60SLOKAM 39: yt! s<v&t< dzgu[aeÄrsÝtÅvE> yt! s<v&t< dzgu[aeÄrsÝtÅvE> A{f< ctudRzjgd! Évxat&xam, A{fain tTsus†zain prZztain ³IfaivxeStv pirCDdtamgCDn!. 39. yath samvrutam dasaguNOtthara sapta-tatthvai: tatthvai: aNDam chathurdasa-jagad bhavadhAthru-dhAma | aNDAni tath susadrusAni parassathAni aNDAni tath susadrusAni parassathAni aNDAni tath susadrusAni parassathAni kreeDAvidhEs-tava paricchadathAm agacchan ||
MEANING:
The BrahmANDam, the abode of Brahma dEvan, Haran, Indhran et al has seven lower and seven upper lOkams surrounded by the seven tatthvams (Earth/PruTvee, Water/Appu, tEjas, Vaayu, AakAsam, ahankAram and Ma hath). There are hundreds of aNDams that are in unison with the BrahmAN Dam and they reach the stage of being your sport (Leela).
COMMENTS:
The 14 worlds belonging to the BrahmANDam subject to the Srushti of Brahma Devan are referred to here. There are other ANdams that are outside this BrahmANDam, which BrahmA or Sivan et al do not know about. All of them to gether are serving as the Lord’s LeelA VibhUthi (Sportive Iswaryams). There was a question in the 38th slOkam (Kasmai phalAya srujatheesa idham samastham:) For what phalan do you create all these fourteen lOkams? The answer is given in this slOkam: “kreeDavidhEs-tava paricchadatAm agac chan”. These activities indeed are all for Your pleasurable sport is the answer.
61
SLOKAM 40
#CDaivharivxye ivihtaNymUin
Syat! TviÖÉUitlvlezklayuta
MEANING:
Oh Lord! All the LeelA VibhUthi (the fourteen lOkams and the other anDams created by You for Your sport are a speck of Your entire Iswaryam (Ubhaya VibhUthi consisting of Leela and Nithya VibhUthis). Your Nithya VibhUthi (Sri VaikuNTham) never undergoes any change. It is gigantic compared to the LeelA VibhUthi (BrahmANDam) and has won over Kaalam (Time).
COMMENTS:
Arjuna experienced the vastness of the Nithya VibhUthi when he had the bhAgyam of witnessing the Lord’s Viswaroopam. Sage ParAsarar explained that the LeelA VibhUthi is like an atom compared to the Meru Mountain of Nithya VibhUthi. The LeelA VibhUthi (BrahmANDam and other similar aN Dams) is a result of the KarmAs of Jeevan and came into being through Bha gavath Sankalpam. They change into sareeram and Indhriyam and undergo changes. They are also subject to the power of Time (kaalam). Nithya VibhUthi on the other hand is not affected by Kaalam, Karmam and other pariNAmams (changes). It is eternal (Nithyam). The entire assembly of BrahmANDam and other aNDams of LeelA VibhUthi is one fourth in size com pared to the vastness of Nithya VibhUthi (PaadhOasya visvA bhUthAni thri pAdhasya amrutham dhivi). Nithya VibhUthi is immeasurable hence compared to LeelA VibhUthi. The river Viraja forms the boundary between the two Vib hUthis. This Nithya VibhUthi is saluted in this SlOkam of VaikuNTa Sthavam by
62
as: “Paraa Mahathee VibhUthi” following the Veda Manthrams (tadh VishNO: Paramam Padam and HiraNmayE ParE lOkE virajam Brahma nishkaLam).
Viswaroopam—-Mysore Painting—-Thanks:Kamat.com
63
SLOKAM 41:
For slOkam 41 to slOkam 45, the common anvayam (Kriyaa Padham) is the 4th paadham. In slOkam 45: “VaikuNTa-nAma tava dhAma tadhAmanan thi” (The ancients describe that the place named SriVaikuntam as Your perma nent abode). “tath VaikuNTa Naama tava dhAma aamananthi” is the anvaya kramam (prose order). Attributes of that Vaikuntam are given in the slOkams 41 onwards up to the third paadham of the 45th SlOkam. yd! vE:[v< ih prm< pdmamniNt
o< va ydev prm< tms> prStat!, tejaemy< prmsÅvmy< Øuv< yd! tejaemy< prmsÅvmy< Øuv< yd! tejaemy< prmsÅvmy< Øuv< yd!
AanNdkNd< AitsuNdr< AÑut< yt!. 41. yadh VaishNavam hi paramam padam aamananthi yadh VaishNavam hi paramam padam aamananthi kham vaa yadhEva paramam tamasa: parasthAth | kham vaa yadhEva paramam tamasa: parasthAth | tEjOmayam parama-satthvamayam dhruvam yadh aananda-kandam athisundaram adhbhutham yath ||
MEANING:
(The ancients describe the place named Sri VaikuNTham as Your permanent abode) that is saluted as the Supreme abode of VishNu; it is the same Su preme abode of the Lord and is the ParamAkAsam beyond Tamas known oth erwise as Moola Prakruthi; it is the place which is full of lustre and is Suddha Satthvamayam (free from any admixture of RajO or TamO guNams); it is eter nal, the basis of all bliss, the most beautiful and wondrous.
COMMENTS:
In the first Paadham of this slOkam, KurEsar salutes Sri Vaikuntam as “VaishNavam Paramam Padam” along the lines saluted by the ancient VedAs: “ tadh VishNO: Paramam Padham, VishNO: padhE paramE madhva uthsa:” In the second paadham, KurEsar salutes Sri Vaikuntam as ParamAkAsam (teLi visumpu, sENuyar vaanam): “kham vaa yadhEva Paramam”. “Kham” means aakAsam; “paramam kham” means “ParamAkAsam”, the Supreme aakAsam beyond Moola Prakruthi. The PramANam is “kham vaa yadhEva Paramam 64
tamasa: parastAth”. The third paadham describes that VaishNava ParamAkAsam as “tEjOmayam” (filled with radiance/lustre of aprAkrthic nature), Parama satthvamayam (free from admixture with rajO and tamO guNams), dhruvam (eternal, firm, unassailable). The fourth and final paadham salutes that Parama Padham as “aanandha kandham athisundaram adhbhutham” (the root of all aanandham, the most beautiful and full of wonders) KurEsar’s selection of words in the third and the fourth Paadhams are influenced by the vaakyams of Maha Rishis: “Yath sath PurANam aakAsam sarvasmAth Paramam dhruvam, tadh vaa aakAsam sanaatanam”. That VaikuNTha lOkam is beyond tamas (Moola Prakruthi) and as such aprAkrutham is based on Veda Vaakyams: “Aadhithya VarNam tama sasthu paarE, tamasa parasthAth” The reference to “tEjOmayam” is again based on additional Veda Vaakyams: “Param jyOthir- upasampadhya, na tathra SooryO bhAthi, na chandra-tArakam nEmA vidhyuthO bhAnthi kuthOayamagni:” JagannAthan at nAdan kOil
65
SLOKAM 42
yd! äüéÔpuéhUtmuoEÊRrap< yd! äüéÔpuéhUtmuoEÊRrap< yd! äüéÔpuéhUtmuoEÊRrap< inTy< inv&iÄinrtE> snkaidiÉvaR, sayuJymu¾vlmuziNt ydapraeúy< sayuJymu¾vlmuziNt ydapraeúy< sayuJymu¾vlmuziNt ydapraeúy< ySmat! pr< n pd ySmat! pr< n pdmiÂtmiSt ikiÂt!. 42. yadh Brahma-Rudhra-PuruhUtha-mukhai: durApam nithyam nivrutthinirathai: SanakAdibhirvaa | Saayujyam ujjvalam usanthi yadAparOkshyam yasmAth param na padam anjithamasthi kimchith ||
MEANING:
(The ancients describe the place named Sri VaikuNTham as Your permanent abode) That is unattainable even by Brahma Devan, Sivan, Indhran and Sana kAdhi Maharishis engaged always in travel by the Moksha Maargam; the visu alization of that land is equal to the enjoyment of the bliss on a par with the Lord Himself; That land, which is the place of Your permanent residence has no comparable lOkam in status equal or superior to it (SrI VaikuNTham) as a place of worship.
COMMENTS:
There are three kinds of Jeevans: Karma BhAvanAs, Bhrama BhAvanAs and Ubhaya BhAvanAs. Those who are born, die and are reborn due to their karma Phalans are Karma BhAvanAs (Nithya SamsAris). Those immersed in seeking the Moksha Maargam are Brahma BhAvanAs (Sages Sanaka, Sanandhana, and SanathkumAraas). Those like Brahma, Rudhran who are also Karma VasyALs but meditate on Brahman in between their assigned duties are Ubhaya BhAva nAs. Here KurEsar refers to Sri VaikuNTham beyond the reach of the three kinds of BhAvanAs following the VishNu PurANa slOkam: yanna dEvA na munayO na chAham naapi Sankara: yanna dEvA na munayO na chAham naapi Sankara: jAnanthi ParamEsasya tadh VishNO: Param Padham There are four kinds of Moksham (SaalOkyam, Saaroopyam, Saameepyam and Saayujyam). 66
The supreme most among them is Saayujya Moksham. Gaining the anubhavam of bliss on a par with the Lord (Sama rasAnubhavam) and performing nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord is the Supreme Moksham of Saayujyam. The other three kinds of Moksham are subsumed in Saayujya Moksham. KurEsar refers to this incomparable Saayujya roopa Moksham in the third paadham of this slOkam: “Saayujyam ujjvalam usanthi”. Mere visualization of this Sri VaikuNTham by Muktha Jeevans and Nithya Sooris (YadhAparOkshyam ujjvalam Saayujyam) unties all the binding knots of the heart and destroys all the doubts and karmAs once and for all say the U p a n i s h a d (bhidhyanthE hrud hayagranTi: chidhy anthE sarva samsaya: ksheeyanthE chAsya ka rm AN i ta sm i n dhrushtE ParAvarE). The third Paadham of this slOkam refers to this tatthvam. The fourth Paadham celebrates this Sri VaikuNTha Parama Padham as having no equal or superior in status (yasmAth Pa ram na padham an jitham asthi kim chith) based on the P r a m A N a m : “YasmAth param naaparam asthi kim chith yasmAn n A N e e y O n a ajyAyOasthi”.
SrI VaikuNTham divya dEsa gOpuram 67
SLOKAM 43
êpe[ sd!gu[g[E> prya sm&Ï(a êpe[ sd!gu[g[E> prya sm&Ï(a êpe[ sd!gu[g[E> prya sm&Ï(a ÉavEédarmxurErip va mihça, ta†k! td! $†igt< #Tyupv[RyNTyae ta†k! td! $†igt< #Tyupv[RyNTyae ta†k! td! $†igt< #Tyupv[RyNTyae vacae ydIyivÉvSy itriS³yayE. 43. roopENa sadh-guNagaNai: parayA samruddhyA bhAvai: udhAra madhurai: api vaa mahimnA | taadhruk tadh Idhrug-idham ithi upavarNayanthyO vaachO yadeeya vibhavasya thiraskriyAyai ||
MEANING:
Through its JyOthirmaya form (roopENa), through its assembly of auspicious attributes that bless one with Jn~Anam and Kaimkarya prApthi, through its abundant aiswaryam (paramA SamruddhyA), through its delectable supreme bliss (udhAra Madhurai: bhAvai:) and other special vaibhavams, this Sri Vai kuNTham possessing the above glories can not be described/defined ade quately as this or that (tadh taadhruk idham Idhruk ithi upavarNayantya:). Such words/efforts/attempts to describe these glories as this or that become like curtains hiding these indescribable Vaibhavams of Sri VaikuNTham, which is your incomparable Supreme abode.
68
SLOKAM 44
Yd! v&Ï(p]yivnazmuoEivRkarE> Yd! v&Ï(p]yivnazmuoEivRkarE> @tErs<Stut< AnStimtaiStzBdm!, yÌaErvat! ïuit;u )Lgu )l< i³ya[a< yÌaErvat! ïuit;u )Lgu )l< i³ya[a< yÌaErvat! ïuit;u )Lgu )l< i³ya[a< AaidòmNydsuoaeÄrmØuuuv< c. 44. yadh vrudhyapakshaya vinAsa mukhai: vikArai: yadh vrudhyapakshaya vinAsa mukhai: vikArai: yEthai: asamsthutham anasthamitha asthi sabdham | yadh gouravAth Sruthishu phalgu phalam kriyANAm aadishtam anyath asukhOttharam adhruvam cha ||
MEANING:
The Supreme abode of yours (Sri VaikuNTham) is free from changes based on growth and dissolution (Vruddhyapakshaya vinAsa mukhai yEthai: asamsthutham). This is the place, where the word “asthi” (present) never ceases to exist (anasmith asthi sabdham). The fruits arising from the performance of the Yaaga Yaj~nams recommended by the VedAs become insignificant compared to the fruits arising from resi dence in Sri VaikuNTham and end in sorrow instead of lasting bliss. That in deed is the glorious and eternal place of residence of yours saluted as SrI Vai kuNTham.
COMMENTS:
Here KurEsar instructs us that SrI VaikuNTham is not like the worlds, which are born and which are dissolved. That VaikuNTha lOkam unlike PrAkrutha lO kams does not undergo the six changes: “JaayathE asthi vardhathE pariNA mathE apaksheeyathE vinasyathi” Unlike the transient words displaying the Shad (Six) bhAva VikArams (changes), Sri VaikuNTham is eternal and changeless. The VaikuNTha lOkam is free from the seven blemishes that PrAkrutha lOkam displays: 69
- Limited aanandham 2. Limited existence 3. Ends up in sorrow 4. Admixed with sorrow, when enjoyed 5. Unfit for MukthAs sworn to perform Kaimkaryam to the Lord 6. Not easily created and 7. Born out of viparItha abhimAnam. Therefore, Your SrI VaikuNTham is recognized as the AprAkrutha, Suddha Sathtvamaya, dhruva Aanandhamaya ParamAkAsam.
SrI VaikuNTha divya dEsam inside 70SLOKAM 45 in:kLm;EinRhtjNmjraivkarE> in:kLm;EinRhtjNmjraivkarE> ÉUiyóÉi´ivÉvErÉvErvaPym!, ANyErxNypué;EmRnsa=PynaPy< ANyErxNypué;EmRnsa=PynaPy< ANyErxNypué;EmRnsa=PynaPy< vEk…{Qnam tv vEk…{Qnam tv xam tdamniNt. 45. nishkalmashai: nihatha janma jarA-vikArai: vikArai: bhUyishta bhakthi vibhavai: abhavai: avApyam | anyai: adhanya purushai: manasaa api anApyam VaikuNTha naama tava dhAma tadh aamananthi ||
MEANING:
The SadAchAryAs instruct Sri VaikuNTham as Your Cherished Supreme abode, which is attainable only by those who are free from desire, anger et al and only by those who do not experience the changes of birth, aging et al. They instruct us that Your Supreme abode is attainable only by those who are Mu mukshus with no desire in future births and perform Bhakthi or Prapathti yOgam to be blessed with Sri VaikuNTha Vaasam and Kaimkarya SaamrAjyam. For all the others bereft of these qualifications, Your Supreme abode of Sri VaikuNTham cannot even be thought of even by their minds. (bhUyishta bhak thi here refers to SarNAgathy).
71
SLOKAM 46
inTya tvaNyinrpe]mhamihçae=ip inTya tvaNyinrpe]mhamihçae=ip
@ta†zI inrvixinRyta ivÉUit>, }anadyae gu[g[a> smtIrsIma> }anadyae gu[g[a> smtIrsIma>
lúmI> iàya pirjna> ptgeNÔmuOya>. 46. nithyA tavAnya nirapEkshamahA mahimnOapi nithyA tavAnya nirapEkshamahA mahimnOapi yEthAdhrusee niravadhir yEthAdhrusee niravadhir-niyathA vibhUthi: | JnAnaadhayO guNagaNaa: samatheeraseemA: JnAnaadhayO guNagaNaa: samatheeraseemA: LakshmI: priyA parijanA: pathagEndra-mukhyA: ||
MEANING:
Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! Even though your vaibhavam does not depend on any thing, the limitless LeelA and Nithya VibhUthis of Yours are under your total control as their Supreme Master. Your Jn~Anam and the countless auspicious attributes are associated with You alone. Sri Devi of immeasurable glories is dearest to You in the most appropriate (abhimatha) manner. Pakshi Raajan and other nithya sooris are Your dedicated servants.
COMMENTS:
Para VaasudEvan resides in Sri VaikuNTham and is established in His own glory (sva mahimnE prathishtitha:). His unparalleled glorious assemblies of GuNams are recognized as existing expressly for Him (guNa gaNA: niyathA). KurEsar chose the words “Samatheetha SeemA LakshmI: tava niyathA PriyA” based on the AzhwAr Paasura Vaakyam, “UnakkERkkum kOlamalarp-Paavai” and AchArya RaamAnuja Vaakyam, “Bhagavan-NaarAyaNa apimathAnuroopa Bhagavathee”.
72
SLOKAM 47
@kSy ye;u ih gu[Sy lvayuta
MEANING:
Any one, who possesses even one part in ten thousandth of one of your auspi cious guNams, he will be the cele brated owner of the wealth that would be beyond speech or thought. Such abundance of a u s p i c i o u s guNams has taken refuge in you. Those guNams do not add to Your glory but instead they become glori ous because of their association with You. VaithmAnidhi EmpermAn
73
COMMENTS:
There are a few who describe the Lord as NirguNan (NirguNa Brahmam). Ku rEsar wants to remind these matha anusAris that the Lord is sakala KalyANa guNa sampoorNan.
74
SLOKAM 48
svRSy cEv gu[tae ih ivl][Tv< svRSy cEv gu[tae ih ivl][Tv< svRSy cEv gu[tae ih ivl][Tv< @eñyRtí ikl kiíÊdiÂt> Syat!, tt! àTyut Tviy ivÉae tt! àTyut Tviy ivÉae ! ivÉvae gu[aí sMbNxtStv ÉjiNt ih m¼¦Tvm!. 48. Sarvasya chaiva guNathO hi vilakshaNathvam aiswaryathasccha kila kascchidh udhanjitha: syAth | tath prathyutha tvayi VibhO ! vibhavO guNAsccha sambandhatastava bhajanthi hi mangaLathvam ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord of All! The greatness of any object is due to the glory of its Gunam. When one is respectfully treated, it is because of his abundant wealth. Oh Lord! In Your case, this situation is reversed. Iswaryams and the guNams at tain auspiciousness because of links to you and not the other way round.
COMMENTS:
The guNams attain their satthaa and Mangalathvam through their association with Him (guNA: sathya- jn~Aana prabhruthaya utha tvath-gathatayA Subhee - bhUyam yAthA ithi). 75
SLOKAM 49
Ëre gu[aStv tu sÅvrjStma<is ten ÇyI àwyit Tviy inguR[Tvm!, inTy< hre inTy< hre ! iniolsd!gu[sagr< ih iniolsd!gu[sagr< ih TvamamniNt prmeñrmIñra[am!. 49. dhoorE guNaastava tu satthva rajastamAmsi dhoorE guNaastava tu satthva rajastamAmsi tEna trayee praTayathi tvayi nirguNathvam | nithyam HarE ! nikhila sadhguNa sAgaram hi nithyam HarE ! nikhila sadhguNa sAgaram hi tvAm aamananthi ParamEswaram IswarANAm ||
MEANING:
Oh Hari! The three guNams (Satthva, Rajas and Tamas) are far removed from you. Therefore, the Rg, Yajus and the Saama Vedhams announce your nonpos session of these inauspicious guNams (nirguNathvam). You are the Lord of all Iswaraas (i.e.), you are SarvEswaran. You are like the ocean for all these lim itless auspicious attributes to be housed.
COMMENTS:
This slOkam is to refute the views of Adhvaithins that Bhagavaan is NirguNan. KurEesar states that the three guNams –associated with Moola Prakruti– are far removed from the Lord and therefore He is “NirguNan” and yet He is the deep abode (ocean) of all kalyANa guNams (samastha KalyANa guNAmrutha abdhi). The fourth paadham is based on Sruthi and UpabruhmaNams: “Ya: Para: Sa MahEswara:” and “anAdhinidhanam VishNum SarvalOka mahEs waram”
76
SLOKAM 50:
}anaTmnStv tdev gu[< g&[iNt
tejaemySy ih m[egRu[ @v tej>, tenEv ivñmprae]mudI]se Tv< tenEv ivñmprae]mudI]se Tv< tenEv ivñmprae]mudI]se Tv< r]a TvdI][t @v ytae=iolSy. 50. JnAthmana: tava tadhEva guNam gruNanthi JnAthmana: tava tadhEva guNam gruNanthi tEjOmayasya hi maNErguNa yEva tEja: | tEnaiva viswam aparOksham udheekshasE tvam rakshA tvadheekshaNatha yEva yathOakhilasya ||
MEANING:
Oh Hari! You are the embodiment of JnAnam (JnAna Svaroopi). Scholars describe that JnAnam as a GuNam. One may wonder how that would be pos sible. He is both JnAna Svaroopan and JnAna GuNakan. His JnAnam is asankuchitham (unshrinking) and does not undergo shrinking and expansion like that of a Bhaddha Jeevan. He is both JnAna Svaroopan and JnAna guNikan just as the gem full of lustre. With Your Omniscience, You cast your glances on all the objects of the Universe. The protection for all these objects arise from those glances of yours alone.
COMMENTS:
Here, KurEsar focuses on the doctrines of DharmabhUtha JnAnam and Dhar mee JnAnam. KurEsar distinguishes the JnAnam of the Lord from that of Bhaddha Jeevans here. He celebrates the IeekshA-poorvika srushti (creation based on His glances alone) and the Omniscience (Sarvajnathvam) that em powers such srushti (Sa Ieekshatha lOkAn nu srujaa ithi, tadhaikshatha Bahu syAm prajAyEya ithi). This Sarvaj~nathvam is saluted in the third line of this slOkam. The power of those glances of the Sarva Sakthan is celebrated in the fourth paadham of this slOkam.
77
SLOKAM 51
ÇYyuta tv yuvTvmuoEguR[aE"E> ÇYyuta tv yuvTvmuoEguR[aE"E> AanNdmeixt< #yainit siÚyNtum!, te ye zd< iTvit prMprya àv&Äa te ye zd< iTvit prMprya àv&Äa te ye zd< iTvit prMprya àv&Äa nEve; va’!mnsgaecr #Tyudah . 51. trayyudyatA tava yuvatva- mukhai: guNoughai: mukhai: guNoughai: aanandamEdhitam iyaan ithi sanniyanthum | tE yE satham thvithi paramparayA pravrutthA naivEsha vaangmanasagOchara ithyudAha ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! When the VedAs attempted to measure (quantify) Your aan andham, which continued to grow from the assembly of GuNAs starting from Your Youth, they (the VedAs) counted in units of hundred and proceeded in an upward spiral from the human aanandham to the aanandham of Brahma dEvan and gave up finally the count by concluding rightfully that there is no limit to Your aanandham. That aanandham of yours is declared as immeasur able and beyond count by the VedAs. They continue to grow (yEdhitham) like Thrivikramans (vardhamAna:).
COMMENTS:
The aanandha svaroopam of Brahman was saluted earlier (24th slOkam) ac cording to the way shown by VedAs (AanandhO BrahmEthi VyajAnAth, Aan andhAdhyEva khalvimAni bhUthAni jaayanthE). KurEsar’s words in the 24th slOkam are: Aanandhamaiswaram avAngh-manasAvagAhyam aamnAsishu: sata-guNOttaritha-kramENa Here, KurEsar points out that, this Aanandham of the Lord can also be a guNam as per the revelation of Aanandhavalli manthram (Aanandham Brah maNO vidhvAn). 78
BruhadhAraNyakOpanishad also celebrates BrahmAnandham-this Aanandham growing hundreds of folds starting from human aanandham and growing be yond the gigantic aanandham of Brahma Devan (section 6.3). All the VedAs (trayee) give up their attempts to fully describe the aanandham behind even one guNam like Youth (“Yuvath-mukhai: guNougai: yEdhitham Aanandham iyAn ithi sanniyanthum asakthA:”) ThirukuLanthai mAyakoothan
79
SLOKAM 52
@v< tya cturya tv yaEvnaa> @v< tya cturya tv yaEvnaa> sveR gu[a> sveR gu[a> sh smStivÉUitiÉí, àVyaùta> SyurvxIn! AvxIryNtae àVyaùta> SyurvxIn! AvxIryNtae àVyaùta> SyurvxIn! AvxIryNtae vacamgaecrmhamihman @v. 52. yEvam tayA chathurayA tava youvanAdya: yEvam tayA chathurayA tava youvanAdya: sarvE guNA: saha samastha vibhUtibhisccha | pravyAhruthA: syuravadheen avadheerayantO vaachAmagOcharamahAmahimAna yEva ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! The clever and competent VedAs declared that the assembly of your auspicious GuNAs starting from your youth together with Your Iswaryams of LeelA and Nithya VibhUthis are limitless and have the Vaibha vam that is beyond descriptive powers of the faculty of speech.
COMMENTS:
Here, KurEsar reminds us that the immeasurable magnitude of BhagavAn’s aanandha guNam is not limited to just one GuNam like youth but it spreads to all the auspicious attributes of the Lord. In Aanandavalli, Sruthi starts with the guNam of youth (yuvaa syAth) and then continues with srEshta Jn~Anam, Jagath SwAmithvam and other guNams and declares that the BrahmAnadham associated with them are beyond descriptive power of the speech faculty.
80SLOKAM 53 s<vtRvitR iniol< inriÉ}m}< s<vtRvitR iniol< inriÉ}m}< s<vtRvitR iniol< inriÉ}m}<
icÇe c kmRi[ ywahRmhae icÇe c kmRi[ ywahRmhae ! inyCDn!, s*> i³imÔ‚ih[Éed< AÉedmetd! s*> i³imÔ‚ih[Éed< AÉedmetd! s*> i³imÔ‚ih[Éed< AÉedmetd!
AaivíkwR sk«dI][dI][en. 53. AaivíkwR sk«dI][dI][en. 53. samvarthavarthi nikhilam nirabhiJnam aJnam chithrE cha karmaNi yaTArhamahO ! niyacchan | sadya: krimidruhiNa sadya: krimidruhiNa-bhEdham abhEdhamEtadh aaviscchakarTa sakrudh- eekshaNa dheekshaNEna ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! What a wonder! During the time of the great deluge (PraLayam), You protect all the chEtanams staying like jada vasthus (achEtanams) in a tiny portion of Your stomach since they are helpless due to the shrunken state of their Jn~Anam. Once again, at the time of creation (Srushti), You decide to look at the same instant at all of them (protected jeevans) resting safely inside Your stomach and immediately the naama-roopa prapancham in all its multi-faceted splendor springs forth. With that KatAk sham, this world from the lowly worm to the mighty Brahma Devan is created by you without any partiality. You are guided in this act of creation only by their karmaas.
COMMENTS:
KurEsar’s choices of words in his Sri Sookthis are always the distillation of es sence of Sruthis and the thoughts of his AchAryan’s SrI BhAshyam. This slO kam is an excellent illustration of that style (saili). BhagavAn has the six attributes starting from JnAnam (ShADguNya Poor Nan). Here, KurEsar pays tribute now to the first of the six GuNams (viz), JnAnam. BhagavAn creates this universe out of Dayaa (KaruNai) and endows the Jeevans with a body, indhriyams, Jn~Ana visthAram according to their KarmAs (Karma anuguNam); further, he blesses them with His (Bhagavath)
81
Saasthrams to help them discriminate between the auspicious and the inaus picious. VedAs celebrate this compassionate act of creation by the Lord. During the time of PraLayam, the state of Jeevans is like the state of AchEtanam without JnAnam. They get amalgamated with Bhagavan like the water absorbed by the hot iron. Lord absorbs and protects these jeevans, which do not have any naamam or roopam. They (Jeevans) could not be se perated from the Lord (abhEdham yEthath). SrivathsAngAcchAr Swamy quotes a magnificent passage from Sri BhAshyam to illustrate KurEsar’s thoughts here (Sri BhAshyam: 2.2.3): “Sa BhagavAn PurushOtthama: — leelA pravruttha:, yEthAni karmANi sameecheenAni, yEthAni asamacheenAni ithi karma-dhvaitham samvidhAya, tadhupAnOchitha- dEhEndhriyaadhikam tanniyamana sakthim cha sarvEshAm kshEtra-jnAnam saamAnyEna pradhisya — antharaathmatayaa anupravisya, anumanthrutayaa cha niyacchan thishtathi”. KurEsar’s 53rd slOkam is a marvelous summary of the Sri Brahma passage which describes the Lord’s sousheelyam in line with Karmas (KarmAnuguNam) and thereafter, anupravEsam and anumanthruthvam. The Jeevan at the time of PraLayam was like a JaDa vasthu (ajnam). Its JnAna sakthi was dull and shrunken (nirabhij~nam). Then, the Lord decided to cre ate the Naama-roopa prapancham consistent with the karmAs of the individ ual jeevans (YaTArham) and after srushti entered into them as antharyAmi Brahman and directed them. He creates and empowers the Jeevans with sak thi according to their history of karmAs and does not evince any partiality or preferences as per the Brahma Soothram’s revelation: “vaishamya nairgruNyE na saapEkshathvAth”.
82
SLOKAM 54
ASt< yÊd! %pcaYypcaiy cEv< ASt< yÊd! %pcaYypcaiy cEv< ASt< yÊ*d! %pcaYypcaiy cEv< $z< dirÔmw j¼mmPyin¼m!, ivñ< ivicÇ< Aivl][vI][en iv]aeÉySynvixbRt iv]aeÉySynvixbRt ! zi´rEzI. 54. astham yadh-udhyadh upachAyi apachAyi chaivam Isam dharidhramaTa jangamam apyaningam | viswam vichithram avilkashaNa veekshaNEna vikshObhayasyanavadhi: batha ! sakthiraisee ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord! Your matchless Sakthi is wondrous indeed. With the same sankal pam, You create the different species among Your creations ranging from those which grow and those which shrink, as well as those, which reach an auspicious state and the others which propel themselves into an inauspicious state. All these polar opposites among your creations arise as a result of your unimaginable power.
COMMENTS:
In the previous slOkam the Jn~Anam of the Lord was saluted. Here, one more guNam of the Lord, Sakthi is celebrated. VedAs salute this adhbhutha sakthi: “ParAsya Sakthi vividhaiva srUyathE”. He creates, enters into them and com mands them through that matchless sakthi. This universe consisting of multi farious wondrous entities are created with transformations and differentia tions with the power of that sankalpa sakthi (vichithram viswam avilakshaNa veekshaNEna vikshOpayasi). KurEsar expresses his marvel over that Sakthi of the Lord.
83
SLOKAM 55
êpàkarpir[amk«tVyvSw< êpàkarpir[amk«tVyvSw< êpàkarpir[amk«tVyvSw< ivñ< ivpyRistumNyds½ ktRum!, ]aMyn! SvÉavinym< ikmudI]se Tv< ]aMyn! SvÉavinym< ikmudI]se Tv< ? SvatNÈymEñr< ApyRnuyaeJymahu>. 55. roopa-prakAra pariNama krutha vyavasTam viswam viparyasithum anyath asath cha karthum | kshAmyan svabhAva-niyamam kimudheekshasE tvam ? svAtantryam aiswaram aparyanuyOjyam aahu : ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! This world made up of sentient and insentient undergoes changes in form (roopams) and modes (tanmai/PrakArams). You have the power to transform them (Chetanams and achEtnams) into different forms or to change them into different objects of creation or to make them nonexistent (viparyasithum, anyath karthum, asath karthum cha KshAmyan). While you are so powerful to bring forth any thing you wish, you rule them largely ac cording to their svaroopams and SvabhAvams. That restrained approach of yours is very hard to understand (tvam SvabhAva niyamam Kim udheek shasE?). In this context, VedAs and the wise men state that the independence unique to You (aiswaram SvAtantryam) is beyond al of our comprehension and it is not possible to explain why you anticipate SvabhAva niyamam in spite of Your SvAtantryam.
COMMENTS:
After paying tributes the two of the six guNams (Jn~Anam and Sakthi), KurE sar shifts his attention to the third of the six guNams of the Lord (i.e.), Iswaryam. For the JaDa vasthus, svaroopa pariNaamam is siddham from timeless times (anAdhi); similarly, for the Jeevans, SvabhAva PariNamam is present (siddham) from time immemorial. This difference between the achEtanam and ChEtanam is brought about by Bhagavath Sankalpam. In Sri BhAshyam, AchArya RaamAnuja
comments
on this difference: “JnAna sankO cha vikAsa lakshaNO jeevasyAnyaTA bhAva: viyadhAdEsthu svaroopAnyaTaa bhaava lakshaNa:” ChEtanam has JnAnam, which may shrink and expand. 84
AchEtanam is JaDa vasthu and has no JnAnam. This differentiation (Bhaava lakshaNa vyavasthai) is attributed to Bhagavath Sankalpam. This is the “roopa PrakAra pariNAma krutha vyavasthaa” referred to in this slOkam by KurEsar. Lord uses it to create, transform and dissolve the chEtana-achEtanams of the universe according to these rules (viswam viparyasithum, anyath karthum asath karthum KshAmyan). Occasionally, BhagavAn chooses not play by these standard rules and creates the basis for the unsettled discussion to classify such nonstandard leelaas as either svaroopAnyathA bhAvam or SvabhAvAn yathA bhAvam. He transforms an achEtana vasthu in to chEtanam with JnAnam. For example, the stone on the roadside got transformed into Muni Pathni (Ahalyaa); the piece of charcoal got transformed into an infant (Pareekshith Raajaa). When Droupathi maana samraksha Nam took place, it was BhagavAns Sankalpa roopa SvAtantrayam cre ated the cotton, the thread, the color, the weaving, the length of the clothing needed for her. This is re ferred to in the fourth paadham of the slOkam to salute the adhisayam of Sankalpa Roopa SvAtantrya Iswaryam that is beyond our com prehension: “SvAtantryam Iswaram aparyanuyOjyam aahu:” We can nei ther understand this Iswara Sankalpa SvAtantryam nor ask why that takes place. SvAtantryam Ishwaryam 85
SLOKAM 56
s<vtRsMÉ&tkrSy shörZme> s<vtRsMÉ&tkrSy shörZme> %ö< timöydjöivhair hair, inTyanukUlmnukUln&[a< pre;a< Uln&[a< pre;a< Uln&[a< pre;a< %Öejn< c tv tej %dahriNt. 56. samvartha sambhrutha karasya sahsra-rasmE: usram tamisrayath ajasravihAri haari | nithyAnukoolam anukoola nruNAm parEshAm udvEjanam cha tava tEja udhAharanthi ||
MEANING:
BhagavAn’s tEjas is being saluted in this slOkam Your tEjas makes the Sooryan filled with bright rays look like night during PraLaya kaalam. Your tEjas is never diminishing and pleasing to the mind and causing fear to Your enemies. Ancients say such a fearsome tEjas of Yours produces only auspiciousness to those dear to You.
COMMENTS:
The tEjas (lustre) of BhagavAn makes the brightness of Sooryan look like darkness. The tEjas of the Lord outshines that of the Sun (Sahasra rasmE: us ram tamisrayath). This tEjas terrifies the enemies of the Lord and at the same time protects His devotees. For those who are engaged in Bhaagavatha apachAram, this tEjas produces terror and chases them down wherever they are. For the devotees of the Lord, it has the most comforting effect. The power of this tEjas makes the Stars, the Sun and all other luminary bodies shine (tamEva bhAntham anubhAthi sarvam tasya bhAsA sarvam idham vibhAthi).
86
SLOKAM 57
nEv ývaPymnvaÝimhaiSt ySy sÄa=ip tSy tv vI][t> àjanam!, sMpt! tu ik<punirtae n vdaNymNy< sMpt! tu ik<punirtae n vdaNymNy< sMpt! tu ik<punirtae n vdaNymNy< mNye Tvmev olu miNdrimiNdraya>. 57. naiva hyavApyam anavAptham ihAsthi yasya satthAapi tasya tava veekshaNatha: prajAnAm | sampath thu kimpunarithO na vadAnyamanyam manyE tvamEva khalu mandiram indirAyA: ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! It is very clear there is no bhOgam that you have not enjoyed so far or any that you desire in future. This is well known. If your glances fall on all the chEthanams, then they gain all auspiciousness. Aren’t you the One in whom MahA Lakshmi has her abode? It is clear that all the wealth finds their home in you and therefore I will not consider anyone other than you as the most generous benefactor to shower us with riches. adiyEn will not seek any body else for blessing me with wealth of every kind.
COMMENTS:
So far, BhagavAn’s six guNams (Jn~Anam, Balam, Sakthi, Iswaryam, tEjas et al) were saluted to provide meaning for Bhagavath sabdham. Now, KurEsar shifts to the celebration of His generosity (OudhAryam). His UdhArathvam (VadhAnyathvam) is now saluted. All the other gods do not have the capabili
ties to match the boon granting power of the Lord accompanied by MahA Lak shmi (“pENilum varam taraa midukilla Devar” according to one AzhwAr). ThoNDardippodi AzhwAr gives us upadEsam on this matter and instructs us about the folly of seeking other gods for boons, while the Lord riding on Garu dan is waiting to grant all that one seeks (kEtteerE NampimeerkAL Garuda Vaahananaum niRka, sEttai tann madi ahatthuc-chelvam pArtthirikinReerAe). Our Lord is the one Supreme benefactor, who has the power and riches to grant you any boon that you seek (“koLLak- kuRaivilan, vENDiRellAm taru, kOthil VaLLal”). He never runs out of Iswaryam to bless us with. 87 SrI MahA Lakshmi’s abode
88
SLOKAM 58
papErnaidÉvsMÉvvasnaeTwE> papErnaidÉvsMÉvvasnaeTwE> Ê>oe;u y> olu imm’!]it hNt Ê>oe;u y> olu imm’!]it hNt ! jNtu>, t< kevl< nu k«pyEv smuÏir:yn! t< kevl< nu k«pyEv smuÏir:yn! t< kevl< nu k«pyEv smuÏir:yn! td!Ê:k«tSy nnu td!Ê:k«tSy nnu in:k«itmaTw zaSÇE>. 58. Papair-anAdhibhava sambhava vaasanOthTai : anAdhibhava sambhava vaasanOthTai : dukkhEshu ya: khalu mimankshathi hantha ! janthu: | tamm kEvalam nu krupayaiva samuddharishyan tadh-dushkruthasya nanu nishkruthim-AthTa sAsthrai: || AthTa sAsthrai: ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! Your KaaruNyam is matchless and fills us with awe. ChEtanan is immersed in the timeless SamsAra sAgaram and is about to drown buffeted by the waves of sorrow, cycles of birth and death, old age and narakam. Out of Your KaaruNya guNam, you take pity on such suffering Jeevans and decide to bring them to the opposite shores of the fearsome ocean of SamsAram and in struct them on the PrAyascchitthams to destroy their paapams and save them. COMMENTS:
From here on through seven slOkams, KurEsar engages in the celebration of the incomparable KaaruNya GuNam of the Lord. KurEsar criticizes those, who declare that BhagavAn is NirguNan (attributeless). Until now, KurEsar was engaged in eulogizing dhivyAthma guNams; now, he shifts to the celebration of dhivya mangaLa vigraha guNams. Here, he starts with KrupA-Vaathsalya-Kshamaa guNams, which assist the bhaktha janams not to go away from Him. If there was no KrupA and KaaruNyam, bhakthAs will be overwhelmed by His powers and will fear to approach Him. They will reason: How great He is and how small I am (AmmAn AazhippirAn! Avan yev vidatthAn? yaann aar?), and run away from Him. To understand His KaaruNyam (Dayaa, KrupA), we have to visualize the five wheels that swirl around us and catch us and propel us from one to other in a ceaseless manner from ancient times. 89
These five wheels, where we get swirled around are: avidhyai, Karmaa, Vaasanai, ruchi and Prakruthi sambhandham. AvidhyA (nescience) makes us engage in KarmAs. Such engagement in KarmAs create residual effect (vaasanai); that Vaasanai leads on to the taste (ruchi) to redo them. That ruchi establishes the association with Prakruthi and we go through the cease less cycles of births and deaths. To break this awesome cycle, BhagavAn out of His dayA (sahEthuka krupA) instructs us to practice Prapatthi as an excuse (VyAjam) to gain His grace and be freed from Prakruthi. He is Omniscient (Sarvajnan), Powerful Lord of the Universe (SarvEsan) and most merciful al ways (Sadhaa KaaruNeekan). Even with all that, He expects a request from the Karma-bound jeevan to gain freedom from the terrors of SamsAric afflic tions (“SarvajnOapi hi VisvEsa: sadhaa KaaruNeekOapi sann, SamsAra- tan thravAhithvAth rakshaapekshaam pratheekshathe”). The incomparable Ka ruNai of Mukundhan (apAra KaruNaa) and the deep vaathsalyam for His bhak thAs is saluted by Swamy Desikan following KurEsar later: “Mukundha Ka ruNAm vandhE MudhEshvadhika vathsalAm, svaroopasamsthavou yasyA: nir hEthuka-sahEthukou”. Our performance of Prapatthi is a simple act compared to the mighty act of response from the most merciful Lord. He grants us His unfailing protection and MOksha phalan (kEvalam nu krupayaiva Samuddharishyan). AchArya RaamAnuja defines the GuNam of DayA this way: “DayA hi naama SvArTa nirapEkshA, Para dukkha asahishNuthA” (One that does not think Of any gain for himself but is incapable of watching others suffer). That is the nature of the Lord’s DayA. He is avAptha samastha Kaaman (He is totally fulfilled and does not need any thing from anyone); yet, his heart melts over the suffering of the Karmaa-bound Jeevans and waits to rush to their rescue. When that Jeevan sorrows over the mighty sins committed and how it can hope to over come their power, the most merciful Lord ordains PrAyascchitthams to destroy all sins totally (“anupAdhuparamAth prAyasccchitthOnmukhathvatha:, tath pooraNAth chAparAdhA: sarvE nasyanthi paadhasa:”– quote from aparAdha ParihAra adhikAram of SrImath Rahasya Thraya Saaram). SaraNAgathy is the remover of all Paapams (Sarva pApmAnaam sishDam hyAthmApahArasya nishkruthi: SvabharArpaNam). PrAyschittha Prapatthi performed to destroy any sins accumulated after Prapatthi takes care of their destructon. All of this is made possible thru the KaaruNyam of the Lord. 90SLOKAM 59 zaöErnaidinxnE> Sm&itiÉSTvdIy-
idVyavtarcirtE> zuÉya c †ò(a, in>ïeys< yÊpkLpyis àjana< in>ïeys< yÊpkLpyis àjana< in>ïeys< yÊpkLpyis àjana<
sa TvTk«pajlixt‘jviLgtïI>. 59. Saasthrair Saasthrair-anAdi nidhanai: smruthibhis-tvadeeya divyAvathAra charithai: subhayA cha dhrushtyA | ni:srEyasam yadupakalpayasi prajAnAm ni:srEyasam yadupakalpayasi prajAnAm Saa tvathkrupA jaladhi tallaja valgitha SrI: ||
MEANING:
This slOkam also celebrates BhagavAn’s KaaruNya guNam. With Your ancient and eternal Vedams and Saasthrams, with the Smruthis blessed by Sages Manu, Athri, Haareethar, with the happenings during Your avathAra kaalams and with Your auspicious glances, You bless the people with all mangaLams all the way up to Moksham. Your blessings are the waves of Your Dayaa saagaram (Ocean of Mercy).
COMMENTS:
The Jn~Anam / Buddhi to discriminate the auspicious from the inauspicious is provided by the Most Merciful Lord through His anaadhi Vedams, Smruthis linked to Sage Manu and others, His katAksham. These are all Dayaa Kaaryams for gaining the Phalans all the way upto Moksham (dadhAmi Bhud dhi yOgam tamm yEna YaamupAyAnthi tE). AvathAra Kaala charithrams are enacted for the same purpose and arise out of His Dayaa to help the Jeevans.
91
SLOKAM 60
hE hNt ! jNtu;u inrNtrsNttaTma jNtu;u inrNtrsNttaTma jNtu;u inrNtrsNttaTma paPma ih nam paPma ih nam vd kae=ymicNTyzi´>, ySvTk«pajlixmPyitveloel< ySvTk«pajlixmPyitveloel< ySvTk«pajlixmPyitveloel< %‘’!“yTyk«tÉasur Éagxeyan!. 60. hai hantha ! janthushu niranthara-santhathAthmA pApmA hi nAma vada kO=yam achinthya achinthya-sakthi: | sakthi: | sakthi: | ya: tvath krupAjaladhim api athivElakhElam ullangayathyakrutha bhAsura bhAgadhEyAn ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord! You must explain the nature of this powerful and countless assembly of Paapams that is pervasively present among the chEtanams. What a power these pApams hold over those unfortunate ones, who do not practice the UpAyam of SaraNAgathy revealed by you! It makes them (the non practitoners of SaraNAgathy) stay outside the domain of your incomparable Dayaa.
COMMENTS:
In spite of the availability of our Lord’s KaaruNyam, some do not take advan tage of it. These are the unfortunates from birth (KaruvilE ThiruvilAthAr). The timeless Paapams are the reasons that stand in the way between them and the most merciful Lord. Bhaagavatha apachAram is one such Paapam that in terferes with the gaining of the Lord’s KaaruNyam. The ways to overcome this handicap are described at length in the Utthara KruthyAdhikAram of SrImath Rahasya Thraya Saaram.
92
SLOKAM 61
yd! äükLpinyutanuÉve=PynaZy< yd! äükLpinyutanuÉve=PynaZy< yd! äükLpinyutanuÉve=PynaZy< tt! ikiLb;< s&jit jNtuirh ][axeR tt! ikiLb;< s&jit jNtuirh ][axeR tt! ikiLb;< s&jit jNtuirh ][axeR @v< sda skljNmsu saprax< @v< sda skljNmsu saprax< @v< sda skljNmsu saprax< ]aMySyhae ]aMySyhae ! tdiÉsiNxivrammaÇat!. 61. yadh Brahmakalpa niyuthAnubhavE api anAsyam tath kilbisham srujathi janthuriha kshaNArdhE | yEvam sadA sakala-janmasu sAparAdham kshAmyasyahO ! tadabhisandhi virAma mAthrAth ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! In this karma bhUmi, a jeevan accumulates in a fraction of a second fierce paapams that cannot be destroyed even during the very long life of Brahma dEvan. You bear with this chEtanam, who tirelessly accumulates such Paapams in all his births by taking account only of the times in which that jeevan does not engage in committing such paapams.
COMMENTS:
BrahmA’s day is made up of the combination of thousand chathur yugams. Hundred days and nights of this length constitute the life of one Brahma Devan. It is terrifying to visualize such gigantic time spans. In one fraction of a second, the Jeevan commits mighty sins that will not be removed even dur ing the huge interval of time represented by the life of one Brahma dEvan. Once that Jeevan practices Prapatthi and vows that it will not engage in Kar maas that will displease the ThiruvuLLam of the Lord, then the Most Merciful Lord takes over and destroys these fierce and long-enduring Paapams and grants the Jeevan His protection.
93
SLOKAM 62
]aiNtStvey< #ytI mhtI kw< nu ]aiNtStvey< #ytI mhtI kw< nu ]aiNtStvey< #ytI mhtI kw< nu muýedhae muýedhae ! Tviy k«taÃilpÃre;u, #Tw< Svtae inioljNtu;u inivRze;< #Tw< Svtae inioljNtu;u inivRze;< #Tw< Svtae inioljNtu;u inivRze;< vaTsLymuTsukjne;u kw< gu[Ste. 62. kshAntistavEyam iyathi mahathee kaTam nu muhyEdahO ! tvayi kruthAnjali panjarEshu | ittTham svathO nikhilajanthushu nirvisEsham vAthsalyam uthsuka janEshu kaTam guNastE || vAthsalyam uthsuka janEshu kaTam guNastE ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! How does Your great guNam of Forbearance (Patience) get overtaken by those adorning the shield of anjali (folding the palms in a ges ture of reverence to You)? Thus, your intrinsic vaathsalyam (affection) for all janthus -independent of the differences that they are good or bad– does not seem to make it (our Vaathsalya guNam) some thing unique for those, who are deeply attached to You.
COMMENTS:
Here, Swamy KurEsar salutes the natural Vaathsalya guNam of “the Sarva Sa hishNu” VishNu. Swamy ALvanthAr peformed upadEsam for us about the ex traordinary power of our Anjali MudhrA: “Anjali ParamA MudhrA kshipram DevaprasAdhini” (Anjali is a supremely powerful gesture that brings the Lord’s anugraham swiftly). Anjali is an amsam of SaraNAgathy. Swamy Desi kan created later a Sri Sookthi named “Anjali Vaibhavam” to extol the great ness of Anjali MudhrA celebrated by Swamy AlavanthAr. For those wearing an jali as Kavacham, the anger of the Lord is held back. For those who are totally devoted to the Lord, KurEsar says that it is not a surprise that BhagavAn’s Vaathsalyam takes on the form of a guNam of the Lord. 94
SLOKAM 63
ivñ< ixyEv ivrcYy incaYy ÉUy> ivñ< ixyEv ivrcYy incaYy ÉUy> sÃù;> sit smaiïtvTslTve, AajGmu;Stv gjaeÄmb&<ihten pad< pramm&zu;ae=ip c ka mnI;a pad< pramm&zu;ae=ip c ka mnI;a ?. 63. viswam dhiyaiva viracchayya nichAyya bhUya: viswam dhiyaiva viracchayya nichAyya bhUya: sanjahrusha: sathi samAsrithavathsalathvE | aajagmushastava gajOtthama BrumhithEna pAdam parAmamrusushOapi cha kaa maneeshA ? ||
MEANING:
For you who through your sankalpam cre ate, protect and de stroy the Universe; Your Vaathsalyam brought You to the side of the pond, when You heard the heart rending cry of G a j E n d h r a n (AadhimoolamE) aris ing from his battle with the powerful crocodile. You arrived at lightning speed on Garudan, cut asunder GajEndra mOksham–GajEndra Varadan–Thiru AllikENi the head of the croco dile and massaged the sore foot of that elephant with your sacred hand to reduce its pain. adiyEn does not fully comprehend the depth of Your Vaathsalyam displayed by that comforting gesture. You who is so powerful need not have come directly to the pond side; with Your sankalpam alone, You could have killed the crocodile from Your comfortable seat in SrI Vaikuntam. Your overflowing affection how 95 ever for Your devotee got You to the pond side in such a hurry. Not only did you arrive with utmost haste to the pond side to kill the enemy of Your Bhak tha Janam but you also massaged with Your own hands, the leg of the king of Elephant with great tenderness. How are we to understand the depth of this Vaathsalyam towards Your bhaktha janams? We will never comprehend it fully.
96
SLOKAM 64
y> kiídev yid ikÃn hNt y> kiídev yid ikÃn hNt ! jNtu> ÉVya Éjet ÉgvNtmnNyceta>, t< sae=y< $†z #yainit va=Pyjann! t< sae=y< $†z #yainit va=Pyjann! t< sae=y< $†z #yainit va=Pyjann! hE ! vEnteysmmPyurrIkraei;. 64. ya: kaschidEva yadi kinjana hantha! janthu: ya: kaschidEva yadi kinjana hantha! janthu: bhavyA bhajEtha bahgavantham ananya chEthA: | tamm sOayam Idhrusa iyAn ithi vAapyajAnan hai ! VainathEya samam apyuraree karOshi ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! When a janthu becomes sanctified through Your KatAksham and seeks Your protection without any other re course or prayOjanam, then You overlook any and all blemishes that janthu has and treat that janthu on a par with Your antha ranga Parijanam, GaruDaazhwAn. This is in deed a matter of great wonder.
COMMENTS:
The end limit of forbearance is Vaathsalyam. As AzhwAr says: “yEzhai yEthalan Keezh mahan yennAthu irangi”. The Lord does not think that this one is a poor bloke or from a lowly background and makes even a Paapi transform into a Parisuddhan through His JaayamAna KatAksham. He does not look at the dhOshams of those, who seek His pro tection. He even treats these Paapis as equal in mahimai to His own intimate kaim karya Paran, Garudan. You treat everyone as GarudAzhvAn 97
SLOKAM 65
TvTsaMymev ÉjtamiÉvaÁDis Tv< TvTsaMymev ÉjtamiÉvaÁDis Tv< TvTsaMymev ÉjtamiÉvaÁDis Tv< tTsaTk«tEi tTsaTk«tEi tTsaTk«tEivRÉvêpgu[ESTvdIyE> vRÉvêpgu[ESTvdIyE> mui´—— ttae ih prm< tv saMymahu> — ttae ih prm< tv saMymahu> TvÎaSymev ivÊ;a< prm< mt< tt!. 65. tvath sAmyamEva bhajathAm abhivAnchasi tvam tath sAthkruthai: vibhavaroopa guNai: tvadheeyai: | mukthim tathO hi paramam tava sAmyamAhu: mukthim tathO hi paramam tava sAmyamAhu: tvath dAsyamEva vidushAm Paramam matham tath ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! You desire that Your Muktha Jeevans enjoy Your Iswaryam, TirumEni and ThirukkalyANa guNams on a par with You. Those who are famil iar with Veda manthrams hold the view that the tight closeness to the Lord is the same as Moksham. The omniscient AzhwArs understood however the con cept of Moksham as serving the Lord. Both are examples of high-minded thought! 98
SLOKAM 66
tÖE twa=Stu ktmae=ymhae tÖE twa=Stu ktmae=ymhae ! SvÉav> yavan! ywaivxgu[ae Éjte ÉvNtm!, tavan! twaivxgu[StdxInvuiÄ> tavan! twaivxgu[StdxInvuiÄ> s<ið:yis Tv s<ið:yis Tvimh ten smanxmaR. 66. tadhvai taTAsthu kathamOayamahO ! svabhAva: tadhvai taTAsthu kathamOayamahO ! svabhAva: yAvAn yaTAvidhaguNO bhajathE bhavantham | tAvAn taTAvidhaguNa: tadadheenavrutthi: tAvAn taTAvidhaguNa: tadadheenavrutthi: samslishyasi tvamiha tEna samAna dharmA ||
MEANING:
Be that (Souseelya guNam) as it may (tadh vai taTA asthu)! What of Your svabhAvam that adiyEn is going to describe now (ayam SvabhAva: Katham? Aho!)? That is astonishing. You mingle with Your Bhaktha Kotees with the same attributes (guNams) that they choose to worship You by and You stay under their adheenam (control) and mingle with those devotees at their (same) level (tEna SamAna dharmA sann samslishyasi).
COMMENTS:
Now, KurEsar expands on the guNam of Souseelyam. He reminds us of the Lord hiding His Svarupa-SvabhAvams so that the devotees do not get fright ened over their immensity and run away from him. Our Lord assumes there fore a simple manushya form during His avathArams (Raama, KrishNa avathArams) and mingles with the devotees as one of them (Soulabhyam). He says: “AathmAnam mAnusham manyE Raamam DasarathAthmajam”. Follow ing the Tathkrathu nyAyam explanation in Sri BhAshyam (4.3.14), BhagavAn assumes the same guNams in Mukthi dasai (at Sri VaikuNTham for BhakthAs) whatever that Bhakthan meditated upon during his stay on earth (before as cending to Parama Padham as a Mukthan). This does not mean that BhagavAn has no other KalyANa guNams. It means that the overpowering Soulabhya Souseelya guNams of Sri VaikuNTha NaathAn makes Him display that guNam chosen over the others by the devotee and leave the other guNams in the background as per Tathkrathu nyAyam. 99
SLOKAM 67
nIlaÃnaiÔinÉ< %Úsmayta]< nIlaÃnaiÔinÉ< %Úsmayta]< nIlaÃnaiÔinÉ< %Úsmayta]< AajanujEÇÉuj< Aaytk[Rpazm!, ïIvTsl][< %dargÉIrnaiÉ——— pZyem dev pZyem dev ! zrd> ztmI†z< Tvam!. 67. neelAnjanAdrinibham unnasam aayathAksham aajAnujaithrabhujam aayathakarNapAsam | SrIvathsalakshaNam udhAra gabhIra naabhim pasyEma dEva! sarada: sathameedhrusam tvAm ||
MEANING:
Oh EmperumAn! Oh Lord of Parama Padham! Here at Sri VaikuNTham, You shine as a gigantic blue mountain with the hue of collyrium (neela anjana adhri nibham). You have a majestic nose (unnasam). You look with your beau tiful, big eyes (aayathAksham). Your hands extend all the way to your knees (aajAnu jaithra bhujam). Your ears are beautiful and long (aayatha karNa pasam).Your chest is adorned with the mole of SrIvathsam; the lakshaNam of Parama Purushan. Your nabhi is deep. May we have your beautiful sEvai with all these Dhivya MangaLa vigraha subha lakshaNams for many many years to come (tvAm eedhrusam sarada: satham pasyEma:)!
COMMENTS:
This is a PallANDu singing for Parama Padha NaaTan. In the previous five slO kams, KurEsar enjoyed briefly the dhivya mangaLa vigraham of the Lord. In the next ten slOkams, KurEsar salutes at length the dhivya soundharyam of SrI VaikuNTha NaaTan. KurEsar reaches a state of mind (BhAvanA Prakarsham) of being in SrI Vai kuNTham and enjoying the beauty of the Lord there as His AchAryA (Sri RaamAnujA) did at Srirangam on a Panguni Uttharam day and blessed us with that vision via Sri VaikuNTha Gadhyam. At Sri VaikuNTham, BhagavAn gives His darsanam as Neela Megha SyAmaLan (Chathurbhuja: SyAmaLAnga: SrI BhUmyAm saha NeeLayA). He is like Neela 100JeemUtham (Neela JeemUtha sannibha:). He displays the MangaLa chihnam (sign) of Sri Vathsam (LakshmI - vAllabhya SoubhAgya - chihnam Srivathsa: asya Vakshasi). KurEsar concludes this slOkam with a Vedic Prayer: “pasyEma saradha: satham”.
PerumAL with Pancha Lakshmi
101
SLOKAM 68
AMÉaeéha]< ArivNdinÉa’!iºyuGm< AMÉaeéha]< ArivNdinÉa’!iºyuGm< AMÉaeéha]< ArivNdinÉa’!iºyuGm< AataètamrsrMykra¢kaiNt, É&¼alk< æmrivæmkaykaiNt pItaMbr< vpurdStu vy< Stvam. 68. ambhOruhAksham aravinda nibhAnghriyugmam aatAmra tAmarasa ramyakarAgra kAnthi | brungAlakam bhramaravibhrama kaaya kaanthi brungAlakam bhramaravibhrama kaaya kaanthi peethAmbaram vapuradasthu vayam sthavAma || peethAmbaram vapuradasthu vayam sthavAma ||
MEANING:
We eulogize the Lord of Sri VaikuNTham with lotus-like eyes, lotus-like red feet, with delicate fingers having the hue of a just blossomed red lotus petals, with the dark black tresses having the color of a black beetle and dark colored body (shyAmaLam) adorned with radiant yellow PeethAmbharam.
COMMENTS:
Thirumangai AzhwAr’s celebration of the beauty of the Lord’s ThirumEni and the avayavams are behind the inspiration for KurEsar in this slOkam: “KaivaNNam thAmaraivaay kamalam pOlum KaNNiNayum aravindham ahthE” (The palms and the fingers / Kai, the pair of eyes remind one of the soft, red hue of the lotus).
102
SLOKAM 69:
æUivæme[ m&ÊzItivlaeikten mNdiSmten mNdiSmten mxura]rya c vaca, àemàk;Ripzunen ivkaisna c sMÉaviy:yis kda muop»jen. 69. bhrUvibhramENa mrudhu seetha vilOkithEna mandasmithEna madhurAksharayA cha vaachaa | prEmaprakarsha pisunEna vikAsinA cha sambhAvayishyasi kadaa mukha-pankajEna ||
MEANING:
Oh VishNu Bhagavan! When are you going to give the five signals that convey your benevolent intentions towards me? adiyEn is awaiting the indication of those signals: 1. The movement of your auspicious brows, 2. Your beautiful and cool glances, 3. Your bewitching smile, 4. Your sweet words of welcome and 5. Your thirumukha MaNDalam filled with affection for adiyEn.
COMMENTS:
Bharatha Naatya Saasthram states that one should express One’s thoughts by five means: “Oshtaa-akshi-bhrU hastha paadhou vaachA mounEna so ochayEth” (lips, eyes, brow, hands, legs, speech and silence). Here, KurEsar begs the Lord to reveal His auspicious intentions towards him with those sig nals. He asks: When are you going to bless adiyEn and when can I know about that thru the signals emanating from the movements and expressions origi nating from Your limbs and faculty? KurEsar expresses his longing here for signs of Bhagavath anugraham.
103
SLOKAM 70
v¿a»…zXvjsraeéhz’!oc³- mTsIsuxaklzkLpkkiLpta»m!, TvTpadpÒyug¦< ivk¦TàÉaiÑ> TvTpadpÒyug¦< ivk¦TàÉaiÑ> ÉUyae=iÉ;eúyit kda nu izrae mdIym!. 70. vajrAnkusa-dhvaja-sarOruha-sankha-chakra mathsee sudhaa kalasakalpaka kalpithAnkam | tvath-Paada-padma-yugaLam vikaLath-prabhAdbhi: prabhAdbhi: bhUyOabhishekshyathi kadhaa nu sirO madheeym ||
MEANING:
Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! When will my head be drenched and made cool by the sacred waters flowing from Your auspicious feet embossed with the holy marks of Vajram, elephant goad (ankusam), flag, lotus, chakram, conch, fish, nectar pot and kalpaka tree?
COMMENTS:
BhagavAn is Mahaa Purushan and as such unique lakshaNams (marks) are seen on the sole of His sacred feet. They indicate that Bhagavaa is Para Tatthvam (Supreme principle) and is the SaamrAD (Emperor of the Uni verses). VishNu Sooktham reveals that delectable Honey flows from the sa cred feet of the Lord: “VishNO: padhE ParamE madhva uthsa:” Sounakar, Sukha Brahmam, Swamy ALavanthAr and Swamy Desikan have made similar prayers for the placement of the Lord’s Thiruvadis with the above subha lakshaNams on their heads. Sri Sukha Brahmam longed for such a blessing this way: “sanchidhayEdh BhagathasccharaNAravindham va jrAnkusa-dhvaja- sarOruha-laanchanADyam”.
104
SLOKAM 71
ÇEiv³m³mk«ta³m[iÇlaek< ÇEiv³m³mk«ta³m[iÇlaek< ÇEiv³m³mk«ta³m[iÇlaek< %Ä<smuÄm< AnuÄmÉi´Éajam!, inTy< xn< mm kda ih mÊÄma¼< inTy< xn< mm kda ih mÊÄma¼< inTy< xn< mm kda ih mÊÄma¼< A¼Ikir:yait icr< tv padpÒm!. 71. thraivikrama-kramakruthAkramaNa-thrilOkam utthamsamutthamam anutthama-bhakthi bhakthi-bhAjam | nithyam dhanam mama kadaa hi madutthamAngam angeekarishyathi chiram tava paada padhmam ||
MEANING:
Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! When will your lotus soft feet have its permanent rest on adiyEn’s head as undiminishing wealth? Those sacred feet are the ones, which through their steps showed the dimensions of the worlds and stay as the matchless alankArams (decorations) for the heads of Your BhakthAs.
COMMENTS:
Lord’s sacred feet are the wealth that never diminishes or disappears (Nithya dhanam). They are the superior decorations (noble SirOalankAram/utthamam utthamsam) for the heads of visEsha BhakthAs of the Lord (anutthama bhak thi bhAjAm utthamsam). Those sacred feet are the Ones that measured the three worlds during Thrivikrama avathAram (Thraivikrama krama krutha aak ramaNa thrilOkam, Paada Padmam). During ThrivikramAvathAram, the mark of the Lord’s feet was left on all objects in the three worlds. They got sancti fied by that association. DevAs derived their sakthi from that imprint of the Lord’s feet on their heads (Rg Vedam: athO dEvA avanthu nO yathO VishNur vichakramE). KurEsar longs for that sambhandham. In SrI VaikuNTham, the abode of Muktha Jeevans is between the sacred feet of the Lord and the aad hAra Padhmam (lotus below the sacred feet of the Lord). 105
SLOKAM 72
%iÚÔpÇztpÇsgaeÇ< ANt- leRoarivNd< AiÉnNdnimiNÔya[am!, mNmUiXnR hNt mNmUiXnR hNt ! krp‘vt‘j< te krp‘vt‘j< te krp‘vt‘j< te k…vRn! kda k«tmnaerwiy:yse mam!. 72. unnidhra pathra sathapathra sagOthram anthar unnidhra pathra sathapathra sagOthram anthar lEkhAravindam abhinandanam indriyANAm | manmUrdhni hantha! kara-pallava-tallajam tE kurvan kadaa krutha-manOraTayishyasE mAm ||
MEANING:
Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! When are you going to make adiyEn fulfilled by placing Your tender hand over my head? That hand of yours is marked by softness reminiscent of the lotus petals, has the lotus flower marks inside (on the palm) and generates joy for the eye, nose, body and mind (indhriyANAm abhi nandhanam).
COMMENTS:
Sri Saathvatha Samhithai states that SrI VaikuNTha NaaThan looks with affec tion at the Muktha Jeevans that reach His supreme abode, greets them with His sweet welcome and places His hand on the siras of the jeevans as anugraha mudhrai. KurEsar like others before him begs the Lord to prevent his indhriyams from roaming here and there (Patti mEyAthu) by placing His aus picious hands over his head (AzhwAr’s request: “aNi mihu tAmaraik-kaiyai an thO! AdicchiyOm talaimisai Nee aNiyAyAi”).
106
SLOKAM 73
Aa¼I insgRinyta Tviy hNt kaiNt> Aa¼I insgRinyta Tviy hNt kaiNt> inTy< tvalimymev twa=ip caNya, vEÉU;[I Évit kaiNtrl<tra< sa vEÉU;[I Évit kaiNtrl<tra< sa vEÉU;[I Évit kaiNtrl<tra< sa hE pu:klEv iniola=ip ÉviÖÉUit>. 73. aanghee nisarganiyathA tvayi hantha kaanthi: aanghee nisarganiyathA tvayi hantha kaanthi: nithyam tavAlam iyamEva taTApi chAnyA | vaibhUshaNee bhavathi kaanthiralantharAm saa hai pushkalaiva nikhilApi bhavath vibhUthi: ||
MEANING:
Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! The natural beauty of your body without the associa tion of Your aabharaNams is itself astounding. That would be sufficient to sat isfy anyone. When the aabhAraNams are also added, that superior beauty celebrated by AzhwArs and AchAryAs becomes multifold and makes one say, enough, enough. This is indeed a matter of great wonder. This slOkam is link able to ThiruppANAzhwAr’s anubhavam of Lord RanganAtha (kOla MaamaNi aaramum mutthu dhAmamum mudivillathOr yezhil neela mEni IyyO! niRai koNDathenn nenjinayE!). Swamy Desikan would say later along these lines. (“BhUshAyudhai: adhigatham nija kaanthi hEthO:”). Every limb of the Lord is mangaLAnAm MangaLam. When the aabharaNams are added, then they get enhanced in their beauty and add to the Lord’s Soundharyam. 107
SLOKAM 74
ïIvTskaEStuÉikrIqllaiqkaiÉ> ïIvTskaEStuÉikrIqllaiqkaiÉ> keyUrharkqkaeÄmki{QkaiÉ>, %Îamdammi[nUpurnIivbNxE> %Îamdammi[nUpurnIivbNxE> ÉaNt< ÉvNt< Ainme;< %dIi];Iy. 74. Srivathsa-kousthubha-kirIta lalAtikAbhi : kirIta lalAtikAbhi : kEyUra-haara-kataka-utthama kaNTikAbhi: | uddaama-dAma maNi noopura neevibandhai: dAma maNi noopura neevibandhai: bhAntham bhavantham anim bhAntham bhavantham animEsham udheekshisheeya || Esham udheekshisheeya ||
MEANING:
Oh SrI VaikuNTha NaaTha! May adiyEn be blessed to have Your most beautiful and eye-filling darsanam of Your ThirumEni with its Srivathsam mole, Koust hubha gem, tilakam, shoulder decorations, pearl necklace, forest flower gar land, gem – laden waist belt, ankle jewelery and other aabharaNams!
COMMENTS:
Sripathi Roopa DhyAnam along the lines described in SrI Poushkara Samhithai is attempted here (sragvasthrAbaraNai: yuktham svAnuroopai: anUpamai: chinmayai: svaprakAsaisccha anyOnya ruchiranjithai:). KurEsar wishes to en joy that dhivya soundharyam without blinking his eyes like dEvAs; sadhA pasyanthi anubhavam is sought. NaayikA BhAvam is implied in this anubha vam (Bhuktham PriyAbhi: animEsha vilOchanAbhi:). There is no doubt about the Svaroopam of the Lord, when one looks at the unique aabharaNams adorning the Lord. For instance, the beautiful and tall crown adorning His head is not seen on the heads of Brahmaa or Sivan. This crown is unique to Him. Sivan has matted locks. Brahmaa has the appearance of Tapasvi (Taapasa VEsham). Our Lord’s SarvEswarathvam is indicated by the Crown (Bhagavatasthu kiriDAdhi yOgAth SarvEswarathva khyApakam). He is under stood as “ImayOr Talaivan” through the adornment of this Vaira Mudi. 108
SLOKAM 75
@eNdIvrI Kvicdip KvcnarivNdI @eNdIvrI Kvicdip KvcnarivNdI @eNdIvrI Kvicdip KvcnarivNdI caNÔatpI Kvcn c, Kvcnaw hEmI, kaiNtStvaeFprÉagprSprïI> kaiNtStvaeFprÉagprSprïI> payeRt par[iytu< ikmu c]u;aemeR. 75. aindheevaree kvachidapi kvachanAravindhee chAndrAtapee kvachana cha , kvachanATa haimee | kaanthis-tavODa-parabhAga-paraspara SrI: paraspara SrI: paaryEtha paaraNayithum kimu chakshushOr paaryEtha paaraNayithum kimu chakshushOr-mE ||
MEANING:
Here KurEsar enjoys the integrated beauty of all the limbs of SrI VaikuNTha NaaThan (SamudhAya sObhA anubhavam). Oh VaikuNTha NaaTha! Your divine body and portions of Your eyes have the dark bluish-black hue of NeelOth palam (Karuneythal pushpam); Your palms and sole of your divine feet have a red hue reminding one of the petals of red lotus. Your gentle smile and lips have the hue of the cool, Moon’s rays. Your chest has the radiance of gold arising from the residence of HiraNya VarNai, MahA Lakshmi. All of these dif ferent hues compliment each other and add to the total beauty of Your dhivya ThirumEni. When will adiyEn enjoy that samudhAya SobhA soundharyam as the dhvAdasi PaaraNai for one, who has observed EkAdasi Vratham?
COMMENTS:
SrivathsAnkAcchAr Swamy reminds us of a beautiful slOkam from Tatthva Muktha KalApam regarding this SamudhAya Sobhai of Srimann NaarAyaNan: LakshmI-nEthrOthpala SrisathathaparichayAdhEsha samvardhamAnO naabhInAlee-karinghan madukarapaaDalee-dhattha hasthAvalamBa: | asmAkam sampadhOgAn-avirala-tuLaseedhama sanjAtha bhUma: kaalindhee kaantheehAree kalayathu vapusha: kaalimaa kaiDabhArE: || 109
SLOKAM 76
Tva< seivt< jljc³gddaisza¼ER> Tva< seivt< jljc³gddaisza¼ER> taúyeR[ sENypitna=nucrEStwa=NyE>, deVya iïya sh vsNtmnNtÉaege deVya iïya sh vsNtmnNtÉaege deVya iïya sh vsNtmnNtÉaege ÉuÃIy saÃilrs»…ictai]púma. 76. tvAm sEvitham jalaja chakra gadAdAsi saarngai: tvAm sEvitham jalaja chakra gadAdAsi saarngai: thArkshyENa sainyapatinAanucharais-taTAnyai: | dEvyA SriyA saha vasantham ananathabhOgE bhunjeeya saanjalir bhunjeeya saanjalir-asankuchithAkshi pakshmA ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! May adiyEn be blessed with the soubhAgyam of enjoying Your darsanam with my hands folded in reverence and unclosed eyes, while You are receiving the kaimkaryam from Your aayudhams–Conch, Disc, Mace, Sword, bow - and nithya Sooris (VishvaksEnar, Garudan et al). May adiyEn have the good fortune to have the darsana soubhAgyam of yourself being seated on your bed of AadhisEshan with Your divine consort, MahA Lakshmi?
COMMENTS:
SrI PaancharAthra Saasthrams describe the SEvai of Sri VaikuNTa NaaTan at His supreme abode with His weapons, aabharaNams, Parijanams (MukthAs and Nithya Sooris) and His DEvis. This slOkam visualizes that dhivya dar sanam.
110SLOKAM 77 kE»yRinTyinrtEÉRvdekÉaegE> kE»yRinTyinrtEÉRvdekÉaegE> inTyErnu][nvInrsaÔRÉavE>, inTyaiÉvaiÁDtprSprnIcÉavE> inTyaiÉvaiÁDtprSprnIcÉavE> mÎEvtE> pirjnEStv s¼sIy. 77. kainkarya nithya nirathai: bhavadEka-bhOgai: bhOgai: nithyairanukshaNa naveena rasArdhra bhAvai: | nithyAbhivAnchitha paraspara neecha-bhAvai: bhAvai: maddhaivathai: parija maddhaivathai: parijanaistava sangaseeya || istava sangaseeya ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! May adiyEn be blessed to be always in the auspicious sath san gam of Your BhAgavathAs /nithya Sooris, who are forever engaged in per forming kaimkaryam to You; their minds are softened through the ceaseless love for You; they wish to be the servants of each other in their role as Your BhAgavathAs; they sustain themselves by invoking You as their Kula dhaivam. May adiyEn be blessed to live in the company of these dear parijanams and AchAryAs of Yours forever!
COMMENTS:
In our darsanam, BhAgavatha sEshathvam (being the servants of BhAga vathAs) is more important than even serving the Lord (Bhagavath Kaim karyam). This slOkam was blessed to us by KurEsar to remind us of this tatthvam. AzhwAr’s support for this tradition is seen in: “tala sayanatthu uRaivARaik-koNDAdum nenjudayAr YengaL Kula dhaivamE”. Swamy Desikan has elaborated on this topic in the PurushArTa-kAshtAdhikAram of SrImath Rahasya Thraya Saaram. Even in the state of Mukthi (at Sri Vaikuntam), Nithya Sooris, MukthAs and our PoorvAchAryAs stay as mutual servants of each other in a state of Bhagavatha sEshathvam.
111
SLOKAM 78
yt! ikiÂÊJJvlimd< yÊpaOyya==hu> yt! ikiÂÊJJvlimd< yÊpaOyya==hu>
saENdyRm&iÏirit yNmihma
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavan! May adiyEn be granted the boon of becoming the bonded ser vant of Yourself and Your divine consort, who lends Her name of “Sri " to all radiant objects in this world; She is behind all beauty and wealth through a tiny portion of Her glory; She has taken on the name of “SrI”” because of Her unparalleled auspiciousness; She has chosen Your chest as Her permanent abode and She is the Mother of the Universe; She shines as Mosha Lakshmi (the ultimate phalan of Yoga siddhi)!
COMMENTS:
We recognize all auspicious things in the universe as LakshmIkaram. When her glance does not fall on them, they lose their Lakshmikaram. Sri BhAshya kArar celebrated her Mahimai as: “anavadhika mahimaa Mahishee”. She has every Iswaryam that Her Lord has. She destroys all sins like Her Lord “vEri MaaRAtha PoomEl iruppAL vinai theerkkumE”. The other quotations for her incomparable mahimai are denoted by Her sacred names: “Vimukthi Phala dhAyini, Sarva kaama pradhA, SamsArArNava taariNee, SarvArthi Samudhra ParisOshinee”. Here, She is saluted as the grantor of Moksham, fulfiller of all desires, One who gets us across the ocean of SamsAram and as the One who dries up the ocean of all miseries.
112
SLOKAM 79
ya vE Tvya=PyudixmNwnyÆl_ya ya vE Tvya=PyudixmNwnyÆl_ya ya vE Tvya=PyudixmNwnyÆl_ya ya=NtihRte jgÊNmwnae*tae=ÉU>, ya c àit][mpUvRrsanubNxE> ya c àit][mpUvRrsanubNxE> ÉavEÉRvNtmiÉnNdyte sdEv. 79. yaa vai tvayAapyudadhi manTana yathna labhyA yaa antharhitE jagadunmaTanOdhyathOabhU: | yaa cha prathikshaNam apoorvarasAnubandhai: yaa cha prathikshaNam apoorvarasAnubandhai: bhAvai: bhavantham abhinandayathE sadaiva ||
MEANING:
May adiyEn be blessed with the soubhAgyam of serving Your divine consort, who was attained by You through Your efforts to churn the Milky ocean; She started You on that effort through Her act of disap pearance from Sri VaikuNTham and She enhances Your love for Her with Her many playful relationships with You in an ever delectable manner!
COMMENTS:
The churning of the Milky Ocean was done by the Lord to gain MahA Lakshmi (“ViNNavar amudhuNa, amudhil varum PeNNamudhuNDa EmperumAnE” - -Thirumangai AzhwAr about ThiruviNNagarap pan). That She Enhances His love for her through many rasa bhAvams is revealed by:
“Apoorvavadh vismayamAdhad- The churning of the Milky Ocean
113
hAnayA, guNEna roopENa vilAsa chEshtithai: SadhA tavaivOchithayA tava SriyA”. Her playful acts are never the same (Apooravm), produce wonders (vismayam aadhadhAnaa); these playful acts (VilAsa cheshtais) match exactly with Her Lord’s roopam and guNam.
114
SLOKAM 80
êpiïya gu[g[EivRÉven xaça êpiïya gu[g[EivRÉven xaça êpiïya gu[g[EivRÉven xaça ÉavEédarmxurEíturEíirÇE>, inTy< tvEv s†zI inTy< tvEv s†zI inTy< tvEv s†zI—— iïymIñrI — iïymIñrI iïymIñrI—— ta< — ta< Tva< caiÂt> pircreymudI[RÉav>. 80. Tva< caiÂt> pircreymudI[RÉav>. 80. roopasriyA guNaganair roopasriyA guNaganair-vibhavEna dhAmnA bhAvairudAra madhurai: chathurai: charithrai: | nithyam tavaiva sadhruseem sriyam Iswareem thAmm tvAm chAnjitha: paricharEyam udheerNa bhAva: ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! Please bless adiyEn with the soubhAgyam of performing blem ishless kaimkaryam to You and to Your dear consort, who matches You in every one of Your anantha kalyANa guNams, ThirumEni soundharyam, VisEsha avathAra mahimai, Supreme tEjas and ceaseless generosity and compassion ate thoughts towards our KshEmam.
COMMENTS:
Swamy KurEsar has used three slOkams including this one to praise the Mahi mai of MahA Lakshmi as saluted earlier by Swamy ALavanthAr, AchArya RaamAnuja SrI Sookthis, AzhwAr aruL vaakku and Sri VishNu PurANam. He prayed for the bhAgyam of serving the Lord along with His divine consort, who matches Him in every aspect (Tulya SeelA). KurEsar seems to indicate that Kaimkaryam for PirAtti is his aim and PerumAL Kaimkaryam is incidental to that Kaimkaryam to MahA Lakshmi. She blesses us with worldly Iswaryam, Moksham and residence in Sri VaikuNTham (Iswaryam akshara-gathim Pa ramam padham vaa). VEdam salutes the Divine consort of the Lord as: “Iswareegum sarvabhUthAnAm asyEsaanaa JagathO VishNupathnee”. KurEsar seems to suggest that his goal is Kaimkaryam to MahA Lakshmi and seems to request Her dear Lord to be present at that time and accept his Kaimkaryams as a dhivya MiTunam (Divine Couple). 115
SLOKAM 81
ya ibæit iSwrcraTmkmev ivñ< ya ibæit iSwrcraTmkmev ivñ< ya ibæit iSwrcraTmkmev ivñ< ivñMÉra prmya ]mya ]ma c, ta< matr< c iptr< c ÉvNtmSy VyuCDNtu raÇy #ma virvSytae me. 81. Yaa bibhrati sTiracharAthmakamEva viswam ViswambharA paramayA KshamayA KshamA cha | thAmm Maatharam cha Pitharam cha bhavanthamasya vyucchanthu rAthraya imA vArivasyathO mE ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! May the long dark nights of SamsAram that has been following adiyEn for limitless time be banished through Kaimkarya prApthi for You and Your dear consort BhUmi DEvi and my Mother, who bears the world of sentient and insentient and has the name of Kshamaa to denote the highest quality of patience!
COMMENTS:
Bhagavaan is saluted as “SrI BhUmi sahitham Hari:” Here, KurEsar expresses his intense desire to perform kaimkaryam for the Lord in union with BhUmi Devi. She carries the world of moving and stationary entities (sTira CharAth makam Viswam bibhrathi) and threfore is saluted as “ViswanmbharA”. She has immeasurable patience (Kshamaa). She bears with all our aparAdhams befitting her name, “Sarvam Sahaa”. She is the Mother of the world (“tvam MaathA Sarva lOkAnAM PaadhanyAsam Kshamasva mE”: Sage Sounakar’s words). KurEsar wishes to offer his homage to this dhivya Dampathis for the removal of the deep dark night (KaaLa Raathri) of SamsAra bhandham. KurE sar prays for the anugraham of AruNOdhayam of Bhagavath Kaimkaryam in Sri VaikuNTham, where there are no nights (savcchandha Kaimkarya MahOth sava dhivasam). 116
SLOKAM 82
ÉavEédarmxurEivRivxEivRlasE> ÉavEédarmxurEivRivxEivRlasE> æUivæmiSmtkqa]inrI][Eí, ya TvNmyI Tvmip yNmy @v sa ma< ya TvNmyI Tvmip yNmy @v sa ma< ya TvNmyI Tvmip yNmy @v sa ma< nIla intaNtmurrIk…étamudara. 82. BhaavairudAra madhurai: vividhair BhaavairudAra madhurai: vividhair-vilAsai: vilAsai: vilAsai: bhrU-vibhrama-smitha katAksha-nireekshaNai: cha | Yaa tvanmayee, tvamapi yannmaya yEva, Saa mAmm neelA nithAntham urareekuruthAmm udhAraa ||
MEANING:
May NeeLA DEvi of immeasurable generosity, who matches You in every as pect – magnificent and auspicious thoughts, countless playful acts, the move ment of Her brows, sly glances and naturally blemish free smiles– accept my kaimkaryams!
COMMENTS:
In Vaikuntam, Parama Padha NaaThan is accompanied by His three devis (SrI, BhUmi and NeeLA Devis). KurEsar offered his eulogies earlier to Sri DEvi in three slOkams, BhU DEvi in the last slOkam and salutes NeeLA DEvi in this slOkam. The presence of the Lord with His three dEvis has been saluted by SamhithAs and AchAryAs. YathirAjar in Gadhya Thrayam visualizes this scene at SrI VaikuNTam: “asankhyEya KalyANa guNaguna SrI Vallabha! YEvamb hUtha BhUmi-NeeLA Naayaka!” SrI Devi carries the red lotus in her hand; BhUmi Devi adorns red lily flower in her hand; NeeLA Devi carries white lily in her hand. NeelA Devi is known therefore as “Alli Malar MahaL”. With Her dhivya sound haryam and love, She has the Lord under Her control, when it comes to Him agreeing on forgiving the sins of ChEtanam and grants him Sathgathy. Her power over Her Lord is saluted as “Alli Malar Mahal BhOga MayakkuhaL”. Ku- 117
rEsar here prays for NeeLA Devi’s anugraham to perform Nithya Kaimkaryam to Her and Her Lord through the use of her influence over Her Lord. SAranAtha PerumAL with SrI dEvi, Bhu dEvi and NeeLA dEvi 118
SLOKAM 83
ÉavErnu][< ApUvRrsanuivÏE> ÉavErnu][< ApUvRrsanuivÏE> ATyÑ‚tEriÉnvEriÉnN* devI>, É&Tyan! ywaeictpirCDidnae ywah¡ É&Tyan! ywaeictpirCDidnae ywah¡ É&Tyan! ywaeictpirCDidnae ywah¡ sMÉavyNtmiÉtae Égvn! sMÉavyNtmiÉtae Égvn! ! Éveym!. 83. bhAvairanukshaNam apoorvarasAnuviddhai: bhAvairanukshaNam apoorvarasAnuviddhai: atyadhbhutai: abhinavairabhinandhya DEvee: | bhruthyAn yaTOchithaparicchadinO yaTArham bhruthyAn yaTOchithaparicchadinO yaTArham sambhAvayantham abhithO Bhagavann ! bhavEyam ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! May adiyEn surround you on all sides as You receive the Kaim karyams of Nithya Sooris and honor them for those properly executed Kaim karyams! May adiyEn be blessed to be close to You in all four directions as You gladden the hearts of Your PirAttis with leelas filled with wondrous SrungAra rasam that change from minute to minute and appear to be made just for that occasion!
COMMENTS:
Lord has three Devis and shows equal affection towards every one of them. His prEma Bhandham to them is of equal measure. KurEsar longs for a similar level of affection from the Lord as one of “Sthree PrAyam”. He prays for the soubhAgyam of pressing the Lord’s tender feet just as Mahaa Lakshmi and BhUmi Devi do although he is unfit as a Mahaa Paapi: “VadiviNai illaa Malar MahaL maRRa NilamahaL pidikkum melladiyai koduvinayEnum pidikka”
119
SLOKAM 84
ha hNt hNt ha hNt hNt ! htkae=iSm olae=iSm ix’!ma< htkae=iSm olae=iSm ix’!ma< htkae=iSm olae=iSm ix’!ma<
muýn! Ahae muýn! Ahae ! Ahimd< ikmuvac vaca, Tvam¼ ! m¼¦gu[aSpdmSthey< m¼¦gu[aSpdmSthey< m¼¦gu[aSpdmSthey<
Aa> Aa> ! SmtuRmev kwmhRit ma†g
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! adiyEn is like a dead one. Strange indeed! adiyEn is a fool, who is increasing his paapams more and more. adiyEn, who is despicable, should be condemned for my lowliness. adiyEn has not spoken about your glories even at the lip level. What a pity? How can a person of my neecha svabhAvam and sins can even think about You, who is the abode of all auspicious guNams and blemishless?
COMMENTS:
From here on with number of slOkams, KurEsar expresses his Naicchiyam (statement of his lowliness) as he stands before the Lord in the spirit of the AzhwArs: “NeesanEn niRaivonRumilEn” KurEsar and the AzhwArs do not have these neecha vrutthi (lowly ways); they express themselves this way as an angam of SaraNAgathy (angam of Kaar paNyam) 120SLOKAM 85 A
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! adiyEn is unfit to rest at your sacred feet even if all my sins from many births are removed and adiyEn gains true Jn~Anam through the firm control of all my misdeeds. This unfitness arises form the immersion in this assembly of sins for countless time.
COMMENTS:
The expression of Naicchiyam continues in this slOkam. KurEsar refers to the huge assembly of sins accumulated from many janmAs and asks the Lord a question: When will it be that adiyEn with your anugraham get all these sins destroyed and stand before you to perform Nithya Niravadhya Kaimkaryam to You at Your Supreme abode? He bases this slokam on AzhwAr Paasuram pas sage “nORRa nOnbhilEn, nuNNaRivilEn, aahilum Unnai vittonRum aaRRakiRk kinRilEn”.
121
SLOKAM 86
jane=wva ikmhm¼ jane=wva ikmhm¼ ! ydev s¼ad! ydev s¼ad! ydev s¼ad! A¼Ikraei; n ih m¼¦mNydSmat!, ten TvmenmurrIk…é;e jn< ced! ten TvmenmurrIk…é;e jn< ced! ten TvmenmurrIk…é;e jn< ced! nEvamutae Évit yu´tmae ih kiít!. 86. JaanEaTavaa kimahamanga ! yadhEva sangAd angIkarOshi na hi mangaLam anyadasmAth | tEna tvam yEnam urareekurushE janam chEd naivAmuthO bhavathi yukthatamO hi Kascchith || naivAmuthO bhavathi yukthatamO hi Kascchith ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! What does adiyEn know except the fact that there is nothing superior to your sankalpam to rescue adiyEn based on the unalterable, ancient and permanent relationship between us as Master and servant (SEshi sEshan). Here is nothing that is greater in auspiciousness to experience than the fruits of Your sankalpam to accept adiyEn for Your nithya kaimkaryam.
COMMENTS:
Here, KurEsar focuses on KarpaNyam, one of the five angams of SaraNAgathy. The state that generates the KaruNai (Mercy) of the Lord in us is KaarpaNyam. PeriyAzhwAr declared in such a mood that he does not know anything about the auspicious and inauspicious in this world and even if he knows about those distinctions, it is not that either he could do anything about warding them off (“Nanmai theemaikaL onRum nAnn aRiyEn, aRivEn aanAlumivai yellAm yennAl adaippu neekoNNAthu”). This irremovable, inalienable, undis putable sambhandham (SEsha-sEshi relationship) and the avasara pradheek shai (Dayaa) propel the Lord to come to our rescue. Swamy Desikan followed this thought and recorded it for us this way: “KarmasvanAdhi vishamEshu samO DayALu: SvEnaiva kluptam upadEsam apEkshamANa: SvaprApthayE ta nubhruthAm thvarasE Mukundha! svaabhaavikam tava suhrutthvam idham grunanthi” AzhwAr also reminds the Lord about this never- ending relationship with Him:
122
“viduvEnO yenn ViLakkai yenn aaviyai naduvE vanthuuyyakkoLhinRa Naatha nai”. In AchArya RaamAnujA’s Vaishamya-NairgruNya soothra BhAshyam, he refers to EmperumAn responding to our adopting one of the two upAyams for Moksham to be practiced by the chEtanams. Our Lord elects the ones, who ob serve the UpAyam of SaranAgathy or Bhakthi yOgam (priyatamO hi Vara NeeyO bhavathy, YasyAyAm nirathisaya priya: Sa yEvAsya priyatamO bha vathy according to BhAshyakArar). He responds to the ones, who adopt the UpAyams (in gaining His anugraham, SaraNAgathy is the easiest and the best to practice according to BhAshyakArar: “tasya cha vaseekaraNam taccharaNA gathyrEva”) KurEsar followed His AchArya UpadEsam and stated in this slO kam: “tvam yEnam janam urareekurushE chEth, amrutha: kascchith yuk thatama: na bhavathy yEva” (If You, my Master, choose this janthu, there is no one to match this status as the best among Yogis).
ArimEya Vinnagara EmperumAn
123
SLOKAM 87
yÚaÉvam ÉvdIykqa]l]< yÚaÉvam ÉvdIykqa]l]< yÚaÉvam ÉvdIykqa]l]< s<sargtRpirvt¡ Atae=gmam, Aaga<is ye olu shömjömev Aaga<is ye olu shömjömev jNmSvtNmih kw< t #me=nukMPya>. 87. yannAbhavaama bhavadheeya katAkshalaksham samsAra gartha parivartham athOagamAma | aagAmsi yE khalu sahasramajasramEva Janmasvatanmahi katham ta imEanukampyaa: ||
MEANING:
Oh SarvEswaraa! If we do not become the object of your nectarine glances, we are condemned to go round and round the deep pit of samsAram and suf fer there interminably (SamsAra gartha parivartham aagAmAmsi). How can we, who have committed countless sins, hope for those rejuvenating glances of Yours to fall on us?
COMMENTS:
KurEsar states that those, who are not blessed to receive the moksham grant ing glances of the Lord (VishNO: katAksham) keep on accumulating Paapams and go round and round the wheel of SamsAram without hope of redemption (PaapamE seythu Paavi aanEn). How can we under those circumstances hope to receive your anugraham asks KurEsar.
124
SLOKAM 88
sTkmR nEv ikl ikÂn siÂnaeim iva=Pyvrihta n c iv*te me, ik TvdiÂtpdaMbujÉi´hIn> ik TvdiÂtpdaMbujÉi´hIn> paÇ< Évaim Égvn! paÇ< Évaim Égvn! ! Évtae dyaya>. 88. sathkarma naiva kila kinchana sanjinOmi sathkarma naiva kila kinchana sanjinOmi vidhyAapyavadhyarahithA na cha vidhyathE mE | kimcha tvadanjitha padAmbuja bhakthiheena: kimcha tvadanjitha padAmbuja bhakthiheena: pAthram bhavaami Bhagavan! BhavathO dayAyaa: ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! AdiyEn has not accumulated any SathkarmAs through the practice of Karma Yogam. AdiyEn does not possess any sharp intellect to com prehend Your Saasthrams and upadEsams. adiyEn has not engaged in the wor ship of Your sacred feet. Therefore, adiyEn stands as the most fitting object for Your karuNai (avasara Pradheeksha karuNaa).
COMMENTS:
Swamy NammAzhwAr’s Paasura Vaakyams (nORRa nOnbhilEn, NuNNaRivilEn) and Swamy AlavanthAr’s SthOthra Rathna slOkam (na dharmanishtOsmi na chAthmavEdhi na bhakthimAn tvaccharaNAravindhE, AkinchanOanyagathi: SaraNya! tvath Paadhamoolam SaraNam prapadhyE) inspired Swamy KurEsar to bless us with this slOkam. adiyEn is not adept at Karma or JnAna or Bhak thi yOgams. adiyEn does not have the discipline to worship your lotus feet. AdiyEn is destitute and deficient in all means. Your KaaruNyam and SahEthuka dayaa alone can rescue adiyEn from these cruel samsAric sufferings. adiyEn has no other gathi (annaya gathithvam is invoked here). adiyEn is therefore seeking your protection (rakshaa) as a helpless one. Thou art the omniscient and the most Merciful; yet you expect a plea for protection to save us from the horrors of SamsAram: “SaravjnOapi hi VisvEsa: sadhaa KaaruNikOapi, Sam sAra- tantravAhithvAth RakshApEkshAm pratheekshathE” 125
SLOKAM 89
ik—— ÉUysa àlipten ydev ikiÂt! — ÉUysa àlipten ydev ikiÂt! ÉUysa àlipten ydev ikiÂt! papaþ< ALpmué va tdze;me;>, jann! n va ztshöpraxRk«Tvae jann! n va ztshöpraxRk«Tvae jann! n va ztshöpraxRk«Tvae yae=ka;¡ @n< Agit—— k«pya ]mSv. 89. — kim bhUyasaa pralapithEna yadhEva kimchith pApAhvam alpam uru vaa tadasEsham yEsha: | pApAhvam alpam uru vaa tadasEsham yEsha: | jAnan na vaa sathasahasra parArdhakruthvO yOakArsham yEnam agathim krupayA kshamasva ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! What is the use of my meaningless utterances? adiyEn has ac cumulated paapams beyond counts hundreds and thousands of times over the aeons consciously or without knowing. adiyEn is pulled under the weight of all these big and small bundles of sins. adiyEn has no recourse except you. You must forgive me and lift me out of my miseries out of your infinite and intrin sic guNam of Dayaa.
COMMENTS:
In the previous slOkam, KurEsar had the adhikAri svaroopam of aakinchanyam (sense of meekness). In this slOkam, KurEsar states his ananyagathithvam (not having any one as recourse to save him). He echoes Swamy ALavanthAr’s moving plea: “AkinchanO-Anyagathi: SaraNya! tvath Paadhamoolam SaraNam PrapadhyE”. KulasEkhara AzhwAr’s paasurams on VitthuvakkOttammAn (taru thuyaram tadAyEl) dealing with ananyagathithvam also forms the basis for this slOkam. It fits with our PoorvAchAryA’s prayer: “agathim SaraNAgatham HarE krupayA kEvalamAthmasAth kuru”. 126
SLOKAM 90
dev ! TvdIycr[à[yàvI[- ramanujayRiv;yIk«t< APyhae ramanujayRiv;yIk«t< APyhae ! mam!, ÉUy> àx;Ryit vE;iykae ivmaehae ÉUy> àx;Ryit vE;iykae ivmaehae ÉUy> àx;Ryit vE;iykae ivmaehae mTkmR[> ktrdÇ smansarm!. 90. Deva ! tvadeeya charaNa praNaya praveeNa RaamAnujArya vishayeekrutham apyahO ! Maam | bhUya: pradharshayathi vaishayikO vimOhO mathkarmaNa: katarath athra samAnasAram ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord! adiyEn is the object of the merciful glances of AchArya RaamAnujA, who is the dearest among those having uninter rupted anugraham of Your lotus feet. The attachment to the Indhriya sukhams (PrAkrutha bhOgams) is tumbling me around in the fierce ocean of SamsAram. Where is the experi ence equivalent to the power of my karmAs? There are none implies KurEsar KoorathAzhwar with AchArya RAmAnujar in his effort to describe the miserable state he is in. KurEsar suggests that BhagavAn’s matchless power alone can free him from these samsAric miser ies. Here KurEsar invokes that sambhandham of AchArya RaamAnujA, who considered every worldly anubhavam as thruNam (an insignificant speck of 127 dust) out of his love for the lotus feet of Achyuthan (yO nithyam achyutha padAmbhuja yugmarugma vyAmOhathas-thatidharANI thruNAya mEnE). AchArya RaamAnuja corrected those who are deeply attached to Vishaya anubhavams like URangA villi Daasar. As Swamy Desikan observed, AchArya RAmAnujA’s sishyAs are not affected by PrAkrutha bhOgams: “Madhana kad hanai: na klisyanthE Yatheeswara Samsrayaa:” In this context, KurEsar thinks about Raamanuja KaruNA and the power of EmperumAn in banishing the Paa pams resulting from Vishaya sukhams and echoes AzhwAr’s words: “aavi ti haikka Iyvar kumaikkum siRRinbham paaviyEnai pala Nee kAttippadup pAyO?” 128
SLOKAM 91
gÉeR;u inÉRrinpIfnioÚdeh> gÉeR;u inÉRrinpIfnioÚdeh> ]aedIysae=itmhtae=PyiolSy jNtae>, jNmaNtra{ynuivicNTy prSshöai[ AÇah< AàitivixinRhtíraim. 91. GarbhEshu nirbhara nipeeDana khinna dEha: GarbhEshu nirbhara nipeeDana khinna dEha: KshOdheeyasO-athimahathO-api akhilasaya janthO: | janmAntharANyanu vichinthya parassahasrANi janmAntharANyanu vichinthya parassahasrANi athrAham aprathi vidhir athrAham aprathi vidhir-nihatha: charAmi ||
MEANING:
adiyEn roams around in this world after tens of thousands of births in differ ent wombs ranging in size from tiny to mighty animals, birds, humans and plants; while residing in these wombs during garbha Vaasam, adiyEn reflects with sorrow in that cramped space about the current and future births result ing from adiyEn’s karmAs. Not discerning any hope for change in the deplor able situation of repeated cycles of births and deaths, adiyEn roams around ceaselessly in the prakruthi MaNdalam.
COMMENTS:
From this slOkam to the next 5 slOkams, KurEsar describes the terrors of Prakruthi Bhandham (SamsAric shackles) resulting from one’s karmaas. GarbhOpanishad, VishNu PurANam (6th amsam, 5th adhyAyam), SusruthAdhi samhithAs, JyOthisha Saasthram describe the memories recalled by the Jeevan during garbha Vaasam (residence in the womb): the bad karmAs per formed during the previous births, the births taken and the future births to be taken. The Jeevan resides in small wombs (KshOdhIyasa:) or in big wombs (athi Mahathi); it is positioned in a highly compressed place (nirbhara nipeeDana garbhEshu). The body is sorrow stricken (Khinna dEha:) as the Jeevan reflects on its sad lot due to its history of karmAs and its conse quences. It thinks about its tens of thousands of births taken up to this point (JanmAntharANi para sahasrANi anuvichinthya). The jeevan is despondent over not seeing any hopeful prospects for escape from the cycles of births and 129 deaths due to its load of KarmAs and feels the pressures of roaming in this samsaric world endlessly.
130SLOKAM 92 ÉUyí jNmsmye;u suÊvRcain Ê>oain Ê>omitirCy ikmPyjann!, mUFae=nuÉUy punrev tu balÉavat! mUFae=nuÉUy punrev tu balÉavat! mUFae=nuÉUy punrev tu balÉavat! Ê>oaeÄr< injcirÇmmuÇ seve. 92. bhUyasccha janma samayEshu sudhurvachAni bhUyasccha janma samayEshu sudhurvachAni dukkhAni dukkham athirichya kimapyajAnan | mooDOanubhUya punarEva tu baalabhAvAth dukkhOttharam nija charithram amuthra sEvE || dukkhOttharam nija charithram amuthra sEvE ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! Reentering the world from the mother’s womb, adiyEn experi ences and endures indescribable sufferings. adiyEn, who does not know of anything but sufferings continue to engage in acts (KarmAs) that will yield as phalan only additional suffering in the subsequent births too because of my foolishness!
COMMENTS:
Seven kinds of dhOshams (blemishes) are attached to PrAkrutha bhOgams (worldly pleasures) enjoyed by the Jeevan that make the Jeevan get wound up even more tightly in SamsAram. Swamy Desikan describes them in a slO kam of SaraNAgathy DhIpikai (56th SlOkam). They interfere with the enjoy ment of BhagavAn and Bhagavath-BhAgavatha Kaimkaryams. These bhOgams are insignificant compared to the ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham.They are per ishable, sorrow producing as one enjoys them and sorrow yielding after the enjoyment. When the jeevan is inside the womb, it has the power to know about its previous and future births (Jaathi smarathvam). When the wind (SaTha Vaayu) touches the newborn child, it becomes a Jatam and forgets about all of its previous lives. Swamy NammAzhwAr chased away that SaTha Vaayu with a hoomkAra, as a result of the blessings of the Dhivya dampathis and VishvaksEnar as he lay in the womb and came to be known as SaTha kOpan. KurEsar suggests that it is impossible for chEtanams like us to gain that type of anugraham.
131
SLOKAM 93
ÉUya<is ÉUy %pyn! ivivxain Ê>oain ANyCc Ê>omnuÉUy suoæme[, Ê>oanubNxmip Ê>oivimïmLp< Ê>oanubNxmip Ê>oivimïmLp< Ê>oanubNxmip Ê>oivimïmLp< ]uÔ< juguiPstsuo< suoimTyupase. 93. bhUyAmsi bhUya upayan vividhAni dukkhAni bhUyAmsi bhUya upayan vividhAni dukkhAni anyasccha dukkamanubhUya sukhabramENa | dukkhAnubandham api dukkha-vimisram alpam vimisram alpam kshudhram jugupsitha sukham sukhamithyupAsE ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord of Sri VaikuNTham! Again and again, adiyEn experiences multitudes of sufferings and continue to taste what adiyEn thinks are Sukhams, which in re ality are Dukkhams (like Sugar coated bitter pills). These are insignificant and evanescent sukhams that have been rejected by the wise. adiyEn does not know how to free myself from them.
COMMENTS:
KurEsar is performing upadEsam for us through his NaicchAnusandhAnam. When KurEsar states that he is immersed in the enjoyment of Vishaya bhOgams, it is to be considered as the limit of Viraktha Jeevan’s naicchA nusandhAnam. Swamy ALavanthAr described himself in this context as “amaryAdha: kshudhra:” Thirumangai AzhwAr described his sufferings in the famous Paasuram: “VaadinEn Vaadi VarunthinEn”. Sounaka Maharishi de scribed his state, where the body is ailing from vyAdhis and the mind is run ning after vishaya sukhams (Sareeram mama DevEsa! VyAdhibhi: paripeeDitham, manO mE PuNDareekAksha vishayAnEva dhAvathy).
132
SLOKAM 94
laeliÑiriNÔyhyErpwe;u nIt> laeliÑiriNÔyhyErpwe;u nIt> Ê:àapÊÉRgmnaerwmWyman>, iv*axnaiÉjnjNmmden kam- ³aexaidiÉí htxInR zm< àyaim. 94. lOladhbhir lOladhbhir- indhriyahayai: paTEshu neetha: indhriyahayai: paTEshu neetha: dushprApa durbhaga dushprApa durbhaga - manOraTa- maTyamAna: | VidhyA-dhana-abhijana janmamadhEna kaama krodhAdibhisccha hathadhee: na samam prayAmi ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! adiyEn has no mental peace due to being taken for a ride on many crooked paths by the eleven horses (11 Indhriyams). adiyEn is tempted by harmful desires that in reality are unattainable. adiyEn is affected by the bundle of mischief associated with knowledge, wealth, and birth in a good ku lam. I have lost my mind from lust and anger. adiyEn does not possess as a result equanimity and mental peace.
COMMENTS:
KatOpanishad compares the Indhriyams to wild horses that take the jeevan across rough terrain: “IndhriyANi hayAnAhu: vishayAn tEshu gOcharAn”. They drag one thru pathless tracks. The arrogance arising from thinking that one has excellent vidhyA ends up in VidhyA Madham. Wealth creates dhana Mad ham (madness caused by wealth). Birth in a noble kulam generates abhijana madham. Together, these three madnesses are known as “MukkuRumbhu” (three kinds of madness). KurEsar known for his superior aathma guNams and VairAgya-anushtAnams never suffered from these mad ness or aasura svabhAvams. KurEsar expresses his NaicchAnusandhAnam for correcting people like us.
133
SLOKAM 95
l_ye;u ÊlRÉtre:vip vaiÁDte;u l_ye;u ÊlRÉtre:vip vaiÁDte;u l_ye;u ÊlRÉtre:vip vaiÁDte;u jata shögu[t> àitlMÉne=ip, iv¹EhRte:vip c te;u smUl"at< iv¹EhRte:vip c te;u smUl"at< iv¹EhRte:vip c te;u smUl"at< vixR:[urev n tu vixR:[urev n tu zaMyit hNt t&:[a. 95. labhyEshu durlabhatarEshvapi vaanchithEshu jaathA sahasraguNatha: prathilambhanEapi | vignai: hathEshvapi cha tEshu samoolaghAtham vardhishNurEva na thu sAmyathi hantha thrushNA ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! The intense desire for both easily attainable and the difficult to-attain things never subsides. It grows thousand fold even after attaining them to gain additional similar things. Even if the wished – for things are de stroyed due to interferences, the intense longing for such vishaya sukhams grows and grows uncontrollably. This thrushNai (desire and thirst for Vishaya bhOgam) stays as VardhishNu (ever growing) and is never quenched (na saamyathi) laments KurEsar. 134
SLOKAM 96
TvTkItRnStuitnmSk«itvedne;u TvTkItRnStuitnmSk«itvedne;u TvTkItRnStuitnmSk«itvedne;u ïÏa n Éi´rip zi´rwae n ceCDa, nEvanutapmitre:vk«te;u ik—— nu — ÉUyan! Ahae ÉUyan! Ahae ! pirkr> àitkUlp]e. 96. tvath keerthana sthuthi namskruthi vEdanEshu tvath keerthana sthuthi namskruthi vEdanEshu sraddhA na bhakthirapi sakthiraTO na chEcchA | naivAnuthaapamathi: yEshvakrutEshu kim nu bhUyAn ahO ! parikara: prathikoolapakshE ||
MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! What a pity? adiyEn is not engaged in reciting Your auspicious naamAs, eulogizing Your kalyANa guNams, prostrating before You and per forming AarAdhanam for You or meditating on Your dhivya mangaLa vigra ham. adiyEn has no ruchi or bhakthi for such noble acts. adiyEn has neither the desire nor sakthi to be engaged in such efforts. adiyEn does not even have the feeling of repentance over not being engaged in such activities. Is there anything left among SaadhanAs that are opposed to your auspicious mind set (ThiruvuLLam)?
COMMENTS:
When one performs SaraNAgathy to the Lord, the two angams of that Prapat thi (aanukoolya sankalpam and PrAthikoolya varjanam) has to be accom plished very well. Here KurEsar has nirvEdham (sorrow) over his imperfec tions in his observance of PrAthikoolya Varjanam. The prayer behind this sor rowful statement is that housed in VishNu PurANam (5.7.70), where KaaLiyan (Naaga rAjan) prays to Lord KrishNa this way: “sOham tE DevadEvEsa nAr chanAdhou sthuthou na cha, saamarTyavAn, krupAmAthra manOvrutthi: praseedha mE” KurEsar feels dejected that even repentance (anutApam) over the omissions does not arise in his mind. The purpose behind this type of statement of unfit ness (naicchAnusandhAnam) is to get rid of such prAthikoolyams and develop gradually the qualifications for performing SaraNAgathy at the Lord’s sacred 135
feet. AdhikEshava PErumAL of KUram 136
SLOKAM 97
@ten vE suividt< bt mamkIn< @ten vE suividt< bt mamkIn< @ten vE suividt< bt mamkIn< daEraTMy< Aàitivxeympar< $z> daEraTMy< Aàitivxeympar< $z> !, s<mUCDRtae=PypdmiSm ytSTvdIy inSsImÉUmké[am&tvIicvayae>. 97. yEtEna vai suviditham bata maamakeenam dourAthmyam apratividhEyam apAram Isa: ! | sammUrcchathOapyapadamasmi yathasthvadeeya nisseema bhUma karuNAmrutha veechi vaayO: ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord of all! What a pity? adiyEn is not touched even by an iota by the nec tarine and all pervasive breezes arising from Your Ocean of KaruNaa. adiyEn does not comprehend how this misfortune (dhurbhAgyam) resulted. adiyEn wallows in this state of helplessness, and is unable to find a remedy to reverse this misfortune. adiyEn’s sorrowful status is clearly understood by me.
COMMENTS:
There are four ways to destroy the sins through prAyascchittham: “AnutApa, Uparama, PrAchitthOnmukhathva and PrAyaschittha PoorNangaL”. In the previous slOkam, KurEsar said that he has no anutApam; in the slOkam before the previous slOkam (the 95th slOkam), KurEsar pointed out that there is no uparati for him and his sins keep on growing. In this slOkam, KurEsar de spairs over his inability and lack of incentive (motivation) to perform the ade quate PrAyascchitthams to destroy his paapams. He hints that there is no hope for him since the paapams are so heinous and limitless (apAram) that he has reason to despair. Swamy Desikan voiced such feelings in Dayaa Sathakam: “prasamayithum asEsham nishkriyAbhir-na sakyam”. He expresses his dhurbhAgyam (lucklessness) about the ever-present breeze of the Lord’s infinite mercy missing to touch him. 137
SLOKAM 98
@eñyRvIyRké[agirm]maa> @eñyRvIyRké[agirm]maa> Svaimn! Svaimn! ! Akar[suùÅv< Awae ivze;at!, sveR gu[a> siv;yaStv ma> Apar sveR gu[a> siv;yaStv ma> Apar- “aera"pU[¡ Agit—— inht< smeTy. 98. — aiswarya veerya karuNAgarima kshamAdhyaa: aiswarya veerya karuNAgarima kshamAdhyaa: Swamin ! akAraNa suhrutvam aTO visEshAth | sarvE guNA : savishayA : tava maamm apAra ghOraghapoorNam agathim ghOraghapoorNam agathim nihatham samEthya ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord of Nithya and Leelaa VibhUthis! Your Lordship, Your freedom from changes in spite of your supporting every thing through Your indwellership in all of Your creations, Your compassion to remove the miseries of the suffering souls, Your omnipotence, Your Forbearance and particularly your guNam of blessing others with soubhAgyams without expecting any thing in return are well celebrated. Those auspicious guNams have found their ideal target in adi yEn, who is the abode of limitless and fearsome sins, which gives me the status of a goner.
COMMENTS:
In the earlier slOkams, KurEsar saluted the anantha KalyANa GuNams of the Lord correcting the erring jeevans out of His dayaa and bringing them to His fold. Here, KurEsar states that all those guNams celebrated by VEdams and Upanishads must be used in his favor. He points out that they cannot afford to miss him as the most eligible target by the principle of “Reductio ad absur dum” (elimination process). They will be otherwise purposeless. Thus KurEsar hints that he has the anugraham of SrI VaikuNTha NaaThan. For the Nithya sooris or the Muktha Jeevans, there is not much need for the GuNams like KaaruNyam (Dayaa). For sages like Sanaka, who possess Sva roopa JnAnam, these guNams are not much in need either. These guNams are only for the benefit of those who are helpless and lost in SamsAram. Swamy Desikan says in this context: “manyE MaathA JaDa iva SuthE vathsalA 138 maadhrusE tvam”. Swamy ALavanthAr observed: adiyEn is the fitting object of Your Dayaa (idhAneem anutthamam PAthramidham DayAyA:). KurEsar con structed the second Paadham of this slOkam (SwAmin! akAraNa suhruth tvam aTO visEshAth) to remind us of the message of Upanishad that Sriman NaarA yaNan is the path and goal for us through SaraNAgathy (nivAsa SaraNam suhrudh gathi: NaarAyaNa:). GeethAchAryan reminded us of this central doc trine: “suhrudham sarva bhUthAnAm jnAthvA mAmm sAnthimrucchathi”. Know me as the well-disposed One to all janthus and there from attain Peace of mind says the Lord to Arjuna.
139
SLOKAM 99
TvTpads<ïy[hetu;u saixkaran! TvTpads<ïy[hetu;u saixkaran! TvTpads<ïy[hetu;u saixkaran! %*uÃtíirtk«TSnivxI %*uÃtíirtk«TSnivxI %*uÃtíirtk«TSnivxI——í ta<Stan!, — Tv< r]sIit mihma n tvalme; Tv< r]sIit mihma n tvalme; ma< cednI†zmnNygit—— n r]e>. 99. — n r]e>. 99. tvathpAda samsrayaNa hEthushu saadhikArAn udhyunjatha: charithakruthsnavidheemsccha tAmstAnn | tvam rakshaseethi mahimaa na tavAlamEsha maamm chEth aneedhrusam ananyagathim na rakshE: || MEANING:
Oh Bhagavann! It is well known that you rush to protect those who prac tice Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam to attain your sacred feet and also those who are fit to observe one of these yOgams. That is not an act of generosity by you. It is almost natu ral and some thing to be expected of You. That is KarmAnuguNa phala pradhAnam since they follow the path laid out by Your Saasthrams. It follows the rule:“kruthE cha prathi k a r t h a v y am y E s h a d h a rm a : sanaathana:” Your action towards me without any recourse or inability to follow the difficult yogams of Karma, JnAna and Bhakthi has to be different. It will not be a great testament to your anugraha sakthi if you do not come to adiyEn’s rescue during my state of helplessness. adi yEn is “Dhee-karma-bhakthi rahitha asakthan”. KurEsar’s son (ParAsara KUram ThAyAr 140Bhattar) commented on this aspect of the Lord coming to the rescue of the asakthars and becoming fulfilled through such an act. Bhattar described in his Sri RangarAja Sthavam that such an act of the Lord is like having a water stand in the middle of a desert instead of having such a stand in a place abun dant with water. Saving those, who are competent in JanAna, Bhakthi yogams is like adding water to a fish that is constantly in the middle of water. Helping those fish struggling outside water, by placing them inside the water is the example of the Lord helping asakthars,said ParAsara Bhattar. Thus Ku rEsar expressed his aakinchanyam (meekness) and ananyagathithvam (being without recourse).
141
SLOKAM 100
ya kmR[amixk«ityR #haemSte;u ya kmR[amixk«ityR #haemSte;u ya kmR[amixk«ityR #hae*mSte;u APye:vnuióitrze;imd< ih p<usam!, TvamNtre[ n kwÂn zKymaPtu< TvamNtre[ n kwÂn zKymaPtu< TvamNtre[ n kwÂn zKymaPtu< @v< c te;u miy @v< c te;u miy caiSt n te ivze;>. 100. yaa karmaNAm adhikruthi: ya ihOdhyamastEshu apyEshvanushtithirasEshamidam hi pumsAm | tvAmantharENa na kaTanjana sakyamApthum yEvam cha tEshu mayi chAsthi na tE visEsha: || yEvam cha tEshu mayi chAsthi na tE visEsha: ||
MEANING:
Oh Lord! The adhikAram (fitness and qualifications) for practicing Bhakthi or Jn~Ana or Karma yogam cannot be realized unless You will it so (athuvum avanathu innaruLE). It is impossible for them to succeed by themselves in such efforts. The Lord, who is SiddhOpAyan blesses them with the fruits of such efforts. As for adiyEn, SaraNAgathy at Your sacred feet for some one with my limitations in intellect and anushtAnam is the way shown by the AzhwArs (nORRa nOnbilEn, nuNNaRivilEn aahilum ini unnai vittonRum aaRRa hiRkkinRilEn aravinaNai ammANE). adiyEn has dared to observe SaraNAgathy at Your holy feet. The SaasthrArTam of the impossibility of SaadhyOpAyams like Bhakthi Yogam giving the Phalan of Moksham without the prasadhanam (favor) of the SiddhOpAyan (BhagavAn) is indicated here. KurEsar states that he is therefore clinging to the upAyam of Prapatthi alone.
SLOKAM 101
inbRNx @; yid te ydze;vEx- s<seivnae vrd s<seivnae vrd ! r]is netraNSTvm!, tihR Tvmev miy zKTyixkarvaÁaDa> tihR Tvmev miy zKTyixkarvaÁaDa> àTyUhzaiNtimtr½ ivxeih ivñam!. 101. nirbandha yEsha yadi tE yadasEshvaidha nirbandha yEsha yadi tE yadasEshvaidha samsEvinO Varadha ! rakshasi nEtharAnstvam | tarhi tvamEva mayi sakthyAdhikAra vaanchaa : tarhi tvamEva mayi sakthyAdhikAra vaanchaa : prathyUha saanthim itharath cha vidEhi viswAm ||
MEANING:
Oh boon granting Lord (Varadha)! Thou art known to protect those, who ap proach you by the ways that you have created in Your SaasthrAs. If there are any restrictions that you have about protecting the others outside the above group, in that case, please bless me with the sakthi to practice the required upAyam, fitness and the freedom from seeking the fruits of such an obser vance. Please bless adiyEn with all those required angams for reaching you as UpEyam.
COMMENTS:
At the end of this Sthavam, KurEsar declares without ambiguity that the Lord does not grant MOksham without Svanishtai or AchArya or Ukthi or BhAga vatha Nishtai. BhagavAn expects vyAjamAthra SaraNAgathy (rakshaapEkshAm pratheekshathE). This is the essence of the Lord’s upadEsam: “MaamEkam SaraNam vraja”. Following the way shown by the AzhwAr, KurEsar appeals for the Lord’s dayaa to fulfill without deficiency all the angams of SaraNAgathy including the com pletion of the Utthara kruthyams to realize nithya, niravadhya kaimkaryams at Parama Padham. KurEsar addresses Lord VaradarAjan, his ishta dhaivam in the last slOkam of Sri VaikuNTa Sthavam: “Varadha! tvam yEva Mayi Sakthi, adhikAra vaanchaa, prathyUha Saanthim, itharath viswAm cha vidEhi”. Kuresar did not ask
“dEhi” (please grant me); instead, KurEsar selects the word “vidEhi” (please generate in me). KurEsar seeks the anugraham of Sakthi, desire for fitness to practice the upAyam and removal of those obstacles that stand in the way of successful practice of the angams of the SaraNAgathy yOgam. With MahA Viswaasam in Lord Deva Raajan of Kaanchi, Kuresar concludes Sri VaikuNTha Stavam in the most hopeful, optimistic and triumphant note. Oh! VaradA! sharaNamaham prabadhyE! 144
SPECIAL TANIYAN Vy´Ik…vRn! ingmizrsamwRmNtinRgUF< rsamwRmNtinRgUF< rsamwRmNtinRgUF< ïIvEk…{QStvmk«t y> ïeyse s¾nanam!, kUraxIz< guétrdyaÊGxisNxu< tmIfe kUraxIz< guétrdyaÊGxisNxu< tmIfe kUraxIz< guétrdyaÊGxisNxu< tmIfe ïIvTsa»< ïu ïIvTsa»< ïu ïIvTsa»< ïuitmtguéCDaÇzIlEkxam. Vyaktheekurvan nigamasirasaamarTam antharnigooDham SrIvaikuntasthavamakrutha ya: srEyasE sajjanAnAm | SrIvaikuntasthavamakrutha ya: srEyasE sajjanAnAm | Kuraadheesam gurutara dayaa dugdha sindhum tameeDE SrIvathsAngam srutimatagurucchAthra seelaikadhAma ||
This Taniyan is about KurEsar and the SrI Sookthi of Sri VaikuNTha Stavam blessed to us by him. In this Sri Sookthi, the Vaibhavams of Sri VaikuNTha NaaThan are housed in Veda-VedAnthams. He celebrates His VaikuNTha Raa jadhAni, where He reigns supreme as the Emperor surrounded by Nithya Sooris and Muktha jeevans enjoying ParipoorNa BrahmAnadham and perform ing nithya, abhimatha Kaimkaryams for Him. In this Sri Sookthi, KurEsar sa lutes the UpAyams for attaining Him and eulogizes His DhivyAthma Sva roopam, Dhivya Mangala Vigraham, His three divine consorts (SrI, BhUmi and NeeLA DEvis), His anantha kalyANa guNams, His dhivya aabharaNams and Aa yudhams. KurEsar expressed movingly His Naicchiyam. He prayed through this Sthavam for the well being of his own sishyan, NaalUrAnun, who had commit ted unpardonable apachAram against him. KurEsar had the ideal lakshaNams of a MahA Desikan and forgave that MahAparAdhi, who committed AchArya drOham. KurEsar also had the ideal sishya lakshaNam and demonstrated it in every step of his way to his own AchAryan, SrI Bhagavath RaamAnujar. He gave his own eyes to keep AchArya RaamAnuja out of the danger posed by the evil ChOLA king. The attributes of the MahA Desikan celebrated in this Taniyan are: Nigama sirasAm antha: nigooDam arTam vyakthee kurvan 145 One who brought out the inner meanings hidden inside the Veda- VedAntha doctrines (rahasyArTams embedded in Sruthi passages).
SajjanAnAm srEyasE Ya: SrI VaikuNTha Stavam akrutha One who created the SrI Sookthi of SrI VaikuNTha Sthavam for the benefit of the PrapannAs and to assure them auspiciousness here and in the other world. GurucchAthra seela yEka dhAmam GurucchAthra seela yEka dhAmam The whole abode of the ideal conduct to be observed by the AchArya and his sishyan as established in the VedAs. He was the model of the ideal obser vances of an exemplary AchAryan to his sishyAs and an ideal sishyan to AchArya RaamAnuja. Gurutara dayA dhugdha sindhu: Gurutara dayA dhugdha sindhu: The most abundant milky ocean of Dayaa. The Taniyan concludes with a prayer to the head of the agrahAram of Kooram with the ThirunAmam of SrivathsAngar (KoorAdheesam tamm SrIvathsAngam eeDE). SrI VaikuNTa VinOdhini VyAkhyAnam of SrivathSaangAcchAr sampoorNam. Swamy KurEsar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam, Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan
146