Selected excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy's ThiruppAvai Monograph: Part XXII-> Fifteenth day : ellE iLankiLiyE Dinam

[Guest guest]

Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:

SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs: This Paasuram is considered by our AchAryAs

as " ThiruppAvayilum ThiruppAvai". Among the dhivya prabhandhams ,

Godhai's Prabhandhams are the most exalted;even among Her

two Prabhandhams, ThiruppAvai has the loftiest position. In all

the thirty paasurams of ThiruppAvai, this paasuram is the most

important.Even in this paasuram , the passage " naanE thaan

aayiduha" is the supremely important one with depths and

depths of meaning .

 

PerukkAraNai Swamy has elaborated on the deeper meanings of

the paasurams for almost 25 pages based on the four pages

of Abhinava Desikan . We will cover the highlights of

this abiding message of " naanE thAnn aayyiudaha"

briefly due to the restrictions of space and time .

This message can see us through many storms and

controversies that we face during our lives as

Sri VaishNavAs , when it comes to BhAgavatha daasyam ,

an essential prerequisite among the codes of conduct

for a true Sri VaishNavan .

 

This paasuram unlike the other " awakening Paasurams"

is set in Paraspara SamvAdham (mutual dialog )pattern/mode

to heighten the rasAnubhavam about the importance of

BhAgavatha Daasyam over Bhagavath daasyam .

 

Bhagavath daasyam is celebrated by ANDAL in

" SiRRam SiRukAlE vanthunnai sEvithtu" paasuram .

In the "ellE iLankiLiyE" paasuram , which precedes

the "siRRam siRukAlE --" paasuram , ANDAL points

out that " Bhagavath daasyathtukku ellai nilam is

BhAgavatha daasyam" and sings about the latter first

in "ellE iLankiLiyE " and then goes on to sing about

Bhagavath daasyam (later) in " SiRRam siRukAlE" paasuram.

 

Those who understand the importance of BhAgavath

daasyam and stay away from the unpardonable apachArams to

the servants of the Lord are very , very dear to Him.

That is why our Lord says in His upadEsam:

"Jn~Anithu aathmaiva" and "mama bhaktha bhakthEshu".

Another utthama Sri VaishNavar wants the boon of being the Lord's

servant's servants seven times over ( Thvath Bhruthya Bhruthya--).

Swamy NammAzhwAr celebrates the importance of BhAgaavtha-

daasyam in His paasuram: "nedumARkkadimai--".ThiruppANar

instructs us in this context: " adiyArkku yennai aatpaduthtum

Vimalan". Swamy NaammAzhwAr referred to saptha parva

daasyathvam in his paasurap pahuthi: "adiyAr adiyAr

tamm adiyAr adiyAr--" .

 

This concept of BhAgavatha daasyam can not be explained

successfully by upadEsam ; it can only be understood

through anushtAnam of BhAgavatha daasyam . ANDAL bleesed

us with this paasuram so that one can emulate the practise of

utthama Sri VaishnavAs. She enhances the efficency of

the instruction by setting this paasuram in the "Ukthi-

prakyukthi" (Q&A)mode . Offering our salutations to BhagavAn

as a part of the sathsangam of BhAgavathAs is the most

exalted way to worship Him ; therefore , PeriyAzhwAr

addresed the Utthama adhikAris as " yengaL kuzhaam

puhunthu koodu manamudayeer !".

 

Charactrestrics of Utthama Sri Vaishnavaas

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

BhUvarAhAcchAr Swamy sums up the TEN distingushing

codes of conduct for our interaction with UtthamAdhikAris

( BhaagavathAs/BhakthAs of BhagavAn)as instructd by ANDAL

through the "ukthi-prayukthi " lines of this very important

paasuram :

 

1. " ellE ilankiLiyE": the implied sense is that the speech

of the devotee (BHagavathA) is most welcome.

 

2. " innam uRangudiyO?": it is wrong to indulge in other things

(vishayams) when the company of BhagavathAs is available.

 

3. " chil yenRu azhayEnmin": Not a single harsh word should be

used in conversation with BhAgavathAs.

 

4. " nangaimeer pOdarhinREn": BhAgavathAs should be addressed

most respectfully with utter/sincere humility.

 

5. " Vallai un katturaigaL": even the chastisement by

a BhAgavathA (which will always be constructive)

should be accepted gracefully.

 

6. " ValleergaL neengaLE NAANE THAAN AAYIDUGA" : Owning others'

mistakes as one's own is the hallmark (LakshaNam) of

a true Sri VaishNavan. For example , BharathA holds

himself responsible for RaamA's exile to the forest.

 

7. " ollai nee pOdhAi": seperation form the BhAgavathAs even

for a second is unbearable.

 

8. " unakenna vERudayai" : The path laid down by one's poorvAs

need to be followed , not what is dictated by one's own mind.

 

9. " ellArum pOndhArO pOnthAr ponthu yeNNikkoL ": seeing

a congregation of BhAgavathAs (and being part of that

group)is the most desired fruit in this life. The enjoyment

is not complete even if one BhAgavathA is missing.

Their sight (darsana soubhAgaym)and touch ( adorning

the dust from their sacred feet )are all vital factors

to change one's purpose in this life and acquire lasting

soubhAgyams.

 

10." VallAnai konRAnai mARRArai mARRazhikka vallAnai Mayanai paadu":

Singing His ( Lord's) virtues , valour , victory and other

kalyANa guNAs are vital to a Sri VaishNavA as means of

pleasing other Sri VaishNavAs; as such , it results in

the service of BhAgavathAs( BhAgavatha daasyam), which is

the boundary limit of Bhagavath Kaimkaryam .

 

These ten golden rules are to be cherished by us says

ANDAL , the avathAram of BhUmi Devi for our ujjeevanam

(salvation)after Her own dialog on Laghu Upayam with

Her Lord BhU VarAhan to redeem us .

 

Inner Meanings according to PerukkAraNai Swamy

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

iLam KiLIyE ! Oh ChEthanms , who are locked up

in the cage of SamsAram and thus

unable to spread your wings and

have sanchAram to perform Bhagavan-

mukhOllAsa Kaimkaryams!

 

innam uranguthiyO ? Oh ChEthanams , who have taken so

many births and have not succeeded in

acquiring Jn~Anam about Tatthva-Hitha-

PurushArtham from a SadAchAryan!

 

yellE ! What a wonder ?Even now you can get up

and join the BhAgavatha GhOshti observing

this Paavai nOnbhu !

 

Nangaimeer As the Ones , who are enjoying the poorna

Sukham as true BhaagavathAs

 

chil yenRu Please do not address adiyEn (aparAdhi)

azhayEn in an unbearbale (asahya ) manner

 

pOtharhinREn adiyEn will awaken and engage in

sadh-vishayams( Bhagavath-BhAgavatha-

AchArya Kaimkaryams).

 

vallai unn adiyEn remembers well the stories

katturaikaL about sages Rsihyasrungar and Soubhari

pandayunn vAiaRithum heard from mahAns

 

valleerkaL neengaLE all of You have also shared these

vrutthAnthams with adiyEn .

 

naanE thAnn aayiduha adiyEn stays (however)enjoying Vishaya

Sukhams without VairAgyam

 

ollai nee pOthAi (bhAgavathAs outside say ): Oh iLam

kiLiyE! Please retain VairAgyam,

abandon the taste for vishaya sukhams

and abandon the proclivity for

the anubhavam of kaivalyam ( in favor

of Moksham).

 

yellOrum pOntharO (iLam KiLi inside): Are all the chethenams

of our Lord's world engaged in performing

kaimkaryam to Him ?

 

pOndhAr pOndhu (BhaagavathALs): Most of them knowing

yeNNikkoLL the futility and purposelessness of

chasing vishaya sukhams are engaged in

Bhagavath-BhAgavatha Kaimkaryams .Please

come out and count(see) for yourself!

 

VallAnai konRAnai (BhAgavathALs outside say): Oh iLam kiLI !

mARRazhikka VallAnai , Please sing of our Lord , who changes

Maayanaip Paadu ! the world-enchnating MaayA inside us

and rules over it in our favor !

Please sing the keerthi of our Lord ,

who controls the strong indhriyams that

lead us astray and reorients them to

serve Him and His BhAgavathAs !

 

adiyEn dedicates this posting to a great BhaagavathOtthma Here ,

Sriman Venkat Kanumalla Swamy , who has dedicated His whole

life and property to the service of Sri RanganAthA and

Sriamth Azhagiya Singar , our ParamAchAryan .May the SaraNya

Dampahtis and our AchAryan blees him with all Kaimkarya

SoubhAgyams !

 

Our AchAryans are our "nadamAdum Dhaivams" and are

MaayAvis in that they transform us from the status of

nithya samsAris (Iron) to Nithya Soori(Gold) Paksham .

We become aware of our Svaroopa Nishtai by singing

about the greatness of our AchAryans and meditating

on their Taniyans .

 

ANDAL , Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan

[Guest guest]

Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:

SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs: In Yesterday's posting , adiyEn did

not cover the literal menaings of the "YellE iLankiLiyE"

paasuram .

 

Here it is according to Dr.V.K.N.S.Raghavan:

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

 

(In the group of the awakening songs of ten maidens ,

namely pasasurams (6-15) ,this paasuram is the last one

and is set in the form of conversation between the maidens

at the the threshhold of a house and the God-intoxicated

maiden inside the house.

 

{ The girls at the threshold }: Hello! young parrot-like

damsel! are you fast asleep even now ?

 

(The maiden within answers): Do n't be harsh(lit. chilly) in

calling me ; Oh girls of higher strand ! just now I am coming.

 

{ The group outside}: You can talk well.; we know it ( skill

in speech)already.

 

( The girl inside): As it is , you (all) are strong (in wordy

combat); does no't matter,let me the one (in harsh speech);

(my apologies to you for my harshness).

 

(The group outside): Come quickly and join us.with whom else

are you so engaged (being separated form us)?

 

( The girl inside): Have all (our friends) come already ?

 

( The girls outside): Oh Yes.they have come. May You come

out and take the roll call (lit.count for yourself). We

would like to hear you sing in praise of our Lord , who

vanquished the unassailable elephant ( Kuvalayaapeedam,

the court elephant of Kamsan)and who is highly powerful

in destroying the enimity pertaining to His enemies.

 

After the awakening of the ten maidens , the prabhandham

of ANDAL gets "thought provoking".

 

The "Ten codes of conduct for a Utthama Sri VaishNavan

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

 

In yesterday's posting , adiyEn referred to " the Ten

Commandements" of ANDAL as summarized by Sri BhUvarAhacchAr

Swamy based on the original commentary of Sri Azhagiya MaNavALa

PerumAL NaayanAr(AMP NaayanAr) in his 6000 Padi grantham.

 

One of the keen students of ThiruppAvai from Chennai,

who also gives upanyAsam this season invited my attention to

the additional message identified by AMP NaayanAr. adiyEn

is pleased to acknowledge that information point and share

it with you .

 

Sri BhUvarAhacchAr Swamy gave the combined meaning for

the Vaakyams: " ellArum pOndhAro pOndu yeNNikkoL"

AMP NaayanAr splits the above into two separate

groups : " ellArum pOndhAro + pOndu yennikkoL" .

This way the 11 th message emerges according to

the input adiyEn has received from Chennai Bhakthar.

 

the commandments are as follows:

 

(10)"YellArum pOndArO" ? : Sri VaishNavarkaL yellOrum

uddesyar(eligible ). irrespective of caste etc , all

Sri VaishNavAs are to be respected and are not to be

ill treated (or discriminated in the Bhaagavatha GhOshti).

 

(11) "pOndu yeNNikkoL ": oruvar kuRainthAlum there is

deficency ( kuRai) in Bhagavadh anubhavam.

 

adiyEn's thanks to our bhakthar from Chennai

for enriching the anubhavam further.

 

Daasan , V.SatakOpan

 

P.S: We will now move on th the 16th Paasuram

of ThiruppAvai .