This magnificent work
containing 130 Sanskrit verses celebrates Swamy NammAzhwAr
ThiruvAimozhi (dramiDOpanishad). Swamy has already celebrated Swamy
NammAzhwAr in Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram as the SatAri of the
Lord of Srirangam through 1008 divine Sanskrit verses. In DTR, the genius of Swamy Desikan is abundantly seen. Individual decades of ThiruvAimozhi
(usually 10 to 11 verses) have been summarized in ONE Sanskrit verse. The
first ten slOkams are Swamy Desikan’s tribute to Swamy NammAzhwAr.
This is followed up in slOkams 11-123 with the 1102 Paasurams of
ThiruvAimozhi (113 slOkams). The remaining six slOkams provide “a synoptic
account” of the whole Sri Sookthi of DTR..
dramiDOpanishad Saaram (DS): This brilliant work consisting of 26 Sanskrit
verses give the essence of the ten SatakAs (One hundred verses/Ten
patthus) of ThiruvAimozhi, which is revered as the Tamizh Upanishad (Veda
Siras).
dramiDOpanishad is the Tamizh MaRai. “Vedam Tamizh seytha Maaran” is the
salutation to Swamy NammAzhwAr. He captured the essence of Sanskritic
Upanishads and Brahma Soothrams, which are not easy to understand by every
one and out of his compassion for us rendered them in Agasthya Bhaashai
(Tamizh) for easy comprehension by one and all. He covered the tAtparyam or
the deep meanings of the Upanishads in Tamil and assembled them (the
individual gems) in to a RatnAvaLi (gem necklace). Swamy Desikan created this
RatnAvaLi by stringing together the multi-hued rathnams (tAtparyams) of
dramiDOpanishad (ThiruvAimozhi) and realized the dramiDOpanishad tAtparya RatnAvaLi for samarpaNam to Lord RanganAtha. In his Sri RanganAtha
PaadukA Sahasram’s Ratna SaamAnya and VisEsha Ratna Paaddhatis, Swamy
Desikan pays special tribute to the creator of their dramiDOpanishad
RatnAvaLi, Swamy NammAzhwAr, the SaThAri Soori.
Sloham-1..
sAra: sArasvatAnAm SaTharipu phaNiti: SAnti SuddhAnta sImA
mAyAm AyAminIbhi: sva-guNa vitatibhi: bandhayantIm dhayantI |
pAram pAramparIto bhava jaladhi bhavan majjanAnAm janAnAm
pratyak pratyakshayenna: pratiniyata ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam ||
Swamy NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi starting from the first decad of the
first Patthu (uyarvaRa uyar nalam uDaiyavan) to the last decad of the tenth
patthu (muniyE nAnmukhanE mukkaNNappA) is involved with Sri SaThakOpan’s
anubhavam of the anantha KalyANa GuNams (limitless auspicious attributes) of
Sriman NaarAyaNan. These Saarasvatams (Combination of words arising from
the Sarasvati/Vaak of Sri SaThakOpan) and their Saaram (distilled essence)
saves us from chasing perishable matters and engaging in useless pursuits and
brings Lord Sriman NaarAyaNan in front of us as Prathyaksha PramANam
Sri SaThakOpan’s ThiruvAimozhi is the inner
chamber (anta:puram) of Saanti Devi..It will produce absolute tranquility and bliss. It will carry the people inclined to sink more and more (pAaramparIta)
into the ocean of samsAram across to the other shore (pAram) of paripoorNa
BrahmAnandam (pAramparIta bhava jaladhi bhavan-majjanAnAm janAnAm).
After safely transporting them to the other shore of SamsAram,
ThiruvAimozhi’s power brings the Lord (Sri VaikunThanAthan) along with His
divine Consort in front of them as Prathyaksha PramANam (pratyak pratiniyata
ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam pratyakshayet). Swamy Desikan states that
ThiruvAimozhi will bless us all with the nidhi (wealth) of the Lord forever
united with SrI Devi and bring that supreme and auspicious nidhi right in front
of us (nidhAnam na: pratyakshayet). NidhAnam means nidhi or wealth. That
nidhi is the one, which has nithya sambandham (ahalahillEn –) of PirAtti
(pratiniyata ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam).Sriman NaarAyaNan is the
pratyak, who is the antaryAmi (the indweller) of all Jeevans. The liberated
Jeevan remembers always that it is the nitya Seshan (eternal liege) to the Lord
and recognizes its status as asvatantran (Totally dependent one on the divya
dampatis). Once one is blessed with this Seshatva Jn~Anam through AcArya
KaTaaksham and Sambandam, the Jeevan understands the full power of the
tAtparyam of Swamy NammAzhwAr’s Saaratama Saarasvatams (Quintessence
of ThiruvAimozhi) like: “udanmisai uyirenak karenthengum paranthuLan” and
“YenathAviyAvium nee”. The Lord with His Divine consort appears in the “aham
buddhi” of the devotee and takes his place in the “ahankAra dEsam” as stated
by the Upanishad (athAtOhahankAra dEsa:). Therefore Kaimkaryam to the
divya dampatis and Their BhagavathAs are most important (sAra tamam as
pointed in PradAna Satakam).
The key message of Swamy Desikan’s first slOkam of DTR is that Swamy
NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi (SaTharipu paNiti:) has the unfailing power of
bringing Sriya:pati in front of one (pratyaksham). Swamy NammAzhwAr’sThiruvAimozhi has the power of being present at all places in all times
(AyAminIbhi). The Sri Sookthi has the capability to tie the Jeevan firmly to
the Thiruvadi of SarvalOka saraNyan (svaguNa vitatibhi: bandhayantIm). It
consumes the marvellous creation of Moola Prakruti (mAyAm dayantI) and
produces Vishaya vairAgyam (nonattachment to worldly and evanescent
matters). A SadAcAryan unites then this Mumukshu Jeevan to ThirumAl and
returns His property (Jeevan) to Him (Sriya:pati).
Sloham-2..
paraj~nAkhye manthaSaile prathita guNa rucim netrayan sampradAyam
tattal-labdhi-prasaktai: anupadhi vibhudahi: arthito VenkaTeSa: |
talpam kalpAnta yUnaH SaThajit upanishad dugdha sindhum vimathnan
grathnAti svAdu gAthAlahari daSa-SatI nirgatam ratna jAtam ||
This VenkaTanAthan of ThUppul through the help of the churning rod
(manthaSailam) of VisEsha Jn~Anam acquired from his AcAryAs churned
Swamy NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi (Upanishad Saaram in Tamil) with the
rope of SampradAyam just as Sriman NaarAyaNan churned once the Milky
Ocean to bring out the nectar for the DevAs; that Sriman NaarAyaNan is
forever youthful even at the end of a kalpam (kalpAnta yoona:). Swamy
NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi is the bed of Milky Ocean for the Lord. This
VenkaTanAthan of ThUppul churned that Milky Ocean consisting of Upanishads
and through that effort generated the various, multi-splendored gems from
the thousands of waves of bliss caused by the effort of dedicated churning. He
assembled these wonderful gems that arose from the sweet milky ocean of
ThiruvAimozhi and constructed a RatnAvaLi (dramiDOpanishad RatnAvaLi). ThisVenkaTeSa kavi of ThUppul was requested by great scholars (vibudhai: arthitO
VenkaTeSa:) to create this RatnAvaLi through the dedicated analysis
(Churning) of the vyAkhyAnams of PoorvAchAryAs, who enjoyed the
tAtparyams of ThiruvAimozhi through their own unique anubhavams.
The reason for Swamy Desikan equating ThiruvAimozhi to the KshIrAbdhi
(Milky Ocean) is because the dvaya Mantra dyAna slOkam is about the Lord
reclining on AdisEshan in the Milky Ocean. ThiruvAimozhi is well accepted as
the commentary on dvaya mantram (dhIrga SaraNAgati).
Sloham-3..
pAncAlI gAtra SobhA hrta hrdaya vadhU varga pumbhAvanItyA
patyau padmAsahAye praNayini bhajata: preyasI pAratantryam |
bhakti: SrngAra vrttyA pariNamati mune: bhAva bandha prathimnA
yogAt prAguttarAvasthitiriha viraho deSikA: tatra dUtA: ||
Just as in the case of Draupati’s exquisite beauty — witnessed during the time
of her bath — intoxicated the minds of all the ladies attending to her and led
them to wish they could enjoy her as men, the deep bhakthi that Swamy
NammAzhwAr had for Sri Devi Vallabhan (Sriman NaarAyaNan) transformed
into srungAra bhAvam and led him to send messengers to “Her Lord” in the role
of ParAnkusa Naayaki to be united with Him.
Sloham-4..
bhAshA gItiH praSastA bhgavati vacanAt rAjavac-copacArAt
sA cAgastya-prasUtAtviti parijagrhe bhUmikA bheda yogyA |
yat-tat-krtyam SrutInAm munigaNa-vihitai: setihAsai: purANai:
tatrAsau tattva-sImna: StaThapathana (SaThamaTana) mune: samhitA
sArva- bhaumI ||
Swamy NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi is supremely auspicious samhithai in
Tamizh, a language sanctified by the renowned Vedic Rishi, Agasthyar, who had
his home in the southern region of Bhaaratha Desam. Agasthya Muni created
grammar for Tamizh and made it sacred for eulogizing BhagavAn by those, who
had no familiarity with Sanskrit (Deva Bhaashai) or who were not adhikAris for
learning Sanskritic Vedam. Swamy NammazhwAr out of compassion for those,
who either did not know Sanskrit or disqualified to learn Vedams, transformed
for their benefit the quintessence of Vedic and Upansishadic doctrines into his
Tamizh paasurams (Vedam Tamizh seytha Maaran).
Sloham-5..
Adau SarIrakArtha kramamiha viSadam vimSatir-vakti sAgrA
samksheposau vibhAgam prathayati ca rcAm cAru pAThopapannam |
samyak gItAnubaddham sakalam anugatam sAma SAkhA sahasram
samlakshyam sAbhidheyair yajurapi Satakai: bhAtyatharvA rasaiSca ||
Swamy NammAzhwAr ThiruvAimozhi instructs us on the inner meanings of
Vedic doctrines just as IthihAsams and Saathvika PurANams do. It goes
however beyond them to give us the meanings of Upanishads (Veda Siras) as
elaborated correctly in SaarIraka Saastram (Uttara mImAmsai). Swamy
Desikan points here (during this introductory stage of DTR) that Swamy
NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAimozhi will be all about the celebration of The
Supreme Being (ParamAthmA) defined precisely by the Brahma Soothrams of
VyAsa BhagavAn (and elaborated by AchArya RaamAnuja in SrI BhAshyam
following the foot steps of His PoorvAcAryAs). He also points out that
ThiruvAimozhi is one step higher than Brahma Soothrams since each of the
Paasurams spell out clearly one GuNam of the Lord and the last paasuram one
dacad (pathikam) summarizes the MahA GuNam underlying the guNams covered by individual Paasurams of that Pathikam. The Satakams (Patthu) take up the
next hierarchy among the GuNams of the paasurams of the ten pathikams. The
whole of ThiruvAimozhi gives us the supreme boon of bringing the Lord with
His Divine Consort right before us (SaTha ripu phaNithI: pratyakshaynna:
pratiniyata ramA sanidhAnam nidhAnam) since ThiruvAimozhi is dvayArta
VivaraNam.
ThiruvAimozhi is the
samkshEpam (condensed essence) of the 21 Saakhais of Rg Vedam (prathayati
RcAm), 101 branched Yajur Vedam, 1000 branched Saama Vedam and 9
branched atharva Vedam (atharvA rasaiSca). Rg Vedam is the oldest among the
4 vedams. Yajur Vedam is known for the beauty of its svarams during recitation
(cAru pAThopapannam). Saama Vedam is known for its gAnam /gItam (samyak
gItAnubaddham sakalam anugatam sAma SAkhA sahasram). atharva Vedam is
known for housing the nine rasams (nine Saakhais).
Sloham-6.
prAcye sevAnuguNyAt prabhumiha Satake-amamsta mukterupAyam
mukta prApyam dvitIye munir-anububudhe bhogyatA vistareNa |
prApyatva upAya bhAvau Subha subhagatanor-ityavAdIt tRtIye
ananya prApyaS-caturthe samabhavat itarair-apyananyAd-yupAya: ||
In this slOkam, Swamy Desikan states briefly the essence of the Patthu
Patthus (10x 100 paasurams) of ThiruvAimozhi.
In the first one hundred (mudal Patthu) pAsurams, Swamy NammAzhwAr
concluded that the Lord is the upAyam for Moksham as a result of Him staying
as the object of worship (prAcye Satake prabhum sevAnuguNyAt mukte:
amamsta)
In the second patthu, SaThakOpa Muni revealed that the Lord is the
delectable object of enjoyment by those who attain Moksha Siddhi (dvitIye,
bhogyatA vistareNa mukta prApyam anububudhe) through elaborate description
of His bhOgyathvam.
In the third Patthu, our Kula-pathi declared that the Lord is the One, who
banishes all the dhOshams of those, who seek Him as refuge and that he
through the unmatched beauty of His ThirumEni makes Muktha Jeevans and
Nithya Sooris vie with one another to perform nitya-Kaimkaryam to Him and
thereby enjoy paripoorNa BrahmAnandham.
In this third Patthu (Satakam), Swamy NammAzhwAr instructs us that Sriman
NaarAyaNan alone is the upAyam (means) and upEyam (the object of
attainment as Parama PurushArtham (“trtIye prApyatva upAya bhAvau Subha
subhaga tano: iti avAdIt:”). Subha tanu stands for SubhAsraya ThirumEni of
the Lord, which banishes all the dhOshams of those, who seek refuge at His
scared feet. The Subhaga ThirumEni refers to the dhivya MangaLa Vigraham
aspects of this ThirumEni.
In the Fourth Patthu, SaThaAri Soori asserted that He rejected completely
the alpa (insignificant) PurushArthams of aiSvaryam (riches in this world) and
kaivalyam (aathmAvalOkanam and aathmAnubhavam) and chose the Lord alone
as Parama PurushArtham (caturthe ananya prApya: samabhavat).
Sloham-7..
deva: SrImAn sva-siddheh karaNamiti vadan ekamartham sahasre
sevyatvAdIn daSArthAn prthagiha Satakair vakti tat sthApanArthAn |
aikaikaSyAt paratvAdishu daSaka guNeshvAyatante tathA te
tattat gAthA guNAnAm anuvidadhati tatpanktaya: pankti samkhyA: ||
PerumAL becomes the upAyam for Baddha Jeevans to attain Him. This central
doctrine could have been stated in a single paasuram by Swamy NammAzhwAr.
Instead, he used “1000 paasurams” of ThiruvAimozhi to describe this. Why?
AzhwAr decided to take that elaborate route, since he was inextricably
involved and deeply absorbed in the bliss of enjoying the limitless auspicious
attributes (anantha KalyANa GuNams) of PerumAL.
PerumAL becomes the upAyam for Baddha Jeevans to attain Him. This central
doctrine could have been stated in a single paasuram by Swamy NammAzhwAr.
Instead, he used “1000 paasurams” of ThiruvAimozhi to describe this. Why?
AzhwAr decided to take that elaborate route, since he was inextricably
involved and deeply absorbed in the bliss of enjoying the limitless auspicious
attributes (anantha KalyANa GuNams) of PerumAL.
aikaikaSyAt paratvAdishu daSaka guNeshvAyatante tathA te – Those ten saara
GuNams of the individual Ten Patthus such as Parathvam, Bhaktha
ParAdhInathvam and others are folded into the mahA GuNam of His
upAyathvam for reaching Him as the ultimate goal (upEyam).
Sloham -8..
sevyatvAt bhogya bhAvAt Subha-tanu vibhavAt sarva-bhogyAdhikatvAt
Sreyas-tad hetu dhAnAt Srita vivaSatayA svASritAnishTa hrtvAt |
bhaktac-chandAnuvrtteh nirupadhika suhrd-bhAvata: satpadavyAm
sAhAyyAc-ca sva-siddhe: svayamiha karaNam SrIdhara: pratyapAdi ||
Sriman NaarAyaNan is for all:
• the One to be worshipped (sEvyan)
• The most enjoyable One to experience (bhOgyan)
• The One with dhivya MangaLa Vigraham (Subha tanu vibhavam)
• The One that exceeds all BhOgams in enjoyment (SarvabhOgya-dhikathvam)
• The One who grants all purushArthams and being the reason behind them
(SrEya: tadhetu dAnAt),
• Being the One, who is under the control of those, who have performed
Prapatthi (Srita-vivasStayA),The One, who removes all the misfortunes of those who seek succour under
His sacred feet (svAsrita anishTa-hrtvAt),
• The One who conducts Himself according to the wishes of His BhakthAs as
YatOktakAri (bhaktacchandAnuvrtte:),
• avyAja Suhruth bhAvam (nirupadhika suhrd bhAvam) and
• The guide and help on the road of SadAchAram and anushTAnam prescribed
by His SaastrAs (satpadavyAm sahAyam).
With all these ten unmatchable guNams, He becomes the means (upAyam) to
attain Him (sva-siddhe: svayamiha karaNam Sridhara: pratyapAdi). He is the
upEyam (goal). He wants all the bhaddha Jeevans to attain Him (gain Moksha
Siddhi/Sva-siddhi). For them to gain this ultimate purushArtham, He Himself
stands as the UpAyam (svayamiha karaNam SrIdhara: pratyapAdi). Swamy
Desikan chooses carefully the name of “SrIdara:” in the context of Sva-siddhi
(MOksham). Sridharan implies SrinivAsathvam. In Swamy Desika
SampradhAyam, the performance of SaraNAgathi for MOkshAnugraham is
done before the divya Mithunam (the Divine Couple, who are never separated
from each other). They are both upAyam and upEyam. Together they remove
Bhagavathanubhava VirOdhis (tarumavarum payanAya thirumahaLAr
tanikkELvan: ThiruvAimozhi 1.6.9). Her upAyatvam in unison with Her Lord is
referred to here. Her upEyathvam is saluted by Swamy NammAzhwAr in
ThiruvAimozhi 6.9.3: “Kolat-thirumahaLOdu unnai kooDAthE–innam
taLarvEnO”. She engages in Nithya Yogam with her Lord to protect us all
through Her exercise of PurushakArathvam and is there as upAyam and upEyam
in our siddhAntham.
Sloham-9..
brUte gAthA sahasram muramathana guNasthomagarbham munIndra:
pratyekam cAtra gAthA: prathitavibhuguNA: spashTam adhyakshayAma: |
tatrA sankIrNa tat taddaSaka guNa Sata sthApanaucitya yuktAn
aidamparyAvaruddhAn agaNita guNitAn tadguNAn udgrNIma: ||
The great Sage NammAzhwAr had the limitless GuNams of PerumAL in mind to
create the Four Thousand. Each of these paasurams describe the Bhagavath
guNams that are well recognized (Prasiddham). It is interesting to find that
the guNams of individual daSakams may not vary from one another. To settle
this “inconsistency”, it is appropriate to connect the fitting guNams with the
meanings of the paasurams constituting the daSakam. We have to examine the
superficial meaning with the intended meaning of the Paasurams to arrive at
the true connection between the appropriate GuNams and the daSakam. One
may ask that the guNam linked to a daSakam may be found in another daSakam.
That need not be looked into too much. It has to be understood in the context
of association with other guNams linked to it in the paasurams of the daSakam.
Therefore, there is no real repetition. Some guNams are repeated forsuggesting different phalans. The meaning of the words of the Paasurams
(VaakyArtha VivaraNam) is secondary to the intended guNam of that Paasuram.
A great deal of care has to be taken therefore to connect the appropriate
GuNams with the Paasurams and daSakams.
Sloham 10-
icchA sArathya satyApita guNa kamalAkAnta gItAnta sidhyat
SuddhAntAcAra Suddhai: iyam anagha guNa granthi bandhAnubaddhA |
tattAdrk tAmraparNI taTa gata SaThajit drshTa sarvIya SakhA
gAthA tAtparya ratnAvaLir-akhila bhayottAraNI dhAraNIyA ||
The Lord out of His own volition (svEcchai) determined to take on the role of
the charioteer (Saarati) for Arjunan and displayed thus His saulabhya GuNam
(ease of access by any one) and blessed us with GithOpanishad as His
HithOpadesam for us and concluded with the Carama SlOkam to show us the
upAyam to attain Him. He instructed us clearly at the end of His
HithOpadEsam through His Charama SlOkam about two main things:
(1) ananya Seshatva jn~Anam and
(2) its fruit (phalan) – ananyOpAyatva jn~anam.
The first tatthvam is about the need for realization, that we are unconditional
liege (eternal servant) of Him (Sriman NaarAyaNan) only and not any others.The second tatthvam is about the need for the recognition and acceptance of
Him alone as the means for Moksham. A full comprehension of these two
tattvams would lead us to perform sashtaanga Prapatthi with MahA VisvAsam
and become a prapannan and conduct the life prescribed for the prapannan
after the performance of Prapatthi. They become pure. Such a performance of
Prapatthi recommended to us by the sage SaThakOpar, who is the embodiment
of KrishNa thrshNai (longing for KrishNa BhagavAn). SaThakOpar incarnated
on the banks of TamraparaNi river and distilled the essence of ancient
Sanskrit VedAs and Upanishads and Gitai in Tamizh language for the benefit of
ALL of us, independent of the caste or gender or scholarship levels through His
ThiruvAimozhi with its message as DhIrga SaraNAgati (extensive/extended
SaraNAgathi to the Lord).In the introductory ten slOkams, Swamy Desikan saluted Swamy NammAzhwAr,
His divine Sri Sookthi of ThiruvAimozhi, the scope of his Sri Sookthi (DTR)
about SaThAri Soori’s aruLiccheyal and who should learn DTR and what SrEyas
will come their way as a result of such a study.
From hereon, Swamy Desikan proceeds to cover the deep meanings of the
Mudhal ThiruvAimozhi (1.1): “uyaRvaRa uyar nalam udayavananyavanavan…” to
the last ThiruvAimozhi(10.10): “MuniyE nAnmukhanE MukkaNNappA”. Swamy
Desikan’s coverage of these ten Satakams emerged as 120 more slOkams.
SCOPE OF DASAKAMS 1.1, 6.3, 10.9 AND 10.10
The ten paasurams of 1.1 deal with Swamy NammAzhwAr’s celebration of the
ten guNams that deal with the Parathvam of the Lord and His intense desire
for his mind to be engaged in the worship of the Lord’s sacred feet. He
commands his mind to engage in such a worship.
The ten paasurams of 6.3 deal with his special salutations to
ThiruviNNagarappan, the presiding deity of OppilA appan Koil. Here Swamy
NammAzhwAr performs his SaraNAgati to ThiruviNNagarappan.
The ten paasurams of 10.9 deals with the glorious description of Swamy
NammAzhwAr’s joyous vision of the ascent to SrI VaikuNTham.
The ten paasurams of 10.10 deal with the bliss of his union with the Lord at Sri
VaikuNTham, which is one of the two decads sung during Swamy NammAzhwAr
Moksham day.
Sloham-11..
nissImOdyad guNatvAt amitarasatayA ananata leelAspadatvAt
svayattAsesha sattAsthiti yatanabhidA vaibhavAt vaiSva rUpyAt|tryaksha brahmAtva bhAvAt sadsadavagate: sarva tattveshu pUrte:
paSyan yogi param tat padakamalanatau anvaSatAtmacittam ||
The ten guNams saluted by Swamy NammAzhwAr in ThiruvAimozhi 1.1
according to Swamy Desikan are:
1) nissImOdyat GuNam
2) amita rasa GuNam
3) ananta leelAspadam
4-6) svAyattASesha-sattA-sthiti yatanabhidA Vaibhavam
7) VaiSva Roopyam
8) trayaksha-brahmAtva bhAvam
9) sadasadava gati
10) sarva tattvEshu poorti GuNam
Yogi here refers to SaThakOpar. Through the salutations of the ten guNams of
the Lord, SaThakOpa Muni saw clearly the Parathvam of the Lord (Supremacy
of Sriman NaarAyaNan) over every other god. SaThakOpan described his
longing for worshipping the sacred lotus feet of the Lord and asked his manas
(mind) to awaken and arise to worship those sacred Thiruvadi of the Lord. Hismessage is about AtmAtmIya-bara nyAsam. The overall guNam celebrated in
these ten paasurams is about the Parathvam (unquestionable Supremacy) of
Sriman NaarAyaNan, our Sarva SwAmi.1. FIRST GUNAM/FIRST PAASURAM: NISSIMA UDYAT GUNATVAM:
nissIma means matchless, incomparable and UNSURPASSED. udyat Gunam
means lofty and majestic guNam. This is to be connected to “uyaRvaRa uyarnalamudamai”
aspect of the Lord associated with His Parathvam celebrated in
the first paadam of the first paasuram of TVM. One can connect this GuNam to
His power to grant “mayaRvaRa mati nalam aruLvatu” and being “amararkaL
adhipati” (the second and the third paadams of the first Paasuram of TVM).
Swamy NammAzhwAr commands his mind to rise up and worship those lustrous
ThiruvadikaL, which destroy all sorrows born out of aj~nAnam (nescience):
“tuyaraRu sudaraDi tozhuthu ezhu en mananE” (Fourth Paadam of the First
Paasuram of TVM). One can witness the genius of Swamy Desikan to summarize
the ten guNams housed in one Paasuram with such brilliance and unite it all to a
central theme: Parathvam of the Lord as Para VaasudEvan. His understanding of
the inner thoughts of Swamy NammAzhwAr is extraordinary.2. SECOND GUNAM/SECOND PAASURAM (MANANAKA
MALAMARA): AMITA-RASATAYA
“amita” stands for unlimited bliss, which is the Jn~Anananthvam guNam of
Sriman NaarAyaNan. “amitam” is aparicchinnam (wholesome/undividable) and
“rasatayaa” stands for the Anandam (Jn~Anandam). “jn~Anandamayam devam”
is the salutation for Lord HayagrIvan, the Lord of all vidyAs. Besides
aparicchinna Jn~Anananda Svaroopatvam, additional items covered here (in
TVM 1.1.2 and its summary as second guNam in DTR) are:
1. cEthanAchEthana VailakshaNyam (contrariness / differences/ disparity
between Isvaran and sentient as well as insentient)
2. Absence of Kaala ParicchEdham (unaffected by Kaala tattvam). Kaalam
(Time with its measures of past, present and future) has no influence in
nithya Vibhoothi of the Lord.
3. The GuNam of not having an equal or Superior (OkkAr MikkAr irAmai).
The main GuNam for this second paasuram is “jn~Anandatvam” (Bliss
Consciousness principle). The revelatory word in Swamy NammAzhwAr
Paasuram is “muzhu Nalam”, which is placed in the third line of the paasuram.
The Svaroopa-niroopaka dharmams (proofs for the svaroopam of the Lord)
relating to His uniqueness is saluted here.THE ADDITIONAL GUNAMS COVERED IN THE ELEVENTH SLOKAM
OF DTR:
3) ananta leelAspadam
4-6) svAyattASesha-sattA-sthiti yatanabhidA Vaibhavam
7) VaiSva Roopyam
8) trayaksha-brahmAtva bhAvam
9) sadasadava gathi
10) sarva tattvEshu poorti GuNam
THIRD GUNAM/THIRD PAASURAM (TVM 1.1.3): ANANTA
LEELASPADATVAM
FOURTH GUNAM/FOURTH PAASURAM (NAMAVAN IVANUVAN–):
This Paasuram says that “All of us (all chEthanams and achEthnams) are but He.
All are but aspects of His splendour” as saluted in the earlier three verses. The
svaroopams of Vasthus as “this man, that woman, this object, that object,
things there or here”, ALL are aspects of His Vaibhavam.FIFTH GUNAM /FIFTH PAASURAM (AVARAVAR TAMATAMATU–):
The sthiti (maintenance) of the world may be attributable to devatAntarams,
but those DevathAs are under the control of Sriman NaarAyaNan and take
orders from Him as He stays as their antharyAmi and directs them.SIXTH GUNAM/SIXTH PAASURAM (NINRANAR IRUNTHANAR
KIDANTHANAR):
The above paasurams instructed us that all nivrtthi vyApArams are under the
control of the Lord. Here, all pravrtthi vyApaarams (all things, processes,
actions and inaction) are also subject to His will (sankalpam). Thus both
pravrutti and nivrutti dharmams are under His full control.
From 1 to 6 Paasurams, the First AdhyAyam of Brahma Soothram (samanvay
AdhyAyam), is covered by Swamy NammAzhwAr and Swamy Desikan brings this
out with the focus on six guNams. From paasuram six to eleven, the second
adhyAyam of Brahma Soothram (avirOdhAthyAyam) is covered by Swamy
NammazhwAr and Swamy Desikan brings that out also through focus on
relevant guNams of the Lord.
SEVENTH GUNAM /SEVENTH PAASURAM (TVM 1.1.7):
TIDAVISUMPERIVALI
The GuNam brought out is “vaiSvaroopyam”. BhagavAn’s sarIra LakshaNa
sthApanam (the world as His sarIram) is established here. This is a very
important guNam central to VisishtAdvaitam. SaamAnyaadhikaraNam regards
Brahman and world as identical. Swamy NammAzhwAr rejects that and proves
that the world is prAkAra or VibhUthi or aiSvaryam of the Lord. As such, He is
“the cause, sustainer and controller as well as the soul / indweller) of ALL
things and beings”. This concept is so central to VisishtAdvaitam that the first
commentator on ThiruvAimozhi (Thirukkurhai PirAn PiLLAn in his 6,000 PaDi)
used 48 Veda mantrams and 25 other pramANams in support of this central
doctrine. Swamy Desikan described this guNam of the Lord in one word
pregnant with meaning: “vaiSvaroopyam”.EIGHTH GUNAM/8TH PAASURAM (SURARIVARU NILAI–):
trayaksha-brahmAtva bhAvam is the 8th GuNam. Here the Lord is described asthe inner power (antharyAmi) of both Brahma and Rudra engaged in the acts of
creation of the universe and its destruction. In these two activities, Our Lord,
Sriman NaarAyaNan blessed Brahma with vedic knowledge to create and gave
Rudran (trayykshan/MukkaNNan), the power to destroy. Swamy Desikan sums
up this GuNam as “trayyaksha-brahma-Atma bhAvam”. Atma bhAvam denotes
His indwellership to empower these activities.
NINTH GUNAM/NINTH PAASURAM (ULAN ENIL ULANAVAN–)
“sadasadavagati” is the ninth guNam saluted by TVM 1.1.9. The key meaning of
the Paasuram containing the description of this GuNam is as follows (Dr.VNV):
“—Thus Being and Non-Being are both His attributes. With them, He is
present in all things, pervading each, fully and as the soul to the body”.
Here Swamy NammazhwAr discusses the relation between the Lord’s existence
as Being (Sad) and Non-Being (asad) states and rejects Soonya Vaadham
(nonexistence), which is also known as BhavAthiriktha Vaadham. The asat
according to vedam is the presence in subtle form (Sookshmam) that is not
easily perceived by the senses as gross/stula form (sad). Therefore, the Lord
is always present and is never non-present. Swamy Desikan describes this
guNam celebrated by this paasuram with the gati of “sadasadava gati”.
TENTH GUNAM/TENTH PAASURAM (TVM 1.1.10:PARANTA TAN
PARAVAIYUL–):
sarva tattvEshu pUrti GuNam is identified as the 10th guNam. “antar-bhahiSca
tat sarvam vyApya nAarayaNa: sthita:” is the Vedic reference for this GuNam.
In fact, the subtle meaning is that He does not only pervade them (vyApthi),
but fills them completely (poorthi). He is PoorNan and is in all tatthvams
(ChEthanam and achEthanam) at all levels. He is present in the minutest atom.
He is present “in every thing, in every place as well. He is present in the soul
(jeevan) with a self-effulgence of Jn~Anam since He is the soul of souls”.Swamy NammAzhwAr concludes this first Thirumozhi with the ten guNams
relating to the Parathvam of the Lord and goes onto perform upadEsam for us
in the next Thirumozhi (TVM 1.2: VeeDumin–).Thanks for this nice compilation.
Aazvaar, Emberumaanaar, Jeeyar Thiru Adikalley Sarannam.
October 8, 2010 at 7:56 am |
All the twenty eight slokas of dramidopanishad saram may be made available at least in various languages like telugu/ grantha for downloading