Bhattar's Ten Words

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Bhattar's divine ten words to Nanjeeyar:

 

 

The ten words that Bhattar told Nanjeeyar tell the ways

for a prapanna to avoid dangers and live without fear.

 

Just as a ship in the ocean could get damaged or destroyed

by uncontrollable wind, by hidden rocks or mountains, by

a giant wave, by contact with gigantic sea creatures, etc,

so too known and unknown offences committed against His

devotees can hurt the prapatti perfromed by a prapanna.

Those who listen to these ten words and follow them can

live without fear of such obstacles.

 

 

1. Even by giving up one's body, wealth and life, do one

service to the acharya such that he always remembers it

in his divine heart.

 

2. Do one service to the Lord which all His devotees will

praise, which will please His divine heart and which even

one's own heart will appreciate.

 

3. Do the same as above in the matter of His devotees.

Always behave such that Srivaishnavas praise one as a

person with good qualities and as a person who performs

good service to the Lord and His devotees.

 

4. If a person seeks the ephemeral things of this world

and for gaining them prays in private (thinking no one

will know of it) to other devatas and associates with

those who pray to these devatas, then the Lord who is

witness to all thoughts and acions will laugh at that

person. Therefore, avoid doing that.

 

5. Just as a rat goes after a object with a bad smell

and gets trapped, so too a person who desires base

things will get trapped by the associated food, place

and bed, lose his good knowledge, gather base knowledge

andd will lose his association with Srivaishnavas. Even

if great danger were to happen to one's life, one should

remain steady and not do the things described above. The

examples for this are Periya Nambi and Kooratthazhvan.

 

6. Do not focus on the ordinary sastras and instead

focus on the special sastra which is bhagavat vishayam.

Even in matters of performing rituals, do the same.

One has to be steady in this and not have any doubts.

There is no need to question this as "This is possible

only for a few such as Bharata and Thirukkannamangai

Andan". Even a wild horse can be tamed over time. For

thos who have a young and steady heart, this is not

difficult. Is it not said that a woman started by

lifting a small stone, then a rock and so on, till

she lifted a whole mountain?

 

7. Live in divyadeshams such as Srirangam, Thirumalai

and Kanchipuram. While living there, make the

Srivaishnavas who live there remember us, by giving

them materials and performing services to them.

 

8. Do not place great attachment on children, friends,

spouse, place, materials and body. Instead, be detached

from them such that it is clear that this person has

been presented to the Lord by an acharya.

 

9. Seeing the temporal nature of this samsara, give up

on the things said above completely and become focused

on performing services only to the Lord and His devotees.

 

10. Pray to that Lord who is eternal, who is sweet and

who is all relationships to one, to shower His grace so

that one's mind is always focused on Him alone.

 

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam