Thirumaalai-16

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Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

“ Mattrondrum vEinda Maname Madhilarangar

Kattrinum meitha kazhalinai keezh- uttra

Thirumaalai paadum seer Thondaradipodi Emperumaanai

Eppozhudum peesu”

 

“ Srimat Krishna samahvaya Namo yaamuna soonave

yetkadAkshai kalakshyAnAm sulabha: Sridara: sadaa”

 

Pranams,

 

In the last posting we saw Thondaradi podi alwar saying that it is not a rule to

meditate on the divya mangala vigraham of emperuman along with nAma keertanam.

Then why does andal say we have to think of him and call him? For filling our

stomach it is enough if we have some rice but why do we make so many various

dishes? Similarly, just the Govinda nAmam can grant all the palans we request

including moksha but then if we meditate on the divine roopam of bhagavan and

chant the nAma then it is more enjoyable. Doing ThirunAma keertanam to get

some thing is the lowest step instead nAma keertanam should be done as a

kainkaryam to bhagavan(bhagavat preertyattam). That is why andal says “vAyinal

pAdi manatinAl sindikka”. When I say a cow, then a figure of a cow comes in our

memory. For that matter, whatever names we utter those figures flashes in our

memory. So similarly when I say Parthasarathi(geethacharyan) in our memory

flashes the divine beauty of the emperuman still bearing the wounds of the

bhArata yuddha, in which he saved arjuna by bearing the arrows of bheeshma in

his face. For those who haven’t visited thiruvallikeni they will imagine, the

sarathy sitting in a chariot of arjuna common in all geethopadesha pictures.

So something flashes in our memory. That is what andal says when you utter his

nAma, also think of him so that you get immersed in his divine beauty. But then

there is one more problem, that is when I say parthasarathi, we all tend to

think of one of our relative or friend who has been named with that bhagavan

nAma. This happens because we consider emperuman to be a third person and the

other friends or relatives to be our close associates. We remember only those

who are close to us. That is why our acharyas ask us to consider emperuman as

our most close associate and meditate on him always. Though in an emergency

none of our close friends or relatives to our rescue only bhagavan runs and

comes to help us.

 

As in the case of drowpathi, none of her relatives bheeshma, dradarashtra or

even her husbands couldn’t help her when she cried for dharma but then only the

Govinda nAma saved her. Afterall emperuman also says “Ye yetamam prapathyanthe

tam tataiva bajamyaham”(In whatever way you think of me I become the same). If

we consider him as our brother he becomes our brother, if we consider him as our

father he becomes the same. So think of emperuman in which ever way you want

and show deep love and devotion towards him.

 

Inspite of the teachings of our alwars and acharyas we still are unable to

accept bhagavan as our bhandhu and we refrain from falling under his feet. But

he never gets angry with us but instead waits for the smallest of the smallest

chance to save us from the ocean of samsara and grant us moksha. Alwar feels

sorry for bhagavan. When these samsaris are so adament why should parabrahmam

make himself low and come to save these people? Alwar now goes to the extend

of calling emperuman “pitthan”.

 

“eththanai adiyarAnAkku errangum nam pitthanai pettrum”: Though we turn our

faces towards him and fall into the ocean of miseries, bhagavan never enjoys us

suffering. He still pities our state and wants to do something to save us. So

alwar says he is a Pitthan(mentally retarded person). Who is a pitthan? Sri

PVP gives a definition for pitthan. “thannaiyum ariyAde piraraiyum theriyAdu

errukumavar”One who is ignorant of himself and who also doesn’t understand

others. Here emperuman is sarva sakthan(one who can do anything) and sarva

sankalpan(everything occurs only due to his wish) whereas we jeevatmas are his

dasas(servants). Still he forgets his paratvam and comes to rescue us inspite

of us constantly insulting him. He doesn’t feel ashamed to become pandava

dhoodha or for running the chariot of arjuna. Instead he says I feel proud to

be a servant of my devotee. He even grants moksha to bhootana who came to kill

him, saying that though she came with a wrong intention she disguised herself as

a mother. Though ajamilan or kshatrabandhu, both of whom have done so much of

papas, at the end only called their son or servant with govinda narayana nAma

still emperuman grants then moksha saying that they uttered his nAMa. What

karunai is possesses? But then alwar feels bad that though he does so much the

jeevatmas never realise his magimai.

 

“Andho! Piraviyul pinaggumArE”: Andho! Is a word of exclamation. Alwar

breathes a sign of pity. Inspite of bhagavan showing so much krupai on these

jeevatmas still the jeevatmas never go near him and hence they suffer in the

cycle of life and death. Even when sisupalan scolded emperuman in such a way

that even his own friends couldn’t tolerate it emperuman granted him moksha,

giving the reason that before scolding each time he uttered his nAma.(“ketpAr

sevisudum kEzhmai vasaivugalE sollum sisupAlan”). To grant us all moksha

emperuman permanently settled in srirangam taking a vow that he will not return

until there is no one left in this leela vibuthi. But even after he settling

here the number of jeevatmas visiting naraka has not reduced. What a pity!

Feels alwar.

 

We will continue in the next posting.

 

AzhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasyai

Sumithra Varadarajan

 

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