tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 54, Slokam 20 Part 4, tiruvAimozhi 1.9, pASuram-s 1.9.9 - 1.9.10.

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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH. tAtparya ratnAvaLi Submission 54, Slokam 20 Part 4, tiruvAimozhi 1.9, pASurams 1.9.9, 1.9.10. · pASuram 1.9.9: kamalak kaNNan en kaNNiNuLLAn kANban avan kaNgaLAlE amala'ngaLAga

vizhikkum aim-pulanum avan mUrti kamalattu ayan nambi tannait kaNNudalAnODum tORRi amalat daivattODu ulagamAkki en neRRiyuLAnE. en neRRiyuLAnE - BhagavAn has now reached my forehead - He who created Sivan and brahmA and all the other deva-s

entered into my eyes, and I see Him. By His divine sight on me, I have become completely pure, and all my indriya-s - the five senses - are now subservient to Him. And now He has taken residence in my forehead. svAmi deSikan describes the union of bhagavAn with AzhvAr described in this pASuram as 'sthitam alika taTe' - (alikam - the forehead) - He who has taken residence in the forehead. Though in this pASuram, bhagavAn occupying AzhvAr's forehead is the union of bhagavAn with AzhvAr that is sung,

there is mention again about bhagavAn entering AzhvAr's eyes (kamalak kaNNan en kaNNiNuLLAn - the subject of the previous pASuram), His giving AzhvAr the ability to see Him in person (kANban), and bhagavAn blessing AzhvAr with His kaTAksham (amala'ngaLAga vizhikkum). There is discussion about whether AzhvAr is having a yogic experience of seeing bhagavAn's tirumEni here, or whether he is actually seeing bhahavAn's tirumEni. The veda-s declare that He is beyond perception by human eyes - 'na mAmsa cakshubhir vIkshate tam', 'na cakshushA paSyati', etc. SrImad tirunkkuDandai ANDavan comments that the veda-s just took an exception here - similar to bhagavAn giving the divine vision to arjuna that enabled him to see bhagavAn's viSva rUpam. Another interpretation given is that AzhvAr is relating his yogic experience once bhagavAn has entered his

eyes. · pASuram 1.9.10: neRRiyuL ninRu ennai ALum nirai malarp pAda'ngaL SUDi kaRRait tuzhAi muDik kOlak kaNNa pirAnait tozhuvAr oRRaip piRai aNindAnum nAnmuganum indiranum maRRai amararum ellAm vandu enadu ucci uLAnE. oRRaip piRai aNindAnum, nAnmuganum, indiranum, maRRai amararum ellAm, kaRRait tuzhAi muDi kOlam kaNNa pirAnai, neRRiyuL ninRu ennai ALum nirai malarp pAda'ngaL SUDit tozhuvAr; vandu enadu ucci uLAnE. BhagavAn has now taken a seat on top of my head - the same emperumAn who wears on His crown the tulasI garlands that have been offered with respect by rudran, brahmA, indra, and all the other deities, and who are worshipping His lotus feet resting on my forehead with great devotion, has now moved to my head and has taken His seat there - to stay there forever (In the next and concluding pASuram of this tiruvAimozhi, AzhvAr declares: ucci uLLE niRkum kaNNapirArkku - KaNNa pirAn who stays put on top of my head.) svAmi deSikan describes AzhvAr's experience in this pASuram through the words 'mastake tasthivAmsam' (mastaka - head, the top of the head; tasthu - immovable, stable; amsam - a part, portion). In conclusion of this tiruvAimozhi, it is noted that just as bhakti yogi-s take a stepwise approach in adopting the steps of

bhakti yoga, and this gradually grows their level of bhakti, so also, bhagavAn has bestowed His union with AzhvAr in gradual steps to AzhvAr, such that each step and its full enjoyment are digested completely by AzhvAr. This is referred to as 'pratyAhAra kramam' - 'withholding, approaching in gradual steps' in bhakti yoga. Thus, AzhvAr has described the steps through which bhagavAn bestowed His samSlesham - mei kalanda vagai - physical union, with AzhvAr in gradual steps. This is supported by the following thoughts in the ten pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi: - BhagavAn approaches AzhvAr, along with pirATTi, with all His Glory expressly revealed to AzhvAr, by appearing in the region around AzhvAr, as if looking for the best point to approach AzhvAr and present Himself to him (1.9.1) - Having thus taken many incarnations etc.,

in which He performs great acts beyond comprehension just to attract AzhvAr to Him, and after attracting AzhvAr to Him through His infinite kalyANa guNa-s, bhagavAn gets even closer to AzhvAr now (1.9.2). - Though He has garuDan and pirATTi close to Him, He prefers to be with AzhvAr rather than mingling with garuDan, pirATTi, the nitya sUri-s, etc., and instead, is looking for the best way to climb on to AzhvAr's waist like Child KRshNa trying to get on to yaSodA's waist (1.9.3). - BhagavAn in the form of KaNNan has now climbed on to AzhvAr's waist, and is giving AzhvAr the experience of Mother YaSodA (1.9.4) - BhagavAn has now moved to AzhvAr's chest, even as pirATTi resides eternally in bhagavAn's vaksha sthalam - agalakillEn iRaiyum enRu alarmEl ma'ngai uRai

mArbhA!(1.9.5) - Next, bhagavAn climbs on to AzhvAr's shoulders, just as He is seated on nitya sUri garuDAzhvAr (1.9.6) - Next He takes His seat on AzhvAr's tongue, a place from which no one can take

Him away (1.9.7) - BhagavAn next occupies the center of AzhvAr's eyes, with His delicate form (1.9.8) - BhagavAn moves over to AzhvAr's forehead next (1.9.9) - From there, He moves over and takes permanent residence on AzhvAr's head, with His divine feet worshipped by all the deva-s (1.9.10) -dAsan kRshNamAcAryan To be continued.

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