THE BEAUTY OF SURRENDER - (Anjali Vaibhavam)

gokulkr · October 11, 2007

Aam Jalayathi ithi Anjalihi

Aam refers to The Supreme Lord, Sriman Narayana. Jalayathi means to liquify, to melt. Anjali means folding of hands; Vaibhavam depicts the greatness of folding of hands towards Lotus feet of Lord. The Anjali that we perform towards Emperuman (our Lord) melts him and thus for such a Anjali, He showers his Full Grace on us.

ANJALI VAIBAVAM is a detailed exposition of the 28th sloka of the Stotraratnam, The Hymn Jewel, of Swami Alavandar. Before moving on to the topic, let me brief about the great Acaryan Sri Alavandar.

A Brief note on Swami Alavandar

Swami Alavandar‘s birth place is Kattumannar Koyil, or Veeranarayanapuram, as it is known in Sanskrit. (South Arcot District-

Tamilnadu), His original name is Yamunacharyar, and he is the grandson of our foremost Acaryar Sriman Nathamunigal.

Yamunacharyar was spending his childhood days at

Veeranarayanapuram. During that period there was a egoistic pundit in

the Chola kingdom called Kolahalan, who under the royal patronage of

Chola king, collected taxes from all other Scholars in realm as an

acknowledgement of his own scholarly superiority. At this time, young

Yamanucharya was taking care of the Gurukulam (The School), since his

teacher was away attending to some pressing matters. One of the

messengers of the Egoistic Pandit “Kolahalan” came to the school and

delivered a tax notice to Yamunacharya to give to his teacher. Yamunacharya tore it into pieces and declared that he himself, a mere student, could easily defeat the egoistic Scholar in Sastric disputation. Although he knew that Yamunacharya was far from ready to do so, Kolahalan accepted the challenge and had him brought to the Chola king's court. With the Lord's Grace, Yamunacharya proved his words to be true by defeating Kolahalan in a difficult scholarly debate. The queen of the Chola Kingdom was so pleased by the arguments of the young prodigy she dubbed him as Alavandaro - which in Tamil means the one who came to conquer. Then on, this title became his name, and he was recognized by everyone as Alavandar.

Works of Swami Alavandar: Swami Alavandar wrote several works in Sanskrit. Some of his works include Siddhitraya, Geethartha Sangraha Agama Pramanya, Mahapurusha Nirnayam. Sriman Alavandar has also composed two hymns in Sanskrit -one in praise of Piratti, Sri, known as Chathusloki, and the other in praise of Emperuman, which is popularly known as Sthothraratnam, the Hymn-Jewel.

The later Acharyas took the works of Alavandar as the base for their literary works on Sri Visishtadvaita philosophy.

About Stotra Ratnam

Swaadyanniha sarveshaam Tryanththaartham Sudugraham

Sthotrayaamasa Yogindrastham vandE Yamunaahvayam

I bow to the king of yogis - Sri Yamunacharyar who through his Stotraratnam has conveyed fully the meaning of Vedas in a lucid manner, such that there wisdom could be understood easily.

Swami Desikar, who is also called Sri Vedanthacharyar, has made a detailed commentary on some of works of Sri Alavandar. His commentary on Stotraratnam and Chathusloki is called as Rahasya Raksha.

Vedanthacharyar has made a detailed commentary on the 28th sloka of Stotraratnam which depicts the greatness of Anjali- Symbol of Prapathi. This Anjali Vaibavam is in continuation to the 27th Sloka of Stotraratnam, wherein Sri Alavandar expresses that he who has resorted to the eternal nectar filled lotus feet of Lord, shall never think of anyone else.

It is worth here to quote the verses from Sri Guna Ratna Kosam of Sri

Parasara Battar, where in he has also sung the greatness of Anjali.

The sloka reads: (58th Slokam)

Aishwaryam Aksharagathim Paramam Padam Va

Kasmai chidanjali baram vahathe vitheerya

Asmai na kinchid uchitam krutumithyathaamba

Tvam Lajjase kathay koyamudar bavaha

In this sloka Battar conveys that ThAyar, the Divine Mother, feels touched with even a single folding of hands is offered towards Her, so much so that whatever she has to offer us in return in terms of Aishwaryam (Wealth), Kaivalyam (self-realization) and even

Paramapadam (the Highest Abode) - all these are not commensurate as befitting the burden of folding of hands from her devotees.

Thus, the Compassion of the Lord and His Consort is clear and Prapaththi (Surrender) as expressed as Anjali can alone help us in seeking his grace.

Sri Vedanthacharyar has divided the 28th sloka into ten phrases and has quoted Sanskrit verses in authority of his explanation /interpretation.

I would like to briefly bring about the essence of his commentary on the 28th Sloka of Stotraratnam-Anjali Vaibavam.

Hitaya Sarvajagatham vyaktham yonjalivaibavam

Prachikashat tam vandeham vedantha yugadeshikam.

I bow to the Vedantha Desikar, who for the good of everyone has clearly and in concrete manner explained the greatness of Anjali.

Anjali is the symbol of Prapathi and it is the first step to Prapathi.

The 28th sloka of Stotraratnam conveys the greatness of Anjali. The sloka reads:

Tvadangrim uddishya kadaapi kenachit yataa tathaa vaapi sakruth krithonjalihi

Tadaiva mushnaathi ashubaani aseshatah shubaani pushnaathi na jaathu hIyathE.

Swami Alavandar by this sloka has conveyed the greatness of Anjali

made unto the lotus feet of Lord Narayana. The meaning of this sloka is as follows

“He who has folded his hands towards your pair of feet, whosoever he may be and whatever be the time, whatever in the form that very instant the act of folding hands dispels at once all his misfortunes and fosters him an eternal bliss.

“Tvad-Angrim uddisya ’’ - the greatness of Lotus feet of Lord is emphasized. - which alone shall lead us to salvation, i.e. moksha.

In Bhagavad Gita, Emperuman has conveyed that He alone can grant moksha (salvation), and all the other deities are under His control. It is worth here to quote the verses from the 23rd verse of chapter 7 of the Gita, where Lord declares, “the fruits gained by worshiping other deities is perishable and the worshippers of these gods and demigods attain them, while my devotees howsoever they worship me, eventually come to me and me alone.

“Kadapi kenachit”

By this word Swami Alavandar conveys that this Anjali towards the pair of feet of Lord can be done at anytime and by any person. It is the simplest way to attain Him and is not dependent on time or place.

Anjali is a symbol of prapaththi (surrender), which is the only way to attain His Lotus Feet. It is so simple and there is no need for any other human initiative. It is the best pathway for the aspirant, as it is not limited to a specific caste or creed.

-Tad ekopayatha Yancha prapaththi-hi Saranagathi-hi

“Yathaa tathaa vaapi”

Anjali does not require any subsidiaries, and thus it can be performed in any manner.

This means that Emperuman does not expect anything from us, merely folding of hands pleases him. However, the other deities created and controlled by Emperuman expect more offerings and sacrifices from us. And no matter how much we do, the fruits of our penances are limited. Whereas the Compassionate Lord, out of his Vaatsalya (Parental Love) accepts our prayer, although it may be just folding of hands in whatever manner.

Nammalvar in his Thiruvaimozhi has conveyed that the best offering

that will please Emperuman and kindle His grace is Anjali, and he says to Lord that “the words coming out of my heart in praise of you is the sandal paste that I offer to you, my pasurams (songs) are the garland and silk cloth for you, the best ornament that I can offer you is my Anjali.” This Anjali, I perform unto the supreme Lord, who maintains this entire universe, even during the Great Deluge.

“Sakruth kritah Anjali”

This folding of palms towards His Holy Feet, even if performed only once, bestows us with auspicious things. Even the ten Ashvametha Yaga (the Ten Great Sacrifices) shall not yield you Moksham, but singing Lord's glory with our hands folded in prayer shall relieve one from the bondage in the endless cycle of reincarnation.

“Dasha Ashwamedhi Punarethi Janma, Krishna pranami na punar bavaya”

“Tad-Eva -Mushnaathi Ashubaani AsEshathaha”

That very moment, the folding of hands steals away all our misfortunes and miseries without leaving any remainder.

The verb Mushnaathi indicates how the Lord stealthily removes our inauspicious qualities without even allowing us to realize it. “The Anjali made unto His feet, draws us unto Him and removes all the obstacles that prevents us from knowing Him.

“Shubaani Pushnaathi na jaathu hIyate”

The folding of hands bestows us with auspicious qualities and provides

us with eternal bliss. Swami Desikar in his Varadaraja Pancasath says “If

Thou art going to discharge Your powerful arrow of Punishment on us,

who have committed innumerable sins from beginningless time, we

have got a counter shaft (Viz. Anjali) which shall overcome Thy arrow

in spite of Your being omnipotent - “Prathyastram Anjalirasow tava

nigraha-astre”

Thus, the eternal grace we receive for single effort made by us shows the greatness of Anjali.

Conclusion:

“Bagavantham samuddisya tad Eka sharanaha naraha kadaachit na cha hIyanthe kamyakarmaartha api”

The above sloka means “one who seeks Him by way of His Lotus Feet never fails to attain Him.”

Swami Desikar in his commentary on the 28th sloka of stotraratnam has dealt in detail as how this Prapaththi- Anjali kindles the grace of The Supreme Lord Narayana. The several aspects that may be pointed out are

1. How a seeker shall not strive for anything else other than

seeking the Lord alone.

2. How there is no restriction on time, place, caste or of

subsidiaries.

3. Prapatthi, Surrender, is the only easy way to attain the Lord.

4. How that Anjali dispels all inauspicious qualities and pours

eternal bliss forever.

5. How it bestows eternal fruit at all times on all devotees devoid

of all other attachments and also to a person who is attached to

worldly pleasures.