Ashtasloki 3: Verse 1: Line 2 Explains how letter 'ma' indicates the Jeevathma? and Subservience ONLY to paramathma.

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Sri:Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Pranam to all devotees:

Verse 1: Line 2: Explains how letter 'ma' indicates the Jeevathma? jeevatma is

subservient ""only"" to Paramatma and is not subservient to any other.

======================================== Verse1:

 

akaraarthoo vishnuhu jagadudaya rakshaa pralaya krth makaaraarthoo jeevaha

tadupakaranam vaishnavamidam

ukaaroonanyaarham niyamayati sambandhamanayoh trayee saaraha tryaatmaa pranava

imamartham samadishath ========================================

Verse 1, line 2 is devoted to explain the letter 'ma'. The letter 'ma' is the

25th letter and indicates the repository of knowledge (janam) and therefore,

implies 'atma'. Here it refers to the jeevatma. ********* This following info

is not in Sri PBA Swami's original but has been provided here for information

***********

The letters in Sanskrit language are grouped within five: ka, cha, ta, tha, pa

and under each group five letters are there. Each letter signify an entity

(thatvam). They are listed in the Samhithas as follows:- => five elements

(Bhutas); five of "Ka"=> five motor organs (Karmendriyas ); five of "Cha"=>

five sense organs (Gnanendriyas); five of "Ta"=> five principles (Tanmatras);

five of "Tha" => and the five of "Pa' group " **'Pa' ; the mind (Manas),

**''Pha' ; the Individuality ( Ahankara) **'' Ba' ; the Universal

mind (Mahat) **'' Bha' ; the primordial matter (Prakruti) and

**'' Ma' ; the jeevatma as the 25th letter.

********* End info addition ***********

 

Thus, the Jeeva is different from the other 24 Tattvas. So is Iswara (differrent

from others) , the 26th who is the ultimate cause of everything.

Swami Nammalwar has summorised the above in his verse

'pongu ampulanum, pri iyndum- karu mayindriyam amboodam, ingu

ivuyeerai-pragrithi, manangara manangalay'. In the above list the letter 'ma'

representing 'jeeva' occupies 25th place. The root for the letter is

'mana-jnaney' or 'mana-avabhodhaney'. The meanings of the roots are embodiment

of knowledge or possessing the attribute of knowledge. These qualities are

present in jeevan (soul).

Between the two letters 'ah' and 'ma' there is no connecting case ending. Saying

merely 'Paramatma' and 'jeevatma' does not indicate any connection bertween the

two. There ought to be a case ending to indicate the relation between the two.

 

It is indicated in this work and in other purvacharya commentaries that there is

a fourth case ending present between the two words 'ah' and 'ma' which has

disappeared in accordance to a grammar rule.

 

It would be sufficient to understand that the case ending is similar to the english word 'to'.

This with the word 'ah' means that "jeeva" is subservient "to" "Paramatma."

This position of jeevatma is brought out in the next two words of the verse.

Thathupakaranam vaishnavamidam – Thath–idam (this jeevatma) Vaishnavamuparakanam

(is subservient to Paramatma.)

A doubt may arise why we should consider only the fourth case ending on the word

'ah' when there are several other cases available.

The reply is given as that the fourth case ending is clearly indicated in the

following word of Thirumantram, as Narayanaya which is the expansion of the

word 'ah' in the Pranavam.

Therefore only the fourth case ending is appropriate.

Note the distinction in the usage of words, 'jeevaha' and 'that idam'

which are different in gender. The word 'jeeva' is a masculine gender

word and the word 'that idam' which are different is a neuter gender word.

The neuter gender is used for inanimate objects which is bereft of knowledge.

The significance in the usage is that the all knowing, knowledgable jeevan

may have to behave like an inanimate object which is devoid of knowledge.

The true nature of the 'jeevan' (soul) is to conduct itself as an inanimate object

with reference to Paramatma and should be solely dependent on Him. The third

line in the verse explains the meaning of the word 'ooh'.

In Sanskrit this implies 'eva'; in english this means 'only'. That is jeevatma

is subservient ""only"" to Paramatma and does (is) not subservient to any

other.

 

End of Verse 1.

We start with Verse 2 in the next post.-- Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar

Thiruvadigale SaranamRamanuja Dasan

VP Srinivasa Varadan