para thathvam

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the management science across the corporate worlds, the yester

days maxims were "customer satisfaction is our motto,

customer satisfaction is our main focus" etc

Now those have changed and now are said as "customer delight is our

motto".

 

But, here is one, who delights, whether we are his customers or not.

He is raamaa – on a raama navami day it is a delight to serve you

raama saying - the very meaning of your name is "ramayathi ithi

raama:" - since he delights without distinguishing as customers and

non customers, religious non religious, knowledgeable not so much

etc.

 

In the sree vishNu sahasra naamam SVSN - there is naama `Om raamaaya

nama:' - no. 396 in slOkam 43 Bhattar gives a meaning – "he who

delights". Whether we are his customers or servants or bhakthaas or

for that matter his prapannaas or not, he simply delights everybody.

RaamO ramyathaam srEshta: says mahaa bharatham sabhaa parvam 58.42 –

meaning - he is the greatest among all in delighting [others].

The very next naama is Om viraamaaya nama: 397 meaning – he before

whom all become powerless. So he not only delights but also makes

others powerless before him. Such a raama is no one else but vishNu: -

- Om vishNavE nama: the second naama in SVSN.

 

Such a vishNu or raamaa is addressed by thyaagaraaja, the saint

musician – how can I understand you and your thathvam – raama or

viraama or vishNu - that `thathvamasi yani vaakyaarthamu neevani.

See krithi in the raagaa garuda dhvani.

 

On this raagaa garuda dhvani our respected sreeman anbil swamy writes

in one of the SRS journals: "GARUDA DWANI - A UNIQUE MUSICAL

INSTRUMENT! - As many as 16 auspicious musical instruments have been

identified and grouped into what is known as `AadOthyam'. The sound

of music emanating from these instruments in the form of a symphony

is said to represent the sound vibrations of Saama Veda and is also

known as `GaruDa Dwani". [got through a search in google with garuda

dwani as search matter. However I failed to note the date or

reference no. – sorry for not noting that.]

 

The significance of this raagam is that when played with expertise,

it will sound as though an army is performing a march past with

music. garuda dhvani is a `march past' music.

Analyzing why thyaagaraaja selected this raagam – the conclusion I

come to - is - The vaanaraa king sugreeva, and hanumaan, jaambavaan

and others, keep a close vigil on raama and lakshmaNa after having

been struck by indhrajith's naaga paasam – the asthra with snakes at

its athi dhevathaa - thinking about how to treat these two to get rid

of that snake poison or binding effect of naaga paasam. Garuda, the

son of vinathaa, appears on the scene with a bang. So garuda dhwani.

 

Thyaagaraaja sings this krithi at that timely reference of garuda

coming – first let us see the krithi and then the slokams from

vaalmeeki raamaayaNam connected.

 

raagam: garuDadhvani 29 dheera shankaraabharaNam janya

Aa: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S

Av: S D2 P G3 R2 S

taaLam: roopakam

Composer: Tyaagaraaja

Language: Telugu

pallavi

thathva meruga tharamaa para [thathva]

 

anupallavi

thathvamasi yani vaakyaarthamu raama neevanu para [thathva]

 

charaNam

thaamasa raajasa guNamula thannu kollu pOdayaa

raama bhakthudaina thyaagaraaja vinutha vEdha saasthra [thathva]

 

Meaning:

hey raamaa, one who is worshipped by [this] raama bhaktha, named

thyaagaraaja, is it possible to realize and experience the profundity

of the vedic declaration, `thathvam asi' "You are that"? With the

play of the thaamasa and raajasa guNaas on us, we cannot overcome

that play and then understand you.

 

Now the slokams – sushENa, the doctor available in raamaa's army,

said "let this hanumaan go to the hills dhrOna and chandhra where the

milk ocean was churned to get nectar. In that sanjeevikaraNi and

visalyaa the two herbs which can cure raama & lakshmaNa are

available, let him bring these, then raama and lakshmana will be

alright".

 

At that time, with a bang, garuda appeared there why I repeat this

bang is vaalmeeki describes there was a big wind, trees fell etc.

At that instance of garudaa's appearance, all the snakes disappeared

from bodies of raama and lakshmaNa and they woke from as though from

a sleep. Then garuda did a healing touch on the faces of raama and

lakshmaNa [as per vaalmeeki – just to save some space I am not giving

slokams.

Now, says raama, "hey who are you, we feel comfortable as though we

got back to father dhasaratha and grand father aja".

 

Garuda replies

aham sakhaa thE kaakuthsthha priya: praaNO bahischara:|| 6-50 -46

meaning: I am your friend, the life of you roaming outside.

 

na cha kouthoohalam kaaryam sakhithvam prathi raaghava |

krutha karmaa raNE veera sakhithvam anuvEthsyasi || 6-50 - 58

meaning: raama on the friendship front to know how why and all – to

know completely is not fit now. You will know that after you finish

what is to be done.

 

Point: you will now ask the question – how is that what garuda says

is relevant to what thyaagaraaja says as "thathvamasi" and

parathathva meruga tharama?

Is it that by seeing garuda, raama, that para thathvam, cannot

understand who garuda is? Or for that matter, For what he has come?

Then why this drama?

 

That raamaa - para thathva meruga tharamaa – is now covered with

thaamasa, raajasa guNaas, just for other's sake – as though he cannot

get out of those naaga paasams, he covers himself and lies down -

thaamasam. As soon as garuda appeared he comes out of the influence

and asks "hey who you are? Wherefrom you are coming? Then enjoys his

coming as though father has come" – again expressing ignorance –

thaamasa guNamu kollu pOdayya.

 

garuda also plays a beauty of a role – thaamasa role – ignorant role -

well - saying you will come to know when you have to – sakhithvam

anuvEthsyasi – about this friendship. Is it really friendship? or

that servitude – dhaasathvam of periya thiruvadi?

 

Also advises raama - no enjoying now of that - no recognition now –

when time comes you will know - till that time be ignorant – thaamasa

guNam kollu pOdayya

– for you have to do a raajasa kaaryam – hey veera – hey raama

the fighter – that is a raajasa kaaryam - raNe karmaa krutha

anuvEthsyasi – after you finish your work you know who I am.

– Is it that then only raama can understand?

– Or is it all for us.

 

To describe that act of raama and as well garuda what else

thyaagaraaja – that raama bhakthaa thyaagaraaja - can do or say -

except – raama neevanu para thathvamasi yani meruga tharama - hey

raama you are that – how to realize that `you are that' `that supreme

philosophy' – which the vEdhaas and saasthraas say.

 

What this thaamasa guNa MGV can say except raamaa raamaa para

thathvameruga tharama - on a raama navami day – can he understand

thathvamasi et al.

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.