Sri Vishnuchitta kulanandana kalpavalli (Part-15)

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara MunayE namaha

Sri Vanachala mahA munayE namaha

 

“uththaman pEr pAdi” Here pEr refers to the thirumanthram, the first among the rahasya trayam that an acharya gives to a shisya during the pancha samskAram. We see in our day to day lives that even if one person is not able to accompany us to some place he says, “say my name and you will get a good reception” If for a simple jeevatma just the name can do wonders what to say about the miracles that the thirunAmam of emperuman can do?

 

“katti pon pOlE avan; panippon pOlE thirunAmam” A 24 carat gold biscuit has its worth but can it be used to make a ornament immediately? Emperuman is 24 carat gold and his names are ornamental gold. With the same gold we can make any type of ornament according to each one’s wish. Similarly by uttering the same thirunamam one can attain wealth, fame and anything according to his wish. But what will the azhvars and andal wish for? They are not interested in any of the lowkika pleasures and hence for them uttering his names itself is the palan. They sing the names of emperuman as a part of their kainkaryam and for doing mangalAsAsanams to the divine lord. According to them everything is for his pleasure and nothing else.

 

A fisherman got hold of a costly pearl. He didn’t know its actual worth. He sold it to a shopkeeper for a price that will fetch him his next day’s meal. That shopkeeper knew the value of the pearl and hence he took it to the king and got a huge amount for the same. The king cherished possessing the pearl and hence he didn’t sell it to anyone but feels happy by wearing it himself. Similarly those who utter the thirunamam of emperuman to attain some lowkika palans are like the fisherman (Arthans and arthArthees) Those who utter the thirunamam for attaining svargam or even moksha (mumukshus) are like the shopkeeper. Those who utter the thirunAmam for the very purpose of uttering it (jnanis) are like the king.

 

Say one person doesn’t believe in the worship of emperuman or in the worship of the lord with some form. But he is suffering from some problem. One astrologist says that if he goes to a temple regularly then his problem will be solved. First he will hesitate as he has already built an image that he is a non-believer of all such doings. But now he wants to get out of the problem in some way. Next the astrologer suggests that if he is unable to visit the temple he should at least utter the names of the lord for say 108 times daily. That person will surely accept as it can be done indoors without others knowing it. Now, we see that even in the place where perumal cannot enter his name enters. A person who hates his mother shouts “amma!” when he is in some pain. Sishupala disliked krishna but whenever he wanted to scold krishna he said, “kannan choran, kannan pennAlan” etc prefixed only by the thirunamam of emperuman. So such is the greatness of the lords divine names.

 

Andal thus feels very happy to sing the names of krishna in a group of bhagavatas. Earlier the elders prevented them from even thinking about krishna but now is the time they have allowed the gopis to sing loudly his greatness. Will they miss this chance to do mangalAsAsanams to the lord?

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan