Sri Vishnuchitta kulanandana kalpavalli (Part-25)

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara MunayE namaha

Sri Vanachala mahA munayE namaha

 

In the previous paasuram andal talked about the gopas who were very efficient in doing their duty but in this twelfth paasuram, “kanaiththilam kaRRerumai” andal talks about a gopan who has left his svadharmam. Andal now stands in front of that gopans house wanting to awaken his sister. “nindru pAl sOra nanaiththillam sErAkkum narselvan thangAi” The cow due to its vatsalyam towards its kid showers milk even without someone milking. The milk is flowing continuously and hence the whole house is flooded with milk. Why haven’t the gopan milked the cows? Isn’t it wrong for him to leave his svadharmam? Inspite of this mistake why does andal call him as “narselvan”?

 

The answers to these questions are as follows: The gopan is a very close associate of Sri krishna. He is always in the service of krishna. Like lakshmana who left all his other duties and concentrated only on the service to Sri rama, this gopan was always involved in the service to Krishna. Our acharyas don’t term this as a mistake since when there is a clash between sAmAnya dharmam (here, milking of cows) and viseesha dharmam (kainkaryam to the lord/Krishna) viseesha dharmam takes more priority and leaving the sAmAnya dharmam at that point is not a mistake. As only the lord decides every thing, anything done for his pleasure never becomes a sin. This is substantiated with the incidents in the life of thirukannamangai Andan and Sri Parasara bhattar by our acharyas.

 

So doing our duty or leaving it, which is the upaya to attain his divine feet? Swamy azhagiya manavala perumal nayanar in his Arayirapadi says, “avargaludaiya anushtAnamum, evanudaiya ananushtAnamum upAyamandru; yAdhonru upEyaththaitaruvadhO adhirE upAyam; vidasonnavaiyum paRRasonnavaiyum mandrirE upAyam; viduviththu paRRuviththavanirE upayam”

[it is not their doing or his not doing, the upaya. It is that which helps us to achieve the upEyam, which is the upaya. It is not that which has been asked to be left or that which has been asked to be caught hold off, the upaya but that very lord who made us leave and catch hold off, is the upaya.]

 

The greatest wealth for Srivaishnavas is only the bhagavat/bhAgavata kainkaryam. So the wealthiest Srivaishnava is the one who is filled with kainkaryaSri like lakshmana (Azhvar says “ozhivilA kAlam udanAgi manni vazhuvilA adimai seiya vEndum nAm” this should be the prayer of each and every Srivaishnava)

 

(To be continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan