SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
periya thirumozhi >> Fifth Centum
This AzhwAr (thirumangai AzhwAr) has seen thathva thrayam (three truths – chith, achith and ISvaran) through bhagavan’s mercy instead of study of SAsthram or penance.
Understanding para svarUpam (bhagavAn’s true nature) truly is to know that he is Sriya:pathi (divine husband of SrI mahAlakshmi), opposite of all defects, abode of all auspicious qualities, having divine form which reveals those good qualities and having beauty, tenderness etc, being the lord of nithya vibhUthi (spiritual realm) and leelA vibhUthi (material realm), and being enjoyable.
Contemplating on sva svarUpam (AthmA’s true nature) truly is to know that he is not qualified for anyone else other than bhagavAn, being parathanthram (totally dependent on bhagavAn) and not having any qualification to protect the self.
Understanding achith (insentient) svarUpam (true nature) is to know that it is by nature a hurdle due to being a wall/screen which stops one from understanding the true nature of self and bhagavAn.
To eliminate this hurdle and to attain the supreme lord, a chEthana (sentient being, AthmA) has to find a matching upAyam (means) and pursue the same. If one contemplates the true nature of these three entities, he should pursue bhagavAn as the upAyam. Since the hurdles are too strong, he should get them eliminated by bhagavAn only. If we see the true nature of the self, since he [chEthana] is not having any qualification to protect the self, and being fully dependent on bhagavAn, self should pursue bhagavAn only. Since bhagavAn cannot be attained through any other means as well, such bhagavAn alone should be pursued as the means. In this manner, while pursuing bhagavAn as the upAyam, parathvam (bhagavAn in paramapadham) is not pursuable due to distance factor. vyUham (bhagavAn in kshIrAbdhi) is similar to parathvam [in distance] and due to samsAri’s inferior nature and bhagavAn’s superior nature. When in danger, brahmA et al can surrender unto him and occasionally he is pursuable for sanaka et al (four kumAras), only in that state. vibhavam [bhagavAn’s incarnations] is also not pursuable due to being in different time period, similar to seasonal rains. archAvathAram (deity form) has none of these shortcomings, and is having its true nature, existence and activities under the control of his devotees. That is – bhagavAn is assuming a divine form with the materials preferred by the devotees, mercifully accepting the place offered by his devotees in their residence by allocating a portion of the space as his divine sannidhi, saying “Kindly accept this place”, accepting food when the devotees say “Kindly bathe, kindly accept food”. When the devotee ignores these, bhagavAn also disregards the same, not losing any of his true nature, remains with gyAnam, Sakthi etc which are required in him to grant the wishes of the devotees and be a refuge and remains as ASritha parAdhInan (subservient towards his devotees). Thus, AzhwAr considers archAvathAram as his refuge to pursue. Even in the beginning he pursued archAvathAram as in periya thirumozhi 1.1.7 “sUzhpunal kudandhaiyE thozhudhu” (worshipping thirukkudandhai dhivyadhESam, which is surrounded by river kAvEri) and periya thirumozhi 1.1.6 “thanjai
mAmaNik kOyilE vaNangi” (worshipping thanjai mA maNik kOyil dhivyadhESam). Thus, highlighting his Akinchanyam (not having any other means), AzhwAr is surrendering unto the lotus feet of periya perumAL who is the refuge.
Starting with periya thirumozhi 1.9 “thAyE thandhai”, AzhwAr surrendered to emperumAn in many places. While it is sufficient to surrender once to attain bhagavAn, he is surrendering multiple times due to his overwhelming urge and sorrow; the greatness of this prabandham (i.e. this decad) is – periya perumAL being the refuge, AzhwAr being the one who pursues periya perumAL, mercifully composed in thamizh which is pursuable by everyone and finally, though we, who are dhruptha prapannas (who can wait for the end of this life to attain bhagavAn) don’t have the same kind of urge like AzhwAr, when we recite these pAsurams, just as periya perumAL showered his mercy on AzhwAr, he would shower the same on us also, who recite these pAsurams. AzhwAr is using the words of those who surrendered for benefits other than kainkaryam and for the removal of their sorrows, and surrendering to bhagavAn, here. The reason for that is, since AzhwAr has the same attachment towards bhagavAn as they had over other benefits and since AzhwAr thinks that bhagavAn who showered his mercy even on such persons will surely shower mercy upon him too.
In thirumAlai – both prApyam (goal) and prApakam (means) are explained. In amalanAdhipirAn, prApyam is explained; in this decad, prApakam is explained.
- pAsuram 1 –
- pAsuram 2 –
- pAsuram 3 –
- pAsuram 4 –
- pAsuram 5 –
- pAsuram 6 –
- pAsuram 7 –
- pAsuram 8 –
- pAsuram 9 –
- pAsuram 10 –
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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