(GPP-21 - Sri ILaiyAzhwAr Vaibhavam-8)

[Guest guest]

Sri Parthasarthi thunai,

Srimathe ramanujaya namaha,

Sri varavara muniye namaha;

 

One day in Srirangam, Sri Alavandaar was delivering kalashepam on the

paasuram "elingittitta purAnaththeerum". While explaining the divine arthas

inscribed by azhvar in this paasuram, aalavandaar was suddenly struck with

grief. He remarked "So far we haven't found a suitable person to follow us

as darshana pravarthakar, to spread and establish our sampradayam". Then

suddenly he remembered elaiyAzhvar and requested pErarulAlan as follows,

"Hey varada! Don't you have the idea of separating elaiyAzhvar from the

group of yadhava prakasa and make him join our team? Oh my lord! Please

accept my prayers and fulfil the same and bring elaiyAzhvar to our

sampradayam."

 

Over here, Yadhava prakasa continued his grantha kalashepams and that day it

happened to be the lesson on the verse, "sarvam kalvidham brahma

nEhanAnAsthi kinchana". Yadhava as usual explained the verse as per the

advaita philosophy and equated paramatma and jeevatma. ElaiyAzhvar objected

to the same and explained as per visistAdvaita philosophy. Yadhava got very

angry and said, "ElaiyAzhvar! From today you need not attend my classes; you

go and learn in a place which is suitable for your mental caliber".

 

ElaiyAzhvar, then returned back home and narrated the happenings to his.

His mother said, "Oh! My son, What you have learnt from yAdhava prakasa till

today is enough. Go and fall onto the divine feet of thirukkachchi nambigal

who is very close to pErarulAlan and act as per his advice". ElaiyAzhvar

followed the words of his mother and with due respects as per the verse,

"kriyathAmithimAmvatha" asked thirukkachchi nambigal for the direction which

he has to proceed? Thirukkachchi nambigal replied with great pleasure,

"pErarulAlan is fond of the water from the well situated near the main

road(sAlai kinaru). So you bring water for thiruvaradhanam (holy bath) from

that well daily and do service which will please emperuman". ElaiyAzhvar

happily obliged and from that day continued to do that service for emperuman

without fail.

 

By this time, aalavandaar in srirangam fell sick. Thirukkoshtiyur nambi and

Periya nambi with the support (purushakAram) of thiruvarangaperumal araiyar

prostrated in front of alavandaar and requested him as follows: "Please tell

us a way to support us always" Aalvandaar replied, "Listen! let me tell you

a good way. Consider koil azhvar as your life; consider him to be your

caretaker and let the divinity of thiruppAnAzhvar who enjoyed the divine

beauty of Periya perumal from bottom to top (pAdhAndhikEshAntham), always

remain in your minds. Keep meditating on the divine vigraham of

thiruppAnAzhvar with a veena in hand immersed in the divine beauty of Periya

perumal." The 3 disciples visualized the same in their minds as the acharya

continued to say, "To substantiate more, remember kurunkaruththa nambi, who

understood the divine thoughts of thiruvEnkata mudaiyan and immersed himself

in the lord's service. Further let your mind always meditate on that

thirukkachchi nambigal who is very close to pErarulAlan's heart." Then

Alavandaar showed thiruvarangaperumal araiyar to the other two and said,

hold on to him, as he is the one who has understood the inner heart of

thiruppAnAzhvar. Always consider Periya perumAl's thirumEni to be your upaya

(means) and upEyam(goal). Listening to all these thiruvaranga perumal

araiyar asked aalavandaar, "Have your esteemed self, decided to leave to the

divine abode of emperuman to enjoy his nithya kainkaryam?".

 

For which Aalavandaar replied, "You be happy and concentrate on parasamrudhi

(other's welfare)". Then glancing at the three disciples (thirukkOshtiyur

nambi, Periya nambi and thiruvarangaperumal araiyar) aalavandaar contined

saying, "If a prapannan thinks that he has a role to play either in his

AthmayAthra (which is bhAgavadheenam, bhagavan's wish) and in dehayAthra

(which is karmAdheenam, depends on poorva karmas) then there is no effect

for his athma samarpanam ('unna thenna thAvi'). If a prapannan thinks that

he has to do something for his AthmayAthra then his athma samarpanam becomes

fruitless. So it should be clearly understood that we have no role to play

either in our athma or dEha yAthra with all the 3 karnas (mano, vak, kAyam).

Narayanan alone has a permanent role. Inspite of us not doing anything and

uttering his nama, still emperuman will show us the paramapadam ("vanavar

nAttai nee kandu kol") due to his krupai and owdAryam (charity).

 

(To be continued)

 

AzhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

Adiyen,

Varadarajan Ramanuja dAsan

Sumithra Ramanuja dAsee