Srishailesha Mantra Prabhavam

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Srimath Varavaramunaye Nama:

 

Srishailesha Mantra Prabhavam

 

 

Translated from Yatindra Pravana Prabhavam

Based on the vyakhyanam by Pillai Lokam Jeeyar

 

 

Manavala Mamunigal (Periya Jeeyar) had surrendered to his

acharya Thiruvaymozhip Pillai ("vAzhi thiruvAymozhip

piLLai mAthagavAl vAzhum maNavALa mAmunivan") and obtained

Thiruvaymozhi and its meanings from him. He then decided

to teach these great meanings to others so that they too

can gain upliftment and was involved in that. At this time,

Namperumal, through an archaka, asked Mamunigal to explain

the meanings of Thiruvaymozhi in His presence and His

devotees presence in Periya Thirumandapam. Mamunigal

accepted the order and did discourses for an year starting

at "uyarvaRa uyaranalam" and ending at "avAvarac sUzh".

Pleased by this Namperumal gave him the name

"muppaththARAyirap perukkar" and also presented the

"srishailesha dayApAtram" thaniyan to him.

 

Mamunigal speaks of His causeless grace in selecting him

for this purpose in the pasuram:

 

nAmAr? periya thirumaNdapamAr? namperumAL

thAmAga nammaith thaniththazhaiththu - nI mARan

senthamizh vEdhaththin sezhumporuLai nALumingE

vanthurai enREvuvathE vAynthu

 

The meaning of the srishailesha thaniyan is: "I salute

that Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar, who is the target of

the grace of Thiruvaymozhip Pillai, who is the ocean of

gnAna, bhakti and vairAgya and who is entirely devoted

to Ramanuja".

 

 

"srishailesha dayApAtram":

Ramanuja is the divine feet of Nammazhvar by his grace.

Thiruvaymozhip Pillai is one who always praises the

divine feet of Ramanuja. Manavala Mamunigal is the most

appropriate recepient of that Thiruvaymozhip Pillai's

grace. From Srishaila Purna (Periya Thirumalai Nambi)

and Srishaila Desika (Thiruvaymozhip Pillai), Mamunigal

obtained Ramayana and Thiruvaymozhi. That is, first he

obtained Ramayana as Ramanuja and later he obtained

Thiruvaymozhi as Mamunigal.

 

"dhIbaktyAdi guNArNavam":

Mamunigal is the ocean of qualities such as knowledge,

devotion and determination (in keeping away from

matters of this world). In prior forms too, such as

Ilaiya Perumal (Lakshmana) and IlaiyAzhvAr (Ramanuja),

these qualities were complete in him. But, as Mamunigal,

they were doubled in him.

 

"yatIndra pravaNam":

This shows the height of inclination toward Namperumal

which is being inclined to Emberumanar. Ramanuja is

Parankusha Bhakta. Mamunigal is Yatindra Pravana. It is

only due to that, that everyone seeks Mamunigal.

 

"vande ramya jAmAtaram munim":

His divine name Azhagiya Manavala Mamuni is being said

and he is being saluted.

 

Thus, this thaniyan which is like a stuti to him, praises

his greatness. Just as praNavam is recited at the

beginning and end of Vedas, this thaniyan too is recited

at the beginning and end of Divya Prabandham recitation,

their vyakhyanams and the rahasya granthas which carry

their essence, in all divyadesams.

 

 

In the praNavam, the akAra stands for the Lord, the

makAra stands for the chetana and the ukAra shows the

relationship between the two. It is said "avvAnavarkku

mavvAnavar ellAm uvvAnavar adimai enRuraiththAr". This

meaning can be seen in each of the terms of this

thaniyan.

 

 

"srishailesha dayApAtram":

srishailesha stands for the Lord who is akAra vAcya.

dayApAtram shows that the chetana who is for no one but

Him, is the target for His grace.

 

"dhIbaktyAdi guNArNavam":

gnAna, bhakti and vairAgya are nothing but being focused

on Him alone, as in "thAmaraiyAL kELvan oruvanaiyE nOkkum

uNarvu", "athiyanj sOthikkE ArAtha kAthal" and "unniththu

maRRoru dheyvam thozhAL". That bhagavat sEshatvam that is

said in the akAra is shown by bhakti. svarUpam is the

knowledge of the Lord as in "unniNaith thAmaraikatku

anbuRugi niRkumathE". Therefore, knowledge of bhagavat

sEshatvam is the true knowledge. vairAgya is the

determination in seeking only Him and no one else.

 

"yatIndra pravaNam":

Being yatIndra is not thinking about one's self (being a

paratantra), and correcting others who are doing nothing

and making them as the Lord's servants. Through this,

Mamunigal has devotion to Ramanuja. Being subservient to

the Lord means it should go up to His devotees. Also,

normally Yatindra stands for Ramanuja. Through Rama the

Lord is said and through anuja the chetana's svarUpa,

which is being a kainkaryapara, is said. The state of

prAvaNya is being as in "rAmAnujam yatipatim praNamAmi

mUrdhnA".

 

"vande ramya jAmAtaram munim":

ramya jAmAtru shows the Lord who is akAra vAcya. muni

shows the parama chetana who has the true knowledge of

being the Lord's servant only.

 

Therefore all parts of this thaniyan can be seen as

praNavArtha.

 

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam