Dhanur Maasam : Twenty First Day --Artha Panchakam/Virodhi Svarupam

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees of AndAL :

 

In this posting we will study together the fourth of

the pentad of Artha Panchakam known as Virodhi

Svarupam . Virodhi or the obstacle here is the obstacle to

Moksham or freedom from rebirths . Bhakthi and Prapatthi

are the two routes to overcome the obstacles placed in the way

of attaining Moksham . Svarupam or self-nature of the Virodhis

for Moksha prApthi are covered by AndAL in her Thiruppavai .

 

In the fourth verse of Thiruppavai , AndAL commands VaruNA this way :

" vAzha ulahil peythidaai naangaLum margazhi neeraada ".

Here , Margazhi Neeraatam is the symbol for Bahgavadh Samslesham

or union with the Lord . Here she is worried about the obstacles to

that type of nal vaazhvu or auspicious life . She consoles herself

in the next paasuram and cheers herself up through the insight

that the Virodhis to Bahgavad Samslesham will be burnt to ashes like

the dust in fire ( poya pizhaiyum puhutaruvAn ninranavum theeyinil

thoosaahum ) . She points out that the recitation of the name of

the Lord (Govinda Dhamodhara maadhavEthi ) with affection would

destroy the Virodhis of Moksham by elimiating sanchitha , aagaamya

KarmAs and their fruits . Those are the two kinds of fruits in the form

of Papams and PuNyams. They unite with and bind the Jeevan

and obstruct the attainment of Moksha siddhi . RajO and TamO

guNams prevail in this state of bondage and Artha Panchaka

JnAnam is banished . Rebirth occurs and the Jeevan is deeply

immersed in the sea of SamsArA . These Virodhis however are

destroyed by BahgavannAma Sankeerthanam (ThuyOmaai Vandhu --

VaaiyinAl paadi , Manathinaal chinthikka ) effectively .

 

The state of arriving before the Lord in a state of purity of mind

(ThooyOmaai Vandhu ) is very important to destroy the Moksha VirOdhis .

When the blemishes are removed , the Jeevan is in a state of

purity , which is a prerequisite for Moksha PrApthi . AndAL states

TWICE about arriving in a state of Thooymai ( Purity of thought ),

before the Lord to seek His Kaimkaryam . First , she says in the

fifth Paasuram , " ThooyOmaai vandhu naam " . In the sixteenth

pasuram (Nayakanaai ) , she describes her state as " ThooyOmai

VandhOm ) .

 

In the twenty eigth Paasuram (KaRavaigaL pin chenru ) , she again

points out her state : ariyaatha PLLaihaLOm , Arivonrumillatha Aaikulatthu ".

Recognition of that state and seeking the Lord as Upaayam leads

to a pure state charactrestric of one , who has adopted the SiddhOpAyam

(SiddhOpAya SveekAram ) . Seeking that state to reach the purity and

thereby to banish the Virodhis of Mokshaanubhavam , she begs the

Lord to remove all other PrayojanAs (PrayOjanAntharam ) from her

mind :" MaRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu " . She also reminds Him

about the unchangable relationship between them ( UnrannOdhu

uRROmEyAvoM ) . She prays for the Manatthooymai born out of

the Bhogthruva buddhi ( a mind that relishes the taste of Kaimkaryam

to the Lord ) .

 

Dr. Rangarajan has pointed out that in ParAsara Bhattar's view ,

the prayer , " maRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu " is the

prabhala tara Virodhi PraharaNam ( topmost weapon for destroying

the Moksha Virodhi ) . PiLLai LokAcchAr has taken a similar view.

He says that svaprayOjana buddhi is the virOdhi for Moksha PrApthi .

NishkAma , Bhagavath kaimkaryam resulting from His answer to the prayer,

" MaRRai nam kaamangaL MaaRRu " is the sure solution to destroy the

obstacles (Virodhis ) in the path of Moksha Siddhi .

 

NammAzhwAr laments over the above Virodhis in one of his Paasurams

this way : KaNNapiRaanai --naNNahillEn , Pala sey vinai kayiRRaal

yennai pOra vaitthaai puRamE " . He states that the Lord has tied him down

firmly with the ropes of the karmAs and has placed him far away from his

presence ( Thiruvaimozhi 5.1.5) .

 

The Thiruppavai Jeeyar in his saraNAgathi gadhyam laments over the same

virodhis in a moving passage :" Madhiyaanaadhi karma pravaaha pravrutthAm

bhagavadh svarupa tirOdhaanakareem viparitha jnaana jananeem ---daiveem

guNamayeem maayaam --- daasa bhootha: saranAgathOsmi tavaasmi daasa:

ithi vakthAram mam taaraya ". The essential message of AndAL and

the achAryAs is that the sure step for victory over the Moksha Virodhis

is saraNAgathi at the Lord's sacred feet .

 

The Thiruppavai Jeeyar sums it up succinctly in Sri Bhashyam this eternal

truth in this manner : "Tasya cha vaseekaraNam taccharaNagathirEva "

( The saadhanam to attract the Lord to cast His merciful glance at us

and to have Him in our control is the SaraNAgathi that we perform with

mahAvisvAsam at his Lotus feet .

 

We will discuss the Pala svarupam in the final posting on the Artha Panchakam

tomorrow .

 

AndAL thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri sadagopan