geethA sAstramum nedunthAndaka sAstramum-17

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Sri Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

In the previous posting we saw about the kaivalya nishtan, who

understands the misery of the world and hence wants to get rid of all

these and reach a better place where he could enjoy his own SELF

(athma). But that person ceases to understand that even the

enjoyment of athma is not the ultimate but there is something beyond

that that will grant him happiness forever. That is the moksha,

where one enjoys the lord along with the nithya sooris.

 

A samsari (Arthan/arthArthi) is the one who knows only the qualities

of the achit and hence he considers the body alone to be the tattva

and whatever worldly pleasures he attains to be the hitha (good) and

hence his purushArtha is to attain the pleasures and therefore he

cycles between birth and death. The next stage is the kaivalyArthi

(jiggyAsu) the one who understands that there is something beyond

this body. Thereby he realizes the existence of the chit tattvam.

According to him hitha is that which removes his bondages from this

samsara and leads him to Self-realization and the purushArtha is

attaining kaivalyam. The last stage is the bhagavan lAbArthi (jnAni)

who understands the tattva that is greater than the chit or achit, the

Ishwara tattva. That which leads him to bhagavan is hitha according

to a jnAni and his ultimate goal (purushArtha) is to attain the

divine abode of emperuman, Moksha. Sri Krishna in bhagavat geetha

talks elaborately about these four types of bhakthas and says that

though all of them are generous according to him since they give him

the chance to help them still the jnAni’s are very close to his

heart. According to geethAcharya, jnAni is his athma (“jnAnee thu

Athmaiva mE matham”).

 

In the seventh chapter of Srimad bhagavath geetha, geethacharyan talks

about the true nature of the Ishvara tattva (svayAdhAthmyam) and how

it is hidden by the moolaprakruthi (otherwise called the Ishvara

mAya). Again in the tenth chapter, geethAcharyan talks about

himself. It is no repetition but there he talks his svamAhAthmiyam,

greatness. The Ishvara tattva has such greatness that it cannot be

fully explained by even the emperuman himself. Can there be a task

that cannot be accomplished by sarvasakthan,emperuman? Why not? How

can we find the limit to something that doesn’t have limit at all?

The greatness of the divine couples has no limit and hence even they

cannot find the same. In the first six chapters the nature of the

chit and achit have been detailed. So the person who has understood

the SELF wants to enjoy the same leaving behind this world. So now

emperuman wants to educate him further that there is something beyond

that and that is bhakthi towards the lord. To develop bhakthi/deep

love towards the lord we have to first understand him fully. That is

only given by emperuman in the 7th chapter where he further talks

about the 4 types of bhakthas and finally completes with the

greatness of the jnAni.

 

Ok then does thirumangai azhvar also talk about nature of emperuman to

sow the seed of bhakthi in our hearts? Yes he does the same in the

next line.

 

(ennum ponnuruvAi) At this point let me bring to your memory the

excellent article on “All that glitters” written by Sri Sadagopan

Iyengar recently in these groups. Where he talked about how we all

consider gold to be so precious all through the posting and finally

ended with his golden conclusion that there is something beyond gold

that is highly precious “Anjali” that we do and on emperuman’s side

it is his thirumeni sowndaryam. Here thirumangai mannan stresses the

same point comparing emperuman’s thirumeni to be golden. Sri

periyavAchAn pillai says, “ponnuruvAi endru svaroopa niroopanam”

(the word ponnuruvai proves the nature of the divyAthma svaroopa).

In his commentary, paramakArunikar Sri periya vAchan pillai

excellently compares the nature of gold and how it is applicable to

emperuman. First he says, “spruhaneeyam” that which could be

enjoyed. Second, “vundu endru vuyir nirkai”- Pleasure of possession.

Third, “sarvApEkshithangalaiyum sAdhiththu kolludhal”- Grants all our

wishes. Fourth, “eththai vudaiyavan kAlilE lOkam adanga vizhumpadi

erukkum”- the whole world falls to the feet of the one who possess

this (Both gold and emperuman gives fame and power).

 

Here one thing has to be remembered, the glitters of gold can never

even touch the greatness of emperuman but for mandha buddis

(dull-headed people) like us it is very difficult to explain anything

without an example and hence this comparison is made to atleast give

us an hint of the greatness of emperuman. What we consider great in

this world doesn’t even equal a drop in the ocean of emperuman’s

greatness. Nammazhvar who tried to do the same comparison finally

concluded, “sutturaiththa nan pon vun thirumEni oli ovvAdhu” and the

sastras declare, “yathO vAchO nivarthanthE apprApya mansA saha”

(emperuman's greatness is beyond our words and understanding)

 

Next kaliyan tries to imagine emperuman’s greatness with another

example. Let us enjoy the same in the next posting.

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar EmperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharanam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan