NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. --------------- srI: SrI sAra sAram â I (42) -- I â ThirumantrAdhikAram -- The Significance of ânArAyaNanAyaâ --- SwAmi Desikan now takes up the etymological derivation of the word, ânarahâ: âânru nayEâ enkiRa dhAtu-vilE âac pratyaymAi ânarahâ enRu padamAm. âreeng kshayEâ enkiRa dhAtuvilE âDaâ pratyaymAi ârahâ enRu padamAi naga-naikAdi-Sabda-ngkaLiRpOlE najn-jnODE samsthamAi ânarahâ enkiRthAkavumAm.â â ânruâ is a verbal root meaning âto guide on the good pathâ. This root with an affix, âacâ evolves into the word, ânarahâ, which therefore, signifies the Lord nArAyaNa Who grants wisdom to people and conducts them on the virtuous path.. There is another derivation: The verbal root, âreengâ which means âto changeâ, along with the affix, âDaâ, evolves into the word, ârahâ implying an object that undergoes mutation. For example, mud turns into a pot. This ârahâ, with another prefix, ânanjâ (a negative), evolves into a compound, ânarahâ, signifying one that does not change. SwAmi Desikan gives yet another dimension to the word, ânEtAâ evolved from the root ânruâ: âânEtAâ enRAl, âtEshAm satatayuktAnAmâ ityAdikaLiRpaDiyE jn~na-pradAnAdikaLaip paNNumenkiRathu.â -- The word, ânEtaâ also means the preceptor, besides being the leader. It is the leader who gives instruction to his followers in the process of guiding them on the virtuous path. This is evident from scriptures. SwAmi Desikan refers to the statement of the Lord in the BhagavadgIta, âtEshAm satatayuktAnAmâ. Here is the full SlOka: âtEshAm satatyuktAnAm bhajatAm preetipoorvakam / dadAmi bhuddhiyOgam tam yEna mAmupayAnti tE //â(BhagavadgIta, 10-10) Meaning: SrI KrishNa says: âTo them who are constantly united with Me and who worship Me, I give with love that particular mental condition by which they attain Me.â Earlier, we saw that the word, ânarahâ evolved out of the verbal root, âreengâ (to change) joining the prefix, ânaâ, signifies that which does not change. If this ânarahâ is taken to mean the Supreme Lord, then where would it lead us to? Swami Desikan explains it: âkshayishNuvallan enRAl svroopa-vikAratthaiyAthal svabhAva-vikAratthaiyAthal uDaitthAna vastvantara-ngkaLilE vERupaTTavan enRathAm.â -- ârahâ indicates the sentient being that undergoes change in his nature and the non-sentient objects that undergo changes in their form and nature. When the negative prefix, ânaâ is added to it, the outcome is ânarahâ that signifies that which does not undergo any such change. Hence, it is clear that it signifies the Supreme Lord Who is totally different from both the sentient beings and the non-sentient objects. A question may be raised: If the Supreme Lord does not undergo any change as these animate and inanimate things, how is it that Sruti declares that the Lord can will and enjoy? Both willing and enjoying are modifications in the Lordâs nature, is it not? SwAmi Desikan answers to this question thus: âsangkalpa-preetyAdi-svabhAva vikArangkaL Sruti-siddhangkaLAi guNa-roopangkaLum-AkaiyAlE vikAra-nishEdham anya vishayam.â â Willing, enjoying etc., are all part of His essential qualities. The intention of negating any change in His nature is quite different. That is, there is no contraction or expansion in His attributive knowledge. This attributive knowledge transforms into sankalpa and joy for the benefit of His devotees, these states of His deserve to be appreciated. His attributive knowledge does not undergo changes as in the case of jIvas. Another question may arise: It is stated in the Scriptures that the Lord Himself evolves into the Universe. How can it be justified, if He does not undergo any change? SwAmi Desikan now answers this question: âprapanca-roopa-pariNAmam bAlanAnavan yuvAvAna kaNakkilE svaroopatthil thaTTAthu.â --- The evolution in the form of prapancam, the Universe is just like a boy becoming a youth etc. These are changes related to the jIvaâs physical body and not to his nature. What is prapancam? It is a product consisting of cEtanas and acEtanas, that is, animates and in-animates. After the deluge, these in their subtle state in an unidentifiable condition remain inseparably with the Lord in His causal state. In this subtle state, they remain as the body of the Lord. When the universe appears in its gross form, these acquire forms and names. In this gross state too, they remain the body of the Lord. This change occurs not in the essential nature of the Lord (svaroopa) but in the state of animate and inanimate things as His body. SwAmi Desikan explains this change with a known example, the change that occurs in a boy when he grows into a youth. This change is only in his physical appearance and not nature of his Atma. So is the change in the sarIra of the Lord. (To continue) dAsan anbil S.SrInivAsan ------------- Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. Go to http://in.promos.yahoo.com/groups/ ------------------------------------ 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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