SaraNAgati Gadhyam : Part IX

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11. Invocations linking to the Lord's guNams

 

SatyakAma ! Satyasankalpa! ParaBrhamabhUta ! PurushOttama! MahaaVibhutE !

Sriman! NaarayaNa ! VaikunThanAtha! apArakAruNya-souSeelya-vAtsalya-oudhArya-soundharya-mahOdadhE ! anAlOchitaviSEsha aSEshalOka SaraNya! PraNatAthihara! ASritavAtsalyaikajaladhE ! anavarata vidhita nikhilabhUtajAtayAthAtmya! aSEsha-

charAcharabhUta nikhilaniyaman nirata! aSEshachitachitvastu SEshibhUta ! nikhila-jagadAdhAra ! akhilajagatswamin! SatyakAma ! Satyasankalpa! sakalEtaravilakshaNa !

arthiklapaka! Aapatsakha! Sriman! NaarAyaNa!

 

11. Translation of the Text (Sruta PrakAsAcchAr/ K. BhAshyam)

 

Thy will fulfilled , Thy commands carried out , by all , Thou art the Para Brahman, the biggest of persons of great might and wealth ; Thou art the Consort of SrI ! Oh ! NaarAyaNa , Lord of VaikunTha Thou art the ocean filled with beneficient qualities , such as unlimited mercy , easy accessibility, affectionate kindness, genrosity , rulership , extreme comeliness. Thou art again the refugee of the whole world without any preference ( as to race, color or caste). Thou removest the distress of those that resort to Theee. Thou art the ocean of motherly affection towards Your devotees. Thou art all knowing , knowing all the time the true nature , etc. of all the groupds of beings . Thou dost skillfully control all the movable and immovable things of the Worlds.Thou art their Lord , the sustainer of all the worlds , their Master, My Master; Thy desires ever fulfilled , Thy commands scrupulously executed . Distinct from all the others , Thou art the wish fulfilling Tree ( the giver of all prayers ), Friend in distress , Sriman , NaarAyaNa , the refuge of the helpless , the One and the only Refuge ( with no others to go for Help).

 

11. Commentaries

 

The following 8 nAmAs (names) are used as proofs to show that He is possessed of all the qualities mentioned before as natural to Him .By Satyakaama the Lord is denoted as possessing nitya vibhUti. Satya sankalpa denotes the possession of Leelaa VibhUti and also that He is the nimitta KaaraNa ( creative cause) . To show that He is also the UpAdhana KaaraNam , the name ParaBrahmabhUta is used. To show that though He is the UpaadhAna KaaraNa , He is not affected by any infirmities of material things , the next nAmaa , PurushOttama is used. To dispel any doubt that may be created as to how , being upAdhAna KaaraNa , He can be said to be seperate and distinct from Prakrti , the next nAmaa , Maahaa VibhUti is used

reminding us of the harmonizing Sruti. That is to say , He has the VibhUtis as His body . To denote that they both ( Iswara and SrI) are jointly Masters, the word Sriman follows :

 

The next name " NaarAyana " is used to convey the same sense in some detail (i.e., Iswaran and SrI) . That He is not affected by the infirmities attaching to the VibhUti , has already been expressed in somewhat general terms by the word ,

Mahaa VibhUti . The nirukti of the word "NaarAyaNa" is NarAt JaatAni .Tattvam NaarAni iti tatO vidhu:" . Again , to show explicitly and authoritatively the existence of Nitya VibhUti , the name VaikunTha Naatha is used. The root meaning of VaikunTha is s follows: The root KuThi= gati-pratighataa means " to obstruct knowledge". The obstructiosn are caused by Karma. Vi -without karma or obstruction to knowledge is not obstructed by Karma and such like impediments are called VikunTha . The place where they reside is called "VaikunTha".

 

Thus far , the nature of the Brahman and its atrributes and qualities , appertaining to both of the aspects of being the Upaaya ( means to an end) and the UpEya ( the goal to reach) have been adumbrated.

 

Next follow His qualities , specially relating to the Upaaya aspect only. The enumeration starts with apaara . This word is used to show the extent of His Mercy; it includes and operates on , even in respect of, a person who does not deserve to come within its range. KaaruNya has already been explained. Aiswarya is meant to

express the sense that though a samsarin acts in a such a bad way as to cause obstruction to his being saved , he is still protected by the Lord . He is infinite mercy , and by His own unrestricted independent powers , directs the protection of such persons also . Aiswarya means also His Lordship or Directorship. That He attracts and makes samsArins come under His protection is conveyed by the word "Soundharya" . That is why it is said " PumsAm drishti chitta apahArinam"( He who steals the sight and hearts of men) and "Jitam tE " ( Victory to You).

 

Having thus far described the very many virtues and qualities of Iswara , now Bhagavad RaamAnuja goes on to show that the phala of possession of these qualities.

That is to invite surrender (SaraNagati) . He starts with " anAlOchita-viSEsha" , which denotes that there is no distinction on account of caste, conduct or character . Lokaa includes all worlds and the living beings therein. He is PraNatArthihara , i.e ., capable of removing all calamities of His devotees , because of the possession by Him of all the virtuous powers and qualities. This is one of the names of Lord VaradarAja of Kaanchi. Its special mention here by Ramanuja may be in rememberance of the special grace shown to him by the Lord of Kanchi , who with His consort appeared as a hunter couple , when he was deserted by Yaadhava PrakAsa in the VindhyA forest . The mention may also be due to the special grace shown to him by Varada of Kaanchi generally .The attribute, AaSritavaatsalya, is useful to Him in His activities ( of protecting His devotees) . The quality of "Vaastsalya" ( affection as that of a cow to its calf)is specially mentioned as Rmaanuja believes that it is a quality most noticably radiant in Him. The next following nAma , "anavarata" etc., is mentioned by Ramanuja as he believed that it is the opinion of Iswara that some action on JeevA's own part is necessary ( for invoking the grace of God)."Your omniscience is not limited to certain matters or to a particular time.How then will my helplessness not be known to Thee" is the idea expressed.

 

The next passage beginning with aSEsha is used to express the idea that it is His pleasure that though the jeeva may not be cooperative , the jeeva must atleast be not obstructive.The ultimate meaning is that even "nivrutti" ( inaction) is also His doing or His will . To remove any doubt that may arise as to why Iswara should save the soul of Jeevan , the words "aSEsha chitachith " are used. "Even the prayer to Thee by the Jeevan that he should be saved as also due to Thy will; " why then shouldst Thou sustain and allow them to grow? ". Akhila Jagat Swaamin connotes that the world is undr His Lordship ( Dominion) not only physically but also in respect of (its) qualities. " GuNai: DhAsyam upAgata: " are the words used by LakshmaNa with respect to Raama.

 

Asmat Swaamin denotes not only the mere "being" in service but also the favour shown by Him in granting the Jeevan this birthright to serve and endowing him with the qualities he possesses. That is, whatever happens or not, all these are His doings. Satyakaama conveys the idea that the protection of the weak and helpless is the duty (work) of a ParipoorNa( Perfect Being) . Satyasankalpa :-The above act of protection is performed without any effort.

 

SakalEtara VilaksaNa :-If Thou does not undertake this task , how art Thou then different from others? Arthikalpaka must be taken to mean conjunctively One to whom prayers are made and one who grants all prayers like the Kalpaka tree. Cf. "SamEtya pratinandaya cha or UdaarA: sarva yEva tE"-- they are genrous who consent to take favours from me". If this is not so , His reputation will be gone is the idea sought to be expressed.

 

Aapatsakha conveys the meaning that the dire state of a being like that of GajEndra is the cause of bringing on the protection by Thee. Sriman:-Even if I am not qualified for redemption atleast for the sake of SrI , Protection may be given.

NaarAyaNa:-Even though neglected by Her, protect me atleast for Your own sake .

 

aSaraNya SaraNya: Even though I am not connected with Thee, I am to be protected, Iam without anyother protecting person , and Thou art the protector of the helpless.

 

Achrya RaamAnujar ThirvadikaLE SaraNM,

DhAsan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchri Sadagopan