SrI sArasAram -I(58)

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srI:

SrI sAra sAram – I (58)

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I – ThirumantrAdhikAram

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The Meaning of the Thirumanthiram as a Whole

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After explaining the significance of each letter and part of this great

Thirumanthiram, SwAmi Desikan now gives the meaning of the mantra as a whole.

First, the five principles, known as ‘artha-panchakam’ are revealed in the

Thirumanthiram:

“ippaDi prathama-aksharAdi-kaLilE prApyamAna brahma-svaroopamum,

trutIya-akasharAdikaLilE prAptAvin svaroopamum, madhyama-padatthilE virOdhyum

upAyamum, chaturthiyilE phalamm, yathA sambhavam padangkaLilE sambandhamum

prakASitamAyiRRu.â€

The artha-panchakam reveals the five principles that should be known to every

seeker after mukti. This is mentioned in the following SlOka:

“prApyasya brahmaNO roopam prAptuSca pratyagAtmanah /

prAptyupAyam phalam caiva tathA prApt-virOdhi ca /

vadanti sakalA vEdAh sEtihAsa-purANakAh //†(HArIta Samhita)

Meaning:

The Vedas, along with the itihAsAs and purANAs, speak of these five: The nature

of the goal to be attained, namely, Brahman, the nature of the individual jIva

who is the seeker of the attainment, the means of attainment (upAya), the fruit

resulting from it and also the hindrances to the attainment of Brahman. The same

is revealed in the Thirumanthiram in the following manner:

These five principles are revealed in the Thirumanthiram in the following

manner:

1) The syllable ‘a’ in the praNava, the words ‘nara’ and ‘nArAyaNa’

indicate the nature of Brahman which is to be attained;

2) The syllable ‘m’ in the praNava and the word ‘nAra’ indicate the

jIva’s nature;

3) &

4) By the middle word ‘namah’, the inimical factor which blocks the jIva

from attaining the Lord and the means of surrender to attain Him; and

5) The fourth-case suffix ‘Aya’ to the word ‘nArAyaNa’ reveals the fruit

of service to the Lord.

Besides indicating these five truths, the Thirumanthiram as a whole reveals the

fact of the Lord being the soul and all other things being His body.

SwAmi Desikan next analyzes the message conveyed by the Thirumathiram as a

whole:

“ithil vAkya-yOjanai irukkumpaDi – ‘akAra-vAcyanAna nArAyaNanukkE nAn

ananyArha-Sesh-bhoothan, enakku uriyEnallEn’ enRu silar thirumathram muzhukka

svaroopa-paramenpArkaL.â€

Some say, the Thirumanthiram as a whole explains the nature of jIva. Then, the

mantra will mean: “Only to nArAyaNa indicated by the syllable ‘a’, I, the

jIva indicated by the syllable ‘m’, am a servant and not to anyone else. I

do not belong to myself either.â€

Another view held by some others:

“praNavam svaroopa paramAi namssilE anishTa nivrutthi-prArthanaiyAi mEl

ishTaprApti-prArthanai enRum solluvArkaL.†–

Some others say, the PraNava indicates ‘I am a Sesha exclusively to the Lord.

‘namah’ indicates the prayer pleading for the removal of my misfortune. The

word ‘nArAyaNAya’ indicates the prayer for begetting the fruit of rendering

service only to nArAyaNa.

Yet another message that is conveyed by the Thirumanthiram is:

“iraNdu padamum svaroopa-paramAi mEl purushArtha-prArthanA-param enkiRa

yOjanai, ‘akArArthAyaiva’ enkiRa SlOkaththilE sollappaTTathu.†–

There is a third meaning of the Thirumanthiram, that is supposed to have been

explained by SrI ParAsara Bhattar SwAmi:

The first two padams, that is, the PraNava and ‘namah’ indicate

the jIva’s nature. While the praNava indicates the servitude of the jIva to

the Lord, the second word, ‘namah’ emphasizes that the jIva has no claim

over himself. This is taken as one part. The second part consisting of the

word, ‘nArAyaNAya’, aims at conveying the prayer for begetting the fruit of

doing service to the Lord, SrImaN nArAyaNa.

This interpretation is given by SrI ParAsara Bhattar in the third SlOka of his

AshTaSlOkee, says SwAmi Desikan. We have already seen the meaning of this SlOka.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

anbil S.SrInivAsan

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