SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 41

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srI:

SrI upakAra sangraham – 41

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adikAram – 1

poorva upakAra paramparai

(The Foremost Series of Favours)

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SECTION – 5 (8) [continued]

(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for

MOKSHAM)

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We have been considering the beauty of the Lord’s

form. His form is mentioned as “Divya MangaLa

Vigraham” in our sampradAya. It means, “divine

auspicious body”. This is referred to here by SwAmin

Desikan as “vadivazhku” in this sub-para:

 

(8) “vadivazhakAlum, seelattAlum

vasheekarikkumtuvum;”

 

His body is so beautiful that no one can remain

un-attracted by it. This is the essential nature of

Brahman, who is no one but SrIman nArAyaNa, MahA

VishNu. The essential qualities are technically called

“svaroopa-niroopaka-dharma”, that is, the attributes

which determine the essential nature of an object.

Without these qualities the object cannot be

conceived.

 

The Purushsooktam, which is a VEdic scripture

speaking about nArAyaNa, opens with this statement:

 

“sahasrashIrShA puruShah / sahasrAShas-sahasrapAt /

sa bhoomim vishvatO vrutvA / atyatiShThatdashAngulam

// ”

 

(PuruSha, Who is nArAyaNa, has countless heads,

countless eyes, countless legs. He expanded on all

sides of the world and established Himself in the

measureless Universe.)

 

We have also seen that the Lord’s body is not made of

materials of the prakruti. That is why His body is

spoken as “Divya Mangala Vigraham”. It is of

auspicious nature. We have noted how SrI RAmAnuja has

described His form in his sharaNAgati Gadyam.

 

AzhvArs have also sung about His appearance which is

beyond words. This is implied by the following verse

of SrI nammAzhvAr, in TiruvAimozhi:

 

“mudicchOthiyAy unathu mukacchOthi malarnthathuvO?

adicchOthi nI ninRa thAmaraiyay alarnthathuvO?

pdicchOthi Adaiyodum palkalanAy, nin-paimpon

kadicchOthi kalanthathuvO? thirumAlE ktturaiyE.”

(Thiruvaimozhi,3-1-1)

 

AzhvAr, seeing the Lord’s divine limbs, divine

ornaments, stands wondering about their combined

brilliance. He addresses Him thus: “Pray, answer this

question of mine, Oh Consort of Lakshmi! Does the

beauty of Your countenance bloom as the aura of the

crown on the head? Does the beauty of your feet

radiate downwards as the blossoming lotus below your

feet? Do the beauty of your golden garments and that

of several jewels all combined to project an

integrated brilliance of your form?”

 

In the following verse, AzhvAr express inability to

describe the Lord’s beauty:

 

“katturaikkil thAmarai nin kaNpAtham kai ovvA,

chutturaiththa nanpon unthirumEni oLi ovvAthu,

otturaiththu ivvulaku unnaip pukzhvellAm perupAlum

patturaiyAyp puRkenRE kAttumAl paranchOthi!”

 

(If we state the truth, the lotus cannot come near

Your eyes, feet, and hands. The colour of the hot gold

cannot mach with Your brilliant body. All the praises

this world showers on You cannot fully match with Your

appearance. All the verbal descriptions comparing Your

beauty with familiar objects in the world are

useless!)

 

When SrInammAzhvAr, who was gifted with the direct

vision of the Lord, finds himself unable to describe

the Lord’s beauty, how others can do so? But, the

message is not one of disappointment. It is crystal

clear that the Lord reveals His beautiful divine body

only with the intention of captivating more and more

devotees.

 

The Lord doesn’t stop with using His brilliant Form,

but also has another instrument to win over the jIvAs.

What is it? We shall discuss it next.

 

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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