Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimakryam: Part 146 ( Desika Prabhandham-- XXXVII : Paasuram 154-156

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SrI:

 

Dear Swamy Desika BhakthAs:

 

Today , we will study the first three Paasurams of

Para Matha Bhangam . The first Paasuram consists of

Swamy Desikan's salutaions to Lord Sudarsanar ,

the embodiment of the Sankalpa Sakthi of SriMan NaarAyaNan.

The second and the Third Paasurams are tributes to AchAryans

for their great UpakAram to us.

 

154) Salutations to Sudarsana BhagavAn

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vaNN taLa ambhuyatthuL ilankum aRu kOnam misai

vaNN paNilam Thikiri vaLai vill vaLai-vaay Musalam

tiNN kaiyil ankusam seer thihazhum Gadhai senkamalam

yeNN padai yEnthi ninRAn yezhil Aazhi IRayavanE

 

(Meaning ): Lord Sudarsanar is standing on top of

a eight petaled Lotus flower housing the six cornered

yanthram . He is radiant with the eight weapons in His

eight hands : Conch , Chakram , Bow , Axe , Pestle ,

Elephant Goad , Mace , Lotus shaped weapon.

 

Additional Comments:

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The soundharyam of Lord Sudarsanar is saluted as

" Yezhil Aazhi IRayavan " . His status as the Master of the battle field

is recognized by the choice of the name " IRayavan " ( Lord ) .

The weapons are held firm in His hands (tiNN kayil ) for immediate

use (prayOgam) . " VeNN paNilam " refers to the white hued

conch. " VaLai moonRu vill " denotes the Saarngam bow bent at three

places . Lord Sudarsanar is ready to fly in to action as indicated by

His PrathyAleeDam posture with one step mounted forward .

Swamy Desikan seeks the protective power of Lord Sudarsana

in the context of the imminent debate with the Para MathasthAL.

 

155) The great help of AchAryAs ; A verse with 16 lines

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This Paasuram is set in PathinARu SeerAsiriya Chandha

Viruttham . It is a majestically moving Paasuram with

beautiful Chandham and has to be recited without break

to enjoy the TaaLa PramAnam. :

 

vidu neRi anji vidat-thodakkiya

vithiyar adainthu thozhat-tazhaitthu yezhu

vizhi aruL tanthu vilakku adi kaLai

virahil iyambi vilakki vaitthanar

 

kodu vinai yenpathanai tinatthinai

koNarthal ihantha guNat-tanatthinar

Kuruhayil vanthu kozhuppu adakkiya

Kulapathy tantha kuRippil Vaitthanar

 

Kadu narahu anbhu kazhaRRi maRRoru

kathi peRum anpil yemmaip-porutthinar

Kamalai uhantha kadal kidaikkadal

karuNai uyarntha tidarkku orukkinar

 

padu mudhal inRi vaLarttha naRRkkalai

pala pala onRa yemakku uraitthanar

pazha maRaiyanthi nadaikku idaic-chuvar

Para Matham yenRu idittha pattharE

 

(meaning): The Para Mathams (Veda Baahya and Kudhrushti

Mathams ) were obstacles to the spreading of our timeless

Matham rooted in Veda/VedAnthams. Our parama BhAgavatha

AchAryAs refuted the incorrect doctrines of Para Mathams

through their SrI Sookthis and one-on-one debates with

the challengers from Para Matham. We went and prostrated before

these AchAryAs driven by our fear of following the sinful ways

(deceptively alluring Para Mathams) .Those merciful AchAryAs

blessed us with affection and cast their auspicious glances on us.

They instructed us about (1) the misfortunes that would result from

the sins that block our pursuit of the right UpAyams (2) the need for

observance of the right upAyam to gain Moksham . Those AchAryAs

have the caring disposition to make sure that no sins come our

way. They made us follow the way shown by Swamy

NammAzhwAr , who with His sweet paasurams refuted

the unsound doctrines of Para Mathams.They asked us

to be aware of the deeds that will land us in Narakam

and made us long for Moksham .They made us fit objects

for approaching the Lord resting in the Milky Ocean .They

initiated us in to many eternal vidhyAs . Many indeed are

the matchless upakArams extended to us by our most

merciful AchAryans .

 

Special Notes based on SrI UtthamUr Swamy's commentary:

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Question may arise as to the appropraiteness of the Viraktha

SikhAmaNis like our AchAryas to engage in acts of refutation

and deflation of the Para mathams. In reality , it is the way shown by

our PoorvAchAryAs. There is nothing wrong with such refutations.

This refutation is not to condemn the Para Matha AchAryAs ;

it is for the auspiciousness of the world and to spare one's own

sishyAs from being confused and agitated . It is like removing

the weeds from a planted field for the health of the crop under

cultivation.In creating this KhaNDana Grantham , Swamy Desikan

points out that it is not only dhUshaNam (finding fault with

the premises of other Veda Baahya and Kudhrushti mathams )

but it is also Sva-paksha sTApanam ( securing the foundations

of one 's own Matham : VisishtAdhvaitha SiddhAntham).

Para Matha nirasanam or condemnation of the faulty doctrines of

other Mathams is defended as an important duty of an AchAryan.

This is the legitimate duty of a SadAchAryan : Sva Paksha sTApanam

and Para Paksha Prathikshiptham . Both have to go together :

Establishment of the soundness of one's doctrines as well as

the logical rejection of the faulty doctrines of Para Mathams .

 

Additional Notes on this Paasuram

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Para Mathams were like the blocking walls between

the straight way of ancient VedAntham ( Para Matham pazha

maRayanthi nadaikku idaic-chuvar). Those walls had

to come down.AchAryAs broke them down so that

there are no more obstructions to travel on the right royal

road of VedAntham . AchAryAs are saluted here as

" Idaic-chuvar idittha Patthar " .

 

The fortunate sishyAs were afraid to travel on the misleading routes of

Para Matham and abandoned such travel ( vidu neRi anji vidat-

thodakkiya vithiyar ) and prostrated before the sacred feet

of their AchAryAs ( adainthu Thozha) . What did the AchAryAs

do ? They cast their merciful glances on these sishyas ( aruL vizhi

tanthu) and instructed them on the futile pursuit of Para Mathams

for gaining Moksham and removed their doubts like a farmer

will remove the weeds from the field to protect the main crop

( vilaku adi kaLai iyampi ) . They not only saved us from

observance of sinful deeds but also initiated us in the performance of

the UpAyam ( Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam ) befitting our sakthi.

 

The AchAryAs helped us with additional things as well :

(1) They positioned us to comprehend and practise the deep

doctrines of our Kulapathi , Swamy NammAzhwAr ( Kulapathy tantha

kuRippil vaitthanar).

 

(2) They removed our penchant for committing sins through

their SadhupadEsams (kodu vinai tavirtthanar).

 

(3) They kindled our longing for Moksha Sukham ( maRRoru

gathi peRum anbil yeMMai porutthinar).

 

(4) They raised us to the elevated plateau , where the most

merciful Lord is resting ( KaruNai tidarkku orukkinar).

 

(5) They revealed to us many vidhyAs bequeathed to them

by PoorvAchAryAs and Sages ( pala pala nall kalai uraitthanar ).

 

Such is the grand Compassion and UpakAram of our AchAryAs !

 

156) The act of AchAryAs instructing us only on the essence of Doctrines

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pOm uraikkum poruL yaamm aRiyOm poruL aar maRayil

uraikkinRa thAmE aRiyum taram udayArAm

uraikkinra ivai aayntu yedutthu AaraNa nool vazhiyE

nAmm uraikkum vahai nall aruL yEnthi navinRanaRE

 

(meaning ): The Veda manthrams with their true meanings of doctrines

are like the deep ocean . We can not know without the help of AchAryAs

as to which Veda Manthrams are to be used and which are to be discarded .

Our AchAryAs have the power to see directly , what they speak about

as upadEsams. Out of their boundless mercy towards us , they have

searched deeply among the Veda manthrams and picked those , which are

indispensable for us and instructed us on them .As a result , we (Swamy

Desikan ) embraced the path of VedAntham and are able to create

this SrI Sookthi of Para Matha Bhangam .

 

Before the AchArya UpadEsam , we were ignorant ones , who had

no idea about which portions of the vast Vedam is appropriate

for us and which one are not (PoruL aar maRayil pOm uraikkum

poruL yaamm aRiyOm ) .

 

The quality of our AchAryAs is such that they have the power to

directly visualize what they teach us ( tAmm uraikkinrana tAmE

aRiyum taram udayAr ).

 

These glorious AchAryAs have DayA towards us and have analyzed

the entire gamut of Veda Manthrams , picked among them whatever

is appropriate for us ( nall aruL yEnthi , aaynthu ivai uraikkum aamm

yenRu). Then they instructed us on those selected manthrams

in the way in which Vedam shows ( aaraNa nool vazhiyE nAmm

uraikkum vahai navinRanar).

 

Additional Comments

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We do not know the Bhaava Patha arTams of the Veda Manthrams.

We can not use yukthi vaadham or kutarkkam to establish which of

the meanings of Veda Manthrams is lasting and which are not .

AchAryAs endowed with satthva GuNam are able to distinguish

Nithya ( lasting) and anithya (non-lasting ) meanings and have the vivEkam

to instruct us about the true and lasting meanings of SaarIradhi Saasthrams.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

 

SrimatE SrI Lakshminrusimha Dhivya PaadhukA Sevaka

SrI SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama: