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Slokam 39
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Today , adiyEn will cover the Thirty Ninth slOkam
of Sri SaraNAgathi DhIpikai , where Swamy Desikan
describes the progression of the Journey of
the Jeevan that exited via the 101st Naadi
through the DevayAna path(ArchirAdhi Maargam)
to SrI Vaikuntam:
archirdinam visadha-paksha udhak-prayANam
samvathsarO maruth-asItha-kara: sasAnka:
SoudhAmanI jalapathir-valajith prajEsa:
ithyAthivAhikasakhO nayasi svakeeyAn
--SrI SaraNAgathi DhIpikai: SlOkam 39
Meaning:
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Oh ViLakkoLi PerumALE ! You lead those , who performed
Prapatti at Your Thiruvadi , through dEvayAna path after
exiting that Jeevan from the sarIram through the 101st
Naadi. During this dEvayAna journey , assigned representatives
of Yours welcome to their territories , offer homage and
take them to the next step of the journey to Your Parama Padham.
The sequence among your representatives greeting the Prapanna
Jeevan are Agni, the deity of the Day (Pahal dEvathai),
Sukla Paksha dEvathai, UttharAyaNa dEvathai, Varsha (Samvathsara)
dEvathia, Vaayu, Sooryan , Chandran , the deity of lightning
known as AmAnavan assisted by VaruNan, Indhran and Brahma dEvan.
They greet the prapanna jeevan , offer homage and hand them
over to the next in line on the way to SrI Vaikuntam. All of these
upakArams (help) are given to the Jeevan to travel with all
MaryAdhais to its rightful place in SrI Vaikuntam.
Additional Comments (V.S):
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In the previous slOkam , the utthkrAnthi (exit) of
the prapanna Jeevan by the 101st vein with the active
participation of our Lord dwelling in the heart was referred to.
The jeevan that left the Brahma Pura ( the city of Brahman,
the sthUla sarIram )now entrs the DevayAna path through
the solar rays. DevayAna path is also known as archirAdhi
maargam . DEvayAna means the divine path of the dEvAs
and Archis means light.
That path is presided over by several deities , who recieve
the Muktha jeevan with appropriate honors (poorNa kumbham,
Veda Vaakyams ) and escort him throughout their territories .
These are: 1. Light (archis), 2.ahas (Day),3.bright fortnight
(poorva Paksham or Sukla Paksham ), 4. UttharAyaNam ( the six
months when the Sun travels North), 5. Year (Samvathsaram ),
6. Vaayu (Air), 7.Aadhithyan (Sun), 8.Chandran (Moon),
9.Vaidhuyathan ( amAnavan or the Supra-Man , who is lightning),
10. the three sahakAris of AmAnavan (viz)., VaruNa, Indhra
and PrajApathi. These deities have been appointed by the Lord
to escort His Muktha Jeevan onward to His Supreme abode.These
deities are called archirAdhi abhimAnis.
The specifics about this dEvayAna Maargam are decribed in
ChaandhOgyam (4.15.5), KoushIthakupanishad , BruhadhAraNyakam
( 8.2.15 , 7.10 ) . There are some variations in the deities ,
who participate in the UpachArams and the lOkams that the Muktha
jeevan passes through according to these three Upanishads.
Sri RaamAnujA discusses the ArchirAdhi maargam in Sri Bhaashyam
(4.3.1). He concludes that all of these Upanishads agree on
the divine path used is the only path travelled and begins with
Archis , which is the same as Agni.Swamy Desikan discusses
the ArchirAdhi Journey in detail in his Sri Sookthi, Parama
Padha sOpAanam (7th Chapter: ArchirAdhi Parvam); Swamy Desikan
also summarizes succinctly the ArchirAdhi journsy in his Sri Sookthi,
AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi ( SlOkam 501, 502). Tatthva SaarA slOkam
102 also covers this topic.
Brahma Soothrams ( 4.3.1 through 4.3.15) discusses this topic
and AchArya RaamAnujA's Sri BhAshyam elaborates on the DevayAna
path and " the escorting angels" (AadhivAhikAs). The arrival of
the Muktha Jeevan at SrI Vaikuntam after travel through the path
of light and his anubhavams at SrI Vaikuntam form the final
paadham of Brahma Soothrams.Once the Muktha Jeevan reaches
parama padham and is embraced by SrIman NarAyaNa , it enjoys
paripoorNa BrhmAnandham and does not ever return to SamsAra
MaNDalam unless deputed there temporarily by the Lord for
specific assignment . After completign the task assigned by
the Lord , the Muktha Jeevan returns back to its seat at
Parama Padham .
Swamy NammazhwAr describes in the 99th decad of ThiruvAimozhi
( 10.9.1-11) what Sri Vaikunta NaaTan showed him as to what
he ( Swamy NammazhwAr) and Muktha Jeevans would be enjoying/
experiencing during the travel by ArchirAdhi maargam to
SrI Vaikuntam and the reception at Parama padham on arrival.
These precious paasurams are the distillation of the essence of
the Upanishadic passages quoted earlier. The honors accorded to
the DaasAs of SrIman NaarAyana are described in a moving manner
by Swamy SaThakOpan/NammAzhwAr .
Swamy NammAzhwAr describes the UpachArams/MaryAdhais that
the Muktha Jeevan recieve from AdhI-VaahikAs in the third
slOkam of this decad .
The 8th Paasuram
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The welcoming deities offer with great pride incense with
myrrh , garland the Muktha Jeevans ,recite veda Vaakyams ,
offer Havis , fruits and benedictions. In the 8th paasuram ,
the praise of the Nithya Sooris to the Muktha Jeevans
is described:
Vaikuntham puhutalum vaasalil Vaanavar
Vaikunthan Tamar Yemar Yemathidam puhatenRu
Vaikunthatt-tamararum munivarum viyanthanar
VAIKUNTHAM PUHUVATHU MANNAVAR VITHIYE
--ThiruvAimozhi: 10.9.8
(meaning according to Dr.V.N.V. Desikan ): The Nithyasooris
greeted the entering MuktAs,saying ," Welcome to our Swamis!
We are proud to be servants of the Lord's dAsAs like You".
All requested the MukthAs to take over the "SrI" , the affluence,
the only affluence that matters , namely , of Kaimkarya to
the Lord. The amarAs (those who are active workers performing
different types of service ) and the Munis (those who enjoy
mentally the auspicious qualities of the Lord), both applauded
the advent of the MukthAs with some awe and admiration and
excalimed , " Waht PuNya would we have performed such that
we can have such entry of MukthAs from earth".
The Ninth paasuram: PerumAL's welcome
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vithi-vahai puhunthanar yenRu NalvEdiyar
pathiyinil paankinil paathankaL kazhuvinar
nithiyum naRRsuNNamum niRaikudaviLakkamum
mathi-muka-madanthayar yEnthinar vanthE
(mening according to Dr.V.N.V.Desikan): The MukthAs
proceeded further. The Nithyassoris , who have been
eulogized by the VedAs, such as AnanthA , GarudA and
VishvaksEnA recieved the MukthAs at the door of their
respective Holy Houses with an acclamation ,"What a good
fortune for us that You have come here ! They also performed
ablution , for courtesy , at the feet of the MukthAs , with
real zeal , even if it was a formality! A little farther ,
the Consorts of the Lord , Lakshmi , Bhoomi and NeeLa ,
with their countenances moon-like , came to recieve
the MuktAs , as representatives of the Lord along with
their attendants, and WITH SRI SATHAKOPAM , the nidhi of
srI VaishNavAs , CHOORNAM from the Lord's feet ,
POORNAKUMBHAMS and MANGALA DHEEPAMS.
The final (11th ) Paasuram describes the Muktha Jeevan
joining the Lord at His Thiru MaamaNi MaNtapam and
enjoying endless bliss through the performance of
Nithya Kaimkarayam.
This is the fruit of travel by ArchirAdhi Maargam
to SrI Vaikuntam by the Muktha Jeevan covered by
the Thirty Ninth slOkam of SrI SaraNAgathi DhIpikai
of Swamy Desikan.