SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
A query was raised regarding existence of causative factor for other deities such as rudhra, brahmA et al. SvEthASvathara upanishath 4 says “yadhA thamas thanna dhivA na rAthrir na sanna chAsachchiva Eva kEvala” (During that time when sthUla chidhachith which are existing and non-existing were not present, when distinction between day and night was not there and when only primordial matter, called as thamas and Sivan were existing) and thaiththirIya samhithai 4-2-8 says “hiraNya garbhas samavarthathAgrE” (only brahmA was present at the beginning). These were cited as proof for this query. AzhwAr says in this pAsuram that these deities were created by you; they do not have the capability to praise even a part of your greatness. When such is the case, where is the possibility for these deities to be attained [by people] as a refuge since they are the causative factors? The texts taken here as proof, as well as well as other texts where causative factor had been assigned to other deities such as indhra et al, are to be considered as speaking directly about you only or speaking about you as the indwelling soul for them or to praise about those deities. Thus, there is no deficiency to your being the causative factor.
sollinAl thodarchchi nI solappadum poruLum nI
sollinAl solappadAdhu thOnRuginRa sOdhi nI
sollinAl padaikka nI padaikka vandhu thOnRinAr
sollinAl surunga nin guNangaL solla vallarE
Word-by-Word Meanings
sollinAl – through vEdham
thodarchchi – developing an involvement (in the enduring benefit)
nI – you
solappadum – being spoken of by Sruthi (vEdham) and smruthi (texts which came to explain these vEdhams) as being appropriate to be attained
poruLum – as AthmA (indwelling soul) for celestial deities
nI – you
sollinAl – by vEdham
solappadAdhu – inestimable
thOnRuginRa – that which appears to be
sOdhi – supremely effulgent entity
nI – you
sollinAl – through the vEdham given by you
padaikka – in order to create the world
nI – you
padaikka – just as you created
vandhu thOnRinAr – (in your divine navel) brahmA et al who appeared
sollinAl– by one way or the other
surunga– even briefly
nin – your
guNangaL – auspicious qualities
solla vallarE – are they capable of speaking about?
Simple Translation
Through vEdham, you are the entity in whom an involvement is developed, as the lasting benefit. You are the entity who is spoken of by Sruthis and smrithis as being appropriate to be attained, being the indwelling soul for celestial entities. You are the one who is spoken of by vEdhams as being an inestimable, supremely effulgent entity. Entities such as brahmA et al appeared from your divine navel just as you started creation, as spoken of by vEdhams. These entities are not capable of speaking even a little bit about your auspicious qualities.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
sollinAl thodarchchi nI – For those who desire the four ultimate benefits of beneficence, opulence, happiness and liberation, as espoused by vEdhams, you are the one who creates a relationship. The word thodar refers to relationship. Apart from samsAris (those who dwell in this materialistic realm) who think that it is only the pleasures enjoyed through the five senses of sound, touch, form, taste and smell which are the desired goal, even for those wise people who seek the causative factor as espoused by vEdhams and who attempt to attain it, you are the one who creates an interest in them. Since brahmA et al are not the natural procreators of jIvAthmAs, they are not capable of developing this interest in them.
solappadum poruLum nI – you are the indwelling soul of various deities who are spoken of by Sruthi (vEdhams) and smuruthis, ithihAsams and purANams (which came about to explain the Sruthis) and who are desired to be attained by people for lowly benefits. You grant them their lowly desires through these deities. Examples of such texts are: manu smruthi 12-123 “EnamEkE vadhanthyagnim manuma(maruthO’)nyE prajApathim l indhramEkE parE prANam aparE brahma SASvatham ll” (Some of the branches in vEdhams say that agni (deity for fire) is this supreme entity; some others say that it is manu (maruththu); some others says that it is prajApathi (procreators); some others say that it is indhra (head of celestial enbtities); some others say that it is prANan (vital air); others say that it is the eternal brahmam). thaiththirIya AraNyakam – 3 “chathur hOthArO yathra sampadham gachchanthi dhEvai:” (Those who, through celestial entities, by carrying out yAgams (sacrificial fires), attain the desired benefits from paramAthmA (supreme entity) who is the indwelling soul for such celestial entities). dhaksha smruthi “yE yajanthi pithrUn dhEvAn brAhmaNAn sahuthASanAn l sarvabhUthAntharAthmAnam vishNumEva yajanthi thE ll” (Those who worship forefathers, celestial entities, brAhmaNas who nurture agni, worship vishNu who is the indwelling soul for all jIvAthmAs)
sollinAl solappadAdhu thOnRuginRa sOdhi nI – you are the one who is spoken of by vEdhams as being inestimable splendour. thaiththirIya upanishath Anandhavalli 9-1 says “yathO vAchO nivarthanthE aprApya manasA saha l
Anandham brahmaNO vidhwAn l na bibhEthi kuthaSchanEthi l” (Word and mind which set out to estimate brahmam, returned without success. One who knows the extent of happiness of that brahmam, will not have fear towards anyone). kEna upanishath 2-3 “yasyAmatham thasya matham matham yasya na vEdha sa: l avigyAtham vijAnathAm vigyAtham avijAnathAm ll” (To one for whom brahmam is inestimable, it becomes known. To one for whom it is estimable, he has not known it. brahmam is known to the unknown and unknown to the known). thaiththirIya upanishath nArAyaNavalli 11 “nArAyaNa param brahmathathvam nArAyaNa: para: l nArAyana parOjyOthirAthmA nArAyaNa: para: ll” (nArAyaNan alone is the supreme brahmam; nArAyaNan alone is the supreme entity; nArAyaNan alone is the supreme effulgence; nArAyaNan alone is the supreme soul).
From the above-mentioned pramANams (authentic texts) it has been clearly stated that your basic nature, your divine form, your divine auspicious qualities and your divine wealth have been mentioned as inestimable.
sollinAl padaikka – Just as seen in SvEthASvathara upanishath 6-18 “yO brahmANam vidhadhAthi pUrvam yO vai vEdhAmScha prahiNOthi thasmai l tham ha dhEvam Athmabudhdhi prasAdham mumukshurvai SaraNam aham prapadhyE ll” (I, desiring to attain mOksham (SrI vaikuNtam), surrender to that supreme entity, who initially created brahmA and who instructed him all the vEdhams), in order to create the word through the vEdham instructed by you, and just as it has been said in “sa bhUrithi vyAharath” (that brahmA said bhU:), it has been said that brahmA carried out the task of creation by reciting vEdhaSabdhams (verses from vEdhams).
nI padaikka vandhu thOnRinAr – Just as you created, brahmA and other celestial entities appeared from your divine navel, as we had seen in the SvEthASvathara upanishath SlOkam mentioned above.
sollinAl surunga nin guNangaL solla vallarE – It is not only that they cannot speak expansively about your auspicious qualities; they are not capable of even speaking briefly about one of your qualities. They cannot estimate the boundary of even one among your various qualities which show your superior nature, which establish your being the causative factor for the worlds and which shower mercy on your devotees etc.
We will next take up the 11th pAsuram of this prabandham.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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