DhramidOpanishad Saaram(DS): Part III (slOkams 3 &4)

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SrI:

 

Vishu Mrugaseersha KrishNa Paksha TrayOdasi ,

JyEshtA Nakshathram

 

SrI VedAntha Desikaaya Nama:

 

Dear RasikAs of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi:

 

adiyEn will cover the fourth slOkam in this posting:

 

dhvikAmyAm ashDAngri-dhuradhigama-nIthi-sTapuDithA

yadhanthyA meemAmsA sruthi-sikhara-tatthvam vyavruNatha

tadhAdhou gATAbhi: Muni:adhikavimsAbhi: iha na: kruthI

saaragrAham vyatharadhathi sangruhya krupayA----(4)

 

In this slOkam, another feature of the first decad

( ten paasurams) of ThiruvAimozhi is pointed out.

Together with the second decad and the first paasuram

of the third decad--Twenty one passurams in all--

Swamy NammAzhwAr condensed the meaning of all Brahma

Soothrams , which are the essence of the sakala

Upanishad meanings. Thus the the first and the second

Thirumozhi plus the first Paasuram of the third Thirumozhi

salute not only the pertinent guNams associated

with the 21 paasurams , but together , they summarize

the meaning of all Brahma Soothrams .

 

Brahma Soothram is also known as SaarIrakam or Utthara

MeemAmsai. It has four adhyAyams (Chapters). Each of

these four chapters are called First Dhvikam , Second

dhvikam,Third dhvikam and Fourth Dhvikam.Each of these

four chapters (adhyAyams) have four quarters/paadhams

or four subdivisions.Hence Utthara MeemAmsai is also

known as the one with 16 divisions ( dhvi-ashta-angri).

Each of these 16 divisions have further fine divisions

called adhikaraNams.The adhikaraNms (neethi nyAyams) have

the feature of raising a doubt (Poorva Paksham )

and answering them effectively ( siddhAntha Paksham).

The rigorous logics behind these questions and answers

make it not easy for one to understand the Brahma Soothrams

or its BhAshyams like Sri Bhaashyam without the help of

a SadAchAryan . Hence , vishaya grahaNam ( understanding

the subject matter ) of the adhikaraNams of Brahma Soothrams

is not easy (dhuradhigamam)without such quality help.

Swamy NammAzhwAr is SadAchaarya Saarvabhouman. As such ,

He renders a great upakAram by making it easy for all of us

to understand the difficult-to-grasp Brahma Sothrams

by blessing us with their meanings through His ThiruvAimozhi

Paasurams in genaral and the first 21 paasurams ( Adhika-

vimsAbhI= more than 20 paasurams) of the First ,Second

Thirumozhis and the first paasuram of the third Thirumozhi.

What is "dhuradhigamam " (dificult to comprehend meanings

of Brahma Soothram ) and which causes great anxiety

(sTapuditham) becomes now easy to understnad and pleasurable

to study through the great help & compassion of Swamy NammAzhwAr.

His Paasurams of ThiruvAimozhi now become the easy-to-comprehend

commentary for the terse Brahma Soothrams.These paasurams

become ahdyAthma Saasthra VyAkyAnam (VedAntha Saasthra

commentaries).

 

The fourth slOkam covers all these points . In this slOkam ,

Swamy Desikan points out: " Muni: iha na: gATAbhi: adhikavimsAbhi:

iha saaragrAham vyatharadhipi: krupayA sangruhaya kruti".

Muni: is Sage NammAzhwAr. GaaTA : is ThiruvAimozhi paasurams.

adhika-vimsAbhi: refers to the first 21 paasurams of

ThiruvAimozhi. Iha notes that it was accomplished here:

in the first set of twenty one pasurams of ThiruvAimozhi .

What was accomplished ? The accomplishment is " krupayA

saaragraaham vyatharadhibhi: sangruhaya kruthi" . With

DayA for us of Mandha mathi ( limited intellect) , Swamy

NammazhwAr captured the essence of the four chapters ,

16 Paadhams and their constituent adhikaraNams in

just 21 Paasurams and blessed us with this gift

that is parama upadEsam .

 

The first half of the fourth slOkam talks about

the organization of the Brahma Soothrams, their

terseness in describing the sakala Upanishad arthams

this way:

 

" dhvikAmyAm ashtAngri-durahdigama-neethi-sTapuDithA

yadhanthyA MeemAmsA sruthi-sikhara-tatthvam vyavruNutha".

 

The Brahma Soothrams with its subdivisions of four dhvikAmyams,

and 16 Paadhams ( ashtAngri )are described as " dhuradhigama-

neethi " ( adhikaraNams with difficult to comprehend meanings ).

The difficulties in understanding them causes klEsam or

anxiety or restlessness on our part ( sTapuDithA).These

Utthara MeemAmsa Soothrams are the distillation of

the essence of the meanings of Sruthi Siras ( Upanishads).

These meanings are not easy to grasp . When Swamy

NammAzhwAr saw our helplessness , he felt compassion for us

and blessed us with the meanings of the adhikaraNams (Neethi

NyAyams) of Brahma Soothram in easy-to-understand paasurams

of ThiruvAimozhi.

 

This is the essence of the Fourth slOkam of DS.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan/SaThakOpan