tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 41, Slokam 17 Part 3, tiruvAimozhi 1.6, pASuram-s 1.6.5 to 1.6.6.

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SrImate Ra'ngarAmAnuja MahAdeSikAya namaH. tAtparya ratnAvaLI - Submission 41, Slokam 17 Part 3, tiruvAimozhi 1.6, pASuram 1.6.5, 1.6.6. · pASuram 1.6.5:

koLgai koLAmai ilAdAn eLgal irAgam ilAdAn viLgai viLLAmai virumbi uL kalandArkku Or amudE. BhagavAn does not discrimate between different persons when it comes to His antara’nga kai’nkaryam; He does not have love for one and lack of love for another; He only distinguishes between those

who seek Him for some benefit and then move away from Him, and those who seek Him with steadfastness and never move away from Him; He is the insatiable Nectar to those who seek Him as their only goal. svAmi deSikan describes the sukara bhajanatvam aspect sung in this pASuram through the words “sva vishaya niyateshu AdarAt†– virumbi uL kalandArkku Or amudE – To those who seek Him as their only goal, He makes Himself available as insatiable Nectar to them. SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan explains this as “tannaip payanAgak karudugiRa paramaikAntigaLiDam Adaravu uLLavan†– He is One who is attached to those who seek

Him as their only benefit, and who do not seek any other benefit from other deities. SrI UV notes that the more the devotee is attached to Him, the more He is also attached to them. For the others who seek trivial pleasures, He bestows those pleasures to them and then moves away from them. AzhvAr is reflecting bhagavAn’s words from the following giTA Slokam literally in his pASuram: samo’ham sarva bhUteshu na me dveshyo’sti na priyah | ye bhajanti tu mAm bhaktyA mayi te teshu cA’pyaham || (9.29) “I consider all beings equal. There is none hateful or dear to Me. But those who worship Me with devotion abide in Me, and I do abide in themâ€. Bhagavad rAmAnuja explains that the meaning is that bhagavAn does not accept anyone based on considerations such as birth, race, etc.; the only consideration is if the person has taken refuge in Him. The sukara bhajanatvam is reflected in His becoming subservient to the devotee who unequivocally seeks Him. Another bhagavad gIta Slokam that is relevant in this context is: teshAm satata yuktAnAm bhajatAm prIti pUrvakam | dadAmi buddhi yogam tam yena mAm upayAnti te || (10.10) “To those who desire to be constantly united with Me and who worship Me with immense love, I lovingly

grant that mental disposition by which they come to Meâ€. In this tiruvAimozhi, earlier it has been pointed out that bhagavAn does not distinguish between the items that ae used for His worship, as long as they are offered with devotion. In this pASuram, it is pointed out that bhagavAn does not distinguish between the worship of people based on birth etc. SrI UV notes that still one should follow the injunctions of the SAstra-s in performing the worship, and the meaning here is that bhagavAn accepts all of these offerings as equal when they are performed with devotion, and

according to the SAstric injunctions. · pASuram 1.6.6: amudam amararkku Inda nimir SuDar Azhi neDumAl amudilum ARRa iniyan nimir tirai nIL kaDalAnE. amararkku amudam Inda nimir SuDar Azhi neDumAl nimir tirai nIL kaDalAn amudilum ARRa iniyan – He who gave the nectar to the deva-s, and holds the cakra that glows with shooting flame, is the Supreme Lord with glory beyond words, and is sweeter than the nectar that came out of the churning of the broad Milk Ocean with rising waves, in which He is reclining. svAmi deSikan captures the gist of this pASuram with the words ‘svAdu bhUmnA’ – Because He is sweet as a result of the abundance of auspicious qualities (svAdu – sweet, pleasant to taste; bhUman – a great quantity, abundance, plenty, large number) – bhUmnA rasAnam gahanAh prayogAh - the term bhUmA is used to denote the depth and abundance of His auspicious qualities. SrI N. S. ananta ra’ngAcArya translates from SrI ra’nga rAmAnuja muni’s vyAkhyAnam for the chAndogya Upanishad mantram – yo vai bhUmA tat sukham (7.23.1)

– He who has plentitude is Infinite Bliss, and points out that bhUmA means abundance, plentitude. It is of the form of the celebrity of auspicious qualities. Thus, the phrase ‘svAdu bhUmnA’ by svAmi deSikan should be undersood as: One who is sweet because of the abundance of auspicious qualities. There is nothing sweeter than Him, and His sweetness is beyond measure. If it is asked why the deva-s asked for just the nectar rather than ask for Him, it is because they just were not capable of realizing His greatness. -dAsan KrishNamAcAryan (To be continued)

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