am pon” can also indicate the attractiveness acquired from the beauty. Such attractiveness is present both in kOyil (SrIrangam) as said in “kAmadham kAmakam kAmyam vimAnam rangasamgyikam” (This SrIranga vimAnam will fulfil our desires, cause desire and be desirable) and in periya perumAL as said in SrIrangarAja sthavam 67 “sakyam samastha jana chEthasi sandhathAnam” (Due to his limbs which reflect supremacy and simplicity, he attracts all the people). kOyil is said to be arangam (SrIrangam) since this abode greatly increases the enjoyability for periya perumAL as said in “rathingathOyathas thasmAth rangamithyuchyathE budhai:” (Wise men identify this abode as SrIrangam since love is present here).
Will be continued in the next part …
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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