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Fifth SlOkam of SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath
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nirvisyamAna-vibhavam nigamOtthamAngai:
sthOthum kshamam mama cha DevapathE Bhavantham
gAva: piBhanthu gaNasa: kalasAmbhurAsim
kim tEna tarNaka ganas-thruNam aadhadhAnA:
Extended Meaning
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Oh DhaivanAyaka EmperumAnE ! The Upanishads relish in
talking about Your Vaibhavam. Even the lowliest one like me
has the right to eulogize You. Therefore , adiyEn has commenced
my praise of You. As an example, those cows positioned near
the milky ocean assemble in big groups and drink the milk from
that ocean heartily. It would not however be possible for
the young calves to drink the same amount of milk their
mothers drink from the abundant milky ocean . Hence, these
calves consume only a small quantity of milk that is
appropriate for their digestive capabilities. There is no
harm that befalls these calves because of such limited
consumption. In a similar manner, adiyEn attempts to
praise You with my limited intellectual capabilities.
Thou who art saluted grandly by the Upanishads.
This insignificant act of mine to praise You against
the background of the magnificent salutations by
the Upanishaths is appropriate for one of my limited
intellect.
Additional Thoughts
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Swamy Desikan states here : " DEva PathE! nigama utthamAngai:
nirvisyamAna vibhavam Bhavantham sthOthum mama cha kashamam "
In previous slOkams , Swamy Desikan addressed the Lord of
ThiruvahIndhrapuram as " PhaNipura NaaTan , DEva adhinATan ,
Dhivishad niyanthu and VibhudhEswaran " to recognize Him as
the Lord of DEvAs and Nithyasooris . In this slOkam ,
Swamy Desikan addresses the Lord as "DEva Pathi".
Swamy Desikan recognizes the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram as
the mighty One , whose glories are enjoyed by the Veda Siras
/upanishaths (nigama utthamAngai:). If Vedam(Nigama) is viewed as
a Purushan , then that Purushan's noblest limb (Utthama angam)
is Siras ( the head). Therefore , the Upanishads are saluted as
the Veda Siras or Nigama utthama angam . NigamAntha MahA Desikan
with authority based on His title as "NigamAntha " AchAryan
truly enjoys saluting the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram
as " NigamOtthAngai: nirvisyamAna vibhavam".
Let us explore How these NigamAnthams/ Upanishaths
eulogizing the Lord's Svaroopam and Vaibhavam joyously ?
Upanishathic Salutations to Para Brahmam
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Upanishaths recognize the Supreme person as "Brahman".
Upanishaths deal with the teaching of Brahma VidyA .
Upanishaths talk untiringly about the Vaibhavam of
that Brahman.The Upanishaths equate that Brahman with
NaarayaNa and VishNu : MahA NaarayaNOpanishad celebrates
the Supreme principle(Brahman) as SrIman NaarayaNa and
directs us to surender to Him ; the fifth and the sixth
KhANDAs of SubalOpanishath gloriously salutes the Supermacy of
NaarAyaNa as Brahman. SubalOpanishad describes the SarIra-
SarIri relationships of the Brahman (SrIman NaarAyaNan)
with the Universe of sentients and insentients.It goes on
to establish that SrIman NaarAyaNa is " the One , non-second
Supreme Brahman , who is the antharyAmin (indweller) in
all other entities and that devotion towards Him alone
is the way to attain Him ".
NaarAyaNa atharva ShirshOpanisath is another Upanishad
which asserts the antharyAmithvam of Sriman NaarAyaNan
as Supreme Brahman like BrahadhAraNyam and expounds
the glory of Moola manthram (AshtAksharam).It describes
NaarAyaNa Parabrhmam as the abode of all auspicious
qualities and free from any blemishes (Ubhaya Lingam).
The Upanishaths also salute that Brahman as
"Satyam JN~Anam Anantham Brahma " (TaittirIyam ).
This is the lakshaNa vAkyam (definition ) of Brahman.
ThiruvahIndhrapuram's Lord: The Name as Sathyan
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One of the names of ThiruvahIndrapuram DEvanAthan is
Sathyan . BrahadhAraNyaka Upanishad recognizes the Brahman
as "Sathyasya Sathyam " or the Reality of the real. It explicitly
states that the nAmadEyam of Brahman is "Satyasya Satyam"
implying that Brahman's svaroopam is never subject to
any kind of change ( nirvikAra Brahman).The ChAndhOgya
Upanishath also refers to the name of Brahman as "Satyam "
(tasya ha vaa yEtasya BrAhmaNo nAma Satyamithi: Ch.Up:VIII 3.4).
Sathya-Achyutha Tatthvam of the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram
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Lord DeavanAthan's choicest names are Satyan (natha Satyan/
True to those , who seek His refuge )and Achyuthan ( the One
who never lets anyone down). Let us enjoy the chAndhOgya Upanishad's
intrepretation of the meaning of the word "Satyam" . This word
is made up of three syllables( Sat , ti and yam ). Dr.S.M.S. Chari's
comments are: " Sat" is immortal, "ti" is mortal and "yam" is that
which holds the immortal and mortal together(yamayathi:
Ch.Up:VIII 3.5). This implies that Brahman is Satyam since
it holds together or controls both the sentient souls(sat)
and insentient entities(ti) . Satyam here stands for
the dharma of Brahman... In the context of Brahman,
Satyam /Satyan denotes the svaroopam of (the essential
nature of Brahman ) and also its distinguishing attributes".
The Lord as the Supreme Light (with RathnAngi!)
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The Upanishads salute the Brahman as " JyOthishAm JyOthi:/
the light of lights " (Mundaka Upanishath )and Param JyOthi:/
the Supreme Light (ChAndhOgyam);BrahadhAraNyakam identifies
this Supreme Light with Amrutham ( immortal rejuvenating nectar
principle).
The Lord as Jn~Anam
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The Upanishaths salute this Brahman as JnAnam , PrajnAnam
and VigyAnam as a part of His being Jn~AnaguNakan, One who
possesses knowledge as an attribute .He is adored as
Sarvaj~nan ,PrAsAsitAran ( One has the power to command all )
and as SarvAdhAran (substratum of all created entities).
The Lord as Ananta
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The Upanishaths (TaittirIyam) recognizes and salutes Brahman
as Ananta as a distinguishing characterestric and as essential
nature of Brahman. Ananta means that Brahman is infinite
and omnipresent without being limited by space or time.
It is infinite with respect to its essential nature
(Svaroopa) and dharma . That Brahman standing at
ThiruvhIndhrapuram as Satyan is eternal/nithya( Mundaka);
it is Vibhu(all pervasive) and sarvagatha (omnipresent)
as recognized by the same Mundaka upanishath. That Brahman
is "IsAvAsyamidham Sarvam"(IsAvAsya Upanishad: all this
universe is pervaded by the Supreme Lord