Parasara Bhattar had a unique privelage of a highly prodigious mind right from childhood, nurtured first hand by no less than the galaxy of the very consolidators of SriVaishnavism, namely Sri Ramanuja, Kurattalvan and Embar. The exact dates of his stay is uncertain, a fair guess by our ancestors seems to be that he was born in 1063AD and reached Parampadam in 1153 AD. Parasara Bhattar(so named by Sri Ramanuja himself to cherish the memory of the great sage who wrote Visnu Purana) and Vedavyasa Bhattar(named after the father of Kurattalvan) were the born twins to Kurattalvan and Andal. It is said that Andal herself was a great scholar and Kurattalvan consulted her on several occasions. Bhattar was precious even as a child. His snubbing a scholar by a simple question when he was just five year old is widely quoted. He used to ask his father questions, used to find Vedic classes boring with the repetition of the lessons which he already knew. Bhattar had two wives, Akkacci
and Manni from the family of Mahapurna. It appears that despite the catholicity of Ramanuja, Kurattalvan found it difficult to get alliances for his sons as he belonged to the ‘vadama’ subsect whereas the prevailing circle he associated at Srirangam was Brhaccaranam ! It was Ramanuja’s intervention that brought about this alliance. Bhattar had one son by name Uddanda Bhattar(Naduvil Tiruvidhi Pillai).
The stalwart seniors of Bhattar were all alive and active for the greater part of his youth and middle age. It can therefore be conjucted that during this period, he maintained a low profile. Bhattar wrote the commentary ‘Bhagavadguna Darpana’ on Sri Visnusahasranama at the behest of Acharya Ramanuja himself. His other equally famous works are ‘Srrangaraja Stava’, ‘Srigunaratnakosa’, ‘Astasloki’, ‘Tatvaratnakara’ and ‘Tatvatraya’. His favourite Divya Prabhandham composition was Thirumangai Alwar’s Tirunedundandakam on which he has written a beautiful commentary. The speciality of this works is that he has taken just the 21st stanza ‘Maivanna Narumkunji..’ for detailed study and in the course he has brought in other 29 stanzas more for delineation.Ramanuja installed Bhattar onn his own pontificial throne even when he was alive. At his behest, Bhattar later went to Mysore state to win over the great Vedantin and aristocrat Madhava to his fold. This vedantin subsequently became Bhattar disciple at Srirangam by the name of famous Nanjiyar. It seems that Bhattar had to leave Srirangam again for sometime to live in Tirukkottiyur as a protest against a chieftain Veerasundara Brahmarayar when he encroached the house of Pillai Pillai Alvan for building the Trivikrama enclosure for the temple. He returned to Srirangam only after Brhmarayar’s demise.
Bhattar’s highly incisive and intellectual interpretations on the whole are spoken even today with due mention to Periyavachan Pillai’s works always mentioning the name of Bhattar.
Sriparasarabattaryaha srirangesha purohitaha
Srivatsaanka suthaha Sreemaan Sreyase mestu bhuyase.
After Bhattar, Astasloki was referred by all Acaryas like Nambillai, Pillai Lokacarya, Vedanta Desika, Kanchi Vadikesari Alagiya Manavala Jeeyar and many others. The Vyakyana of this is today available to us only because of the Sanskrit work by Prativadi Bhayankaram Annan Swami. After this many other scripts are available in many languages.
Some of the works of Bhattar are : Bhagavadguna Darpana, Rangarajastava, Astasloki and Gunaratnakosha.
There are 3 secrets for a Mummukshu to understand, These are Tirumantram, Dvayam and Charmam as told by PillaiLokacarya in his Rahasya Grantha Mumukshupadi.
Astasloki of Bhattar has 8 slokas and conveys the meaning of the above 3 secrets.
Meaning of Tirumantram in first 4 Slokas “ Om Namo Narayanaaya
– 3 Words”
Meaning of Dvaya Mantram in next 2 Slokas “Sriman Narayana Charanow Sharanam Prapadye Srimathe Narayanaaya Namaha
– 6 Words”
Meaning of Krishna Charmasloka in next 2 slokas “Sarvadharmaan parityajya maam ekam saranam vraja, aham tva sarvapapebhyo mokshayishyami maa sucaha
– 12 words”
Sloka 1:
akaaraarto vishnuhu jagadudayarakshaapralayakrit
makaaraarto jeevaha tadupakaranam vaishnavamidam
ukaaronanyaarham niyamayathi sambhandhamanayoho
trayeesaarastryaatma pranava yimamartham samadishat
Letter ‘A’ denotes Visnu who causes the creation, protection and destruction of the world.
Letter ‘M’ denotes the soul who is the instrument of Visnu and belongs to Visnu alone.
Letter ‘U’ indicates the relationship of belonging to no one else, denotes the Sesha-Seshi
relationship of the the Lord(Super Soul) and Soul.
This 3 syllable Pranava is the essence of the 3 Vedas.
Sloka 2:
mantrabrahmani madhyamena namasa pumsaha svaroopam gathihi
gamyam shikshithameekshitena purataha paschaadapi staanataha
svaatantryam nijarakshanam samuchitaa vritthischa naanyochithaa
tasyaivethi harervivichya kathitam svasyaapi naarham tataha
The “namas” the middle word in the Moola Mantra teaches the soul’s true nature, way and goal. By looking at what goes before this word(Pranava) and what comes after(Narayanaya) we can arrive at three different parts-
* Om Namaha – Ananayarha Seshatvam(belongs to Narayana only and nobody else)
* Namo Namaha – Ananya Saranatvam (he only is to be surrendered like case of
Draupadi and Nammalvar))
* Narayanaya Namaha – Ananya Bhogyatvam(all that we do is for Him and not for us. As Alavandhar says” Kadahamaikantika Nityakinkaraha praharshaishyami sanatajeevitaha” and Nammalvar saystanakkeyaahayannaikollumeede”.)
Thus indicating autonomy, self-protection and service being suitable to Hari only. The same has been conveyed by Sri Ramanuja in his Perundevi Stuthi “Akaratrayasampannam AravindanivasineemAsesha jagadhishitreem vande varadavallabham”.
Sloka 3:
akaarartaayaiva svamahamata mahyam na nivahaaha
naraanaam nityaanaamayanamithi naarayanapadam
yamaahaasmai kaalam sakalamapi sarvatra sakalaasu
avasthaasvaavihi syuhu mama sahajakainkaryavidhayaha
Here Bhatttar explains the mening of word “Narayana” and “Aya”.
I am the property of the one indicated in the letter ‘A’. The word ‘Narayana” means the abode of group of eternal ‘Naras’. The dative case-ending(Chaturthi Vibhakthi) says that my performances of spontaneous service for Him should take place at all times, in all places, and under all conditions.
Sloka 4:
dehaasakthaatmabuddhiryadhi bhavathi padam saadhu vidhyaathrutheeyam
svaatantryaandho yadhi syaat prathamamitharasheshatvadheeschedvitheeyam
aatmatraanonmukhaschennama yithi cha padam bhaandhavaabhaasalolaha
shabdham naarayanaakyam vishayachapaladheeschechathurthem prappannaha
After understanding the above 3 slokas, with a mind set to serve Hari and nobody else for no benefit, there could be many troubles one could face, for this Bhattar gives solutions for the mind to overcome the impediments in servitude to Lord.
If he thinks that soul is the body, the wise prapanna should learn the third syllable ‘M’.
If he is blind with autonomy, the first ‘A’.
If subservient to another the second ‘U’.
If trying to protect himself, the word ‘namaha’.
If hankering after those who only appear to be kinsmen, the word ‘Narayana’.
If his mind is involved in worldly matters, the dative case-ending(Chaturthi Vibhakthi on word
Narayana).
Sloka 5:
nethrutvam nityayogam samuchitagunajaatam tanukyaapanam cha
upaayam kartavyabhaagam tvatha mithunaparam praapyamevam prasiddham
saamitvam praartanaam cha prabhalatara virodhiprahaanam dashaithaan
manthaaram traayathe chethyadhigathanigamahashatdoyam dvikandaha
The Dvaya Mantram has six words and two parts and is the essence of Vedas, and meditating on this mantram would lead to salvation. It is known to have ten meanings :
leadership : nethrutvam
eternal union of Sri at all times and all places : nityayogam
suitable to surrender with a class of appropriate qualities : samuchitagunajaatam
reference to the Lord’s body : tanukyaapanam
the Upaya for attaining salvation : cha and upaayam
the part to be done by the soul to reach the Lord : kartavyabhaagam tu
and then that the Supreme is the goal : mithunaparam paapyamevam prasiddham
the Lord’s ownership of Ubhaya Vibuti : saamitvam
the prayer to Him : praartanaam cha
the destruction of the greatest obstacles : prabhalatara virodhi prahaanam
Sloka 6:
eeshaanaam jagathaamadheeshadayithaam nityaanapaayam sriyam
samshrityaasrayanochitaakhilagunasyaanghree harerashraye
ishtopaayathaya sriyaa cha sahithaayatmeshwaraayaarthaye
karthum daasyamasheshamaprathihatham nityam tvaham nirmamaha
Having approached Sri, the eternally inseparable consort of the Lord of the universe, I resort to the feet of Hari, endowed with a host of qualities suitable for taking refuge, as my chosen Upaya. Wanting nothing for myself, I request to do complete service forever without any obstacles to my Lord who is joined with Sri, the instructor to Brahma, Rudra and all others.
Sloka 7:
matpraapthyarthayaa mayokthamakilam santyajya dharmam punaha
maamekam madavaapthaye sharanamithyaarthovasaayam kuru
tvaamevam vyavasaayaukthamakhilagnaanadhipoornohyaham
matpraapthiprathibhandhakaihi virahitham kuryaam shucham maa kruthaaha
Having previously relinquished all the dharmas which I taught for obtaining me, then you who are pained be resolved that for reaching me, the refuge is me alone. For, i who am endowed with all knowledge, etc will cause you-who are so resolved-to be free of all obstacles to attaining me. Do not grieve.
Sloka 8:
nischitya tvadadheenathaam mayee sadhaa karmaadhyupaayaan hare
karthum tyakthumapi prapatthumanalam seedhaami dukkhakulaha
yetadgnaanamupeyusho mama punaha sarvaaparaadhakshayam
karthaaseethi drudosmi te tu charmam vaakyam smaran saaratheha
Convinced of my eternal dependence on you, O Hari, I am incompetent to do or even relinquish the Upayas such as Karma Yoga or to surrender to you. Thus I am afflicted with misery. Knowing this, please destroy all my prior sins. I am firmly remembering your last words that you will relieve me of all my sins, O Charioteer!
Acarya Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Leave a Reply