SrI:
Dear BhakthAs
:
Swamy AlavanthAr was
inspired by the ThiruvAimozhi Paasuram of
Swamy NammAzhwAr in
construction of the 22nd Paasuram of
SthOthra Rathnam . He
followed the foot steps of Swamy NammAzhwAr
in (1) describing his
adhikAri Svaroopam (akinchanan and ananya
gathi)
has one fit for recieving the
attention of the
Lord and (2) following that appeal
with the performance of his
SaraNAgathy at the
Lord's sacred feet ( Thvath
Paadhamoolam SaraNam
PrapadhyE ). This
moving Paasuram of Swamy
NammAzhwar about
Sreevaramangala Nagar EmperumAn is( ThiruvAimozhi
5.7.1) :
nORRa nOnbilEn nuNNaRivilEn ,
aahilum ini uNNai vittu
onRum
aaRRahiRkinRilEn aravinaNai AmmAnE
sERRut-tAmarai sennalUdumalar
Sreevaramangalanakar
veeRRiruntha YenthAi !
unakuu mihaiallEnangE
Here , Swamy NammaAzhwAr declares that he
has not distinguished
himself by mastering Karma yOgam ( nORRa
nOnbilEn) .Swamy AlavanthAr
echoed this sentiment with the words : "na
dharma nishtOsmi " . adiyEn has no
saadhanam or upAyam to complete a karma .
My karmAnushtAnam is not
complete . Had I done that , Sva-Svarropa
Jn~Anam will result , which in turn will
lead to Para-Svaroopa Jn~Anam (Aathma Vedhi
). At this stage, Para Roopa
SaakshAthkAra bhagyam
will be gained and the effect
would be
the stabilization of Bhakthi for the
sacred feet of the Lord ( BhakthimAn
ThvaccharaNAravindhE ) .
With adiyEn's deficencies in Karma and
Jn~Ana yOgams (nORRa nOnbilEn ,
nuNNaRivilEn ) , there is no chance
whatsoever for me to step in to
the realm of Bhakthi yOgam ( na
bhakthimAn ThvaccharANaravindhE ). With those deficits in
Karma and Jn~Ana yOgam ,
how can I dream about calling myself a
BhakthimAn ? adiyEn is akinchanan and
ananyagathi . adiyEn does not have the
bhAgyam at this time of belonging to
Your upAya ghOshti. Oh Lord ! count adiyEn
in Your " fold of protection "
and come to my rescue cries Swamy
NammAzhwAr .
In this decad of VaanamAmalai Paasurams ,
Swamy NammAzhwAr advances
his case by arguing for the Lord's grace to
fall on him . In the second paasuram ,
he admits that he has not performed any
saadhana / upaaya to enjoy the Lord of
VaanamAmalai . He pointsa out further that
he is not competent to perform
such a saadhana. I have developed a ruchi
for You and You must help me
at this stage . It is only Your grace that
can save me to overcome my miserable lot .
In the 4th Paasuram , Swamy NammAzhwAr
reminds the Lord of VaanamAmalai
about the many upakArams that he has done
to save others and appeals :
" You can save me and pull me up also , if
You desire . Now how shall I cry
and call You to come and rescue me ? You
are here and near me " . In the fifth
Paasuram , Swamy NammAzhwAr presses his
case : " You , who did all that
for Your protegees , must render similar
help for me as well . Please do it ".
In the 6th Paasuram , Swamy expresses his
longing to serve the Lord and
begs Him accept his kaimkaryam : " Oh Lord
! Come down in physical form
to exact from me lovable service I
long to render (adiyEn thozha vantharuLE )
".
In the 9th paasuram , Swamy NammAzhwAr
continues with his prayer for
the Kaimkaryam : " adiyEn wishes to gain
the privilege of service at Your feet.
Please grant it to adiyEn ".
In the tenth Paasuram of this decad , Swamy
NammAzhwAr expresses his
gratitude to the Lord for showing
the upAyam for Moksham ( Thvath Paadhamoolam
SaraNam PrapadhyE ) . Swamy ParAsara
Bhattar 's nirvAham on this wonderful
Paasuram is an excellent one to enjoy (
Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan's translation) :
" Oh Lord ! You taught me that I must cling
to Your feet as an UpAya . This upAya
will take me to my goal. What return
shall I render to You for having helped me in
this enlightenment ? If I were to place my
soul at Your disposal , as a kind of
gratitude , that soul is already
Yours! Oh Lord of Srivaramangai ! ---what can
I surrender to You that is not already
Yours ! " .
Thus ends this decad that influenced Swamy AlavanthAr
to compose the 22nd slOkam starting with : " na dharma
nishtOsmi na chAthmavEdhi na BHakthimAn
ThvaccharaNAravindhE,
akinchanO ananyagathys-SaraNya Thvath
Paadhamoolam
SaraNam PrapadhyE ".
We will continue with Swamy Desikan's
commentary
to the above SthOthra Rathna slOkam of
Swamy AlavanthAr.
Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri
Sadagopan
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