tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 3: Slokam 1 of avatArikA.

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SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH

 

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 3: Slokam 1 of avatArikA.

 

 

svAmi deSikan starts his work with an `avatArikA' (an Introduction

that serves as a high-level summary) consisting of the first ten

Sloka-s of tArparya ratnAvaLi. The first of these ten Sloka-s is:

 

sAraH sArasvatAnAm SaTha ripu phaNitiH SAnti SuddhAnta sImA

mAyAm AyAminIbhiH sva-guNa vitatibhiH bandhayantIm dhayantI |

pAram pAramparIto bhava jaladhi bhavan majjanAnAm janAnAm

pratyak pratyakshayen-naH pratiniyata ramA sannidhAnam

nidhAnam ||

 

svAmi deSikan points out at the outset that bhagavAn is always and

inseparably associated with SrI or lakshmI, and it is this duality

that we worship. It is this emperumAn with pirATTi who is revealed

to us by AzhvAr as One Who is the antaryAmi and Controller of all,

and Who is the treasure that will relieve us from the bondage of

samsAra once and for all. Understanding of tiruvAimozhi will

liberate us from our involvement and desire in vishaya sukha-s

(interest in things that are purely sense-gratifying), and will

reveal to us the great treasure that is SrIman nArAyaNan.

 

sArasvatAnAm sAraH SaTha ripu phaNitiH – nammAzhvAr's words (in the

form of tiruvAimozhi) are the best among all the works that have been

composed (by all authors in all languages over all time). It is

the `sAratamam SAstram' – the best summarization or condensation of

all the SAstra-s.

 

SAnti SuddhAnta sImA – nammAzhvAr's tiruvAimozhi is the safe abode of

peace in its utmost limit. The SAnti rasam is contained to its

utmost limit within tiruvAimozhi.

 

AyAminIbhiH sva-guNa vitatibhiH bandhayantIm mAyAm dhayantI – It

helps us to be relieved from the never-ceasing and ever-present

association with the tri-guNa-s (sattva, rajas and tamas) that extend

far and wide in space and time; it leads us to a state of distaste in

things that are purely materialistic. Those who have grasped the

essence of tiruvAimozhi will never again be bound by the influence of

the tri-guNa-s.

 

pAramparItaH bhava jaladhi bhavan majjanAnAm janAnAm pAram – It is

the other side of the shore for those who are deeply and repeatedly

drowning in the ocean of samsAra. In other words, by following the

teachings of tiruvAimozhi, the jIva-s overcome the cycle of repeated

birth and death by attaining His Feet, and will forever be involved

in nitya kaikaryam (eternal service) to Him in SrI vaikunTham after

their soul leaves the body at the end of this life.

 

pratyak, prati niyata ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam naH pratyakshayet –

It reveals the treasure to us in the form of bhagavAn who is

inseparably associated with pirATTi, and Who is the antaryAmi of all

(and thus who is the Supporter, Protector and Controller of all). By

implication, this means that those who do not resort to Him with

devotion, as repeatedly guided by AzhvAr through his SrI sUkti-s,

will not be able to cross the ocean of samsAra in this birth.

 

The greatness of tiruvAimozhi is that it delves exclusively in

bhagavad anubhavam, and is completely antagonistic to any involvement

in vishaya sukham (seeking pleasures for the gratification of our

senses). It is the realization that we are His Sesha-s that is an

essential step for us to reach Him. If we do not realize that He is

our SeshI (Lord and Master) and that we are His Sesha-s (eternal

servants), then we will not realize the nidhi that is in the form of

the Duality that is emperumAn eternally associated with SrI.

 

It is significant that svAmi deSikan makes reference to the sva-guNa-

s (sattva, rajas and tamas) that naturally keep diverting the mind

towards the senses that are always directed outwards, seeking

external pleasures, and then points out that nammAzhvAr's

tiruvAimozhi reveals to us the antaryAmi bhagavAn – pratyak (instead

of referring to bhagavAn in His other forms such as the para, vyUha,

etc.). The greatness of tiruvAimozhi is that it takes the mind away

from going outwardly towards the external sense-objects, and turns it

inwardly to see emperumAn, who resides in our heart. SrI UV refers

us to the kaThopanishad mantra:

 

parA'nci khAni vyatRNat svayambhUh

tasmAt parAn paSyati nAntarAtman |

kaScit-dhIrah pratyag-AtmAnam aikshat

AvRtta cakshur-amRtatvam icchan ||

 

" The self-born (Supreme Lord) condemned the senses to revel in outer

objects. Therefore, they see outward objects and not the inner self.

A rare intelligent man, desiring immortality, sees the inward self,

with his eyes turned inward " .

 

This ability to see and realize that our antaryAmi is none other than

the Supreme Lord, will help us realize that He is our SeshI (Master),

and we are forever His Sesha-s (servants). BhagavAn should be

realized as our antaryAmi, our Controller and Master, and we should

realize that we are eternal servants to tiru mAl (emperumAn

inseparably associated with SrI). tiruvAimozhi gives us this

realization. AzhvAr's declarations – " uDal miSai uyir enak karandu

e'ngum paranduLan " (1.1.7), " enadu Avi Aviyum nI " (2.3.4) etc.,

reveal this truth to us.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)