Thiruvaimozi-1.2.3

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Jai Srimannrayana!

 

3. neer numadhenrivai ve:r mudhal ma:ytthu irai

se:rmin uyirkkadhan ne:r nirai ille

 

Destroy the concept of `you' and `yours' by rooting it out. Attach

yourself to the Lord. There is no other goal higher than that.

 

The feeling of `you' and `yours' denote the ahamka:ra and mamaka:ra, namely `I'

and `mine.' Azvar uses the words neer, numadhu, `you'

and `yours' instead of `I " and `Mine ` because he is advising the mankind as a

whole and therefore uses the second person pronoun and also may be that he could

not bring himself to say " I " " mine " even for the sake of instruction, as he is

a liberated soul who is devoid of ahamkara and mamakara.

 

The phrase `vermudhal ma:ytthu,' means root out the ego which is the

cause of ahamkara and mamakara. The identity with the body, mind

and intellect are transitory because they are originated. This

means that we identify ourselves sometimes with body, other times

with mind etc. So it will be destroyed once for all, only if the

root cause, the ego, is destroyed.

 

As Krishna explains in the Gita, `dhya:yatho vishaya:n pumsah sangastheshu

upaja:yathe,' dwelling on sense objects, which includes

also people who gratify the senses, the attachment is produced. This is the

cause of the concept of `mine,' which is the by-product of the concept of' I.'

So by controlling the senses from hankering after the sense objects the mamakara

can disappear as said in the Gita 'yadha: samharathe cha:yam koorma:nga:neeva

sarvasahindhriya:ni indhriya:rthebhyah,' when one withdraws the senses from the

sense objects as the tortoise withdraws its limbs in side its shell, etc. But

they may shoot up again because he concept of `I' is not eliminated, like a

plant which is cut and not uprooted. For this, it is necessary to destroy the

root cause of ahamkara, the ego. To refer to the words of the Lord again, the

impressions, vasanas, that give rise to ahamkara and mamakara, remain even after

the senses are controlled and disappear wholly only when the supreme reality is

perceived. `rasavarjam rasopyasya param dhrshtva: nivarthathe.'

 

The means of uprooting the vasanas that cause the ego-centric impulses, is shown

by azvar by the words irai sErmin , attach yourself to the Lord. Azvar sukthis

are all extolling prapatthi and surrenderin to Him giving up all idea of agency

is what is meant here. The `aham' should merge with `saH,' which is implied by

the mahavakyas `aham brahmasmi,' and `tatthvam asi.'

 

Azvar says `uyirkkadhan ne:r ille:,' meaning, for the individual soul there is

no other means equivalent in merit than this, as said by the Upanishad `na:nyah

panttha: vidhyathe ayana:ya.'

 

 

4. illadhum ulladhum alladhu avanuru

ellaiyil annalam pulgu pattrattre

 

The Lord is different from the sentient and insentient and His nature is of

boundless bliss having endowed with infinitely auspicious qualities. Hence give

up all other attachments and embrace that supreme self.

 

Illadhu here means that which has no permanent existence, meaning the non-self

which is always changing. ulladhu is the individual self which is permanent

 

Jai Srimannarayana!