NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. -------------- srI: SrI sAra sAram â I (34) -- I â ThirumantrAdhikAram -- The Significance of ânamahâ (continued) --- The feeling of being a Sesha and a Seshi is common to all bhAgavathas. Yet, the differences in the actions like prostration etc. will remain as per the tradition. SwAmi Desikan explains this point: âip pratiatti otthirunthAlum Sishya AchAryAdikaLukkup pOlE svantra-Aj~naiyAlE vyavasthitai-yAyirukkum.ââ This determination of being a Sesha and a Seshi should be natural to every bhAgavtha, the Lordâs genuine devotee. But it does not do away with the practices we have been observing in our tradition. For example, one is expected to prostrate before his AchArya, parents, and elders in age etc. and serving them and not the vice versa. This is has been laid down in the Sastras by the Lord Himself. For example, a disciple approaches an AchArya. Both are bhAgavathas, aware of being Sesha and Seshai as explained earlier. But, the AchArya has to be shown the due respect as laid down in the SAstra. The disciple is expected to prostrate before his AchArya and render service to him. Here, the disciple will remain a Sesha and the AchArya, a Seshi. There is no change in this rule as laid down by the Lord Who is independent and it will not be fitting with the rule for the AchArya to prostrate before his disciple and do service to him. Hence, the Sesha-Seshi definition is restricted in such cases. Here arises the need to be clear about who is a bhAgavatha, says Swami Desikan: âingu aDiyAr enkiRathu bhagavat-Seshatva j~nAnavAnkaLAna pratibuddharaiyum nityaraiyum muktharaiyumâ â One must be clear about who is indicated by the term âaDiyArâ, that is, âbhagavathaâ. One who is firm that the Lord is the Highest Reality and that he is a servant only to Him is a âbhagavataâ and he should ever maintain this attitude. If the baddhas, who are caught in this samsAra, have this firm conviction at heart, they are the wise ones. If, having realized this they realize they are subservient to the bhagavatas also, they become equally aware of the âBhagavat-Seshatvaâ also, and become entitled to be called the bhAgavatas. The same applies in the case of ever-free jIvas (nityas) and the liberated jIvas (muktas). SwAmi Desikan now reveals the next step: ânin thiruveTTezhutthum kaRRu â nAn uRRathum unnaDiyArkkaDimaiâ enkaiyAlE ithuvE thirumantiratthukku uyir nilai.â Once a jIva achieves the firm conviction of his being the servant of the Lord, he obtains the fruit of it â service to His devotees. SwAmi Desikan says that this is the most vital part of the Tirmantiram. In support, he quotes from a verse of SrI Thirumangai AzhvAr. Let us see the whole verse: âmaRRum Or deivam uLathenRu iruppArODu uRRilEn, uRRathum unnaDiyArkkaDimai maRRellAm pEsilum nin thiruveTTezhutthum kaRRu nAn kaNNapuratthuraiyammAnE.â (Periya Thirumozhi, 8-10-3) (Oh the Lord of KaNNapuram! I will not join those who hold that there is another deity other than Thee. I have learnt the Thirumantiram of Thine. Even if it conveys other meanings, I have accepted only the message of rendering service to Thy devotees.) Even though the AzhvAr has given the reason for his firm conviction, SwAmi Desikan reveals it by referring to it as the âlife-spotâ (uyir nilai) of the Thirumantiram. (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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