Dhivya Desam of naimisArNyam : Part II

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

The ten paasurams of Thirumangai on the EmperumAn of

NaimisAraNyam are the distilled essence of his feelings of

NirvEdham .This mind set is assoicated with despondency ,

disgust over wasted time chasing after ephemeral sensory

pleasures instead of the lasting aanandham of Bhagavadh-

anubhavam leading to Moksha Sukham via praptthi or Bhakthi

Yogam routes.

 

The Bhakthan experiencing nirvEdham disparages himself

or herself over lost time and seeks the Lord's grace .

The experience of NirvEdham leads to the next stage ,

ShAnthi .NirvEdham is recognized as one of

the 33 subordinate feeling states in Bhagavath anubhavam.

Unless one has true nirvEdham , there is no prospect

of climbing further on the spiritual ladder .

 

Swamy Desikan's PaadhukA Sahasram as a Context for NirvEdham

*************************************************************

 

There are 32 paddhathis (chapters ) in Swamy Desikan's

master piece composed in one small portion of a night

at Srirangam to pay homage to the dhivya Mani Paadhukais

of Sri RanganAthA (viz)., Swamy NammAzhwAr.

 

The 31st chapter of PaadhukA Sahasram is a clear

echo of NirvEdham that Kaliyan experienced

at NaimisAraNyam and Swamy NammAzhwAr articulated

in the many sections of his ThiruvAimozhi regarcing

his SamsAra Bheethi.

 

After composing and presenting these 20 slOkmas

capturing his mood of NirvEdham ,Swamy Desikan

gets immense Saanthi and goes onto describe

the Phalan (fruits ) of his salutations of

the Lord's Paadhukais with immense tranquility

(Shaanthi) and Joy.

 

AdiyEn will highlight some of the phrases used by

Swamy NammAzhwAr , Madhura Kavi AzhwAr in the paasurams

linked with their nirvEdhams and compliment them

with Swamy Desikan's experience of nirvEdham .

The common point in all their statements is

their disgust with SamsAric experiences resulting

from the power of the five Indriyams .Their prayer

is to receive the protection of the Lord to cross

the ocean of SamsAram and reach the otherside .

Sarva rakshaka EmperumAn hears that Aaartha Naadham

of His BahkthAs and rushes to the rescue of His Bhakthan.

 

A. Selected Examples of Swamy NammAzhwAr's NirvEdha Paasurams:

 

1. uNNinilAviya eiyvarAl kumai theeRRi--Thiruvaimozhi:7.1

 

2. Mayak-kootthA VanmanA --Thiruvaimozhi: 8.2

 

B. Madhura Kavi AzwAr's nirvEdham :

 

nambinEn piRar nann poruL tannayum

nambinEn madavAraiyum munnaleAm --

 

C. Kaliyan's NirvEdham :

 

1. VaadinEn Vaadi VarunthinEn --Periya Thirumozhi: 1.1

 

2. VaaNilA muRuval siRunuthal perum ThOL-- " ---- 1.6

 

D. Swamy Desikan's nirvEdham:

 

1. " Maathar Mukundha karuNAmapi nihnuvAnAth

kim vaa param kimapi kilbhishathO madhIyAth "

NirvEdha Paddhathi:31.6

 

(meaning): Oh Mother PaadhukE ! Your Lord's name

is Mukundhan or the One who grants Bhogam and Moksham.

He is the embodiment of KaruNai.Even His limitless

DayA is hidden by my paapams , which have no match.

( Here Swamy Desikan hints that it is only the krupai

of the Lord's Paadhukai , Swamy NammAzhwAr , alone

can come to his help.

 

2. dowArika dhvirasana prabhalAntharAyair-

dhUyE Padhaavani! dhurADya bhila pravEsai:

NirvEdha paddhathi: 31.9

(meaning): adiyEn is saddened over my repeated

acts of entering the house of the evil rich ,

whose gates are protected by servants known for their

harsh behavior. Because of my suffering from unbearable

poverty , adiyEn entered those houses and suffered

a lot.

 

3. "VyAmuhayathAm --pumarthE " NirvEdha paddhati: 31.10

 

(meaning ): Due to the power of ancient karmaas , adiyEn

is bound by the three guNams (Sathvam, Rajas , Tamas)

and am distracted from the true purushArtham; adiyEn

gets deluded and suffers immnesely by chasing after

things to please my wife, children and other samsAric

entities . There is no sukham resulting from these

tiring chases. The SamsAra Ruchi lasts from PrArabdha

karma visEsham , which acts as Bhagavath anubhava

VirOdhi (enemy to the enjoyment of the Lord and

seeking Him as UpAyam and recognizing Him UpEyam ).

 

4. acchEdhyayA --krupayA SanATA --NirvEdha Paddhathi: 31.11

 

(meaning ): We are caught up in the net of SamsAram

through our 'unbreakable " bonds with our children,

wives , property and suffer immensely.We do not

recognize that the SamsAric bonds can only enhance

our sorrows and sufferings and yet we keep on enduring

them .We do not seek the exit route (nivrutthi

maargam )away from these sufferings and keep

ourselves deeply involvd in the pravrutthi

maargam (SamsAric way).

 

Our AzhwArs and AchAryALs expressed their NirvEdham

not because they were caught up in the net of SamsAram ,

but to symbolize our way of life and to help us follow

the path of Nivrutthi maargam thru the practise of

prapatthi or Bhakthi yOgam to attain parama purushArtham.

 

In the concluding posting , adiyEn will summarize the meanings

of the ten paasurams of Thirumangai mannan on NaimisAraNya

dhivya dEsam.

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singhar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

RaamAnuja Daasan ,Oppiliappn Koil V.SatakOpan