unlcjking Values : Simha:valoka nya:yam: & Gender?

July 15, 2008

Jai Srimannarayana!

Our spiritual masters (pu:rva:cha:ryas) were so great that they not only used

appropriate grammar in manI prava:lam but also used the grammar for vya:kyanams

contents and commentaries.

Let us see two examples.

Simha:valoka nya:yam:

In sanksrit, certain nya:yams are framed and these are based on real life

events/nature. These are likened to the context and explained. These are like

idioms and phrases in English grammar.

One is 'simha:valo:ka nya:yam'. The lion when walking does not walk along but

time and again looks back and continues progressing.

The Thiruneduntha:ndakam pa:suram one 'minnuruva:i'commences with thanksgiving

by Sri Tirumangai Azhavar and lists out the blessings granted to him. That He is

Supreme and the fact that He is independent is categorically established in this

pa:suram.

However, he revisits on the point of Supremacy with specific reference to the

Thrimu:rthies. Questioning the need for this ( as it was already covered in the

earlier pa:suram, broadly) Sri Periyava:cha:n pillai refers to this nya:yam.

'Simha:valoka nya:yatha:le:a:' ke:zhsonna upaka:rankalai..

Like a lion Azva:r looks back on his stroll.

What Gender Sir?:

While describing the Supreme, sva:mi Nama:zva:r declares that The Almighty is

neither male nor female nor an eunech.

'a:n allan, pen allan alla: aliyum allan' 2-5-10 Tiruva:imozhi.

" In that case, is Supreme 'nothingness'? " -su:nyam.

Sri Bhattar replied that it was not so and that will not be in conjunction with

the text.

'the words are not ' alla: aliyum alladhu'-

but it is 'a:n allan , pen allan, aliyum allan'

indicating repeatedly that it is masculine gender - The Purusho:thaman.

This agian is an evidence how our pu:rva:cha:ryas have used grammar to drive

home a point.

This is just a drop of water in the ocean of our vya:kya:nams (a thivalai). It

goes on and on.

( to be continued)

dasan

vanamamalai padmanabhan

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