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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
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NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
MISSION |
NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
PUBLICATIONS/PERIODICALS |
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Premika Bhavanam, Chennai
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Sri Swamigal has been rendering ‘Upanyãsam’ (discourses), in Tamizh, in Premika Bhavanam. This is being brought to you here. There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãsam’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamigal.
Sri Swamigal,
"JAI JAI GOVINDA JAYA HARI GOVINDA!
"Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangapprabho! "HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE " ‘Ambarame, thanneere, chore’ -- this is the pãsuram that was dealt with earlier. It has been written as ‘ambarame, thaneere, chore’. The commentators point out that there should be an‘ummaithogai’ (Tamizh grammar) in it. Grammatically it should have been ‘ambaramum, thanneerum, chorum’. This is called ‘chakãram’ in Sanskrit, i.e to connect one word with another. But, here it has been written as separate terms (‘padams’) - ‘ambarame, thanneere, chore’ instead of ambaramum, thanneerum, chorum. They stand apart without being connected to the following word. Vyãkyãnakarthãs (Commentators) point out why it is so. If someone approaches Nanda for clothes, Nanda offers him not only clothes but also land so that he need not go to another for food and water! When Nanda gives in charity, be it ‘ambaram’ (clothes),‘thanneer’ (water) or ‘choru’ (annam-food) he gives in such vast quantity that the recipient’s lifelong requirements are taken care of! He will not have to go to anyone else begging, be it clothes, food or water. Therefore, ‘ambarame, thanneere, chore arancheyyum emberumãn Nandago pãla!' - the great Nanda who performs such kind of charity. In the case of Gopis they did not go to Nanda seeking any of these three but they sought Krishna! The Mahãns, therefore, wonder why these three things have been spoken of here? By the way one is addressed, it is known what is being sought! When a man is approached for food he is addressed as ‘Annapoorna’ (Goddess of food). When a man is sought for protection he is addressed, ‘Oh! Mahãbãhu!’ (one who is very powerful). From the way he is addressed, he knows what is being sought. Here, why do these Gopis who have come to seek Krishna refer to charity of clothes, water or food? Nammãzhwãr’s pãsuram is taken up here for the commentary - ‘Unnum choru, parugum neeru, tinuum vettrilai ellãm Kannane!’---- The food being eaten, the water being drunk, the betel leaves being eaten are all verily Krishna! For the Gopis everything is Krishna. That is, they eat, drink and enjoy Krishna and Krishna only! All lives are dependant on water for their existence. W ater is the basic necessity of all lives --‘prãna dharikka’ - to sustain life. Can anyone live without drinking water? Yes, Mahãtmas can! Vãsudeva Thãthã, who had lived in the recent past, Ammãlu Ammal, Sivan Sir and the younger brother of Periya Periyava have all lived without drinking water. Sivan Sir lived for almost forty years without drinking water. Water is a necessity (life’s force). It is needed to keep the ‘prãna’ (life force) in the body. But, to be active and involve ourselves in activities we need strength and this comes from ‘annam’ (food). The body is ‘annamaya kosam’. The body works only on feeding it with food, therefore, ‘unnum choru’(the food consumed). These two are essentials. Then comes ‘bhogyangal’ (things of enjoyment) that is, worldly enjoyments. For example, the betel leaves are mentioned here. ‘Tãmboolam’ is for pleasure (‘sukam’). The Gopis’ lives is not dependent on food or water and they did not enjoy the worldly pleasures. Their lives are ticking not because of food, water or such pleasures but because of Krishna. It is Krishna who is their lives’ essential (‘dhãrakam poshanam’) as also a thing of pleasure (bhogya vasthu). They are alive only because they are doing dhyãna of Krishna. Wherefrom do they derive strength to move about? From Krishna dhyãna! They have nothing to gain from food, water or worldly pleasures. Krishna is always in their thoughts. They live only on Krishna dhyãna. For the Gopis everything is set around Krishna. Everything moves only around Krishna. Worldy things are not of any interest to one who has been blessed with true Bhagavat dhyãna. If one is attracted by anything of the world it only goes to show that he does not possess true Bhagavat dhyãna. If there is interest (‘ruchi’) in anything else then it only goes to prove that such a bhakti is fake; it is shown in anticipation of some desire to be fulfilled (‘kãmyãrtha bhakti’). For a true bhakta there is nothing to attain in this world. He is not aware of the world at all. He has no ‘ruchi’ in anything other than Bhagavãn. Nammãzhwãr sat still in the hole of a tamarind tree for sixteen years. There was absolutely no movement (‘cheshtai’). He sat there without food or water and He sings ‘Unnum choru, parugum neeru, thinum vettrilai ellãm Kannane!’ The Gopis sing, ‘ambarame, thanneere, chore arancheyyum emberumãn Nandago pãla’! Here, they express their feelings very subtly. The food consumed, water drunk and all pleasures are only Krishna. Oh! Nanda! You have offered food, water and clothing to all. For us, it is Krishna who is food, water, clothing and all pleasures. He is everything for us - ‘vastram’ (clothing), ‘ãgãram’ (food) and ‘thanneer’ (water) - “Tava kathãm mritham Krishna tapta jeevanam!” sing the Gopis. ‘Oh! Lord! Listening to your lilas is our very life.’ So, here the Gopis very subtly through ‘ambarame, thanneere, chore,’ seek only Krishna.
‘Ambarame, thanneere chore aranjcheyyum
‘Kombanãrk kellãm kozhunde! Kulavillakke!
‘Ambara mudaruth ongi ulagallanda
Here, however, the Swamy describes the order in which the family occupies the bed. First it is Nandagopa, next to him is Yasoda, next lies Krishna and next to Krishna lies Balarama. How does Yasoda sleep? Her one hand is on Nandagopa and the other hand is holding Krishna in an embrace! And how is Krishna’s posture? One leg is flat on the bed and the other lifted up! (as if measuring the Universe with this Foot) Seeing this lifted Foot of Krishna, the Gopis are reminded of his feat in Trivikramãvatar and so sing ‘Ongi ulagalanda’. The Swamy in his vyãkyãna also points out -‘Do you know who is her (Ãndãl’s) father? It is Periyãzhwãr. While she was a baby Periyãzhwãr has sung,
‘Mãnikkam katti vairamidai katti
To the babe (Lord Krishna) in the cradle the father (Periãzhwãr) sings ‘vaiyam alandãne thãlelo’ - one who measured the Universe with His Foot. Periyãzhwãr had sung lullaby to the Lord referring to His Trivikramãvatar. So there is no wonder that his daughter (Ãndãl), too, sings ‘Ongi ulagalanda umbarko mane!’(the one who measured the world) The father used to put the baby (Lord Krishna) to bed only with these words and it is not surprising that today the daughter sings the same to the Lord while waking Him up! She remembers how her father had put the Lord to sleep!
‘Chempor kazhaladich chelvã! Baladevã!
The following pãsuram is a very significant one.
‘Undu madagalitran odãda tolvaliyan
Whom is she waking up in this pãsuram? Nappinai - She is waking up Nappinai (Radha - the embodiment of divine love). Rukmini has been sung only in one or two places by the Ãzhwãrs. But, they have sung Nappinai very vastly. Thus Nappinai’s name is found in more than hundred places in Divya Prabandam. However, in Srimad Bhãgavatam, Sukãchãrya does not speak about Radha anywhere. It is only Rukmini who is spoken of in all places. Radha is referred only subtly. Since Pãsurams are ‘rasokthi granta’ (Text of enjoyment of divine love) they have sung the Lord along with Nappinai without any reservation. The Ãzhwãrs have enjoyed the Lord along with his Love. Pirãtti (Nappinai) is ‘Purushãkãra’. When we wish to meet a very important person, we do not meet him directly. Instead we approach him through one who will be able to strongly recommend our case to him. We try to meet him through a mediator who wields the highest influence on him. Since we do not know him and he does not know us, it is only ‘loka reethi’ (the way of the world) to approach him through a mediator. So, while approaching Bhagavãn we should not try to contact Him directly but only through someone who knows Him. Perumal (the Lord) is thus approached through one whose recommendations hold the highest influence on Him. And that is none other than Pirãtti! She holds sway over Him. A great Mahãtma by name Jananyãchãrya has written a commentary on Thiruppãvai. Though he was christened Jananyãchãrya he was popularly known as Nadathoor amma! This was his colloquial name. None remembered his other, original name. He had the bhãva of Yasoda towards the Lord. So he came to be known as ‘Amma’ (mother) Nadathoor refers to the town. Thus, he came to be known as ‘Nadathoor Amma’! Similarly, Thirumangai Ãzhwãr was named ‘Kaliyan’, ‘Parakãlan’. Thirumangai was the name by which he came to be known as later. We added the term 'Ãzhwãr' only later. He was known only as ‘Mangai’ (maiden) as he possessed a ‘Nãyaki’ (beloved of the Lord) bhãva. Thus, the one who established the great Vaishnava siddhanta came to be known as Nammãzhwãr -- ‘Namm’ (our) ‘Ãzhwãr’, though it was only ‘Ãzhwãr’ in the beginning. Thus, each of these Ãzhwãrs earned his present name according to his kind of devotion to Perumal.
Ramanuja was a great exponent of all great ‘grantas’ such as the Bhagavat Gita, Brahmasutra, etc. Hence, he is widely known as ‘Bhãshyakãrar’. Scholars addressed him only as ‘Bhãshyakãrar’. But those who were close to him referred to him as Thiruppãvai Jeeyar. Why? This is because (‘anavrathamum’ - every moment) he was forever thinking of Thiruppãvai. He sang Thiruppãvai every day and it was not reserved only for the month of Mãrgazhi. And how did he sing Thiruppãvai? He did not just chant it out quickly in a manner of daily habit. But he sang Thiruppãvai with overflowing bhãva (‘bhãvam ponga’). So filled with bhãva was he, that he and Thiruppãvai ceased to be two different identities. He became the very ‘swaroopa’ (the concrete form of) of Thiruppãvai like the way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was Bhãgavata swaroopa! He was not separate from Bhãgavatam. It cannot be said that Mahaprabhu read Bhãgavatam, listened to Bhãgavatam and spread Bhãgavatam, for, he was verily the concrete form of Bhãgavatam! He was forever in the dhyãna of Bhãgavatam. Every moment he thought only of Bhãgavata slokas. Bhãgavatam was his very breath.
Similarly, Ramanuja was forever in the dhyãna of Thiruppãvai. Though Ramanuja was in constant dhyãna (thought) of the whole of Thiruppãvai, he showed/gave special attention to this particular pãsuram --
While speaking on ‘Purushãkãra’, Desikan asks - What are the different duties of a mother? ‘Andannarkazhagu arumarai ãrangam’- Six karmas are ordained to a Brahmin viz. Chanting the Vedas, teaching the Vedas, performing Yagna, teaching others to perform Yagna, receiving dãna, giving dãna. Similarly, Pirãtti has six duties. This is the reason She carries the term ‘Stree’ ( Stree padam). The first two duties that She does are - She worships Perumal and then makes others worship Her. Therefore, She is known as ‘Stree’. The next two are - She listens to the grievances of the devotees and informs Perumal about it.The last two are - She removes our ‘ajnãna’ (ignorance) and unites us with Perumal. Since She performs these six duties Pirãtti is called ‘Stree’ and has ‘Purushãkãra’. She argues and picks up a fight with Perumal for the sake of the jivas! She questions Him, “Why can’t you bless him/her with your ‘katãksha’ (grace/blessing)? Perumal explains, “These jivas have committed very many sins. How am I to bless them?” Pirãtti says - these are the words of Sita in Asoka vana - “Bring a jiva to me who has done only punya. Question him if he has never done any pãpa (sin). There cannot be anyone who has not committed a single sin. Similarly, bring to me one who has done only pãpa (sin) and ask him if he has never done any punya. There can never be anyone who has not done a single punya. He must have done some good merit. If only ‘dosha’ (fault) is seen then none can be protected”. She points out further, “If You see to ‘Guna dosha’ (only to the faults) then you will never be able to get a single ‘jiva’. You should, therefore, not look at the jivas’ faults.” Bhagavãn explains, “ It is I who have established the Shastras. Each one should meet the consequences of his punya and pãpa. If I myself overlook these then how will justice prevail?”
Here, Sita (Pirãtti) is referred to as the jiva, Rama (Perumal) as Bhagavãn and Hanuman as Guru. There is yet another view. Pirãtti stayed in Asoka vana for ten months. The Swamy explains the reason for Her stay there for ten months. It was because Rãvana had ten heads and every month she tried to din ‘buddhi’ (reason/dharma) into each head of Rãvana! Rãvana, the asura, is one like us (jiva). Rama is Bhagavãn. Sita sits in Asoka vana to try and bring this asura to the Lotus Feet of the Lord. But Pirãtti brings Bhagavãn to Sri Lanka to help Rãvana surrender to Him! This is Purushãkãra of Pirãtti. She advises Rãvana, “Surrender to the Lord and all your sins will be forgiven”. This is Pirãtti’s Purushãkãra.
Pirãtti doubts if he(Rãvana) will accept the advice of surrender. So, She advises Rãvana, “Take the Lord for your friend (‘mitran’), accept His friendship (‘sneham’) and you will be forgiven”. She even questions him, “Is there no one (meaning a Sadhu) in Lanka to show you the right way? No, no, it cannot be so. There must be innumerable Sadhus here, but you have shown a deaf ear to their advice.” Pirãtti uses her ‘beauty’ (azhagu/soundarya) over Perumal in trying to coax Him to bless the ‘jivas’ and uses her ‘arul’ (blessing) over the ‘jivas’. She charms the Lord with Her beauty whenever a jiva comes up to Him thus hiding the faults of the jivas! She showers her blessings incessantly on the jivas. While speaking of ‘Purushãkãra’ She is said to be performing two works. First one is that She asks Perumal to protect the jivas. When Perumal points out the faults of the jivas She pleads with Him (the second work), “Well! You need not overlook the Shastras but You should not give up my children, too. Please do not see the ‘dosha’ (fault) of the one who has fallen at your Lotus Feet. Overlook all his faults and embrace him. You need not go to him but when he seeks refuge in You, when he falls at Your Feet protect and save him.” Pirãtti’s request compels Perumal to give the promise, “One who surrenders unto ME, one who seeks refuge in ME, one who falls at MY Feet seeking protection will be protected by ME. I will not see his faults!” This is the glory of Purushãkãra and Sharanãgati. Secondly it is ‘Sharanãgati prabhãva’ (the glory of surrender). " Page 1 Page 2
NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.
Radhe Krishna |
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Thiruppãvai - Day Sixteen (PAGE 1)