[sri ramanuja] nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-96

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

 

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

 

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

 

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

 

Paasuram-87

 

 

 

*"emaiyap perumalai pOl indhiranArkkitta*

 

* Samaya virundhuNdu Ar kAppAr-samayangal*

 

* kaNdA navaikAppAn kArkkaNdan nAnmuganOdu*

 

* vuNdAn vulagOduyir"*

 

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In the previous paasuram azhvar said, "ennoppArkku thAnAyuLan". Now

thirumazhisaipiran elaborates on the way emperuman safeguards those helpless

devotees.

 

 

 

(emaiyap perumalai pOl indhiranArkkitta samaya virundhundu Ar kAppAr) The

residents of gokulam had the traditional habit of submitting various

offerings to the deva Indra every year as a mark of gratefulness. All

preparations for the special pooja were going on. Everyone was busy.

Krishna enquired "what is happening?" The elders told him about the

tradition. But Krishna refused to accept that their wellbeing was only due

to Indra and discouraged the practice. So as per the instruction of

Krishnathe people of gokulam decided to submit all the offerings in

front of

govardhana giri. Indra was outraged by this insulting behaviour of the

gokulavasees and hence he ordered varuna to pour non-stopping rain and

totally wash out gokulam. But to his and everyones surprise not even a

small thing in gokulam got destroyed. The lord saved the cows and the

people by lifting the govardhana giri like an umbrella in his fingers and

stood dynamically for seven days until varuna got tired and stopped pouring..

Who else will do such a hard job just for the welfare of his devotees?

 

 

 

(Ar kAppAr) The people of gokulam have worshipped indra for so many years

but instead of protecting them he went to the extent of destroying the whole

area. They were also incapable of protecting themselves. So only the

divine lord had to run to their rescue. This is not the only incident were

emperuman protected his devotees (prapannas/sharanagathas) there are many

such incidents.

 

 

 

(samayangal kaNdAn Ar) To uplift the poor jeevatmas emperuman's first weapon

is the Vedas "mAnam pradeepamiva kArinikO dhadhAthi" (ranga.stav.2-1) Out of

his divine grace he grants the Vedas to the world. Thereby the vadhika

sampradaya spread in this world.

 

 

 

Why say 'samayangal' in plural?

 

 

 

There are many prApyams (goals)-Ishvarya, kaivalyam and bhagavat prApthi

(worldly pleasures, enjoyment of the athma, attaining the divine abode of

emperuman) and many prApagams (ways to attain the goals) viz., bhakthi,

prapaththi, thirunamasankeerthana etc accepted by the vaidhika

philosophy. Since

azhvar here is concerned about the upliftment of akinchanas (helpless

devotees) the other philosophies (avaidhika matham) are out of context.

 

 

 

(avai kAppAnAr) who saves these philosophies from vanishing? Only when the

philosophies that show us the right path and our right goal live we all will

get uplifted so the very existence of these are taken care by the lord only

for our benefit, to protect us from falling into the ditch of samsara.

 

 

 

(kArkaNdan nAnmuganOdu kAppAnAr) Even the brahma rudras come and surrender

to the divine feet of Sriman Narayana to protect them from the trouble given

by ravana and other rakshasas. So again emperuman alone protects them.

 

Otherwise, (kArkaNdn nAnmuganOdu vundAn vulagOduyir) During the times of

pralaya he swallows everything irrespective of the difference in knowledge

or power, whether it is brahma rudras or ordinary jeevatmas and protects

everything.

 

 

 

(vulagOdu vuyir vuNdAr) He swallowed the jeevas along with their

properties/houses (the whole world, their place of existence)

 

 

 

In the same lines (following thirumazhisai piran) aalavandaar says

"kasyOdharE haravirinchimuga: prapanja:" and "vEdhApahAra gurupAthaka

dyaithya peedhAt Abhat vimOchana mahista pala pradAnai: kOnya: prajA

pasupathi paripAthi…"

 

 

 

* (To Be Continued)***

 

 

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

 

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

 

Sumithra Varadarajan

 

 

 

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