bhOgyAmrutam - yOgaha (18)

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Yogaha(star-aSwini) = The one who is the perfect “means”.

 

 

Poem: periya tiruvandAdi – 1 (of SrI NammALwAr)

 

 

 

Brief interpretation : A yearning of the highest order is the perfect

pre-requisite for realizing Him. To stimulate it in our minds, He should possess

unparalled fame and glory (SrI kIrti). Then only such an attainment is made

possible.

 

 

 

Poem in English :

1) O mind with full of eagerness

 

2) Lets together extol

3) With hymns full of meaning, flowing from the sweet tongue.

 

4) The glories of the supreme Lord with the hue of an enticing flower.

 

 

 

Detailed Interpretation :

 

1) O mind bubbling with eagerness, lets together extol : A mind filled with

extreme eagerness for Him puts us on the path of progress and prosperity. The

senses and the soul should be backed by their good old friend (the mind) in

praising Him. Whats then, the best way of praising Him?

 

 

 

2) With hymns full of meaning flowing from the sweet tongue : The words of

adulation should be replete with intense love and longing for Him. The sweet

tongue should assist in mellowing them further to perfection. But, How would

this be possible?.

For being so, the object of such an adulation should be full

of all the glorious divine qualities.

 

 

 

3) The glories of the supreme Lord with the hue of an enticing flower : What

does such a beautiful flower indicate?. – It signifies His auspicious attributes

viz soundaryam (beautiful countenance), soukumAryam (extreme tenderness),

souSIlyam (condescending attitude), soulabhyam (extreme accessibility) etc. He

is the one full of such innumerable auspicious qualities. They are the sources

of His overwhelming fame and glories.

Such an unparalled fame alone is capable of turning the

adamant mind towards Him and fill that mind with the eagerness to know more and

more about Him.

 

Thus His distinguished fame serves as the perfect means to

attain Him.

 

It’s customary to refer to a person full of knowledge as knowledge itself. ( O

great Knowledge!! – refering to the one who possesses it). Similarly we cannot

separate the Lord and His auspicious qualities. The Lord with His great

qualities forms the one and only sublime means for realizing Him. And so, we

attribute the nAma “yOgaha” only to Him.

 

 

 

Summary : He is the End (the goal to be achieved). His captivating qualities

pull us towards Him and thus form the means. Since those qualities are

inseperable from the Lord, He Himself becomes the means; as well as the End - a

striking rarity!!.

 

Jai Sriman Narayana