Gowlai Pancha Rathnam : Part 4--Second CharaNam

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Dear NadhOpasakAs :

 

The second charaNam of this pancharathnam is

as follows :

 

sakala bhoothamulyanthu nee vaiyunDaga

madhilEkha pOyina ( duDuku gala )

 

This charaNam is a tribute to Sri Ramachandra

as antharyAmi Brahman .

 

The Lord is the inner controller or antharyAmi ,

one of the five forms of the supreme being .

The other forms of His are Para , Vyuha ,

Vibhava and archA .

>From the study of SubAlOpanishad , antharyAmi-

brAhmaNam section in BrhadAraNyakOpanishad and

Sad-cidyA section in ChAndOgya Upanishad , we come

to the understanding that just as the Jeevan has an

atomic sized body of its own , there is Lord , who pervades

the body of that jeevan as its soul (antharyAmi ) and

controls and supports it . Thus antharyAmi Brahman

is understood as the soul of souls ( jeevans ) .

 

Just as the soul ( jeevAthmaa) is pristine and free from

imperfections and defects associated with the changes

in body as it changes from childhood to youth to old age ,

the inner soul ( antharAthmA ) , the supreme Brahman

is free of the paapams and puNyams acquired by the

jeevAthmA arising from its karmAs . The earth is karma-

bhUmi and the jeevan with its body on this earth reaps

the fruits of its deeds , while the antharyAmi Brahman

is untouched by the jeevan's deeds .

 

As antharyAmi , the Lord prevails in the heart lotuses

of ALL the sentients , which He rules . In this context ,

the Upanishad declares : " He has entered into the heart

and rules the jeevans , Himself being their inner soul " .

This form of the Lord is seen only by Yogis through DhyAna

Yogam . He has thus anthar-vyApthi as well as bahir

vyApthi ( pervasive presence with in and outside

ALL of His creations ( sentienrs and insentients ) .

" Anthar bahisccha tath sarvam VyApya NaarAyaNa:

sthitha: " says another Upanishad . Therefore , He is

not circumscribed or limited by other things ( vasthu

paricchEda rahithan ) . He is not A or B or C or D , but

He is A,B, C, D etc .

 

Anyone , who does not understand His presence in

other creations of His and is disrespectful to the others

has a lamentable life on this earth .

 

The antharyAmi form of the Lord , inspite of the fact that

it is so close to us in our own hearts , is inaccessible to

all but the Yogis , who train themselves through meditation

to enjoy Him in that form . The others neither pay attention

to the Lord within nor do they recognize the antharyAmi

brahmam in other sentients .

 

Saint ThyagarAja laments over his misspent life , where he

did not have the vivEkam to revere the presence of the Lord as

sarva charAchara bhUthan and thus lead a Godly life . He

says in this charaNam : " Oh Lord ! You are the indweller

of all the jeevans , BrahmA , IndrA , devathAs . I did not

comprehend this supreme and central truth and went about

my ways of hurting and cheating people and collecting my

heavy bundle of sins . " Sakala bhUthamula yanthu nee vai

yuNDaka madhi lEkha pOyina " . That discriminating

knowledge I did not possess due to my dushkarmAs .

Which Dorai mahan is going to come to my rescue now,

except You ?

 

Swami Desikan's salutation to Sri VaradarAjA of

Kanchi as " Sarva charAchara Athman and Sarvam "

is the basis of such a feeling by BhakthAs during

their sadhanAs to gain the grace of the Lord . Swami

Desikan's meaningful slOkam provides then the basis

for Saint TyagarAjA's feelings of nirvEdham. Swami

Desikan addresses the antharyAmi Brahmam as

follows :

 

BrahmEthi Sankara itheendhra ithi svarADithi

aathmEthi SARVAMITHI SARVA CHARAACHARAATHMAN I

Hastheesa sarva vachasaAm avasAna seemAm

tvAm SARVA KAARANAM USANTHI anapAya vaacha :II

 

Saint ThyagarajA's words " Sakala bhUthamula yanthu nee "

is a strong echo of Swami Desikan "s " Sarva CharAcharAthman " .

 

The need for BhUtha dayai based on the j~nAnam that the Lord is

the SarvAntharyAmi is the subject of this second charaNam of

Saint ThyagarAjA .

 

Sri Ramachandra Para BrahmaNe nama :

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan