sri:
srimathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srimadh varavaramunayE nama:
sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
srimathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srimadh varavaramunayE nama:
sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
In the previous article (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/kilaroli-ilamai-3-svarupa-jnanam.html) we observed the importance of avoiding dhEhAthma abhimAnam.
By nature, emperumAn is the only svathanthran (independent) and all the jIvAthmAs are parathanthras (dependent). When in samsAram, emperumAn gives independence to jIvAthmAs to let them choose their destination. Since jIvAthmAs are chEthanas (with knowledge), it is appropriate for them to apply their knowledge to choose what they want to do. When the jIvAthmAs dont use their intelligence and take to emperumAn they are bound in samsAram and when they accept emperumAn's supremacy and realize their pArathanthriyam they get delivered.
EmperumAn being a dhayALu is always looking to help every jIvAthmA - He gives body/senses to AthmAs during shrushti, gives sAstram, comes down himself as avathArams, preaches through AzhwArs/AchAryas, etc. All he expects from the jIvAthmAs is to stop protesting to give them the highest benediction (This expectation fits perfectly with jIvAthma svarUpam - this act of giving up the protest is explained as adhikAri visEshanam or natural quality of jIvAthma. It should not be confused as upAyam since emperumAn is the only upAyam for the true benediction). When the jIvAthmA stops the protest, emperumAn then slowly creates an attachment in the minds of jIvAthmA towards him, develops the ruchi and leads him to sAdhu sangam and finally AchArya sambandham. Through the AchAryan, the jIvAthmA gets full knowledge and finally gets liberated and performs nithya kainkaryam in parampadham.
This act of withdrawing the protest can be explained through the following example. When it is raining and we are holding an umbrella, if we want to get wet, all we need to do is to withdraw the umbrella - we dont need to do anything more. The same way if we want to drench ourselves in bhagavath krupai, we just need to accept it instead of rejecting it - nothing more.
EmperumAn being a dhayALu is always looking to help every jIvAthmA - He gives body/senses to AthmAs during shrushti, gives sAstram, comes down himself as avathArams, preaches through AzhwArs/AchAryas, etc. All he expects from the jIvAthmAs is to stop protesting to give them the highest benediction (This expectation fits perfectly with jIvAthma svarUpam - this act of giving up the protest is explained as adhikAri visEshanam or natural quality of jIvAthma. It should not be confused as upAyam since emperumAn is the only upAyam for the true benediction). When the jIvAthmA stops the protest, emperumAn then slowly creates an attachment in the minds of jIvAthmA towards him, develops the ruchi and leads him to sAdhu sangam and finally AchArya sambandham. Through the AchAryan, the jIvAthmA gets full knowledge and finally gets liberated and performs nithya kainkaryam in parampadham.
This act of withdrawing the protest can be explained through the following example. When it is raining and we are holding an umbrella, if we want to get wet, all we need to do is to withdraw the umbrella - we dont need to do anything more. The same way if we want to drench ourselves in bhagavath krupai, we just need to accept it instead of rejecting it - nothing more.
EmperumAn's supremacy
In ashta slOki - 4th slOkam, parAsara bhattar explains that "By looking at the 'akAram' with the hidden 'Aya' in praNavam, we understand that emperumAn is the only independent personality and we are all subservient to him". To understand why we should give up sva svAthanthriyam, we have to understand emperumAn's supremacy (parathvam) and the true relationship between emperumAn and jIvAthmAs.AzhwArs in many place declares emperumAn's supremacy.
- Thirumazhisai AzhwAr says "NAnmuganai NArAyanNan padaiththAn, NAnmuganum thAn mukamAy chanGkaranai thAn padaiththAn" ("நான்முகனை நாராயணன் படைத்தான், நான்முகனும் தான் முகமாய் சங்கரனை தான் படைத்தான்").
- NammAzhwAr says "imaiyOr thalaivA" ("இமையோர் தலைவா"), "ayarvaRum amarargaL adhipathi" ("அயர்வறும் அமரர்கள் அதிபதி"), "oththAr mikkArai ilaiyAya mA mAyA" ( "ஒத்தார் மிக்காரை இலையாய மா மாயா"), "muNNIr nYAlam padaiththa en mugil vanNnNA" ("முந்நீர் ஞாலம் படைத்த என் முகில்வண்ணா"), etc.
- ThiruppANAzhwAr says "amalan Adhi pirAn" ("அமலன் ஆதி பிரான்")
- In 7.7, he says that there is nothing superior to him and everything rests upon him, as pearls are strung on a thread. This pearls/string analogy is a brilliant one by emperumAn as in this case, since the string is invisible, the less intelligent will think that it does not exist. On the other hand, an intelligent person will understand that pearls cannot hold on together without the string. The same way only an intelligent person will undestand that all jIvAthmAs depend on emperumAn for their existence even.
- In 10.8 - he says that he is the source of everything and everything comes out of him. The intelligent persons who understand this will engage in his serving him.
- In 10.42 - he says with a small portion of his shakthi he supports this entire material world.
Our relationship to emperumAn
Next we should understand his relationship with the jIvAthmAs. He is the true bandhu to all jIvAthmAs. All the other relationships such as father, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, etc are aupAthikam (came out of our karma and temporary) while relationship between jIvAthma and emperumAn is nirupAthikam (natural and eternal).piLLai lOkAchAryar, in a rahasya grantham called nava vidha sambandham explains this in an excellent manner. He starts the grantham with a wonderful slOkam which is very simple, should be memorized by everyone of us and to be remembered all the time.
pithAs cha rakshaka sEshi barthA jnEyO ramApathi:
svAmy adhArO mama AthmA cha bhokthA cha AdhyamanUdhitha:
This wonderful slOkam explains the nine types of relationships (sambandhams) between emperumAn (ramApathi) and jIvAthmA as explained in thirumanthram.
- Father/Son - emperumAn is considered as the eternal father to each jIvAthmA, since he is the one who is always thinking hitham (goodness) for the jIvAthmA.
- protector/protected - emperumAn is the only protector and the jIvAthmA is the protected. This is explained by piLLai lOkAchAryar in prapanna parithrANam in a detailed manner.
- Master/Servant - emperumAn is always the master and jIvAthmA is the servant.
- Husband/Wife - just like wife is always dependent on husband, jIvAthmA is dependant on emperumAn.
- Known/Knower - emperumAn is the object of knowledge for the jIvAthmA. Real knowledge means knowing emperumAn's svarUpam (nature), rUpam (forms), guNam (qualities), vibhavam (avathArams), vibhuUthi (wealth), etc.
- svAmy/svam - emperumAn is the proprietor and jIvAthmA is the property.
- AdhAra/AdhEyam - emperumAn is the one who holds every thing and jIvAthmA is held by emperumAn.
- sarIri/sarIram - just like AthmA is inside body and controls it, emperumAn is inside jIvAthmA and controls him.
- bhOkthA/bhOgyam - emperumAn is the ultimate enjoyer and jIvAthma is the enjoyed. But when emperumAn enjoys jIvAthmA, since jIvAthmA has knowledge, he also shares that joy.
piLLai lOkAchAryar says in the end that when one who understands these relationships properly, that will lead to jIvAthmAs bliss (which is a natural attribute of the jIvAthmA).
With the proper understanding of emperumAn's supremacy and our relationship with emperumAn, it only makes sense to give up our svAthanthriyam and act according to it. This is what nammAzhwAr also says in thiruvAimozhi 2.9.9:
yAnE ennai aRiyagilAthE (யானே என்னை அறியகிலாதே)
yAnE enthanathE enRiruNthEn (யானே என்தனதே என்றிருந்தேன்)
yAnE NI ennudaimaiyum NIyE (யானே நீ என்னுடைமையும் நீயே)
vAnE Eththum emvAnavarERE (வானே ஏத்தும் எம்வானவரேறே)
With the proper understanding of emperumAn's supremacy and our relationship with emperumAn, it only makes sense to give up our svAthanthriyam and act according to it. This is what nammAzhwAr also says in thiruvAimozhi 2.9.9:
yAnE ennai aRiyagilAthE (யானே என்னை அறியகிலாதே)
yAnE enthanathE enRiruNthEn (யானே என்தனதே என்றிருந்தேன்)
yAnE NI ennudaimaiyum NIyE (யானே நீ என்னுடைமையும் நீயே)
vAnE Eththum emvAnavarERE (வானே ஏத்தும் எம்வானவரேறே)
Simple translation: AzhwAr says to emperumAn who is hailed by nithyasUris themselves "Before being blessed with divine knowledge by you, I was thinking that I was independent and I owned everything. But after getting the knowledge, I understand that me and my belongings are yours".
With this understanding, we will move on to the next pitfall to avoid, that is anya sEshathvam, in the next post.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
No comments:
Post a Comment