पुराणे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

Śrimātē Rāmānujāyanamaḥ
GADYA TRAYAM

Source: TW

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

The Saranagati Gadyam is the first of three compositions o Śri Rāmānuja in Sanskrit prose. The three prose pieces (gadyas) an expressions of the inner experiences of the great Acarya and are t be ranked with the mystic poetry of our alvars. The Saraṇāga Gadyam is actually a conversation between Śri rämānuja, Ś Ranganatha and His consort, and is a live exposition of the doctrin of prapatti (samvada ēṣa śaraṇāgati mantrasāra).

On a Panguni uttiram day in srirangam while Lo Ś Ranganatha sat in court with His consort on His Divine throne, S Rāmānuja stood before them, surrendered himself and his all to th Divine and begged that all his earthly sins be pardoned and that I be accepted in the service of the Divine couple, and got so accept with additional assurance that all his spiritual proteges would accorded what was assured to him.

Thus the assurance of acceptance was not in isolation Rāmānuja alone but to all his spiritual progeny. It is on behalf of humanity that rāmānuja pleaded and we as his spiritual heirs c feel assured of the Lord’s grace. The Saranagati Gadya is a force commentary of the mantraratna, the dvayam. The shorter Sriran Gadyam is an abridged version of the Saraṇagati gadyam and directly addressed to his personal god-mamanatha! śriranganath The vaikuntha Gadyam expresses the yearning of the master reach śri Vaikuntha, the supreme abode of Visnu and serve Lord and His Consort. It recalls in spirit the last decades of Tiruvaymoli of Nammāļvār. The language of the Gadyas is sw A recitation of these is bound to please the Lord as much as it s

Gady atrayam

and satisfies the reciter. The Lord is bound to grant our prayer, however sinful we may be, remembering the assurance He gave to the great Master.

The three Gadyas have been commented upon by several of bur acaryās. Some of these commentaries are lost to us. The ones That are accessible to us are, the manipravala commentary of Pariyāvāccan Pillai, the brief Sanskrit commentary of sudarśana bhattar and the gadya bhasya of Vedanta Dēsika.

The Saranagati gadyam or periya gadyam (big gadyam as is usually called) is presented here following mainly the commentary of periyavaccan Pillai. Here is the introduction in periyavaccan Pillai’s commentary:

The kudrṣtis (misinterpreters of the vēdās) have it that only a knowledge of the meaning of sentences like tatvamasi (That you Fare) is the means to salvation (mōkṣa). Some of them have it that a combination of karmayoga and jñānayōga is the means. In order to vanquish these, Śri Rāmānuja established firmly in his Śribhāṣya that bhakti which has karma as an adjunct and which consists mainly in loving meditation of the Lord is the surest means to aSalvation. upasana, dhyana, and vedanta are alternate terms femployed to convey the purport of this jñāna (knowledge). The sastras declare that jñāna is the means for mōkṣa and śribhāṣyakāra establishes that knowledge in the form of bhakti (which is the heart of upasana) is the surest path to mōkṣa. (There are places in the Sribhasya and Gitäbhasya where prapatti or surrender is suggested thas a means but not quite explicitly). Lest those desciples of his who thhad implicit faith in what he declared as the means think that this (bhakti being the sure means) was his ultimate view and decide that tibhaktiyoga was the sole means to mōkṣa, he reveals the view dear

to his acāryās, the one in which he had utmost faith as the sole means to salvation here in the gadyas. This view is that prapatt (nyasa) is the surest and unfailing independent means to salvation It is but a refined form of jñāna (knowledge). The question arises a to why Śribhāṣyakära did not vanquish the kudrstis by establishing that prapatti is the means established in the śrutis (vēdas). Feeling that, just as it would be inappropriate for a brāhmaṇa to initiate canḍāla into the vēdas, it would be equally so to reveal the tru spirit of śrutis to those (kudrṣṭis) who stand far removed from it, h vanquishes them using the language quite familiar to them ie., th śāstrās and reveals his cherished conclusion and true purport, closely guarded secret, (ētatvē mahōpaniṣadam dēvānā guhyam-Taittiriya Upanisad) to the faithful through the Gadyas.

What is the greatness of prapatti (as a means) relative to th great means (bhakti) explicity mentioned in the vēdānta? Bhak cannot be practised universally. Only those castes qualified to lea the vēdās could practise this vedik path; the path is difficult (lik crossing a pit of fire on a bridge of hair!); it does not yield the fru (salvation) quickly because of the possibility of many lapses; requires continuous self-effort and hence is inconsistent with th nature of the atman (as fully subservient to the Lord). Prapatti is t very opposite in that it is universal, easy, quick in yielding resu with no possibility of lapses, consistent with the nature of t atman, is a completed task (siddha) in that it does not need a self-effort, and is an appropriate means to the end.

The next question is; “Is this means a conclusion contain in the vēdānta or not?” The answer is an emphatic yes. T Taittariya upaniṣad declares the various means in increasing ord of effectiveness- satyam, tapas, dama, śama, dānam, dharn prajānana, āgnayāh, agnihōtra, yajña, mānasa, nyāsa and fina

declares tasmān nyasamēṣam tapasaāmatiriktamāhuḥ`- this (nyāsa) is the most effective and superior tapas of all these. The twelve mentioned earlier are in that order, the practice of truth, tapas-reducing bodily needs, dama-control of outer senses, sama - 2 control of inner senses, giving liberally of ones possessions; practice of duties, begetting children (to propagate dharma), tending the sacred fires, making offerings to the devas through the fire, sacrifices, meditation of God, and surrender. Further, since it is e said that the practice of elders who properly understood dharma (śāstra) is the superior authority as also the vēdās, this (prapatti) has the greatness of being dear and most acceptable to our preceptors (ācāryās). What has been accepted by the elders is proper authority to the faithful; to those who need more, it has the sanction of the śrutis too. It may be pointed out that the Svētāśvatārā contains the actual practice of prapatti - yō bramhāṇam vidadhāti pūrvam - tam ha devam mumukṣurvai śaraṇāmaham prapadyē.

Thus, because this means is decidedly in keeping with the spirit of the śruti, more consistent with the nature of the atman, dear i to our ācāryās, and most acceptable to the Lord Himself, it should be considered to be worthy of practice more (superior to) than bhakti. Feeling that this fact should not be lost to those who had It utmost trust in him (śri Ramanuja), he, out of his abundant mercy, he chose to publicise what actually transpired (in private) between my himself and the great Lord.

This is how this (composition) came into being: On a e particular auspicious festival (Panguni Uttaram day) while Lord he Ranganatha came out with His consorts (for the festival), and sat in e Court, Empērumānār (Śri Rāmānuja) came and worshipped at the na feet of the Lord. On this occasion (due to our good fortune) fear of Il samsara (cycle of birth, ignorance etc.) crossed his mind and he fe॥

Saranagati Gadyam

at the holy feet and conveyed his total surrender seeking the Lord’s protection. Here a question arises: Did he not seek this refuge when he first sought aśrayāna (initiation) at the feet of his Acarya Mahāpūrṇa (Periya Nambi)? Has not the Lord expressed that this ‘seeking’ is to be made only once? sakrdēvaprapannāya…- Śri Rāmā’s pronouncement in the Rāmāyaṇa. (yudhakanda-18.33-34). Seeking refuge or surrender is to be only once. It should not be repeated formally doubting the efficacy of the Lord. Here the mou repetition of surrender is done only out of eagerness to enjoy the bliss quicker (prāpyatvara). It being so, should not one remain passive till the owner seeks to do what he pleases with his property, in view of authorities (texts) like “I do not need redress of my grief from any but You” (Tiruvaimōli 5.8-3)"; “Remove my grievances or not-I have no other protector (5.8-8)”; “It will befit Him if He comes and delivers me from here” (Sitas words from her prison in Lanka-Sundarakānḍam 39-30). Why should he repeat the `seeking refuge’? This is the answer: he cannot remain passive because of his anxiety and eagerness in realising the goal and so surrenders his all and seeks the fruit. This is the state of our alvars too. The same is the case of our ācāryas who follow the (alvärs’) footsteps. As fear of samsara as well as the desire to realise the goal keep on increasing, all that they (alvars) can do is to seek the protective refuge of the Lord nine times (many times) in the same way as they did once. Thus he seeks the protective refuge of the great Lord’s feet for relief from samsara and acceptance in His service.

Vandē vēdānta karpura camikara karandakam । Rāmānujāryamāryāṇām cūḍāmaṇimaharniṣam ॥

The Day and night, I prostrate the venerable rāmānuja, the crest jewel of the noble and the casket containing the camphor called vēdās.

The text of the Saraṇagati Gadyam begins with a prayer to śridevi (Periyapirṭṭai). In this prayer, Sri Rāmānuja seeks Sridevi as his refuge and requests her to bless that his sincere saranagati at the feet of the Supreme Lord may be deemed to be in proper setting and bear the desired fruit. The idea is that she should intercede on his behalf and see that her beloved husband (the Lord) accepts his supplication and grants the desired fruit of being accepted in His service.

bhagavannārāyaṇābhimatānurūpasvarūparūpaguṇa

vibhavaiśvaryaśīlādyanavadhikā

Patisayasankhyēyakalyāṇaguṇaganāmpadmavanālayām

bhagavatim śriyam devim nityanapayinim niravadyām tammdēvadēva divyamahişim akhilajaganmataram asmanmātaram with asaranyasaranyam ananyaśaśaraṇah śaraṇamaham

prapadye [1]

The Saraṇagati Gadya is a practical commentary on the dvaya mantra in which the eternal association of Śri (Sridevi) with the Lord is emphasised. She is ever present with the Lord to intercede on behalf of supplicants who approach Him. By Himself, He may either accept the supplicant because of His innate mercy or reject him because of His sense of justice which calls for punishment for sins committed. Śri, the Mother, sees to it that the latter mood is drowned and that His mercy comes into full play. It is natural for a child to approach the mother for any wish to be fulfilled without any uncertainty. It may be recalled that in the rāmānujanurrandādi, the final verse prays to Sri Ranganayaki to bless the secker with Sri Rāmānujā’s holy feet.

Translation: Oh! Śridevi! Mother of all the world and more particularly my mother! The crowned and divine queen of the supreme Lord of all the Devas! Pure and faultless, ever inseparably

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

united with Him, full of all auspicious qualities, with a charming form, with the most wonderful and infinite collection of adorable qualities such as greatness, rulership and high virtues worthy and matching those of Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa, and to His utmost liking; having no other resort to look to, I seek thee as my refuge (since) you are the sole resort of the helpless.

The translation of the text is not literal. The text is actually in the form “I take refuge in the unversal mother, Śridēvi” but has been rendered in the form of an address to Śri since the next sentence conveys Sridevi’s direct reply.

The word Bhagavan indicates the fullness of the principal qualities-knowledge (jñānā), power (śakti), strength (bala), lordship (aiśvarya- being isvara or commander), valour (virya) and brilliance (tejas)-and absence of anything lowly. Nārāyaṇa means the indwelling supporter of all (creations) and the possessor of all. She is dear (abhimata) to Him and to His utmost liking and befits Him (anurupa) in all respects-in form (vigraha) and, in qualities (guna). The need for mentioning Nārāyaṇa here is that Śri and Nārāyaṇa form an ideal and inseperable couple. (viśnōh ēśā anapayini). He is identified as Śriyahpati (Lord of śri) and she as Visnupatni. They are fitting partners in all respects. Recall the sentence `raghavōrhati vaidehi tam cēyam asitēkṣaṇam"- Sita deserves (befits) Rāma in all respects and He also (deserves) this dark-eyed damsel. svarupa refers to characteristics and rupa to beauty of form. Both befit each other in every respect. The term guna is used twice-rūpaguṇa and kalyāṇaguṇa. The former indicates beauty of form and limbs and the latter indicates desirable natural qualities like love, affection, accessibility and the like.

The various characteristics (qualities) which contribute to the greatness of Śri are enumerated. vibhava denotes possession of that

enjoyable wealth. All that is His is hers also by virtue of her being His beloved wife. aiśvarya is lordship or sovereignty. The entire world is Hers. Even the Sarvēśvara’ allows Himself to be commanded by her when the need to make Him the saviour instead of the dispenser of mere justice arises. sila is ability to mix freely; easy accessibility, motherly love and affection-all are indicated. Such desirable qualities are infinite and cannot be enumerated. All her good qualities are always in full play.

padmavanālayām - resident in a cluster of lotuses; her constant presence is in her Consort’s heart. The lotus is mentioned only as a thing of beauty and so very desirable and auspicious. bhagavati indicates fitness for worship and respect. śriyam-the word Śri has many connotations. Chief among these are śriyate - one who is sought (prayed to) by all beings as mediator for acceptance by the Lord and śrayate-one who seeks the Lord for saving the beings who approach the Divine couple. Others are: she patiently hears supplications; she makes them heard by Him; she negativates the faults of her children; she pleases: all by her desirable qualities. dēvim implies the divinity associated with her; He is the supreme Lord, she is the first Lady.

nityānapāyinim denotes she is ever present with her Lord without a moment’s separation; always available for mediating between the sinning children and the discipline - loving Lord. niravadyam brings out her faultless nature; she is never proud of her exalted position and always adds to the greatness of her Lord. devadeva divyamahisi She is the crowned queen of the Emperor-King of kings. She is the queen of all queens (wives of divine being like Brahma and Rudra) and can carry out her wishes without any impediment whatever. akhilajaganmātaram-She is the universal mother;particularly my mother (asman mataram- mother

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

to even a lowly thing such as me); that she is the refuge of the refugeless-one could be certain of being saved by her-is indicated by aśaraṇyāśaranyam. That the supplicant has no other place to go is pointed out by ananyaśaśaranah. I seek refuge in the divine

mother.

The next sentence conveys the prayer to Śri who is sought after for the specific purpose of her mediation on his behalf.

pāramārthikabhagavaccaraṇāravinda yugalaikāntikātyantika parabhaktiparajñanaparamabhaktikṛta paripūrṇānavarata iinnityavisadatamānanyaprayōjanānavādhikāṭiśayapriya

Emeth bhagavadanubhavajanitāna vadhikātiśaya pritikārita

asēṣāvasthōcita aśēṣasēṣataika ratirūpa nityakainkaryaprāpyapēkṣayā pāramārthiki bhagavaccaraṇāravinda saraṇagatiḥ yathāvasthitā

astu tēl tayaiva sarvan sampasyatē

aviratōstu mē

121

131

Translation-2: I pray thee that you may be pleased to bless that my sincere and true saraṇagati at the lotus feet of Bhagavan be accepted as truely and well-performed and lead to the desired end without any interruption. The object (end desired) of my supplication (saraṇagati) is the very personification of (born out of) my eagerness and loving desire to be of service in all its forms to Him under all circumstances (in public court and in the privacy of inner apartments). The desire to be of service is (in turn) a result of the immense joy of divine experience (bhagavadanubhava),an experience which is the ultimate in desirability beyond which there is nothing to be desired; an end in itself, eternal, uninterrupted, full and clear (without any trace of doubt or confusion). The divine experience (in turn) results from a well-founded devotion-(in its stages of) parabhakti-desire for a vision of

of the Lord;

parajñāna-direct perception and paramabhakti-cagerness for continuous experience not suffering even an instant’s interruption-solely directed at the lotus feet of the lord, a devotion highly desirable in itself (This is a free translation attempting to bring the spirit of the text rather than at literal accuracy).

Translation-3: Śri’s reply; So it shall be; by it (saraṇagati) all your wishes shall be fulfilled.

The prayer made above indicates that the supplication made to Śri is to seek her mediation (puruśākāra) so that success in his supplication to the Lord would be ensured. Śri Rāmānujā conveys his yearning to serve the Lord without interupption under all circumstances. His intense selfless devotion led to a wonderful experience of the divine which created the yearning to be of service in the same way as the serpent (Tiruvantāļvān) which served as the umbrella when He walked, was His seat (simhāsanā) when He sat, was His footwear when He stood and His bed when He reclined on

the ocean.

Here the words aśēsā sēṣātaika ratirūpa are significant- desire in the performance of all kinds of service without any exception (or restriction). The primary object is that the Lord shall be pleased, whoever may perform the service. The pleasure should be His. Pleasure may be derived by witnessing His pleasure. This itself is a form of service. The servant should not feel elated about his being of service. He should feel that the master has been properly served and pleased. ālāvandār, in his Stotraratna uses the word prahāṛṣayisyāmi, implying that the service is solely to make Him happy-not for one’s own pleasure (Stotraratna-45)

Śri’s reply that all your wishes shall be fulfulled" is interpreted by Sudarśana sūri to mean that the fruit of his

27Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

supplication will not stop with him (Śri Rāmānuja) but will continue to be available to all his spiritual heirs. This includes outselves too because of out link to Śri Rāmānuja by a chain (parampara) of ācāryās.

After the formal expression of surrender at the feet of the Mother in the first curṇikā (sentence), Sri Ramanuja conveys his prayer to Śri in the second, beginning with `paramarthika’. The prayer is that he should be accepted as a prapanna and a kainkaryapara (servant). His saraṇāgati prayer to the Lord is to get accepted for eternal and devoted service. Though devotion and yearning for service are already there in him, he feels that these should be prayed for and obtained so that they will be continuous and everlasting.

pāramārthika-`artha’ means wished for result-prayojana. Parama means supreme. When this word paramarthika qualifies the word bhakti as an adjective, it implies that the bhakti is natural and not artificial (assumed). When it is taken as qualifying caraṇāravinda (the lotus feet), it becomes the highest prayojana (sought-after-fruit). Bhagavan in bhagavatcaraṇāravinda indicates the fullness of auspicious and desirable qualities which stir up devotion. caraṇāravinda indicates the highly desirable nature of the Lord’s form-vigraha, aikāntika-having one end; not having any other purpose; atyanatika-eternal; without end. Parabhakti, parajñāna and paramabhakti are stages in the fruition of bhakti indicated earlier. paripurna-complete and whole; not in separate parts like svarūpa (nature), rūpa (form), guna (qualities), vibhava (greatness), aisvarya (enjoyable wealth) and so on. This word paripūrṇā qualifies bhagavadanubhava-comprehension and experience of the Lord. Such experience should be anavarata- uninterrupred; continuous and nitya-eternal; visadatama is clear

Gady atrayam

comprehension (vision) of the Supreme leading to the paramabhakti state. Intense devotion is an end in itself (ananyaprayojana) and not a means to some other end. Bhagavada nubhava is the highest blissful experience of the Lord in His abode (paramapada). From these expressions, we get an idea of the ectsacy of the bhakta in the experience of the Lord-contemplating His beautiful form with intense devotion along with His highly desirable attributes and qualities. This anubhava leads to ever-increasing love which in turn leads to the yearning to be of service to the beloved. Anubhavajanita pritikaritakainkarya implies the yearning to be of service born out of intense love, a result of the ectstacy of the experience.

Then follow epithets qualifying the service prayed for. asēṣāvasthōcita- befitting all states; in court as well as in the inner apartments, aseṣasēṣataikaratirupa-personification of desire to be of all forms of service - waving the fan, holding the umbrella, offering beteleaves and sandal paste, sounding the trumpet and so on. We now come to the operative part of the prayer. My surrender at the Lord’s feet bhagavat caraṇāravinda saraṇāgati - here bhagavān implies the fullness of knowledge, power and ability which make Him the sole means to fulfil the desired wish without any assistance whatever; pāramarthaki here means true and in proper form; yathavasthita- as it should be. This implies rejection of all other means except total Surrender to the Lord. Avirata astu me-let it be uninterrupted ill the desired end is achieved (until prayer is granted).

This curnika clearly indicates that the formal surrender to śriḥ in the first curṇika is only to seek her recommendation (puruṣākāra). The Acarya prays, “Oh Mother! I fall at your feet that my śaraṇagati to the Lord should be in true and proper shape

Śaranagati Gadyam

and result in the fruit sought for. The desired fruit is onl uninterupted and faultless service in all forms. The eagerness an longing to be of such service is itself a desired goal. This eagernes for service surely results from an experience of the Lord’s vision a well as comprehension born out of intense devotion. This devotio should itself result from His grace.

Following Śridevi’s assurance (curnika-3) that all his wish will be fulfilled, Rāmānuja proceeds to address the Lord direct and seek Him as the means to the desired end of eternal and lovin service in diverse forms. Since the Gadyam is a practical expositio of the dvaya mantra, the prayer to Śri may be taken as t equivalent of śrimat, the opening words of the dvaya mantra itself.

This is followed by a very long cumika in which we find poetic rendering of all greatness contained in the word Nārāya with his attributes, the divine jewels which adorn His person, H weapons, His consorts and attendants, His divine abode, His spo field and all. This curnika ends with the formal offer surrender-saraṇamaham prapadye. For convenience we will sp this into several parts.

4.(i) akhilaheyapratyanika kalyaṇaikatāna svētara

samastavastuvilakṣaṇa ananta jñānānadaikas varūpa!

(ii) svabhimatānurūpaikarūpācintya divyadbhuta nityaniravady niratiśayaujjvalya saundarya saugandhya saukumārya lāvaṇya yauvanādyananta guṇanidhi divyarūpa !

In these, Śri Rāmānuja addresses the Lord bringing out H pre-eminence in several ways. This forms a stōtra. There is pra but no flattery because His pre-eminence is such that He has equal or superior and no praise can do full justice to t pre-eminence.

그는

my Gadyatrayam

4-(i) The opposite of all that is lowly and evil; the abode of

all that is beneficient and good; distinctly different from all beings other than Yourself; and prefect embodiment of infinite knowledge and bliss.

wantry

heya-anything undesirable is heya. The susceptibility to change on the part of matter; susceptibility to ignorance and misery on the part of the bound jivātma (to the cycle of birth and death);

the dependence (päratanatrya) on the part of the released and

ever-free souls; all these are undesirable. The Lord is free from a॥

that can be considered lowly; He is not tainted by contact with the lowly; furthermore He can destroy all evil in others. akhila-all encompassing; all that is sentient and nonsentient in the entirety of the created worlds and the eternal paramapada. kalyāṇa ēkatāna-the sole abode of all that is desirable and good-full of virtues, with no possibility of being inauspicious even in a small part, svētara samasta vastuvilakṣaṇa-distinctly different from all others than Or Himself.

His being akhila heyapratyanika and kalyana aikatāna mark the Lord as distinctly different from all others. ananta - infinite, immeasurable; not confined to any locality; eternal and not bound by time limits; being immanent in all objects, He is unversal; He can not be measured in terms of weight or volume. jñānānandaika svarupa-He is self-effulgent knowledge; self-illuminating. This is the significance of jñāna aikasvarupa, similarly in ananda-bliss. Bliss is all that is favourable (anukula) and enjoyable (sukharupa). Thus far the nature of the Supreme Self; the next part of the curṇika describes the Divine form.

(ii) Śri Rāmānuja proceeds to describe the divyamangala hi vigraha. Your divine form is most agreeable to you and worthy of you (suits you); unchanging, beyond the reach of thought

Śaranagati Gadyam

(incomparable); divine and wonderful, eternal, pure and faultless (unsullied), of incomparable brilliance, possessed of unique loveliness of form (lavaṇya) and limbs (saundarya), exuding a very pleasant odour, charmingly soft, ever youthful;- a vigraha which is a treasure house of all the excellences (above-mentioned) in infinite

to rag edt no

measure.

abhimata - most agreeable or dear since the form conforms to His wish (iccha parigrihitam); anurupa-by showing off all His divine qualities; ēkarupa- changeless (our bodies are susceptibe to changes from birth to death; acintya-cannot be understood by comparision with anything or anybody; divya-divine, not of the stuff that goes to making common forms, refreshingly different from that; adbhuta-wonderful in presenting new facets of beauty every instant; nityaniravadya-eternally faultless-this excellent form s not for His own enjoyment and admiration but solely for His devotees; without the flaw of being difficult to conceive and meditate upon; niratiśaya aujvalya-incomparable brilliance putting to shame all radiant objects like the Sun; saundarya is the loveliness of each part of the form - avayava śōbha; each part is such a feast to the eyes and the mind that they get engrossed in it and fail to move on to another part of the form; saugandhya-of the most pleasant odour (aroma) and making others odoriferous by mere contact; saukumārya-most charming; even His consorts would hesitate to touch, out of fear that it may show signs of fading; lavanya-beauty of the form as a whole (samudaya sōbhā), ever in the prime of youthfulness; ādi- and so on; to include other excellences not spoken explicitly here. anantagunanidhi

anantagunanidhi - treasure house of innumerable excellences; divyarūpā the second divya here indicates that the form is celestial (divisthita). The excellence of His nature (svarūpa) and form (rūpa or vigraha) are such that any

32Gady atrayam

mount of repetition of their excellence does not

lence does not provide mental satisfaction of having fully described the same.

bal le

The next three clauses describe the Lord’s kalyaṇagunas,

ornaments and weapons:

iii) svābhāvikānavadhikātiśaya jñānabalaiśvarya viryaśakti tējaḥ

sauśilya vatsalya mārdava ārjava sauhārda sāmya kāruṇya madhurya gambhirya audarya caturya sthairya dhairya śaurya parakrama satyakāma satyasankalpa kṛtitva wkṛtajñatadi asankhyeya kalyaṇa guṇaganaugha mahārṇava! iv) svōcitavividhavicitränantāścarya

nityaniravadyaniratiśayasaugandha niratiśayasukhasparśa niratiśayaujvalya kirita makuta cūḍāvatamsa makarakundala graivēyaka hāra keyūra kaṭaka śrivatsa kaustubha

muktādāma udarabandhana-pitambara kanciguṇa nūpurādi aparimita divya bhusana!bs 15k Bit to com

bhūṣaṇa

v) svanurūpācintyaśakti sankha cakra gadāśārangāḍi

asanakhyēya nitya niravadyaniratiśaya kalyāṇa divyāyudha ! (iii) Translation: The Lord is addressed here as a vast and

ord is addressed here n ocean cu

with innumerable hoards of fitting (natural) ncomparable and insuperable auspicious qualities; to list; jñāna - Il pervading knowledge, bala-ability to bear the entire worlds by heer will, aiśvarya - mighty rulership, virya - ability to bear and ule all the worlds without even a sign of any tiredness - unalterable ature despite being the material cause of all creations, sakti - onderful and unimaginable power and ability, tējas - ability to get ings done without any assistance (these are the six principal ualities unique and characteristic of the Lord - Bhagavan) ausilya - ability (of the superior) to mix freely (with inferiors); atsalya - tender affection which causes even faults to

e enjoyable

Saranagati Gadyam

(like the mischievous pranks of children); mardava softness o fee।

which brooks no separation from beloved devotees; arjava straight forwardness in word, deed and thought; sauhārda friendlihess; samya- being equally accessible to all irrespective o apparent differences; karunya - mercy; madhurya

mercy; mādhurya - being swee even to murderous enemies; gambhirya - unfathomable mind audārya - generosity not caring for return; caturya - ability to tun even the hostile to friendliness; sthairya - firmness in protecting without any help - parakrama-ability to defeat enemy hordes i battle effortlessly; satyakāma of ever fulfilled will satyasankalpa - ability to successfully put into action anything tha is willed; kṛtitva - ever active for the good of devotees; kratajñata gratitude even for small good; adi - these and many more like thes (naturally fitting auspicious qualities).

Elaborative Notes: svabhāvika - most natural like th coolness of cold water and the heat of a fire; anavadhikātiśaya limitless excellence; jñāna - ability to complete comprehension o all at once; sakti - ability to activate His creations, unbelievable an unimaginable ability to do the undoable, like being in all beings a at once in full form; as Nammāļvār says, “He occupies every dro of water in the ocean as if it is a vast expanse of space”. tējas brilliance which dulls into shade every luminious object (like th sun), majesty, cowing down others. The first six gunas - a inherent qualities which are unique to the Lord.

The next twelve gunas are for the benefit of devotee sausilya - ability of superiors to mix freely with others, like wat with water, without any feeling of condescension; recall t exquisite qualities exhibited by Srirama towards the hunter Gu and others. vatsalya - affection, the quality exhibited by the moth cow towards the newborn calf; ārjava - oneness in thought wo

jaybe meine

and deed - like the truthful exposition

the truthful exposition of his (Rama’s) life story

;

even to Surpanakhā; sauharda - well-intentioned fr

friendliness; samya - equally accessible to all - as Srirama to Guha and Sabari ; karunya inability to look at another’s sorrow with equanimity; showing mercy not with an eye for any benefit; madhurya sweetness; being sweet even when He is about to kill; Bhisma welcomed Kṛṣṇa when He took His cakra to slay him - “Come! Krsna when He took His cakra to slay him- Welcome! my Lord with eyes like the freshly blossoming Lotus ! Lord of all the world! Lord of all the devas ! I salute You. Slay me

te You. Stay in the battle field”. gambhirya - no one can comprehend what good He has in mind for His devotees; He does not look at the

at the greatness of what He offers and the littleness of the receiver; He gives Himself and also the ability to enjoy what is given; audārya

self and also the nobility to consider the receiver as generous because he chooses to receive from Him; caturya - cleverly covering up the faults of devotees; sthairya - strength of mind; firm determination; ``I will not forsake anybody who has come in friendliness” (Rama); dhairya the strength needed to abide by the resolve above mentioned; absolute fearlessness.

000

The next two qualities relate to vanquishing of enemies; saurya - ability to destroy the foes of devotees; parakrama - courage to be always in the offensive in the presence of the enemy; be first to deal a blow; “People saw the rakṣasa hordes being pierced, cut, burnt and fleeced by Rama’s - arrows; they could not see the quick moving archer (Rama) (Yuddhakanda 64-12)”; dhairya unmatchable courage may be added here.

h Tsatyakāma and satyasankalpa are unique qualities. kāma

lovable; satyakāma - most loveable qualities and attributes. kama - is also the resolve to protect devotees; this never proves futile. sankalpa is the will to be incarnated in any form to come to the

succour of devotees; He does this unhindered like play (sport These two qualities are unique of the Lord as Creator and Protect

ese two qua

(sustainer).

kṛtitva and kṛtajñata are qualities which characterise th puruşōttama - a true gentleman". kṛtitva - if devotee’s wish fulfilled, He feels He is benefitted; “Having crowned Vibhiṣan king of Lanka, Rama felt satisfied, relieved and happy that He ha done His duty” (1.85) Recall Śrivaraha’s words, “I remember m devotee”. kṛtajñata - remembrance; when a devotee once seel refuge (in Him), He is oblivious to faults and remembers only h surrender. Kṛṣṇa’s words ‘I could not be present in person

Krsna’s protect Draupadi when she cried out for Me in her moment of di need. This will be always a big load in my heart". Rama’s words “I could not fulfill Bharata’s wish - his prayer with bowed head These words come with deep anguish. He is even conscious of H (few) lapses. ādi - refers to qualities not elaborated. asankhyēya countless limitless. kalyaṇagunagana ōgha - heaps and heaps ever auspicious qualities. Even His anger is loveable; ōgha - floo mahārṇava -ocean. “All the worlds cannot fully enumerate all H qualities even over a periiod of 10,000 years” (Karna’s words in t Mahābhārata)

(iv) Translation with notes: The qualities described abo adorn the Self (the atmasvarupa). The jewels which adorn an beautify the Person (divyamangalavigraha) are now picture svōcita matching

the beauty of His form; vicitra - diverse range; vividha - numerous in variety; anantāścarya - immense wonderful; excellent beyond any limit; nitya

ival everlastin niravadya - faultless or, nityaniravadya - ever without fault. T jewels are also nityasūris (ever - emancipated souls), their sole ai is to add to the beauty of the Lord’s form; niratiśaya - is od of ames of mot you m sumsal od at lliw sill ei s

adjective qualifying the adorable characteristics of the various ornaments and indicates their limitless excellence; sugandha fragrant, of sweet aroma, He is himself sarvagandha and sarvarasa - the ornaments enhance these. sukhasparsa - soft to the touch; they i need not be removed during hours of relaxation (in bed); niratiśaya

aujvalya of immense splendour; kirita, makuta, cūḍāvatamsa varieties of crowns, say, a crown to signify His absolute supremacy; one to signify easy accessibility to devotees; a third denoting chivalry; cūḍa - may also mean the small pendant at the top of the face (cuḍa), avatamsa - an ornament for the upper ear tlobe. makarakundala - ornaments for the lower ear lobe shaped like a makara (a variety of sea fish). graivēyaka - necklace; hāra - rows of chains adorning the chest; kēyūra shoulder band; kaṭaka ornament for the forearm (like bangles); śrivatsa - a uniquely beautiful and natural mark (mole) in His chest which is listed here as a jewel; kaustubha an ornament of most superior gems indicative of His Supermacy; muktādāma - strings of exquisite d pearls; udarabandhana waist band, a fitting ornament to the i and protects the entire worlds during pralaya;

mmy which holds

ds and protects the entire world due t pitambara - a beautiful yellow silk dress (vēști) befitting His Lordship; kanciguna - golden belt enhancing the lustre of the pitāmbara; nupura - adornment for the feet which devotees seek; adi - to include those not listed like his yajñōpavitam, finger rings and so on; aparimita - innumerable and diverse; divyabhuṣana - divine ornaments, absolutely befitting His beauteous form.)

(v) Translation with notes: This clause talks of the divine g weapons, which beautify His form and shine like ornaments, he adorning Him. svanurūpa - befitting Him; powerful weapons in n destroying the foes of devotees, and gladenning the beholding devotees as ornaments adorning Him. acintyaśakti - unimaginable prowess each

soning Him. acinty - - weapon can do the functions of all the others; the

BLY GALWAY

37Saranagati Gadyam

er ready

single arrow of rama did the function of the crowbar, axe, chisel, spade and what not - in felling the seven huge sālā - trees (Kişkinda 36-8); sankha… the conch, cakra (disc), mace (gadā), sword (asi), bow (säranga), and so on; asankhyēya

va - countless, like the ornaments; nityaniravadya - eternal; ever faultless and to destroy the foes of the Lord’s devotees, ever alert in the Master’s service, ever sharp and not showing any sign of bluntness; niratiśayakalyāṇa- auspicious by their very presence; foreseeing the Lord’s thoughts and acting when it comes to protecting His devotees; always in the dharmik path; also indicates the eminent splendour of the combination of ornaments and weapons. divyāyudhā - divine weapons not of the stuff of these worlds. Then follows His association with His consorts.

glong The following continue the poetic description of the glory of the Lord, into th

(vi) śvābhimata nityaniravadyanurupa svarupa rūpaguṇa

vibhavaiśvaryaśiladi anavadhikātisaya asankhy@ya

kalyāṇagunagaṇa śrivallabha! ēvambhūta bhūminilā nāyaka!

(vii) svacchandānuvṛtti svarūpasthitipravṛttibhēda

asēṣasēṣataikaratirupa nitya niravadya niratiśaya dell bjñānakriyaiśvaryādi anantakalyāṇaguṇāgana sēṣa śēṣāśana garuḍapramukha nānāvidha anantaparijana paricārikā

Caparicarita caranayugalā !d

(viii) paramayōgivakmanasaparicchedya

svarūpasvabhāvasvābhimata vividha vicitrānanta abhōgyabhōgōpakaraṇa bhōgasthāna samṛddha danlamakaw Pilanantāścaryāntamahā-vibhavānantaparimāṇa nitya niravadya

streniratiśaya śri vaikunthanatha !

(ix) svasankalpānuvidhāyisvarūpasthitipravṛttisvasēṣataikasvabhav bra prakṛti puruṣa kālātmaka vividha vicitrānanta bħōgya

bhōktṛvarga bhōgōpakarana bhōgasthānarupa nikhilajagadudaya vibhavalayalilā!

VIITE

(vi) This passage is a fitting description of the great Ladies who enjoy all the splendour of the divine form - vigraha of the Lord without lettino

it to waste like the full moon in a forest. Though the splendid qualities touched upon here have already been dwelt upon earlier in the first cürnika (bhagavannārāyaṇa), it need not be taken as a monotonous repetition; primarily it is a narration of the devotee’s inner experience and any repetition would only disclose the ardour of the devotee. Further, it can be taken that Sri Rāmānuja praises Śri first as his Mother and refuge (as the mediatrix to plead for him) and now as the beloved consort of his Master. It should be noted that the clause ends with śrivallabha ! (beloved Lord of Śri). The entire clause only qualifies Śri, She is so endearing and desirable that the Lord is drawn to her as a very hungry person would be to good food. This bond of love would promote her role both as the mediatrix and as the recipient, alongwith the Lord, of the loving service rendered by the devotee.

ory person

Translation: You are the beloved Consort of Sridevi of Sridevi (Mahalakṣmi) the multitude of whose unlimited, unsurpassed and countless auspicious qualities such as sovereignty, glory and graciousness are eternally faultless and befitting You. You are also the consort and Lord of bhudēvi and Niladevi ossessing similar charm and form.

The epithets used here have already been explained earlier. It may be noted in passing that the term vallabha (beloved) is used with reference to Śri and Nayaka (Lord) in referring to Bhū and Nila, though He is equally the Lord of all His consorts. This indicates that bhu and Nila assist in enriching His experience of Śri.

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

(vii) Translation:- This clause describes the Lord innumerable and diverse parijanas attendants who serve th Divine Couple. ‘You are served by an army of followers an servants, men and women, waiting at Your divine feet to minister Your needs and comforts, whose nature, existence and action conform to Your will and pleasure ananta (sēṣa), Garud Viśvaksēna and others (along with their wives), whose sole delig is in complete subservience (total service) as their essenti characteristic features; eterna।

and faultless, all endowed with host of beneficient and desirable qualities such as unsurpasse knowledge (devotion), activity and unlimited ability (to act in You service).

Notes: This passage talks about the parijanas who conside their association with the Lord’s consorts as a supreme blessing an help enrich the Lord’s pleasurable experience with His consorts. A these attendants are ever-free (nityasūri) souls. svacchandānuvṛ indicates that their actions are in accord with the wishes of th Lord. Being nityas, they could intuitively foresee the Lord’s wishe Lakṣmaṇa’s service was pleasing to rāma because he foresaw ever need. (bhāvajñēna). This is in contrast to bound souls whose action are directed by the Lord’s will. aśēṣasēṣataika ratirupa - when th Lord partakes of their service, each is engaged in a particul service; but their ardour in it is such that it shows their eagerness engage in all forms of service. Then the instruments of service: they are eternal and not confined to any period; faultless in that th service is not for their own satisfaction but solely for the pleasu of the Lord. “When am I going to gladden the Lord (prahaṛṣayiṣyami) I look forward to His pleasure.” (stōtraratna-46 niratiśayajñāna is limitless knowledge knowledge of how to be devoted service; kriya- action consistent with the knowledg

Gady atrayam

aişvarya ability to command others and get things done in the Lord’s service; also the control of their own selves in the service of the Lord ādi - to include qualities not specifically mentioned; ananta - countless like the Lord’s qualities; while His are for the welfare of His creations, those of the parijanas are for His service. The leading personalities are then named. Seṣa - the service - incarnate serpent. He is an umbrella shading the Lord; the footwear protecting His feet; throne when He sits; and the couch when He reclines; Sesasana - this means Viśvaksēna - the commander-in- chief; he is so named because he is the first to partake of the leavings of the food consumed by the Lord. Garuda - the big bird

eavings of the food consumed vehicle (Tiruvadi); pramukha-these are the chief among the retinue; nānāvidha - diverse; gate keepers, watchmen, water bearers, fan wavers, etc.etc. doing a variety of services; anantaparijana countless servants; paricārikā - fair faced female attendants who bear flowers, like Vimala and so on; the wives of the chief attendants, like Sūtravati (wife of Visvaksēna)

(viii) Then follows a description of the Land of bliss (paramapada-vaikunntha) the abode of the Lord. “You are the Lord of vaikunntha the eternal, faultless, immeasurable land, which abounds in many kinds, each variegated, of innumerable objects as well as the means and places of enjoyment, all appropriate to You, infinitely wonderful, of limitless transcendent glory, faultless and immutable, beyond the comprehension of even the great yogis”.

The nature of the services indulged in by the nityas of paramapada were described; now is described the Land which promotes such loving service; paramayōgi etc.,- of immeasurable greatness; incomprehensible even to supreme yogins like Sanaka. One can just say ‘primarily of the five upaniṣads (upaniṣads here does not mean vēdānta but divine elemental components of which

Saranagati Gadyam

Wonderful; bhōgya -

vaikuntha is composed) of pure satva, One cannot say “it is like

not sa this; it is like that”. svabhimata - desirable to Him; vividhavicitra -

to Him. in different varieties and enjoyable sights, sounds, fragrance and so on; bhōgōpakarana - enjoyable objects like, unfading flower garlands, and the like; attendants eager to be of service and so on; bhōgasthāna - places like gemset halls, beautiful hills, halls and playfields; anantaścarya- amazing beyond measure because the objects of enjoyment present ever new facets; anantamahāvibhava immeasurable greatness; jewels, thrones, furniture, gardens, rivers, pools and so on which are neither new nor old, not appearing to have been made (by anybody); ananta parimāṇa- infinite in dimensions; nityaniravadya niratiśaya - ever of the same form, free

from flaws, great beyond all measure; vaikunthanatha-Lord of vaikuntha described in terms referred to. The bhōktās (persons who enjoy all this wealth) are not specifically mentioned because all these are for the enjoyment and pleasure of the Divine Couple. Every sentient being feels, “I am the focd” (ahamannam)- object of enjoyment. The Śrutis refer to them as annadaḥ (eaters of the food), because their very existence, to be of service and enjoyment (to the Lord), is a supreme goal. Their enjoyment is to witness the pleasure of the Lord.

inuod

How

(ix) You have as your sport the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the entire worlds filled with diverse, wonderful and countless objects of enjoyment, the instruments of enjoyment, and suitable places for pleasurable experiences, in the form of prakṛt (matter), puruşa (jīvās). and kāla (time) which are by nature ever under service to You following Your wishes; their nature, existence and activities are ever under Your control.

This passage describes the sport-field (lilavibhūti) subject to construction and destruction, of the divine Lord of Vaikuntha

42prakrti

svasankalpanuvidayi-the nature, existence and activity of the worlds (the lilavibhuti or the field of sport) always follows His will;

For the

matter, which is associated with the three qualities satva,

With the te rajas and tamas and is subject to change in form and size-characterised by jadatva (not self revealing), being of use to the jivas for good and bad experiences leading to salvation and bondage; purușa- The jivas characerised by being associated with matter (soul and body) being sustained by it (food), activity in the form of good and bad deeds and experiencing the result thereof; kala-time, characteised as being non-sentient, controlling the changes undergone by prakṛti, and promoting such change. All these are subservient (svasēṣatēka svarūpa) to the Lord. The worlds are filled with diverse objects of enjoyment as described in the text.

Śri Rāmānuja then addresses the Lord using epithets which bring out all His outstanding qualities-His high eminence, His easy accessibility, mercy, affection towards devotees and being the sole refuge of the helpless. He finally conveys his prayer of seeking rufuge under His lotus feet.

(x) satyakāma ! satyasankalpa ! parabramhabhūta! puruṣōttama

ata! mahāvibhūtē ! śriman ! nārāyaṇa! śrivaikunthanatha !

(xi) apārakāruṇya sauśilya vatsalya aiśvarya saundarya

mahōdadhē! anālōcitavisēṣāsēṣalōkasaranya! pranatartihara ! āśrita vatsalyaikajaladhē!

Saranya!

(xii) anavarata viditanikhilabhūtajāta yātātmya !

aśēṣacaracarabhutanikhila

yamana nirata !

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#8 2069

aśēsacidacidvastusēṣibhūta! nikhilajagadādhāra !

Takhilajagatsvaāmin ! asmatsvaāmin ! satyakāma !

satyasankalpa! sakalētara vilakṣaṇa!

Saraṇāgati Gadyam

tsakharimani

(xiii) arthikalnaka! āpatsakha! śriman ! nārāyaṇa!

asaranyaśaraṇya ! ananyaśaranyastvatpādāravindayugaļau

pis saraṇamaham prapadyē ॥ atradvayam ॥ bag mai ni

The operative part of the entire passage is at the end. asaranyasaranya….saraṇamahamprapadaye- the Refuge of the refugeless! Helpless as I am, I seek your protection and surrender myself at Your lotus feet. (dvayamantra is to be recited here. This is to be done in an inaudible manner.)

boog

Translation (x):- Now

(x):- Now to the addresse

addressed epithets: satyakāma-One possessed of ever fulfilled wishes. satyasankalpaḥ -One able to accomplish all that He wills. parabramhabhuta -well known (recognised) rasp parabramha (the Supreme).

purusottama-best of Beings; Mahāvibhūtē of limitless wealth; sriman-Lord of Sri the auspicious. Nārāyaṇa- renowned as nārāyaṇa (Possessor and supportor of all, the cit and acit). Śri vaikunnthanatha-lord of Vaikuntha (the eternal abode).

These as well as those that follow have, in one way or other, been given expression to already. This address shows the deep ardour of the supplicant who is not tired of praising the Lord. In fact no praise is full enough to do justice to His supremacy and most desirable qualities. These should therefore not be construed as mere repitition-punarukti. These epithets justify the surrender in that it is made to the Lord who is possessed of all the necessary qualities and attributes. He is the Origin-Cause of the entire universe (ādikāraṇam) and its Supreme Lord. Hence He is the best upaya and He is most fitted to grant the prayer and be the end or goal (upēya) to be attained.

Notes on (x):- satyakāma :- One who has all His wishes fulfilled. He is possessed of all the materials needed for bringing of

State

eings in association with chosen bodies; satyasankalpa - One who as the competence to carry out fully what He wills.

Je trills from he subtle st

of association with cit and acit - “Let me becomes hany” and immediately become all the gross that is seen; arabrahmabhūta - One who is the parabrahmā

(the Supreme eing). He is the entire Universe and is infinite. purusottama - The est of persons. One can distinguish thus:

thus: puruṣaḥ, tpuruşa, uttarapuruşa and purusottama. purușa - person different rom insentient matter - bound souls in samsara; utpuruşa - souls eleased from bondage (the muktas); uttarapuruṣa- the eternally free ityas who were never in bondage; uttamapuruşa - the supreme uler of all souls, different from the nityas. muktas were once ssociated with sin-low and evil-heya (infirmity); the nityas were ever associated with heya. The Lord can remove all that is letestable in others; residing as the inner soul of all three kinds of ivas - bound, released and ever free, he is not touched by any of he trace of heya in them and can completely remove such heya in he aśritas - the bound who approach Him as means for liberation. Thus the epithet purusottama differentiates Him from all other ouls, as one who transcends (permeates), supports and possessesm ll. He is truly Great. Another interpretation - one who fulfills the lesire of even the big like the four-headed Brahma (puru-many; anōti-gives) mahāvibhūtē-Ruler of innumerable possessions. He is not only the possessor of all wealth - the worlds subject to creation ind destruction (lilāvibhūti) as well as the eternal world of bliss nityavibhūti),but is also capable of awarding these to those whom He pleases; śriman - Lord of Śri with whom He is ever associated. He awards the puruṣārtha of service, but, the recipients of service is he Divine Couple; nārāyaṇa particularly named nārāyaṇa. The nfinite qualities implied in this name are well known. śriman ṇārāyaṇa implies that the Divine Couple form the supreme goal to

45146

Saranagati Gadyam

be attained; vaikunthanatha - Lord of the nityavibhūti. vaikuntha the most suitable place for uninterrupted service by the released a ever free. Of these eight epithets, the first four indicate that He creator and the second four, His being the most desirable goal to attained (prāpya). He is the kāraṇa - origin and creator, and t präpya - the final goal. He is also the prapaka - the means to atta the End the End

(xi) Then follow epithets which emphasise His upayatva giving expression to qualities which proclaim His aśrayaniyat (affording protection): apara shows the boundlessness of the qualities. apārakāruṇya - infinite mercy - His inability to bear t suffering of others without sorrow. It reaches out to bring ev enemies like Rāvana into His protective fold; sausilya - mixing one of the beings with whom He mixes. “I feel I am primarily man, the son of dasaratha”, declared Srirama to Brahma and to t Devas. Kṛṣṇa declared to the cowherds, “I am one of yo relatives; I am no divine” vatsalya - affectionate “even to enemie - so said Sita about Rāma to rāvana. If one asks “Why then d rāma kill Rāvaṇa”, the answer is, “Rāvaṇa did not allow Rāma save him. Even killing is an act of love. Does not the mother p out a stick from her child’s hand if it tends to harm its own ey with that stick? audarya - He gives his devotees what they need if He is himself the beneficiary. Having done everything He fe that He has not done enough. Having protected the modesty Draupadi in the open court Kṛṣṇā felt to the last that He had n done His duty in full. “I feel like a big debtor” - this was H feeling. aiśvarya - wealth enough to give all (persons) whatev they ask for; it grows with giving away. Even when one hinders H saving grace, He does not fail to protect even that person “Y make me agree to stay under your protection (though I tried

u।

move away)” declares ṇammāļvār. saundarya- beauty of limbs; it steals the looks and mind of the viewer to itself; puts desire in men to take on role of womanhood and declare; ‘I am conquered; victory to Thee. mahōdadhe vast ocean, Beginning with apara boundless, this epithat ends with mahōdadhe each of the qualities enumerated is a boundless ocean in magnitude.

Having described the desirable qualities which make us seek His protection, Rāmānuja goes to show the effective result of these qualities. analöcitaviseṣa aseṣalōkasaranya - saranya-the refuge; analōcitaviseṣa- without any consideration of birth, conduct, knowledge (beyond distinction by birth etc.,); aśēṣalōka - of all worlds - all their residents. He is the universal refuge. praṇatarthihara-He who removes the ills of all who come to Him. It may be pointed out this is one of the particular names of Śri Varadaraja of Kanci. aśritavatsalyaika jaladhe - the quality of affection which is the basis of His being pranatarthihara - boundless motherly affection which treats the undesirable as desirable. Rāmānuja is not tired of repeating this quality, which is His incomparable Glory (nikaril pukal)

(xii) anavarata viditanikhilabhūta jātayatatmya - One who knows all the time the true nature of all beings. This indicates His omniscience (infinite knowledge). He knows all our shortcomings and our helplessness. aśeśacaracarabhutaniyamana niratā - One who commands at all times all that is mobile and immobile. There is nothing which is not subservient to Him. Even inaction is in accordance with His will. It is the indication here that the Lord does not brook hindrance to the flow of His grace. aśēṣa cidacidvastuseṣibhūtā - Lord and possessor of all that is sentient and non-sentcient. The question by the supplicant is implied “should you not attend to my need as your duty ?” It is the duty of

47Saranagati Gadyam

the

the master to protect his possessions. nikhilajagadādhārā sustainer of all the worlds. Should you forget my existence? akhilajagatsvami - the master of the entire universe. Should you not remove our sins and make us go to you and stay forever under your protective wing? asmatsvāmin - more particularly my master! My coming to you is due only to your grace-satyakāma - earlier this epithet was used as a desirable quality; the second time it signified His sway over cit and acit (time) as instruments of His sport,; now it signifies His fullness; His not being in need of anything from the devotee but the devotion. We have no right (virtue) to claim; He should lift us by His fullness. satyasankalpa - first this epithet was employed to indicate His ability to create all the desirable things in abundant measure; next the will which aid His sport with these worlds; now, this word is used to indicate His ability to bring about even impossibles by sheer will. Are you not capable if You will so, to lift even this worthless (me) effortlessly to the level of the eternally free who reside in Your blissful abode ? sakalētaravilakṣaṇa- refreshingly different from all others (other than He) in nature like qualities, form and so on. Are not all these superior aspects for the benefits of Your devotees? Are they not for the benefit of the entire worlds? Surely they are not just for Your own enjoyment. Your protection (to us) will be complete only if You make available all these auspicious aspects for our benefit and enjoyment.

(xiii) These aspects are enlarged in the following epithets. arthikalpaka - kalpaka is a divine tree which fulfills all the wishes of the seeker. He gives all to those who seek; even Himself apatsakha - friend in distress; the saviour of the elephant Gajendra, Draupadi and others in their dire need, Śriman - ever associated with Śri who induces your protective grace. närāyaṇa-You have

een taking care of all (of us) even without the intercession of Sri ecause of natural irrevocable relationship. asaranyasaranya - the efuge of the refuge-less.

I am outside the fold of even You (with all the qualities numerated) because of my evil nature; but whom do I have to rotect me but You ? ananyaśaranah aham tvatpādāravinda ugalamsaranamahamprapadye - with no other refuge to go to I eek Your loveable lotus feet as my sole refuge for succour. tradvayam

the dvaya mantra is to be recited here inaudible to thers. All the foregoing is a commentary on the dvaya mantra in to wo parts I seek the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa ever associated with ri (to intercede on my behalf) as my sole refuge; I seek to be accepted in the service of Nārāyaṇa with Sri (the Divine Couple.)

Pitaram mataram daran nu

bandhun sakhin gurun Ratnani dhanadhanyani kṣētrāni ca gṛhani ca ll Sarva dharmanca samtyajya sarvakāmānca sākṣarān । Lōkavikrāntacaraṇau śaraṇam tēvrajam vibhō ॥

Tvamēva mātā ca pita tvamēva tvamēva bandhuśca gurūstvamēva /

Tvamēva vidyā draviņam tvamēva tvamēva sarvam mama dēvadēva ॥

Pitasi lōkasya caracarasya Tvamasya pūjyasya gururgariyan

Na tvatsamōstyabhyadhikaḥ kutōnyō lōkatrayēpapratimaprabhava ॥

Tasmatpraṇāmya praṇidhāya kāyaṇ prasadaye tvamahamisamidhayam Pitēvaputrasya sakhēva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi dēva sōdum ॥

ding a।

Die Bydd, hugedogma।

Choo Hand Sanie

These two couplets are from the puraṇās. The ide conveyed earlier are repeated in the words of rṣis who deserve respect. It pleases the Lord to hear the words of devotees who ha realised Him. These verses need not be taken as a repetition of t saraṇagati (taking refuge) conveyed earlier. The purpose here renunciation of things which bind one to this world and taking ho of the Lord.

Tranalsation: Renouncing father, mother, wife, childre relatives, friends, teachers, gems, wealth, grain, lands, houses (a the like), renouncing completely all dharmas (actions etc., practic aiming at some goal) and all desires, I take refuge in Your holy fe which measured the entire worlds.

Notes: The first three lines list items which have to renounced and the last, that which is to be held. Among the items be renounced-first comes the list of the living, then materi possessions, and finally the abstract. All the persons mentioned the first line are very desirable as far as worldly life is concerne Father and mother are to be respected and obeyed. Both are dear b virtue of bodily relationship as well as by their interest in o well-being. But all this relates only to life in this world. In th ultimate analysis the Lord is our Father, Mother, teacher and a When we hold on to Him as our sole means of salvation, all oth ties should be snapped. These (the living and the material) may st be desirable as aspects (vibhuti) of the Lord. They may be desirab if they promote god-realisation.

The Vedic injunctions ‘Treat your father as God’ (pitr dev bhava) and the like are enjoined for leading an ordered worldly lif It may be good in its own way but it only leads to further bondag since both worldly virtues (like doing one’s duty by parents, wif children) and sins (by neglecting prescribed duties) bege

leasurable or painful results in this world. They are only mpediments to god-realisation. Similarly children; a son (putra) aves one from the hell known as ‘put because it is one’s enjoined worldly duty to beget sons (and daughters). They are desirable for bvious reasons. Relatives uphold the family tradition and are desirable as evidence of pedigree. Friends are dear and desirable since they help in worldly need. By teachers is meant those who impart worldly knowledge which helps to earn a livelihood. The acarya who leads one to the Lord is never to be renounced. The Lord values the relationship with the acarya immensely.

The material possessions - wealth, jewels, food, land (for growing food), houses (for shelter) are all desirable because they can be used for one’s pleasure. But these can also serve the good purpose of providing for the Lord’s worship and hospitality to His devotees and thus be desirable. Anything worldly even if it helps only the performance of worldly duties (sāmānya dharma) is fit to be renounced as binding to samsāra (bondage).

Having completely

renounced (santyajya) whatever ties one to this world, as well as paths leading to the Lord like karma, jñāna etc., all desires of this world or of other worlds (like svarga and the land of Brahma).as also the desire to enjoy the pure self (kaivalya) (sarvadharman sarvakāmān sākṣaran) that which is to be sought is described - saraṇamtē āvrajam vibhō !; te avrajam - I seek You - You, my rightful master. vibhō indicates the fullness of knowledge, power, mercy and all benign qualities of the Protector. lõkavikrāntacaranam-caranam - feet; this indicates that the Lord is not abstract but has a body; the feet which by measuring the entire worlds reached out and touched all His creations and blessed them even without their seeking Him; such is His love and concern for His creations.

All that has been renounced is not lost. Having sought the

Saranagati Gadyam

Lord who is the fullest Being, nothing is lost. He is everything

us.

Translation: Oh Lord of Lords! You are my mother; Yo are my father; You are my (sole) relative; You are my Gu (Remover of ignorance and giver of knowledge); You ar knowledge! You are wealth; You are (my) all. You are everythin

to me.

Notes: - Unlike the father who takes care of the off- sprin only after it is born, the mother cares right from conception. Th idea conveyed here is that the Lord protected the entire world (before creation) by keeping them in subtle state within his bod just like the mother. It should not however be forgotten that th father sows the seed. By saying “You are the mother and father” the Acarya means both these aspects of creations. tvamēva bandhu

…

one can be termed as relative only if one keeps us away from straying out into the wrong path. You are present within as th antaryāmi and keep us in the right track. gurustvamēva - guru is on who dispels the darkness that is ignorance; You destroy the life i this world susceptible to ignorance and grant life in the everbrigh paramapada. You are the first (foremost) preceptor. This recalls the invocation “lakṣminatha samarambhām vandēguruparan parām`` tvamēva vidyā - You are the imparted knowledge. The Lord is the subject matter of all knowledge and all knowledge is controlled by Him. So He is the Knowledge. draviņam tvamēva- You are my sole wealth. Wealth is the instrument of enjoyment (happiness). The Lord affords pleasure and happiness by being the subject of loving meditation. tvamēva sarvam - You are my all; listed as well as unlisted. mamadevadeva - you substitute for all that I have renounced; you are my sole hold -the Lord of the residents of the Land of Bliss.

You are all this (father etc.,) not only to me but to all creations living, moving and stationary. This verse and the next are verses 43 and 44 of Chapter XI of Bhagavadgita - words of praise uttered by Arjuna after witnessing the cosmic form of kṛṣṇabhagavan.

Translation 7. You are the Father of this world (all the worlds) of moving and non-moving beings (and objects). You are the Guru and (therefore) most worthy of honour. There is none to equal You. Whence can there be another to surpass You in all these (three) worlds? Oh! Being of unsurpassed glory!

The supplicant begs to be pardoned for past offences. The pardon is necessary in the view of the supplicant. No doubt the Lord is ready to offer His loving protection even to enemies (ripunamapi vatsalah). He asked Sugriva to go and fetch Vibhiṣaṇa when the latter sought His protection and was ready to accept even Rāvana. He may not take cognizance of past offences on the part of the supplicant who did not approach Him over ages. To a-once-chaste wife who went astray and then came back to the husband and claimed conjugal rights, coming back to the husband and claiming his protection are serious offences in themselves. She has absolutely no claim to do so or for acceptance. The case of the supplicant is similar. Having gone astray previously in falling at improper feet and being engaged in improper service, one falls at the feet of the Lord having no other go. This is like the crow (son of Indra who seriously offended Sita in the Rāmāyaṇa) who tried to escape from Rāmā’s arrow but, at last, out of sheer helplessness, had to fall at His feet. Like previous offences, approaching the Lord is (in the mind of the supplicant it causes fear because he has no reasonable claim) itself an offence.

Translation: 8. Therefore, bowing down, prostrating the entire body before You, I entreat Your pardon, Oh noble Lord! It is

Saraṇagati Gadyam

proper Oh Lord! that You show kindness and affection to me wh am dear to You like a son to his father and a friend to his friend.

Notes: You are to me all relatives put in one (father mothe etc) and so You should pardon all my lapses. praṇamya- menta salutation; praṇidhāyakāyam bodily prostration; vocal i understood; seeking refuge is to be by thought, speech and action prasādayē- I seek your pardon. iśamidyam - the Lord, the prais worthy; aham-sinner and offender as I am; aham following isamidyam suggests that the supplicant acted as he pleased unmindful of the Lord and did not praise but hated the praiseworthy Lord. The claim for protection (forgiveness) is then put forth; you should forgive me as a father would forgive his erring son (pitēva putram) and you should bear with me as a friend would with his friend (sakhēva sakhyam); you should forgive my faults as a dear (lover) does in the case of his beloved. (priyaḥ priyayaḥ); daiva-My Lord! You are my all and it is proper that you pardon me (sodhum arhasi).

manōvākkāyairanadikālapravṛtta ananta akṛtyakarana kṛtyäkaraṇa bhagavadapacara bhagavadapacāra

asahyāpacārarūpa nanavidhanantapacārān ārabdhakaryan anarabdhakaryān kṛtān kriyamāṇam kariṣya.nāṇāmśca Hisarvan aseṣataḥ kṣamasva ।

Earlier (in this Gadya), the Acarya sought the refuge of the holy feet of Śri (Piratti) so that he may acquire confidence in the chosen path (prapatti to the Lord) and a real taste for the goal (präpyaruci). Getting this prayer granted by the grace of Piratți, he proceeded to delineate the aspects of the Lord which make him approach the Lord, namely His lordship of the lower worlds and the highest Land of Bliss, and the auspicious qualities which help the supplicant such as sila (naturally mixing with the lowly) and

o saulabhya (accessibility). He then sought refuge in the Lord’s feet with the recommendation (puruṣākāra) of śri. He then quoted verses from the puranas and itihāsas (Gita in mahābhārata) conveying the same idea. He then renounced worldly relatives and possessions and sought the Lord as his All. With the thought “this is not for me alone but for all cetanas”, he begged the Lord’s pardon for conveying the saranagati. Thus far is the practical application of the first half of the dvaya mantra.

Now we get a commentary on the second (later) half of the dvaya mantra. Since the desired fruit cannot be obtained till the undesirables (obstacles to the goal) are removed, the Acarya renders the meaning of the word namah. He needs the removal of all obstacles starting with dehātmābhimāna (mistaken identity of - the body and the soul) and ending with the idea of `mine’ in service to the Lord. This would become possible only if the results of all past actions (karma) are done away with. In his prayer (Tiruviruttam), Sathakōpa (Nammālavār) mentioned nescience (avidya-ignorance) as the first obstacle. Rāmānuja mentions actions because lack of true knowledge (ajñāna - ignorance) leads to actions leading to bondage. Śathagōpa mentioned avidya first because the ‘I’ arising from dehātmābhimāna (identifying the soul with the body) threatens to ruin him. This is really a result of lack of true knowledge. Śrirāmānuja however, has th obligation to the darśana (system of philosophy). The māyāvādin has it that salvation is the destruction of avidyā (ignorance); but the real obstacle to release is karma and so the Acarya mentions this first. Nammāļvār started with the causes while Rāmānuja mentions the effects leading to samsara (bondage). They all ma

Translation (9):- Oh, Lord! Please forgive totally all my sins without any exception, committed by thought, words and deeds

Saranagati Gadyam

over time without a beginning (over limitless time); infinite in the shape of doing prohibited (by the śasras) acts and not doing prescribed duties; offences towards the Lord (You), offence towards Your devotees, inexcusable offences committed being committed and yet to be committed (past, present and future) Please forgive all my offences (sins) without any remainder.

Notes on text 9:- manōvākkāyaiḥ- mind speech and body are the vehicles of karma (good and bad acts). They are the instrument which help realise or lose the Lord, manayēvamanuṣyāṇāṇ kāraṇam bhandhamōkṣayōh (Viṣṇupuraṇa) (The mind is verily the cause of bondage (in samsāra) or release). anadikālapravṛtta-action extending over beginningless time; ananta-countless and immeasurable; in the form of akṛtyakarana - doing action prohibited in the sastras; kṛtyākaraṇa not performing dutie (action enjoined); bhagavadapacāra - sinning (offence) against the Lord; bhagavadapacāra-sins against His devotees asahyapacara-unpardonable sins; nānāvidha ananta apacārān diverse and in each category countless and infinite. We commit in one moment sins whose results cannot be wiped up (by suffering punishment) in 100,000 ages of Brahma (almost infinite time) ārabdhakāryān actions which have started yielding results anārabdhakāryān - actions which get stored and are yet to yiel results (The results of good and bad acts have to be enjoyed of suffered by the doer. All do not yield results immediately. Som (prārabdhakarma) yield earlier and other (sancitakarma) in delayed, phased manner in subsequent births too). kṛtan -done kriyāmāṇām -being done; kariṣyamāṇān -yet to be done; acts past present and future; sarvan - only some have been mentioned; those which have not been mentioned are far too many; aseṣatal kṣamasva - please pardon all my sins without any exception.

akṛatyakarana - prohibited by sastrās - like causing misery to animals; stealing; telling lies; extolling the unworthy by the speech intended to extoll the Lord; eating things which should not be eaten and so on. kratyaakaraṇa- not doing duties enjoined according to station in life- varṇāśramadharma-due to laziness, disbelief, indifference etc. bhagavadapacāra thinking of the Lord (Nārāyaṇa) equally with other gods like Siva; considering His avatars as mere ordinary being etc; trying to examine the material of which the arca deity is made; trying to appropriate wealth to be used in His worship-selling it away to others; bhāgavadapacāra- insulting śri vaisnavas due to self-centred haughtiness, enmity towards His devotees caused by desire of wealth etc., making fun of the handicapped; asahyāpacāra - not being able to bear the sight of the well-being of the Lord and His devotees (like Hiranyakasipu); sins against one’s acarya belong to this class- that is, not acting in keeping with what was taught by him, teaching what was learnt from him to the undeserving for small gains, not being friendly with co-disciples (class mates) due to jealousy and similar reasons. All offences against the Lord’s devotees are asahya (unpardonable). In the view of the Lord, offences against His devotees are unpardonable; devotees would consider offences against Him as unpardonable. Explaining why He did not accept the hospitality of Duryodhana, kraṣṇa said, “You hate the Pandavās. They are my very soul.”

Ravana’s behaviour to Sita (caused by kāma) is bhagavadapacāra. Hiranya’s behaviour towards Prahlada is asahyapacara; so also śiśupala’s behaviour to Kṛṣṇa. Note that the word ananta-countless and immeasurable is used twice-first in relation with ordinary offences- akṛtyakaraṇa and such and later with bhagavadapācāra and the like.

anādikālapravṛttam viparitajñānam ātmaviṣayambh

57Saranagati Gadyam

kṛtsnajagadviṣayam ca viparitavṛttam casēṣaviṣayam adyāpi vartamānam vartiṣyamaānam ca sarvam kṣamasva

madiyānādikarma pravaha pravṛttām

bhagavatsvarūpatirōdhānakarim viparitajñānajananim svaviṣayāyāśca bhōgyabuddhērjananim dehēndriyatvēna bhōgyatvēna sūkṣmarupēna cavasthitam daivim gunamayim māyām dāsabhūtamsaraṇāgatōsmi tavāsmidāsaḥ iti vaktāram mām tāraya ।

Earlier, the Acarya begged pardon for actions transgressing the sastras. Here he begs pardon for his perversities. Actions referred to earlier (clause 9) relate to not performing prescribed duties and indulging in prohibited activities. Here pardon is requested for acts resulting from ignorance and perverse understanding.

Translation 10-Please pardon my ignorance and perverse understanding of the nature of the soul (jivātma) and the entire universe, over a period of time without a beginning. Pray pardon me for all perverse actions arising out of misconception about everything in the past, present and future.

Notes 10-anadikālapravṛttam- it did not happen suddenly one day; it is spread over infinite time the beginning of which cannot be traced; it looks as if it is associated with the very nature of the atman (though it is really not and is surely acquired) because of the length of time. It is inferred to be acquired because it is washed off one day by the grace of the Lord. Perversity in knowlegde-viparitajñāna- conceiving one thing as another; like a rope as a snake; a piece of shell as silver. My misconception relates to the atman and the universe. About the atman-identifying the atman with the body; thinking atman to be self-willed

(svatantra-not dependent on the Lord); taking the atman to be subservient to others (than the Lord). In the case of the universe; Conceiving beings as man, animal, reptile, tree, plant ;and son on, unlike enlightened souls like Prahlada who saw Hari Govinda in everything or every created thing as His form. It is this misconception which leads to perversity in action. In the case of the atman, involving oneself in the welfare of the self (instead of leaving it to the Lord); in the case of the world, if one does a harm, to try to avenge it instead of taking it as the result of one’s past karma. adyapi vartamānam-present actions based on misconceptions (past is taken as mentioned); vartiṣyamāṇamca-also those yet to come; sarvamkṣamasva-being ignorant of all these, You the omniscient should recognise all and pardon me.

The ācārya repented his deeds and the ignorance which led to such deeds. Now he begs for the termination of the relationship with the body. Earlier he begged “please forgive me”; now he begs “please take me across (taraya)- help me to shed this mundane body”. Our karma and ignorance are but unpleasant memories in Him and will get dissolved when He forgives. The body cannot be destroyed as the matter (prakṛti) which it is composed is eternal. Only the relationship-the apparently eternal union with it-has to be snapped; hence the request for snapping the ties. All he needs is to be lifted up. He does not want to destroy the Lord’s property (prakṛti of which the body is made of). He prays only for complete separation from it. The true nature of the soul should shine forth. This would be possible only if the link with the body is done away. The true nature is in fact completely hidden by the body. Milk and water cannot be seen separate from each other when mixed. Only certain appliances (like the traditional bird

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hamsa) can separate the milk from the water; so also the all-powerful Lord alone can separate the atman completely from the body; otherwise it is in a state of ruin. mamamāyāduratyayā-this prakṛti which is Mine cannot be crossed; māmēvayē prapadyantē māyāmētamtarantite- only those who seek me as their sole refuge will be able to get across this. (Gita 7-14): Since He declares that He alone has to be sought to get one away from it (prakṛtisabandham), the Acarya begs Him for the same. The cūrṇikā is concerned mainly with describing all the effects of prakṛti (body).

Notes: anādikarmapravāna pravṛttan- caused by deeds done over time without a beginning; maya-by me and not due to others; not a favour from the Lord; this has been acquired solely by me. What is the result? bhagavat svarupa tirōdānakarim- it spreads a veil over Him, my natural master-hiding the natural relationship. He is the consort and Lord of śri, the Supreme Purușa, the abode of all auspicious qualities, Lord of the eternally awakened souls (nityasūris), Lord (master) of the eternal world (paramapada) and the ever changing world of sport (lilavibhūti). But the kudṛsti-the māyāvādin (the misinterpreter of the sruti-the exponent of a false world) has it that there is only the Brahman which is pure consciousness devoid of any quality or attribute and all else is false (non-existent). The bhedabhedavādin has’ it that cit, and acit and iśvara all together constitute a single whole bu

denies that isvara is the posessor of the other two. The sankyas have it that the jiva is the doer of deeds and these yield results enjoyed by the doer; what then is the need for an iśvara? They deny the existence of isvara. These distortions are the outcome of the hiding (casting a veil over) the Lord by his māyā-the prakṛti. The link with the body causes all this.

gav

viparitajñāna- prakṛti (body) does not only hide, but produces perverse conception; identifying with the atman what is patently not atman; the feeling that the body is the atman; prakṛti covers not only the nature of one’s self but also that of the Supreme Self. Only the body appears to exist; there is only self-government (by the atman and not by God). svaviśaya ya śca bhōgyabuddhērjananim- the self-government is only an empire of thieves and scoundrels and results in the enjoyment of objects which yield pleasure to the body-smell, taste sound etc. as the summum bonum of life. dehendriyatvēna bhōgyatvēna sūkṣmarūpēṇa ca avasthitām-subject to the fourfold changes-by the base of enjoyment, the body; by the instruments of enjoyments, the organs; by the feelings like sound, smell and so on; and by the root of all these, the subtle prakṛti, daivim-aid to your (deva’s) sport; gunamayim-full with the threefold qualities of satva, rajas and tamas; this admixture is the very basis of prakṛti of the bodies acquired by jivas.

māyām-capable of producing diverse effects and therefore called maya (illusion); wonderful because of the different changes it undergoes; presenting diverse objects of enjoyment, kaleidoscopic as it were; mamtaraya-I am caught up with prakṛti whose capabalities have been enumerated; please get me across from its grip. (Having descrribed the cruel effects of the body which is a manifestation of prakṛti, the supplicant prays for deliverance from the association).

From what follows, the Commer tator suggests: The Lord seems to ask- “On what basis do you make this request? In what way do you deserve this? What is the merit you have acquired?”. The supplicant replies “Do I claim any merit? (no); though I have done bad deeds over long period of time, though I have been steeped in ignorance thinking that the body is the atman, though

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immersed in the pleasures of the senses; if the nature of the Selfi examined, it turns out to be solely Yours, totally unrelated t others; I am Your servant (dāsabhūtam). māmtaraya- means get m across; dāsabhūtam qualifies mām. The Lord seems to ask, “all ar my dāsas, it is a common feature; what special merit can yo claim?” The supplicant replies-saranagatosmi, tavāsmidāsa itivaktāram mām-I who submit; “I am a saraṇāgata, I am Your Your servant.” These

These two epithets (1) dāsabhūtam ( saraṇāgatōsmi…vaktāram qualify mam. I realise I am by natu Yours. I declare that I have sought You as my sole means deliverance and my sole goal. I declare that I am solely Yours ar not in the least of any others. taraya-pray believe what I submit an get me across from the ties with the body.

teṣam jñāni nityayuktaḥ ēka bhaktirvisiṣyate ।

priyo hi jñäninōtyarthamaham sa ca mama priyaḥ II

udārāssarva ēvaitē jñāni tvātmaiva mē matam । asthitassa hi yuktātmā māmēvānuttamām gatim ॥ bahūnām janmanāmantē jñānavanmam prapadyatē vāsudēvāḥ sarvamiti sāmahātmā sadurlabhāḥ ॥ iti slōkatrayōdita jñāninam mām kurūṣva II

puruṣassa paraḥ pārtha ! bhaktya labhyastvananyayā ।

bhakya tvananyaya śakyaḥ Imadbhaktim labhatē parām । iti sthānatrayōdita parabhaktiyuktam mām kuruṣva ॥

parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktēka svabhāvam mām

kurūṣva !!

These three verses constitute verses 17, 18 and 19 chapter 7 of the Bhagavadgita. The Acarya cites these three vers and prays for the jñana (knowledge) which takes the form of bha (devotion). Earlier, the curnikas expatiated the meaning of the wo

62Gady atrayam

namah. The meaning of namah is the removal of obstacles (virōdhi). This is not enough; he needs to be accepted in service (kainkarya) to the Lord; this is the highest bliss. Equally dear with kainkarya is intense devotion in its three stages of parabhakti, parājñāna and paramabhakti which follow into the Land of Bliss also. Wishing to attain this intense devotion the Acarya prays for sjñana that is bhakti (knowledge which is devotion; bhaktiścajñāna viseṣah) which is an end in itself and not aimed at any other fruit. This jñana is preliminary to the intense devotion mentioned earlier and is prayed for in terms of the gita verses (7-17, 18 and 19).

Translation: (Śrikṛṣṇa divides his devotees into four classes according to the fruit wished for. Two are after wealth; the third is after self-enjoyment or kaivalya, the fourth, the jñāni is after realisation of the Lord). Among them (four types of devotees) the wise man (jñāni) being always attached to Me, and also single-minded in his devotion, is the best. I am extremely dear to this jñāni and he too is dear to Me.

Wol All these (the four) are generous (or magnanimous) in that they worship Me alone for the desired end; but My own conviction is that the jñāni is My very soul. With dedication he is devoted exclusively to Me as his highest goal.

vely to me as is st

At the end of many births, the wise man (jñāni) resorts to Me, holding that vasudeva is (I am) his all (support, sustenance and pleasure); this high - souled (mahātmā - whose greatness is beyond understanding) is extremely rare to find (very hard to come by)

Lord! Please transform me into a jñāni who is described in the three verses (quoted).

THE EM

Comments (1) Among the wealth-seeker, self-seeker and the seeker of the Lord, the jñāni (seeker of the Lord) is superior.

Šaranagati Gadyam

His superiority stems from his being nityayukta and aikabhakti nityayukta is one who, unlike a person who seeks Me (Kṛṣṇa) for some end and leaves Me when he has gained his end, seeks Me as his desired goal; aikabhakti is being devoted solely to Me as his cherished fruit unlike one who loves a fruit and loves Me for the sake of gaining that fruit (end or goal). priyōhi jñāninah atyarthamaham- I am extremely dear to the jñāni. His love towards Me is beyond words. saca mamapriyaḥ - he is also dear to Me. The Lord describes the jñani’s love to Himself as immense and His love as less. Why does He say so ? Is His love towards the devotee really lesser than the devotee’s towards Him? Each one’s love is contained by his size. The devotee (jivan) is atomic while the Lord is all encompassing (pervasive). Rendering water in a small pit muddy (by stirring it up) is not the same as rendering the ocean muddy. Even so, His affection for the devotee is such that Kṛṣṇa feels, ‘What is My affection in comparison to his ? The devotee’s such that it produces fears in him (about the safety of his beloved Lord) which even the all powerful Lord cannot allay. This also may be the reason for His feeling that the devotee’s love is greater.

affection is

the

balov (2) udārāssarva - All those who desire something and do not seek to get it from lesser gods or men, but seek it from Me (kṛṣṇa)

(krsna are generous (noble, magnanimous). They afford opportunity to Me to give generously. Among those who seek fulfilment of desires from Me, the jñāni is different (superior). What is this difference? He is my very soul. He supports Me. The avadharaṇa (emphasis) aiva in ātmaiva means that the jñāni is His support (dharaka) not temporarily but at all times. It is but proper that temporarily but at all times. It is but proper that a cetana (jiva) who has realised knowledge of himself to deem isvara as his support sustenance and pleasure. What kṛṣṇa says here is contrary. If any consque ad Uno 1-art to

to tod

one raises this doubt, the answer is clear (mē matam) - let anybody

anyway; hink anyway; this is My conviction. anuttamamgatim-he holds only Me as his highest goal, finding it impossible to support nimself without me. yuktātmā - united (with Me); asthitaḥ sahi - his thoughts are even in this manner (mentally united with Me always).

(3) bahunām janmanāmāntē - who ever has worshipped Me alone over many janmas (lives), and in the end with Me as the sole object of his knowledge, mam-me, vasudevassarvam-vāsudēva is all; He is my wealth, my beloved consort, children and so on; my mother, father, brother, resting place, refuge and my well-wisher; Kṛṣṇa is all (wealth, relatives etc., which have to be abandoned - i.e., abandoning these, kṛṣṇa is sought as all in their place). prapadyate - seeks; holds steadfastly. samahātmā-he is infinitely great. There is none to equal him; even I cannot equal him. sudurlabhaḥ - his equal cannot be found in this world or in other worlds, even in paramapada the supreme Land. Such a person whose mind is clear even in this land capable of confusing the most learned, cannot be found either here (this world) nor there (My world) because such a person is very rare. I can only wish for such a soul; the wish will not be fulfilled.

iti - in this manner - ślōkatrayōdita - as delineated in the three stanzas; jñāninam māmkurūṣva - make me one possessed with such knowledge (devotion). In the first verse He said, “the jñāni is very dear to me”, in the second, “He is My support”; Both these will have meaning only if such a person can be found. In the third verse,

no only if such a person can be foun He says “it is near impossible to find such a one in the first instance”.

Earlier the Acarya prayed for knowledge in the form of devotion which is preliminary to intense devotion in its three

stages. Here he prays for intense devotion in its three stages which leads to the goal of kainkarya (service to the Lord).

aid Comments: purūṣaḥsaparaḥ …..(Gita 8-22), bhaky

labhyastu ananyaya 16-54; mad-bhaktim labhatē parām (18-54) Parabhakti is continuous uninterrupted meditation with love and affection. This leads to parajñāna - mental vision of the Lord and to

on of the Lord a paramabhakti - state of not being able to sustain a moment withou

state of not being able to su

Him. The prayer here is. “Please make me devoted with parabhatk as referred to in the three places in the Gita cited. The prayer is fo the first stage. This will lead to the second and third stages in turn.

bonofineon

Comments: parabhakti - parajñāna - paramabhatki Please make me eternally of the very nature of these three stages of bhakti. These are not sought, as means to attain the goal of service, but as only aids to service. Service without intense love is lifeless, He has sought the Lord as his sole means which does not look for any aid. So he does not resort to bhakti as a means but only as an aid to make service meaningful. Even

in the Land of

Bliss parajñāna and paramabhakti have to be prayed for. The experience there is such that though it may go on for ever, the aspects experienced are but a very small part of the unexperienced.

parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktikṛta paripūmānavarata

nityaviśadatamananyaprayojana anavadhikātiśayapriya bhagavadanubhavōham tathavidhabhagavadanubhavajanita anuavadhikātiśyapritikārita aśēṣavasthōcita aśēṣaśēṣataika ratirūpa nityakinkarō bhavāni ।

ēvambhūtamatkainkarya präpyupāyatayāvaklpta

samastavastuvihinōpi anantatadvirōdhipāpākrāntōpi. anantamadapacarayutkōpi. anantamadiyāpacara yuktōpi. anantamasahyapacārayuktōpi.

Ra 66

ētatkāryakāraṇabhūtānādiviparitāhankāra

vimūḍhātmasvabhāvōpi, ētadubhayakāryakāraṇabhūtānādi

viparitavāsanā sambaddhōpi.

etadanuguṇaprakṛtiviseṣasambaddhōpi ētanmūlādhyātmika adhibhautika ādhidaivika sukhaḥduḥkha taddhētuta

ditaropeksaniya vişayānubhavajñānasankoca rūpa

maccaranaravindayugalaikāntika ātyantika

parabhaktiparajñānaparamabhaktivighnapratihatōpi. ēna

kēnāpi prakārēņa dvayavaktā tvam kēvalam madiyayaiva dayayā niḥśēṣavinaṣṭa sahētuka

Hatun Mo tho

maccaraṇāravindayugalaikāntika ātyantikaparabhakti parajñānaparamabhaktivighnaḥ matprasādalabdhamo) Tumaccaraṇāravindayugalaikantika bloonsusanos e ai nod

Tatyantikaparabhaktiparajñānaparamabhaktiḥ matprasādādēva with sākṣātkṛta yathavasthita matsvaruparūpaguṇavibhuti

lilōpakaraṇavistaraḥ aparōkṣasiddhamanniyamyatā maddā MAS syaikasvabhāvātmasvarupaḥ, madēkānubhavaḥ,

drno maddāsyaikapriyaḥ, paripurna anavaratanityaviśadatama an ananyaprayōjana anavadhikātiśayapriya madanubhavastvam. Ratathavidhamadanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśayapritikarita f atasēṣāvasthōcita aśēṣasēṣataika ratirupa nityakinkarō bhava II

ēvam bhūtōsi ॥

www

In the second curnika addressed to Sridevi, the Acarya talked in detail about the nature of the service resulting from deep devotion - parabhakti etc., Is it not repetition to talk in the same vein here (in this curnika) also? The answer to this question is - it is not necessarily so. There, with the intention of seeking Sridevi’s blessings to develop in himself a taste for the service, he referred to the nature of the service. Having taken refuge at the feet of the Lord with devotion (with the blessings of śri) the acarya actually begs the Lord to be accepted in service.

bio

of air) the aca fang ade no wolf msgb sill to

67Saranagati Gadyam

Translation: I beg that I be accepted as Your eternal servan (engaged in uninterrupted service to You). Having enjoyed (th blissful) experience of the Lord produced by (resulting from devotion in its stages of parabhakti, parajñāna and paramabhakti, a experience which is the ultimate desire beyond which there i nothing further to be desired an end in itself, eternal, uninterrupted full and clear, it urges me to perform service in all forms and unde all circumstances (in privacy and in public); this urge in turn arise out of unlimited love and devotion to You, resulting from the experience referred to.

Comments: 15. parabhakti….. kṛta - The experience of the Lord is a consequence of devotion. paripurna - enjoying His nature divine form, His vast possessions all at the same time; anavarata without interruption - in other words without admixture of anything else (other than the Lord); nitya - eternal, as long as the atma lasts visadatama the experience arising from paramabhakti ananyaprayōjana- the experience is so sweet in itself that even it results - love towards the Lord and urge to service resulting therefrom may be disregarded; heranavadhikātisaya bhagavadanubhavōham - I whose experience is limitless and mos wonderful (in bliss); tatha vidha bhagavadanubhavajanita priti love born out of the blissful experience - love that is immeasurable and exciting; karita aśēṣāvasthōcita urged by that love and desirable under all conditions; aśēṣaśēṣataikaratirupa personification of eagerness to be of service in all forms; nity kinkarōbhavani - I wish to be accepted as your eternal servant; (or alternately) I wish to be accepted as a servant in Your Land of Eternal Bliss from where there is no return.

orb

So far we have had an extensive (practical) commentary of the dvayam. Now on, the great Lord (Sriranganatha) out of the

great pleasure and love (caused by hearing what the Acarya said) repeats these words and gladdens the heart of the Acarya saying, “I am pleased to grant that all your wishes be fulfilled in the fullest measure. Here the Commentator narrates an incident: Hearing the text of this Gadya, Embar, an intimate disciple, asked, ‘How are we to believe that the great Lord was pleased to tell you all this?” Empērumānar (Ramanuja) replied, “These are words which he made me utter after having shown his quality of miscibility (the high mixing with the low) like a fruit in the hand. So, nothing stands in the way of believing that these are His own words. The rest of the Saranagati Gadyam are the words expressed by the Lord - the assurance He gave.

Translation: 16- (All possible shortcomings on the part of the supplicant are listed and the assurance of the Lord is that the former’s prayer is granted despite the shortcomings purely by His mercy). Eventhough you might not have followed the paths prescribed in the scriptures for attaining the desired fruit of service (to Me); eventhough your immense load of sins may obstruct your following the spiritual paths; eventhough you may have (done) actions which have displeased me very much; though you may have incurred the extreme displeasure of My devotees (by your acts); though you may have indulged in unpardonable sins; eventhough your essential nature (ätmasvärupa) may be veiled by a beginningless (age-old) perverse ahankära (feeling of I and mine) causing and resulting in these sins which keep growing; even though you may be steeped in age-old perverse impressions (gathered from previous births) which cause and result in the twin features - ahankara and apacara (displeasing acts); eventhough you may be tightly bound to matter (prakṛti - characterised by the threefold qualities of satva, rajas and tamas) which lead you to

Saranagati Gadyam

ahamkara and apacara; eventhough you may suffer from obstruction to the three stages of total devotion (parabhakti etc.,) constantly directed solely towards My lotus - like feet; obstructions resulting from connection with the body (prakṛti) in the form of the three sorrows (adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika), pleasure and pain resulting from material experiences which deserve to be rejected and the limitation of knowledge;

(despite all these shortcomings), you, who have somehow or other (in some form) uttered the dvayamantra,

having, purely by My grace, got totally rid of all obstructions to the three-stage devotion (parabhakti etc.,) directed for ever at My lotus-like feet

adt having developed, by my blessing, the three stage devotion at my lotus like feet, to compino ay ban bytai।

having, by my blessing, realised (fully comprehended), My essential nature, My divine form, My auspicious qualities, My worlds of sport and of bliss in all their extensiveness;

joy having comprehended the real nature of the self (yourself) as solely Mine and totally subject to My command (will), wishing the enjoyment of only Myself, keen in being of service only to Me; Herbeing possessed of total and uninterrupted experience which is always pleasing, clear and an end in itself;

-vd

boli

You will ever be a servant of Mine, pleased in performing Comu loving service in all forms, at all times and under all conditions, urged by the immense pleasure resulting from your experience of Myself.

woy 17. (I confirm that) you have become My servant (you have been accepted in My service) as described above.

described above. vinga

of uoy Brat down on 20

ut the Comments: 16. ēvambhūtamatkainkaryaprapti - in order to

270

many Gadyatrayam

get the benefit of service to Me; upayatayā avaklpta-karma, jñāna and bhakti mentioned in the vedanta as means (to the end mentioned), samastavastu vihinōpi - eventhough you may be bereft of those qualifications (adjuncts) for the means mentioned namely; knowledge of the true nature of the self (jiva) and Superself (para), being established in duties enjoined for caste and station (varṇa and āśrama), personal qualities of modesty and the like; ananta madapacārayuktōpi - not only not having the adjuncts, but also steeped in immense sin hostile to gaining the qualifications mentioned; ananta tadvirōdhi päpakrantōpi - not only that, but also incurred My immense displeasure by your past actions and attitudes towards Me; ananta madiyapacarayuktõpi-similarly towards My devotees; ananta asahyapacarayuktōpi possessed of (My) displeasure caused by immeasurable and unreasoning hostility towards Me and My devotees which cannot be pardoned; ētadkāryakāraṇabhūta anādi viparitahamkara - beginningless

aal perverse I-ness, which

causes and results in all the sins enumerated. viparitāhankāra means: the perception of I (and mine) in what is clearly not I. This perception is due to sins; sins result from the mistaken identification of the atman with the body. While the I (jivātman) is by nature knowledge

a) and bliss (ananda), entirely different from prakṛti (of which the body is made), identification of the self-I is misery,

with probi which in ignorance (cannot know itself), ever subject to change (in form) is truly due to sin and its effect. The fault arising from this wrong perception is - vimūḍhātma svabhāvōpi - though your true nature of subservience to Meio

A due to

sins; etadubhaya kārya kāraṇa bhūta anãdiviparita vāsanā sambaddhōpi - though you may be bound by undesirable impressions resulting from your sins and ahamkara; ētadanuguṇaprakṛti viśēṣasambaddhōpi - though you may be strongly and inseparably bound to prakṛti; ētanmūla

may be strong।

.ever

Saraṇagati Gadyam

ādhyātmika ādhibhautika adhidaivika - the three sorrows resulting from bondage with prakṛti, adhyatmika - the source and the disease; source-mental-desire, anger, fear, hostility, greed and sorrow and their products - worry, jealousy, irritation, and so on; diseases of the body-headache, fever, defects of the limbs, malfunctions of orrowed by other living organs and so on; adhibhautika -

beings - animals, birds, reptiles, men, rākṣasas, ghosts and so on; ādhidaivika - sorrow from natural causes like heat, cold, rain, floods, storms lightning and so on. sukhadukhaḥ etat hētuḥ pleasure and pain and their causes.

and

Mine causes are exa

The causes are examined - taditara upēkṣaniya visaya - desirable and undesirable experiences of oneself; friends, foes and others; desire causes pleasure if fulfilled;displeasure if unfulfilled; so also to friends; the opposite effect in the case of enemies; one is indifferent to pleasures pains experienced by others. anubhava jñāna sankōcarupa - such experience in case of self, friends foes and others shows itself in abridging true knowledge; devotion based on such knowledge (ignorance) is stunted by material experiences this is specifically spelled out. maccaraṇāravinda yugala ēkāntikātyantika parabhakti parajñāna paramabhakti vighna pratihatōpi though you might have been steeped in material experiences which obstruct singleminded and everlasting devotion directed at My very desirable feet. Thus all shortcomings obstructing the desired end have been enumerated. Despite all these, enakēnāpi prakārēņa dvayavaktā - uttered the dvaya in some way or other; the essential point is that the dvayam has to be pronounced; no formality is needed sincerely or insincerely patiently or impatiently (expecting result with patience till it is granted or eagerly awaiting immediate results) with or without fully understanding its import; no precondition is set; only it should not

72Gadyatrava

be other mantras; it is not enough if it is one of the vyapakamantras (indicating the all pervasiveness of the Lord-mantras based on the mames visņu, vāsudēva and nārāyaṇa); not even the tirumantra (nārāyaṇa mantra which is superior to the other two); it should be the whole of the dvayam in its two sections, the first seeking the Lord’s feet as refuge and the second seeking service at the feet of the Divine Couple, clearly stating the means and the end. The dvayam should afford the resting place tvam - You who have uttered the sacred formula;

Hor

kevalam madiyaya evadayayaniśśēṣa vinaṣṭa sahētuka - solely because of your utterance of the dvayamantra, My grace has flown, and over-flowing the bunds, has destroyed, the underlying basis (feeling of I-ness, perverse tastes, relation to material possessions and so on), completely, leaving nothing. What has been destroyed? maccaraṇāravinda yugala ēkāntikatyantika parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktivighnaḥ - You have the obstacles already detailed standing as a wall between My most enjoyable (desirable) feet and your devotion solely directed towards Me (feet are

representative of the entire person) removed. Would the mere removal of obstacles be

enough? No; His grace is needed. So He says, mataprasada labdha’. You will have all the obstacles removed, and devotion generated by My grace. Not only this; there is-more-matprasādādēva-solely by my grace. The eva (solely), indicates that the flow of the grace is unaided by any other agency. Only the Lord is needed to grant it. sākṣātkṛta-comprehended, fully realised, yathāvasthita - realised as it is; is there a comprension otherwise? Yes; it is possible; it is written in the śruti-varuņi bhargava vidya (Bhrgu, son of Varuna, asks his father to teach him brahman; the father commands the son “go and perform tapas meditate”. The son is not able to comprehend bramhan even by

tanas -

Saraṇagati Gadyam

repeated effort on his part. He has to be led step by step)-Unlike that, here the realisation comes by His grace and this has to be full and true. What is it that has been realised? mat svaruparupa guṇa vibhuti lilo pakaraṇavistaraḥ - My essential nature, My divine form, My auspicious qualities, My immense wealth, My world of sport and of bliss in all its extensiveness, aparōkṣasidhah - not by hearing of it or by thinking of it- by actually seeing; manniyāmyatā mat dāsyaikasvabhāva ātmasvarūpaḥ - seeing the essential nature of yourself (ātmasvarūpa) as solely subservient to Me (matdāsyaika), and subject solely to my command (manniyāmyādaika). If actual realisation comes, it is plain as day that the self is subsurvient to Him

ely His) and subice to is 11

madēkānubhavaḥ - If realisation dawns, it will not be without His becoming the subject matter of experience. If the nature of the self is clear (unclouded) it will certainly go to the realisation in exactness - the total subservience - atyantapäratanatryā - to His will to be used as He pleased. Unlike in kaivalya - ātmānubhava, you

used as he p (the self) will have only Me (super-self) as the subject of experience; the eva only differentiates the self (person) whose experiences are for his pleasure (not totally for the pleasure of the Lord). The experience of the Lord for one’s own pleasure is no different from the experience of one’s self. The experience of the Lord - service to Him is a pleasurable experience no doubt; but the self should not appropriate to itself any of the pleasure; the pleasure should be solely that of the Lord; the self may feel pleased that the Lord has been pleased and feel happy. What is conveyed by this is; in seeing (comprehending) the self, it is not enough if one sees He is my Lord; if one sees truly ‘I am His’, then only He becomes the subject of our experience. The authority in this regard is the vedic text ahamannam (I am the mod); but it is not only as food; the

Gady atrayam

consciousness of the self should

o serve its purpose; I am th eater of the food” (ahamannadaḥ), says the śruti; the self (cetana) is pleased in the experience; the experience is not purposeful without this pleasure of witnessing the Lord’s happiness.

Vismat dasyaika priyah - the experience does not end in itself; the words of Sathagopa “being close to Him for time without end” (tiruvaimōli 3-3-1) is followed by “we should render flawless service”. The same Nammāļvār has defined the nature of the self by the words “Having borne your superior lotus-like feet on my head, I will not even think of blissful salvation - mōkṣa,” Service results from love born out of the experience. The emphasis is dasyaika (only in His service) shows that any independent pleasure for the self is stained by ahankara (I-ness) which is most undesirable. “You have (addressing the devotee) service unto Me as your sole aim”, paripurna mpanavarata nityaviśadatama ananyaprayōjana anavadhikātiśaya priyamadanubhavastvam, complete and total in itself, without even momentary interruption, eternal (continuous), as clear as a direct vision, without any other end (other than being of service), an experience which is far more elevating than even the enjoyment of the four-faced (in Satyaloka) Brahma - Your experience of Me (service unto Me) is such.

Stocha

tathavidha madanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśaya pritikarita service induced by intense (wonderfully deep) devotion born out of your experience of Me in the manner aforesaid; aseṣavasthōcita aśēṣaśēṣatai karatirupa favourable under all circumstances, the very personification of the urge to do all kinds of service to Me; nityakinkarōbhava - you will be ever (eternally) My servant. You have been accepted as a permanent servant of Mine.

“You have come to be accepted in my service as detailed already”, that is having become totally rid of the self and of a॥

Saranagati Gadyam

sins causing My displeasure, you have attained the three-stage devotion; you have realised (comprehended) My nature, My form, My immense wealth; having a clear conception of the self you have solely Me as the object of your experiences; you are devoted to being of service to Me; your experience of Me is total and blissful! Your eternal service is the result of devotion born of the divine experience” When the Lord said all this, the Acarya wondered what the basis for all this blessing was; it struck him that the mere utterance of the dvayam resulted in all this blessing, and the `ēvambhūtōsi spelt out by the Lord.

adhyatmika adhibhautika adhidaivika dukhaḥ

kefnavighnagandharahitastvam dvayamarthānusandhānēnasaha

sadā ēvam vaktā yavaccarirapātam atraiva śrirangē sukhamāsva ॥

Translation: Freed from all traces of obstacles and miseries resulting from association with the body in the form of adhyatmika adhibhautika and adhidaivika varieties, you shall live happily here in Srirangam, till your body does fall, repeating the dvayamantra

talle constantly in this manner along with its full purport.

and auda

Udols Comments - 18. The Lord said “nitya kinkarōbhava” implying that the service would sustain the devotee. The basis for this grant of bliss is the chanting of the dvayam. “What a wonder ?” feels the devotee. “What is there to wonder about? there is nothing to lack (about dvayam)” says the Lord. “Can mere mention grant this immense fruit?” the devotee repeats. “You have seen the result, Should I assure you again? You have come to be accepted? Your wishes have been granted in full. You may engage yourself in service here with this body Land of Bliss

1st as in t paramapada``. śri Rāmānuja pleads; “This body of mine is subjec to the threefold miseries !. I do not know how long it would last; am not sure about the best place to live; how then do you sugges

hat I do not lack anything ?” The Lord answers; “O! this is your doubt. I will detail how it will work out``.

adhyatmika abrādhibhautika

by adhidaivika

y duḥkhavighna

gandhara hitasvam - You shall get on without even a trace of obstacles arising out of the pain caused by the three-fold miseries. The devotee asks, “how can that be with this mundane body?” The Lord says,” tvam-you. You are exceptional. What prevents you from living in the manner aforesaid?” The idea is time is running out fast; the results of karma are wearing out; the goal is coming nearer; thinking thus, feeling the immensity of the fruit you are shortly to get, do not mind the troubles due to mundane existence. This is just like the fast immediately preceding the crowning (of a King) “If that be so, what shall I do as long as I live with this body?`` The devotee asks again.

dvayam arthānusandhānēna saha - meditate on the meaning of the dvayam, as your constant companion- “Distinct and far from the people of the land” (Tiruvaimoli 10-6-2)- “quite apart from the worldly people, distant from them in intense longing for My sevice, feeling I have reached Nārāyaṇa (10-6-2) and surrendering all to Me”. To such a person the meditation on the meaning of dvayam will be the lasting friend. Earlier He said dvayavakta- chanting the text of dvayam; now he says dvayam arthānusandhānēna saha; the text is not enough to beget His grace; the meditation on its meaning is needed to pass time purposefully.

SH (NEVERING)

sadā ēvam vaktā: - ēvam - in this manner. Earlier, the master conveyed this surrender in three ways; first in his own words; second in the words of the earlier masters; third time in the words of the itihasas and purāņās - ēvam emphasises the manner in which the master conveyed his surrender first. Irrespective of the number of times and the different words, he can repeatedly surrender only

77Śaraṇagati Gadyam

unto the Lord; there is no other go. The surrender is only to ga His grace; that is gained through this (Ramanuja’s own words in th Gadya) - ēvam vaktā - not mentally but in words which indicate th overflow of the mental experience; dvayam arthānusandhāher saha ēvam vaktā - pronouncing these words (as in this Gadya) yo have expounded the dvayam; Is it enough if it is but once Obviously not. sada- constantly. Why so? Because the mind is a

ap to think of other means and ends, constant meditation would sh them out. The self is associated with the body and also with th Lord. The association with the body may lead the self into object other than spiritual; the association with the Lord, into matters i keeping with the true nature of the self. In the present case, th devotee, fearing straying into other objects, has sought out th Lord; he has dissociated himself from the other pursuits; yet th goal of service in the Land of Bliss appears to be far away; the Lor says “sada - constantly so that the devotee’s time is well-spent i meditating constantly on the meaning of the dvayam.

poph To remove the doubt as to when this existence is to terminate, the Lord says yavaccarirapātam - till this body is cast off What is the idea behind this question - “When?” It is not due to any doubt of the fruition of other means to the End; not even the end o the experience of the fruits of action (karma) as in the case of the upāsaka (who follows a prescribed path like bhakti yōga) who keeps inviting death as a favoured guest, having completed their se task (upāsana). He has no association with other paths. Then, ha not the ālvārs s

I said “He who grante

vaikunntha as soon as deat occurs” (Tiruvay mōli 9-10). He asks “when ?” because he i itching for the fruit of realising the Lord; even a short while extend into a long wait; the chosen path does not brook delay in fruition hence the question ‘when?’. The devotee is eager; the chosen path

(surrender) is flawless, then the present existence is solely due to His will. So he persists in asking Him. The Lord replies - “the delay is due to your body (your having to live with it); you need not wait for the total consumption of all karma (the results thereof); it is fast on the decrease; things are on the move and the goal is coming nearer.

The devotee pleads: “existence in this world of ignorance is unbearable; you who have set a time limit, should also guide me as to where I should pass the time. The Lord commands: atraiva - here itself; śrirange in this Śrirangam; it is different from the world of samsara; it is different from the eternal World of Bliss; it is truly a third world in itself; you live happily in this third world of mine - Śrirangam. You are different from the samsarins of this world; you are yet to join the

nityas and muktas of the other world (vaikuntha). This is the best place for you to live in. To you who experience the Lord (Me) even with a hostile body, there is no equal. Similarly, all the worlds are not comparable to this place where I am prostrate neglecting My Land of Bliss. sukhamāsva - you are verily like a released soul; live happily here in srirangam.

This 18th clause is an utterance of the Lord in reply to śrirāmānuja’s fear of life in this world which is apt to destroy or veil true knowledge and generate darkness (ignorance) and steep one in

samsăra.

To the prapanna (one who surrenders) there is a pre-prapatti and a post-prapatti state. The pre-prapatti features have been detailed elaborately so far. The post - prapatti state is now detailed. How should one behave at the time of shedding the body? When does one obtain the supreme goal? These questions are answered here. These are uttered by the Lord.

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

sarirapātasamayē tu kēvalam madiyayaiva dayayā

atiprabuddhaḥ māmēvāvalōkayan!!!

apracyutapurvasamkaramanōrathahḥ jirnamiva vastram sukhēnēmām prakṛtimsthūlasukṣmarupām visrjya- tadānimēva djung

gemmatprasādalabdhamaccaraṇāravindayugalaikāntika

atyantikaparabhaktiparajñānaparamabhaktikṛta paripurna

anavaratanityaviśadatamānanya prayōjana anavadhikātiśayapriyamadanubhavastvam

tathāvidhamadanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśayapritikarita aśēṣāvasthōcita aśēṣasēṣataika ratirupa nityakinkarō

bhaviṣyasi II

mā tē bhūdatra samsayah II

anṛtam nōktapūrvam mē nacavakṣyē kadācanā । rāmōdvirnābhi bhāṣate । sakṛdēva prapannāya tavāsmiti ca yācatē ।

abhayam sarvabhūtēbhyō dadamyētad vratam mama ॥ sarvadharman parityajya māmēkam saranam vrája । aham tvā sarvapāpēbhyō mōkṣayiṣyami māsucaḥ Il iti mayaivahyuktam

attvatō madiñanadarana prantsu atastvam tava tattvato madjñānadarśana praptiṣu nissamsayassukhamāsva II

antyakālē smṛtiryātu tava kainkaryakāritā ।

tāmēnām bhagavannadya kriyamāṇām kruṣva me II Il iti saraṇāgati gadyam samaptam ॥

Text: 19. When you shed this mortal body, you will, by M grace, attain true and extensive knowledge and, thinking only of Me, with no dimunitions whatever in your resolve “The Lord is my

H Supreme Goal” - get rid of the gross and subtle prakṛti (body an

he attachment, desire etc., which go with it). You will at once, vithout a moment’s delay, attain the privilege of eternal and ninterrupted service to Me. (The portion tadanimēva…… has been ranslated earlier and is not repeated).

Comments 19:- Starting with evam bhütōsi (clause 17) the Lord recounted the nature of the reward obtained after the body (is hed) and how to pass the time till then during the life time. Now He recounts the good He does at the time of death (rejecting the ody) not even expecting antimasmṛti (thinking of the Lord at the ime of death.)

śarirapāta

samayētukēvalam

madiyaya evadayaya tiprabuddhaḥ - You will be unique when you shed your body. What is that? atiprabuddhaḥ-blessed with a great expansion of Enowledge. The basis for this is - kevalam madiyaya evadayaya - it came about just now. It is not due to the earlier stages of karmayōga, jñānayōga and bhaktiyōga, each leading to the other and flowering into parabhakti. (bhakti itself is knowledge - jñāna) What happened now is solely due to My grace. Earlier, the Lord aid madiyaya evadayaya niśśēṣa vinaṣṭaḥ and now again madiyaya Evadayaya. This makes it clear that whether it is at the time He marks us to receive His grace or after we have become the recipients of the grace, or when He rids us of our enemy (sins), or when He confers benefits, in all the states, the emptiness on the part of the beneficiary is His sole asset. What is instrumental is only His grace. ati- highly; prabuddhaḥ - woken up. This shows the difference between the earlier and present states. māmēva ālōkayan this is the difference; in the earlier state (before receiving His grace daya) he was aware of himself and of the Lord; in the later tate, since his awareness is a result of the Lord’s grace, it would ave the Lord as the sole subject. mam - denotes the Person of

Śaraṇāgati Gadyam

iśvara. His most beautiful resplendent form with all attributes a His immense wealth (vibhuti); eva emphasises that He will be sole subject for thought leading to an inner vision not disturbed other thoughts. Over and above this apracyuta pūrva samsk manōrathaḥ-purvasamskāra manōrathaḥ -faith produced by teachings of acaryas a result of His grace; It can happen like th After having formally approached (accepted) the Lord, one n still, because of earlier stains (impressions), go astray and com heinous sins and at the time of death worry “The time come; I have led a sinful life. How will the Lord do any good me? What will be His attitude? Will He grant salvation?” If thinks all the time about the Lord’s good intentions and flow grace, the preceptor’s (ācāryas) good-will resulting from the La grace, the beneficial teaching and advice given by the acaryas, approach to the Lord of the refined cetana (refined by the acar the deep faith in the Lord resulting therefrom, and the ben conferred by the Lord, there is no room for the worry deta earlier. One will sustain the undiminished faith “The Lord accepted me; He will definitely save me and grant the desired f (salvation). jirnamiva vastram sukhēna imam prakṛtim st sūkṣmarūpam visrjya-then casting off easily the gross and su prakṛti (body) like a used garment. Just as an old garment is the away with contempt, the body, made as it is only of flesh and b is to be discarded with contempt. The relation between the sou the body is very similar to that between the body and the gar Copy and the gar worn over it. There is no liking for a dirty and torn garment. thrown away without a second throught. So with the body whe: grace has come down. If the soul has to leave the body by (overcoming long-established bonds) it is difficult. But if the L grace is opearative, getting out of the body is quite easy.

The refinement of the mind-the proper attitude-is not something that anybody could attain. Should one lose the opportunity of salvation because of lack of refinement? How is no further refinement-so necessary for the other world (the Lord’s The Land) to be acquired? The answer is simple: tadanimēva by immediately the body is cast off you will be blessed with ar parabhakti and further stages of devotion. The lack of refinement the earlier in terms of devotion does not matter. To the upāsaka nis (bhaktiyogin who treads the arduous path of bhakti as detailed in nay the sastras), even the slightest fault in his practice will pull him mi down the ladder of ascent. If there is no death-time remembrance of ha the Lord, the status quo would be restored. How then is this (easy tsalvation) possible? matprasāda labdha-obtained through My grace. On The shortcomings mentioned are only for the upasaka who tries to in gain the end by his own effort. If this effort is surrendered to Me, rd there is no obstacle to all these benefits. Salvation is assured. The

question is asked: what are the benefits conferred by Your grace? ya The answer is:-maccaranaravindayugaļa ēkantika atyantika efi parabhakti parajñāna paramabaktiḥ -single-minded three-stage ile devotion at My most enjoyable feet; kṛta paripūrṇa anavarata ha nityaviśadatama ananyaprayōjana anavadhikātiśaya priya Tui madanubhava- caused by the devotion mentioned earlier, a total experience of Me experienced with immense love; janita bana vadhikatiśaya pritikarita asēṣāvasthōcita aseṣasēṣataikaratirūka ow you will be accepted for ever in eternal service to Me-service born on out of your experience of Me and great love towards Me and your

الله

an eagerness to serve. This is the assurance given by the Lord me accepting the Acarya. This assurance is not only to Śri Rāmānuja It but to all those who have forged spiritual relationship with him n through the unbroken chain of acāryas. Those who believe and its enter into the shelter of the acaryaabhimana (his recognising This

LOR

Śaraṇā gati Gadyam

ton al-shatime song cut-Lumim adt to. Insan

devotee belongs to my group’) is assured of the same fruits assured by the Lord to the Acarya himself.

Text: Let there be no doubt in your mind regarding this.

Comments-The Lord feels that there is a lurking doubt in the devotee’s mind and gives an unequivocal assurance. Looking at the immensity of the gift of God (ridding the devotee of an infinite load extremely minute of sins and the grant of eternal bliss) and t

presence

nature of what the cētana does to deseve this immense reward, one continues to doubt whether all this can be possible at all. The experience in this world is that to gain the fleeting fruits of worldly enjoyment, one has to put in mighty effort. Can it be possible that eternal and everlasting enjoyment in the of the Supreme can be gained so effortlessly? Yet the Lord says He has granted it This is the lurking doubt. The Lord assures “Let there be no doub at all. You have abjured all conscious effort to earn virtue and have placed the entire burden on Me. I value this trust. Let there be no doubt about the truth of what I have said (the assurance I gave). did not say all that merely to console you.”

lerat 21. The Lord gives further assurance that He was never a liam Translation- I have never told a lie; I will not do so henceforward Rāma never speaks a double word.” “To him who surrenders to m just once and says “I am yours”, I offer protection from all beings This is my vow.” (These are words pronounced by Rama offering protection to Vibhiṣaṇa who sought Rama’s feet.)

“Renounce all dharmas (prescribed means to attain salvation) and surrender yourself solely to Me. I will rid you of all your sins (and grant salvation). Grieve not” (These are words given to Arjuna by Kṛṣṇa on the eve of the Mahabharata war). “I mysel said all these.”

Gady atravam

Comments:- anṛtam…. etc. What I have said is not a lie. I have never uttered a falsehood, To remove a possible doubt that as Kṛṣṇa, He stole butter, told all sorts of lies and that His words may not be true, the Lord assures: “Rāma never speaks a second word”. The idea is “these words are not thosse of Kṛṣṇa; Rāma assured the sages of Dandakaranya that He would offer them full protection and said, “Believe Me. My word is to be trusted fully, I do not speak with two tongues.” sakṛtēva…etc.-“Sage Valmiki has recorded my words spoken at the sea-side in his great epic. My assurance to Vibhiṣaṇa applies to the entire world”. To the possible question “Are these your (Ranganatha) words?” the Lord says, the words pronounced by Me as Kṛṣṇa and as Rāma belong to the same category. The words sarvadharman…. etc., pronounced by me from the chariot (of Arjuna in the great Bhārata battle) has been recorded y Sri Vēdavyāsa in his celebrated epic Mahābhārata, verily the fifth Veda. These pronouncements, sakṛdēva…. and sarvadharman…, though made at different times during different avatāras are quite reliable as they were pronounced by Me. The ‘falsehoods’ uttered in My avatara as kṛṣṇa are quite as reliable to Fśritas (those who approach Me

with faith in My saving grace) as the truth uttered in the avatara as Rama. Both were spoken solely to save aśritas; itimayaivahi uktam- both were spoken by Me, the

āśrītās; refuge of all.

I all.

Translation-Therefore, you may safely rest without any fear or doubt in the matter of your true knowledge about Me, vision of Me and your realisation (attainment) of Me.

your

Comments:-ataḥ-since the words coming from Me, the ever-truthful and wedded to truth, are most reliable; tvam-you who have deep faith in Me. tatvataḥ- in truth; with certainty; matjñānadarśana prāptiṣu- your perception (knowledge) of Me,

Saraṇāgati Gadyam

your vision of Me and your realisation (coming into My service) of Me; nissamsayah-without any doubt. sukhamasva- rest with ease and comfort. The idea is “though you live in this lilāvibhūti (lower world), by virtue of My assurance of acceptance, it is as good as being in paramapada where your being accepted is quite certain. Rest assured about this.”

The last verse antyakālē etc. has not been commented upon by the commentators.

Thus ends Śaraṇagati Gadya. Before we proceed further with the other two pieces of the Gadyatrayam, we shall summarise the Saraṇagati Gadyam in its various sections. This will help remember the development of the composition with ease.

The first section gives expression to his surrender at the feet of Śri after extolling her greatness and qualities.
In Section 2, the Acarya explains the purpose for which he seeks her intercression. He seeks her puruṣākāra and expreses that his surrender at the feet of the Lord should be made appropriate and successful.
The grant by Sridevi of the prayer made to her is conveyed here.
The formal surrender is given expression to seeking the protection of the Lord. The Acarya extolls the Lord describing the greatness of the divyatma svarupa (essential nature) divyamangala vigraha (the divine and bewitchingly beautiful form), the divine qualities, the fine jewels adorning Him, His divine weapons, the unique association with His consorts, His immense wealth in the form of the nityavibhuti (The changless land of bliss-paramapada) and the lilavibhuti (the worlds of sport from this world up to satyalōka), His rulership of these, His having nothing to desire and

His ever fulfilled will in all detail. He chants the dvayamantra conveying the formal surrender.

5-8. He repeats his conveyance of surrender in the words of the purāṇas and the bhagavadgita showing his respect for the words of the ṛsis. beim VIDTOWAR OF vatan

9.10. The Acarya entreats the pardon of the Lord for sins of the past, present and future.

Since the Lord has ordained in the Gita that His maya (prakṛti - the attachment to it out of ignorance) cannot be overcome except by surrender to Him, he entreats the removal of the māya.
The Acarya entreats true knowledge as detailed in the Gita. It may be mentioned that this knowledge refers to seeking the Lord with single-minded devotion as both the means and the goal.
He entreats the conferment of true devotion by the Lord as mentioned in the Gita.
He entreats that he should become the personification of devotion in its stages parabhakti, parajñāna and paramabhakti.
He seeks that he should be blessed with the consequential experience of the Lord and the yearning for service unto Him.

The rest of the Gadya details the reply communicated by the Lord through an inner Voice.ne 2010

16,17. śri Rāmānuja! You who pray for being accepted eternally in My service have so many impediments in so many forms (all these are detailed). Solely by My grace, all these impediments shall vanish. Your devotion will grow into its three stages and you shall experience Me in all aspects - My nature, My

87Śaraṇagati Gadyam

Bob Its i w ballilat www. form and My wealth and realise clearly the true nature of your o self (as totally subservient to Me). You will henceforward live- divine experience (of Me) and in My service.

You will be totally rid of worldly misery and will spe the rest of your life in chanting the dvayamantra and meditating thought and words) on its import.
You will be properly cared for at the time of death a will be accepted in My Land of Bliss in eternal service.

a You

Let there be no doubt at all about your getting all that h been assured.

BUT

My words shall never fail.

THE SEA SHT SE

banojnem od gum 11,

Jung 22. Remember the assurances I have given during M incarnation as Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. I Myself have uttered these. The shall ever be true.

The last verse “antyakālē

Verse antyakalē….

(not rendered earlier The Acarya ends the Gadya by praying to the Lord: “In case dea time remembrance is essential, You please treat my prese entreaties in its place also”. It may be mentioned that rememberin the Lord or uttering His name at the time of death is not obligator for the prapanna though it is for persons following other paths salvation. The alvārs pray ‘I may not be fortunate enough remember to call You when this soul departs from the body. Pleas treat my present prayer as prayer to be made at that time and accep me”.

voin? Teliash super ho

medway mod

101 m gailullisen ved had to oldegom i postoval, sed unus wuqali mi gnila śrimātē Rāmānujāya namaḥ of mintpre gritty

igniblardi

(in

Sriranga Gadyam

01 not 10

صلاة شابي

Cidacidparatatvānām tatvayāthātmyavēdinēs ma Rāmānujāya munaye namō mama gariyasē ॥

I prostrate before my Acarya, the great sage Rāmānuja, who has a clear conception of the truth about the three entities, cit, acit and isvara.

This piece, known as Sri Rangagadyama, is but an abridged version of the Saraṇagati Gadyam. It is explicitly addressed to Śri Ranganatha and hence called Śri Rangagadyam. The first Gadyam is popularly known as the ’long gadyam’ and this one, the ‘short ey gadyam’. This piece is also a practical exposition of the

dvayamantra.

0:-

Introductory Comments: The purpose of Srirangagadyam is th this first the Acarya prays for the most desirable goal of being accepted in the service of the Lord. To gain this end, he states his g lack of deservedness in terms of any virtue on his part; he states his y shortcomings; then he seeks the Lord’s feet (that is the Lord Himself) as his sole means; he begs that his prayer should be granted for its own sake; he reiterates his faith in the Lord; he prays that this faith should be the result of the all merciful Lord full of auspicious qualities; he prays that he (Ramanuja) who is not for the service of anybody else, should be blessed by the Lord with service in keeping with his own nature; all this he entreats to grant him.

To the seeker after salvation who has taken to this path of prapatti, it is essential that he should spend his time in devoted service to the Lord, worshipping and serving Him in his temples; in

Śriranga Gadyam

serving his devotees; if incapable of that, by meditating on (om giving expression to ) His names and qualities; if lacking in depth of devotion for this, in uttering the dvayamantra and (learning and thinking on) its import. Intending on the last of these options, the Acarya gives expression, briefly, to the ideas conveyed in the earlier Gadya. He conveys these in confidence to the Lord at Śrirangam. He intends this shorter composition as fit for repetition in the presence of the Lord by devotees intent on the fruit prayed for.

svādhinatrividhacētanācētana-svarūpasthiti pravṛttibhēdam klēśakarmadyasēṣadoṣāsamspṛṣṭam

Daga svābhāvikānavadhikātiśaya jñānabalaiśvarya

h2 viryaśaktitējassauśilya vatsalya - mārdava-arjava - sauhārda

sāmya kārūṇya - mādhurya - gambhiryaudarya - cāturya - besthairyadhairya saurya- parakrama- satyakāma-

Pro

satyasankalpa-kṛtitva kṛtajñatadyasamkhyēya kalyāṇaguṇa gaṇaughamahārṇavam, parabramha bhūtam, puruṣōttamam, srirangaśayinam, asmatsvāminam, prabuddha nityaniyamya-nityadsyaikarasātmasvabhāvōham tadēkānubhavaḥ tadēkapriyaḥ paripūmam bhagavantam viśadatamānubhavēna nirantaramanubhūya,

tadanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśaya pritikarita aśēṣāvasthōcita-asēṣasēṣataika ratirupa-nityakinkaro bhavani.

In this first (curnika), the Acarya prays for the established goal of devoted service to the Lord. The Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the acceptor of the service. The meaning of the name Nārāyaṇa includes lordship over the two lands (the vibhutis - the land of His sport and the Land of bliss), being the destroyer of all that is lowly and being the repository of all auspicious qualities, Of these, the Acārya expatiates on the first. viz., lordship over the two lands.

Taite

strand station to

Translation 1 (Beginning with svadhina, upto bhagavantam, various epithets are enumerated all of which qualify the word bhagavantam. The final words nityakinkarō bhavani is the prayer in this curnika.)

Let me be accepted in eternal and devoted service of the faultless (complete in all respects) Lord who holds sway over the nature, existence and activity of the three varieties of the conscious (cētana) and the non-conscious (acetana), who is not touched by the (five varieties of) miseries and the resultant virtuous and sinful actions; who is an ocean of naturally fitting hoardes of auspicious qualities (this section is the same as 4(iii) of Saraṇagati gadyam); who is the supreme Brahman and Purusottama (the most perfect person) who reclines on the serpent bed in Srirangam; my master who is complete (Not wanting in anything-faultless).

I, who have clearly understood myself to be ever subject to Your command; I who have tasted the sweetness of ever being in Your service; I who have only Yourself as the subject matter for my knowledge and devotion; I who have experienced You constantly without interruption; eager and anxious to be of immense and commendable service at all times and under all circumstances to You; with this eagerness generated by the pleasure of my experience of Yourself let me, the very personification of the desire to be of service, be accepted eternally for such service.

Comments: 1:- svadhinatrividha cētanācētana svarūpasthiti pravṛttibhēdam- holding complete sway over the variations in the nature, existence and activity of the three types of conscious beings (cētana) and three types of non-concious (acetan). The three varieties of cetanas are- the bound (samsari), the freed (mukta) and the eternally free (nitya). The bound are those who are susceptible

Śriranga Gadyam

to abridgement of their knowledge (ability to know and understand); who exist in happiness and misery resulting from their virtuous and sinful deeds. The freed are those who by the grace of the Lord have been freed from the bondage to the body which is responsible for the abridgement of knowledge; and consequently having an intellect which is fully blossomed, who exist in a state of eternal happiness in the service of the Lord enjoying their experience of the Lord’s divine form and qualities engaged in all possible physical service; following the Lord, giving expression to the happiness in words “Oh! I am His food” (this implies pleasing service). The ever-free nityas are those who have never been stained by bondage unlike the muktas- who were once in bondage and freed after a long time and came close to the Lord. They have been engaged in ageless and eternal service to the Lord, eternally engaged in seeing, worshipping and praising Him, the foremost among these being Viśvaksēna, Garuda and Ananta (ādiśēṣa).

The three varieties of the non-conscious acetana are those characterised by total Purity (śuddha satva), admixed qualities (mixture of satva, rajas and tamas) and time, which decides when creation and destruction should occur. The material characterised by total purity is made up of five divine components (called pancōpaniṣaṇmaya- paramēṣți, puman, viśva, nivṛtti and sarva) totally pure (not admixed), changeless in nature, helpful to the protective activities of the Lord in His forms vyuha and vibhava. and self-revealing everywhere. This suddhasatva is the material constituting the Land of Bliss-paramapada; the admixed prakṛti is the material making up the worlds of men and the gods-Indra downwards and is characterised by an admixure of the three qualities satva, rajas and tamas ever susceptible to transformation (change), exisisting in different states dependent on the good and

(a) on ad,(hm

oldige one ofw soft br bind of love) sont planets a॥

bad actions of the souls embodied therin, capable of hiding (abridging) true knowledge of the embodied soul regarding the self, the Supreme, the goal, the means to the goal, the obstacles thereto and its own relationshiips to others. Time is different from prakṛti, single-natured, measureable by seconds, minutes and so on, and controls the existence of (changes undergone by)non-conscious matter and the embodied souls, their birth, growth and death. It does not constitute a controlling factor like this in the Land of Bliss.

The Lord’s sway over all these consists in being the inner being of all and controlling them. Thus the fact that every thing is subject to the absolute control of the Lord emphasises that the Lord is the antarātmā (controlling inner resident-sariri and that everything else constitute His body-sarira)

klēsa karmādi aseṣadosa asamspṛṣṭam-It may be asked whether since the Lord is the soul and all else constituting His body, the faults and defects of the body would not stain the soul; the answer is ‘No: the defects of the body do not touch the soul(the Lord)’- klēśa-misery-causes which lead to it like ignorance, self-importance (ahamkara), greed, desire and anger; karmah-deeds which cause misery; adi-others, beginning with such faults; here is meant types of beings god(deva), man and so on with varying life. spans and differences in nature and intelligence associated with each type. aseṣadosa asamspṛṣṭam-untouched by all these faults; asēṣa includes susceptibility to change associated with acit (matter) and change in extent of jñāna as well as misery possible with the jivātma; asamspṛṣṭam not touched by- signifies that never was’.

34 Am

svabhävika etc… Three types of qualities are meant here; the common ones, those which favour the asritas (those who seek protection) and those oriented towards the enemies of asritas; svabhāvika-natural like coolness of water and heat of fire;

Śriranga Gadyamı

anavadhikātiśaya-each auspicious quality by itself being infini and wonderful; jñāna-ability to grasp (know about) all things at a times, that is, His ability to remember the difference in names an forms of the innumerable jivas created in different forms and th virtues and sins of each created being; bala-ability to support all H infinite creations by an infinitismally small portion of His powe aiśvarya-(being iśvara) ability to command all His innumerab creations according to their karma (virtuous or sinful deeds); viry: prowess-while carrying out creation, sustenance and destruction doing all this effortlessly and without visible change. He change other beings without himself undergoing the slightest change śakti-ability to confer activity on the living beings tending activity and engage them in activity; ability to make th ‘impossible’ possible; ability to be the matter of creation- jaga upādānaśakti; tējas-making others subservient to Him-Only by Hi light do all luminous objects appear luminous.

Besides these six principal qualities, the twelve qualities c isvara favouring those (aśritas) who seek Him are then explained sauśilya-natural ability to freely mix even with the lowliest, totall unconscious of His infinite greatness. ``I am a mere man, son o Dasaratha” Rāma told Brahma and other gods when they came t see Him after the death of Ravaṇa; vatsalya-affection; He remove the defects of aśritas as a cow licks out the dirt from the body o calf. He became a lowly cowherd and tended cows and calves (in Kṛṣṇāvatāra); mardava-softness. This physical quality enumerated in the midst of mental ones means a weakness-the inability to bea separation from those dear to Him, “Rama could not get a wink of sleep when separated from Sita” “I constantly remember the swee words of Bharata coming from the depth of his heart” so Rama kep saying with remorse after he sent Bharata away not fulfulling his

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request to come back to Ayodhya; ārjava-one-ness of thought word and deed particularly in wishing to be with His devotees; sauharda-always thoughtful of the welfare of devotees whether present before Him or not; samya-treating all devotees alike irrespective of being high or low in birth and conduct. Rāma accepted the hunter chief Guha as a dear friend; He was pleased to eat the fruits offered by Sabari. karunya-selfless sorrow at the distress of others, Rama was distressed at the grief of his subjects; He was distressed when sita was abducted out of the feeling “a has been abducted.” madhurya all-round sweetnes; appearing so to the victim even when He was about to kill. Bhisma welcomed Śrikṛṣṇa when He approached with the deadly wheel to kill him, “Welcome! One with eyes like fresh blossomed lotus! Come on! I prostrate before you; put an end to me”. gambhirya- His good intention towards devotees cannot be gauged. He gives of Himself and the capacity to enjoy that immensity. He is unmindful of the greatness of what He gives and the smallness of the one receiving; having done much He feels like having done nothing. audārya- generous-He entreats devotees to accept what He gives; “All those who approach Me ‘for worldly wealth or for salvation are truely generous” (So Kṛṣṇa said in the Gita). Rāma was always eager to meet people who sought His help and having fulfilled their wishes, felt very happy.

caturya-cleverness, ability to hide defects of devotees even from Śri(His consort-their mother); He would remove doubts about His eagerness to protect (bring succour) and do good. In order to remove Sugriva’s doubts, Rāma threw the huge carcass of the demon dundubhi miles across by a kick of toes; He split seven sāl tress in succession with a single arrow. sthairya-stability of purpose; even in the presence of thousands of foes He would not

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flinch from the resolve to protect asritas. Though friends (allies like Sugriva dissuaded Him, Rāma declared. I will never reject a offered hand of friendship’ and accepted Vibhiṣaṇa, brother a Rāvana as a friend. Thus, these 12 qualities are concerned with Hi concern for aśritas

The next three concern the enemies of asritas, dhairya-ne caring for (not being afraid of) the foe. Even before he faced th mighty raksasa army of Ravana, Rama crowned his younger brothe Vibhişana king of Lanka. Such was His confidence in His ow invincibility. He destroyed the basic army- mulabala-single handed śaurya- ability to enter the enemy’s place like His own an infliciting heavy loss. “People saw the mutilated corpses a innumerable rakṣasas with their limbs strewn all over the place bu not Rama who moved so swiftly”. parakrama-Valour When H Rama) moved with his bow in His hands, the rakṣasas were s tacinated by His valour that they did not realise that He was killin them.

Then are enumerated four qualities concerning asritas. Th means (of approaching Him) and the end (what He grants) satyakāmaḥ-kāma may be interpreted as desire or possession. On with eternal kama-desirable qualities and wealth providing enjoyment for asritas. Alternately it can mean His immense desir to do good to asritas. The flow of good intentions cannot b arrested satyasankalpa-He displays ever-new enjoyments (b giving of Himself) in kaleidoscopic array. kṛtitva-when the aśritas desire is granted, the fulfilment is His. Having crowned Vibhiṣan king of Lanka, Rāma heaved a sigh of relief and was delighted with a task completed; kṛtajñata-remembering a good act; the words seek your protection; I seek you as my all; I surrender my all t you” makes Him remember only that and forget all else (all faults)

ever remembering his own shortcomings. Though Kṛṣṇa protected Draupadi at her moment of dire distress (when she was about to be disrobed), He felt Himself eternally her debtor since He could not be there in person and assure her that no harm would befall her. Rāmā’s sorrow that He could not fulfill Bharata’s request (to abandon the forest-life ordered by His father and return to the kingdom) was immense-not for the love of kingship but for not fulfilling the request of a sincere aśrita “He begged with his head-bowed; I could not grant his wish.” adi-and so on-many others, asankhyeya gunagana aughamaharṇava-only some of His auspicious qualities have been enumerated; the unsaid is infinite, countless. Can one count the number of molecules of water in the vast ocean? So also the Lord’s auspicious qualities. Karna’s words during the great Bharata war: “The qualities of the great and ever victorious Lord (Kṛṣṇa) cannot be enumerated completely even if all people in the world come together and talk for 10,000 years.”

parabrahmam

purusottamam-Well established parabrahmaman and purusottama in the vēdānta. parabrahmam-The Superior One who is immense or immeasurable (brahma), one who can make others immense like Himself”.(brahmanatva) “He makes others equal to Himself (Tiruvaimoli 8-5-2): “Those who have become like Me by virtue of this knowledge are never destroyed. (Gita 14-2). So it is that He is pleased to grant that those who realise Him become similar to Him. purusottama-the person above everyone else. ``That suprerior person, distinct from others is called paramātmā. I am superior to the kṣara, the bound soul and to the akṣara (realeased soul). The śrutis and smṛtis therefore declare Me as purusottama the Highest Person” (Gita 15-17). The word means “He who gives all desired fruits-that largest-hearted person.” sriranga sayinam- one need not be satisfied only by scriptura।

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statements: one can feast the eyes

statements; one can feast the eyes with His reclining form in Śrirangam; such is His accessibility. asmat svaminam-by his reclining in this temple (Koil-temple is a unique apellation to Śrirangam), He has demonstrated His personal relationship (Lord) to me (servant). He has enslaved me by His auspicious qualities” said Lakṣmaṇa of Srirama to Hanuman.

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So far, the Acarya has talked about the Lord, the recipient of the service; hereafter, he refers to the self which is the seat of the service. prabuddhanityaniyāmya nityadāsyaika rasātma svabhāvoham-eternally subject to the Lord’s command, ever at His service, having it as the supreme source of joy; realising the nature of the atma to be such. This indicates that self-will and diversion to others (other areas) would destroy the soul; tadēkaānubhava- having the mental experience of the Lord as the only subject matter for the mind; tadekapriyah-having made the Lord as the only subject matter for devotion. By this is indicated stages-parabhakti etc. which are the basis of God-experience. paripūrṇam bhagavantam nirantaramanubhūyaḥ- experiencing the omniscient Lord clearly and wholly without any interruption. paripūrṇānubhava is experiencing the Lord’s essential self (nature), His form, His auspicious qualities and all His wealth as the subject matter for experience (loving meditation and mental vision). visadatama anubhava is the near fruition of the experience in terms of paramabhakti-equal to direct vision and direct experience of His presence; niranțaram-eternal; no admixture of others at intervals. tadanubhavajanita anavadhikatiśaya pritikarita aśēṣāvasth cita aseṣasēṣataika ratirupa-caused to be done by intense devotion born out of that wonderful experience; a personification of the desire (longing) to be of service under all conditions; desire to be the source (or seat) of service for eternity (as long as the atma does

exist); anavadhikātiśaya-exceedingly wonderful; the basis of eternal service; far more than in the preparative stages of parabhakti. aśēṣāvastha-all conditions-in the inner courts; in the formal court assembly, in the flowers garden while sporting, while enjoying water-sport in the swimming pool, in all Your different states in the highest (paramapada), in the sea of milk (vyüiha), in Your avataras (as Rama, Kṛṣṇa and so on) and as arca in temples. aśēṣaśēṣataika-serving in a variety of forms; for example, like adiseṣa who serves as the seat, bed, canopy, sandals and so on (stotraratna-40, First Tiruvandadi-53), like queen Kausalya who served her lord King dasaratha as wife, friend, sister, mother, depending on circumstances (Rāmāyaṇa-Ayodhya:- 12-68).

The second curņika (sentence) following conveys the surrender (śaraṇagati). In the first curnika the Acarya described and prayed first for the goal (prapya). Here, he conveys his imperfections, his having no other refuge, and his lack of virtues and formally seeks the Lord as the sole means to get acceted in His service.

svätma nitya niyamya nityadāsyaikarasātma

Ammunitigo

svabhāvānusandhāna pūrvaka bhagavadanavadhikātiśaya svāmyādi akhilaguna gananubhavajanita anavadhikātiśya pritikarita aśēṣasēṣataikaratirupa nityakainkaryaprapyupaya (bhūta) bhakti tadupaya samyagjñāna tadupaya samicinakriya tadanugunas atvikästikyādi samastatmaguṇa vihinaḥ duruttarananta tadviparyaya jñānakriyanuguna anādipāpavāsanā mahārṇavāntarnimagnaḥ tilatailavat daruvahnivat durvivecatriguna kṣanakṣaraṇasvabhāva

av acaetanaprakṛtivyāptirūpa duratyaya bhagavanmāyātirōhita svaprakāśaḥ ānādyāsavidyañcitānantaāśakya viśramsana karmapāśapragrathitaḥ anāgatānantakālasamikṣyāpi

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Śriranga Gadyam

adraṣṭasantārōpayah nikhilajantu jätasaranya! śriman! nārāyaṇa! tavacaranaravainduyugalam saranamaham prapadye II

2.Translation:- The operative part of the text is ``I seek your lotus feet as my refuge.” Various epithets qualifying the ‘I’ are enumerated. The Lord is then addressed with a few exclamatory epithets before the formal surrender.

Myself (I) whose essential nature is suitability to be ever commanded by Him, understanding this nature and ever thinking of it, meditating always on His great lordship and all His auspicious qualities, with a devotion which is a means to the service in the form of an intense desire to be of service in all forms under all conditions, possessed of ripe knowledge which would lead to devoted service, engaged in action in the form of service to Him, lacking as I am in personal qualities like virtue (satva) and firm faith (in Him and His commands), possessed as I am of qualities and conduct directly opposite to that enumerated and hence steeped in an ageless ocean of sin incapable of being crossed, with naturally endowed knowledge and lustre covered (screened) by inevitable association with prakṛti (material associations) which by nature is susceptible to continous change and is a mixture of the threefold qualities (satva, rajas and tamas), the inevitable association being ordinarily inseparable like oil in the gingelly seed and fire in firewood; (as a result of this association), bound inextricably by the rope or karma in the form of virtue and sin collected over ages out of ignorance; I who cannot find the means of over-coming this bond to samsara (birth and death) however long I may try; I take refuge in Ve

lotus feet as the only means of emancipation O, nārāyaṇa! ever associated with Sri! The refuge of all created beings! I seek your protection.

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Comments on 2: Earlier, the Acarya prayed for the prapya (the desired end). Here, he seeks refuge in the Lord’s feet for the fruition of the goal of service, giving expression to his faults, his lack of virtue and his having no other saviour.

Being pleased with meditation of his self (as the servant of the Lord), after dwelling on the auspicious qualities of Bhagavan and talking of the nature of the service sought, the Acarya repeats what has already been said, from `svatma nityaniyamya’ upto “nityakainkarya”. Meditation on the self is desirable because of its subservience to the Lord; dwelling on his auspicious qualities is desirable because of His unique greatness; service unto Him is desirable because it is the result of Love towards Him. anavadhikatiśayasvamya-(His unlimited and great lordship) differentiates from conditional limited lordship. The authority of the father or the mother is limited to a few aspects of protection and is bound to end after a time. On the other hand, this lordship is for all aspects of protection and cares for the very existence of the person. The qualities arising from His lordship were dwelt with earlier (para 1). The basic lordship is talked of here. The devotion leading to the realisation of service is S parabhakti. tadupāyasamyakjñāna -knowledge about the true (well-defined) natures of the self and super-self, in the form of constant meditation, knowledge (devotion) in an advanced state-ready to yield results. samicina kriya- action based on such well-defined knowledge with proper renunciation; tadanuguna satvikāstikyādi samasta ātmaguṇavihinaḥ -though totally lacking in all qualities favourable to the action (karma) mentioned-qualities like control of inner and outer senses, absence of ego, conceit and so on, faith in the grace of the Lord (A true brahmin is naturally endowed with mastery over the outer senses, the mind, denial of bodily needs,

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purity, patience, honesty, general and refined knowledge and firm faith in the Lord and in the scriptures). duruttarananta tadviparyayajñānakriyānuguṇādi

pāpavāsanā mahārṇavān tarnimagnaḥ-earlier he mentoined his akincanyam (lack of virtue) and now he confesses his sins. (I am the storehouse of all kinds of offences). These sins, in the form of knowledge (understanding) inimical to the true jñāna and service mentioned earlier, are truly unlimited and unfathomable. He cries out at his state of immersion in this occan of sins and the propensity to commit more.

tilatailavat daruvahnivat durvivaica - durviveca - reference is made to the veiling of the nature of the atman due to association with prakṛti (identifying the body with the soul) which in turn results in a propensity to more sins. Two examples are cited to show that it is but rare that these two (prakṛti and atma) are clearly differentiated. Only the well-informed are able to so differentiate; like the presence of oil in gingelly seed and fire in the fire stick. (In olden days sparks of fire were obtained by vigorous churning motion with a variety of wood-arani.). Only by knowledge (imparted by a competent teacher) and the grace of God can one clearly see one apart from the other. The soul is so imbedded in prakṛti (hidden in it) that others cannot clearly see one separate from the other. The soul whose essential identity is knowledge, who is self-revealing, is hidden in prakṛti like oil in gingelly seed and fire in firewood (Śriviṣṇupurana); trigunakṣaṇa kṣarana svabhāva - with constant change and association with the qualities of satva, rajas and tamas as essential features; acetanaprakṛti vyāptirūpaḥ -having inescapable association with prakti characterised by ignorance; duratyaya bhagavan māyātiröhita svaprakasal with the nature of the atma veiled by prakṛti otherwise called maya. My maya is impossible to overcome” declares the

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Lord (Gita 7-14). prakṛti capable of wonderful transformations involved in creation is to be understood as maya and maheśvara (the Supreme Lord) as the possessor of (the director of) māya. (Svētāśvatāra Upanisat). The association between the atman and prakṛti, is the work of the all-powerful Lord. Only He can undo the knot. anādi avidyasancita anantaāśakya viśramsana karmapāśapragrathitaḥ - gathered ageless ignorance, inextricably bound by the rope of karma in the form of sin and virtue, which cannot be untied by anybody (but the Lord). So far, the enumeration of the storehouse of sin. The mention of papavāsanāmahārṇaväntarnimaghnam followed by bhagavan māyātirōhita svaprakāśah and then karmapasapragrahitaḥ means that ignorance which veils the characteristics of the soul is the result of sin (propensity to sin); this ignorance results in acts (karma - sin and virtue).

adṛṣṭasantarōpayaḥ-

anāgata anantakāla samikṣayāpi therefore, I, who do not find any means to cross this ocean of samsara (cycle of birth and death) over infinite periods yet to come; nikhilajantujātasaranya !- O! One sought as proper refuge by all beings who are born, not possessed of any virtue and not devoid of sin; like saying, “Lord of all the worlds!’ and then “my Lord”. (The idea is that since You are the refuge of all be ngs I seek refuge in You). śrimat - refers to the presence of Sri c’oseby to intercede without giving room for punitive action on the basis of my past history of offences. Nārāyaṇa! Did you not care for the existence of this being and protect it though indifferent (or hostile) towards You? You have to favour me any way-looking at the presence of mother Śri as your natural protective grace. tavacaraṇāravinda yugalam- these lotus feet of Yours who are all merciful, easy of access most desirable and enjoyable; feet which are beyond a॥

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comparison except with each other. saranam prapadye - I seek as my means of deliverance. Though it appears to be an act', since it arises in the mind, the seeking’ is only a firm state of mind (with deep faith in His saving grace).

The Acarya begs for the fulfilment of his desire immediately after seeking refuge in Him with the firm faith that He will grant the desire merely on request.

ēvamavasthitasyāpi arthitvamātrēņa paramakāruṇikō bhagavan svanubhavaprityōpanitaikantikātyantika nityakainkaryaikaratirupa nityadasyam dasyatiti viśvāsa pūrvakam bhagavantam nityakinkaratām prarthaye (3) tavānubhutisambhūta pritikaritadasatām

dēhi nē kṛpayā nātha ! najanē gatimanyatha ॥ (4)

sarvävasthōcitāsēṣasēṣataikaratistava ।

bhavēyam pundarikakṣa ! tvamēvaivam kurūṣva mām ॥ (5)

Tranlation 3:- Though I am in this state (full of defects enumerated earlier), I beg of the Lord my acceptance in eternal service (to Him) in the firm faith that the all merciful Lord, heeding to my earnest request, will grant me the favour of steadfastness in everlasting service to Him urged by devotion resulting from the experience of the Lord.

Comments-3. ēvamavasthitasyāpi - To me whose state has been described earlier; that is, the storehouse of accumulated sin with no virtue; seeking Your lotus feet as my sole means of deliverance, having no other go. arthitvamātrēna - merely because I begged for this favour; not looking to my lack of detachment to desire or to my lack of eagerness to get the fruit; paramakārūṇikōbhagavan - the Lord; moved to sorrow by looking at my misery in the samsāra, not able to bear looking at my misery.

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Śrirama experiences intense sorrow looking at the misfortunes of his subjects”. This is His nature (moved by the distress of others), and He has all the knowledge and power (all-knowing and all powerful) in the matter of granting deliverance (removing sorrow). Those two epithets paramakāruṇika and bhagavan explain the basis of His becoming the granter of the fruit on request. Now the nature of the request is dwelt upon. svanubhava prityōpanita ēkāntikātyäntika nityakainkaryaratirupa - the personification of the desire to be of undisturbed and eternal service unto Him urged by devotion generated by experiencing Him. nityadāsyam dasyatiti that He will grant the pleasure of eternal subervience (service till the atma lasts); viśvāsapūrvakam in firm faith in Him; nityakinkaratām prarthaye - the six chief qualities from jñāna (all-knowing), and sakti (all powerful) which are the basis of all His other auspicious qualities which come alive only when He is approached for the fruit. From this Lord (bhagavan) I beg (being accepted in) eternal service. dasyam (being a servant) and kinkaratā (being of service) refer to the same object.

4.5. Earlier the Acarya prayed in his own way. Now he prays in the words of great devotees of yore. He is so eager to get the fruit (of service) that he does not know which word would be effective.

Translation: My Lord! You should be pleased, out of your (unbounded) mercy, to grant the service to You resulting from the joy of experiencing You.

Comments: tavānubhūti sambhūtā pritikāritadāsatām dēhi- You should grant the pleasure of service resulting from joy.of experiencing You (Your beauteous form and qualities); mē - to me who has nothing but the desire!; kṛpayā nāthā! -out of your mercy for my distress; also by the inevitable relationship (being my master) najānē gatim anyatha - Apart from this (begging you), I do not know of any other means.

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Śriranga Gadyamı

Translation: 0 Lotus eyed One! I should be eager (and anxious) to render all forms of service under all conditions. You should grant me this state of mind.

Comments - sarvävasthōcita etc - You should be pleased to confer on me the love of service unto You. I should be full of the

love of service unto You under all circumstances and at all times. I have no virtue; I look forward to you for all my needs. You should mould me as aforesaid.

may

6,7. Assuming that the Lord is still skeptical and asks “Do you have correct knowledge of the goal and real taste for it so that We m

grant what you ask for?”, the Acarya says, “Since I gave expression to the sentences, please grant that my mind should be steadfast in its meaning (what it conveys). Then he gives expression to the qualities of the Lord which would lead to the grant of his prayer.

ēvambhūta tatvayāthātmāvabōdha tadicchārahitasyāpi etadhuccharanamātrāvalambanêna

ucyamānārthaparamarthanistam mē manastvamēvādyaiva

kāraya

How do

(6)

apārakarūṇāmbudhē! anālōcitaviśēṣāsēṣalōka śaraṇya! praṇatārtihara ! āśritavatsalyaikamahōdadhē! anavarataviditanikhilabhūtajātayāthātmā ! satyakāma ! satyasankalpa! apatsakha! kākustha! śriman ! nārāyaṇa! la purusottama! śriranganatha ! mamanatha ! namōstute ॥ voll iti srirangadyam samaptam ॥

Lots Ch

Translation: 6. Even if I do not possess the true knowledge of this excellent goal or do not have the wish sincerely for the knowledge, please grant it that I have a correct perception of the means and the goal merely on the basis of what I expressed.

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Note: The idea here is this: “Lord Ranganatha! I presume that by your grace I am fit enough to reach the goal. Even if it is not so, please make the words I gave expression to as the excuse to fill up deficiencies and render me fit.”

Translation: Oh great ocean of Mercy! The ultimate succour of all irrespective of differences! (good and bad). You who destroy the distress of those who seek you! Great ocean of love to devotees! You who know the truth about all (Your creations) at all times! You with wishes always fulfilled! You who can do all that You will! Friend in (my) distress! Kakustha (Rama)! Ever associated with Śri (Lakṣmi)! Greatest of persons! Lord of Srirangam! My Lord! I prostrate before You. (This soul which is yours should be always of service to You at Your pleasure).

Comments: 6. ēvambhūtatatvayāthātmya avabōdhatadicchāra hitasyāpi - Even if I have no true perception of the nature of the soul, the super-soul (God) and the goal (of Service), or even if I do not have the wish for the knowledge (of these), ētad ucchāraṇa mātrāvalambanēna - merely taking into consideration the words I gave expression to; ucyamānārtha pāramārthaniṣṭham - make the fickle mind of virtueless myself steadfast in the meaning of what I expressed. tvamēva adyaiva kāraya - You grant it immediately without any delay, not looking for any other reason. (You can grant this prayer independently of other helpful factors). Diesta cor

aparakarūṇāmbudhe - Limitless ocean of mercy! karūṇa is inability to bear (looking at) other’s sorrow or distress. Since this mercy is limitless it is called a sea. He (Rama) grieves more at the grief of men; not necessarily devotees but ordinary men. He is sure to reach me. anālōcita viseṣa asēsaioka saranya! - you are fit to be sought (as refuge) by all inespective of differences due to birth, conduct, level of knowledge and so on. By this the result of the

107Śriranga Gadyam

mercy mentioned earlier is indicated. Being all-merciful, He will be the refuge of all. praṇatartihara! - one who removes the destress o all who seek Him believing fully in His merciful nature and Hi being the refuge of the refuge-less. aśrita vatsalyaika mahōdadhë! just like the cow which eats up the filthy matter covering th new-born

calf, You are ready to pardon the faults of Your devotee with pleasure; Your greatness in this regard is immeasurable lik the fathomless ocean. mahōdadhe - deep ocean; differentiates Hi mercy from mercy from the telatively shallow sea anavarata vidita nikhil bhūtajāta yāthātmyā! - You control the existence of all beings at a times. You know the truth about all beings. I need not tell Yo about myself to You who know everything. satyakama- You desires are eternal-ever fulfilled. You are therefore capable o granting the desires of your devotees. satyasankalpa! - Your will clear. You can create ever-new avenues of enjoyment and gra them to your devotees. apatsakha - Friend in one’s distress; You ar capable of protecting me from distress caused by myself and b others; even if You fail us once we can trust You as our friend kākustha! -If you ask how I know that You are the saviour eve from distress of my creation, is it not written (in the Ramayan “Though fit to be punished with death, kākustha saved him out His mercy`` - referring to the crow-episode. śriman !- Even if Yo are indifferent, there are persons close by to wean You and mak You attend. The acarya looks to the Mother for protection (to mak Him afford protection). Nārāyaṇa! Even if She finds fault do Yo not say “My devotees have no fault? You should protect m considering our unique relationship (Lordship; your being the lif and me the body). purusottama! - You call those who come to Yo for getting their desires granted as large-hearted, You shoul protect (grant the goal) out

out of Your large-heartednes śriraniganatha!- You are a personification of all th

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above-mentioned qualities ready to be seen and approached at Srirangam without having to be merely learnt from books. mamanatha !- You show us that you are present in the Temple (Srirangam) for this purpose (to save me), namōstute- This atma should be solely for Your enjoyment. The Acarya asks for the fruit in keeping with his own nature, having a clear knowledge of the same, and thus his need. I am Yours-not mine. Utilise me for Your pleasure-in Your service.

Here ends Sriranga Gadyam

st Traunho to col Kim

adalmal dit balon day contain Chavan be heden af

all matte of Pales

vadus Imagina hatuba soitong him gribotemban

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Sri Vaikuntha Gadyam

Śrimātē Rāmānujāyanamaḥ

Sri Vaikuntha Gadyam

With the large-heartedness that his convictions should not be for himself like the shade of the palmyra tree, but should serve all like the enjoyable shade of the banyan tree, Śri Bhāṣyakāra offers his teachings to all so they could understand and correctly act in the matter of upaya and upēya (means and end). In the big Śaraṇagati gadya, he addressed his prayer to the Lord in general terms. In the second Śrirangagadya, he addressed his prayer particularly to Sri Ranganatha who is the very lilmit of accessibility (most easy of access in arcă form). Here in the śri Vaikuntha Gadya, he offers his upadeśa to others regarding what could be expected in Sri Vaikuntha, the ultimate Land of Bliss (limit of Supremacy).

In order to condemn those bahyās and kudṛṣṭis (bahyas who do not accept vedic authority; kudṛṣṭi-who accept, but misinterpret the vedas to suit their views) who put forward the wrong means to reach God (wrong in his view); meditation of Śiva, Indra and such other than the Supreme, doing acts (karma) irrespective of a devata, mere knowledge (jñāna), a combination of karma and jñāna and mix up of scriptural texts to support their own views, Śri Bhāṣyakāra in his Śri Bhasyam aimed at showing that devotion (bhakti) towards the Lord was the most proper means of attaining Him. He pointed out that the correct meaning of Vedic texts is not what they said. In conjunction with logic and what is said elsewhere in the same Vedas, bhakti aided by karma (as ordained in the sastras) and jñāna (of the nature of the jiva and the Lord), is the surest means to attain God (bhakti, karma, and jñāna mean understanding and practice as ordained in scriptural authority-the

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sastras). Though prapatti (surrender to the Lord) is latent in scriptural teaching, Śri Bhāṣyakara laid emphasis on bhakti. In the big (Saraṇāgati) Gadyam, the Acarya established that the ultimate means of attaining Him is through prapatti to save those whose powers of understanding are not sharp and who, thinking that the difficult means of bhaktiyoga is the sole upaya, may shirk away from it in fear. Because prapatti is an aid to the effective culmination of bhakti, people may feel that prapatti, unlike bhakti, may not be an independent means by itself. In order to dispel such doubts, the Acarya revealed in the srirangaga dyam that prapatti, a means independent by itself, not needing any other ancillary adjunct, easily practiced and in keeping with the subservient- to-God nature of the soul, is an excellent means to attain Him. Having a clear and sound grasp of the

Het means, it is now necessary to talk about the end attained by that means. This aspect is discoursed by the Acarya in detail in the Sri Vaikunthagadya- the glory of the Land of Bliss, the Lord who is experienced, and the service actuated by the experience, for the benifit of those who followed him. The means is talked about in detail for those fortunate few who were blessed with a taste for this upaya and the end, in all its details. While the first two are expressions of the inner experience of the Acarya and so serve upadesa, this gadyam is primarily a upadeśa with expressions of experience also.

There are six sections in this gadyam. First, the Acarya deals with the unique excellence of the nature, form, qualities and wealth of the object of refuge (saranya) and all the uniqueness of the saranya the very opposite of himself. Declaring his determination that for this soul to attain that object, there is no proper means other than prapatti, he takes refuge under the feet of the Lord, placing his faith in His qualites like saulabhya-ease of approach and

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sausilya-mixing freely with inferiors. In the second section, h declares that though an once-expression of the intention is enoug to beget the end, he would keep repeating it to save the mind from digressing into other objects and also to pass the time fruitfully. I the third section, the Acarya describes the very pleasant arcirad path taken by the prapanna to the Land of Bliss crossing the lowe worlds (up to the Land of the four-faced Brahma), the uniqu decorations there, the presence of the Lord with His consorts in the beautiful Land, the beauty of Lord’s form adored by the Consorts the divine jewels which add to the Lord’s beauty, the divin weapans held by the Lord, and the congregation of the devote nityas and muktas who serve the Lord sheerly out of the joyfu experience of the Lord in all His glory described earlier. Thinking of the Lord served by the devoted souls, one should look forwar “When am I to be blessed with the service of the Lord in thi manner?” With having this fulfilled, one should approach the Lor and beg “My Supreme Master! please use me in Your service fo eternity” and eonvey one’s being (atma) at His feet.

In the fourth section, the Acarya says that the Lord accept the supplicant as desired and the latter engages himself in usefu service unto Him. The fifth describes how the devotee keeps gazing at flicker of the eyelid

the Lord with rapture without even a without attention to anything else, making up for the very lon period lost without this happy service. The sixth sub-section describes the way the Lord enquires the welfare of the devotee how He bestows His cool sight (showering favours) and places Hi lotus feet on the devotee’s head. The latter, crowned by this favour is immersed in joy and stays as the ‘Lord of the empire of service unto the Lord.

Yamunaryasudhambhodhimavagahya yathamati ।

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Adaya bhaktiyōgākhyam ratnam sandarśayāmyaham ।

I will delve deep into the nectarine Ocean that is Yamuna (his teachings) and will bring out the gem that is bhaktiyōga and show it out as best as I can for the experience of the devoted. The idea is that the Acarya wrill give out of the spiritual wealth left by Śri Alavandar for the daily experience of the devoted. The bhaktiyōga mentioned here is only prapatti which is the result of bhakti (sadhyōpāya). Later the acarya actually says that for infinite time there is no way of attaining His feet except through prapatti.

(H)

svadhihatrividhacētanācētanasvarūpasthitipravṛttibhēdam

klēśakarmādyaśēṣadhōṣāsamspṛṣṭam svābhāvikāna vadhikātiśayajñānabalaiśvaryaviryasaktitējaḥ prabhṛtyasamkhyeyakalyanagunagaṇaughamahārṇavam, paramapuruşam, bhagavantam, nārāyaṇam, svāmitvēna suhṛtvēna gurutvēna ca parigṛhya, aikantikātyantika tatpādāmbuja dvayaparicaryaikamanōrathaḥ tatpräptaye ca tatpādāmbujadvayaprapatteḥ anyanna mē

kalpakōṭisahasrēṇāpi sadhanamastiti manvānaḥ, tasyaiva bhagavatō nārāyaṇasya, akhilasatvadayaikasagarasya, anālōcitaguṇā guṇākhandajananukulāmaryāda silavataḥ

سيلة

svābhāvikānavadhikātiśayaguṇavattayā dēvatiryakmanuṣyadyakhilajanahṛdayanandanasya,

āśritavātsalyaikajaladhēḥ bhaktajanasamślēṣaikabhōgasya, nityajñānakriyaiśvaryadibhōga samagrisamṛddhasya,

mahāvibhūtēḥ, śrimatccaraṇāravindayugalam ananyātmasañjivanena tadgatasarvabhavēna saranamanuvrajet ॥ 1 ॥

tataśca pratyaham atmōjjivanāya ēvamanusmarēt ॥ 2 ॥

โป

lom Text 1. The various epithets from `svadhina’ onwards qualify

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Nārāyaṇa (nārāyanam), parigṛhya-having accepted Him;

manvānaḥ with deep conviction; nārāyaṇasya śrimat caraṇāravinda yugalam-Nārāyaṇa’s auspicious lotus feet; saraṇam anuvrajēt-One should seek refuge as the sole means to the goal. Having accepted the peerless Lord Nārāyaṇa as the master, friend, and preceptor, wishing for eternal service to Him, with the deep conviction that refuge under His feet (prapatti) is the sole means (to attain the wished-for end), one should seek refuge at the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa with the realisation that there is no end for the soul beyond this. The above gives the essence of the lengthy sentence. Now for a free translation: svadhina….nārāyaṇam-Nārāyaṇa, who controls the nature, activities and well-being of the three kinds of the sentient (jivas) and non-sentient (matter); who is totally free from the faults like ignorance, karma-good and bad (virtue and sin), who possesses limitless wonderful auspicious qualities like (full) knowledge, prowess, and wealth by nature, who is the Supreme Lord; svāmitvēna…parigṛhya-having accepted Him, as master good friend and preceptor; aikantika…manorathaḥ-eager solely to be ever of service to His lotus feet (service to Him); tatrpaptaye….manvanah-firmly of the conviction that to attain that end even for ages, there is no other means than seeking refuge (prapatti) under His lotus feet.

akhilasatva dayaika sāgarasya….mahāvibhūtē bhagavatō nārāyaṇasya-who is most compassionate (ocean of compassion) to all beings; who is exceedingly miscible (mixing freely) with all people without any reference to desirable or undesirable qualities; who, by His very natural and extremely auspicious qualities, gladdens the hearts of all beings-devas, humans, animals and so on; who is a deep ocean of affection towards devotees; who feels it as the greatest pleasure to mix and freely exchange with all devotees; who has all the means of such as eternal infinite knowledge about all, all means of

ven

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sport (lila), and limitless wealth; possessor of the entire (all) worlds; of that great Lord (Bhagavan) Nārāyaṇa; śrimataccaraṇāra vindayugalam-most auspicious lotus-like feet; ananyātma sanjivanena-with the sole single-minded conviction that there is no greater end than this, one should seek Him as the only and sole

in as the only a means to attain the end (of eternal service unto Him).

One should, for spiritual well-being, continuously (everyday) keep thinking of this (having adopted Him as the means to the end).

cētanācētana-the three con

and

Comments: Text Section-1:- svadhina-refers to the state where all activities are under His control unlike those of others (cētana and acetana). “The entire universe-movable

Stana and immovable-is in the custody of Kṛṣṇa” All except Himself are under His control and command. What are these? trividha cētanācētana-the three types of souls, the bound, freed and ever-free, non-sentient-matter of this world, and of the divine, and time; their very nature, their qualities and activities and sthiti-existence. The nature of the soul (sentient, unchanging) and matter (non-sentient, undergoes constant change) are for ever defined as above. svarupa sthiti needess to say, this is their state (existence). Difference among the sentient (souls): unlike the singleness (only one soul-advaita) of the māyāvādins, we have it that according to the scriptural authorities One among many” (kathōpaniṣat), Because of differences, we infer that souls are many. (some being happy and some miserable); Difference in nature: in being able to know, act, enjoy, being changeless, self-effulgent, and being His (seṣatva). Difference in activity: knowing, wishing, putting forth effort etc.

bhow

Differences among

less to say, is State

among the non-sentient:- the

the stages of

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evolution-prakṛti (unmanifest); mahatahankära of matter; of units (second, minute etc) of time-of the unmanifest (karaṇa-cause) and manifest (karya-effect), which are different from one another. Differences in nature, non-effulgence, susceptibility to change, having different properties. Differences in activity-being the material for creation, ability to hide and show out.

The question arises; Masters like kings are also found to control assets, houses, servants etc. Is the Lord’s control similar? No. klēśa karmadyāśēṣadōśa asamspṛṣṭam-these masters are subject to short-comings; faults due to karma and so on. The Lord is free from all faults. isvara is the person free form all shortcomings; klēśa-being subject to desire and hate; karma-virtuous and sinful acts; adi- the propensity to these. The Lord is not susceptible to any of these. These represent all that are bad (undesirable). He is absolutely free from all these. He is the very opposite of all that is faulty, lowly and undesirable; Not only that, He is the abode of all that is noble and auspicious. svabhavikānavadhikātiśaya jñānabalaisvaryavirya saktiḥ tējaḥ-“His omnipotence, omniscience and divine activity (creation) are natural to Him” (Svētāśvatāra). His qualities are eternal (Candōgya). His might, prowess, infinite knowledge and other qualities have not been acquired by effort or conferred as a boon by some god. They are ever-present and are part of His very existence. anavadhikatiśaya-Words fail to express all His greatness; they cannot be comprehended by the mind (Taitriya); “He is the abode of the incomparably best of qualities” (Tiruvaimōli 1-1-1). His qualities are infinite. What are these qualities? jñāna…mahārṇavam jñāna-He who comprehends everything at the same time and directly without any aid (nyāyatatvam). He sees and comprehends all things at all times by Himself. bala-ability to manage all the worlds effortlessly. “The

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supreme support of all the worlds”(Taitriya). “I bear the entire worlds by an infinitesimal part of my divine powers (Gita). aiśvarya-the ability to rule all the worlds under one royal umbrella. “One Divine Ruler rules all the living and the non living” (Svētasvatara). virya-valour-bearing and ruling the entire worlds without any strain. śakti-power to execute whatever that is undertaken without any hitch or obstacle. “The power of the Supreme is diverse (undescribable)” (Svētaśvatāra). “None but Hari has the ability to control and protect (all these worlds)” (Viṣṇupurana). The actions of the all pervading and infinite one are unrestricted.” tējaḥ-even the very mention of His name strikes terror in foes. “rāvana! I am so terrified at Rama’s name that words like ratna and ratha beginning with letter ‘r’cause fear in me” (Mārica-Rāmāyaṇa Araṇyakanḍaḥ). Or, ability to complete easily tasks which require intense effort. “Only He is so celebrated” (Taitriya)-the fame due to his power and valour may be included in tējah-splendour.

What is it that is characterised by the nature, form and qualities enumerated? paramapuruşam… the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. parama-‘supreme’ differentiates the Lord from other sentient cetanas (purușa). parama indicates that there is none superior to Him. bhagavantam-this wonderful person is Bhagavan. Starting with svadhina…., functions like creation were enumerated; with jñanabalaiśvarya…- the six-fold essential qualities were enumerated. The Visņu Purāņa states; The name Bhagavan pertains to the chief cause of all causes, the Lord of all (sarvēśvara). bha-indicates that He is the creator (transforming the unmanifest into the manifest), and the one who is the protector, maker and annihilator. The qualities of jñāna, sakti, bala, aiśvarya, virya and tejas (all explained earlier) are included in Bhagavan. The fullness

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of qualities and being the primal cause (creator) have thus bee enumerated. The lesser gods like Brahma are also, out of courtesy called Bhagavan because of their having some greatness. Here it specifically mentioned-Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa, The Upanisat say ‘Out of nārāyaṇa is born Brahma; Out of Nārāyaṇa is born Rudra So He is the cause of Brahma and Siva and is their goal to narayana-the name that is the result of enumerating all that has bee enumerated, the essence of the Puruşa Sukta, included in each d the Vedas. “I am the Person propounded in all the Vedas” (Gita “In the beginning, middle and in the end (conclusion) Nārāyaṇa spoken of in the vēdās.”

So far the unique greatness of Nārāyaṇa as the attainable go was dwelt upon. Now the prayer for service unto Him (bein accepted in service) is put forth in the text upto word endin tatpräptayē. svāmitvēna, gurutvēna, suhṛtvēna ca parigṛhya- A these go to make up the meaning of the term Nārāyaṇ svamitvēna- Lord and possessor gurutvēna-the preceptor-eas approachability of the teacher; suhṛtvena-friend-easy miscibility, indicates vatsalya-, affection.

ve Alternately, svamitvēna-the Lordship expatiated in th Puruṣasukta, gurutvēna-the dispenser of knowledge-Sankarsar Bhagavan (one of the five states of Nārāyaṇa), suhṛtvena-Narayana all"Nārāyaṇa pervades everything inside and out” He is the inner sou 17 of all-in men, devas and so on. He is the friend who resides in al 17of

This well-meaning friendship is referred

referred to by suh svamitvēna-the master servant or possessor-possession relationshi so essential for saranagati. gurutvēna-the preceptor-discipl relationkship; the preceptor teaches all that the disciple does no Thinknow but should know. suhṛtvena-He is the shelter, friend and th

supreme goal too. Easy accessibility and miscibility are indicate

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parigṛhya-accepting Him in all these aspects. He is not accepted so just by one person (the saranagata). He is so accepted by the entire world; by the scriptures, by the teachings of all teachers, and in all other ways.

Having accepted Him as the Lord and Master, it is natural to think of oneself as the servant. The servant wishes for service, aikāntika ’tatpādāravindadvaya paricarya ēkamanōrathaḥ; aikāntika-intimate, personal. This may be linked with the tat-this association would suggest all natural relationships. When associated with tatpādāmbuja, the natural love and affection in serving the Lord intimately are indicated. tatpādāmbujadvayam- those two lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa. Though, by feet the entire form (Nārāyaṇa) is meant, the feet are unique as the landing place. The new born infant seeks the teats of the mother; so are the feet highly desirable to seek. Just like the breast overflowing with milk, the feet overflow with nectar. ambuja-lotus; very desirable not just like a bitter decoction taken as medicine; dvaya- two feet; inseparable; the means and the goal. “I seek your two friendly feet” says the devotee (jitantāstōtra). paricarya-service in all its manners; paricarya means activity (carya) pursued towards the superior; that is service. It also means all-round service; all pleasant activity starting with circumambulatio (pradakṣina). ēkamanōrathaḥ-leaving all other fruits (things wished for), the devotee seeks service as the sole goal. tatpi iptaye-to attain that goal of service. The ca here does not link up this fruit with something else. What else does it mean? It is for linking up with something not mentioned earlier. Service to You and to Your devotees. Association with servants of the Lord and service to them is as desirable, if not more, as service to the Lord Himself.

the goal w

So far, the nature of the goal was dealt with. The means

far, th

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suitable to attain the goal and the mode of application are dealt with in the next text ending with saranam anuvrajēt. From tvatpādāmbujadvayaprapatte up to manvanha, the conclusion about the means is dealt with while from tasya to caraṇāravinda, the form (nature) of the means is explained. Furtheron, from ananyātma to adoption of the means anuvrajēt, the

is explained. tatpādāmbujadvaya-the goal itself is the means. If the goal and the means are identical, it suggests that the cause and effect, are identical. That would lead to the negation of effort and result (gain). Nagation of these means that there would be none pursuing these. If this be so, the sastras which teach in this direction would become meaningless and unauthoritative. How are all these contradictions to be reconciled? Since service (paricarya) at the pādambujadvaya (the two lotus like feet) is the end and prapatti, seeking (refuge) at the pādāmbujadvaya is the means, there is no contradiction. If service and seeking refuge (surrender) are the real upaya (means) and upēya (end), what about the authoritative texts “One who knows Brahman becomes like Brahman”, “One who has known Brahman attains supreme bliss” “Seek Me alone as refuge”, “You alone should be my means” which declare that the means and the end are both one and that the Lord Himself is both the means and the end? The answer is paricarya and prapatti are not different; The pleasure resulting paricarya and the grace-resulting prapatti are the same though they are (apparently) different by virtue of the qualifying features. One may ask; when one says aja (goat), gaja (elephant) mahiṣa (buffalo) “Are not the objects different because of different characterising features?” But here the characterising features (qualifying adjuncts) are different. In, for example, “Devadatta is dark, young and well built”, though the object is qualified by the characteristics in different ways, the object (Devadatta) is the same. This is like explaining “He is the created;

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He is the creator” by saying that the combination of cit and acit in subtle (sūkṣma) form with Brahman is the cause and the same combination of cit and acit in gross (sthufa) form with Brahman is the effect.

prapatteḥ-“Begging Him to be the means with intense faith in Him is prapatti.” I have no association with the other means practiced with more difficultly. The faith and the prayer that the Protector is the means is prapatti. anyat-are there no means other than surrender-prapatti? From anyat to manvānaḥ (in the text), all other means are good for those who have the will for them (good water for those who can drink it). They are not suited to persons like us. anyat-all means like bhakti and its adjuncts karma, jñāna and all those other than prapatti. Are these not mentioned in the

Are these

scriptures as means to the goal? name-not for me; name asti-they are only for those with the will and capacity; not for one like me who is ignorant, incapable; steeped in karma (worldliness) and hence involved in successive births in different forms and steeped in sensual pleasures; hence the subject of the Lord’s chastisement and not His grace. If not in earlier births, why not work up now by good acts and tapas seek His grace? kalpakōṭi sahasrēṇāpi-just as a ball of cobweb will not germinate even if soaked in water for a thousand days, I will not qualify for His grace (by my efforts) for eternity. sadhanamasti-the negative na occuring earlier (namē asti)- should be drawn here also; sadhanam na asti-it is not instrumental. Not only so; sadhanam na bhavēt is what is meant. It will not be the means for me iti manvanah-the present tense indicates that this thought-frame of mind-should be continuous.

tasyaiva bhagavatē nārāyaṇasya - That nārāyaṇa referred to earlier as bhagavantam nārāyaṇam, which reminds one of the qualities which make Him extremely desirable as the goal, and the

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mewich

seat of such qualities. The released soul experiences the Supreme with all His admirable qualities” (Taitriya). Here, by bhagavato narāyaṇasya, the qualities desirable in the upaya (means) and the repository of these is meant. Furtheron, the qualities and the Person meant in the terms bhagavan nārāyaṇa are dealt with. akhila satvadayaika sāgarasya - an ocean of compassion (daya) for all good causes; ….

akhila satva encompassing all living creatures without any distinction; daya- selfless feeling of compassion, unable to look on at the misery of others. Expressing anguish at He is others sorrows without any selfish motive. ēkasagarasya the sole

container of all the flood of compassion. anālocita guṇāguṇākhaṇḍa janānukūla amaryāda silavathaḥ- … natural quality of mixing with others, without any need to examine their good or bad nature; there are lots of people whose virtues and defects cannot stand examination by the mind; even to them He is available to ennoble them; He does not take cogniscence of their faults; Is it a virtue not to recognise existing good? When he does not look at faults fit for punishment, it follows that He does not look for virtues which make one deserve His protection. anālōcita - alōcana or consideration is examining the existence of virtues and faults; that is, whether one is ignorant or learned, theist or atheist, ethical or unethical, humble or haughty and so on akhandajana - all; not differentiating as deva or human; the four-fold caste or mixture of these; anukula - taking all these ashore in the right path in crossing the waters of samsara. amaryāda - maryada means limit; amaryada- limitless or infinite. sila - miscibility, when mixing with the low He does not consider His own superiority and nobility and the inferiority or lowliness of the other person; He mixes freely and fully. silavataḥ - vataḥ ever; this characteristic is always with Him; everpresent.

Danie

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er eyes on th

b It may be asked; He may be prepared to mix freely with all; do others like Him? Do they not move away in dislike? deva tiryak manuṣyākhila janahṛdayanandanasya - moving the hearts of all; the wise as well as the idiotic. How? tu - there is a basis for this. svabhāvika anavadhikatiśayagunavattaya - by His natural, infinite desirable qualities; His auspicious qualities have already been extensively dealt with; what is new? the qualities of head and heart were dealt with; what is referred to now is the form the body.

the bod People addrss Śri Rama: “O, Rāma ! you are pleasing to the eye as much as men desire; You are pleasing to the hearts of the gods.” The youthfulness, brilliance and softness, all pleasing to the eyes, are referred to here (devatiryak… etc.,). It is said; “The demoness (Surpanakha) was filled with lust when she set her eyes on the beautiful dark form (of Rama) resembling the god of love.” She was captivated by His beauty and told Ravana “Those beautiful youths with large lotus like eyes.” The sylvan gods wished to become human maidens when they saw Rāma walking bow in hand.” Such is His captivating form. tiryak - animal. hanuman told Sitā “Rāma whose eyes are large like lotus petals captivates the hearts of all the living.” Hanuman is referred to as “Son of Vayu, the monkey, the animal.” He exemplifies all three.; manusya - of men. The sages of Dandaka forest were struck with wonder at the extraordinary beauty and symmetry of Rama’s form”. adi - and so on; this means the non sentient; a stone melted and became a maiden (Ahalya). akhilajana - irrespective of whether friend or foe; hṛdayanandanasya-not like one who though good-looking kindles harsh feelings; “He captivates the sight and the heart of men”; “He makes the hearts of all melt with emotion”; “Having lost the heart one has to send a messenger to it to return” Such is His exceptional beauty.

lipuurid bo।

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With all this, has He any good feeling for those who seek and approach Him? aśrita vatsalyaika jaladhe - He considers even their faults as desirable; aśrita - those who sought Him. “We are Your subjects the sages of Dandaka forest told Rama who assured them protection (against the demons); those who offer a leaf, flower, a fruit or even pure

་་

cwater with true devotion (Gita 9-26); those who

declare even once “I am Yours; You are my refuge” (to such, Rama, offered absolute protection); vatsalya; like the cow which removes filthy materials covering the just-born calf by licking it with relish; so friendly that He is not mindful of a mountain of faults but admires only the good aspects of the devotee; Rāma declared “Though he may be the seat of all faults, the seeker (after protection) should never be rejected” ekajaladhe -the single vessel (sea) full of all these qualities. Will he just help the seekers once and leave them? Will He not think that the help is for His own pleasure? bhaktajana - meditation with love is termed devotion (bhakti). The root bhaja (meditate upon, bow to) is used in the sense of service; good service is the essence of devotion so the wise say; love and service are marks of the devotee and prapanna - seeker of protection - samśleṣaika bhōgyasya- He does not brook a moment’s separation from those truly devoted souls (who have no other purpose but love), His very sustenance, nourishment and pleasure.

nityajñāna kriyā aiśvaryadi bhōga samagri samṛddhasya when He has the pleasure of the company of these innumerable souls (devotees) He has all the facilities for such pleasure. He has full control over the eternal, ageless instruments of pleasurable experience their nature, form, activity, and ramifications; He is the Lord and possessor of these aids to enjoyments, His lordship is ful and complete. Well, if He has the instruments for pleasure and the

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pleasures what about the place? mahāvibhūtēḥ - the possessor of the infinite expanse of the land of Bliss (nityavibhūti or paramapada) in contrast to the finite world of sport (lila vibhuti) which is a small fraction of the eternal. Is He just a lonely bachelor who has these infinite sources of pleasurable enjoyment? śrimat- He has a fit companion to find the shore (the limit) of the vast expanse in His first queen, Mahalakṣmi. The question arises, what is the pleasure arising out of the company of His consorts to Him who is the personification of bliss in the form of everfulfilled desires (avāptasamastakama)?. What is the need for a companion to Him?” The answer is; His pleasure is the uplifting of souls. She is companion and aid in this by mediating (between the sinful souls and her Lord). May He be sought as such? caraṇaravindayugalam - most fitted to our nature; most desirable and pleasurable; a most beautiful combination which invites all to come; the two lotus like feet (are to be approached and held). How are they to be sought? ananya atmasanjivanena - with the conviction that nothing else can ennoble our soul. tatgata sarvabhāvēna-fully concentrated on this and nothing else. What is to be done? saranamanuvrajēt - seek them (Him) as the sole means to the goal with firm belief (of success). vrajet mentally seeking firmly. What is the need for anu? vraja indicates the knowledge; anu signifies the conviction Also anusyutam bhavēt the feeling and conviction should be without interruption. As is indicated by dvayamarthanusandhānēnasaha sadaivam vaktā- (Saraṇagati Gadyam the Lord’s command), the vrajet frame of mind should be for all time.

Comments on Text 2-Is this seeking’ (saraṇagati) to be practiced once and then forgoten ? No, tathaśca pratyaham ātmājjivanāya ēvam anusmaret-though once is enough for the purpose of obtaining the desired fruit, it has to be remembered

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everyday to cut of to

though the sastras declare that practised as a means the pronouncement of the dvayam once is enough, and the Lord Himself has declared sakṛdēvaprapannāya…to one who sought me but once saying ‘I am yours’ I afford total protection - (said Rama afterwards too. Is there any time limit? No. pratyaham - it is to be remembered everyday. Is earlier (as a

thode what was de means) is incomplete? No, ātmōjjivanaya - for the uplift of the self; Every moment in which Vasudeva is not thought of is a waste; it is misery; it is confusion; it is corruption of the mind (Garuda Purāṇa). If even for a moment one does not think of Vasudeva it is a loss to the

soul. So to save and this has to be done continuously. ēvam - not superficially but with the same ardour and manner as in the beginning without any dimunition. Having said pratyaham - daily, why anusmarēt? Is it enough if it is thought of but once a day? No; it has to be practised frequently - constantly as was commanded by the Lord “sadā ēvam vakta” in Saranagati Gadyam.

accepting Vibhiṣana), it is necessary

ift it

The arciradi path traversed by one who has realised the means (the means and end are the same) and the nature of the Land of Bliss he enters are then described in detail - beginning with caturdaśa bhuvanātmakam.

caturdaśabhuvanatmakamandam daśagunitōttaram cavaraṇasaptakam samastam kāryakāraṇajātamatitya paramavyōmasabdabhidheyē bramhādinām int vānkamanasāgōcarē śrimati vaikunthē divyalōkē,

sanakavidhi śivādibhirapyacintya svabhāvaiśvaryaiḥ bornityasiddhairanantaiḥ bhagavadānukulyaikabhōgaiḥ but divyapurūsai; mahātmabhirāpūritē, tēṣāmapi iyatparimāṇam iyataiśvaryam idṛśasvabhavamiti paricchettumayōgyē,

126

divyavaraṇa satasahasrāvṛtē divyakalpakatarūpasōbhite divyödyāna śātasahasrakōtibhiravṛte atipramane divyāyatanē,

kasminścidvicitra divyaratnamayē divayāsthānamanṭapē divyaratnastambhaśatasahasrakōtibhirupasōbhitē

divyanānāraṭnakṛtasthalavicitrite, divyalankarālankṛtē, 15 Line

paritaḥ patithaiḥ patamānaiḥ pādapasthaiśca nānāgandhavarṇaih divyapuspaiḥ śobhamānaiḥ divyapuṣpopavanairupasōbhite, sankirṇapārijātādi kalpadrumōpasōbhitaiḥ asankirṇaisca

kaiścidantaḥsthapusparatnadinirmita

divyalilämanțapa

śatasahasrakōtibhirupasobhitaiḥ sarvadā anubhūyamānairapi

apūrvavadāścaryamāvahadbhiḥ

kriḍāśailaśatasahasrairalankṛtaiḥ kaiścit

nārāyaṇadivyalilāsādhāraṇaiḥ kaiścitpadmavanālayā divyalilasadharanaiśca kaiściccukaśārikāmayūra kōkilādibhiḥ kōmalakūjitairākulaiḥ

divyödyānasatasahasrairāvṛtē,

maṇimuktāpravāļakṛtasōpānaiḥ divyāmalāmṛtarasōdakaiḥ

Vargu divyandajavaraiḥ atiramaniyadarṣanaih

catimanōharamadhuras varairākulaiḥ antaḥsthamuktamaya divyakriḍāsthānōpasōbhitaiḥ divyasaugandhika vāpisata sahasraih divyarajahamsavalivirajitaiḥ āvṛtē-

Text and comments: This text is too long and quite complicated for direct translation. It has to be split into sections.

d3A.:- śrimati vaikunthe-in the divine Land of Bliss, Śrivaikuntha; bramhādinām vāngmanasa agōcare - beyong the words and comprehension of even Brahma (four faced god) and others (devas); paramavyōmaśabdabhideye - which is called by the name ‘paramākāśa’. caturdaśabhauvanatmakam….kāraṇajātamatitya

127Śri Vaikuntha Gadyam

which is far beyond the egg-shaped unit containing the fourteen worlds seven above the earth and seven below it and the various covers (oceans) which increases ten fold successively, and also beyond all those areas each of which appears to be related as cause and effect.

Comments

the earth including

caturdaśabhuvanātmakam - seven worlds with

and above it, and the seven worlds below (atala, vitala, pātāla and so on); andam - The egg-shaped unit which is a vast expanse which contains all these fourteen worlds and the areas (āvaraṇas) which separate them, each ten times larger than the other. These seven avaraṇas are constituted by water, fire, ether, and the principles which make prakṛti; samastam - refers to all, there are millions of egg-shaped units in this vast universe; kārya, kāraṇa, jātam- constituted by various Principles each of which is related to the next as cause and effect; atitya - beyong all this mass of prakṛti (prakṛti, though eternal, is ever subject to change, creation and dissolution. śrivaikuntha is beyond the vast expanse of prakṛti and eternally changeless).

What is beyond all this? parama - vast; there is no upper limit to this (Vaikuntha); vyōmaśabdabhidēyē - called `parama vyōma’ ie., paramapada. This refers to the vastness - several times the size of the very vast prakṛtimandala; it is characterised by being absolutely clear; nothing remains hidden or unperceived; bramhādinām vāgmanasā agōcare - refers again to the vastness. The four-faced Brahma whose comprehension is far superior to our limited capacities cannot comprehend by mind or speech the vastness or the bliss of this Land. śrimati vaikunthe, - in the divine

m the ar land called Śrivaikuntha, contrary to our land of karma. There service to the Lord is eternal and continuous. vaikunthe - where there is no screen of ignorance limiting the knowledge

128

my Gadyatrayam

(comprehension) and powers (intelligtence etc.,); divya lōkē divine land; marks out the difference from our land which is subject to the laws of karma (action and its fruit).

Populated by

B3B:- sanaka vidhi śivādibhirapi acintya svabhavaiśvaryai - the land whose greatness and wealth is beyond the comprehension of the sages like Sanaka who are well known for their consciousness of the Lord and beyond the comprehension of Brahma, Śiva and other gods who are more action - prone than the sages who are prone to meditation and realisation. nityasiddhaiḥ - Vaikuntha is ’nityas whose characteristics are described the eternally free souls who have been serving and enjoying the company of the Supreme for eternity without interruption; anantaiḥ - there is no limit to the number of such nityas; bhagavadānukula bhōgaiḥ steeped in the realisation of the Supreme Lord; their only activity is bhagavadanubhava; divyapuruşaiḥ - by divine persons who have never set foot on our earth; mahātmabhiḥ souls whose greatness cannot be comprehended. The Lord cannot bear separation from these mahātmas even for the fraction of a moment; devotion and service are their hallmarks. apūritē - eternally populated by these souls; the land abounds with them. The nature of Vaikuntha is such that it is beyond the comprehension not only of Brahma but beyond the grasp of even these great souls. tēṣāmapi - even to those souls whose greatness in knowledge is be

beyond our grasp; paricchettumayogye - beyond their ability to comprehend. In what aspects? iyatparimaṇam- in area or volume (size); iyadaiśvaryam - in wealth (contents); idṛśaśvabhāvam of such nature; itipariccnēttumayōgye all these are incomprehensible even to those great (awakened) souls.

3C:- What follows is an attempt to describe the wealth of the

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Śri Vaikuntha Gadyam

Land of Bliss. divya - the term divya characterises the uniqueness which is totally unlike what our mundane senses can realise. divya avaraṇa śatasahasra avṛtē - hundreds of thousands of fortifications. āvaraṇa is fortification. (This is not for same purpose that we think; there is no need for any wall there; it is only indicative of the wealth). It is in keeping with the immense wealth of the supreme Lord. Also although there is no need for any fear of danger to their beloved Lord, the devoted souls still are cautious. They fear danger where none exists such is the nature of their love and devotion. One should not think that there are only fortifying walls. The natural beauty is then described. divyakalpakatarupaśōbhitē - shining with rows of kalpaka trees which are most enjoyable; divyōddhāna śatasahasrakōṭibhirāvṛtē - The central area, the temple of the Lord, is surrounded by innumerable gardens which afford the playground for Sri Vaikunthanantha and His consorts. atipramāņē - in the vast expanse extending in all directions; divyayatane - in such a temple (residence).

Text and comments 3D:- The previous section 3C described the temple of the Lord in a general way. The hall of audience is now described. kaśmincit - located in this temple; vicitra ratnamayē -studded with different varieties of gems; divyasthanamanṭapē - in

abespecial hall of audience; divyaratna stambha

śatasahasrakōtibhirupasōbhitē

resplendent with innumerable pillars of precious stones; divyanānāratnakṛta sthala vicitrite - with floor paved with varieties of divine gems; divya alankara alankṛtē - decorated with many beautifully embroidered canopies, drapes and other furnishings.

ve eldizing

3E. The description reverts back to the gardens full with multi coloured and sweet smelling flowers, paritaiḥ - (flowers) scattered every where; patitaḥ - fallen from the trees; patamānaiḥ -

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still falling; pādapasthaiśca - remaining

ing on the trees; nanagandhavarṇaiḥ of all colours and diffrerent sweet odours, divyapuspaiḥ śōbhamānaiḥ

resplendent with fine flowers;

come

divyapuspavanaiḥ upasōbhite - shining with surrounding flower gardens (conforming to the foregoing description). What follows describes the gardens again in other aspects. sankimṇapārijātādi

shining with trees kalpadrumairupasōbhite shining with trees like pārijāta, haricandana, kalpaka and others closely mixed up; asankirnaisca kaścit - also some trees standing apart; antahsthaḥ puṣparatnādi nirmita divyalilämantapa ŝata sahasrakōtibhirupasōbhitaiḥ interspersed inside with a very large number of resting and sporting places (mantapas) decorated with fine flowers, precious stones and the like; sarvadanubhūyamānairapi aścaryamavahadbhiḥ - ever wonderful and amazing although being enjoyed (used, constantly); kriḍāśailaiḥ śatasahasraih alankṛte-studded by innumerable hills of sport (hill resorts providing sport); kaiścinnārāyaṇadivyalila asādhāraṇaiḥ…āvṛte some gardens exclusively for the sport of the Lord; some exclusively for Śri (the Lord’s consort); some for common sport; all full with beautiful and sweet throated birds parrots, cuckoos, peacocks and others. All these clauses qualify the innumerable gardens surrounding the temple of the Lord. Then follow a description of the tanks, ponds and lakes intended for aquatic sport which are described in detail, manimuktapravalakṛta sōpānaiḥ - with steps (leading to the water) studded with pearls, corals and other gems; divyamala amṛta rasōdakaiḥ - filled with a vast sheet of pure and nectarine divine water; atiramaniyadarśanaih, atimanōharamadhuras varaih divyandajavaraih akulaiḥ - populated by a large number of beautiful and sweet-throated birds of various kinds. antahsthah muktamayadivyakriḍāsthānōpasōbhitēḥ- diversified by decorative islands of sport studded with pearls; divyarajahamsavali virajitaiḥ- resplendent with spotless (white)

131

Śri Vaikuntha Gadyam

royal swans; divyasaugandhika vapisatasahasraiḥ avṛtē (garden surrounded by innumerable likeable water resorts (tanks, lake ponds and so on).

3F:- nirastātiśayānandaikarasatayā cānantyācca

praviṣṭānunmadayadbhiḥ kriḍoddheśairvirajitē tatra tatra

kṛta divyapuspaparyankōpaśōbhite

nānāpuṣpāsavaāsvādamattabhṛngāvalībimudgiyamāna

wedivyagandharveṇāpurite candanāgarukarpuradivya

puṣpāvagāhimandānilasēvyamānē madhyē puşpasañcayavicitritē mahāti divyayōgaparyankē ananta

top bhōgini

3G:- śrimadvaikunthaiśvaryadi divyalōkam

ātmakāntyāviśvamāpyāyantyā, sēṣaśēṣāśanādi

Tozli sarvaparijanam bhagavatahtattādavasthōcita

paricaryāyāmajñāpayantyā, i com

To silarūpaguṇavilāsādibhirātmānurupayā śriyā sahāsinam, dhi 3H:- pratyagrönmilitasarasijasadrasanayanayugalam,

svacchanilajimuta sankāśam, atyujjvalapitavāsasam, svayā prabhaya ati nirmalaya atiśitalayā māṇikyābhayā kṛtsnamjagadbhasayantam acintyadivyadbhutanityayauvana itsvabhavalavanyamayamṛta sāgaram ati

nsile

saukumāryādiṣaprasvinnavadālakṣyamāṇa lalaṭaphalaka

divyālakāvalivirajitam prabuddhamugdhambujacarulōcanar savibhramabhrulatam, ujjvaladharam, sucismitam kōmalakantham unnasam udagrapināmsiavilambikuṇḍala halalakāvalībandhurakambukandaram

Raths priyavatamsōtpalakarṇabhūṣaṇa

ślathalakābandhavimardaśamsibhiḥ

caturbhirājānuvilambibhirbhujairvirajitam botham

(str) zaloge iw troboken tuntun Bayramdofstov

132a

Agh Gadyatrayam

s) 31:- atikōmaladivyarēkhālankṛtā tāmrakaratalam,

divyaanguliyaka-virājitam atikōmala

try

divyanakhāvalivirajitam, atiraktāngulibhiralankṛtam

tatkṣaṇōnmilitapundarikasadṛśacaranayugalam,

atimanōharakirița-makuta cuḍavantamsa makarakuṇḍala graivēyakaharakēyura kataka śrivatsakaustubha muktādāma udarabandhana pitambara kāñciguṇanupurādibhiḥ atyantasukhasparśaiḥ divyagandhairbhuṣaṇairbhūṣitam śrimatyā vaijayantyā vanamālayāvirājitam sankhacakragadāsisärangadi diyāyudhaissēvyamānam

(limitless);

Text and comments 3F - The seat (cum - bed) in which the Lord is seated with His Consorts is described. The flower bedecked space is first described in detail. nirasta ānandaika rasataya ca- of incomparably great pleasure (bliss) and the ultimate in comforts; anantyācca-infinite

praviṣṭān-unmādayādbhiḥ- intoxicating the entrants by the above qualities; kridōddeśairvirajite resplendant with seats affording sport (pleasure); tatratatrakṛta divyapuspaparyankōpaśōbhite - studded here and there with flower bedecked resting places (like sofa, divan and the like); nānā puṣpa asavasvadamattabhṛngavalirudgiyamana divyagandhārvēņa āpūritē filled with the divine music afforded by the clusters of bees, happily drunk with the honey from various flowers; candana agaru karpūra divya puspa avagahi mandānila sēvyamane-served by the gentle breeze saturated with the fragrance gathered from candana (sandal), agaru (lacquer), karpūra (camphor), and divine flowers; madhye puspasanca vicitrite- decorated at intervals with designs in flowers; mahati divya yōga paryanke- on a spacious divine seat (cot); anantabhōgini- on the serpent Ananta (Adiseṣa who serves as bed, seat and canopy as circumstances demand).

3G. The Lord’s consorts and attendents surrounding Him are now described; śrimadvaikunthaiśvaryādi divyalōkam- this divine

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Śri Vaikuntha Gadyam

world of Śrivaikuntha; ātmākāntyā- by her brilliance; viśvamäpyāyāntya- making that world shine and feel happy (The reference here is to Śri Mahalakṣmi whose presence illuminates and gladdens the entire world of Śrivaikuntha). śēṣa śēṣāśanādi sarvaparijanam- all attendants including Adisesa and Viśvaksēna (Śēṣāśana- He who lives on the remnants of the Lord’s meal)

tattadavasthōcita paricaryāyāmājñāpayantyā- commanding (them) to render such services to the Lord as circumstances require; sila rupa guṇa vilāsādibhiḥ- befitting (matching) the Lord in (her) qualities such as sila (miscibility), in the beauty of (her) bodily from, love and affection and so on; śriyāsahāsinm- united with Śri (Laksmi)

united with Śri (Lakṣmi) of features described

bhagavataḥ

above.

atan

ban (wild) wala teng yidans groom Add:3H. The next few lines describe the Lord in His various aspects, his form, jewels and so on; pratyagra unmilita sarasijadṛśa nayanayugalam-with wide eyes like the freshly blossomed lotus; svaccha nila jimūta sankāśam-(His form) resembling the clear blue cloud; atyujjvala pitavāsasam- richly resplendant with the yellow silk (pitambara) adorning the waist (dhōti); svayaprabhaya- by His radiance; atinirmalaya- extremely faultless (clear); atiśitalaya- very cool (ati kōmalaya - quite youthful); (svaccha) manikyabhaya- with the brilliance of the gem manikyam; krtsnam jagat bhāsayantam- illuminating the entire universe. acintya-unimaginable; divya-divine; adbhuta- wonderful; nitya yauvana svabhavalavanya amṛta sagaram-an ocean of nectar filled with inherent youthful beauty. (This is a figurative way of giving expression to the ecstatic beauty of the Lord’s form); atisaukumāryādi iṣaprasvinnavadāla kṣyamāṇa lalāṭaphalaka divya alakāvalivirajitam- shining with curls of hair (forelocks) playing on the soft tender face moist with mild

134

sweat; (from prabuddha to virajitam - Periyavaccan Pillai refers the reader to his commentary on the Stōtraratna). From prabuddha etc the beauty of the face is experienced. prabuddha-opened up by the joy of seeing the devotee; mugdha-tender, like the lotus just about to open up-the change due to the joy already mentioned; ambuja cãrulōcanam-like fresh and blossmed lotus; the comparison with the lotus is inadequate; lotus eyes’ is preferred to ’lotus like eyes’; this is what devotees fall for; savibhramabhrulata- raised eyebrows like a creeper, showing His concern towards His devotees; they are likened elsewhere to His saranga (bow); ujavaladharam-beautiful lips; suci smitam-sporting a bewitching smile; kōmalakanṭam- beautiful (desirable) cheeks; unnasam-raised nose; udagrapinām sivilambikundala alakavalibandhura kambukandaram- the slim and conch-like neck is described. This is rendered beautiful by the looks of curly hair and the earrings which drop down to the high and well-formed shoulders. priyavatamsa etc-this line talks of the embrace from śri out of her joy at the protective acts displayed towards her children (His devotees). utpalakarṇa bhūṣaṇa ślathalakabandhavimardaśamsibhiḥ -(these qualify the hands) impressed (marked) by the blue-lilies worn by Śri on her ears; by her ear-rings and braids of hair (this ir licates the softeness of the Lord’s arms which could be marked by pressing against flowers, hair and the like). These marks show out the connoisuer. The wife of a hero embraces only the strong arms of her hero indicating his valour and might. caturbhirajanuvilambibhirbhujaiḥ -four arms like the branches of the flourishing kalpaka tree fed as if by the water which iis protection to His devotees (the joy of affording comfort to those who depend on Him feeds and sustains the Lord’s arms); reaching down to the knees-this, indicative of the length of the arms, is the mark of a perfect figure; virajitam-shining

135

Priyavatamsa

Śri Vaikuntha Gadyammi

resplendent with (from prabuddha to virajitam, the commentary on the Stōtraratna verses 33-35 has been rendered here).

3H.

atikōmala divyarekhalankṛta tamrakaratalam-with very beautiful rosy palms decoratively marked by figures of the lotus, conch and discus; divya anguliyaka virājitam- shining with valuable rings on the fingers; atikōmalanakhāvali virājitam- shining with fine finger nails; atiraktangulibhiḥ alankṛtam- shining with rosy (long slim) fingers; tatkṣaṇa unmilita pundarika caraṇayugalam - with two feet resembling fresh blossomed lotuses; atimanōhara kirita makuta- the captivating jewels which beautify the Lord’s body are described; or, rather the jewels appear more beautiful and shine on the divine form of the Lord. kirita makuta cūḍāvatamsa - crowns, each sinificant by itself; one which indicates His supremacy

Lordship over the entire worlds, one which indicates His accessibility and affability towards all, one which indicates His infinite love. cuḍāvatamsa may be alternately taken to mean two jewels - cūḍā - the pendent on the top of the face and avatamsa- decorative cover for the ears; makarakundala- ear drops with the fish - motif; graivēyaka-neckband; hāra - rows of chains decorating the chest, keyūra - arm - bands; kaṭaka- circular bands worn on the wrists; śrivatsa- mole like mark on the chest called śrivatsa; kaustubha - śrikaustubha the incomparable chest-jewel; muktādāma - rows of stringed pearls; udarabandhana- band worn on the belly above the navel; pitamabara-the golden yellow silk cloth (dhōti); kāniciguna- bands of woven gold threads worn like a belt on the waist over the cloth; nupura-anklets; adibhiḥ - many more like these not specifically described; atyanta sukhasparśaiḥ- though made of gold, the jewels, being each the personification of a divine being, are

to the touch; soft and flower-like divyagandhaih-each exuding sweet thematyāvaija

exhuding sweet fragrance; bhūṣaṇaiḥ bhūṣitam- decorated by divine ornaments; śrimatyāvaijayantyā

136

maybe Gadyatrayam

vanamālāvirājitam- - shining with the vanamālā (a jewel or garland of unfading flowers) known as vaijayanti; sankhacakra gadā sisamagādi divyayudhaiḥ sevitam-served by divine weapons eager -o afford protection to the Lord-the conch, discuss, mace, sword, bow and others.

BJ: svasankalpamātrāvaklapta jagajjanmasthiti dhvamsādikē

śrimati viṣvaksēnē nyastasamastatmaiśvaryam vainateyadibhissvabhāvatō

nirastasamastasāmsārikasvabhāvaiḥ

bhagavatparicaryakaraṇayōgyaiḥ bhagavatparicaryaika bhōgaiḥ nityasiddhaiḥ anantaiḥ yathayogam sevyamānam, atmabhōgēna anusamhita paradikāla divyāmalakōmala avalōkanēna viśvamahladayantam iṣadunmilita Jammukhambujōdaravinirgatēna

divyananaravindasōbhajanakēna divyagambhiryaudārya mādhuryādyanavadhika gunagaṇavibhūṣitēna atimanōhara divyabhāvagarbhēņa divyalilālāpāmṛtēna

akhilajanahṛdayāntarāṇyāpūrayantam, bhagavantam nārāyaṇam dhyānayōgēna dṛṣṭvā.

3K:- tata bhagavato nityasvamyam atmanō nityadāsyam ca

yathavasthitamanusandhāya, “kadāham

bhagavantamnārāyaṇam mamanātham, mamakuladaivatam mamakuldhānam, mamabhōgyam, mamamātaram, mamapitaram, mamasarvam, sākṣātkaravāni cakṣuśā kadaham bhagavatpādāmbujadvayam sirasā dhārayiṣyāmi? kadaham bhagavatpādāmbujadvaya paricaryākaraṇayōgyaḥ

wall tadēkabhōgaḥ tatpadau paricariṣyami kadāham zdj bhagavatpādāmbujadvaya paricaryāśaya

nirastasamastetarabhōgāśaḥ

apagatasamastasāmsārikasvabhāvaḥ tatpādāmbujadvayam

137Śri Vaikuntha Gadyam

Marpravēkṣyāmi? kadā mām bhagavān svakiyayā atiśītalayā dṛśā

lavalōkya snigdhagambhiramadhuraya gira paricaryāyām Tugbajñāpayiṣyati?” iti bhagavatparicaryāyām āśām vardhayitvā.

tayaiva āśayā tatprasādōpabṛmhitayā bhagavantamupētya. math dūrādēva bhagavantam seṣabhōgē śriyāsahāsinam

vainatējādibhissēvyamānam san

śrimate

with a narāyaṇāya namah” iti praṇamya, utthayōtthaya punaḥ punaḥ

praṇāmya atyanta sadhvasavinayāvanatō bhūtva, bhagavatpāriṣadagananayakaiḥ dvarapālaiḥ krpayān snehagarbhaya dṛśa avalōkitōbhutvāsamyagabhivanditaiḥy htaistairēvānumatōbhutvā bhagavantamupetya śrimata

mulamantrēņa `bhagavan! mām ēkāntika ātyantika paricaryākaraṇāya parigṛhniṣva” iti yacamanaḥ pranṇamya ātmānam bhagavate nivēdayēt ।

Text and Comments: 3J:- The description of the Lord’s divine form is followed by the wealth of His attendants and His own qualities which please His devotees. The first reference is to His first deputy and personal secretary - Śri Sēnāpati Āļvān or Viśvaksēna.

sankalpamātrāvaklupta jagajjanmasthiti dhvamsadhike-the entire wealth of the Lord is entrusted with Śri Viśvaksēna who is capable of managing the creation, protection and destruction of all movable and immovable objects by his mere thoughts; Śrimati Viśvaksēnē - with Viśvaksēna (Senapati) who is born inheriting the immense wealth of service unto Him; nyasta samasta atma aiśvaryam- entrusted all the worlds in his sway. (The Lord delegates a॥

His powers to this trusted deputy, Śri e services of other close attendants follow) Viśvaksēna. The vainateyādibhiḥ- by Vainateya and others. Vainateya is another name for Garuda, the Lord’s bird-vehicle; ‘others’ refers to the innumerable attendants of different cadres, personal attendants like

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Gajavaktra and his group; gananayakas- like Kumuda and his group; nirasta samasta samsarika svabhavaiḥ -who are ever free from bondage (samsara) by their very nature (these are called nityas-everfree; unlike the mukta who was in bondage over ages and freed by the Lord’s grace). bhagavatparicaryā karaṇa yogyaih-born for service into His lotus feet; bhagavat paricaryaika bhogaiḥ-who are ever sustained by the pleasure of service to the

hogain-who are ever sustained by the Lord; nityasiddhaih-by the nityasūris, anantaih-countless to be numbered; yatha yōgam sēvyamānam-being served suitably by the above-mentioned.

ātmabhōgēna anusamhita parādikāladivya amalakōmala avalōkanēna! avalōkana: this refers to the graceful look of the Lord. This look, intended for eternity for His own (pleasure) rather than for others; exceptionally beautiful and fully blossomed; not mindful of any faults in others. (parādi - is a measure of time which is the span of the four faced Brahma’s life which lasts over million of millions of human years). There is another common reading widely current-atmabhōgēna ananusamhita paradikāla- who is not conscious of the passage of long ages in His own pleasures; the whole time passes as an instant. viśvam āhlādayantam-pleasing the entire worlds (with His look of grace-divyakaṭākṣa). The following, as well as the aforesaid atmabhōgēna qualify bhagavantam nārāyaṇam. iṣadunmilita mukhambujōdara vinirgatēna- (with words) emanating from the partly opened fine mouth; divyanana aravindaśōbhajanakena- adding to the beauty of the mouth as if decorated with jewels; divya gamabhirya audārya madhurya ādi anavadhika gunagana vibhuṣitēna- embellished by admirable characteristics like audibility, clarity, meaningfulness, sweetness (of voice), grace and other desirable qualities; atimanōhara divyabhavagarbhēna - pregnant with pleasant ideas pleasing to the

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mind; divyalilā ālāpa amṛtēna - with nectarine words indicative of His pleasure; akhilajana hṛdaya antaraṇi āpūrayantam- filling the innermost recesses of the heart (of His devotees) with the nectarine sweetness of

bhagavantam His meaningful adwords; nārāyaṇam-Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, the auspicious and the opposite of all that is lowly;

dhyanayōgēna Dṛstava-having realised Him through the inner mind (by meditation). The words ‘dhyanayōgena dṛṣṭvā’ appear to suggest realisation by the vigorous discipline of bhakti, Does it mean that the earlier words ‘saranamanuvrajet (seek refuge by surrender) are meaningless? Obviously it refers to realisation through devotion which is inherent in the surrender. What do the words dhyanayogēna dṛṣṭva actually convey? - having seen (realised) Him in the same manner as by disciplined bhakti. It can also be the result of the fruition of the constant remembrance of the surrender as a means of passing the time pleasantly as mentioned in “pratyaham ātmōjjivanāya ēvam anusmarēt - (Clause 2-this gadyam.)

xt step

3K:- The next step in approaching the Lord is then described starting from tatōbhagavato- remembering the true relationship between the Lord and the self; His eternal lordship and one’s eternal servitude (as His possession and His body). The eagerness and expectation of the bliss is now described by the sentence beginning with kadaham. kada-when is it going to be? the eagerness and anxiety are obvious. aham-I who by faultless means (He Himself is my means and goal) am confident of realising Him, itching to be admitted into His service; bhagavan nārāyaṇa - Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa whose qualities do not allow one to remain passive (which drive one towards Him) and who is the rightful goal (by virtue of His being the Lord and master); mama natham - my proper Master,

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man Gadyatrayam

mamakuladaivatam - our master by family succession (for countless generations); mamakuladhanam my saviour in all emergencies obtained through proper succession; (kula-means family succession through many generations); mamabhōgyam -most enjoyable to me; mama mataram- providing sustenance like one’s mother; mama pitaram- who is the cause of raising me, mindful of my good; mama sarvam who is all to me as in the upaniṣadik sentence mātāpitābhrāta nivāsaḥ śaraṇam suhṛt gatim nārāyaṇa (narāyaṇa is my mother, father, brother, place of residence, sole means (for salvation), friend, and my goal) and similar sayings. sākṣāt karavāṇicakṣuṣā- when shall I actually see Him with my eyes as in the vedantic sadapasyanti….” the eternal beings keep seeing Him continuously. (This distinguishes the mental realisation mentioned earlier which is not actual physical seeing). kadāham bhagavatpādambujam sirasādhāra isyami-when shall I bear the two most enjoyable (it is a very desirable experience) lotus feet of the Lord, my chosen master, on my head? (cf. Stōtraratna-31:-) -0, Trivikrama! when will your two lotus feet decorate my head? when shall I approach (enter) the two lotus feet of the Lord, being rid of taste in other worldly pleasures and devoid of love and hate associated with worldly life (these being) born out of the taste in the service of

of the Lord at min His feet. kadāhambhagavatpādāmbujadvaya paricaryāśayā nirasta samasta sāmsārikasvabhāvaḥ tatpadambujadvayam pravēkṣyāmi ? - When shall I be graced by the cool gaze of the Lord’s eyes and be commanded by Him in His sweet friendly and clear words in His service? (cf. tiruvaimōli 8-5-7)- itibhagavat paricaryāyām āśāmvardhayitvā-having nourished my desire for service unto the Lord by thoughts as outlined above.

itarabhōgāśaḥ

apahitasamasta

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3L:- The approach near the Lord with intense desire to be

is now detailed.

1.tayaiva accepted in His service āśayātatprasādōpabṛmhitaya bhagavantamupētya- approaching the Lord with unbounded desire (for service) ever increased by His śriyāsahāsinam grace; dūrādēvabhagavantama sēṣabhōgē vainatēyādibhiḥ sevyamānam relates with pranamya- prostrating before the Lord even from afar, the Lord seated on the sesa couch with Sri (Laksmi) attended by Vainateya and other nityasūris; samasta parivārāya śrimatēnārāyaṇayanamaḥ- “I offer myself to the Lord Narayana ever wedded to Śri, surrounded by all His retinue.” utthaya utthaya punaḥ punah pranamya- reaching Him (from afar) by a series of prostrations and rising up as a mark of great affection and regard. atyanta sadhvasavinayāvanatō bhūtvā- with a feeling of awe bowing before Him, tucking one’s cloths (from flying) holding the palm before the mouth and nose (mark of humility); bhagavatpariṣadagananayakaiḥ dvarapalaiḥ kṛpayā snehagarbhayādṛśa avalōkitaḥ- being looked upon with great friendliness and sympathy by the Lord’s attendents, his bodyguards, watchmen and samyagabhivanditaiḥ taistairēvānumatōbhutvā bhagavantamupētya- showing due respect to them and receiving their permission to approach the Lord and śrimatāmūlamantrēṇa, bhagavan! mām ēkāntika atyantikaparicaryākaraṇāya parigṛhisva itiyacamanaḥ- approaching the Lord closely and begging Him by (chanting) the great mulamantra (the 8 syllable aṣṭākṣari) “Bhagavan! please make this lowly self solely yours and accept me in all services in boundless measure. bhagavatō nivedayēt- surrender this self solely to the Lord.

tato bhagavata svayamēvātmasañjivanēna amaryādaśilavatā atiprēmānvitēna avalōkanenavalōkya sarvadesa sarvakāla sarvävasthōcita atyantaśēṣabhāvāya svikṛtaḥ anujñātaśca

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atyantasādhvasavinayāvanataḥ kinkurvāṇaḥ kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ bhagavantamupäsita II

tataśca anubhūyamāna bhāvaviseṣaḥ niratiśayaprityā anyat Skiñcitkartum dṛṣṭam smartumasaktaḥ punarapin Basēṣabhāvamēva yācamānaḥ bhagavantamēva

avicchinnastrōtōrūpēṇa

avalōkēnävalōkayannāsita Ildi

tatō bhagavata svayamēvātmasañjivanēnāvalōkanēnāvalōkya sasmitamāhūya samastaklēśāpaham niratiśaya sukhāvaham atmiyam śrimatpādaravaindayugalam sirasikṛtam dhyātvā amṛtasāgarantarnimagnassarvāvayavaḥ sukhamasita II

(iti Srivaikunthagadyam samaptam)

Lakṣmipateryatipatēśca dayaikadhāmnā ich Yōsau pura samajaniṣṭa jagadhitärtham ।

Pracyam prakāśayatu naḥ paramam rahasyam Samvada ēṣa saraṇāgatimantrasāraḥ ॥

by the

Text and comments:- 4 The next sentence (4) says that the supplicant will, after acceptance by the Lord according to his request will ever be engaged in His service. tataḥ- after the conveyance of the self to the Lord (after the surrender); bhagavataḥ by the supreme Lord, Purushottama, by himself voluntarily, as prayed for by the supplicant; atmasanjivanēna avalōkanena- by the look which is the basis of spiritual ennoblement (uplift); amaryādaśilavatā atiprēmānvitēna avalōkanēna-a very loving and affectionate look indicative of his extreme miscibility, avalokya - conferring grace (the look-kaṭākṣa showers grace); sarvadeśasarvakāla sarvävasthōcita atyanta sēṣa bhāvāya- for eternal servitude at all times, places and under a॥

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circumstances; svikṛtaḥ anujñātaśca- having been accepted and permitted (commanded); bhagavantamupäsita- stay before the Lord expecting His pleasure for command or singing His praise mindful His most desirable and auspicious qualities; atyantasādhvasavinayāvanataḥ kinkurvāṇaḥ kṛtānjaliputaḥ- in great humility, with folded hands and bowed head expressive of one’s wish for service.

Vice.

Text and Comments: 5-The supplicant will spend his time gazing at the Lord with extreme joy resulting from the pleasant experience. tataśca-furthermore; anubhūyamānabhāvaviśēṣaḥ experiencing the greatness of the Lord as the protector of the universe, and his nature and essential qualities starting with His purity (not stained by contact with the lowly and sinful); niratiśayaprityā- with overflowing and incomparable affection; anyatkincit kartumdṛṣṭam smartum aśaktaḥ- so stupified by the joyous experience that one is rendered incapable of seeing, doing, or cognising anything else; this state is like that of Sita who could not utter a word because of excessive joy when Hanuman conveyed to her the news of rama’s victory in battle over Ravana; this is also comparable to the state of the released soul which does not look back on things worldly. punarapiśēṣabhavamēva yācamānaḥ- out of fear that such a sweet experience may not last, begging again

that the service should last eternally; bhagavantameva- Śri Vaikunthanatha Himself; avicchinna strōtōrūpēņa avalōkanēna- uninterrupted gaze like a continuous flow (of oil for example); avalōkayan asita - remain gazing at the Lord, as in the candogya upaniṣat referring to the released souls in vaikunntha - “they do not dine; they do not drink; they constantly enjoy the nectarine sweetness of gazing at Sri Vaikunthanātha.”

though accepted in se

In Text and Comments: 6-He will remain there crowned in the

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empire of service to the Lord; tatōbhagavatā…āhūya- refers to the gracious look and smile of the Lord at the supplicant, inviting him who is hesitant to approach near; being conscious of his own lowliness against His immeasurable greatness (What is His greatness? What am I to go near Him) and by His kind and gracious look and smile inviting him to come near in a sweet voice a॥

to com unique to Himself and removing all mental uneasiness. samastaklēśāpaham- capable of removing all worldly misery. (the following qualify His lotus feet); niratiśayasukhavaham-extremely comforting. atmiyam-His own; śrimat extremely desirable; pādāravindayugalam-two identical lotus feet; sirasikṛtamdhyātvā- assuming that they have been placed on his head; amṛtasägara antarnimagnaḥ- as if immersed in the nectarine occan of bliss; sarvavayavaḥ sukhamāsita- remain feeling the joyous experience throughout the body.

The above is an account of what the supplicant is rewarded with by the Lord-rather the experience awaiting him when release from body is due to extinguish his mundane existence and transport him above. The person who surrenders himself totally to the Lord, when he leaves this world of prakṛti is transported to the Land of Bliss. He approaches the Lord surrounded and served by the immortals of that world and gets accepted in His service after due supplication, and stays there ever happy in that service. As long as one is alive in this world one should keep thinking of the coming experience in the confidence that the Lord is sure to grant it. It is the practice of our elders to meditate on the last portions of śrivaikunthagadyam every day before reitiring to bed.

Thus ends Śrivaikunthagadyam and the commentary.

Hail! the glory of Sri Periyavāccan Pillai !

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