Periya Thirumozhi- 4.6- KannA! You alone are my rakshakan!, Commentary on this paasuram : Part 2

[Guest guest]

(Continuation with some overlaps for coherent reading)

 

Now coming back to the 9th paasuram

on ThirukkAvalampADik KaNNan , the portion

for our discussion is as follows :

 

" chandamAi SamayamAhi Samayavaim bhUthamAhi

anthamAi AadhiyAhi arumaRai avayum aanAi--"

 

These two magnificient lines are about the Para

Tattvam (Supreme Lorship)of Sriman NaarAyaNan as

the DhArakan ( who bears the Jeevans as His Body/svarUpam ),

as the NiyanthA ( who commands us with His sankalpam ),

as the sEshi ( as the Lord with no one equal or greater

than Him and who receives the fruits of our rakshanam ),

as the Svatha-Sarvaj~nan (natural Omniscient one),

as the Sarvasakthan ( Omnipotent one),

as the Parama KaaruNIkan ( the most merciful one),

as the sarva SaraNyan ( the refuge for one and all),

and as the MOksha pradhan ( the sole granter of Moksham ).

 

Let us now enjoy the meanings of the individual

words chosen by Kaliyan .I will first give the meanings

in VaishNava paribhAshai (coded lamguage) and then break

the codes for a clearer understanding :

 

(1)ChandhamAi= by becoming the svAthanthrya sakthi of the Jeevans,

(2)Samayam aahi=by becoming the kaala dhravyam with its many divisons

(3)samayam ei bhUtham aahi=by becoming the prapancham defined by

the five elements(pancha bhUtham), which

arise after Mahath , ahankAram and other

achEthana tattvams

(4)antham aai=by becoming the Pralayam

(5)Aadhi aahi=by becoming the many created beings as upAdhAna kAranam

(6)aru maRai avaiyum aanAi=You became the timeless VedAs , which describe

all these wonderous doctrines related to You.

 

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There are SIX illustrative examples given by Kaliyan

to celebrate the sweep and magnificence of the Lord ,

Sriman NaarAyaNan , who blessed him with His

darsanam as ArchA mUrthy at KaavaLampADi Sri KrishNan .

We will analyze these six words one by one because of

their depth of meanings. The first of the SIX is

Chandham aai ( Taking the form of Chandham ) :

 

(1) chandham aai: The Jeevans have JnA~nam,icchA

and prayathnam.Let us focus on Jna~nam first and

relate it to IcchA and prayathnam .

 

The Jna~nam or knowledge here is dharma bhUtha Jna~Nam (DBJ),

an important concept in VisishtAdvaitham.It is eternal and

pervasive and is an attribute of Isvaran and the Jeevans.

This knowledge is shrunk or obscured( sankuchitham)

for bound jeevans( bHaddha Jeevans) and is fully blossomed

(vikasitham ) in the case of mukthAs or NithyAs (liberated

Ones and the eternals).It functions through the mind in all

knowing processes; thus all objective knowledge is

a modification of it.DBJ has the power to reveal objects

as well as itself ,but not to know them. What it illumines

is always for another". In perception , it goes out to

the object,takes on the object's form and as a result,

the object becomes known to the perceiving subject.

 

The modes of DBJ include the internal states of the mind like

desire(IcchA and anger) as well as prayathnam ( karthruthvam

/muaRcchi).

 

The DBJ and its modes like IcchA and prayathnam of

the Jeevan is covered by the first word of this Paasuram

to indicate the realtionship between chEthanam or

the sentient being with the Supreme Lord of whose

body it is a part.

 

IcchA sakthi means divine will; Prayathna sakthi is

conscious activity .Some of the SvAthanthric charactrestrics

of the Jeevan in our sampradhAyam are:Jn~Athruthvam (Jn~Anam),

bhOgthruthvam (~IchA ) and karthruthvam (Prayathnam ).

Jn~Athruthvam is "aRivudamai" or possession of

Dharma BhUtha Jn~Anam . BhOkthruthvam arising from

IcchA sakthi is the capacity for the Jeevan to enjoy

the fruits of its karmAs . Karthruthvam is "seyal Purithal"

or undertaking the effort or kriyA sakthi. These are not

possible for the achEthanam or insentients.

 

This chandas (chandham aai) also refers to Gayathri(24),

ushNik(28), anushtup(32), bruhathi(36) pankthi (40),

Thrishtup (44), Jagathi(48) ,Athijagathi (52),

Sakvari(56) ,athisakvari(60), Ashti(64) ,Athyashti(68),

Dhruthi(72) and athidhruthi(76)et al. The numbers in

paranthesis are the total number of syllables in

these Vedic metres constituting the veda manthrams.

These metres increase by interbvals of fiour starting from

Gaayathri with 24 syllables .In the Rg Vedam , there are

10,472 manthrams housed in ten cantos in 20 metres

including Gaayathri (2,449 mathrams),

Thrishtup( 4,251 manthrams) , athidhruthi( one manthram ),

Dhruthi (2 manthrams) et al. These 10,472 manthrams

with 3,94,221 syllables are housed in the above 20 metres.

 

The famous Gayathri manthram that we use in SandhyA-

vandhanam is the thripAdha Gayathri has 23 syllables,

one less than the standard 24 and is known as nicruth Gaayathri.

The standard Gayathri chandas with 24 syllables

can vary as one of the many combinations adding upto 24

syllables: 8+8+8 0r 7+10=7( yava madhya Gaayathri) et al.

Pragathas are combination of one or more metres.

For example , Anushtupa pragAthA is made up of

Anushtup+Gaayathri+Gaayathri ( 32+24+24=80 syllables).

 

By the choice of one single word , "ChandhamAi" ,

Kaliyan incorporates all the profound principles

of VisishtAdvaitham associated with the Jeevan,

JnA~na-IcchA-Prayathna svAthanthrya Sakthi- and

the entire assembly of chandhas forming the infrastructure

for the veda manthrams eulogizing the Lord of

ThirukkAvaLampADi .

 

Kaliyan's intent seems to be aimed at removing

the troubles for us to learn about the intricate meanings

of SaasthrAs by us of feeble mind through self study

and to learn them thru AachArya UpadEsams .He is

standing in the role of an AchAryan and giving us

parama mangaLa upadEsam through these words

of the 9th paasuram on Sri KrishNan of

KaavaLampADi. The slOkam in this context

for our reflection is :

 

Saasthra JnA~nam bahu klEsam buddhe:chalana kaaraNam

UpadEsAth Harim buddhvA viramEth Sarva karmasu

 

(Meaning): Those who are not gifted with firm intellect/

mind would find it very diffcult to learn the subtle

meanings of the SaasthrAs and they will be easily confused .

Therefore , they should learn from the AchArya-upadEsam

about the majesty of our Lord and the cardinal

doctrines relating to our sampradhAyam and thus cease

to learn SaasthrAs by themselves.

 

We will discuss "samyamaahi" in the next posting .

 

Thirumangai Mannan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

A very perceptive reader of my posting on

the above subject had the following question

relating to the Gayathri chandas .

 

Please read first the query from the Member

before perusing my response .The query is at the bottom

of this posting .

 

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It is a very important question and is most welcome

one . Let me clarify it thru the following comments:

 

(1) First of all GayathrI Manthram is a Vedha manthram .

It is recited as part of the SamhithAs and it is also

used in daily japam during SandhyA vandhanam .The aksharams

are different in Vedhic recitation and Japam usage:

 

VarENiyam japE prOktham VarENyam Vedha PaatakE

( VarENiyam should be the use for Japam tiomes

and VarENyam is during Vedha PaarAyanam ).

 

Thus , The Japya GaayathrI (GaaythrI manthram used for Japam)

has "varENiyam " with an extra aksharam and the total

counts up to 24 aksharams .

 

The other one with " VarENyam " becomes 23 in count

and is permitted as Gaayathri Chandhas in Veda PaarAyaNam .

There is no need to add the "i" ( uyir Yezutthu ) to

the "N" (meyyezutthu)here to form "Ni" for Veda PaarAyanam ,

where as it is an absolute must to add"i" to "N"

to form "Ni" to get the 24 lettered GayathrI for japam .

 

(2) GaayathrI has three paadhams.Eac paadham

during Japam has 8 aksharams. Gaayathri can

also be split into Four Paadhams with 6 aksharams

each for archanai alone :

 

JapE thu thripadhA prOkthA

ArchanE thu ChathushpadhA .

 

(3) There are other sookshmams such as

"dhIrga gaayathri" (i-e)., the japam of this

sacred manthram with five stops using

the Vedha Svarams ( PanchAvasAnaI).

The number and timing of the dhIrga

GaayathrI should be learnt from those ,

who are familiar with these anushtAnams .

 

(4) There is yet another GaayathrI manthram

revered as "ThurIya GaayathrI " , which one

can receive only through special UpadEsam

from great anushtAthAs ( great souls ).

That has its own nyAsam .That Gaayathri manthram

has 32 aksharams .Even an additional YajnOpaveetham has

ben recommended for those , who perform Japam

of the ThurIya Gaayathri. It is not much in vogue.

 

(5)The well known statement is " ChathurvimsathyaksharA GaayathrI "

( There should be 24 aksharams in GaayathrI). The rules of Chandas

permit one less or more or for variations that add up to

the total of 24 (6 times 4 or 8 times 3).When it is 23 ,

it is called nicruth GaayathrI.

 

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>>the member's question was :

>

>>From what I received from my father, and Sri Kozhiyalam

>Swami's Ahnikam, the gAyatrI that I recite during japa

>also has 24 syllables. This is accomplished by the 'Ni'

>in vareNyam being pronounced as 'vareNiyam'.

>

>Is this different from what you are saying?

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Hope the above comments help to clarify the points

of interest .I am very happy for the excellent question .

 

V.Sadagopan