Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam series: Posting 231/Desika Prabhandham : Charama SlOka Churukku: Part 1

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrI VaradarAja BhakthAs :

 

Today , we will commence the study of the Desika

Prabhandham entitled : " Charama SlOka Churukku " .

This Prabahndham consists of 11 Paasurams summarizing

the many meanings of GeethAchAryan's Charama SlOkam .

The entire Prabhandham is constructed in KattaLai KalitthuRai

metre of Tamil poetry .

 

Introduction

**********

In the battle field of KurukshEthram , Arjuna saw

in front of him the assembly of his close relatives and

AchAryAs ready to engage in war. Arjuna concluded that

they will be killed by him during the battle to ensue.

He got discouraged over the thought of the Paapam that

will be acquired by him , when he had to kill them as his

enemies in the combat. He looked at His SarAthy , Bhagavan

KrishNa , fell at His feet and begged the Lord to instruct him on

what is the right course of action( hitham) .

 

Lord PaarTasArathy took pity on the confused Arjun and performed

UpadEsam through the medium of Bhagavath GeethA on the eternal

svaroopam ( nature) of AathmA , Karma-Jn~Ana yOgams and Bhakthi

yOgam with its angams , which can directly grant MOksham .

Arjunan was still disturbed about the difficulties in practising

Bhakthi yOgam as upAyam for Moksham and the enormously

long time it takes to yield the desired Phalan of Moksham.

 

On sizing up the mental agitation of His friend Arjuna ,

the Lord taught him the easy to practise and swift fruit

yielding Prapathti Yogam for gaining Moksham and

concluded Bhagavath GeethA . The SlOkam describing

Prapathti yOgam and its performance is called the Charama

SlOkam .It has many special meanings and therefore it is

included as the third and final rahasyam for VaishNavAs.

 

Swamy Desikan's Prabhandham compiles the shorter

version of the meanings of Charama SlOkam and therefore

it is called " Churukku " compared to the Charama SlOka

adhikAram hosed in SrImath Rahasya Thraya Saaram ,

which is a more elaborate treatment of this Rahasyam.

 

The charama slOkma is :

 

Sarva dharmAn parithyajya Maam yEkam SaraNam vraja

aham thvA sarva paapEya: mokshayishyAmi maa sucha :

 

Architectonics of this prabhandham

*****************************

In the first Paasuram , the entire meaning of Charama

slOkam is given in a condensed form .The remaining

ten Paasurams cover respectively :

 

(1) Sarva DharmAn Parithyajya

(2) Maam

(3) yEkam

(4) SaraNam

(5) vraja

(6) aham

(7) ThvA

(8) Sarva-PaapEya:

(9) MokshayishyAmi

(10) Maa Sucha:

 

315. The Full Meaning of Charama SlOkam

***********************************

kallAr ahalum karumamum Jn~Anamum Kaathalum

maRREllA nilaihaLukku yERppa vidhittha kirisaihaLum

vallAr muyalha vali izhanthAr YenRanai thozhuha yenRu

yellA dharumamum uraitthavan innadi sErnthanamE (1)

 

(Meaning ): Only those, who have mastered SaashtrAs and acquired

visEsha Jn~Anam can practise successfully Karma yOgam , Jn~Ana

yOgam and Bhakthi yOgam. Others will conclude after their difficulties

in practising these yOgams that they are not for them and will drop out

in their quest for MOksahm. " As a result , the above three yOgams are

recommended for the knowledgable and competent ones in Saasthrams

and SaasthrArTams. All the others, who are overwhelmed by their

deficiencies are instructed to approach Me and surrender unto Me.

I will stand in the place of all these difficult upAyams and grant them

the fruits of Moksham . There is no reason for the asakthAs (powerless)

to grieve anymore after their SaraNAgathy to Me " . This is the full

meaning of

the Charama slOkam blessed to us by the Lord using Arjuna as a VyAjam

(excuse) for His upadEsam .

 

The key words here are: " VallAr Muyalha ; vali izhanthAr YenRanai Thozhuha

" .

( May the competent ones in SaasthrAs use the UpAyam of diificult Bhakthi

Yogam ; others , who feel disheartened over the steep path of the tardy

Bhakthi

yOgam and feel powerless as a aresult , May they perform SaraNAgathy to Me

and

seek My protection and I will readily offer them the fruits of the difficult

Bhakthi

and other yOgamsthrough the Prapathti yOgam that they practised so easily .

There are no more worries for them ). GeethAchAryan is saluted by Swamy

Desikan

here as " yellaa dharumamum uraitthavan " ( KaNNan , who performed upadEsam

on all the dharmams ). Swamy Desikan concludes this Paasuram by performing

his own SaraNAgathy ( " innadi sErnthanamE ).

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

 

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan

 

SrimathE SrI Lakshminrusimha Dhivya PaadhukA Sevaka

SrIvaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama: