Sri Vishnuchitta kulanandana kalpavalli (part-17)

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara MunayE namaha

Sri Vanachala mahA munayE namaha

 

The first five paasurams of Thiruppavai are considered to be an

introduction or preparation for the marghazhi nOmbu. Andal says

about what has to be done, in what manner, towards whom, to attain

what etc in the first introductory verses and then she decides to

wake up all the other gopis who have not yet joined them to enjoy

krishnAnubhavam as a group. In this fifth paasuram, she talks about

the qualification required to obtain krishnAnubhavam.

 

Do we take a dip in a small pond before we go to take a divine dip in

the gangus? No. We believe that the gangus has the capacity to remove

all our sins. When the water that washed a small portion of the

divine feet of emperuman could have such greatness then what to say

about the emperuman himself. So there is absolutely no necessity for

us to search for any cleansing agent to purify us before we surrender

to the divine feet of emperuman. In Sriramayana, both vibeeshana and

Sri Chakravarthi thirumagan did saranagathi. Vibeeshana did

sharanagathi under the divine feet of ramapiran, he succeeded in his

mission to join the rama ghosti. When there was a question of how to

passify samudra rajan due to his past experience vibheeshana advised

ramapiran to surrender to samudra rajan. Chakravarthi thirumagan

immediately took a divine dip, spread a darpAsanam and facing east

did sharanagathi towards the king of ocean. Looking into the action

of ramapiran it seems that there is some procedures to do

sharaNagathi. This was discussed in our guru paramparai (Here the

Srivachana bhooshana sutra “vEl vetti pillaikku pillai aruliya

vArthaiyai smarippadhu”) vElvEtti pillai was the shisya of nampillai.

He enquired to nampillai, “It is said that there is no formalities

required to do sharanagathi but the act of chakravarthi thirumagan

shows that he has followed some procedures. Isn’t it contradicting?”

Nampillai answered, “Sri Chakravarthi thirumagan did all those things

as a part of his usual practice. Since he was trained in that

manner. But don’t you see that vibheeshana who actually advised rama

to do sharanagathi didn’t even take a dip in the ocean when he

surrendered to perumal’s divine feet but still was successful in

attaining his goal?” So it is clearly explained that there is no need

of any suddhi or asuddhi to do sharanagathi. Do it as you are.

“erundhapadiyE amaiyum”

 

But andal says, “tooyOmAi vandu nAm toomalar toovi thozhudhu” What is

the purity talked about by andal in this paasuram? It is not the

purity in physical state but purity in mind (thought).

“ananyaprayOjanaigalAi vandhu” The purpose of us coming is not to

gain any other suddra palans (lowly results) but it is purely to

attain the divine krishnAnubhavam. We don’t want anything other than

the divine kainkaryam to emperuman. This is the purity in thought

which andal says “tooyOmAi vandhu”. If we take a single step towards

him he feels so indebted. Sri chakravarthi thirumagan expressed the

same feeling with the rishis in dandakAranyam and to guha perumal.

But due to the great arthi (thirst) to gain bhagavat anubhavam

immediately Srivaishnavas are unable to wait till emperuman reaches

them so they rush towards the lord. It is the anubhavam of each

Srivaishnava in a divya desam. The purappadu of parthasarathi will

be scheduled to some time. Living in the mada veedhis emperuman will

surely visit our house but our enthusiasm to get the divine darshan

will never allow us to sit at home and wait. We will run to the

temple to have the first darshan when the screen goes up and then

come back to the house to welcome emperuman. Such was the anubhavam

of the rishis and guha who knew emperuman was coming only to their

place but still they couldn’t resist running to welcome Rama piran.

 

We will see more about worshipping the lord with ‘toomalar’ in the next posting.

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan