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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
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NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
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Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
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SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
MISSION |
NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
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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, " Bhagavãn has created ‘prakriti’ (Nature-the original source of the material world having the three gunas - sattva, rajas and tamas). Bhagavãn sits as ‘Sãkshi’ (witness) to everything happening around. Prakriti is watching all our acts, good and bad, and it bestows blessings accordingly. Mahãtmas move without reservations amidst the people. This should not be mistaken and embolden us to speak freely to them as we would to another human. Our behaviour towards them should be respectful and affectionate. Their tapas is beyond words (‘anirvachaneeyam’), which cannot be understood by us in spite of any kind of explanation. We should never utter anything that would sadden them. The Mahãtmas themselves will not be affected by others’ behaviour but the Tejas around them will definitely punish one who misbehaves/abuses them. Once, two students went to the Presence of a Mahãtma. While one student prostrated to the Mahãtma the other just stood indifferently. So his friend said to him, “This is a Mahãtma. Please do namaskãra to Him.” But the other boy not only refused to do namaskãra but also abused the Mahãtma and added, “He is just a man and I will not prostrate before a man!” The Mahãtma did not say anything. He did not respond at all. That is the difference between an ordinary man and a Mahãtma. Mahãtmas never grudge anyone’s words or behaviour. They do not grudge even those who trouble them. But the ‘Tejas’ that is around them does not spare such people. It is the same in blessings, too. Anyone who is respectful and affectionate towards them is lifted up. Everything and everyone is the same to a Mahãtma. And this boy was a bachelor living in a single room amidst many other families. One day, circumstances arose creating suspicion of his (mis) behaviour towards a married lady who was a co-tenant. All the other tenants said they would hand him over to the police to be beaten up in the lock-up. That would bring him to books. When he pleaded innocence they agreed to forgive him if only he would prostrate to all the other tenants, one by one! And they were 40/50 of them in all! And he did! He had uttered the words in a Mahatma’s Presence that he will not prostrate to a man and now he was doing the very same act, not to one but to about 40/50 of them! If you do not believe in Mahãtmas then it is better not to go to their Presence but keep away instead of showing off your ignorance. What do we know with our limited minds? A Mahãtma is forever pouring forth His Grace. Your behaviour towards Him should not be such as to earn such negative effect. Your behaviour should not create any ‘tãpam’ in them. WE SHOULD BEHAVE WITH ‘SHRADDHA’ (Faith), ‘BHAKTI’ (Devotion) AND ‘VINAYAM’ (Humility) TOWARDS A MAHAATMA. Mahãtmas are all Divya Jothi (divine fire). The tejas - the fire - in them will burn away the bad elements. We should not behave towards them as we do with mere humans.
‘Thoomani mãdatuch chutrum villakkeriya
Click here for Thiruppãvai (9) in Tamil
‘Thoomani mãdatuch chutrum villakkeriya
Here, the two (pãsurams) should be taken together as this speaks of the Vadagalai and Thengalai - the two Vaishnava traditions. Bhãva (the fine feeling) is only Bhakti (devotion). We should think of the Lord as ‘my God’, ‘my Swami’. Only then will there be a deepening of the relationship with God. We should have one-pointed devotion to one God. If one who questions, “Why can’t I worship all - Siva or Vishnu or Devi? Are not all Gods one and the same?” It only goes to show that he has not achieved one-pointed devotion (‘nishta’). One who has developed one-pointed devotion will not think on such lines. A mother loves her child and at the same time treats the child of her neighbour, too, quite well. But, will she possess the same depth of love for another’s child as she has for her own? She may offer some eats or gifts to the other child. She will not show any dislike to this child. But all her love is only for her child. Is that not so? Why? It is because there is a bond of ‘my child’ creating love and affection for her child. Therefore, can we say that the neighbour’s child and ours are the same to us? No, we cannot. So, we should experience such bond with the Swami that we worship. ‘My Swami!’ We can prostrate to other Gods; be respectful towards them. But Bhakti is felt only to our Swami; the heart is drawn only to our Swami. When the neighbour’s child comes to our home we may offer some biscuits. We do not chase away the child with dislike. But there does lay a difference while we pet our own child. So, we should have a Swami for ourselves for worship towards whom such deep bond and love is felt. Only such bond and love developed towards our God can cut asunder all other attachments. The moment we feel ‘my Swami’ we will definitely feel deep affection and ‘premai’ for Him. I once bought some silk clothing for Manimangalam Varadaraja Swami. But when I came home after the purchase I felt that I would offer it to my Premika Varadan and another set could be bought later for Varadaraja Swami! This is a kind of bhãva. It is said that we should develop such attachment in Bhagavat vishaya (matter). Only then would worldly attachments leave us. And that can come about only if our mind is set on a particular (form of) God. Once that is achieved nothing else is required. We may pay obeisance to other Gods, respect them but love we can only one. This does not mean we hate the rest. We do respect them but all our love and affection can rest only with one. Only if we develop such kind of link with the God/Swami that we worship can our mind and heart hold on to Him. Here, in this pãsuram ‘Thoomani mãdathu’, the Swami says that it is the ‘paripoorthi’ (fullness) of ‘Sringãra rasa’ - Nãyaki Bhãva (the feeling that one is the Lord’s beloved). The Purushãrtams are said to be four in number - ‘Dharma’, ‘artha’, ‘kãma’, ‘moksha’ - Righteousness, wealth, desire (love) and liberation. Sri Ramanuja is asked which one of these four is ‘Purushãrta’? He was a sanyasi. But what does he say? ‘Kãma’ is the only purushãrtam. Can a Sanayasi say that ‘kãma’ is the purushãrta? What does he say? He says, “That ‘kãma’ is only for Krishna!” - (‘Andha kãmam ellãm Kannanuke’). ‘Krishna Krishnaihi'. All desires (lust) should be (for) directed towards Lord Krishna. Let everything be for Krishna. Adi Sankara composed His ‘stuti’ on the Krishna of Kãladi, his native village. ‘Gopalam mama kula daivatam’ - Gopala (Krishna) is my (family) Lord. Bhagavat Pãda (Adi Sankara) used to visit this temple daily and have darshan of Krishna here. He has sung on this Lord. His first stotra was Kanakadãra stotra, sung even while He was still a little brahmachari. ‘Bavati bhikshãm dehi’, - the little brahmachari stood at the door of a very poor woman on a ‘dwãdasi morning’(12th day after full/new moon) seeking food from her. This ‘Kanakadãra’ family still lives in Kãladi. The family was in utter poverty. They had not a grain at home. Drawn by the 'tejas' (lustre) of the little boy, the heart of the lady in the house melted. There were tears in her eyes as she realized that there was nothing, not a grain, to offer to this divine little boy. Seeing her plight the little boy said to her, “Mother, I do not need any rice. I have it. I only need some pickle to go with it. Give me what little you have.” Did this divine child really need some pickle to go with the rice? No, it was only to accept something, just a little, from her and thus bless her. And the lady found a single dry gooseberry, which she offered with much embarrassment. The next moment ‘Kanakadãra stotra’ poured forth from the divine little boy - “Angam hareh pulakabhooshanam ãshrayanti!” - And there was a rain of golden gooseberries in the courtyard of the house! And this Bhagavatpãdãl sings that Mahalakshmi who is occupying the place in the Lord’s heart, moved slightly. This slight movement of hers caused a small ‘urasal’ -(rubbing on the Lord’s body)! And a current of excitement passed through Perumal! A brahmachari who was later to become a great ‘Yateeshwara’ sings thus. It, therefore, goes to show that this is not worldly ‘kãma’ (lust). Similarly, Sri Jayadev enjoyed the ‘Sringãra rasam’ in the divine couple’s (Lord Krishna and Radha) lovelorn play. Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, a married person who left his wife, enjoyed the ‘sringãram’ (the divine love play) of the ‘divya dampati’ (divine couple). This is a very high bhãva. The ordinary human mind may not be able to so easily comprehend this bhãva. In Bhãgavatam after speaking of Jadabharatha's charitra (life) that can bestow deep dispassion and high knowledge, Sukacharaya in the ‘stuti phalan’ says that one who reads this chapter will be bestowed with long life, good health and wealth! But coming to ‘Rãsa panchãdyãyi’ (the five chapters on ‘Rãsam’ - the divine love lila of Krishna with the gopis - in the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam) Sukacharaya says that one who reads these will be cleansed of his lust! Thus we know the greatness of ‘Rãsa panchãdyãyi’. We cannot analyse it with our worldly and critical mind. What a great sage Sukha was! He was born a ‘Brahma nishta’. He was not even aware of the difference between male and female forms. Such as He enjoyed this bhakti bhava. This and the next (pãsuram) depict ‘sringãra rasam’ (the ‘feeling of’ love of a lady for her beloved). It is difficult to enjoy this while in a male form. The Swamy says that it is easy for the water to flow from a higher level to the lower level. And difficult indeed for it to flow the other way round. So, here Nãcchiar (Ãndãl) is fortunate in being a woman and thus enjoys this feeling very naturally. Thirumangai Ãzhwãr and Nammãzhwãr entertained the same’ bhãva’ (feeling). Nammãzhwãr who had lived until his 16th year in a hole in a tamarind tree was very sattvic. So we can understand if he had enjoyed/entertained this kind of a fine feeling. But, for Thirumangai Ãzhwãr to have entertained this bhãva is surprising, indeed! He was forever involved in dacoity, killing and the like, for the sake of the Lord! But it is surprising that his heart was so ‘komalam’ (soft). He sends ‘Tirumadal’- (a divine letter) to God. The Swamy writes here quite interestingly, “All these devotees were ‘disciplined’ when they came to Bhagavãn. But it is only Bhagavãn who had ‘indisciplined’ them!” Did Nammãzhvar first sing with Nãyaki bhãva? He first sang only on the Jnãna of Bhagavãn. - ‘Uyarvara uyarnalam udaiyavan evan avan’. Similarly, Thirumangai Ãzhwãr also sang only on the Nãma Prabhava (the glory of the Name) of the Lord - ‘Nãrãyana ennum Nãmam..’ It is only Bhagavãn who corrupted them, for they then sing ‘ninda stuti’, do ‘oodal’ (feign anger and pick up a quarrel), feel angry with Bhagavãn. This is the next bhãva. Why does he get angry with Bhagavãn? “Thiruninravuril neere vãzhundu pom!” - ‘Live all by Youself in Thiruninravur!’- why was he so angry with Bhagavãn? The Swamy narrates a small interesting incident. A boy once goes to a priest’s house to invite him for the forthcoming ‘shraddha’ ceremony of his father. The priest is not available and he informs his wife who promises to send her husband on the day of ‘shraddha’ ceremony. But she forgets to inform her husband until (on) the eve of the ‘shraddha’ ceremony. She informs him about the boy’s visit and requests him to go. The priest is angry with her. He pulls her up, “Why did you not inform me ten days earlier?” The wife enquires hesitatingly, “Have you some other engagement?” The priest says, “No!” This is because he is one who likes to imagine the forthcoming ceremony and look forward, in all earnestness, the various dishes that would be offered on that day! He had now been deprived of that enjoyment derived out of anticipation, with the information received only on the eve of the ceremony! On his way to ‘see’ the Perumal in Thiruninravur, Thirumangai Ãzhwãr is totally occupied with the thoughts of how Perumal would be awaiting him, how lovingly He would receive him, how He would enquire after him and his own reply to all the queries of Perumal. But what happens when Thirumangai Ãzhwãr reaches the temple in Thiruninravur? The Bhattar (priest) draws the screen (of the sanctum sanctorum) and Thirumangaiãzhwãr’s temper shoots up. He feels very angry with Perumal and sings, “Thiruninravuril neere vãzhundu pom!” (Well! You live here in Thiruninravur all by Yourself - I am off!) and leaves the town. He goes to meet Perumal with much expectation. He imagines that Perumal will be sitting in such and such a place and imagines the conversation between Perumal and himself. His mind is so full of the scene of his meeting with Perumal. But what happens? The Perumal is not even to be seen! The curtain is drawn. At once the temper in him rises and he angrily sings, “Thiruninravuril neere vãzhundu pom” - an angry letter flies to Perumal! A ‘nindastutui’ (abusive hymn!). In their third level they (the devotees) seem to have gone mad. They behave like one who have lost their sense of balance. Now, they take the dust of His Feet (‘Vãmanan allanda mann’- the earth measured by the Lord in His Vãmana Incarnation), seeing the Sun they pat their cheeks in respect as they are reminded of the Lord’s lustre, they rush to catch the snake wriggling away as it reminds them of the Lord’s bed Ãdisesha! Everything seen around reminds them of their Lord in one way or another. Could they have attained this state without the Grace of Bhagavãn? He has bestowed such ‘kripai’ (Grace) on them. They get into a ‘loka vilakshana stiti’ (an abnormal state). And in the fourth state they fall down in a swoon at the very thought of the Lord! ‘Yãrkum ennoi ariyavonnadu’ - none can understand my disease! It is only in His ‘avatãra’ (incarnation) as Krishna that the Lord is ‘sulabha’ (very easy to approach) and not in any of His other ‘avatãrãs’. Krishnãvatãra was especially meant for ‘strees’ (ladies). It is only the love of Gopis that is spoken of widely and not of the Gopakas. Yet, He (Krishna) is accused of not being able to understand the sorrow of a girl! Nãchiyãr herself has sung, “Penn varutham ariyãda Perumal” - Perumal who does not understand the grief of a girl! What does this go to show? That it is very difficult to satisfy women! Thus, four bhãvãs are widely spoken of. In the Vaishnava Siddhanta five kinds of existence are spoken of - ‘Achit’, ‘bandãtma’, ‘Mukta’, then ‘Nitya mukta’ and then ‘Paramãtma’. ‘Achit’ is non-living things (‘achetanam’). ‘Bandãtma’ is ‘samsariis’. ‘Muktãs’ - ‘samsariis’ who have surrendered and become Muktãs (liberated). ‘Nitya Muktãs’ are those who are ever with Bhagavãn - ‘Garudãzhwar, Anathãzhawar, Shankha, Chakta, Gadha’, all these are Nitya Muktãs. ‘Paramãtma swaroopa’ is entirely different. It is said that the thumb represents the ‘Paramãtma’ while the rest four fingers are the ‘achetanam, bandãtma, mukta and nitya mukta. According to this siddhanta Bhagavãn wants to form/create Muktas and so resorts to lot of ideas. The Swamy here explains, ‘Rama the Lord was very dignified! He would not even touch Sita needlessly. He never used to touch even Lakshmana unless warranted.’ It was not in Rama to touch others while speaking. He would stand erect as he spoke to others. Whereas Krishna could not speak to anyone without touching that person! He could not stand quietly (in one place) but kept swaying!’ So he says, ‘Hence, know that those who do not touch others while speaking belong to Rama’s ghoshti (group) and those who touch others while speaking and dart about belong to Krishna’s ghoshti (group)!’ Here, in this song, the Swamy speaks of ‘Markata Kishora nyãyam’. We speak of the two cultures of Vadagalai and Thengalai. We feel that the difference between the two lies in their style of wearing the ‘Thirumann’ (religious mark on the forehead). It is not so. There are different ‘bhãvãs’ in ‘Bhakti’ (feeling of devotion). One group says that God knows everything. Hence, there is no need for us to ask anything of Him. He will give us what we need. Another group says that one need to ask the Lord otherwise your desires will not be fulfilled. The Shastras speak of two kinds of ‘nyãyam’ - ‘Markata Kishora nyãyam’ - A monkey gives birth to a young one. At times it even gives birth to the little one on top of a tree. She is totally indifferent to the little one. She does not even bother to see what happens to the little one. But it is the little one that keeps rushing to the mother and holds on to her tightly. The mother just does not bother about the little one. This is ‘Markata Kishora nyãyam’. The Vadagalai group holds the belief that there is nothing for Bhagavãn to benefit from us. If we desire happiness/welfare it is we who have to hold on to Him. The other is ‘Mãrjãra kishora nyãyam’ - A cat gives birth to a number of young ones. The cat gives immense trouble to those in the house where it gives birth to its young ones! She is very protective about its little ones. She keeps walking back and forth; when we see someone being restless don’t we ask him, “Why are you so restless, walking about like a cat that has just given birth to little ones?” She suspects everyone, who passes by, of trying to harm its little ones. She gives a ‘threatening stare’ at anyone who comes anywhere near her little ones. She does not keep the little ones in one place but as a safety measure shifts them to different places, carrying them in her mouth. She is deeply interested in protecting her little ones. The little ones don’t hold on to the mother but it is the mother who worries about them and their welfare/safety. So the Thengalai group believes, “Are we not God’s children? Is He not aware of what is to be done for us? Let us remain quiet. He will, of His own Will, do whatever is to be done. We should always keep singing kirtans on the Lord and walk on the path of dharma.” This is the belief that the Thengalai group holds. Therefore, the difference lies in this only and there is no question of entertaining any ‘dwesha’ (hatred) against anybody. Periavãcchãnpillai belonged to the Thengalai group that believes in surrender to God. In Ramayana, he points out several incidents to prove this point. He says that that the desires of all those who went in search of Rama were not fulfilled. Whereas, those whom Rama went in search of, received all that they desired. The Swami here cites the example of Guha whom Rama found. Rama blessed him with all that he desired. But above all, Rama bestowed on him the status of a brother! (‘Guhanodu ivarãnom’- we [brothers] have now become five) Ãzhwãr cries out, ‘Ezhai! Ezhmagan, kiizhthalan enrennãdu’ -“Rama! You never thought of him (Guha - a boatman) as a lowly, poor man but bestowed the status of a brother!” He even introduces Sita to him! And again in the case of Sugreeva, Rama seeks his instructions! Sugreeva asks Rama to hit several trees with a single arrow and Rama obeys! Rama tells Sugreeva, “With Agni as the witness let us take the vow of friendship!” This is only because Bhagavãn went searching for them. Today’s first song ‘Thoomani mãdatu ……',shows the ‘Markata kishora nyãyam’. In the next pãsuram ‘Mãrjãra Kishora nyãyam’ is to be shown where Bhagavãn Himself comes to shower His love on the girl. ‘Thoomani mãdatuch chutrum villakeriya’ - There is a high-class gem. It is said that there are two varieties in such high class gems. One that is dust covered and needs to be cleaned and polished. The other is pure by itself and needs no cleansing. Thus there are two ‘reetiis’ (kinds) in ‘Ratnam’ (gems). Thus, of the gems given to Bhagavãn some were pure while others needed cleansing. Krishna picked up these pure gems and gave them to the Gopis. The other gems that were covered with dust were cleaned and sent to temple of ‘Tolaivilimangalam’, sung as ‘Tuvalil mãmani mãdam’ by Nammãzhwãr. This temple is one of the ‘Nava Tirupati’ shrines where the Deity is Aravindalochana. Just as we speak of Semponsei Temple (one of the 11 Divya Desams near Sirgazhi) once having been built with gold by Rama, the walls of the ‘Prakãrams’ here in Tolaivilimangalam were once embedded with navaratna (the nine kinds of gems). Being aware of this the Swamy asks, “Had Bhagavãn given these gems that had been cleaned, to this temple? Had the Lord sent them here to be embedded in these ‘Prakãrams’?” Only Tãmraparani river flowed in between this Tolaivilimangalam and Ãzhwãrthirunagari where Nammãzhwãr sat. Nammãzhwãr has sung on Aravindalochana in a Nayaki Bhãva.
First, in
‘Keechukeechenru’ pãsuram, Ãndãl points out to the sound of the birds,
then in the succeeding pãsuram,
‘Keezhvãnum vellenru erumaichiruveedu’, the visual confirmation of the day having been born.
This pãsuram of ‘oomaiyo anri sevido ananthalo’ (is she dumb, deaf or sleeping?) fits the description of Nammãzhwãr. The Samadhi ‘avasthai’(state of Oneness) suits Nammãzhwãr. In Ãzhwãrthirunagari Kshetra lived the couple Udaiyanangai and Kari serving the Perumal. A child was born to them. Like Hastamalaka, Nammãzhwãr did not respond in any way at the time of his birth. The child did not cry nor did it see nor smile. Nothing, nothing at all. There was no response of any kind from the child. But the child was glowing with divine light. In those days the practice of leaving the child in a temple prevailed. The worried parents took the child to the temple of Ãdipirãn in Ãzhwãr Tirunagari. Ãdipirãn is a Deity of great glory. They placed the child in the sannidhi (sanctum sanctorum) in a gesture of surrender. The child that had remained without any sign of life until then quickly toddled towards a tamarind tree in that Temple and sat, in a state of samadhi, in a hole in this tree showing ‘chinmudra’. The surprised and joyful mother dressed the hair of the child in a bun. The mother then made a garland out of the vagula flowers and adorned the hair of the child with it. Hence he earned the name Vagulãbarana Nãyaki.
For sixteen long years the child was in ‘yoga nidra’ (the state of yogic sleep) until Madhurakaviãzhwãr found him. The latter was the cause of Nammãzhwãr revealing all his experiences. It was only because of him that today we enjoy ‘Thiruvãimozhi’ of Nammãzhwãr. Thiruvãimozhi is the most enjoyable in Divya Prabadam. What is the beauty of these Pãsurams? In ages past a garland called ‘uru mãla’ used to be made. It used to be made of alternate strings of (gold) silken thread and silver zari thread. Those who have had darshan of Vãsudeva in Vaikunta have said that the Lord wears this ‘Uru mãla’. Nammãzhwãr’s Pãsuram is likened to this ‘Uru mãlai’. In ten Pãsurams he sings the Paratatva, Prabhava and the Nãma vibhava of the Lord (the glory of the Lord and His Name) - ‘Uyarvara uyarnalam udaiyavan evanavan’. The next ten is sung in Nãyaki bhãva, “Thirukurungudi nambiyai kandapin - shanginodum, nemiyodum, thãmarikanngalodum, chenganivãionrinodum selginraden nenjame” - my heart is captivated by the sight of the lotus eyes, the red lips of Thirukurungudi nambi (the Name of the Lord here). Again in the next ten pãsurams the Ãzhwãr sings, “I Am the Mountain, the ocean, everything!” Thus alternately Nammãzhwar has sung in the bhãva of a Nãyaki (the Beloved) and that of Being the One Consciousness! Ãzhwãr’s pãsurams have thus taken the form of a ‘uru mãla’. The Mahãns have, therefore, written in their commentaries that it must have been Nammãzhwãr who sat in ‘yoga samadhi’ - as if dumb, deaf and in samadhi (‘anathal’) - whom Nãchiãr has subtly referred to in this Pãsuram. ‘Mãmãyan’ - Great ‘Mãyavi’ - magician! The Lord who has performed magical/supernatural feats. ‘Madhavan vaikunthanenru nãmam palavum navinrelorembãvãi’ - You are a gopi! You should not be asleep while singing (the Names/praises of) such a great magician as the Lord. Wake up and join us for Bhagavat ‘anubhava’ (experience). " "GOPIKÃ JEEVANASMARANAM 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 Nine (PAGE 2) 
