Ashtasloki 6: Verse 4:Explains basic doubts.

[Guest guest]

Pranam to all devotees:

This verse addresses the doubts, and gives answers to them.

Doubts answered for those who feel :1: The atma is body.2: he is independent

himself3: he is subservient to any other person or devatha in addition to

Narayana4: desirious of trying himself for the liberation of his soul

5: person has attachment to his relatives

Ashtasloki Verse No.4.dhehAsaktAtmabuddhiryadi bhavati padam sAdhu

vidyAtthrtIyam svAtantryAndhO yadi syAt prathamamitarasheshatvadhIschetdvitIyam

AtmatrANOnmukhaschenam iti cha padam bAnDhavABhAsalOla: Shabdam nArAyaNAkhyam

vishayachapaladhIschetchaturThIm prapanna:

Simple meaning:Dheha asakta Atma bhudhihi bavath yathi if any one feels

the atma is body (dheha atma bramam)Tritheeyam padam sadhu vidyat let

him look to the third letter 'ma' in the Pranavam 'om'

Swathantriya anthaha syat yathi if any one feels that he is

independent himself

Prathamam padam vidyat let him look to the first letter 'ah' of

the Pranavam 'om'

together with the hidden 4th case ending.

Ithara seshathwatheehi chaat if any one feels that he is subservient to any

other person or devatha in addition to Narayana

Dwadeeyam padam vidyat let him look to the second letter 'ooh' of the

Pranavam 'om'

Atma thrana- unmuka chaat if any one is desirious of trying himself for the

liberation of his soul

Nama ithi padam vidyat let him look to the word 'namaha' in the

Thirumantram

Bandawa basa lolaha if any person has attachment to his

relatives

Narayanakyam sabdam vidyat let him look to the word 'Narayana'

Vishaya chapaladeehi chaat if any person is interestd in the enjoyment of

senses

Chathurtheem vidyat let him look to the 4th case ending of the

Narayana word i.e 'aya'

Thus each set of doubts are

answered.

Explanation:

Prapannaha is the person who firmly believes in Paramatma as his goal and means.

The protection provided by Thrumantram is of two kinds.

1: The mantram, by virtue of its sound (sabdha) during japam and homam protects

the person very well.

2: But in the case of those who are firm by keeping Lord as goal as well as

means to attain Him the Thirumantram protects them by virtue of the effect of

its meanings. The second type of protection, provided to Prapannas is explained

in this verse.

We will analyse each statement of the verse:

If a person has mistaken the body as soul, then he is advised to look to the

third letter 'ma' in the Pranavam 'om'.

What does this 'ma' represent? It speaks of the jeeva which is embodiment of

knowledge (all knowing power). We know that this body has no capacity to

understand and has no feelings. Therefore, it cannot be atma. Thus the doubt

that this body represents atama is dispelled.

After realizing that atma is different than body, a feeling might

be entertained that the atma is a free and independent entity. In this case, the

advice is to look to the first letter 'ah' of the Pranavam 'om'. We had already

seen that there is a fourth case ending with the letter 'ah' which is hidden.

The letter 'ah' and case ending together give the meaning that the jeevatma is

subservient to Paramatma. Therefore, the possibility of jeevatma to be free and

independent is ruled out and the misunderstanding is removed.

Then some may have the doubt that in addition to Paramatma there

"may" be some other person or devata to whom jeevatma may remain subservient.

When this kind of doubt arises, the second letter 'ooh' in the Pranavam 'om'

comes to the rescue. 'ooh' indicates exclusiveness like 'eva' in Sanskrit or

only in English. It means that the jeevatma belongs to only Paramatma and none

else.

This meaning when properly understood and realised will dispel

any doubts about 'anya seshathvam'. It has been established that jeevatma is

subservient only to Lord and to no other person or devatha.

Now, some may doubt, can the Jeeva make its own efforts trying to liberate itself?

We will look at this in the next post.

-- Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale SaranamVP Srinivasa Varadan