Dhati Panchakam Sloka 4

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Sri: | Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

trayya:ma:~ngalyasu:tram triyugapadayuga:rohana:lambasu:tram

sadvidya: di:pasu:tram sakalakalikatha: samhrite: ka:lasu:tram|

prana:su:tram budha:na:m prashamadhanamana: padmin: na:lasu:tram

raksha:su:tram muni:na:m jayati yatipatervakshasi brahmasu:tram ||

 

Meaning Based on Sri P.B. Annangaracharyar Swami's Commentary:

 

trayyA mA~NgalyasUtram - The thread that is like the holy matrimonial thread

around the neck of mother Veda;

 

ArohaNa AlambasUtram - the string that helps climb to

 

triyuga padayuga - the divine feet of the Lord;

 

sadvidyA dIpasUtram - the thread that helps the lamp that is Upanishad, glow;

 

sakalakalikathA samhR^ite: kAlasUtram - the thread (like the one Yama carries)

that destroys the activities of Kali yuga;

 

budhAnAm pra~nAsUtram - the thread that helps expand the minds of devotees;

 

prashamadhanamana: padminI nAlasUtram - the thread that is like the stalk of the

lotus which is the heart of the panditas whose wealth is knowledge;

 

munInAm rakshAsUtram - the thread that protects such panditas;

 

brahmasUtram yatipate: vakshasi jayati - such a Brahmasutram of Ramanuja shines

on his divine chest.

 

Commentary:

Similar to the previous two shlokas where Ramanuja's tridandam was praised, in

this shloka, the holy thread on the chest of Ramanuja is enjoyed and through it

the greatness of Ramanuja is brought out.

 

In other sampradhayams, when a person enters the sanyasAshrama dharma, they

remove their hair completely and throw away their holy thread. In Srivaishnava

sampradhaya, the sanyasis keep a tuft of hair on their head and continue to wear

the holy thread. Thus, in this shloka the beauty and qualities of the holy

thread worn by Ramanuja is being appreciated.

 

trayyA mA~NgalyasUtram:

The holy thread on Ramanuja's divine chest is like the matrimonial thread worn

around the necks of women to show that they are married. This description is the

same that Sri Parasara Bhattar uses to describe the works of Swami

Kooraththazhvan in his thaniyan ( " yaduktayas trayIkaNThe yAnti

mangaLasUtratAm " ).

 

If a woman is not wearing the matrimonial thread around her neck, either she is

still unmarried or she is a widow. If it is the former, many men will think of

themselves as her possible husband; in the case of the latter, people would know

that she has lost her husband. Similarly, prior to Ramanuja's birth, people

thought of many devatas as the Supreme (as the paramapurusha of the Vedas) while

there were others who claimed that there is no Supreme (as described in the

Vedas). After Swami Ramanuja's birth, it was made clear to one and all that

there is a Supreme and that He is Sriman Narayana - thus the matrimonial thread

shone around the neck of the Veda mAta.

 

triyuga padayuga:

yuga means a pair. tri yuga is therefore six - this refers to the six divine

qualities (knowledge, power, strength, wealth, valor and splendor) of the Lord

as shown by the word Bhagavan. Therefore, triyuga refers to the Lord. pada yuga

refers to the divine feet of the Lord.

 

ArohaNa AlambasUtram:

When climbing a mountain, one uses a rope to pull themselves up. Similar to

that, Swami Ramanuja's thread helps devotees make the ultimate climb - to the

divine feet of the Lord. Vedanta Desikan uses another comparison for this idea -

Ramanuja is like a lion jumping between mountains (this world and the next); and

the devotees are like small insects that would never get across these mountains

in many lifetimes; but the insects that cling on to the lion will reach the

other mountain along with the lion in one bound.

 

In some texts for this shloka, the phrase used is triyugayuga. In that case, the

number shown is 12 (3 x 2 x 2). This numbers refers to the archirAdhi path.

Then, it is shown that Swami's thread helps the souls go through this path. That

is, for those who have surrendered at Swami's feet, the path of archirAdhi has

become easily attainable.

 

sadvidyA dIpasUtram:

Without a thread (wick), a lamp would not glow. Thus, without Ramanuja's thread,

the Upanishads that are lamps would not glow.

 

sakalakalikathA samhR^ite: kAlasUtram:

The Lord of death, Yama, carries in his hands a rope called kAlapAsha, that he

uses to capture souls from their bodies. Similar to that, Ramanuja's thread

destroys the uproar caused by the activites of Kali yuga.

 

budhAnAm pra~nAsUtram:

Ramanuja's thread brightens and expands the thoughts of those that surrender at

his divine feet.

 

prashamadhanamana: padminI nAlasUtram:

Yogis are those that have highest qualities as their only wealth. Such yogis

were Ramanuja's disciples such as Embar, Arulala Perumal Emberumanar, et al.

Their hearts are like lotuses that blossom in the presence of Sun who is

Ramanuja ( " rAmAnuja divAkara: " ). To their lotus minds, Ramanuja's thread acts as

the stalk - connecting them to Ramanuja and nourishing them.

 

The Sun that is Ramanuja will both drive away the darkness caused by other

sampradhayams ( " nirAsa vAsarapati: " ) as well as blossom the hearts of the true

devotees.

 

munInAm rakshAsUtram:

The thread also protects the same yogis.

 

vakshasi jayati:

Unlike sanyasis of other sampradhayams, Ramanuja wears the Brahmasutram. In this

shloka, it is said that even the act of enjoying the beauty of that sacred

thread will provide refuge and achieve liberation.

 

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

http://www.acharya.org/vyakyanam/Dhati-Panchakam/index.html