28.KARAVAIGAL - by U.Ve.ESB Swamin

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28.KARAVAIGAL

 

 

In the very first paasuram Sri ANDAL declared unequi-

vocally that Sriman Narayana alone was the Means(UPAAYA)

for getting emancipation and His Service."NarayananE

Taruvaan"- the "E" is very significant. Similarly Lord

Krishna in His CHARAMA SLOKA commanded "Maam EKAM

Saranam Vraja." - "EKAM" = Me ALONE. This is very well

brought out By Sri Andal in this verse.

 

A Prapanna who firmly believes that the Lord alone is

capable of putting an end to our ever-revolving cycle

of births and deaths should possess SIX essential

characteristics:

1. He should have no truck with any other "means" like

Karmayoga etc( this is his AAKINCHANYA).

2. Moreover to observe such Yogas he does not have any

legitimate right, as sanctioned by the Scriptures. He

has to declare his "lowness".(ANANYAGATITVA)

3.He has to keep thinking constantly of the Fullness

or unimaginable capabilities of Lord Almighty who

is the "MOOLA SUKRITA".

4.He should concentrate on the indissoluble relationship

that he has with God.

5.He should beg pardon of the Lord for all his countless

acts of misbehaviour in the past.

6.He should pray to God for the realisation of his

aspiration, namely Service to the Almighty.

Sri Andal in a very dramatic manner brings out all

these in this verse.

 

Sri Krishna observed,"O Girls! When your aspiration

is for the highest End - my Service (KAINKARYA), you

must have also performed the prescribed rites for it

like Karma Yoga etc. Have you done so ?"

 

Gopis: (emphatically) No, O Lord! To perform them we

should in the first place have learnt the Vedas by

sitting at the holy feet of a great Acharya(Prasaanta-

chittaaya samaanvitaya etc) reputed for his erudition

and practice of rites. But our "gurus" are the milch-

cattle and our vocation is tending them to fill our

stomachs.(KARAVAIGAL PIN SENRU etc)

To add to this we are born of a race which has no claim

for knowledge.(ARIVONRUMILOM)

 

Krishna: If that is the case I can't help you.

 

Gopis: We are imperfect creatures but your perfection

should fill up this gap.(KURAIVONRUM etc)

 

Krishna:Now you claim a relationship with me,but this

can be broken off very easily by performing a rite

called "Ghata Sraaddha"

 

Gopis:That rite is applicable only to the relationships

which are the result of Karma.But our relationship(namely

the one between the Soul and God)is indissoluble either

by you or us or both together.(UNTHANNODU etc)

 

Krishna: Now you correctly understand our relationship

and call me "Govinda" signifying my being one amongst

you.But in the past you have called me as 'Narayana"

which has caused me considerable pain.(NOTE: NARAYANA

indicates the Lord's relationship with every created

being,prapanna as well as non-prapanna;where as GOVINDA

was the title He received indicative of His special

Accessibility(SOULABHYA) and compassion towards calves,

cows and cowherds.)

 

Gopis: we apologise to you for this oversight on our

part.But after all we are innocent cowherd girls.Out

of our affection for you we lost our balance of mind.

Please forgive us.(ARIYAADA PILLAIGALOM etc)

 

Krishna then summoned NAPPINNAI and ordered her to

give them what they desired.

 

Gopis: No! she has played her role by recommending our

case to you.(PURUSHAKAARATVA).Now it is your turn.You

are the UPAAYA,the bestower of your very valuable and

much sought-after Service.(NOTE: in a similar case Sri

RAMANUJA in SARANAAGATI GADYA prayed to SRI LAKSHMI for

intercession and when she said ,"Astu te; tayaiva sarvam

sampatsyate", he proceeded to pray to the Lord for

Kainkarya.)Please do it.(IRAIVA etc)

 

"Sriman Narayana charanau...etc" - the First Line of

the DVAYA Mantra is well illustrated in this paasuram.

The stanza needs to be understood with an elaborate

explanation by an erudite Guru.The sum and substance

of the stanza is that He alone is the sole Means of

Salvation; and a person who has no claim for any Sat

Karma as the Means of salvation and a refugee, alone

is fit for surrendering himself unto the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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