Divya Desa - Preface 1

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

Srimad Vara Vara Munaye nama:

 

Dear bhAgavatAs,

 

Salutations to all. This post is just a preface to the

series of posts on Divya Desas that is about to start.

Devotees/readers are welcome/free to give suggestions or pass

comments on forthcoming articles and are also requested to share with

fellow-members if they know more authentic information, be it

historical or technical related.

 

NArAyaNa/VAsudeva/ViShNu is the Lord. The "nArAyaNa

mantra" is the best and among the pantheon of Deities, NArAyaNa is

the supreme and among the mantras,Tirumantra/the AShTAkshari is the

king. Narasimha purANa highlights that there is nothing superior to

Tirumantra. Sri PiLLai lOkAcAryAr gives two reasons(why VAsudeva and

ViShNu are relegated) in his Mumukshuppadi[Cf Mumu:8-12](i)the other

two nAmAs(vAsudeva and viShNu)are handled by unorthodox and the

heretics who deny the Lord's form and attributes (ii)their not being

complete except in a limited sense. The two mantras speak the Lord's

immanence,but neither deals with the why and wherefore of it,

although "vAsudeva mantra" has a slight edge over "viShNu mantra"

so far as "manner of pervasion" is indicated in it. It's only

the "nArAyaNa mantra" which describes the rUpa,swarUpa,kalyANa guNas

of the God and hence COMPLETE and the other two mantras can not claim

parity with the "nArAyaNa mantra". Also note that it's only NArAyaNa

mantra which is mentioned first in the "ViShNu gAyatri". HE is the

indweller and the Atma of all. Sriman NArAyaNa in Paramapada/VaikuNTa

is being constantly worshipped by nityasUris and HE creates this lIla

vibhUti to redeem us from this samsAra and He manifests Himself in

five forms "para", "vyUha", "vibhava","antaryAmi" and "arca".

 

1)Para

In Paramapada,the Lord ParavAsudeva/VaikuNTanAthan is in a

sitting posture along with Sri,BhU and NILA devis. Only nityasUris

live here and always do mangaLAshAsanams(singing pallANdu)and

praising the Lord in sAma gAna. Here nobody experiences thirst,sleep,

hunger,pain,exhaustion and other worldly problems we undergo.

NityasUris are always immersed in the kalyANa guNAs of the Divine

Couple. NityasUris are those who have never undergone the cycle of

samsAra. Details can be seen in the article on "Tiruparamapada or

SrivaikuNTa or TirunAdu"

 

2)VyUha

Sriman NArAyaNa expands Himself(with the thought of creating

the lIlavibhUti) in vyUha form(from Para)and He(kshIrAbdinAthan),with

NILA devi(kadal magaL nAcciyAr)and BhU devi at His feet, is in "yOga

nidra" posture on AdisEsa in the Milky ocean(kshIrAbdi/pARkadal).

NammAzhvAr says about this posture of the God as "uRanguvadu pOla

yOgu seidu". The word "vyUha" means expansion and He expands as a

smiling "vAsudeva" facing east,lion-faced "samkarShaNa" facing

south,varaha-faced "pradhyumna" facing north and rudra-

faced "aniruddha" facing west. During praLaya(deluge),the other three

forms namely samkarShaNa,pradhyumna and aniruddha merge with vAsudeva.

 

3) Vibhava

Vibhava means "coming down". For the sake of devotees,to

establish dharma and to protect the world,He comes down to bhUlOka

assuming a form/body of His own(which is not affected by prakrti.

SriRama,SriKrShNa and other bhUlOka avatArAs are called vibhava and

they are of three types viz,pUrNa,amsa and AvEsha. SriRama,

SriKrShNa,vAmana and ParasurAma are pUrNa avatArAs. Matsya and VarAha

are amsa avatArAs while Narasimha is an AvEsha avatAra.

 

4) AntaryAmi

He as antaryAmi supports each and every jIvAtmA. He is

invisible to the naked eye yet residing within us(our body and soul)

enlivens our heart and expresses in the form of energy.

 

5) Arca

For ordinary people,it is very difficult to realize the

above-mentioned four forms. There can not be a better and easier

means than arca worship for us. Arca worship has been extoled by

AzhvArs as it is the reservoir of redemptive mercy and most of their

hymns are devoted to the Lord in arca form. NammAzhvAr claims in his

TiruvAymozhi that the Lord spoke through him[Cf TVM:7.9.1-meaning

seventh hundred(EzhAm paththu),ninth decad(onbadAm tiruvAymozhi)]to

establish that Divya Prabandham is "revelations or vEda". The Lord

has taken arca form with the sole purpose of redeeming us. Sri

MaNavALa mAmunigaL says that NammAzhvAr has shown us clearly that

arcAvatAra is the easiest means for our salvation.

 

"seiyya paraththuvamAy sIrAr viyUhamAy

thuyya vibhavamAyth thOnRi ivaRRuL-eidhumavarkku

innilaththil arccAvathAram eLidhenRAn

pannu thamizh mARan payinRu"

 

NammAzhvAr(who explained the vedas in tamizh)points out the

five forms of the Lord.

 

"viNmIdhiruppAy, malaimEl niRpAy,kadaRsErppAy

maNmIdhuzhazhvAy,ivaRRuL engum maRaindhuRaivAy

enmIdhiyanRa puRavaNdaththAy enadhAvi

unmIdhAdi urukkAttAdhE oLippAyO?"

 

1)viNmIdhiruppAy - paratva(paramapada)

2)malai mEl niRpAy - vibhava(came down as avatAra puruSha)

3)kadal sErppAy - vyUha(expands Himself in tiruppARkadal)

4)maN mIdhuzhazhvAy- arca(arca mUrty in divya deshas and other

sthalas)

5)en mIdhiyanRa

puRa vaNdaththAy - antharyAmi(mixing with us as antharyAmi)

 

Reference:A EthirAjan:108 VaiNava Divya Desa sthala varalARu and

other pUrvAcAryAs' texts.

 

AzhvAr EmperumAnAr Jeeyar TiruvadigaLE saraNam

Nallan Chakravarthy Nappinnai