Thiruvaimozi 1-2-2

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana!

 

2. minnin nilaiyila, mannuyir a:kkaigal ennum idatthu irai unnumin neere

 

Consider the truth that the bodies of the embodied self are transitory, being

less durable than even the lightning. He body is permanently changing every

moment and hence it is said that it is more fleeting than the lightning. So even

in one life we have many bodies.

 

A sarira has seven defects or doshas , namely, alpam, of no value, asthiram,

transitory, duhkha moolam, rooted in misery, duhkhamayam,

consists of misery and nothing else, duhkhasyaka:ranam, cause of

sorrow, bhra:nthimoolam, reason for illusion and hence mokshavirodhi,

obstacle to moksha. Of these, asthiram is the sufficient cause to give up the

attachment to the body, not considering the others. Just because it is

transitory the attachment to it causes sorrow and delusion that it is of great

value.

 

Akkai means the body and it is described as minnin nilai il, does not

stay even as long as a lightning. Mannuyir means the self which is

permanent. irai unnumin is also explained as contemplate on the Lord,

irai. This pasuram elucidates the phrase `muttravum veedu seidhu,' in the

previous one, meaning giving up fully the attachment. All the attachments for

possessions, people etc. are only due to the attachment of the self, which is

identified wrongly with the body.

 

In Brhadharanyaka Upanishad Ya:jnavalkya explains this by the text

`na va: are pathyuh ka:ma:ya pathih priyo bhavathi----athmanansthu ka:ma:ya

sarvam priyam bhavathi `(Brhd.2-4-5) meaning that everything, wife, son, wealth

etc. are dear not for their own sake but for one's own sake. It is the self the

love for which is primary and the rest are secondary. We attach importance to

worldly things because we identify our self with the body as all these are

related to the body only. When we realize that we, the Self within and the

Supreme self within the individual self are different from the body we

understand that all we have hitherto considered as valuable are indeed

valueless.

 

Yajnavalkya had two wives , Kathyayani and Maithreyi. When he wished to embrace

the monastic life he wanted to divide his possessions to both of them. But

mithreyi asked him to give her that which makes him leave everything and go.

Then Yajnavalkya instructed her the supreme knowledge: `a:thma: va: are:,

dhrashtavyah srothavyah manthavyah and nidhidhya:sithavyah.' (Brhd.2.4.5)

 

The phrase `muttravum veedu seidhu ` in the first pasuram is thus made clear.

The other parts of the pasuram are elucidated by the next.

 

Jai Srimannarayana!