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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sadagopaniyengar" <sadagopaniyengar@xxxxxxxx>
To: "SriRangaSri" <SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "radha jagannathan" 
<radha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "J.Srinivasan" <arunharitha@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; 
"cs.srinivasan" <chetlurvas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 6:11 AM
Subject: [SriRangaSri] "Vaiyyam Sumappadum Vambu"
                          Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra 
Mahadesikaya nama:

                "Vaiyyam Sumappadum Vambu"

 Almost all the Stotras we know generally incorporate a "Phala shruti" or a 
cataloguing of benefits that would accrue to the reader. We find this in the 
great Epic Srimad Ramayanam. At the end of the very first chapter, we are 
told that one who reads the holy story of Rama would be freed from all sin 
and would be blessed with a long tenure in Swargam, along with one's sons 
and grandsons. Along with this general benediction, caste-wise benefits are 
also enumerated-Brahmins would acquire proficiency in speech, those of royal 
blood would become acclaimed monarchs, merchants would beget great wealth 
and so on. The Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram too has a pretty long "phala 
shruti" at the end of it, promising everyone what they desire and what is 
good for them. We find Azhwars too indicating how profitable the perusal of 
their Prabandams would be. Sri Andal tells us that those who recite 
"Vaaranamaayiram" would be blessed with good children-"Vaayu nan makkalai 
pettru maghizhware". Those who master the depths of the ten pasurams on 
Tirumalirumsolai would be sure to reach the Lord's lotus feet, says She-"Sen 
tamzih patthum vallaar Tirumaal adi servargale". Readers would rid 
themselves of all their travails, promises Kodai Naachiyaar, at the end of 
the ten pasurams beginning with "Kannan enum karum deivam". And the last 
decad of Naachiar Tirmozhi assures us that those who meditate on its 
esoteric purports would attain inseparable and eternal communion with 
Emperuman-"Perum taal udaya Piraan adi keezh piriyaadu endrum iruppaare".

 While most of the Azhwars enumerate the eternal and everlasting bliss that 
one would attain in the Lord's service as the outcome of mastering their 
Prabandams, there are certain exceptions too. For instance, Sri Nammazhwar 
promises those who know well the ten pasurams beginning with "Kedum idar", 
that they would embrace delightful damsels with slender shoulders like 
bamboo shoots-"anaivar poi amarulagil painthodi madandayar tam vey maru tol 
inaye". Wouldn't you consider this totally uncharacteristic of Nammazhwar, 
who had not even a whiff of worldly pleasure, all through his brief sojourn 
on this earth? And for one who concentrated whole-heartedly on the Lord and 
His auspicious attributes to the exclusion of everything else, promising his 
readers an apparently puerile benefit, such as the company of beautiful 
women, appears out of place. And it appears incompatible too with the avowed 
purpose of the entire Tiruvaimozhi, that of generating and sustaining an 
all-consuming fervour for the Lord and all that is associated with Him. We 
wonder why Azhwar should suddenly resort to promising such ephemeral 
pleasures, when, all along, he has been advocating their conscious avoidance 
at all cost.

 When we turn to the commentaries for elucidation, we find Sri Nampillai 
explaining this phenomenon of Azhwar's apparently unsuitable promises with 
an apt example. To improve a cow's yield, cowherds usually keep a stuffed 
calf in the cow's sight, so that, enthused by the thought of feeding its 
young one, the mother secretes milk plentifully. Similarly, Azhwar too 
promises to Samsaaris the benefit they would covet (that of delightful 
feminine company). And, once they start perusing Tiruvaimozhi in the hope of 
attaining these minor pleasures, they lose themselves eventually in its 
descriptions of the Lord and His auspicious attributes. Ultimately they 
acquire the requisite wisdom, devotion and Vairaagyam, which lead them to a 
simple strategy like Prapatti, which in turn confers Salvation.

 We thus see that "Phala Shruti"s range from promises of prosperity, 
material and otherwise, to the attainment of the Ultimate Goal, viz., 
Moksham.

 While it is all right to catalogue the benefits arising from the study of 
Scripture, have you come across instances of negative incentives being 
prescribed for failure to study a particular Stotram or Prabandam? Have you 
similarly chanced upon criticism of people who do not study a particular 
Prabandam?

 For instance, while the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram appends quite an 
exhaustive list of what could be achieved through its recitation, we do not 
find any element of compulsion in its learning or study. It doesn't mention, 
for instance, that those who do not know the Stotram would rot forever in 
hell. Similarly, none of the Prabandams of Sri Nammazhwar or of Sri Kalian 
prescribes any detriment for non-study. It is only in the case of Tiruppavai 
that we are told that those who know not the thirty poignant pasurams of 
Kodai Naacchiar need not have been born at all, their lives being an utter 
waste. Planet Earth would earn an indelible stigma by carrying these people, 
who are ignorant of Tiruppavai- Kodai Tamizh iyyaiyndum iyndum ariyaada 
maanidarai

                       Vaiyyam sumappadum Vambu".

 For an Acharya to go to the extent of castigating in such strong terms 
those who do not know Tiruppavai, is indeed unusual. Our Preceptors are 
known more for their persuasive and mercy-filled exhortations, than pungent 
admonitions. This being so, it stands to reason that Tiruppavai contains 
some basic truths, without the knowledge of which our learning is incomplete 
and without which we have little to show for having been blessed with a 
human birth. What could be the fundamental concepts that this Prabandam 
portrays, which could entitle it to such indispensability?

 1.      Godhead-The first and foremost concept that Tiruppavai enunciates, 
in the very first pasuram, is the identity of the Supreme Being who is 
capable of bestowing Salvation. While there are any number of deities who 
grant minor boons, if it is Moksham you want, then it is to Sriman Narayana 
you must apply-"Moksham icchet Janaardanaat". Unless we have a firm grasp of 
this, we would keep going round the maze of Samsara, caught up in the 
interminable cycle of births and deaths. Hence, unless we realise that 
"Narayanane namakke parai taruvaan", would there be any purpose at all to 
our lives?

 2.      Good Conduct-Apart from revealing esoteric truths, Tiruppavai also 
instructs us in rules of good conduct, which ensure our physical and 
psychological health. We are told about simple rules like bathing in the 
early morning ("naat kaale neeradi"), avoiding bad ways ("seyyaadana 
seyyom"), eschewing untruthful and unpleasant speech ("tee kuralai chendru 
odom"), performing as much charity as possible ("iyyamum picchayum aam 
tanayum kai kaatti"). It is Tiruppavai's uniqueness that it instructs us not 
only in high philosophy, but in "Saamaanya Dharmam" too.

 3.      Naama Sankeertanam-Tiruppavai highlights the easy and delightful 
pursuit of singing the Lord's names, which is touted to be THE strategy for 
attaining devotion, in this Kali Yuga-"Kalou sankeertaya Kesavam". Repeated 
references to this upaayam are to be found in the thirty pasurams-"Ongi 
ulagalanda Uttaman per paadi",  "Kesavanai paadavum nee kette kidatthiyo", 
"Paar kadalul paiyya tuyindra Paraman adi paadi"  "Damodaranai-vaayinaal 
paadi manatthinaal sindikka", "Maa vaai pilandaanai.paadi parai kondu", 
"MaaMaayan Madhavan, Vaikunthan endru endru naamam palavum navindrelor 
empaavaai" and so on. Would anyone's life be worth living, if he or she 
didn't utter the Lord's glorious names, as laid down in Tiruppavai?

 4.      Good Company-The common thread running through all the thirty songs 
of Tiruppavai is that of keeping company with the good and saintly-Sat 
Sangham or Bhaagavata Samsargam. The uplifting nature of the company of 
kindred souls hungering for Bhagavat anubhavam is portrayed time and again. 
The emphasis is on collective enjoyment of divine bliss-"koodi irundu 
kulirndu". The benefits of Sat Sangham are vividly visible for all to see, 
in these pasurams.

5.      The Relationship-Though volumes have been written regarding the 
relationship between the individual soul and the Paramatma, it is Tiruppavai 
which puts the same in a nutshell and highlights the Master-Slave bond that 
binds the Lord and ourselves together-"ettraikkum ezhezh piravikkum uttrome 
aavom, unakke naam aat cheivom". That this bond is not ephemeral like 
worldly ones and is eternal, is brought out by the line, "un tannodu uravel 
namakku ingu ozhikka ozhiyaadu".

                             Our duty is to perform all possible service to 
Him-"nee kuttreval engalai   Kollaamal    pogaadu".

 6.      Our Desire-All of us are victims of wayward minds, which push us 
deeper and deeper into the whirlpool of desires. The satisfaction of one 
desire immediately gives rise to another and we get caught up in unending 
waves of wants. Tiruppavai has a very practical lesson to offer in this 
regard. Knowing full well that it is futile to instruct human beings to 
avoid desires, Andal shows us the way to channel these desires in a 
productive fashion, directing them towards attaining the Lord, performing 
endless service to Him and His devotees. The prayer is thus for the Lord to 
relieve us of desires which run counter to these objectives-"mattrai nam 
kaamangal maatru".

 7.      The Strategy-We might know everything, but if we know not the 
strategy for attaining Liberation, we would continue to wallow in this 
mundane mire. Sri Andal proclaims this strategy in the very first pasuram 
itself, by telling us that the Lord would grant Moksham only to Prapannas- 
"Narayanane namakke parai taruvaan". The operative word here is "namakku", 
(to us) which indicates Surrendered Souls or those who have performed 
Prapatti. And the emphasis on this term, "namakke" makes it clear that the 
Lord would grant Moksham only to those who surrender themselves to Him, 
heart and soul--"Prapannaat anyeshaam na disati Mukunda: nija padam"

 8.      Arttha Panchakam: The avowed objective of all Scriptural 
formulations is to enlighten us about the Five Fundamentals, knowledge of 
which is essential for emancipation. When we summarise all that has been 
said above, it boils down to the fact that Tiruppavai is all about the 
following five aspects-

 a)      Nature and Identity of the Supreme Being

b)      Nature of the Individual Soul

 c)      The Strategy to be adopted for the Individual Soul to attain the 
Lord's lotus feet

 d)      What fruits await the Soul upon its ascent to Paramapadam

 e)      What impediments stand in the way of the Soul from 
realising/attaining all the aforesaid.

>From all these, it would be crystal clear that those who are not fortunate 
to know Tiurppavai could never aspire for the Ultimate Goal. Without the 
Guide Book of Tiruppavai, they would know not the rules of conduct for life 
in this world or for ascent to those above. And denied of such wisdom, they 
would be little better than quadrupeds-"Gnaanena heena: pasubhi: samaana:". 
And the world would be little richer for their nondescript and unremarkable 
existence-which is what the line "Vaiyyam sumappadum vambu" portrays so 
eloquently.

 The greatness of Tiruppavai can be understood from the number of 
commentaries it has been able to attract, from eminent scholars, who have 
found, in these mere thirty pasurams, the seeds of concepts propounded in 
the entire Shruti. No less than seven vyaakhyaananams are available for this 
Prabandam-those authored by Sri Periavachan Pillai, Sri Azhagia Manavala 
Perumal Nayanar, Sri Nampillai, Sri Aay Jananyaacharya, Sri Peria Parakala 
Swami, Sri Rangaramanuja Swami (in Sanskrit), Sri Ranganatha Swami, Sri 
SuddhaSattvam Doddayaachaar Swami, Sri Vanamamalai Jeer and the last, but by 
no means the least, the one by Srimad Mukkur Azhagiasingar. If so many 
scions of the Sampradayam have seen fit to comment on these thirty 
apparently simple verses, it is indeed a glowing tribute to Tiruppavai's 
esoteric and truths, which transcend time and place.

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 dasan, sadagopan



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