SrI sArasAram -- I (7)

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srI:

 

SrI sAra sAram – I (7)

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I – ThirumantrAdhikAram

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The Eminence of Thirumantra (continued)

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SwAmi Desikan now quotes from Thirucchantha Viruttham, to establish the

greatness of the Thirumantram:

‘eTTezhuththum OthuvArkaL’ –

Those who recite the ashTAkshara mantra….

Let us consider the verse in full:

“eTTumeTTumeTTumAi orEzhumEzhumEzhumAi

eTTumoonRum-onRumaki ninRa Adi dEvanai

eTTinAya bEthamOdu irainjininRu avanpeyar

eTTezhutthum OthuvArkaL vallar vAnamALavE.†(Thirucchantha Viruttham-77)

 

Meaning:

‘oru eTTum eTTum eTTumAi’ – as the 24 tattvas;

‘oru Ezhum Ezhum EzhumAi’ – as the 21 worlds;

‘eTTu moonRum onRum’ – as 8 tattvas, 3 tattvas and the single tattva;

‘Aki ninRa’ – thus manifesting;

‘Adi dEvanai’ -- the primordial Lord;

‘eTTin Aya bEthamOdu’ – having eight types of differences;

‘iRainchi ninRu’ – standing and saluting;

‘avan peyar’ – His name;

‘eTTu ezhutthum’ – the ThiruvashTAkshara mantra;

‘OthuvArkaL’ – those who do utter;

‘vAnamALa vallar’ – are capable of ruling even the Parama-padam.

 

Through this verse, Sri Thirumazhisai AzhvAr urges us to resort to the means of

prapatti to attain SrI VaikuNTam. For that, mere reciting the ashTAksharam is

helpful as the Lord of all the worlds will be pleased with our uttering this

mantra. On the other hand, other means like bhakti-yOga are difficult to

practice and moreover, one is not sure if he will attain the Lord’s abode at

end of this life itself.

However, a question is raised: If one adopts prapatti, is devotion is not

necessary? The AzhvAr, by way of answering this query, gives the next verse from

which SwAmi Desikan gives the next quote: ‘'dfedZtfTmf varmak OTvaafkqf’,

‘eTTezhuththum vAramAka OthuvArkaL’— Those who keep on uttering the

ashTAkshara mantra. Let us study the verse in full:

“cOrvilAtha kAthalAl thodakkaRA manattharAi

neer-arAvaNaik kidantha ninmalan nalangkazhal

ArvamOdu iraincininRu avan peyar-eTTezhutthum

vAramAka OthuvArkaL vallar vAnamALavE.†(Thirucchantha Viruttham-78)

 

The significant message given by this verse is:

By reciting the ashTAkshara mantra, one can attain the Paramapadam, said the

AzhvAr in the previous verse. In reply to a question as to what is the form of

the Lord that should be meditated upon while reciting this mantra, the AzhvAr

gives a clue here. While meditating on the Lord as He is in the Milky Ocean and

with extreme love for Him, if one recites the ashTAkshara, he will be the fit

person to rule the Paramapadam. Here, the emphasis is on the Lord in the Milky

Ocean for the meditation and the deep feeling of bhakti. Even in the

bhakti-yOga, one has to have the feeling of love. But, mere love for the Lord

does not help with out our mind continuously resting the Lord’s form. The

recitation of the ashTAkashara mantra will make this effort an easy one. If one

follows the instruction of the AzhvAr, he is sure to attain the Paramapadam

where he will be crowned with the Lord’s feet to rule the Empire of

Kainkaryam. SrI PeriyavAcchAn Pillai quotes a

SlOka from the scripture that will be the standing guidance for the mumukshu

(the aspirant):

“AseenA vA SayAnA vA tishThantO yatra kutra vA /

namO nArAyaNAyEti mantraikaSaraNA vayam //†(nAradeeyam)

(Whether sitting, or lying on the bed, or standing any where, we are ever

sticking to the recitation of the mantra, “namO nArAyaNAyaâ€.)

 

SwAmi Desikan says, “enRu immoola mantraththaiyE

param-purushArththa-moolamaka aruLic ceithArkaL.†–

AzhvArs have stressed this mantra alone as the means for attaining the highest

goal.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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