Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam : Part III

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Oppiliappan List Archive Nov 1996Dear BhakthAs of Swamy NammAzhwAr :

 

In the previous posting , I referred to Swami Desikan's

deep attachment to NammAzhwAr " s Thiruvaimozhi and how many of

those sentiments expressed by the AzhwAr inspired Swami Desikan

in his many works in general & Daya satakam in particular.

 

I will be following closely the Commentaries of Uttamur Swamigal

and that of Dr. V.N. Vedantha Desikan ( AzhwAr ThiruvuLLam ) as well

as the Sanskrit works of Swami Desikan ( Dramidopanishad Saaram

and Dramidopanishad Taatparya RatnAvaLi ) , MaNavALa Maamuni " s

Thiruvaimozhi Nurrandhathi & Azhagiya ManavALa PerumAL NayanAr's

Acharya Hrudayam . As I have indicated earlier , I have been deeply

impressed by the monumental work of Dr.V.N. Venkatanathan , my

neighbor at Oppiliappan Koil Sannadhi Theru .

 

I will refer first in an overview fashion the various references to the

Daya/Arunaa / Anukamopaa/Krupa/ Kshamaa of Sriman Narayana

in Thiruvaimozhi and indicate the appropriate echoes in the works of

Swami Desikan that have connections to the above auspicious

qualities of the Lord Of Thiruvenkatam eulogzed in Daya Satakam .

 

Let us start this series with a salutation to Kuruhur Satakopan :

 

BHAKTHAAMRUTHAM VISWAJANAANUMODHANAM

SARVAARDHATAM SRI SATAKOPA VAANGMAYAM I

SAHASRA SAAKOPANISHAD SAMAAGAMAM

NAMAAMYAHAM DRAAVIDA VEDA SAAGARAM II

 

Thiruvaimozhi: The First Decad (Patthu )

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

Here AzhwAr sets the stage for the celebraton of the Kalyana

GuNAs of the Lord. Here, he points out that Sriman NarayaNa

is the supreme means (UpAyam ) for us. He is easy to meditate

and the GuNaanubhavam of the Lord is similar to that of tasting

nectar. He also dwells on the Mukunda Tatthvam or the Moksham-Conferring

power of BhagavAn.

 

In the very first verse, Azhwaar states that BhagavAn blesses us with

Jnana-Bhakthi faculty to overcome the weakness of the intellect that

can lead us astray through doubts, confusions and arguments. He points out

that all chetanas , Achetanas , Devas and all else are Him and Him alone.

He is the indwelling soul , niyanthaa and ultimate source of the power of

all other Gods that people elect to worship . He asks us to surrender

our soul ( offer Prapatthi) to Him and secure Paramapadam .

 

In verse 1.2.5 & 6, the upadesam of AzhwAr about the mercy of the Lord

surfaces up first . He refers to the Aasritha Premam (Affection for those who

seek refuge at His lotus feet ) and states unequivocally that He will

show His MERCY to ALL equally , once they become aligned with

Him through SaraNaagathi . AzhwAr refers to the concept of Sambhanda

Jnaanam ( We are part of his splendour ) in his role as an Acharya

and invites us to surrender unto Him and become the object of His Daya

through the practice of subservience (Seshatvam ) to Him..

 

In Verse 1.10.8, Azhwaar celebrates the Daya quality of " Selva NaaraNan " .

He indicates that Selva NaaraNan is an Avyaaja Suhruth ( One who does not

have a specific reason to be our well wisher and friend ) . Azhwaar says : " His

is a masterly game. The Lord with abundant KlayaNa guNaas appears to have

striven , day and night , to secure me -- Now , He has joined me inseparably.

Unlike me who searches for Him intermittently , He has sought me

uninterruptedly. And so he has caught me " . This is His Sowseelya

guNam and Daya guNam in action . He concludes this decad by

stating that his effort to forget the Lord has conceded victory to

HIS effort to remain implanted in his memory. That is a direct

result of His unique Dayaa svabhaavam .

 

The first 22 verses of Thiruvaimozhi is considered the essence of

the message of Vedas, Vedanthas ( Upanishads) .

 

Sri RamAnujA , Swami Desikan and Kanchi Azhagiya ManavALa

PerumAL Jeeyar have used these verses as the basis for their works :

 

Brahma Sutra Bhashyam, Dramidopanishad -- Taatparya RatnAvaLi

and Sri Bhashya Dravida Aagama Aadhya Dasaka Dvandhva IykaKantyam .

 

His Kshamaa guNam is celebrated in decad 1.4 as Nissesha Ahassahan

or the one who through His Kalyaana GuNam of Kshamaa forgives always

all of our tiring trespasses . He provides Sarvaanga Samslesham through His

KalyANa guNam of Krupaa and makes the Azhwaar enjoy His sweet

presence in every one of his limbs. His daya also results in His being

AvyAja UdAran or who gives Himself without any particular reason.

 

His Daya is celebrated more intensely in the subsequent decads by

NammAzhwAr .

 

AzhwAr , Aacharyan Thiruvadigaleh SaraNam

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan