AchArya hridhayam-17

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swarUpam vs upAyam

 

This is in continuation of the AchArya Hridhayam sUthram 20. The

commentary to thirteenth thiruppAvai pAsuram further explains this sUthram.

Please condone me for any repetition.

 

The thirteenth pAsuram of thiruppAvai-puLLin vAi kEndanai- consists of a

brief discussion on swarUpam vs upAyam in ARAyirappadi vyAkyAnam.

 

puLLin vAi kEndAnai- the commentary runs as follows " idhu ivargaLukku

rAvaNa vadham paNNInapadi. ithalaikku anumadhi iRE vEANduvdhu. virOdhiap pOkki

thannai kodukkai avan paNiyiRE. ivanudaiya anumadhiyum avanudaiya rakshathvamum

swarUpathilE pugumathanai.

karma-gnAnangaLai sahakAriyAgak koNdu bhakthi upAyam enRu irukkum avargaL

anRu iRE.

 

thannudaiya agnAnam-asakthigaLaiyum, avanudaiya gnAna sakthigaLayum

sahakAriyAgak kONdu avanE upAyam enRu irukkum avargaL iRE "

 

Here srEvaishNavic characteristic is emphasised. For His rescue our

acceptance ( isaivu)is the requirement. Nothing more. Thiis acceptance for His

rescue( For destroying our obstacles and saving us) and His rescue are nature of

the soul and nature of the Lord respectively, and the acceptance is not a means

to salavation.

 

For those who realiase that we are indeed subservient to the Lord but

depend on the prescriptions by the sAsthrangaL, karma-gnAnangaL-are supporting

systems for bhakthi as a means-upAyam.

For those who realsie what is said in thirumandhiram, our agnAnam-our

ignorance, our asakthigaL- our incompetence- and His gnAnam and sakthigaL are

the supporting systems for bearing in mind that He is the means ( and of course

the end) -upAyam enRu irukkum avargaL iREA.

 

This is aptly summarised in AchArya Hridhayam sUthram 20

" ivai swarUpathai vuNarndhu vuNarndhu vuNaravum, vuNarvaip peRa vUra miga

vuNaravum vuNdAm "

 

 

Here the analysis of two class of people namely a.Those who are involved

in sAsthrangaL and with the help of that try to get themselves out of the cycle

of births. b. Those who are involved in the essence of thirumandhiram and act

passive accordingly.

 

Accordingly, the former class, in an attempt to understand the real nature

of the soul -that it is different from the physical form- and is capable of

knowledge and experiencing happiness presume that soul can do service to the

Lord and hence keeping this in mind -that soul is itself capable of certain

independent qualitites- try to attain the Lord by their attempts.

 

The class of people who are submerged in thirumandhiram, perceive that the

wordly knowlege, materialsitic nexus, the physique are all to be left away.They

firmly believe, as dictated by their knowledge that, this perception is bestowed

by the LOrd without any specific actions and hence they aim at the soul being

always at the service to the Lord and being capable of being serving to the

Lord( pAranthanthriyam),. they leave the burden of attaining salvatin to the

Lord Himself.

It may be observed thus that knowledge about the nature of soul(

swarUpathai vuNarndhuNardhu vuNara) leads to sAsthra followers and the supreior

knowledge of the nature of soul (vuNaravai peRa vUra miga vuNara) leads to

conviction in thirumandhiram.

 

Thus the difference between those who believe in the prescription of

sAsthrangaL and those who are dictated by the essence of thirumandhiram is

explained here.

 

It may be thus observed that srEvaishNavites are thus class people who

follow thirumandhiram to the core, whcih is explained in the commentary by swAmi

azhagia maNavALap perumAl nAyanAr.