
Lord Sri Lakshmi
HayagrIvan
Saama Samhitha
& Thiruvaimozi
The Four
PurushArthams (Goals of Life)
The four goals of life
identified by the VedAs are : Dharma , ArTa , Kaama and Moksha . The
ultimate and the most precious PrurushArTam in life is Moksha ( release
from the cycles of births and deaths and ascent to the Supreme abode of
the Lord , Sri Vaikuntam , to engage in blemishless Kaimkaryam there to
the dhivya dampathis ) . The bliss ( Aanandham arising from Bhagavath
Kaamam) granting the boon of enjoyment of BrahmAnandham by
the Muktha Jeevan equal to that of the Parama Padha Naathan
through the successful execution of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam
is the message of Saama Vedam and the Paasurams
of ThiruvAimozhi rooted in
the Saama Vedam . The Supreme Brahman , Sriman NarayaNan of VisishtAdhvaitham , His
KalyANa guNams are the objects of meditation , salutation and singing of
both Saama Vedam and ThiruvAimozhi . We shall illustrate this Saamyam
between the Sanskritic and Tamizh Vedam in the next essay
.
Moksha PrApthi thru dheerga SaraNAgathy is the
precious PurushArtham covered by ThiruvAimozhi .
Today , we will
cover few more examples of Veda Saamyam between Saaama Vedam & the
Tamil Vedam of ThiruvAimozhi and conclude our reflections .In the next
set of postings , we will study the Samyam of the Four Sanskrit
Vedams/Upanishads/Brahma Soothrams and selected passages from any
one of the
four Prabhandhams of Swamy NammAzhwar .
Saama vedam
& ThiruvAimozhi:
UttarArchika
Saaman 661: " Oh Vital Lord! We augment Your glory
with fuel of
austerity and oil of love . May Your glory blaze high , Oh ever-young
Lord ( Yuvaa-Kumara) .
UttarArchika Saaman 680: " Oh
Brave resplendent Lord !The Lord of all movable( Chith) and stationary
things ( achith), the beholder of the Universe ( Iswaran and (
PrErithA) , we call You loudly like an
unmilked cow ( with udders full)".
UttarArchika Saaman 720: "
Oh Wielder of the bolt of Justice !
Certainly I never sing songs in praise of anyone else, other than
Yourself , while celebrating any occasion ,or contemplating any thought
".
UttarArchika 1107: " Oh
adorable Lord , be our nearest friend , a protector , benefactor and a
gracious friend ! " ( AgnE thvAm nO antama utha trAthA SivO bhuvO
varUTya : Rig Vedam V.24., Yajur Vedam III.25).
UttharArchika 1344 :" Oh
Embodiment of total selfless actions , the chanters of the Saama extol
You with songs.; the rciters of of the Rk with prayers ; the priests of
the Yajuh with their prose and thereby elevate the honor of their
family and descendants
". ( gaayanthi Thvaa
gAyathriNOrcanty-arkamrkina: , BrahmANasthvA Satakata udhvamSamiva
yEmirE )
UttarArchika
Saaman 1416: " You are an embodiment of endurance and You nevver
transgress the Laws established by Yourself. May You bless the person ,
who battles against all vice and never transgresses Your
regulations and Laws (Saasthrams)." / Rig Vedam
I.27.8
UttrArchika Saaman 1458: " Oh Resplendent Lord , protect
us every day , every tomorrow and every succeeding day . Oh Lord of the
Good ( auspicious) , protect us , Your praisers , all and every
day-by-day and by night ."( Rig Vedam : VIII.61.17):adhyAdhyA Sva: Sva: Indra trAsva parE cha na: , viSvA cha
nO jarithrunth satpatE ahaa divaa naktam cha rakshisha:
UttarArchika
Saaman 1772( Rig Veda Rk: VIII.68.2): Thou art rich
in power, rich in actions , rich in knowledge and You have filled up
everything with Your comprehensive majesty "( tuviSushma tuvikratO sacheevO viSvayA matE , Aaa paprATa
mahithvanA ).
bhaam karNEbhi:
SruNuyAma dEvA bhadram paSyEmaakshibhir yajatrA: , sTirair angais
tushtuvsas tanUbhir vyaSemahi dEvahitham yadhAyuh ---- UttarArchika
Saaman 1874 / Rig Rk I.89.8 and Yajur Vedam 25.21
>
Meaning of above
Saaman 1874: " Oh Learned prople ! May we wish our
ears to listen to what is auspicious and good. Oh People worthy of
sacred deeds ! May we see with our eyes all that is good and beneficial
.May we be engaged in Your praises , enjoy
with firm limbs and sound bodies , a full term of
life dedicated to the Supreme and Society !
".
Last Saaman of
Saama Veda SamhithA : UttharArchika 1875 :
svasti na indrO vruddhaSravA: svasti na: pUshA viSvavedA:
svasti nastArkshyO arishta-nEmi: savsti nO bruhaspatir dadhAtu , svasti
nO bruhaspatir dadhAtu (Rg Vedam I.89.6 and Yajur Vedam : XXV.19
).
Meaning of the
last Saaman: May the widely respected , rsplendent
God , guard our welfare . May the all-knowing nourisher guard our
welfare . May the Soverign protector , with unblemished weapons ,
guard us for our prosperity ".
Swamy NammAzhwAr & Tamizh
MaRai
***************************************************
In every one of the prahandham
of Swamy NammAzhwAr ,one could
find the distilled essence of the Four Vedams , Upanishads and Brahma Soothrams . As one
belonging to the fourth varNam by birth , He could not study Vedams . As
a strict observer of VarNAsrama Dharmams and with the special
aungraham of SrI VishvaksEnar , third in line in our AchArya Paramparai
, VedArthams were revealed to Him without going thru the standard route
of Adhyayanam . Even Lord Raamachandran and Lord KrishNa had to go
thru adhyayanam route via their AchAryans for Vedic training . That
is why , Swamy NammAzhwAr could intutively grasp the meanings of VedAs
and acquired the title of"Vedam
Tamizh seytha MaaRan ".
Let us select at Random some
of the Paasuram passages from ThiruvAimozhi and map them to the
Vedic sources . One can devote huge chunks of time in this
correlation but we will focus on a few passages for illustrative
purposes :
The First Patthu of
ThiruvAimozhi has three main messages consistent with the Vedic
utterances : (1) Sriman Narayanan is the best UpAyam for our salvation
(2) He is easy of access and can be readily worshipped (3) He is the One
, who grants the bliss of Moksham ; He is the Moksha DhAyaka Mukundan
.
The VyAkhyAnams of Swamy
Desikan's DhramidOpanishad Taathparya RathnAvaLi , DhramidOpanishad Saaram , SrI
BhAshya-Dhravida-Aagama Aadhya dasakadwandhva Eika-kaNDyam od Kaanchi
Azhagiya MaNavALa PerumAL Jeyar establish clearly that the first 22
Paasurams of ThiruvAimozhi contain the sArArTams of the four chapters of
Sri BhAshyam , a commentary on Brahma Soothrams by AchArya RaamAnuja
.
The First chapter of Brahma
Soothram is known as SamanvayAdhyAyam . Topics here are : The
Jagath KaaraNathvam of Brahman
(Sriman NarAyaNan ) , Creation of the world by Brahman , the differences
of Brahman from ChEtanams and achEtanams.The Lord with auspicious
attributes (SavisEsha Brahman) is Iswaran . The First 6 Paasurams of the
First Thirumozhi ( Pathikam) of ThiruvaImozhi maps one on one
to SamanvayAdhyAyam .
The second chapter of Sri
BhAshyam is avirodhAdhyAyam . it deas with aBhAdhyathavm . It identifies
Brahman as KaaraNam and the universe et al as Kaaryam .They will never
become one.The realtionship between Brahman and the ChEtanAchEtanms are
established here . The Paasurams 6-11 of the first Thirumozhi (
Pathikam) map on to the concepts covered by the second chapter
of Brahma Soothrams .
The third chapter of Brahma
Soothram is SaadhanAdhyAyam . It covers the UpAsanaa margam for one who
desires Moksham and that Bhakthi is the UpAsanai ( Saadhanai). The
prerequisites for that UpAsanai are dicussed here . The KurL like
Paasurams ( 1-9 Paasurmas of
the second Pathikam) map straight on to SaadhanAdhyAyam .
The fourth adhyAyam of Brahma
Soothram is known as Phala adhyAyam . Here the fruits of the UpAsanai (Saadhanai)
of the Mumukshu are shown to be
the ascent to Sri Vaikuntam and eternal stay there enjoying
BrahmAnandham thru the performance of blemishles Kaimkaryam to the
dhivya dampathis there . The 10th and the 11th Paasurams of the second
pathikam of ThiruvAimozhi and the First 5 Paasurams of the third
pathikam cover the essence of PhalAdhyAyam .
Thus the essence of Uanishads
( Veda Siras) are thoroughly mapped in the first 22 or 27 Paasurams
of ThiruvAimozhi by Vedam
Tamizh seytha MaaRan , Swamy SaThakOpar
.
The
vishayams of the other Patthus:
Second
Patthu: Lord is anubhava BhOgyan ( the most delightful to enjoy; He is
the UpEyan( Goal) . He is our Parama PurushArTam.
Third
Patthu: The Lord who is the means and the goal has SubhAsraya
ThirumEni and is present in Archaa roopams for our worship . He has
a dhivya MangaLa vigraham .
Fourth
Patthu:Our Lord as an UpEyam (Goal) is far superior to Iswaryam and
Kaivalyam
Fifth
Patthu: The only recourse for us are the sacred feet of the Lord
for Moksham . We have to seek them as our refuge and protection
.
Sixth
Patthu: Azhwar performs SaraNAgathy to the Lord. SaraNAgathy has roots
in the VedAs & Upanishads. Azhwar performs SarNAgathyto the Lord
after performing PurushakAra prapatthi to Mahaa Lakshmi as one
without any recourse ( ananya gathi and Aakinchanyan).
Seventh
Patthu: Azhwar salutes the Lord as One who chases away the
anishtams (SamsAric pains) of those who seek His protection
.
Eighth
Patthu: The celebration here is about the Lord being under the total
control of those who sought Him as refuge . He enjoys residence in
the heart lotus of the Aasrithars . He relishes the DhAsya nishtai of
Jeevans .
Ninth
Patthu: AzhwAr's Vyasanam ( Sorow) from ViSlEsham( seperation from
the Lord) is movingly covered along with Bhagavath
GuNAnubhavam .
Tenth
Patthu:Here , Sriman NaarAyaNan's role as Moksha Maarga sahAyan .
He takes us by archirAdhi mArgam to His Supreme
abode.
There
have been scholarly vyAkhyAanams to map the ten patthus of ThiruvAimozhi
to AshtAksharam as well as Dhvayam . ThiruvAimozhi is celebrated as
Dheerga
SaraNAgathy . All of these analysis have Vedic roots . The
Veda Saamyam of ThiruvAimozhi and other Prabhandhams of Swamy NammAzhwAr
is a vast subject to explore and enjoy
.
NamO veda PurushAya ,
Oppiliappan Koil
Varadachari Sadagopan
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Ghanam ) at
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