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!
JAI JAI GOVINDA JAYA HARI GOVINDA!"

"Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangapprabho!
Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Ranganãthã!"

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

" The essence of Srimad Bhãgavatam is ‘Nãma Sankîrtanam’. ‘Mimãmsa’ means enquiry (‘vichãram’). Let us suppose a person has composed a great work and it is too big for us to read but we wish to know the essence of it. We read the introduction and then the conclusion. This is ‘upakrama’ ‘upasamhãra’ vidhi (rule). In ‘mimãmsa’ to arrive at the ‘tãtparyam’ (quintessence) one sees what is said in the beginning and the end and what the Text has repeatedly spoken about. Only through this, one arrives at the conclusion that the opinion of the Text is such and such. Though the Bhãgavatam speaks of Krishna, speaks of the greatness of Sadhus and begins with, “Janmãdyasya”, it ends as “Nãma Sankîrtanam Yasya Sarva Pãpa Pranãsanam”. Srimad Bhãgavatam has come into existence only to show that the one and only way (to liberation) in Kali is Nãma Sankîrtanam. Srimad Bhãgavatam contains 18000 Slokãs - ‘Nãma Sankîrtanam Yasya Sarva Pãpa Pranãsanam, Pranãmo Dukhashamanah Tam Namãmi Harim Param.’ What will Bhagavãn Nãma do? There are arrows on which a mantra has been invoked (‘prayoga’). And there are ordinary arrows, too. In Rãmayana we read that a ‘Brahmãstra’ was shot. We say that a Mantra was invoked on to an arrow and then the weapon was used. What is the difference between an ordinary weapon and the one on which a Mantra has been used? Whichever direction the victim may flee the weapon that bears the Mantra chases him and hits him. Whereas the ordinary arrow hits the victim only if he continued to stand still at the same place where the arrow was aimed at. Otherwise it would go up to the aimed spot and just fall down. The ‘Mantra bearing’ arrow chases him and does not rest till it hits the victim. Similarly, Nãma - Bhagavãn Nãma - is like the arrow that bears the Mantra. What is the sign of your bhakti for Bhagavãn? The day the Guru decides to initiate you into a Mantra (‘Mantropadesa’) it confirms that Bhagavãn has decided to take you Unto Himself. It is only because the Lord has decided to take you Unto Himself that you have received Guru Upadesa. What does this Bhagavãn Nãma that is got through Guru Upadesa, do? It starts chasing him! It chases him wherever he goes and does not rest until it takes him to the Lotus Feet of Bhagavãn. The purpose of Srimad Bhãgavatam is only to show the path of Nãma Sankîrtanam. So, the Bhaktas perform, even I perform Nãma Sankîrtanam. We are always performing Nãma Sankîrtanam. Is Nãma Sankîrtanam performed for the attainment of Bhagavat darshan or Brahmasãkshãtkãra? Why do all these people perform Nãma Sankîrtanam? The Nãma Sankîrtanam performed by the Mahãns is not a spiritual practice (‘sãdhana roopa’). It does not mean that they are performing Nãma Sankîrtanam to attain something; either Bhagavat darshan or Jnãna. Our Gurunatha, Bodendra Swami, did not stop chanting the ‘Tãraka Mantrã’(Rama Nãma) throughout his life (alone) but even today He is in Samadhi (for the past 300 years), as ‘Brahmi Bhoota’(as THAT which IS - Brahman), chanting the Tãraka Mantra. Is it then to attain Brahma Sãkshãtkãra that He is doing japa or for Rama darshan? No, it is for neither. It is neither for Brahma Sãkshãtkãra nor for Rama Darshan. The Nãma is not different from Brahma Swaroopa. So, is being in Nãma means being away from Brahmaswaroopa? No, it is not so. Since Bhagavãn, Bhagavãn Nãmas (Names), Bhagavat swaroopa are not different entities from Brahman He is always steeped in it (doing japa of Bhagavãn Nãma). So, what is the purpose (‘tãtparyam’) of the Mahãns performing Kîrtanas? In Kali, in Vedãnta mãrga only a handful of people can get liberated through Brahma vichãra. Or through Karmãnushtãna a few might get liberated. Through Yoga ‘abhyãsa’( practice) a few might get liberated. Therefore, the Mahãns give Upadesa of Nãma to crores and crores of people and ask them to perform Nãma Sankîrtanam. Are there not innumerable people who do not perform Nãma Sankîrtanam? It is for their sake that the Mahãns perform Nãma Sankîrtanam! What does the Guru Kîrtan say about Bodendra? One cannot get a Guru like Bodendra. Why? He does japa of Rama Nãma and gives it as alms (‘bhiksha’) to all those who go to His Presence (‘sannidhi’). He does not even ask you to do japa, instead, does it Himself and gives it to you as alms! Therefore, ‘Nãma Sankîrtanam Yasya Sarva Pãpa Pranãsanam!’

Where will Nãma Sankîrtanam that cleanses you of all your sins take you? To the Lotus Feet of Bhagavãn! And what do we require? Steadfast faith in the Nãma. If we chant the Nãma incessantly we would have a wonderful spiritual awakening in the heart/a surprising power from within will awaken. When it awakens thus, it will take care of all our activities. It acts as the protector (‘raksha’). What is its glory? We will realize its glory only on attaining the ‘siddhi’ (power) through the incessant chanting of the Bhagavãn Nãma. So, what the Bhãgavatam came to say ‘Nãma Sankîrtanam Yasya Sarva Pãpa Pranãsanam’, the Ãzhwãrs have shown it much earlier ---‘Kalau Khalu Bhavishyanti Nãrãyanaparayanah’.

Yesterday we spoke of the glory of the Ãzhwãrs. We spoke of how the twelve Ãzhwãrs came to the earth only to glorify Nãma Sankîrtanam. Of all their ‘Grantha’ (Texts, namely, pãsurams [hymns]) Thiruppãvai is very significant. Thirumangai Ãzhwãr requested Bhagavãn, “Please bestow the status of the Vedas to Nammãzhwãr’s pãsurams.” The essence of the four Vedas is contained in the mere four Pãsurams as also in all the one thousand pãsurams of Nammãzhwãr. Kulasekharãazhwãr’s pãsurams contain the whole of Rãmayana in them. The whole of Bhãgavatam is contained in Periãzhwãr’s pãsurams. Thirumãlai, on which I had performed Upanyãsa, contains the essence of the ‘Grantha’ Vishnu Dharma. All the six angams (‘shatãngangal’) are found in Thirumangaiãzhwãr’s pãsurams. Likewise, Chãndogyopanishad’s metre (‘thiruchanda vrutham’) is contained in Thirumazhisaiãzhwãr’s pãsurams. Ramanuja’s ‘Nootranthãdhi’ contains the chandas of Gãyathri. Therefore, Divya Prabandam (the 4000 pãsurams of all the Ãzhwãrs) has been termed as ‘Drãvida Vedam’ as it contains everything -- the Vedas, all the branches of the Vedas (‘Vedangas’), epics (‘purãnangal’, ‘itihãsangal’). The glory does not lie in the fact that all these are contained in all the 4000 (pãsurams) but all these are found in this one work of Ãndãl -- Thiruppãvai!

Thiruppãvai is placed on a pedestal because it contains all that are found in the 4000 pãsurams, in the Vedas, in the Shadanga, in the Upanishads, in Vishnu Dharma, in Bhãgavatam, in Rãmayana and such other epics!

‘Pãvai’ means young girl. ‘Pãvai’ also means deity (‘padumai’). Since this is Thiruppãvai, the girls require a deity (‘moorthy’) for worship. Don’t they? So each one of these young girls holds a deity (‘pãvai’) in her hand. So it is called ‘pãvai nonbu’ - the worship of the deity. It is also called Thiruppãvai because these hymns have been offered to the Lord as a garland. It is also called ‘pãvai nonbu’ since it is being observed by girls (‘pãvai’). Here, Ãndãl takes a vow and performs the worship. Her intention is not to perform worship identical to that the gopis had performed. Instead, she enacts (‘anukarana’) the very worship of the gopis. ‘Anukarana’ is different from carrying on a similar form of worship. What does ‘anukarana’ mean here? In the Gokulãshtami Utsava that we celebrate here (in Malaipattu Ashram) we perform ‘anukarana’ of Govinda Pattãbhishekha. Bhagavãn had lifted the Mountain and when we sing this we hold our hands depicting the lifting of the mountain. Similarly, Ãndãl depicts the worship of the gopis. And what happens then? She gets into bhãva ãvesa (oneness with the gopis). Due to this bhãva ãvesa she experiences all that had happened on the banks of the (river) Yamuna and by her grace all her friends in Sri Villiputtur also experience the same. So, whatever experiences the gopis went through on the banks of the Yamuna when they took up a ‘nonbu’ along with Gopãla (Krishna), the same was experienced by these young girls here. Ãndãl, in Sri Villiputtur, was in love only with Lord Ranganãtha. The worship was performed only in Sri Villiputtur. What is the glory of Ranganãtha? We speak of Divya Desams. Guruvãyur is also an important Holy place. There is a Holy place close by here called Thiurumazhisai. This is also an important Kshetra. The Ãzhwãr (Thirumazhisaiãzhwãr) who sang hymns in Thiruvallur, in Thiruvahîndrapuram and in all the kshetras in Thondaimandalam left Thiurmazhisai unsung. In fact Thirumazhisaiãzhwãr was born here. No Ãzhwãr, no Ãchãrya (Vaishnava spiritual Teacher) has sung hymns in Guruvayur. But it does not mean that they are not holy places.

While on a visit to a Kshetra (holy place) the elders inquire, “Which Ãzhwãr has sung pãsurams here? Has one Ãzhwãr sung or many Ãzhwãrs have sung here?” Next they ask, “How many pãsurams have they sung on this Perumãl?” Therefore, while we look at this we find that only two Divya Desams have been sung by more than seven or eight Ãzhwãrs. And these two Divya Desams are Thiruvengadam (Tirupathi) and Srirangam. It is only these two holy places that almost all, about seven/eight Ãzhwãrs have sung. Srirangam enjoys such a glory. But the devotees (‘bhaktas’) are loyal to their own Kshetra. Each devotee is loyal to his own Kshetra. This is but natural. So they vie with each other to prove their own Perumãl to be the greatest. They would say to those belonging to another Kshetra, “The Ãzhwãrs have sung only one pãsuram or ten pãsurams on your Perumãl but hundred pãsurams have been sung on our Perumãl!” Thirumangaiãzhwãr has sung hundred pãsurams on Srinivasan in Nachhiãrkoil. But has sung only ten pãsurams in Arimeyavinnagaram. He has sung a ‘nindã stuti’ (a song sung in anger) in Thiruindalloor on Parimala Ranaganathan, “indallooril nîre vãzhndhu pom” (You may live in Indalloor all by yourself!). Bhakthas will not say, “Hundred pãsurams have been sung on your Kshetra but only ten have been sung on our Kshetra. So our Kshetra is inferior to yours.” Instead they would say, “Our Swamy is very compassionate. So He has conferred His blessings (‘anugraham’) with just ten pãsurams! Whereas, your Swamy confers His blessings only after hundred pãsurams have been sung!” Will the devotees let down their own Swamy? It is each one’s Bhãvam (innate flings). Even today Perumãl in Srirangam bears the names of Parimala Ranganãthan, Kasturi Ranganãthan, Periya Perumãl. In days yonder Srirangam overflowed with Vaishnavãs. Even today when we search for the residences (‘Thiru Mãligai’) of Mahãns we find them built on the street that is on the side where the Perumãl rests His Lotus Feet. Thus, all the Mahãns desire to reside only on the streets that are at the Lotus Feet end of the Perumãl and no Mahãn will wish to reside at Perumal's head end. To live in the shadow of the Lotus Feet - ‘Tiruvadi nizhal’ -- Even today if we happen to visit Srirangam we find that all the houses of Jîyars’ (Vaishnava mutts’ heads), the Ãchhãryans’ residences are on the side where Perumãl has stretched out His delicate Feet (‘komalamãna Charanam’) in His lying posture. What more significance does this Ranganãtha enjoy? Apart from our calling Him Periya Perumãl, Kasturirangan, Parimala Ranganãthan, the Mahãns - the Ãzhwãrs have given Him a name. And what is that? ‘Kãlakshepa shatru’!! (a foe of discourses!). What does this ‘Kãlakshepa Shatru’ mean? Once upon a time this Srirangam overflowed with Vaishanvãs. These Vaishnavãs were ever occupied with discourses (‘Kãlakshepam’). Their only occupation was to get together and enjoy the Lord’s attributes. This was their livelihood (‘jîvanam’)! The very foundation of their lives (‘jîvanãdhãram’). So, anytime, wherever one turned, these Vaishnavãs were found to be conducting discourses on Bhagavãn -- in all the chowltries in the Uthara Chithra vîdi (Street), Therku Chithra vîdi (street), etc. Utsav is conducted for Ranganãthan on all 365 days! Parimala Ranganãthan would start off on his rounds! Each day He covers a street. What happens then? The discourses would be going on but the moment they learn that Perumãl has stepped out on to the street, all the audience, leaving the place of discourse, would rush to see Him. They do not have the heart to miss the discourse but at the same time one has to see Perumãl when He comes out in a procession. So they call him ‘Kãlakshepa shatru’ (foe of discourses)! So while there were so many names for Perumãl, He has also been christened with this name.

Sri Ranganatha

So, Ranganãtha of Srirangam captivated Ãndãl. But the ‘nonbu’ was performed in Sri Villiputtur Kshetra. While scrutinizing/studying Thiruppãvai, Periyavãchhãnpillai says, “there are totally 30 pãsurams and in the last, 30th pãsuram she comes out of the trance (bhãva ãvesa), for, she has sung ‘Bhattarpirãn Kodhai sonna’ (as said by Kodhai, the daughter of Bhattar); she has realized her status. So, let us divide the rest of the 29 pãsurams into two.”

How did he group them into two? One group consisting of the first 20 pãsurams and the other consisting of the rest 9 pãsurams. The first 20 pãsurams are those that were sung before the attainment of Krishna and the next 9 pãsurams are those that were enjoyed together with Krishna. In this way the Swamy has divided them into two groups of 20 and 9 pãsurams.

He has further divided these twenty, one into a group of first 5 pãsurams beginning with ‘Mãrgazhi thingal’, ‘Vaiyathu vãzhvîrgãl’, ‘Ongi ulagallanda’ until the fifth. These five pãsurams are introduction (‘avathãrikai’) to Thiruppãvai. In these Ãndãl underlines, “We have taken up the ‘nonbu’ in Mãrgazhi month.” She explains the activities that they will be performing as also those that they would not be. It appears as if she is explaining the rules of the ‘nonbu’.

In the next ten pãsurams she names each gopi viz. ‘Peipenne’, and is going to wake up ten gopis. She is going to wake up ten girls. After waking up the ten gopis, in the next pãsuram (16th) Pirãtti (Ãndãl) shows how to worship Perumãl in a temple. How is this to be done? When you visit a temple you cannot immediately enter the temple premises. Jaya, Vijaya stand at the entrance as guards (‘dwãrapãlakãs’). So, She wakes up these guards --- ‘Nandagopanudaiya vãyil kãpãne’ --- of Nandagopa. What will happen if She wakes the Swamy (the Lord) straight away and lead Him out? His father Nandagopa might search for the son! Therefore, she also wakes up Nandagopa to inform him, “We are going to take your Son with us”. In the next pãsuram she wakes up Yasodha Pirãtti. In the next pãsuram she wakes up Balarama. In the subsequent pãsuram she wakes up Nappinai. And in the next she wakes up Bhagavãn! How does she awaken Bhagavãn? ‘Nappinai kongaimel vaithukkidandha malarmãrbãi kannthiravãi’. What does this mean? Bhagavãn is very happy in Nappinai’s company. So, she says, ‘please bless me in this state of joy! Won’t You wake up from the ‘sayana thirukkolam’? Please bless me in that state of ‘sayana thirukkolam’.’ Why does she pray thus? “Because”, she explains, “once you come out Sisupãla might attack You, other asurãs might attack You and Your ‘Katãksham’ might be transformed. Hence, even from ‘sayana thirukkolam’ drown me in Your cool ‘Katãksham’.” (‘kullira kullira kataksham pannu’). In the next pãsuram she says, “It is said that one can speak lies in ‘pranaya’ (while in Pirãtti’s company). The Shastrãs themselves say this. So, I doubt if Your Katãksham from the ‘sayana thirukkolam is genuine, so ‘Sîriya singãthanathilirundu’ - if You occupy the throne which has the ‘venn kotrra kudai’ (the royal umbrella) You cannot speak a lie, You cannot bless with false ‘Kataksham’. ‘Sîriya singãthanathilirundu’ --- so bless with Your Kataksham from the throne.

In the next pãsuram, since she has brought Bhagavãn all the way and seated Him on the throne, she sings in praise (‘mangalãsãsanam’) of that Lotus Feet (‘komala charanam’) that walked in Dhandakãranya, the Lotus Feet that walked in Vrindavan, ---- ‘anrivulagam allandãi adi potri’. (The Feet that once measured the Universe!) In the next she prays to Bhagavãn. What does she pray? ‘let me render service Unto You’. In the next, since she wields a right over Bhagavãn. She demands of Him, ‘Pãnchajanyam, kodiye, vidhãname, etc. (the Lord’s Conch, flag, etc.)

In the next passuram of ‘karavaigal pinchenru’ she surrenders (‘prapatti’ means saranãgathi) to the Lord.

In the next pãsuram,
‘Etrraikkum ezhezh piravikkum unthannodu
Utrrome yãvom; unakkenãm ãtseivom,
Matrrainam kãmangal mãtrelo rembãvãi’
She prays, “ I should never be separated from You in any ‘janma’. "

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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.

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