Dhanur Maasam : Twenty second day --Artha panchakam /Pala svarupamo

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs of GodhA piratti :

 

In this posting , we will study the fifth of the pentad

of Arhta Panchakam celebrated as Pala Svarupam .

 

AndAL establishes in ThiruppAvai parama purushArtha

nirNayam as pala svarupam . That parama PurushArtha

nirNayam is evident in the paasuram section :

 

" iRRai paRai koLvAn anru kaaN GovindhA

yeRRaikkum YEzhEzh piravikkum unRannOdhu

uRROmEyAvOm unakkE naam aat seyvOm

maRRai nangkaamangaL maaRRU "

 

The self-nature (Svarupam ) of Palam (fruit) is

the uninterrupted servitude to the Lord ( VazhuvilA

Adimai seyvathu ) as parama purushArtham according

to AndAL . She establishes that the only way to get sure

release from the afflictions of SamsAra is to receive the

boon of Nitya Kaimkaryam from the Lord . That boon is made

possible by us approaching the Lord with Thooymai .

It is not just BrahmAnubhavam that AndAL asks for or approves ,

but She selects as THE Palasvarupam that Nitya kaimkaryam

the Jeevan does to ParamAthmA and the Lord welcoming it

with joy and the Jeevan becoming filled as a result with the sense

of bliss at the Lord's acceptance of the Kaimkaryam . This is

the PremyArtham of ThiruppAvai .

 

Swami Desikan points out in Rahasya Traya Saaram (RTS )

that Pala Svarupam is incorporated in the Mula Manthram

in the chathurthi vibakthi (case) ; it is included in the namas

sabdham of Dvayam (Mantra Ratnam ) and it is again

housed in the section of " sarva PaapEpyO mokshayishyAmi "

in Sarama Slokam .

 

The kalakshepams with AchAryAs on RTS help the PrapaNNaas

to understand the above relationships between pala svarupam and

the sections of the three rahasyams referred to above . Here , we will

focus on the " sarva PaapEbhyo " section of Sarama slokam and its

connection to the pala svarupam .

 

In his Taatparya chandrikai , the commentary on Bhagavad GitA

closely modelled after that of Acharya RamAnujA , Swami Desikan

describes the essence of Sarama slokam this way :

 

SudushkarEna sochEthyO yena yenEshtahEthunA I

sa sa tasyAhamEvEthi sarama sloka sangraha : II

 

(Meaning ) : The Lord says through Sarama sloka : " I stand

in the place of the Upaayam and complete the efforts of the

Jeevan , which is saddened by its inability to pursue the means

(Upaayam ) and sincerely regrets over its helplesness . " This is

the essence of sarama slokam .

 

Swami Desikan in his RTS uses the above verse to indicate

that the " sarva Paapa " vakhyam of the Sarama slokam destroys

by utterance , the praapthi virodhis , the upaaya virodhis as well

as the prathikula anubhava hethus (Praathikoolya varjana anubhava

virodhis ) . Prapthi virodhi is the Lord's sankalpam(Nigraham) that this

jeevan full of aparAdhams is not fit to enjoy us . Upaaya Virodhi is the

Lord's assessment that this Jeevan will not have the thooymai to

enjoy us . Prathikoola anubhava hethus are the fruits arising from

performing deeds not permitted by the saasthrAs sanctioned by the Lord .

 

All of the above three kinds of obstructions interfering with one's quest for

Moksham are destroyed by the Sarva Paapa vaakyam of the sarama slokam

revealed to us by GeethAchAryan . When He assures us through the words,

"Sarva PaapEbhyO mokshayishyAmi " not only does the jeevan realize

the destruction of the three kinds of Virodhis , but it also gains Ishta

Praapthi

or the fulfilment of the Kaimkarya Purushartham as Pala Svarupam .

 

The genius of Swami Desikan sums up the doctrines of Artha Panchakam

preached and practised by the Thiruppavai Jeeyar brilliantly in the folowing

verse of RTS :

 

praapyam brahma samastha seshi paramam prApthAham asyochita:

prapthirdhaya dhana kramAdhiha mama praapthA svatha : surivath I

hanthainaamathivrutthavAnahamhammathyA vimatyAsraya :

sethussamprathi seshidampathi BHARANYAASASTHU mE sishyatE II

 

(Meaning ) : The one supreme object to strive for and to obtain is

the Lord , who is the Seshi for every one ; I am the one to strive for

this palam . I am fit to be saved by the Lord. The act of attaining this

blessing is like the father's wealth coming to the son , just as

in the case of the Nitya suris . This fruit (palam ) should have come

to me due to my sambhandham ( Uravu Ozhikka OzhiYaadhu ) .

Alas ! my ahankAram stood as the Virodhi (enemy ) and obstructed my

sadhana to attain the kiamkarya purushArtham . Now , the SaraNAgathi

(BharanyAsam ) that I would be performing at the lotus feet of the

seshi dampathi (implying Eka seshithvam ) is going to be the bridge

(Upaayam ) to cross the ocean of SamsAra and attain Ishta Prapthi

and Palam in the form of Nitya Kaimkaryam to them .

 

This then indeed is the knowledge of Artha Panchakam that GodhA

Piraatti taught us and our parmAcharyas explained to us

through the paasurams of Thiruppavai !

 

In the next posting , We will examine and enjoy the concept of Prapatthi

as expressed and practised by AndAL in Her two Prabhandhams .

 

Soodikkoduttha NaachiyAr ThiruvadigaLE saraNam.

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan