PEyAzhwar AvathAra Dinam: November3 , 2003/ Part III of Mudhal AzhwAr Thirunakshathram uthsavam

[Guest guest]

SrImathE SrIvaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa Yatheendhra MahA DesikAya Nama :

Dear BhakthAs:

 

During the previous two days , we saluted the aruLiccheyalkaLs

of Poygai and BhUthatthAzhwAr .

 

Let us enjoy today some passages from PEyAzhwAr's

Third ThiruvandhAthi celebrating the anantha KalyANa

GuNams of the Lord and his upadEsams about how

to lose ourselves in Bhagavath guNAnubhavam.

 

PEy AzhwAr was born in modern day Mylapore in

the city of Chennai.He shares some thing common with

PeriyAzhwAr. Both had the darsana soubhAgyam of the Lord

with His DEvi and weapons like Sudarsanam , Paanchajanyam

in an effortless manner. Direct MangaLAsAsanam was performed

by these two AzhwArs.

 

It is important to recite all the three ThiruvandhAthis of

the three Mudhal AzhwArs since they are complimentary to

each other. PEy AzhwAr is considered to be the AchAryan

for Thirumazhisai AzhwAr.

 

It has been pointed out that Poygai worshipped

the Lord as the Master of both the VibhUthis

(LeelA and Nithya VibhUdhis). BhUtham linked

NaarAyaNa Naamam as the lakshaNam for the Lord.

PEy is recognized as the one , who emphasized the need for

the additon "SrImath Sabdham " before the NaarAyaNa Naamam.

 

Let us now enjoy the dhivya vaak of PEy AzhwAr

 

The Medicine for the illness of Narakam( Hell)

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

In the third Paasuram of his Third ThiruvandhAthi ,

AzhwAr describes the Lord staying at his heart lotus

as the sure , curative medicine for the narakam of SamsAric

sufferings ( "Varu narkam theerkkum marundhu" ) . AzhwAr

states that such a parama oushadham stays in his heart

permanently.He does not need to invite the Lord ahead of

time and remind Him like the other AzhwAr (appOthaikkippOthE

solli vaitthen ). AzhwAr says that the Lord who rests at

the Milky ocean ( Maakadal neeruLLAn ) with the cool garland of

TuLasi ( TaNN thuzhAi mArbhan) at his heart without ever

leaving (nithya vaasam) that abode .

 

How to see that Lord residing in one's heart ?

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

In the 12th Paasuram , AzhwAr as a Parama yOgi reveals

the way in which one can have the direct visualization of

the Lord residing in the heart as antharyAmi Brahman:

 

aRvennum thAL koLuvi iympulanum tammil

seRivennum tiNN kathavam semmi--maRayennum

nankOthi naguNarvAr kaNNbarE , nAdOrum

painkOthavaNNan padi

 

AzhwAr states here that Yogam is the only way to have

the bliss of visualizing daily , the Lord inside one's heart lotus .

His guNAdhisayams can be experienced by such yOgis .

They use their manas as the firm door lock . They shut

the doors of restless indhriyams and control them to

stay in their assigned places. They meditate on the Lord

without let as revealed by the Veda manthrams to know

clearly the svaroopam and svabhAvam of the Lord . Then they see

the ocean-hued , cool Lord inside their heart lotus clearly .

Indhriya jayam and vairAgyam as well as vivEkam are

declared as essentials in the effort to visualize the Lord.

 

In the 22nd Paasuram , AzhwAr asks us to develop a yearning

to see the Lord in the proper manner through soulful aarAdhanam

done in the ways prescribed by the Saasthrams of BhagavAn

( SemmayAha uLL uruhi sev-vanE meymmayE kaaNa virumpu ).

This is the AzhwAr , who intervened with Thirumazhisai AzhwAr's

pursuit of other dEvathAs and the siddhAnthams related to them so that

Thirumazhisai can get away from them and establish the Parathvam of

SrIman NaarAyaNan.

 

In the 25th Paasuram , PEy AzhwAr asks a rhetorical question:

" nenjamE siRanthu thozhuthAl pazhuthu uNDO ?" ( Oh My mind !

If you were to attempt to see the Lord in this special way , will there be

any deficency for You ?) The answer is ofcourse not .

 

In the 27th paasuram of his ThiruvandhAthi , AzhwAr asks again

another rhetorical question :

 

aarE thuyar uzhandhAr thunbhuRRAr aaNdayAr

kaarE malintha kadalai--nErE

kadainthAnai KaaraNanai neeraNai mEl, paLLi

adainthAnai nALum adainthu

 

Who among those seeking the protection of

the Lord , the cause of the universe , has indeed been

caught up in the web of the ocean of sorrows (samsAram) ?

Where are those among them , who are exposed to such sorrows ?

Where are those , who performed SaraNAgathy at the sacred feet of

the Lord , who led the assembled dEvAs and asurAs to churn the milky

ocean , that are undergoing such sufferings ? The self-evident answer

is that there is no such person , who experiences sorrows after

seeking the protection of our most merciful Lord .

 

Our Lord is the soul and life of ALL

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

In the 37th pAsuram , AzhwAr concedes that He has been

won over by the Lord and he is the unconditional sevant of

the Lord (SrIman NaarAyaNan) , who is inside him as well

as in all the objects seen and experienced outside ( ahatthAn

puRatthAn AvaRkku adimaippattEn ) . To That Lord , I have

become the servant says the AzhwAr ."anthar bahisccha

Tath Sarvam vyApya NaarAyaNa: sTitha: " declares the Vedam.

He is the indweller of all as antharyAmi Brahman and is

present in all objects that He created .

 

In the next paasuram (39th) , AzhwAr asks the question :

Would it be possible to define and describe the Lord precisely ?

His answer is a big "No". Why so ? Because there is no one

like Him any where in all the worlds and He is unique and

incomparable in every way. This paasuram is a beautiful one with

the depth of VedAnthic doctrines unique to VisishtAdhvaitham:

 

taanE Tanakkuvaman TannuruvE yevvuruvum

tAnE tavavuruvam tArahayum --tAnE

yeri sudarum mAlvarayum yeNDisayum, aNDat-

ThirucchudarAya viRai

 

(meaning ): All the objects will be SarIram(body ) for Him

(Yev-vuruvum Tann uruvE). Those who did immense penance

to reach the status of Brahma , Sivan , Indhran are also SarIram

(prakAram ) for Him. Same for the stars in the sky ( Taarakayum

TaanE ) . The Agni with its seven tongues , the great mountains,

the eight directions , Chandran and the Sooryan (the Moon & the Sun)

are all Him. He is the indweller of all of them. This magnificent Lord

with out any match or superior can only be compared to Himself.

One can not assoicate anyone or any hting with Him

( Tanakku TaanE uvaman ).

 

Commentators cite the VishNu PurANa slOkam (2.12.38)

to bring out this central doctrine(SaarIraka Saasthram):

 

"JyOthigumshi VishNu BhuvanAni VishNU

VanAni VishNU GirayO Disasccha "

 

VishNUmayam Jagath is the summation !

 

Lord under the AzhwAr's control

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

In the 61st Paasuram , AzhwAr salutes the ArchAvathAra EmperumAns

at ThiruvEnkatam , KsheerAbdhi , SrIvaikuntam , GatikAchalam

and THIRUVINNAGAR , WHERE HE STANDS AS THE ETERNAL

YOUTH (as Nithya YuvA /ILam Kumaran at Oppiliappan Koil).

AzhwAr points out that these were perhaps His places of residences

(uhantha dhivya dEsams) for the Lord before He elected to reside

inside his heart lotus permanently.

 

The Importance of SaraNAgathy to the Lord with MahA VisvAsam

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

In the 88th paasuram of MoonRAm ThiruvandhAthi , AzhwAr

as a supreme AchAryan gives us his upadEsam :

athu nanRu theethu yenRu iyappadaThE

Madhu ninRa taNDuzhAi mArvan--pothu ninRa

ponnam-kazhalE thozhumin, muzhu vinaikaL

munnam kazhalum mudinthE

 

Oh People of this worlrd ! Do not develop doubts through

Your own analysis of the Saasthrams to conclude that this

act of mine is auspicious and that is not and as a result

doubt about the Lord's power to offer protection to you. Have

unconditional faith ( mahA visvAsam ) in the Lord's grace and power

and perform SaraNAgathy at His sacred feet. That Lord adorning

the cool and honey laden TuLasi garland ( Madhu ninRa TaNN

ThuzhAi Maarbhan) on His chest and who is the same God for ALL

(DEvAs and humans) is the upEyam , the goal of Your SaraNAgathy.

Please seek the protection of those golden feet , which are most

enjoyable . Immediately after Your saraNAgathy , Your PuNyams

and Paapams will lose their grip on you and will leave You .

Please give up all of your misgivings and surrender at His sacred

feet. Have total faith in His vow to intervene on behalf of any one ,

who seeks His rakshaNam .The time of Your SaraNAgathy is

the marking moment , when all of your puNyams and Paapams ,

the twin fetters that bound You will be shattered and You will

be liberated forever to enjoy the fruits of Prapatthi.

 

MahA Lkashmi is our refuge at all the three stages of Prapatthi

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

PEy AzhwAr , who performed Upadesam for us on the importance

of adding the auspicious "SrImath " Sabdham to "NaarAyaNa "

sabdham sums up the MahA Lakshmi Tatthvam in the concluding

(One hundredth ) Paasuram of MoonRAm THiruvandhAthi:

 

Saarvu namakku yenRum ChakkaratthAn , Tanduzhait-

thArvAzh varai mArbhan tAnn muyangum, kArArntha

vAnn amarum minn imaikkum vaNDAmarai nedumkaNN

tEnamarum poo mEl Thiru

 

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " tEn amarum poo mEl

THIRU NAMAKKU YENRUM SAARVU " ( That MahA Lakshmi

is the unshakable resort/refuge for us in view of Her powerful

and discerning ability to help us in every stage of Prapatthi:

(1) PurushakAram ( intercession and pleading with Her Lord )

(2) UpAYam ( Performance of Prapatthi as the means for securing Moksham)

(3) UpEyam ( the goal and the bliss of enjoyment of that prapatthi as

the fruit of the performed prapatthi ).

 

The whole doctrine of MahA Lakshmi Tatthvam is housed in this

final Paasuram of PEy AzhwAr's andhAthi. That MahA Lakshmi is our

" apAsrayam " ( the place of refuge/ puhalidam).MahA Lakshmi's

aakAra Thrayam (aakAra thraya sampannAm aravindha lOchaneem)

is celebrated here by PEy AzhwAr , who started this Prabhandham with

the joyOus announcement " ThirukkaNDEn---yennAzhi vaNNan pAl inRu"

( Today is the most auspicious day. I am blessed to see the Lord's

ThirumEni. I am blessed to see His divine consort , MahA Lakshmi ) .

 

It is the core of the UpadEsam of PEy AzhwAr for us to learn to visualize

the Lord always with MahA Lakshmi adorning His broad chest and remind

us that She has an indispensable role to play at all the three stages of

prapatthi to Her Lord .

 

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan