Thiru Adhyayana Uthsam: Part IV -- Swamy NammAzhwAr Moksham Day at Pomona Temple for Lord RanganAthan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Yesterday was a grand day at SrI Ranganatha Temple here in New York

and many devotees from the different corners of USA assembled to

celebrate Swamy NammAzhwAr's Moksham in the time honored tradition

of the celebrations of SrIrangam Temple .

 

It was a grand , eye filling , " ear filing " nectarine experience.

After the visEsha Dhanur Maasa AarAdhanam , Lord RanganAtha arrived

at His darbar in front of the 12 AzhwArs to listen to the concluding

section of ThiruvAimozhi.

 

For the past three days, up to 800 Thiruvaimozhi Paaurams

had been recited.They consisted of the first 98 decads that

deal with the Para Bhakthi generated anubhavam of Swamy

NammAzhwAr . In the 99th decad (Soozhe visum paNi decad) ,

Swamy NammAzhwAr's Para Bhakthi transformed in to

Para Jn~Nam stage .In the 100th and concluding decad

( MuniyE ! NaanmuhanE! MukaNNappA !),ThirukkuruhUr

MaaRan SaThakOpan's mind becomes indundated with Parama

Bhakthi and He prays for union with the Lord in Parama Padham

and the Lord granted His dear devotee (VishvaksEnAmsar avathAram)

the longed for boon of Moksham .

 

Earlier on SrI Vaikunta Ekadasi day , Lord RanganAtha Himself enacted

the role of Mumukshu ( One who desires Moksham ) and entered the northern

gate of SrI Vaikunta RaajadhAni followed by all blessed souls. Yesterday,

it was Swamy NammAzhwAr's turn to first visualize the traffic of

liberated souls traveling by the path of light (archirAdhi Maargam)

and recieving all honors (maryAdhais ) described in the first chapter of

KaushithAki Upanishad (I-19 to 34)as translated by Dr.N.S.AnanatharangAcchAr

Swamy in his recently released book on major upanishads :

 

" ( The liberated self , who has to proceed to the celestial abode of

ParamAtman through ArchirAdhi maargam says thus to the rithus or seasons):

Oh Rithus! Pease do not offer me to Mruthyu , which is of the form

of birth and death( TanmA RuthavO marthyava aabharadhvam ). I am of

the form of Rithu of the characterstric of month .Season , Year and

Yuga ,that is of the characterstric of time being blessed by that

Paramathman , who was pleased on account of Tapas of the form of

SELF-SURRENDER ( PRAPATTHI/BHARA NYAASAM).I am Ka: -------

The Moon permits one , who replies thus to proceed on

the path of ArchirAdi , knowing that he is fit for it (that travel).

 

The knower of Brahman comes upon the path of DeavyAna (ArchirAdhi maargam ,

the path of light ) and reaches the world of Fire (Agni) , there upon

the world of Vaayu and there upon the world of VaruNa , then the world of

Aditya , then IndralOka , then PrajApathi loka and finally Brahma lOka.

 

Near the BrahamalOka , there is the lake named " ARA " . Near by there are

people with sticks in their hand called by the name " MUhUrthAs "

(They drive away the abrahmaviths/one who do not know Brahman).

 

There is the river VirajA , which is opposed to JARA-RAJAS.

 

Near by , there is a tree named Tilya.

 

There is a celebrated place named " Salajya " . There is an abode

called " AparAjithA " .

 

There are gate keepers called by the names of Indra and

PrajApathi , there is a hall of gold , there is a very spacious

throne of Dharma known as Vichakshana. There is a Yoga shayana

called by the name of Amithoujah ; two ladies (goddesses) by

the name--Priya , presiding deity over mind and another named

Prathiroopa , the presiding deity over the eye , areengaged in

plucking flowers.

 

Just like the divine ladies PriyA and others , other ladies

also the Apsaras --damsels who are the Mothers of all the Universe

and other Apsaras , who are their amsAs are there jubilant with

great delight along with the foremost Mother.

 

A knower of Brahman of this nature arrives at the BrahmalOka of

this kind .

 

The SUPREME BRAHAMAN says to the Apsaras " Go towards that Brahmavith

to recieve him .He has come near river viraja on account of MY GRACE .

Hereafter he will come to Viraja ( Tamm BrahmAha: abidhAvatha mama

yasasaa virajAm vaayam nadhIm prApath . na vaayam jigIshayathIthi).

 

Five hundred of those Apsaras damsels run towards him , a hundred of

them holding garlands , a hundred holding unjuncts , a hundred with

fragrant flowers , a hundred of them holding garments , a hundred

holding ornaments , they are going to decorate him with the decoration of

Brahman ( BrahmAlankAram) , (now) the realizer of Brahaman proceeds

towards Brahman " .

Thus ends the passage from Kaushitaki Upanishad .

 

ChAndhOygyam (UpakOsala and PanchAgni Vidhyais)and BruhadAraNya

Upanishad ( VaakjasanEyam) also discuss the ArchirAdhi Maargam

with some varaitions in the hierarchy of gods (aadhivAhikAs) ,

who offer their honors during the travel of the liberated Soul

through this path of light .They all emphasize however the travel

via ArchirAdhi Maargam as the only route to reach Brahman

at His Supreme Abode (Parama Padha NaaTan at SrI Viakuntam).

The liberated soul thus attains the Supreme Light (Param JyOthi)

and it (the individual soul) becomes manifest in his own true nature .

It enjoys the infinite bliss of BrahmAnandham. " Rasam hi eva ayama

labdhvA aanandee bhavathi " --TatirIya AarNaykam:8.4

( Having attianed that Brahman , the MukthA is in the enjoyment of

Supreme Bliss). The liberated soul manifests his knowledge in its

fullest form (Until now, it was in a contracted form). " svEna RoopEna

abhinishpadhyathE " --ChAndhOgyam:8.12.3 ( He (the liberated Soul

becomes manifest in his own nature). Now ,the Muktha Jeevan enjoys

the Supreme Brahman (SrI VaikuntanAthan/ThiruviNNagarappan)

without separation form Him .

 

Mundaka Upanishad (3.13) describes the blissful and blemishless

state of Brahman this way:

 

YadhA pasya: pasyatE Rukma-varNam

kartAram Eesam Purusham Brahma Yonim

TadhA vidvAn puNya-pApE vdihUya

niranjana: paramam samyam upaithi

 

" When the all-seeing JivA realizes VaasudEvA , who has a refulgent

body , who is the Creator and Master of the Universe , and who is

also the cause of Prakruthi and who is signified by the term PurushA ,

then , the Jivan annihilates all the PuNya and Paapa karmAs , becomes

free from their subtle impressions and so blemishless , he becomes

endowed with the eight qualities of Para Brahman , beginning with

freedom from sin and attains the highest degree of likeness

(sameness of nature) with the Brahman " . The liberated soul

enjoying this Bliss does not become identical with Brahman ;

the liberated soul at Prama Padham enjoys all the powers that

are possessed by the ParamAthmA except the activity relating to

creation ( jagath VyApAra varja adhikaraNam : Brahma Soothram;4.4.6).

There is likeness between Brahman and the Mukthan in enjoyment only

( Braham Soothram: 4.4.21).Thus the mukthan has all the powers and

glories of the Lord except those activities relating to the world.

The muktha jeevan never returns to the world of KarmAs unless

ordered by the Lord Himself to fulfill some duties . Our Lord

loves the Muktha Jeevan so much that He does not want to be

separated from him (na cha punarAvarthatE--ChAndhOgyam 8.15.1).

Those who have attained Him will not experience rebirth again .

Although ,the Lord is independent , he does not send a muktha

jeevan back to the karma bhUmi , once He got him.

 

Swamy NammAzhwAr attained Parama Padham and was engaged in

performing VisEsha AaarAdhanam to his Lord. Then came this

resounding plea from the karma bhUmi to the Lord that Swamy

NammAzhwAr ,the Prapanna SanthAana Jana Kootasthar be returned

to earth to help the bound souls ( Bhaddha Jeevans ) through

his upadEsams on Prapatthi Maargam to gain release from

their bondages (samsAric afflictions). Lord RanganAtha

heard this heart-rending plea at SrI Vaikuntam for the return of

His dear devotee and decided reluctantly to send Swamy NammazhwAr

back to be with us all to help the suffering Bhaddha jeevans

to seek SaraNAgathi at the sacred feet of the Lord to gain

MokshAnugraham.

 

Thus ended a magnificent celebration at Lord RanganAthA's

sannidhi. Many volunteers contributed to the success of

this Uthsavam and were well coordinated by SrI Sampath

RengarAjan of Thirukkudanthai.

 

Today is the last day of Thiruadhyayana Uthsavam and

approximately 1,000 Paasurams will be recited during

this day from following Prabhandhams:

 

1) Mudhal ThiruvandhAthi of Poygai AazhwAr

2) Second ThiruvandhAdhi of BhUthatthAzhwAr

3) Third ThiruvandhAthi of pEy AzhwAr

4) Naanmukhan ThiruvandhAthi of Thirumazhisai AzhwAr

5) Thiruviruttham of Swamy NammazhwAr

6) ThiruvAsiriyam of Swamy NammAzhwAr

7) Periya ThiruvandhAthi of Swamy nammAzhwAr

8) ThiruvEzhu kURRirukkai of Thirumangai AzhwAr

9) SiRiya Thirumadal of Thirumangai AzhwAr

10)Periya Thirumadal of Thirumangai

11) RaamAnuja NooRRandhAthi

 

With the recitations of this day , THiru Adhyayana

Uthsavam of ChithrabhAnu Samvathsaram will come

to a joyous conclusion .

 

SrI RanganAthO Jayathi,

Swamy NammAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukE ! Thubhyam Nama:

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SaThakOpan