thirup pAvai - part 22 - mantra upadEsam

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Er Arntha iLam kaNNi

 

Dear bAgawathAs, mArgazhi, Day 12

 

It is said that, Sri Lakshmanan, the ilaya perumAL never

slept for 14 years, and was keeping a constant vigil and was

guarding the divya dampathis during their vanavAsam. As similar to

that Sri yAsodhai was also guarding our Lord Sri Krishna by

constantly keeping her eyes on Lord. It is also known that the tamil

word "kaN" represents the eyes of Sri Krishna or "KaNNan"

(one who has those gracious eyes). The other swApdEsa arttham or inner

meaning for kaN are derived from its usage in many ways in

many different ways. In this pAsuram, the word kaNNI, is alluded

to mantra upadEsam and in particular to dwayam and ashtAksharam.

It is said in shAstras that those who receive this mantrAs from an

AchAryA alone has the adikAram on "ubaya sweekAram". (doing

prapatti). The "uRuppu" or part of the anatomy known as "kaN" or

eyes is meant for seeing. ie., the purpose of the eyes is to see.

Even if one has a clear eye (20/20 vision) can one see anything in

darkness anything ? One still needs a light to see any object. The

Visibility and its clarity depend on the lighting which may be

different either darker or brighter or normal. But what can an eye

perceive in a fog or cloud ?

 

In this part the reference to mantra upadEsam is meant to clear the

vision that one's Athma kaN can see. ie., the swaroopam

of an athmA is an "Anantha swaroopam", as it derives immense

pleasure in serving the Lord and HIS consort constantly and

eternally. This swaroopam is clouded with the anyAnam that are

induced due to karma. One do more and more of the "mantra japam" after

duly receiving it from an AchAryA, his/her "swa swaroopam" starts to

show up and these holy mantras also clear the path to

their final vision and realisation. ie., the mantras clear these

karmic screens and make them see the light. Those who reaches this

clarity derive extraordinary peace in their mind as they continue

with this exercise more and more. It is said that in its final

destiny these "mantrams" take one to the prathayksha darsanam of

the thiumuga maNdalam of the Lord. ie., the ultimate reach for

this mantrams are the eyes of the LORD such that one will be

blessed to see the Lord "eye" to "eye". It is said that these

mantrams keep seeing the Lord as similar to nitya suris and if one

can see and conceive the essence of these mantras and constantly dwell

in it, these mantra japam will take one to have the same darsham, ie

one is certain to have this "bAgyam" of prathayaksha darshaNam. The

reference to yasOdhai's eyes constantly seeing the

Lord is implying the essence of "mantrAs" constatnly seeing the

Lord eye to eye. And that the mantra upadEsam one may get from the

AchAryA (earlier referred to Sri NandagOpan) will take them to

this realisation one or the other.

 

Mantra japam as practiced by many is not mere repeating

of the mantras. Each mantram may have its own palan. Mantra (here

referred to the mukya mantras) as constituted in their syllables

and "words" is a vehicle that takes one's "athma kaN" (inner eye)

to the "prathyaksha darshanam" and makes them first have this

darshan "eye to eye" and realise the "athma sambandam" that the

"jivan" has with "Eswaran". As one start to chant the mantra japam

they must follow the protocols prescribed in shAstrAs,

in particular one must do anusanthAnam of the Acharya thaniyan and

pray to the ponnadi "golden feet" of AcharyA and start their japam.

As one proceed doing this japam one must start focussing on the

essence (inner most meanings) of these mantrams and "dwell" in it.

There is a definite procedure for each mantra and the most

important one is for doing ashtAkshra mantra japam that everyone

must follow.

 

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

Sri Boomi dEvi thAyAr samEtha Sri Oppiliappan thiruvadikaLE

saraNam

Sampath Rengarajan

(more to come on kaN)

 

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