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srI:
SrI sAra sAram â I (28)
--
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram
--
The Significance of ânamahâ (continued)
---
SwAmi Desikan further discusses the significance of the word,
ânamahaâ. We have already seen that this word is the middle word in the
Tirumantram, coming after the first word, the praNava. The word, ânamahaâ
is also a sentence by itself, meaning âI am not mine nor other things
connected with me.â It takes the sentence form when it is split into two
words, ânaâ and âmahaâ. Here, the word, âmahaâ is formed from the
root, âmâ which signifies the Atma, as we saw in the praNavam. This root
âmâ turns into âmahaâ as the singular sixth case according to grammar.
âmâ means âIâ and in its sixth case it means âmineâ, in Tamil
âenakkuâ. This is a general usage. It also has a special relationship which
is explained by SwAmi Desikan now:
â âaham mEâ enRu anAdiyAka bhramit-thavan ippOthu, âAtmA api cAyam na
mamaâ enkiRAn. itthai âatha mahyam naâ enRArkaL.
Sambandha-sAmAnya-shashThee ingu tAdarthyatthai vivakshikkiRathu enRu
tAtparyam. thannaip paTRath thanakku nishEdhyamAna tAdarthyam
AkAra-bhEdat-thAlE varukaiyAl AtmASraya-dOsham-illai. thAn thanakkup
paNNikkoLLum atiSayamum parArthamenRu anu-santhikkaik-kAka ingu âthAn
thanakkuc SEshanallanâ enkiRathu.â
We shall now study this passage sentence by sentence:
ââaham mEâ enRu anAdiyAka bhramit-thavan ippOthu, âAtmA api cAyam na
mamaâ enkiRAn.â â
The jIva, that is, the sentient-being, has been thinking from time
immemorial that âI am for me aloneâ. This is a wrong assumption that has no
known origin. It has been there in all his past lives that are countless.
However, since he has understood the significance of this word, ânamahaâ,
he gets the realization that he is not the servant to himself. As he has now
realized that he is not the physical body, but the Atma, which is housed within
this body, he has started saying, âAtmA api cAyam na mamaâ â âThis Atma
too is not mine.â This quote is from the MahAbhArata. Let us see the SlOka in
full:
âAtmApi cAyam na mama sarvApi pruthivee mama /
yathA mama tathA aNyEshAmiti paSyan na muhyati //â (MahAbhArata, SAnti
Parva, 25-19)
(My Atma too is not my servant. If a thing that is not SEsha to me is claimed
as my SEsha, even the whole world can also be thought as a SEsha to me. My Atma
is not only not SEsha to me, but to others too. One who knows this will not be
confused.)
This wisdom is the result of his knowledge about the significance of the
praNavam.
SwAmi Desikan gives a pramANa from SrI ParAsara Bhattarâs
ashTHaSlOkee:
âitthai âatha mahyam naâ enRArkaL.â â AcArya-s have described this
realization as âatha mahyam naâ (ashThaSlOkee-3) -- âI am not a SEsha to
meâ. We have already studied this SlOka earlier.
SwAmi Desikan explains:
âsambandha-sAmAnya-shashThee ingu tAdarthyatthai viviakshikkiRathu enRu
tAtparyam.â -- The word âmahâ is in the sixth case which normally shows
only the connection. The term used to indicate this connection is
âsambandha-sAmAnya-shashTheeâ. Here in this context, it conveys in
particular the sense of being SEsha.
âThannaip paTRath thanakku nishEdhyamAna tAdarthyam AkAra-bhEdat-thAlE
varukaiyAl, AtmASraya-dOsham-illai.â
Here, an objection may rise: It has been shown that the word,
ânamahâ refutes the wrong notion that has been there earlier that one was
the SEsha to himself. How does this thought occur to him? In that case, it
would turn out to one being both SEshi and SEshi at the same time. Is it
possible? In the world, have we ever seen anyone being the master and the
servant to himself? If it happens, then, will it not be a fallacy, called
âAtmASraya dOshamâ? The âAtmASraya-dOshamâ is the fallacy of
self-dependence. As the Atma already has the SEshatva quality, if it is
attributed to have the opposite quality of SEshi also, will not be
self-refutation? If such a question is raised, Swami Desikan replies:
âThannaip paTRath thanakku nishEdhyamAna tAdarthyam AkAra-bhEdat-thAlE
varukaiyAl, AtmASraya-dOsham-illai.â --
A SEsha (servant) has to render some distinguished service to his master. The
person who receives the distinguished service is the SEshi (master). A person
may even render some special service to himself. He can also attain the glory
as a result. Hence, doing a special service to oneself and receiving its
benefits are different from one another, and hence the fault of
âAtmASrayamâ will not arise. It, therefore, finally emerges that there is
nothing wrong in saying that the ânaâ in the word, ânamahâ refutes the
notion of one being the SEsha to oneself.
It may be asked, what is the use of feeling, âI am not Sesha to
myselfâ following the understanding of the word, ânamahâ? Swami Deikan
gives the reply:
âthAn thanakkup paNNikkoLLum atiSayamum parArthamenRu anu-santhikkaik-kAka
ingu âthAn thanakkuc SEshanallanâ enkiRathu.â â
It is a rule that a SEsha should do splendid service to the SEshi. As per this
rule, if the jIva does something for his own benefit, he must consider that it
ultimately goes to the Lord and not to him self. Hence, we should realize that
the feeling that one is not SEsha to one self actually results in the thought
that everything is for the Lord alone.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
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