Sri Azhagiya Singhar's Third UpanyAsam on Feb 7 , 1999 : PART 1

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

In the previous UpanyAsam , Srimath Azhagiya Singar

spoke about Tattvam . This time , he focussed on

Hitham and agreed to talk about PurushArtham on Feb 13

and thereafter initiate a series of upanyAsams on

Madhura Kavi AzhwAr's Prabhandham : KaNNiNuNN

siRutthAmpu .

 

The parama Hitham , the topic of today's

upanyAsam , was identified as SaraNAgathi

at the Lotus feet of Sarva Veda PrathipAdhyan ,

(the One celebrated by all the VedAs ),

Sri GeethAchAryan through a SadaachAryan

in the manner prescribed by the Charama slOkam .

 

The key slOkmas and pramANams that H.H. The Jeeyar

used to weave this upanyAsam are the following :

 

A. The First slOkam of Charama SlOkAdhikAram of

Srimadh Rahasya Thraya Saaram of Swami Desikan :

 

ya upanishadhAm anthE yasmAth anantha-dayA ambudhE:

thruDitha janathA sOka: slOka: svayam samajAyatha I

tamiha vidhinA KrishNam dharmam prapathya sanAthanam

samitha dhurithA : sankha aathankha-thyaja: Sukham aasmahE II

 

(meaning ) : We pass our time on this earth (as PrapannAs )

without any doubt or fear and stay in a state of freedom

from sins as a direct result of performing SaraNAgathi

in this life of ours to that Ocean of Mercy , Lord KrishNaa ,

who is seated near the assembly of Upanishads and from whom

the Charama slOkam arose spontaneously to banish the sorrows of

the SamsAris .

 

The key words in this slOkam are :

 

A.1: KrishNam dharmam SanAthanam ( KrishNA is SiddhOpAyam ).

Swami Desikan was inspired by the following slOkam from MahA-

BhAratham ( Vana parvam :71-123) for identifying Lord KrishnA

as Siddha UpAyam (SiddhOpAyam )or the means for the obtainment

of Moksham in his own RTS :

 

yE thE vEda vidhO viprA yE cha adhyAthma vidhO janA:

thE vidhanthi mahAthmAnam KRISHNAM DHARMAM SANAATHANAM

 

(MEANING):Those sacred ones , who comprehend the karma

KhAndham ( poorva mImAmsam ) as well as the Jn~Ana

KhAndham ( Uttara mimAmsam )dealing with ParamAthmA always

celebrate KrishNaa as the everlasting (sanaathana)

dharmam ( SiddhOpAyam ).

 

A.2: Tam iha vidhinA prapathya , sankha-aathanka thyaja: ,

samitha-dhurithA: , sukham aasmahE ( Prapatthi is

SaadhyOpAyam ; when it is performed as prescribed

by Lord KrishNA , the people rid themselves of Fears ,

Doubts and sins and stay in a joyous state of mind.

 

A.3: YasmAth thruDitha janatha sOka: slOka: svayam samajAyatha

(from whom -KrishNA-the charam slOkam arose spontaneously to

banish the suffering samsAris' sorrows ). His great

sense of compassion for the sufferings of smasAris

as DayAmbhudhi , the charama slOkam took its spontaneous

birth (svayam samajAyatha).Here , H.H. The Jeeyar referred

to another great slOkam born out of reaction to experiencing

another heart-breaking sorrowful event . That event was the

killing of one of the Krouncha bird dampathis by a hunter

in front of Sage Valmiki and the slOkam is the famous

one that led to the birth of Srimadh RaamAyaNam . That

slOkam also arose spontaneously from Sage Valmiki's mouth.

That slOkam in the form of an angry curse on the cruel hunter

who struck down one of the Krouncha birds is :

 

maa nishAdha prathishtAm thvam agama: saasvathI samA:

yath Krouncha mithunAthEkam avadhI: kaama mOhitham

 

(Meaning ): Oh (Cruel and Insensitive )Hunter !

May you have endless years without peace of mind ,

since you slew one of the pair of the KrounchA

bird infatuated with passion (for its mate).

 

Both Sage Valmiki's and the Lord's charama slOkam

had spontaneous births ( Svayam ajAyatha ) . There

are however differences . Valmiki"s reaction to

the sorrow (sOkham )transformed into a slOkham ;

Lord KrishNA's reaction to the sorrows of the chEthanams

and His limitless mercy led to the birth of a slOkam

that led to the sukham of those sentient beings.

 

H.H. The Jeeyar gave a wonderful explanation to

Sage valmIki's slOkam and pointed out that it

is not a slOkam associated with Sokham , but a

laudatory pallANDu for LORD SRINIVAASAN .

 

The revered Jeeyar combined the words maa with

nishAdha to make it " MaanishAdha" instead of

viewing them as separate words. In this view ,

MaanishAdaha translates into Sri ( Maa) nivAsan

(nishAdhan ). One is reminded of MaalOlan here

made up of Maa+lOlan , the name celebrating the Lord

as Lakshmi Narasimhan .Next ,the Jeeyar translated

the words , " prathishtAm tvam agama: saasvathi SamA "

of the SlOkam as PallANDu of Sage Valmiki for

Maanishadha SrinivAsan . That is Saasvatha MangaLaasAsanam .

It was thrilling to hear this wondeful intrepretation .

 

The other PramANams used in this UpanyAsam to

underline the significance and importance of

the performance of SaraNAgathi will be covered in the next

posting .

 

Azhagiya Singhar ThiruvadikaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan