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srI:
SrI  sAra  sAram â I (5)
-- 
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram 
-- 
The Eminence of Thirumantra 
--- 
After conveying the order in which the three mantras have to be observed, SwAmi 
Desikan now shows the various aspects of the greatness of the Thirumantra:
âivaRRil SrImad ashTAksharamAkiRa mahA mantram pala upanishaththukkaLilum 
upa-brahmhaNangaLilum prasiddhamAi, âtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAniâ 
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE Sruti-smrutikaL ellAvaRRilumuLLa sAra-thama arththangaLaip  
pothinthukoNdiruppathAi, âyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE 
sarva anishTa nivarththana-kshamamAi, âaihalowkikam-aiSvaryamâ 
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva purushArththankaLukkum sAdhanamAi, 
âsakrudashTAksharam japtvAâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE 
japa-artha-jn~AnAdi-mukha-ththAlE karma yOgAdikaL ellAvaRRukkum upakArakamAi, 
âna svarah praNavOngAniâ, âvadikam thAntrikam caivaâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE 
thantham adhikAra-anuguNa-mAka sarva-varNangaLukkum upajeevyamAi, 
âcEtanAcEtanam sarvamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, SEsha-SEshi-sarva-tattva 
kaNThOkti-maththAi, âkim tatra bahubhir-mantraihâ, âEkOshTAkshara 
EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayEâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva-mantra nairapEkshya-karamAi, 
âsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA
 bhavEtâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva bhagavan moorththi-kaLukkum sAdhAraNamAi, âna 
mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ, âmantrANAm paramO mantrahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE,  
sarva vyApaka mantrangkaLilum pradhAna-mAyirukkaiyAlE,  sarva AchAryarkaLum 
iththaiyE AdharippArkaL.â   
        SwAmi Desikan points out that all AchAryas adopt the Thirumantram which 
is also known as ashTAksharam, because of its unique eminence. He proves its 
greatness from ten angles, based on various scriptural authorities. Let us 
study them.
âivaRRilâ â Of these three mantras, namely, Thirumantram, Dvayam and the 
Caram-SlOkam.     
âSrImad ashTAksharamAkiRa mahA mantramâ â The magnificent mantram, known 
as âSrImad ashTAksharamâ.  As this mantra contains eight letters, it is 
called âashTAksharamâ. This is also a holy mantra which is indicated by the 
prefix, âSrImadâ. 
(1) âpala upanishaththukkaLilum upa-brahmhaNangaLilum prasiddhamAiâ â 
This mantram is adored in many Upanishads and scriptures which clarify the 
vEdic ideas. 
(ii) ââtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAniâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE Sruti-smrutikaL 
ellAvaRRilumuLLa sAra-thama arththangaLaip pothinthukoNdiruppathAiâ â 
        This mantram contains in it the most essential truths expounded in all 
the Vedas and Smrutis, as stated in this scriptural SlOka:
 âtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAni chandAmsi vividhAh svarAh /
 sarvamashTAksharAntasstham yccAnyadapi vAngmayam //â  (nAradeeyam, 1-9)
(Three vEdas and their six auxiliaries, Chandas, svaras, and other holy mantras 
are all contained within the ashTAkshara mantram.) 
(iii) ââyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva anishTa 
nivarththana-kshamamAiâ -- This mantram is capable of removing all 
undesirable effects, as stated in this SlOka:
 âyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhO mahAbhAgO maheeyatE /
  na tatra samcarishyanti vyAdhidurbhikshataskarAâ (nAradeeyam, 1-19)
(Where the MahAnubhAvas (the saintly minded), who knowing the truth of the 
Thirumantram are meditating on it, are respected, there neither disease, nor 
famine nor thieves will not enter. Here, disease means desire etc.; famine 
means absence of awareness; and thieves are ahankAram, mamakAram etc.)  
(iv) ââaihalowkikam-aiSvaryamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva 
purushArththankaLukkum sAdhanamAiâ --  
        The Thirumantram stands as a means for all the fruits including wealth, 
heaven and liberation, according to the following scriptural statement:
 âaihalowkikam-aiSvaryam svargAdyam pAralowkikam /
  kaivalyam bhagavantam ca mantrOyam sAdhayishyati //â (nAradeeyam Kalpam, 
6-50)
(This mantram helps to attain wealth in this world, heaven; or kaivalyam; or 
mOksham for enjoying the total bliss of the Lord.)
 (v) ââsakrudashTAksharam japtvAâ ithyAdikaLiRpadiyE 
japa-artha-jn~AnAdi-mukha-ththAlE karma yOgAdikaL ellAvaRRukkum upakArakamAiâ 
--   
The mantram also helps one to adopt karma-yOga etc. through the performance of 
japa and the knowledge of its significance, as stated in this scriptural 
statement:
 ârucO yajoomshi sAmAni tathaivAtharvaNAni ca /
  sakrudashTAksharam japtvA sa tasya phalamaSnutE //â (nAradeeyam, 1-10) â 
(Even if one does the japa of the ashTAkshara mantram only once, he obtains the 
fruit of reciting all the four Vedas, namely, Rg, yajur, sAma and atharva.) 
(vi) ââna svarah praNavOngAniâ, âvadikam thAntrikam caivaâ 
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE thantham adhikAra-anuguNa-mAka sarva-varNangaLukkum 
upajeevyamAi,â â 
        This mantram can be adopted by all the castes according to respective 
qualifications, says the scripture:
(1) âna svarah praNavOngAni nApyanyavidhayastathA /
        streenAm tu SoodrajAteenAm mantramAtrOktirishyatE //â (nAradeeyam, 
1-103)
(Women as well as those belonging to the fourth caste can just utter the 
mantram alone to get the benefit, though they are not supposed to use svaram, 
praNavam or do anganyAsam.)  
 (2) âvadikam thAntrikam caiva tathA vaidika-tAntrikam /
        trividham karma samprOktam pancarAtrAmrutArNavE //
       vaidikam brahmaNAnAm  tu  rAjn~Am vaidika-tAntrikam /
        tAntrikam vaiSya-SoodrANAm sarvEshAm tAntrikam tu vA //â (SanatkumAra 
Samhita, 4-68, 69)
(In the PAncarAtra Agamam, karma is defined as of three types: vaidikam, 
tAntrikam and vaidika-tAntrikam. Vaidikam is meant for brAhmins; 
vaika-tAntrikam for kings; and tAntrikam for vaiSyas and soodras. But, 
tAntrikam is for all.)
(vii) âcEtanAcEtanam sarvamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, SEsha-SEshi-sarva-tattva 
kaNThOkti-maththAi,â â 
        The mantram openly indicates the relationship between the SEsha 
(servant) and the SEshi (Master), as stated in the scripture:
 âcEtanAcEtanam sarvam vishnOryadvyatiricyatE /
  nAram tadayanam cEdam yasya nArAyaNastu sah //â (Source is not known) --   
(All sentient beings and non-sentient objects, which are different from VishNu, 
are called as nAram. The indweller in them is nArAyaNan.) 
(viii) ââkim tatra bahubhir-mantraihâ, âEkOshTAkshara 
EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayEâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva-mantra 
nairapEkshya-karamAi,â --  
        This mantram does not depend on any other mantra for its adoption, as 
confirmed by the scriptural statements:
(1) âkim tatra bahubhir-mantraih kim tatra bahubhirvrataih /
  namO nArAyaNAyEti mantrah sarvArtha-sAdhakah //â (nArdeeyam, 1-60) â 
(Why should there be so many mantras and rites? The mantram, ânamO 
nArAyaNayaâ is alone capable of getting all the desired fruits.) 
(2) âEkOshTAkshara EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayE /
  kshudra-mantra-japaastvanyah kEvalam kAlayApanam //â (nAradeeyam, 1-17) â
(The ashTAkshara mantram  is alone suffice to purify the soul. Performing other 
minor japas is a waste of time.)
(ix) ââsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA bhavEtâ 
enkiRapadiyE, sarva bhagavan moorththi-kaLukkum sAdhAraNamAi,â â 
        This mantram is common for all the moortis (forms) of the Lord, without 
any need for a separate mantra for every form of the Lord, as stated in this 
SlOkam:
 âsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA bhavEt /â (Source is not 
known)---
(The ashTAkshara mantram is common for all the forms of the Lord.)
(x) ââna mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ, âmantrANAm paramO mantrahâ 
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE,  sarva vyApaka mantrangkaLilum pradhAna-mAyirukkaiyAlE  
sarva  AchAryarkaLum  iththaiyE  AdharippArkaL.â â
        Three mantras are known as vyApaka mantras. They are: Thirumantram, 
VishNu-shadaksharam and DvAdaSAksharam. Of these three, the Thirumantram is the 
most important, say the scriptures:
 (1) âyathA sarvEshu dEvEshu nAsti nArAyaNat parah /
        tathA sarvEshu mantrEshu na mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ (nArasimha 
PurANam, 18-32) â 
(As there is no superior to nArAyaNa among all the gods, there is no superior 
to the ashTAkshara, among all the mantras.)
 (2)  âmantrANAm paramO mantrah guhyAnAm  guhyamuttamam /
         pavitrANAm pavitram ca moolamantrah sanAtanah //â (nAradeeyam, 1-11) 
â 
(Thirumantam is without beginning; the best among all the mantras; the 
secret-most mantra; and the purest among the pure.) 
        In view of these facts, all Acharyas prefer this Thiru ashTAkshara 
Mantram alone. 


(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
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