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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00098 Aug 2005

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha
Pranam to all devotees:
 
Verse 1: Line 2: Explains how letter 'ma' indicates the Jeevathma?
jeevatma is subservient ""only"" to Paramatma and is not subservient to any other.
========================================
Verse1:
 
akaraarthoo vishnuhu jagadudaya rakshaa pralaya krth    
makaaraarthoo jeevaha tadupakaranam vaishnavamidam
 
ukaaroonanyaarham niyamayati sambandhamanayoh
trayee saaraha tryaatmaa pranava imamartham samadishath   

========================================
 
Verse 1, line 2 is devoted to explain the letter 'ma'.
The letter 'ma' is the 25th letter and indicates the repository of knowledge
(janam) and therefore, implies 'atma'. Here it refers to the jeevatma.

********* This following info is not in Sri PBA Swami's original but has been provided here for information ***********

The letters in Sanskrit language are grouped within five:  ka, cha, ta, tha, pa
and under each group five letters are there. Each letter signify an entity (thatvam).
They are listed in the Samhithas as follows:-

=> five elements (Bhutas); five of  "Ka"
=> five motor organs (Karmendriyas ); five of  "Cha"
=> five sense organs (Gnanendriyas); five of  "Ta"
=> five principles (Tanmatras); five of  "Tha"
=> and the five of "Pa' group "
       **'Pa' ; the mind (Manas), 
       **''Pha' ; the Individuality ( Ahankara) 
       **'' Ba' ; the Universal mind (Mahat) 
       **'' Bha' ; the primordial matter (Prakruti) and 
       **'' Ma' ; the jeevatma as the 25th letter.
********* End info addition ***********
 
Thus, the Jeeva is different from the other 24 Tattvas.
So is Iswara (differrent from others) , the 26th who is the ultimate cause of everything.
 
Swami Nammalwar has summorised the above in his verse
'pongu ampulanum, pri iyndum- karu mayindriyam amboodam,
ingu ivuyeerai-pragrithi, manangara manangalay'.

In the above list the letter 'ma' representing 'jeeva' occupies 25th place.
The root for the letter is 'mana-jnaney' or 'mana-avabhodhaney'.
The meanings of the roots are embodiment of knowledge or
possessing the attribute of knowledge.
These qualities are present in jeevan (soul).


Between the two letters 'ah' and 'ma' there is no connecting case ending.
Saying merely 'Paramatma' and 'jeevatma' does not indicate any
connection bertween the two. There ought to be a case ending to indicate
the relation between the two.
 
It is indicated in this work and in other purvacharya commentaries that
there is a fourth case ending present between the two words 'ah' and 'ma'
which has disappeared in accordance to a grammar rule.
 
It would be sufficient to understand that the case ending is
similar to the english word 'to'.

This with the word 'ah' means that "jeeva" is subservient "to"  "Paramatma."
 
This position of jeevatma is brought out in the next two words of the verse.
Thathupakaranam vaishnavamidam –
Thath–idam (this jeevatma) Vaishnavamuparakanam (is subservient to Paramatma.)
A doubt may arise why we should consider only the fourth case ending
on the word 'ah' when there are several other cases available.
 
The reply is given as that the fourth case ending is clearly indicated
in the following word of Thirumantram, as Narayanaya which is the expansion
of the word 'ah' in the Pranavam.
Therefore only the fourth case ending is appropriate.
 
Note the distinction in the usage of words, 'jeevaha' and 'that idam'
which are different in gender. The word 'jeeva' is a masculine gender
word and the word 'that idam' which are different is a neuter gender word.
The neuter gender is used for inanimate objects which is bereft of knowledge.
 
The significance in the usage is that the all knowing, knowledgable jeevan
may have to behave like an inanimate object which is devoid of knowledge.

The true nature of the 'jeevan' (soul) is to conduct itself as an inanimate object
with reference to Paramatma and should be solely dependent on Him.

The third line in the verse explains the meaning of the word 'ooh'.

In Sanskrit this implies 'eva';  in english  this means 'only'.
That is jeevatma is subservient ""only"" to Paramatma and does (is)  not subservient to any other.
 
End of Verse 1.
We start with Verse 2 in the next post.

--
Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam
Ramanuja Dasan
VP Srinivasa Varadan


azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam




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