Reflections on " Kim " : Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrIman Sudarshanan:

 

The word " Kim " found in Sahasra Naamam is generating a lot

of interest in its own right thanks to your excellent essay

in ThiruvEngaDam List.

 

Here are a few reflections from my end:

 

1) Kim idham ? Kim Adhbhutham idam ?

 

( What is this word "Kim" ? What is this mysterious

word "Kim "? How does one approach the object of

this query (Prsnam/Pariprasnam?? Whither does one seek ?

wherefore does one journey ? Among all the Tatthvams ,

which is it ? What is it ? So goes the myriad questions

relating to "Kim" as you discussed elegantly ).

 

2) Tamm KaTam vistharathi? (How does one describe that/Him)?

Tamm KaTam JaanAthi? (How does one know that ?)

Tamm KaTam anubhavathi? (How does one enjoy it?)

Tasya Katam Kaimkaryam karOthi( How does one perform

always blemishless Kaimkaryam to Him ?).

 

VedAs , Upanishads, AchArya Sookthis , Maharishi

Vaakyams (subhAshithams) , AzhwAr Paasirams instruct us

on the above.

 

Imamgination runs riot , when we think about the word

KIM and its ramifications . Let us channel these thoughts

along VisishtAdhvaithic darsanam lines:

 

Vedic References & Kaimkaryam to Lord HayagrIvan

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

1) As I referred to before , there are a dozen Rks in Rg

Vedam , which start with the Questioning word "Kim " .

There are 100 plus Rks that respond to describe

with the word "Tamm ", the Jn~Anandhamaya SrI HayagrIvan,

the Sarva VisdhyAdhAran . All the VidhyAs compete with

each other to perform Kaimakryam ( Kim KarOmi) to Him :

 

Svayam purObhAva vivAdha BhAja:

KIM-KURVATHE Tasya girO yaTArham

--Second half of the 14 th slOkam of

SrI HayagrIva SthOthram

 

In a spirit of Kaimkaryam to their Lord ,

the various VidhyAs compete with one another to

assist the UpAsakan , who has You ( Lord HayagrIvan)

in their heart lotuses . The UpAsakan thus becomes

the Expert in all Kalais as a result of the Kaimkaryam

done by the kalais at the behest of Lord HayagrIvan ,

the first of avathArams of Para VaasudEvan as Sakala

VidhyA Moorthy .

 

Hence Kim , Kim KarOmi, Kaimkaryam , Kaimkaryam to

BhagavAn , BhaagavathAs and PerumAL are one major aspect

of the links to "Kim " sabdham. This is the route ,

the route of Kaimkaryam (" MaRRai namm KaamangaL

MaRRElO yempAvAi" ).

 

Swamy ParAsara Bhattar's commentary on "KIM"

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

 

" He is the One to be enquired into by all without any motive,

who are desirous of knowing the objects of their desire--

HE IS TO BE SOUGHT AFTER; HE IS TO BE KNOWN WITH

EAGERNESS" says Bhattar.

 

Swamy ParAsara Bhattar comments further:

" NiruphAdhika Prashtavyathvam " for this

type of inquiry has to start with "Kim "

as Upanidhads do.

 

Upanishadic approach

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

As further comments on the Upanishadic inquiry

( Kim ithi Brahma VichAram), let us recall the majestic

start of SvEthasvathArOpanishad:

 

Kim KaaraNam Brahma Kutha: sma jAthA:

Jeevaama kEna kkva cha samprathishtA:

adhishtithA: kEna sukhEtarEshu-

varthAmahE BrahmavidhO vyavasTAm

 

SvEtasvatArOpanishad: 1.1

 

(Meaning according to Dr.NSA Swamy):"Seers who speak of

Brahman say thus--Oh knowers of Brahman , of what form is

Brahman , the cause of this Universe? On account of which

are we born and by which are we born and by which do we

live? In which are we placed in the end? Being presided

over by which do we function in acts of joy and sorrow

following the prescribed order ?

 

The whole SvEthasvatAra Upanishad answers these

Questions relating to Brahma VichAram. These Questions starting

with "Kim " and conclude with statements on what (Kim) that

Brahman (Tamm) is and performs SaraNAgathy to that Brahman(Tamm) :

 

yO BrahmANam vidhadhAthi poorvam

yP vai vEdAmsccha praahiNOthi Tasmai

tamm ha DevAthma-buddhi prakAsam

Mumukshurvai SarNamaham prapathyE

 

(Meaning according to Dr.NSA Swamy): I an aspirant

after liberation (from the cycles of births & deaths),

seek refuge in (surrender unto) that effulgent God ,

who creates Brahma first (at the time of creation )

and who endows him with the VedAs (as SrI HayagrIvan)

also and on account of whom the intellect of mine

shines out.

 

Bhagavad DhyAna SOpAnam & the use of "Kim-api"

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

Swamy Desikan in the above SthOthram on Lord RanganAtha

visualizes that Brahman as the JyOthi residing in the Yogi's

hearts (anthar JyOthi: Kimapi yaminAm). The word Kimapi is

a favorite word of Swamy Desikan. Swamy Desikan continues

in that first slOkam of Bhagavath DhyAna SopAnam and

states : " Dhaivatham DhaivathAnAm Kimapi RangamadhyE

dhrusyathE".This indescribable Vasthu ( Kimapi) is seen

in the middle of SrIrangam.This mysterious and indescribable

Lord blesses one with BhOgams in this world (LeelA VibhUthi)

and Moksham in the Nithya VibhUthi. This mysterious vasthu

beyond our comprehension removes the sorrows of weak and

those without protection (Dhina-anATa vyasana samanam).

 

SrI Abheethi Sthavam & the use of "Kim-api"

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

At the beginning of another sthOthram on Lord RanganAtha,

in the first slOkma again , we come across the use of "Kim "

(Kimapi). Here, Swamy Desikan wonders about that mysterious,

indescribable JyOthi and salutes that effulgence profoundly:

 

"RamA-sakham adhImahE KIMAPI Rangadhuryam Maha:"

 

--4th Paadham of 1st SlOkam: SrI Abheethi Sthavam

 

This mysterious JyOthi , which is Supreme in SrIrangam ,

is seen with SrI RanganAyaki ; This indescribable great

JyOthi seen before our eyes at SrIrangam is the object of

our adorartion with veda manthrAs .

 

Whenever Swamy Desikan is overcome with the wonderment of

the Lord and His anantha KalyANa GuNams and Vaibhavam ,

he leans on the word "Kimapi" to indicate his helplessness

to describe Him adequately.He will console his heart with

the declaration :

 

GuNam KAMAPI vEtthi vaa tAVA gUneSa gOpAyithu:

KadAchana kuthascchana kvachana tasya na syAth bhayam

 

--SrI Abheethi Sthavam: Second half of 5th SlOkam

 

Oh RanganAtha, the abode of all auspicious GuNams!

Oh Protector of all! Anyone , who comprehends fully

even one of Your myriad KalyANa guNams has nothing

to fear from any thing at any time at any place .

Why so? It is because He is the " kara grahaNa

DhIkshithan" (One who has taken the vow to extend

His hand to pull us out of the ocean of SamsAram/

pranatha rakshaNam).

 

SWamy Desikan continues and with MahA VisvAsam

states: " athra KIM bhayAspadham na bhavathi?).

When compared to this matter of Your Pranatha Rakshanam ,

what else is there in this SamsAric world that does

not induce fear ? Only Your krupai removes that samsAric

Bheethi.

 

In the 16th slOkam , Swamy Desikan asks the Lord to

suggest any PrAyascchittham for the sins comitted :

 

" Sva-BUddhi parikalpitham KIMAPI prathividhAnam

ThvayA aadheeyathAm" -- 16 th slOkam of SrI Abheethi Sthavam.

 

In a moving usage of "KIMAPI" (Whatever it is) ,

Swamy Desikan continues in the 18th SlOkam to

request Lord RanganAthA to choose and bless

whatever He considers good for him(Swamy Desikan),

the Prapannan:

 

SaraNAgatha PraNaya bhanga bheetha: BhavAn

iha yath madhishtam bhavEth , tath KIMAPI

maa sma tath jeehapath ".

 

In the 27th slOakm , Swamy Desikan uses the word

"KIM" to effectiveness:

 

KIM athra BhaunA ? Oh Lord ! Your Vaibhavams

and display of valour in Thrivikrama , HayagrIvan,

Narasimhan are indescribable and matchless.

In this matter (athra) , what is the point (KIM)

in exaggeration( bahunA KIM)?

 

Readers are referred to the use of KIM by Swamy

Desikan in His Other SthOthrams.

 

In the next posting , adiyEn will cover some of

the Vedic references to KIM and Tamm.

 

SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan