Sleep Not, Sudarshan!

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

"Sleep Not, Sudarshan!"

 

Among all the Azhwars, Sri Periazhwar occupies a unique position. He is

the only one who could claim a close familial relationship with the Lord, having

given his daughter in marriage to Sri Rangaraja ("Svasuram....Ranganathasya

sAkshAt"). He is the only one who could claim to be from the family which gave

the world two Azhwars. He is the only one to devote almost his entire

composition to a delightful description of Sri Krishna's infancy and teenage. In

fact, he created a new genre of Tamizh literature known as "PiLlai Tamizh",

dealing with the childhood exploits of the principal character. It was only he

who was afforded an opportunity to establish the Lord's supremacy before the

whole world, in a gathering specially convened for the purpose by the PAndya

rAjA. It was Sri Vishnuchitta who displayed an almost maternal concern for the

Lord's welfare, wishing Him billions of years of a happy, fun-filled lifespan,

in the company of those near and dear to Him ("PallANdu, pallANdu

pallAyiratthANdu, pala kOti noorAyiram"). It is thus no accident that his

Prabandam TiruppallANdu occupies pride of place among the Divine Four Thousand,

being recited ahead of the works of all other Azhwars and that Sri Vishnuchitta

is reverentially known as "Peria" Azhwar.

 

Though this Azhwar's overwhelming concern for Emperuman's eternal wellbeing

shines through in almost all of his pasurams, there are some which are extremely

moving and inspiring. It is beyond our conception that anyone could have so much

affection for the Lord as to wish Him well at every step, be it while playing,

sleeping, herding cows or at play. Azhwar not only recounts, but practically

lives through the struggles Yasoda went through in bringing up an uncooperative

brat, who wouldn't bathe to wash off the overpowering odour of dairy products

and bovine company, wouldn't let His mother comb His black locks, had difficulty

in recognising property rights relating to milk, butter, etc., was an unashamed

liar when it suited Him and a forerunner of Casanova and Don Juan, as far as the

hapless Gopis were concerned, leaving a trail of broken hearts wherever He went.

 

Sri Nammazhwar and Sri Tirumangai Mannan affected feminine roles in enjoying

the Lord, hovering at the heights of ecstacy when in the company of the beloved

and touching the trough of despair when separated from Him. Donning the role of

an ardent lover appears much less painful, compared to that of a doting mother,

who has to contend with the pangs of anxiety that she is cursed with. With all

those minions of Kamsa out to get Him and the spirited Sri Krishna refusing to

limit His activities to the secure confines of NandagOkulam, Yasoda must have

died a thousand deaths everyday, till she sighted the triumphant return of

cowherds with Krishna in the lead, in the late evening. It is the mother who

goes through extremely anxious moments, during the birth, infancy and

adoloscence of her offspring and this concern never leaves her even when the

infant grows into a mature adult, well capable of fending for himself. Such too

is the concern of Yasoda, and by proxy, that of Sri Periazhwar, putting him on

an entirely different pedestal from that occupied by other Azhwars, who merely

courted the bewitching Lord when He was in the full bloom of youth, without

experiencing any of the anxieties associated with the process of His growth. One

might say that Sri Periazhwar is in the position of a mother, who lavished all

her love and affection on her son and brought him up with an overwhelming

concern for his welfare, only to lose him to the wife (represented by the

ParAnkusa and ParakAla nAyakIs), after his marriage. Thus if we agree that the

"MAthru bhAvam" is more painful, difficult and demanding (though having its

momemts of delight too) than that of the "nAyikA bhAvam", we must accord pride

of place to Sri VishnuchittA, among the elite community of Azhwars.

 

It is this anxiety of Sri Periazhwar that makes him burst into benediction (in

the form of the ThiruppallANdu) at the enthralling sight of the magnificent

Lord, resplendent on the Garuda vAhanam, with the Divine Consorts at His side,

on that holy day in the month of Ani, adorning the streets of Madurai. He fears

that the evil eye would befall the Paramapurusha and might cause Him harm.

Laughable, isn't it? As if any evil force, however potent, could ever approach

Emperuman, leave alone affect Him!

 

To you and me, looking at the matter with the clinical detachment our stony

hearts are capable of, Azhwar's anxiety might appear unwarranted-however, if we

look at the matter with the eyes of a doting mother that Sri Periazhwar was, we

find ourselves racked by worry that all this brilliance and beauty that the Lord

displays should not attract the jealous and ill-meaning glance of detractors.

Going especially by the innumerable threats to His life the infant Krishna had

to face, any mother would naturally fear for her child's welfare, which is what

Sri Vishnuchitta did. Pointing out the fallacy of judging the actions of great

people through our own faulty perceptions, Sri Nammazhwar asks us to look at the

same through the eyes of love, affection and devotion displayed by Azhwars-"en

nenjinAl nOkki kANeer". When we do so, the apparent rantings and ravings of

Azhwars appear perfectly in order, given their emotionally surcharged hearts,

athrob with boundless devotion.

 

The elderly mother of a mature adult still warns him to be careful while driving

or merely walking on the road. Does she not realise that the son can very well

take care of himself and doesn't need her homily? She does, but is still unable

to shake off the worry of his coming to some harm en route. Similar is the

predicament of Periazhwar, who realises fullwell that no harm can befall the

Paramapurusha from any source, however powerful, but still performs

mangaLAsAsanam to ensure His continued welfare. To those who might find this

conduct of Azhwars incongruous, given the unblemished wisdom they were blessed

with, I can only repeat Sri Satakopa Muni's entreaty, "en nenjinAl nOkki

kANeer".

 

In the first pasuram of ThiruppallAndu, Sri Periazhwar showers his benediction

not only upon the Lord, but also on His inseparable Consort, the Divine Discus

Sudarsana on His right hand and the Cosmic Conch PAnchajanya adorning His left.

One might wonder-if it his maternal concern for the Lord that makes Azhwar voice

the wish that the former thrive and prosper for billions of years, why rope in

the Shankham, Chakram etc.? Does his anxiety cover these worthies too? Does he

consider them too to be subject to potential threats from sources unknown?

 

I do not know the official explanation offered by illustrious commentators, but

to an uninformed and lay person like me, it appears as though the benediction to

Sudarsana and Panchajanya too to flourish for an eternity, is simply to ensure

that they continue to offer the Lord protection and pampering for all time to

come. It is not out of any special concern for the welfare of these worthies

that Sri Periazhwar extends the benediction to them, but to guarantee the Lord

the constant and continued attention of "tirumEni parivargaL"-those who can bear

no harm befalling the Lord, however improbable such an event might be. This

appears clear from the following pasuram, in which Azhwar exhorts

SudarsanAzhwan, PAnchajanyAzhwan, anantAzhwAn and even Peria Tiruvadi, to eschew

sleep, not to close their eyes even for a micro-second, for fear that their

moment of inattention might bring the Lord some harm-

 

"uragal uragal uragal oN sudarAzhiyE! ShankhE!

araveri nAndaka vALE! azhagia SarngamE! TandE!

iravu padAmal irunda eNmaru ulOkapAleerkAL!

Paravai arayA! uragal paLLiyarai kurikkoNmin"

 

In this beautiful pasuram, Azhwar tells all those around the Lord not to sleep a

wink-His magnificent Mace, the Bow SArngam which spells instant and ignominious

death to foes, the long, broad and deadly Sceptre nAndakam-all these worthies

are urged not to close their eyes ever, but to be ever vigilant and patrol the

bedroom of the Lord, who is forever in YOga nidrA. Azhwar appears to tell the

PanchAyudhAs that their Master might sleep, but not they. And the repetition of

the word "uragal" (short for "urangEl"-don't sleep) not once, but four times in

the same pasuram, indicates the emphasis placed by Azhwar and the degree of his

anxiety.

 

Azhwar really has some nerve, it would appear to us, telling nitya SUris, who

themselves are forever on their guard, not to fall asleep. Even the Shruti

attests to the fact that the Celestials never even blink, for fear of missing

out on a second of bhagavat anubhavam, leave alone sleep. Their very name,

"imayOr" indicates that they never let their eyes close even for a second.

Knowing their nature fulwell, if Azwar feels it necessary to warn them to be

vigilant, one can guess the depth of love, affection and maternal concern that

Sri Vishnuchitta has for the Lord and His welfare.

 

There appears to be some significance in asking the Celestials to guard the

Lord's sleeping place-"paLLiyarai". Though this is appropriate even if taken

literally, it would appear that something else is meant here. In the same decad

of which this "uragal" pAsuram is the ninth, Azhwar tells us that the Lord

reclines in the Azhwar's mind itself, forsaking His favourite TiruppArkkadal-

 

"aravinda pAvayum tAnum agampadi vandu pugundu

paravai tirai pala mOda paLLi koLgindra PirAnai

paravugindrAn Vittuchitthan"

 

Pani kadalil paLLikOlai pazhaga vittu-Odi vandu en

Mana kadalil vAzha valla mAya MaNALa nambI!"

 

All the aforesaid pasurams indicate that the Lord's bedroom is indeed the

Azhwar's heart and none other. Emperuman lies there in absolute comfort, having

forsaken His other celestial abodes. And it is this unique bedroom that Azhwar

wants the nitya sUrIs to guard ("paLLiyarai kurikkoNmin"). Being human, Azhwar

is afraid of his senses allowing undesirable thoughts to enter the heart and

pollute the sacred space occupied by Emperuman. It is to guard against this that

he seeks the assistance of the PanchAyudhAs, so that they stand vigilant against

any inappropriate thought or notion worming its way into Azhwar's sacred heart.

Obviously, Azhwar considers the waywardness of the mind and its penchant for

thinking the unthinkable to be such powerful foes, that he calls upon for

assistance, not one but all the Lord's illustrious attendants.

 

If this is how Sri Periazhwar, with his heart filled solely with thoughts of the

Lord, feels, we are speechless and baffled as to how we mortals, with our

absolutely fickle minds, unable to concentrate for even a full second on

Emperuman, His form and auspicious attributes, should feel. If Azhwar finds

himself in need of the five divine weapons to stand guard against evil thoughts

entering his mind, we wonder if the entire body of Celestials would be adequate

to do sentry duty in our case, for such is the number and frequency of unholy

thoughts buffeting our minds, turning it into a raging sea with choppy waves,

refusing to be calmed.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan