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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00043 Jul 2002

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Mumukshuppadi

2. Athil prathama rahasyam thirumanthram.

Meaning:
Amongst the three rahasyas the first rahasyam that 
a mumukshu has to know is the Thiruvashtakshara
mahamanthram.

Essence:
Amongst the three manthrams that a mumukshu has to
know, the very first rahasyam he has to understand
is the Thiruvashtaksharam known as the Thirumanthram.
The reason that this has to be learnt first is that
only after the meanings of the self is understood 
can one understand the meanings of the means and 
the goal. Therefore, the Thirumanthram which 
explains the nature of the self has to be learnt 
ahead of the other two rahasyas which explain the 
means and the goal. A jiva is enslaved to the Lord.
He is dependent on the Lord and He enjoys nothing
but his association with the Lord - this is the
understanding of the self. Thirumanthram which 
explains this meaning is therefore to be learnt 
first.

The Thirumanthram is made of two parts: Pranavam
and Manthrasesham. Om is the Pranavam and Namo
Narayanaya is Manthrasesham. Pranavam is expanded
upon by Manthrasesham. Manthrasesham is expanded 
upon by Dvayam. Dvayam is expanded upon by Carama
Slokam. By this order also Thirumanthram has to
be learnt first.

The word manthram is obtained from "manthAram
thrAyathe". It is that which protects those who
recite it. The protection is of two types: One
is via the sound of the manthra and the second 
is via the meaning of the manthra.

The benefits that are obtained by those who 
recite it and use it in Homas is obtained via 
the power of the sound of Thirumanthram. The
benefit accrued by the prapannas who look to
nothing but the Lord, is obtained by the power
of the meaning of Thirumanthram. 

The second meaning is explained by Sri Bhattar 
in Ashtasloki as follows. If a person thinks
that his body is the same as his soul then he
should look at the makaram of the pranavam. 
Since it talks about the soul with knowledge
he would understand the knowledge-less body
cannot be the same as the soul. Even if one
understands this, he may mistake that the 
soul is not dependent on the Lord and think
that it is fully independent. Such a person 
should look at akaram in pranavam. Akaram
emphasizes that the souls are enslaved to the
Lord and therefore he will be cleared of his
error. If he understands that a soul is 
enslaved to the Lord but thinks that it is 
similarly enslaved to many others, a fact 
that is commonly seen in this world, then he 
should look at the ukaram in pranavam. This
ukaram shows that the souls are enslaved only
to Sriman Narayana and as such he would
correct his mistake. A person who understands
all of this might still think that his own
effort is sufficient to protect himself. Such
a person should look at the nama: term. This
term shows that the protection of the souls
is the duty of the Lord and not of the self.
If a person begins to develop great attachment
to the people surrounding him, his wife, 
children, relatives, then he should look at
the Narayana term. This teaches him that Sriman
Narayana is the one and all relation to a soul.
A person who becomes attached to things of this
world should look at the "aya" term (chathurthi
vibhakti). As this term signifies that eternal
service to the Lord is the purpose for a soul,
attachment to other things will be broken.

The thirumanthram that contains these meanings 
is therefore to be learnt first and is the 
refuge for all prapannas.

Pillai Lokacharyar Thiruvadigale Saranam
Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan
http://www.acharya.org

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