NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. ------------ srI: SrI sAra sAram â I (7) -- I â ThirumantrAdhikAram -- The Eminence of Thirumantra (continued) --- SwAmi Desikan now quotes from Thirucchantha Viruttham, to establish the greatness of the Thirumantram: âeTTezhuththum OthuvArkaLâ â Those who recite the ashTAkshara mantraâ. Let us consider the verse in full: âeTTumeTTumeTTumAi orEzhumEzhumEzhumAi eTTumoonRum-onRumaki ninRa Adi dEvanai eTTinAya bEthamOdu irainjininRu avanpeyar eTTezhutthum OthuvArkaL vallar vAnamALavE.â (Thirucchantha Viruttham-77) Meaning: âoru eTTum eTTum eTTumAiâ â as the 24 tattvas; âoru Ezhum Ezhum EzhumAiâ â as the 21 worlds; âeTTu moonRum onRumâ â as 8 tattvas, 3 tattvas and the single tattva; âAki ninRaâ â thus manifesting; âAdi dEvanaiâ -- the primordial Lord; âeTTin Aya bEthamOduâ â having eight types of differences; âiRainchi ninRuâ â standing and saluting; âavan peyarâ â His name; âeTTu ezhutthumâ â the ThiruvashTAkshara mantra; âOthuvArkaLâ â those who do utter; âvAnamALa vallarâ â are capable of ruling even the Parama-padam. Through this verse, Sri Thirumazhisai AzhvAr urges us to resort to the means of prapatti to attain SrI VaikuNTam. For that, mere reciting the ashTAksharam is helpful as the Lord of all the worlds will be pleased with our uttering this mantra. On the other hand, other means like bhakti-yOga are difficult to practice and moreover, one is not sure if he will attain the Lordâs abode at end of this life itself. However, a question is raised: If one adopts prapatti, is devotion is not necessary? The AzhvAr, by way of answering this query, gives the next verse from which SwAmi Desikan gives the next quote: â'dfedZtfTmf varmak OTvaafkqfâ, âeTTezhuththum vAramAka OthuvArkaLââ Those who keep on uttering the ashTAkshara mantra. Let us study the verse in full: âcOrvilAtha kAthalAl thodakkaRA manattharAi neer-arAvaNaik kidantha ninmalan nalangkazhal ArvamOdu iraincininRu avan peyar-eTTezhutthum vAramAka OthuvArkaL vallar vAnamALavE.â (Thirucchantha Viruttham-78) The significant message given by this verse is: By reciting the ashTAkshara mantra, one can attain the Paramapadam, said the AzhvAr in the previous verse. In reply to a question as to what is the form of the Lord that should be meditated upon while reciting this mantra, the AzhvAr gives a clue here. While meditating on the Lord as He is in the Milky Ocean and with extreme love for Him, if one recites the ashTAkshara, he will be the fit person to rule the Paramapadam. Here, the emphasis is on the Lord in the Milky Ocean for the meditation and the deep feeling of bhakti. Even in the bhakti-yOga, one has to have the feeling of love. But, mere love for the Lord does not help with out our mind continuously resting the Lordâs form. The recitation of the ashTAkashara mantra will make this effort an easy one. If one follows the instruction of the AzhvAr, he is sure to attain the Paramapadam where he will be crowned with the Lordâs feet to rule the Empire of Kainkaryam. SrI PeriyavAcchAn Pillai quotes a SlOka from the scripture that will be the standing guidance for the mumukshu (the aspirant): âAseenA vA SayAnA vA tishThantO yatra kutra vA / namO nArAyaNAyEti mantraikaSaraNA vayam //â (nAradeeyam) (Whether sitting, or lying on the bed, or standing any where, we are ever sticking to the recitation of the mantra, ânamO nArAyaNAyaâ.) SwAmi Desikan says, âenRu immoola mantraththaiyE param-purushArththa-moolamaka aruLic ceithArkaL.â â AzhvArs have stressed this mantra alone as the means for attaining the highest goal. (To continue) dAsan Anbil S.SrInivAsan ------ Messenger blocked? Want to chat? Go to http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php ------------------------------------ Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan http://www.sadagopan.org Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:Oppiliappan-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:Oppiliappan-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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