Saturday, February 5, 2022

Eqality tribute.

 https://www.facebook.com/100026470822213/posts/979477462944605/


Watch for full display of lighting and delivery of the great acharya by China jeyar swamy. A rightful tribute. We are blessed to belong to this day.  And time. 

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

ASRD

 thiruvAimozhi has 5 different vyAkyAnams (commentaries).

padi is a type of measurement – usually one padi means 32 aksharams (letters).

There are also several arumpadha viLakkams (detailed analysis of vyAkyAnams) which 

Of these nampiLLai‘s Idu mahA vyAkyAnam is the most comprehensive and detailed vyAkyAnam for thiruvAimozhi. nampiLLai being an expert in both samskrutham and thamizh literature, presents the views of our pUrvAchAryas in relation to sruthi, smruthi, ithihAsams/purANams, etc., in the most relishable and authoritative way.
Out of bhagavAn’s divine will, nampiLLai instructs Idu mahA vyAkyAnam to be kept confidential and highlights that in the future, emperumAn himself will reveal the same to everyone through the most apt AchArya. The history of Idu being transmitted from nampiLLai to mAmunigaL can be viewed at http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/eeynni-madhava-perumal/.


Mamunigal            learns the Idu mahA vyAkyAnam (and all other vyAkyAnams) through thiruvAimozhi piLLai and becomes fully attached to them. Though he was a great scholar in ubhaya vEdhAntham (samskrutham and thamizh vEdhAntham) – he fully spent his energy in rejuvenating dhivya prabandham and the various vyAkyAnams. He becomes such an expert in Idu mahA vyAkyAnam that he was famously known as “eettup perukkar” (the one who explains the divine meanings of Idu vyAkyAnam in the most detailed and precise manner). SrI ranganAthan, desirous of hearing the Idu vyAkyAnam through mAmunigaL, orders mAmunigaL to lecture the divine meanings of thiruvAimozhi with its vyAkyAnams for a whole year, right in front of his main sanctum in periya kOyil (SrIrangam). mAmunigaL accepts the orders of emperumAn and delivers his lectures with great enthusiasm. He lectures the Idu vyAkyAnam mainly and explains the principles in relation to sruthi, smruthi, ithihAsams/purANams, pAnchArAthram, other vyAkyAnams of thiruvAimozhi and other dhivya prabhandhams etc. On the most auspicious Ani thirumUlam day, he performs sARRumuRai (completion) of his kAlakshEpam. periya perumAL himself appears as a small boy and submits “SrISailESa dhayApAthram” thaniyan (a verse of glorification) to mAmunigaL and accepts him as his own AchArya. From then onwards, the glories of bhagavath vishaya (Idu) kAlakshEpam become well established and the same have been carried out by our sath sampradhAya AchAryas regularly.

Thus, we have seen the glories of thiruvAimozhi, Idu mahA vyAkyAnam and mAmunigaLemperumAn has great love for all 3 of them and thus he himself heard the thiruvAimozhi vyAkyAnam through mAmunigaL in periya kOyil (SrIrangam).

It is also common practice to explain thiruppallANdu and kaNNinuN chiRuth thAmbu vyAkyAnams before explaining thiruvAimozhi.

  • mAmunigaL highlights in upadhEsa raththina mAlai that “vEdhaththukku Om ennumathu pOl” – just like praNavam (OmkAra) is the essence of vEdham and is thus recited at the beginning of any vEdha pArAyaNam, thiruppallANdu highlights the identity of jIvAthmA and paramAthmA. So, thriuppallANdu is explained first to understand the sambandha gyAnam (knowledge about the relationship between jIvAthmA and paramAthmA).
  • mAmunigaL highlights in upadhEsa raththina mAlai that “vAyththa thirumanthiraththin maththimamAm padham pOl” – just like the “nama:” which explains the upAyam and is in the middle of thirumanthram, kaNNinuN chiRuth thAmbu explains the upAya gyAnam (knowledge about the means to reach emperumAn) and is explained next.
  • nArAyaNAya sabdham in thirumanthram explains the auspicious qualities of bhagavAn and kainkaryam. thiruvAimozhi is filled with narration of bhagavAn‘s auspicious qualities – every paththu (centum) is focussed on a particular quality of emperumAn, every padhigam (decad) is focussed on a particular quality of emperumAn and even every pAsuram is focussed on a particular quality of emperumAn. So, thiruvAimozhi explains the upEya gyAnam (knowledge about the ultimate goal – performing eternal kainkaryam after being overwhelmed with the auspicious qualities of bhagavAn). Thus thiruvAimozhi is explained in the end.

Thus, one needs to study thiruppallANdukaNNinuN chiRuth thAmbu and thiruvAimozhi to get a full understanding of the important principles of our sath sampradhAyam.

vyAkyAnam for thaniyans has been provided by piLLai lOkam jIyar.

Many recent-time vidhwAns such as kAnchIpuram SrI u. vE prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNangarAchAryar swamy have given wonderful and simple explanations for thiruvAimozhi pAsurams based on pUrvAchAryas‘ vyAkyAnams. SrImAn purushOththama nAidu swamy has also given very simple/elegant thamizh translation for eedu vyAkyAnam. With the help of all of these and the mercy of emperumAnAzhwArsAchAryas and asmadhAchAryan, we will see the English translation for this wonderful dhivya prabandham. In our translation, we will see the word-by-word meaning from vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar‘s 12000 padi commentary and highlights from other vyAkyAnams wherever applicable/possible.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

archived in http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org

pramEyam (goal) – http://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org

Fun chain reaction

 What fun GOD must be having just got the ball rolling. A little child missing her mother gets anxious and approaches her grand mother and ...m.......

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Narayana


 This must have been the idol seen by Ramanujacharya in the caves when he was on the tour to the puri jaganatha temple on his way back from Kashmir.



Sunday, January 30, 2022

Munnai irundu.

 – AzhwAr enjoyed his love and became mad. The [overwhelming] bliss he acquired was so much that it would nullify the svarUpam of both emperumAn and AzhwAr; to control that flow and pacify AzhwAr, ISvaran withdrew himself a little bit from the union with AzhwAr. Still, since AzhwAr got separated from emperumAn, that separation will not stop until having its impact [on AzhwAr]; being overwhelmed with grief, like a person who lost his wealth along with the bag will open and check everything which resembles his bag [AzhwAr too checks everything which resembles emperumAn]; as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.7.2 vaippAm marundhAm” (wealth and medicine – goal and means), for AzhwAr, emperumAn is the wealth; thus, when AzhwAr sees objects which resemble emperumAn or objects which are related to emperumAn, he considers them to be emperumAn himself and checks closely only to find out that they are not emperumAn and unable to give up, becomes pained by that.

[Is there any one who suffered like this?] As said in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 60.35 “kvachith udh bhramathE vEgAth kvachith vibhramathE balAth | kvachith maththa ivAbAthi kAnthA anvEshaNa thathpara:” (SrI rAma who is searching for sIthA, is looking around and looking above; at one place he looks around in all directions with his ability, at other place he looks like a mad man), after getting separated from pirAtti, perumaL out of great grief, roams around looking above, stops after some time even unable to doing so, going from tree to tree, and asking “did you see maithili?”, searching in every river – AzhwAr is now going through the same grief as SrI rAma. The mother, seeing her [parAnkuSa nAyaki’s] suffering, speaks about her state and her words, and speaks about her own suffering on seeing her daughter’s suffering, and withdraws; finally emperumAn returns to AzhwAr and pacifies him to conclude this decad.

Each pAsuram is discussed subsequently.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan


maNNai irundhu thuzhAvi – She will search with her hands, for all the vastness of earth which was under his divine feet as said in thirunedunthANdagam 5 “maN muzhudhum agappaduththu ninRa endhai” (my father who stood having all earth under his divine feet). She likes the earth only due to its relationship with bhagavAn; but his relationship is not specific to single entity/object. [Was there anyone who was attached to places related to bhagavAn?] SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 29.22 “mayAthu bhakthyA thasyaiva vAmanasya upabhujyathE” (Due to my devotion to vAmana, I have an attachment to this land). SrI rAma asked sage viSvAmithra “What is this beautiful hermitage which is in front of us?” and sage viSvAmithra replied “Previously, this place known as sidhdhASrama, was inhabited by SrI vAmana; after he arrived here, out of devotion towards him, I would often just stay here with great attachment to this land”. Those who have attachment towards bhagavAn will not let go [of such objects that are related to him] as said in mahAbhAratham AraNya parvam “vishNur mAnusha rUpENa chachAra vasudhAthalE” (vishNu assumed the human form of chakravarthi thirumagan (son of dhaSaratha chakravarthi) and wandered on this earth).irundhu – It appears that, before this state [of being seated], she was going through agony and was standing, walking etc in a disorderly manner.thuzhAvi – It appears that she cannot let go of the earth; Like a person with piththa (a type of imbalance in bile fluid) cannot take his hands off sandalwood paste [which gives coolness to the body]; if takes his hands off, he will be affected with over-heating of his body.


While they are looking at her and thinking “she looks confused”, she is looking at them and saying “are you confused?” [she is properly engaged thinking about vAmana and has become bewildered, while they are not thinking about emperumAn and being clear].

vAmanan maN idhu ennum – She says “Isn’t this vAmana’s earth?”. She says “isn’t this gandha (fragrance) from the divine feet [of vAmana]?”. Earth is famously known as “gandhavathi pruthivI” (Earth has fragrance); but she (parAnkuSa nAyaki) knows that it is due to the relationship with bhagavAn who is known as “sarvagandha:” (source of all fragrance). She says “He begged and made it his own”. When it is his, he need not give it to her as he gave it to indhra; when it is his, it naturally belongs to her too. It is not possible to get her away from searching the earth saying “It does not belong to him”.idhu ennum – When it is
prathayaksham (perceivable by the eyes), do you still have doubt about the ownership of the earth? While she can perceive now, what happened in the past [vAmana measuring the world], she cannot [physically] see emperumAn, who measured it, now.viNNaith thozhudhu – As she was able to perceive now, what happened in the past, she is also able to perceive the interactions of the other [spiritual] world right here. As said in “akkarai, ikkarai” (there, here), for them [AzhwArs], even here [in this material realm], the other [spiritual] world will be visible clearly; just like, for us, even there [spiritual realm], this material realm will be clearly visible. Some (dharmaputhra/yudhishtra and others) saw paramapadham when they were in the ASramam of sage ArshtishENa. Due to having same name [vyOma (sky), paramavyOma (spiritual sky)] and UrdhvAkAram (being in higher position), parAnkuSa nAyaki worships this sky as paramapadham.avan mEvu vaikuntham – Unlike this place where he united with me and separated, SrIvaikuNtam is an abode where he never leaves. Highlights the difference between avathArams [which have specific time frame] and his presence in paramapadham [which is eternal]; and her not wanting to lose him [like he is always in paramapadham].kai kAttum – Thinking about his singular form there and her state of not being to enjoy him there, becoming weak, unable to speak, she will simply point to that direction. Thinking about the presence of nithyasUris [eternally free souls] in paramapadham and about her own nature to be like them, yet not having that, becoming weak, becomes incapable of speaking further [and just shows by sign language].
  • kaNNai uNNIr malga ninRu – Tears start flowing from her eyes when she thinks about not being able to enjoy him eternally in paramapadham unlike avathArams [which are time bound].
  • kadal vaNNan ennum – He made her go mad by manifesting his [beautiful] form; she too highlights how he made her go crazy. His presence there resembles the embodiment of a dark sea properly – she talks about that.
  • annE – She is crying out “Oh mother!” out of great agony. It can also be “mannE”.
  • en peNNai – As said in “yuvathiSchakumAriNi” (one who is both a youth and child – the transition stage), she is not yet matured to be united with emperumAn.
  • peru mayal seydhArkku – He gave more agony to her than the agony of those who are in separation from him. She only looked at objects similar to him and grieved [Here, the distinction between AzhwAr and other nAchchiyArs like sIthAANdAL is highlighted. They did not suffer as much as AzhwAr did in separation].
  • en seygEn – Shall I bring him to her to relieve her from her agony? Shall I make her realize that she should wait until he arrives?
  • pey vaLaiyIrE – Oh ones with bangles! Like those who remain without wetting their feet even in great flood, you are remaining firmly with your bangles! Can you tell me how you retain your bangles? I will also try to apply that to my daughter [In traditional literature, it is shown that when in sorrow of separation, one becomes weak and the bangles will slip from the hands].

ayarkkum – (unable to see objects which resemble or relate to him, she) faints

(on gaining consciousness, thinking that “he will not come in this state”)
suRRum – in all directions
paRRi nOkkum – repeatedly sees;

(as he is not visible, thinking that he is staying far)
agala – stretching (the eyes)
nIL nOkkuk koLLum – sees for long;
viyarkkum – (unable to locate him even there, out of anger in love) sweats a lot;
mazhai pOlE – like rain

(flowing tears, pushed out by the fire of anger)
kaN – upto the eyes
thuLumba – filled with
vem – revealing the inner heat
uyir koLLum – breathes heavily;
mey – (unable to bear the heat) the body, unable to sustain
sOrum – becomes very tired;
peyarththum – further

(Since the desire pushes her to speak)
kaNNA – Oh krishNa (who is easily approachable by ladies at all times)
enRu – as
pEsum – calls out;

(thinking that he arrived on hearing that name)
perumAnE – Oh my lord (who favours me more than I can imagine)
vA – shall you come?
enRu – as
kUvum – calls out;
mayal – (in this manner) causing madness
peru kAdhal – having great love
en pEdhaikku – for my disobedient daughter
val vinaiyEn – most sinful me (who sees her in such suffering)
en seygEn – what shall I do? Implies – Shall I bring the lord who refuses to come? or shall I tolerate this suffering of my daughter




Saturday, January 29, 2022

Sonnaal

 sonnaal virOdhamithu aagilum solluvEn kENminO,

ennaavil in_kavi yaanoruvarkkum kodukkilEn,
thennaa thenaavenRu vaNdu muralthiru vEngadatthu,
ennaanai ennappan emperumaanuLa NnaagavE.       3.9.1

In the decad beginning with "SonnAl virOdham idu",
Azhwar makes it crystal clear that while praising
human beings and demigods [devathAntharam] can bestow
on us only passing ephemeral pleasures ("Chittrinbam")
[which again is due to the Lord?s mercy on them] it is
only the Lord's praises which can confer upon us
everlasting Bliss ("andamil pErinbam") which will
enable us enjoy Him as well serve Him  at His Lotus
feet forever and ever and no looking back thereafter.
He would also confer the welfare of ours in this world
what He deems fit for us so that there is no
interruption of our kaimkaryam towards Him even here. 

AzhWar says.." I know you will not relish and you will
consider me as your enemy for saying these things, Oh
Guys! All of you have been running after material
pursuits; This may not be palatable to you. But,
having known that you are going to ultimately lose it
and I can not bear to see that, I am saying this: that
is : Don?t sing about anyone else except Emperumaan
Sriman Narayanan. I will offer my poems to only Him,
who is the unbounded limitless Bliss. With my tongue,
I will NOT sing anyone else. My Emperumaan, who is
like the Big Elephant at TirumalA is My dear Father;
To Him only, I will offer my Sweet poems and no one
else"; AzhwAr, in this decad of Thiruvaaimozhi 3.9, advises
us, the materialists and the "earthly" persons NOT TO
SING IN PRAISE OF ANY OTHER PERSON except Emperumaan,
Sriman Narayanan. This includes demigods as well. He
calls all samsaaris and tries to correct them by
telling "When the JeevAthman is His servant and is His
Property, please do not let yourself talk and praise
other non-permanent people. He also feels extremely
happy about himself and his fortunate birth for being
blessed with the capacity to sing in praise of the
Lord Sriman Narayanan amongst other persons in this
world (like us) who have totally forgotten the
Emperumaan and have been singing and praising the
Non-permanent people and the transitory material
things. (Read them as it is most appropriately
applicable to each one of us!)

"Even though it is unpleasant for you (those of you
who waste your time worshipping other deities) to hear
this, I am going to say it, and please listen (for
your own good):  I will not waste my sweet words of
praise on anyone except My Lord who stands like an
elephant in tiruvE'nkaTa malai."

In the phala-Sruti for SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam,
bhIshma tells yudhisThira: [from Sri N Krishnamachar's
writeup]

itIdam kIrtanIyasya keSavasya mahAtmanah   |
nAmnAm sahasram divyAnAm aSesheNa prakIrtitam   ||

Thus the thousand divine names of bhagavAn keSava, the
Supreme Being, Who is worthy of being praised, have
been sung in their entirety".  

Here the choice of the word keSava signifies that He
is the Creator of Siva and brahma; mahatmA refers to
His being the Supreme Person;  the term divya
signifies that these thousand nAma-s are worthy of
being recited both in this world and in parama-padam;
and the word kIrtanIyasya emphasizes that He alone is
worthy of being praised.  

Meaning of this verse thus means: Some may take
offense, yet I shall say it, please listen, my songs
are for no one but my ruler, my master, the Lord of
Thiruvengadam!"

Why does the Azhvaar feel the above may cause offense
to some?  To answer this question think of a commoner
going about telling everyone that he has no romantic
interest towards the crown princess.  Why would anyone
want to do this?  There is no need to express this
lack of desire.  In fact expression of such
disinterest may even provoke retribution from the
royal court censuring his audacity. Why state the
obvious?  Yet, the Azhvaar states the obvious.  Why? 
To guide the rest of us who seem to get confused from
time to time.(The princess analogy is from Sri
Uttamoor Swamy?s commentary)

why is that Sriman Narayanan alone is the One to be
worshipped and praised? Does Veda say and declare
that? Does a vaidIka accept?For this query: Sri
Alavandhar answers: [asking the question himself?]The
answer verse is of Stotra Ratna of ALavAnDAr to
understand the significance  of  Sriya: Pathi Sriman
Narayanan. Our Acharya asks the question and then
explains  the eternal and sacred  principle of the
Divya Dampathis this way:
ALavandhaar asks: "Who is the Lord of Sri Devi? What is the resting place of Satva Gunas? Who is the Lotus eyed Lord?Who is called the Purushottaman by the Smrithis and Sruthis?Who is the one in whose crore of a part the entire universe with its Chetanas and Avhetanas find their dwelling? He answers these rhetorical questions subaequently and says : O Narayana! Tvadhanya: Ka: There is no one besides You that deserves these Naamas and attributes. 

Not.