SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Highlights from nanjIyar‘s introduction
In third decad – AzhwAr prays to emperumAn “you should eliminate my material body which is a hurdle to experience you”; emperumAn replies “your body is not a hurdle, infact it is useful (being a tool) in our engagement; I have arrived here with great desire to accept your service with your present body” and shows AzhwAr how he who is fully known only by vEdham is mercifully standing in thirumalA (thiruvEnkatam); AzhwAr becomes very pleased on such sight and longs to perform all kinds of kainkaryams to his divine feet.
Highlights from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s introduction
In third decad – AzhwAr prays that his bodily connections that are hurdles for his servitude, be eliminated and ISwaran manifests his presence in periya thirumalai (great thiruvEnkatam hill) saying “I am present here to accept the service of those nithyasUris who are free from hurdles”; AzhwAr establishes that performing all kinds of service to such emperumAn is the natural duty of a servitor (1st pAsuram) and wanting to engage in such service, highlights the following aspects:
- the supremacy of bhagavAn who is the recipient of such service
- such master’s distinguished qualities, forms etc
- the servitude of nithyasUris (eternal residents of paramapadham) towards such distinguished master
- such supreme lord’s simplicity
- such simple lord’s sweet/enjoyable nature
- he being easily approachable to achieve him and enjoy him
- that, the thirumalai, where he is standing (his abode), in itself can bestow sAmyApaththi mOksham [liberation where the jIvAthmA will acquire eight qualities of lord]
- that, by enjoying such thiruvEnkata hill, one’s hurdles will naturally disappear
- due to the relationship with the thirumalai, Iswaran who is the dhESika (one who shows the true path) becomes the remover of undesirable aspects
- thirumalai, his divine abode, is the ultimate goal
Mercifully explaining these, AzhwAr says that service towards emperumAn who is the resident of this divine abode is the naturally fulfilling goal for the jIvAthmA.
Highlights from periyavAchchAn piLLai‘s introduction
See nampiLLai‘s introduction.
Highlights from nampiLLai‘s introduction
AzhwAr, after saying “nilaippeRRu en nenjam peRRadhu nIduyir” (my broken heart stabilized and my AthmA became eternal) on approaching him established his own nature, desires for the natural servitude that fits the nature of the AthmA, in this decad. AzhwAr worries, thinking upon the limitations of his senses due to his relationship with the material body and not being able to engage with emperumAn as he desired and says “Right in the beginning, emperumAn eliminated this bondage and provided many ways to engage with him. But I missed out on all of those ways. I missed the incarnations. I missed acknowledging and pursuing the in-dwelling super soul. Having lost all these options, is there anything like approaching him for me? I have lost it completely” and decides to give up. At that time, emperumAn manifests his presence in thirumalai and pacifies AzhwAr saying “Come on AzhwAr! I have descended to thirumalai just for you. I have come here to enjoy you with your present body. Whatever vision you would have in paramapadham, I am going to show you right here. Having said this, your body is not a hurdle for you in our engagement. If you are worried about the limitations of the senses, even those who have no such limitations (nithyasUris) would be bewildered when they experience me. This place is where even those nithyasUris would come and enjoy me. So, you too serve as you desire, with this present body itself”.
AzhwAr too becomes pacified and thinks “Since dharmi (the original entity – bhagavAn) is the same and all his manifestations being complete, if we can perform all kinds of services right here without any limitation as it can be done after reaching the distinguished abode of paramapadham, if my body is suitable for service instead of being a hurdle, if the auspicious qualities such as Seelam (simplicity) that are clearly manifested here and that are to be glorified/experienced in parampadham as said in thaiththiriya upanishath “sOSnuthE sarvAn kAmAn” (jIvAthmA enjoys all the auspicious qualities of bhagavAn, along with him), if those nithyasUris themselves come here to serve him, let us also go and serve him there”, greatly longs to serve emperumAn like a man [AzhwAr] who would long to eat [serve] if he is hungry [bhakthi], is having food [bhagavAn] right in front of him and there is nice water bodies and shade giving trees [thirumalai filled with gardens]. For those who are desirous to serve emperumAn, it is natural for them to crave for such kainkaryam before actually doing it. iLaiya perumAL’s (lakshmaNa) nature was as explained in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 31.25 “aham sarvam karishyAmi” (Let me serve you in all ways). AzhwAr’s longing/craving for kainkaryam resembles a person who craves for a feast well ahead of time [arumpadham – a humorous incident is narrated – Once, a person went to a brAhmaNa’s house to invite him to partake the feast in a SrAdhdham [annual ritual done for departed persons]. Since the brAhmaNa was not present, the person informs his wife about the date of the event and leaves. The brAhmaNa’s wife completely forgets about it and just remembers about it at the morning of the event. She informs her husband at the last moment only. Hearing that, the brAhmaNa becomes very upset with his wife saying ‘Why did you inform so late? I would have meditated upon the grand feast all these days? How can I do that now?’ and becomes very sad.” – Here, it is explained that our service to emperumAn too should be meditated upon well ahead of time with great joy].
Each pAsuram is discussed subsequently.
- pAsuram 1
- pAsuram 2
- pAsuram 3
- pAsuram 4
- pAsuram 5
- pAsuram 6
- pAsuram 7
- pAsuram 8
- pAsuram 9
- pAsuram 10
- pAsuram 11
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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