Mumukshuppadi 002

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Mumukshuppadi

 

2. Athil prathama rahasyam thirumanthram.

 

Meaning:

Amongst the three rahasyas the first rahasyam that

a mumukshu has to know is the Thiruvashtakshara

mahamanthram.

 

Essence:

Amongst the three manthrams that a mumukshu has to

know, the very first rahasyam he has to understand

is the Thiruvashtaksharam known as the Thirumanthram.

The reason that this has to be learnt first is that

only after the meanings of the self is understood

can one understand the meanings of the means and

the goal. Therefore, the Thirumanthram which

explains the nature of the self has to be learnt

ahead of the other two rahasyas which explain the

means and the goal. A jiva is enslaved to the Lord.

He is dependent on the Lord and He enjoys nothing

but his association with the Lord - this is the

understanding of the self. Thirumanthram which

explains this meaning is therefore to be learnt

first.

 

The Thirumanthram is made of two parts: Pranavam

and Manthrasesham. Om is the Pranavam and Namo

Narayanaya is Manthrasesham. Pranavam is expanded

upon by Manthrasesham. Manthrasesham is expanded

upon by Dvayam. Dvayam is expanded upon by Carama

Slokam. By this order also Thirumanthram has to

be learnt first.

 

The word manthram is obtained from "manthAram

thrAyathe". It is that which protects those who

recite it. The protection is of two types: One

is via the sound of the manthra and the second

is via the meaning of the manthra.

 

The benefits that are obtained by those who

recite it and use it in Homas is obtained via

the power of the sound of Thirumanthram. The

benefit accrued by the prapannas who look to

nothing but the Lord, is obtained by the power

of the meaning of Thirumanthram.

 

The second meaning is explained by Sri Bhattar

in Ashtasloki as follows. If a person thinks

that his body is the same as his soul then he

should look at the makaram of the pranavam.

Since it talks about the soul with knowledge

he would understand the knowledge-less body

cannot be the same as the soul. Even if one

understands this, he may mistake that the

soul is not dependent on the Lord and think

that it is fully independent. Such a person

should look at akaram in pranavam. Akaram

emphasizes that the souls are enslaved to the

Lord and therefore he will be cleared of his

error. If he understands that a soul is

enslaved to the Lord but thinks that it is

similarly enslaved to many others, a fact

that is commonly seen in this world, then he

should look at the ukaram in pranavam. This

ukaram shows that the souls are enslaved only

to Sriman Narayana and as such he would

correct his mistake. A person who understands

all of this might still think that his own

effort is sufficient to protect himself. Such

a person should look at the nama: term. This

term shows that the protection of the souls

is the duty of the Lord and not of the self.

If a person begins to develop great attachment

to the people surrounding him, his wife,

children, relatives, then he should look at

the Narayana term. This teaches him that Sriman

Narayana is the one and all relation to a soul.

A person who becomes attached to things of this

world should look at the "aya" term (chathurthi

vibhakti). As this term signifies that eternal

service to the Lord is the purpose for a soul,

attachment to other things will be broken.

 

The thirumanthram that contains these meanings

is therefore to be learnt first and is the

refuge for all prapannas.

 

Pillai Lokacharyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

TCA Venkatesan

http://www.acharya.org

 

 

 

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