Andal's Tirunakshatram

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

For this most sacred day of Andal's TN, we have been blessed with

wonderful postings by Srimans Sadagopan Swamin and Sriman

Madhavakkannan Swamin. The posting on Tattva, Hita, and Purushartha

is most illuminating.

 

Adiyen wishes to contemplate on the MahOpakaram of Andal for jeevans

like us through the salutations employed by our Paramacharyan

Swami Desikan. At the conclusion of the Godha Sthuthi, Swami

Desikan salutes Godha Piratti as "CharaNa Kamala SevAm ShAshvatIm

abyupaishyan".

 

This reminds Adiyen of the esoteric messages contained in the

three Rahasya Mantrams. This masterful salutation of Our

Paramacharyan

is indicative of the fact that the only thing that is eternal is

service to the Lotus feet of the Divine Couple for their pleasure and

at their pleasure. In this context it is helpful to remember that

all material wealth, sensual pleasures, royalty, high official

position, Swarga vAsam, and the status of Brahma, Rudra, and Indra

are transient in nature. Therefore, these should not be pursued by a

discerning Bhagavata. Instead, that which is eternal is

service to the Lord and is service to the Lord and His Bhagavatas.

This illustrates the Narayana Sooktam salutation "Patim

vishvasyAtmeshwaragam shAshvatagam shivamachyutham". In the Rahasya

trayasAram, Swami Desikan points out that one may find things of

no value, some value, high value and highest value. However, a

Prapanna must seek that which has the highest value. In this context,

that which has the highest value is service rendered to the feet of

the Lord and His Bhagavatas. Therefore, this is the goal of every

Prapanna. Upon begetting Moksham one is blessed with eternal bliss

resulting from uninterrupted Kaimkaryam for the Divine Couple. This

is reflective of the message from the VishNu Sooktham Rk "Tad vishNO:

Paramam padagam sadA pashyanthi soorayaha" and the Taittriya

Upanishad

salutation "sa ekO brahmaNa ananda:"

 

Next, the Godha Stuthi salutation of Our Paramacharyan also points

out the means for attaining the goal, i.e., through the margam of

SharaNagati, i.e., unconditional total surrender to His lotus feet.

Here, Swami Desikan powerfully conveys the message that every Baddha

jivan is the property of Sarva Seshi, Sriya: Pathi. Armed with this

knowledge, His property must be restored to the rightful owner. This

must be performed with the following undertaking:

(1) Act only in ways to please Lord Narayana.

(2) Avoid everything that displeases Him.

(3) Remain assured that Lord Narayana will offer protection at all

times.

(4) Recognize dependence on Lord Narayana for everything.

(5) Realize that without Him one is a destitute.

The formal Bhara SamarpaNam (Atma Nivedanam)at the Lord's lotus feet

constitutes the angi in the process of sharaNagati.

In this manner, devoid of all ahamkaram and mamakaram every jivan

must place at the diposal of Lord Narayana, everything sentient and

insentient belonging to them, for exclusive use in the Lord's

Kaimkaryam. This in a nutshell is the quintessence of Our

Sampradayam,

which is beautifully described in the three Rahasya mantrams.

 

Let us now see how Andal aids us in this process. The margam of

SharaNagati is called sat vidya or nyasa vidya. Very few are privy to

this knowledge, which is succinctly stated in the Vedas. Andal, who

is

an Amsam of Bhoomi Piratti, personifies compassion. Out of Her

unbounded mercy for suffering jeevans, She undertook the performance

of the Nombu of SharaNagati, symbolized by Her union with Lord

Ranganatha. The rules for performing this Nombu are clearly outlined

in thirty delectable verses of Tiruppavai. Andal's MahOpakaram lies

in bringing out the essence of nyasa vidya in an easy-to-understand

language the message hidden in the Vedas for the benefit of "ariyAda

piLLaihaLO". It is also helpful to reflect on the Tiruppavai

salutation "unakkE namAcchaivOm". This is a most poignant example of

adhering to the message of the Charma Shlokam "maam Ekam sharaNam

vraja".

 

The benefit conferred by "CharaNa Kamala Seva" is best described

by Andal's Tiruppavai saluatation "Sharanga shara mazhai pOl". Swami

Desikan mirrors this Anubhavam in the Daya Shatakam salutation

"Sharnga dhanvAnukampa". It is helpful to recall that in the war

against Ravana, the Asuras employed maya tactics and inflicted heavy

casualities on the Vanara army. At this juncture, Lord Rama entered

the scene and rained an unending stream of arrows, which demolished

the scheme of the Asuras and sent them scurrying for cover. The

arrows from His bow came so swiftly in all directions that there

appeared to be a multitude of Ramas simultaneously engaged in war.

In an analogous manner, the baddha jivatma bound to samara is

enveloped by the darkness of ignorance. The process of SharaNagati

frees them from this darkness and blesses them with the light of

knowledge (sat vidya). This is indicative of the Vedam Rk "TamasOmA

jyOtirgamayA". The bountiful blessings (sarUpyam, sAmIpyam, and

sAlOkyam) arising from SharaNagati to the Lord's lotus feet (Naryana

Sayujyam) is described by the copious shower of arrows from Lord

Rama's bow. This also highlights the assurance of Lord Rama in the

RamayaNa Charma Shlokam "dadAm yetat vratam mama".

 

The act of granting refuge to a supplicant is a yajna performed by

Lord Narayana. The term patni is meant for exclusive use in the

context of yajnas. In the yajna of SharaNagati, Andal (as an Amsham

of

Bhoomi Piratti) assists the Lord as VishNu Patni. Her impassioned

appeal to the Lord to forgive all trangressions of the supplicants

renders the yaaga shala fertile and enables the Lord to perform the

yajna of SharaNagati. This is illustrated in the BhU-Sooktam Rk

"ShrungE ShrungE YajnE YajnE VibhishaNIi".

 

On this blessed day Adiyen wishes to salute Andal in the spirit of

"Akhila Jagan matharam Asman Matharam" and remember her MahOpakaram

with gratitude in the spirit of "Puna: puna: praNamya"

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Adiyen,

 

Ramanuja Dasan,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan