Selected Excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri
U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph'
This Paasuram is considered by our AchAryAs as " ThiruppAvayilum ThiruppAvai".
Among the dhivya prabhandhams ,
Godhai's Prabhandhams are the most exalted;even among Her two
Prabhandhams, ThiruppAvai has the loftiest position. In all
the thirty paasurams of ThiruppAvai, this paasuram is the most important.Even
in this paasuram , the passage " naanE thaan
aayiduha" is the supremely important one with depths and depths of
meaning .
PerukkAraNai Swamy has elaborated on the deeper meanings of the paasurams
for almost 25 pages based on the four pages
of Abhinava Desikan . We will cover the highlights of this abiding
message of " naanE thAnn aayyiudaha" briefly due to the restrictions of
space and time . This message can see us through many storms and controversies
that we face during our lives as
Sri VaishNavAs , when it comes to BhAgavatha daasyam , an essential
prerequisite among the codes of conduct for a true Sri VaishNavan .
This paasuram unlike the other " awakening Paasurams" is set in Paraspara
SamvAdham (mutual dialog )pattern/mode
to heighten the rasAnubhavam about the importance of BhAgavatha Daasyam
over Bhagavath daasyam .
Bhagavath daasyam is celebrated by ANDAL in " SiRRam SiRukAlE vanthunnai sEvithtu" paasuram . In the "ellE iLankiLiyE" paasuram , which precedes the "siRRam siRukAlE --" paasuram , ANDAL points out that " Bhagavath daasyathtukku ellai nilam is BhAgavatha daasyam" and sings about the latter first in "ellE iLankiLiyE " and then goes on to sing about Bhagavath daasyam (later) in " SiRRam siRukAlE" paasuram.
Those who understand the importance of BhAgavath daasyam and stay away from the unpardonable apachArams to the servants of the Lord are very , very dear to Him. That is why our Lord says in His upadEsam: "Jn~Anithu aathmaiva" and "mama bhaktha bhakthEshu". Another utthama Sri VaishNavar wants the boon of being the Lord's servant's servants seven times over ( Thvath Bhruthya Bhruthya--). Swamy NammAzhwAr celebrates the importance of BhAgaavtha- daasyam in His paasuram: "nedumARkkadimai--".ThiruppANar instructs us in this context: " adiyArkku yennai aatpaduthtum Vimalan". Swamy NaammAzhwAr referred to saptha parva daasyathvam in his paasurap pahuthi: "adiyAr adiyAr tamm adiyAr adiyAr--" .
This concept of BhAgavatha daasyam can not be explained successfully by upadEsam ; it can only be understood through anushtAnam of BhAgavatha daasyam . ANDAL bleesed us with this paasuram so that one can emulate the practise of utthama Sri VaishnavAs. She enhances the efficency of the instruction by setting this paasuram in the "Ukthi- prakyukthi" (Q&A)mode . Offering our salutations to BhagavAn as a part of the sathsangam of BhAgavathAs is the most exalted way to worship Him ; therefore , PeriyAzhwAr addresed the Utthama adhikAris as " yengaL kuzhaam puhunthu koodu manamudayeer !".
Charactrestrics of Utthama Sri Vaishnavaas
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BhUvarAhAcchAr Swamy sums up the TEN distingushing codes of conduct
for our interaction with UtthamAdhikAris
( BhaagavathAs/BhakthAs of BhagavAn)as instructd by ANDAL through the
"ukthi-prayukthi " lines of this very important
paasuram :
1. " ellE ilankiLiyE": the implied sense is that the speech of the devotee (BHagavathA) is most welcome.
2. " innam uRangudiyO?": it is wrong to indulge in other things (vishayams) when the company of BhagavathAs is available.
3. " chil yenRu azhayEnmin": Not a single harsh word should be used in conversation with BhAgavathAs.
4. " nangaimeer pOdarhinREn": BhAgavathAs should be addressed most respectfully with utter/sincere humility.
5. " Vallai un katturaigaL": even the chastisement by a BhAgavathA
(which will always be constructive)
should be accepted gracefully.
6. " ValleergaL neengaLE NAANE THAAN AAYIDUGA" : Owning others' mistakes as one's own is the hallmark (LakshaNam) of a true Sri VaishNavan. For example , BharathA holds himself responsible for RaamA's exile to the forest.
7. " ollai nee pOdhAi": seperation form the BhAgavathAs even for a second is unbearable.
8. " unakenna vERudayai" : The path laid down by one's poorvAs need to be followed , not what is dictated by one's own mind.
9. " ellArum pOndhArO pOnthAr ponthu yeNNikkoL ": seeing a congregation
of BhAgavathAs (and being part of that
group)is the most desired fruit in this life.
The enjoyment is not complete even if one BhAgavathA is missing.
Their sight (darsana soubhAgaym)and touch
( adorning the dust from their sacred feet )are all vital factors
to change one's purpose in this life and acquire
lasting soubhAgyams.
10." VallAnai konRAnai mARRArai mARRazhikka vallAnai Mayanai paadu": Singing His ( Lord's) virtues , valour , victory and other kalyANa guNAs are vital to a Sri VaishNavA as means of pleasing other Sri VaishNavAs; as such , it results in the service of BhAgavathAs( BhAgavatha daasyam), which is the boundary limit of Bhagavath Kaimkaryam .
These ten golden rules are to be cherished by us says ANDAL ,
the avathAram of BhUmi Devi for our ujjeevanam
(salvation)after Her own dialog on Laghu Upayam with Her Lord BhU VarAhan
to redeem us .
Inner Meanings according to PerukkAraNai Swamy
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iLam KiLIyE !
Oh ChEthanms , who are locked up in the cage of SamsAram and thus
unable to spread your wings and
have sanchAram to perform Bhagavan- mukhOllAsa Kaimkaryams!
innam uranguthiyO ? Oh ChEthanams , who have taken so many births and have not succeeded in acquiring Jn~Anam about Tatthva-Hitha- PurushArtham from a SadAchAryan!
yellE !
What a wonder ?Even now you can get up and join the BhAgavatha GhOshti
observing
this Paavai nOnbhu !
Nangaimeer As the Ones , who are enjoying the poorna Sukham as true BhaagavathAs
chil yenRu
Please do not address adiyEn (aparAdhi)
azhayEn
in an unbearbale (asahya ) manner
pOtharhinREn adiyEn will awaken and engage in sadh-vishayams( Bhagavath-BhAgavatha-AchArya Kaimkaryams).
vallai unn
adiyEn remembers well the stories
katturaikaL
about sages Rsihyasrungar and Soubhari
pandayunn vAiaRithum
heard from mahAns
valleerkaL neengaLE all of You have also shared these vrutthAnthams with adiyEn .
naanE thAnn aayiduha adiyEn stays (however)enjoying Vishaya Sukhams without VairAgyam
ollai nee pOthAi (bhAgavathAs outside say ): Oh iLam kiLiyE! Please retain VairAgyam, abandon the taste for vishaya sukhams and abandon the proclivity for the anubhavam of kaivalyam ( in favor of Moksham).
yellOrum pOntharO (iLam KiLi inside): Are all the chethenams of our Lord's world engaged in performing kaimkaryam to Him ?
pOndhAr pOndhu yeNNikkoLL : (BhaagavathALs): Most of them knowing the futility and purposelessness of chasing vishaya sukhams are engaged in Bhagavath-BhAgavatha Kaimkaryams .Please come out and count(see) for yourself!
VallAnai konRAnai (BhAgavathALs outside say): Oh iLam kiLI !
mARRazhikka VallAnai , Please sing
of our Lord , who changes
Maayanaip Paadu !
the world-enchnating MaayA inside us and rules over it in our
favor ! Please sing the keerthi of our Lord , who controls the strong indhriyams
that lead us astray and reorients them to serve Him and His BhAgavathAs
!
adiyEn dedicates this posting to a great BhaagavathOtthma Here , Sriman
Venkat Kanumalla Swamy , who has dedicated His whole life and property
to the service of Sri RanganAthA and Sriamth Azhagiya Singar , our ParamAchAryan
.May the SaraNya
Dampahtis and our AchAryan blees him with all Kaimkarya SoubhAgyams
!
Our AchAryans are our "nadamAdum Dhaivams" and are MaayAvis in that they transform us from the status of nithya samsAris (Iron) to Nithya Soori(Gold) Paksham . We become aware of our Svaroopa Nishtai by singing about the greatness of our AchAryans and meditating on their Taniyans .
Dear BhakthAs: In Yesterday's posting , adiyEn did not cover the literal
menaings of the "YellE iLankiLiyE"
paasuram .
Here it is according to Dr.V.K.N.S.Raghavan:
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(In the group of the awakening songs of ten maidens , namely pasasurams (6-15) ,this paasuram is the last one and is set in the form of conversation between the maidens at the the threshhold of a house and the God-intoxicated maiden inside the house.
{ The girls at the threshold }: Hello! young parrot-like damsel! are you fast asleep even now ?
(The maiden within answers): Do n't be harsh(lit. chilly) in calling me ; Oh girls of higher strand ! just now I am coming.
{ The group outside}: You can talk well.; we know it ( skill in speech)already.
( The girl inside): As it is , you (all) are strong (in wordy combat); does no't matter,let me the one (in harsh speech); (my apologies to you for my harshness).
(The group outside): Come quickly and join us.with whom else are you so engaged (being separated form us)?
( The girl inside): Have all (our friends) come already ?
( The girls outside): Oh Yes.they have come. May You come out and take the roll call (lit.count for yourself). We would like to hear you sing in praise of our Lord , who vanquished the unassailable elephant ( Kuvalayaapeedam, the court elephant of Kamsan)and who is highly powerful in destroying the enimity pertaining to His enemies.
After the awakening of the ten maidens , the prabhandham of ANDAL gets "thought provoking".
The "Ten codes of conduct for a Utthama Sri VaishNavan
********************************************************
In yesterday's posting , adiyEn referred to " the Ten Commandements"
of ANDAL as summarized by Sri BhUvarAhacchAr
Swamy based on the original commentary of Sri Azhagiya MaNavALa PerumAL
NaayanAr(AMP NaayanAr) in his 6000 Padi grantham.
One of the keen students of ThiruppAvai from Chennai, who also gives
upanyAsam this season invited my attention to the additional message identified
by AMP NaayanAr. adiyEn is pleased to acknowledge that information point
and share
it with you .
Sri BhUvarAhacchAr Swamy gave the combined meaning for the Vaakyams:
" ellArum pOndhAro pOndu yeNNikkoL"
AMP NaayanAr splits the above into two separate groups : " ellArum
pOndhAro + pOndu yennikkoL" . This way the 11 th message emerges according
to the input adiyEn has received from Chennai Bhakthar.
The commandments are as follows:
(10)"YellArum pOndArO" ? : Sri VaishNavarkaL yellOrum uddesyar(eligible ). irrespective of caste etc , all Sri VaishNavAs are to be respected and are not to be ill treated (or discriminated in the Bhaagavatha GhOshti).
(11) "pOndu yeNNikkoL ": oruvar kuRainthAlum there is deficency ( kuRai) in Bhagavadh anubhavam.
adiyEn's thanks to our bhakthar from Chennai for enriching the anubhavam further.
P.S: We will now move on th the 16th Paasuram of ThiruppAvai .
Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr ThiruvadigaLE Saranam ,
Sarvam KrushNArpanam asthu
RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri
SatakOpan
Web page kaimkaryam by R.Venkat