NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8.ÂÂ -------------------- srI: SrI sAra sAram â I (20) -- I â ThirumantrAdhikAram -- The Significance of the âuâ in PraNava --- After discussing in detail the significance of the first syllable âaâ of the praNava, Swami Desikan now takes up the second syllable âuâ to analyze the messages conveyed by it.: âmadhyama-aksharam SrutikaLil prayOga viSEsha prasiddhiyAlE avadhAraNArthamAi, keezhc conna tAdarthyatthai anya-yOga-vyavacchEdatthAlE niyamikkiRathu. akAra vAcyanAna Sriyah-pathikkE nirupAdhikaSEsham enRthAyiTRu. itthAl jeevarkaLaip paTRa nirupAdhika-SEshatvam kazhikaiyAlE dEvatAnthara-parityAgamum phalikkum. ithu tadeeya-paryantam ennumiDam âmaTRumOr deivam uLathenRipArODuTRilEnâ enRu kATTappaTTathu.â In the PraNava, âuâ is the middle syllable. This syllable is found mentioned in various scriptural passages. Says SwAmi Desikan: âmadhyama-aksharam SrutikaLil prayOga viSEsha prasidhiyAlE avadhAraNArthamAiâ -- The syllable âuâ has a special application in the Vedic passages. When we consider these passages, we find that it is used in the sense of determination. âkeezhc conna tAdarthyatthai anya-yOga-vyavacchEdatthAlE niyamikkiRathu.â â It emphasizes the meaning mentioned earlier, that is, the sentient beings belong to the Lord, signified by the first syllable, âaâ along with the hidden affix, âAyaâ. It may be questioned that when âaâ, with the affix, âAyaâ, indicates the fact of His being the SEshi, why should there be a need to re-emphasize the same fact? A fact is strengthened by ruling out any doubt that is likely to arise in the mind. In this case, a doubt may arise in our minds that the Lord may be one among the different SEshis. That is, He may be one of the Masters of the jIva. For instance, jIva himself can be own master, besides the Lord. This is being denied by this middle syllable, âuâ. Technically it is known as âavadhAraNamâ â exclusiveness. More clearly, it cuts off any such master-servant relationship with others. This is the meaning of âanya-yOga-vyavcchEdamâ. Here, âyOgaâ means connection. âanya-yOgaâ means connection with other than a particular one. âvyavacchEdamâ means denial or elimination. Hence, the expression, âanya-yOga-vyavacchEdamâ, eliminates of any such connection which, in this context, is the master-servant relationship. By this denial, it now becomes clear that the jIva is servant only to the Lord and none else. This is being now put in a polished way by SwAmi Desikan: âakAra vAcyanAna Sriyah-pathikkE nirupAdhikaSEsham enRthAyiTRu.â -- Hence, jIva is the SEsha (servant) of the Lord, the Consort of Lakshmee, indicated by the syllable, âaâ in the natural way not for any reason or cause. This is technically mentioned by the expression, ânirupAdhika-SEshanâ. As a result of this, the jIva is not answerable to anyone else. This is revealed by SwAmi Desikan next: âitthAl jeevarkaLaip paTRa nirupAdhika-SEshatvam kazhikaiyAlE dEvatAnthara-parityAgamum phalikkum.â â The fact that the jIva is a natural servant of the Lord results in the exclusion of other gods being his masters. Not only he will not approach them but he will avoid any relationship with those who believe in the existence of another god apart from the Consort of SrI, says SwAmi Desikan: âithu tadeeya-paryantam ennumidam âmaTRumOr deivam uLathenRipArOduTRilEnâ enRu kATTappaTTathu.â The exclusion of other gods extends up to their devotees too. This is shown by AzhvArs too. For instance, SrI Thirumangai AzhvAr has stated, âI will not have anything to do with those who say there is another god (other than the Consort of SrI). SwAmi Desikan quotes from the AzhvArâs verse to establish this. We shall see the verse in full: âmaTRumOr deivam uLathenRu iruppArODu uTRilEn uTRathum un aDiyArkku aDimai maTRellAm pEsilum nin thiru veTTezhutthum kaTRu nAn kaNNapuratthuRaiyammAnE.â (Periya Thirumozhi, 8-10-3) (Oh Lord of KaNNapuram! I will not join those who believe that there is a God besides You. After learning the ashTAkshara mantra of Yours, I abide by the message that I am a servant of Your devotees, though there are several other messages conveyed by that mantra.) (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! 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