..slokam 9-25..thiru nahari..moontru gopurams..7,5,3 tiers..thiru anthi kaappu..thirshti pola..pidi sothil ney pola adi thorum archai paaduvaar thirumangai..86 desam mangalaasanam panni ullaar..evar mattum 47 divya desam aruli erukiraar..
yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ’pi mam
“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.”
Deva vrata = those intending to become a deva [ or reach deva loka], devan yanti = [ by doing specified karmas for that] attain deva loka. Pitr vrata = [similarly] those wanting to reach pitru [deceased ancestors] loka, yanti = attain [ by taking specified efforts] , pitrn = the world of pitrus. Bhutani = groups of bhutas, like rakshasas, gandharvas, etc., yanti = are attained [ by performing ], bhutejya = karmas related to such bhutas. One does a karma to reach Indra lok and worships Indra with the knowledge and intention that Indra is to grant the desire of reaching Indra lok. But, Yanti = attain, mam = Me [Sri Krishna, in Vaikuntam], mad yajino = [who] perform karma to reach Me [Sri Krishna], api = only.The Lord is not asking anyone to change the karma; but only asking them to change the sankalpam..
.Ramanuja’s Commentary The word vrata means sacred resolve and undertaking. Those whose resolve and willingness to perform ceremonies to the demigods such as darsa purnamasa for the full moon etc. desiring entry in the heavenly planets worship Indra the celestial chief and join him there. Those who determine to offer profuse ritualistic ablations in honor of the ancestors go to Pitriloka the realm of the ancestors. Those who undertake to worship demons, ghosts and spirits go to the realms of the respective elemental spirits of those invoked. But those who with devotion judiciously offer all propitiation and worship to the Supreme Lord Krishna who exists inside as paramatma the supreme soul and whose transcendental body comprises all of the demigods attains the Supreme Lord eternally. The votaries of the demigods share the joys of the heavenly kingdoms for an allotted time and then they fall down but those who direct their rituals, ceremonies and worship to the Supreme Lord. Who is without beginning, without end. Who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and infallible. Who is a vast ocean of multitudinous attributes and infinite glories. Who is measureless bliss personified and from whom once attaining there is no return to the worlds of mortals. Next will be given another distinguishing characteristic of Lord Krishna’s devotees.
..slokam 9-26.
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”
..
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.”
Tat kurushva = do that, mad arpanam = [as] offering to Me [Sri Krishna]. This is what we daily recite in ‘kayena vacha amnasaindhri aiva... Narayana iti samarpayami’. Whatever we do by mind, words and organs, we should submit to the Lord. Yat karoshi = whatever you do [of worldly living], yad asnasi = whatever you eat [ for living], yad juhoshi = whatever yagnas you do, yat dadasi = whatever gifts [dhana] you do, yat tapasyasi = whatever meditations you do, tat kuruushva = do all of them, mad arpanam = in My [Sri Krishna’s] favour, kaunteya = Arjuna..lowhiha and vaidiha activities to be done as His service..whatever we do we dedicate to Him..
Whatever mundane requirements according to varnasrama or class and position in society one may be engaged in out of necessity to maintain one’s life. Whatever vegetarian food one may be eating and whatever non-alcoholic beverages one may be drinking. Whatever daily and occasional Vedically enjoined duties one may be fulfilling such as juhosi or offerings in rituals, dadasi is giving in charity, tapasyasi is austerities or vows all should be offered internally to the Supreme Lord. Everything that is intended, dedicated and delivered unto the Supreme Lord is known as arpanam an offering to Him. One should perform all activities in such a sublime way as the performer of the action, the enjoyer of the action are actually part of the worship offered unto the Supreme Lord. The exact understanding is that in all actions constituting rituals of demigods and lesser gods there are limitations in scope and power. The individual performs such ritual and is the enjoyer of its rewards; but both the performer and the demigods as well as lesser gods are all part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Krishna and are sustained and maintained by Him alone. As He is the sole support of everything in creation they are all dependent upon Him for all their impulses and for their complete existence.
The Supreme Lord Krishna is the absolute controller , the independent indwelling monitor, the performer of the worship, the enjoyer of the worship and the object of worship. He is all the hosts of demigods and all lesser gods. He is the sum total of all acts constituting worship in accordance to the Vedic scriptures and He is the recipient of them as well. One should fashion the intention of their mode of meditation on the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His Vedically authorized incarnations or expansions in the mood of bhakti or loving devotional communion with the absolute understanding that He is the source of everything, He comprises everything, and everything emanates from Him as His part and parcel.
..slokam 9-28..neel nila muttram in thirunahari..peri alwar, nam alwar and thiru mangai alwar have separate dvja sthambam for them..8-2-2 pasurathil neenila mutrathu minnuthal nokkinal..alwar facing south towards thiru kanna puram neenila muttram..Swami Manavala Mamunigal has portrayed the beauty of the Alwar:
அணைத்த வேலும், embracing spear
தொழுத கையும், folded hands
அழுந்திய திருநாமமும், well imprinted thiruman
ஓம் என்ற வாயும், mouth always chanting om
உயர்ந்த மூக்கும், long nose
குளிர்ந்த முகம், merciful face
பரந்த விழியும், broad eyes
பதிந்த நெற்றியும், broad forehead
நெறித்த புருவமும், well defined eye brows
சுருண்ட குழலும், curly hair
வடிந்த காதும், shapely ears
அசைந்த காது காப்பும், dangling ear rings
தாழ்ந்த செவியும், ears ready to listen to [mantras from the Lord]
சரிந்த கழுத்தும், flowing neck
அகன்ற மார்பும், broad chest
திரண்ட தோளும், bulging shoulders
நெடிந்த முதுகும், long back
குவிந்த இடையும், narrow stomach
அங்கி கயிறும், robes on stomach
தூக்கிய கருங் கோவையும், beautiful hairstyle
தொங்கல் தனி மாலையும், garlands
மிளிர நிற்கிற நிலையும், standing style
திருத்தண்டையும், ornament on feet
வீரக் கழலும், ornament on ankle
தஞ்சமான கால் இணையும், feet in attention
குந்தியிட்ட கணைக் காலும், slightly raised heels
குளிர வைத்த திருவடி மலரும். lotus feet capable of calming our miseries..
..adal ma kuthiraiyil sentru nithi thirattuvaar..Alwar had four disciples –Neermel nadappan[நீர் மேல் நடப்பான்], Nizhalil odhunguvan [நிழலில் ஒதுங்குவான்], Thaloodhuvan [தாள் ஊதுவான்], Tholavazhakkan [தோலா வழக்கன் ]. neelam was his original name..see http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=RwXt0Yl6Feg..arasa maram-peepal tree- adiyil thiru mantram petraar..thirumanam kollai vedu puri uthsavam nadakkum edam..
subhasubha-phalair evam
moksyase karma-bandhanaih
sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma
vimukto mam upaisyasi
“In this way you will be freed from bondage to work and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.”
Sanyasa = relinquished. Here sanyasa does not mean ascetics who wear safron robes and who have renounced worldly life; but those who have dedicated all their actions, their yagnas, their food, their gifts, etc., in favour of the Lord. Sanyasa yoga = such people, yuktatma = with such minds [always dedicated to the Lord]. These people do their actions, not with any selfish motive, nor for any cheap and inferior rewards, but dedicated to the Lord. They are indicated in the words sanyasa-yoga-yuktatma. Moksyase = [such a person] is liberated, evam = in this way [by dedicating all actions to the Lord], subha = auspicious or happiness, asubha = inauspicious or sorrow, phalai = rewards. Happiness comes out of good deeds or punya; and sorrow emerges from bad actions or papa. Karma bandhanai = bound by karmaVimukta = such a liberated person, upaisyasi = attains, mam = Me [Sri Krishna].
The words sannyasa-yoga means the individual consciousness attaining communion with theultimate consciousness by the complete surrendering and offering of everything one has and is unto the Supreme Lord Krishna. One whose nature has found refuge in such inner resignation is known as a yuktatma or a renunciate of the eternal soul. Thus constantly meditating on the atma or soul as being the eternal part of themselves and the Supreme Lord and realizing that they are totally under His control they perform all actions whether they are natural, scriptural, daily or occasional as direct intended propitiation to Him. Thus thinking and acting in this way they are released from the fetters of all karma or reactions to actions from the immeasurable past which barricades the path leading to the Supreme Lord from time immemorial and being freed from them attain the eternal spiritual worlds in association with the Supreme Lord. Next here about His transcendental and paramount nature beyond the sway of material nature.
samo ’ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo ’sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham
“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.”
Sarva bhutesu = to all living beings, samoham = I [Sri Krishna] am equal or impartial. Na me dvesyo asti = no hatred is there [to anyone], na priya = nor any dear [to Sri Krishna]. The Lord says that he harbours no hatred for any nor shows love to any; He is the same to all. Ye = they, who, bhaktya bhajanti = worship with bhakti or love, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], mayi te = they are in Me [Sri Krishna], ca = and, aham =I [Sri Krishna], tesu = in them. He is same to all devotees ..For Him, Prahalada, Vibheeshana, Sugreeva, Hanuman, Guha, Vasishta, Sandeepa or Gopika are all equal, as all of them are His devotees..Five year old Sri Andal could order that He shall not leave Her unprotected [குற்றேவல் எங்களை கொள்ளாமல் போகாது]. That is intimacy. Prahalada, an asura child, could dare to go near the Ugra Sri Narasimha, when all gods and even Sri MahaLakshmi were scared. The Lord also reciprocates their love as we see His love for Gopikas. Sage Sukha was so overwhelmed that he wanted to be born as the dust under the feet of Gopikas..
..Ramanuja’s Commentary
Whether it is the divine, heavenly kingdoms, or the human worlds, whether the jiva or embodied being is advanced or primitive, whether the jiva is of a dark color or a light color, whether the jiva is of good character or bad character, whether the jiva occupies a form as an animal, bird or fish or even resides in a form in the stationary kingdoms of trees and plants, Lord Krishna declares that He is the refuge to all and independent to any external considerations being equal to all without distinction. The conception of inferiority due to lack of beauty, absence of wealth, no education, menial position, low class family etc. is not an obstacle for any one desiring to surrender to the Supreme Lord, accepting Him as their refuge. Neither is it applicable for one possessing beauty, abundant wealth, good education, a high position in society coming from a first class family to think that they are entitled to any special privileges or have the right to have access to the Supreme Lord because of it. Whoever selects the Supreme Lord as their all in all, their life and their refuge exclusively, to them alone does the Supreme Lord accept and reciprocate and they due to their unflinching devotion are especially dear to Him. Whoever whether they be of any description, who worship the Supreme Lord with bhakti or loving devotion which is most endearing. Who worships the Supreme Lord with a fervor that if interrupted would feel as if their very life was in peril. Who worships the Supreme Lord as the sole aim and goal to be attained. Such beings regardless of any external position of inferiority or superiority would be filled with such blissful blessedness that could compare only with His own blissfulness.
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