SrI sArasAram -- I (30)

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srI:

SrI sAra sAram – I (30)

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I – ThirumantrAdhikAram

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The Significance of ‘namah’ (continued)

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Earlier we saw that the middle syllable, ‘u’, in the praNava cuts off any

relationship with anyone else other than the Supreme Lord for the jIvAtma. It

has, therefore, become clear that the jIvAtma is not SEsha (servant) to himself

too. Then, will it not be a repetition to say that ‘namah’ means ‘I am not

SEsha to my self.’? Swami Desikan now clears the doubt:

“keezh sAmAnyEna anya SEshitvam kazhinthirukka gObaleevarda-nyAyatthAlE ingu

viSEshikkiRathu. Sthiree-karaNArtham-AkavumAm. iv vartthangkALaik keezhE

siddhamAkki ‘ennAn ceikEn’ ityAdikaLiRpaDiyE sva-svAtantrya-nivruttiyai ingE

anusantthikkavumAm.â€

“keezh sAmAnyEna anya SEshitvam kazhinthirukka gObaleevarda-nyAyatthAlE ingu

viSEshikkiRathu.†--

SwAmi Desikan points out that earlier, servitude to others (anya-SEshatvam) than

the Lord was denied for the jIva in a general way in the praNava through the

middle syllable, ‘u’. Now, in the middle word, ‘namah’ of the

Tirumantram, the denial is further focused in a specific way. This, in a popular

maxim, is known as ‘gObalee-varda-nyAyam’.

‘gObalee-varda-nyAyam’ – This maxim is explained thus:

A master asks his servant to bring the cattle from the shed. Soon he adds

saying ‘Bring the cow’. Even though cow is included in the expression,

‘cattle’, by specifically mentioning ‘cow’, the master meant by

‘cattle’ all animals except the ‘cow’.

In the case under study, the middle syllable of the praNava, denies Seshatva to

others than the Lord. The middle word ‘namaha’ is split as ‘na’ +

‘maha’ and specifically denies Seshatva to one-self. That is, the jIva is

not Sesha even to himself. More clearly, he is not master of himself; he is not

independent at all. This is the specific meaning of ‘namaha’. So, earlier,

the syllable, ‘u’ indicated denial of Seshatvam of the jIva for others

except the Lord. This ‘namah’ denies specifically Seshatvam for oneself.

Hence, it is not a repetition.

“Sthiree-karaNArtham-AkavumAm.†– Swami Desikan says the expression

‘namaha’ further strengthens the fact that the jIva is not a Sesha to any

other than the Lord and His devotees.

“iv vartthangkALaik keezhE siddhamAkki ‘ennAn ceikEn’ ityAdikaLiRpaDiyE

sva-svAtantrya-nivruttiyai ingE anusantthikkavumAm.†–

Swami Desikan further says that we should consider all these meanings while

contemplating on the middle syllable, ‘u’, in the praNava. Here, that is,

while considering the middle word, ‘namaha’ of the Tirumantram, we must

remember the absence of independence with regard to oneself. As a support,

Swami Desikan refers to an expression in a verse in the TiruvAimozhi of SrI

nammAzhvAr, ‘ennAn ceikEn’.

We shall consider the verse in full:

“ennAn ceikEn yArE kaLaikaN ennaiyen ceykinRAi

unnAlallAl yAvarAlum onRum kuRai vENDEn

kannAr mathiL choozh kuDanthaik kiDanthAi adiyEnaruvANAL

chennAL ennAL unathAL piDitthE chelakkANE.†(TiruvAimozhi, 5-8-3)

(Oh Lord of ThirukkuDanthai! I can not adopt any means to attain You. Who can

help me? I will not think of any other means except You. Please grace me to

spend my remaining days grasping Your feet alone. Nothing else I want.)

AzhvAr emphasizes that he is not independent even to adopt any means on his

own. He leaves it to the Lord to decide what he should do; and even to decide

whether He should save the AzhvAr at all.

SwAmi Desikan thus indicates how a mumukshu should lead his life in this world

after he surrenders to the Lord.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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