SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully highlights where purushakArathvam of pirAtti who has such qualities, is revealed.
sUthram 9
samSlEsha viSlEshangaL iraNdilum purushakArathvam thORRum.
Simple Explanation
Both in union and separation, her purushakArathvam is manifested.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
samSlEsha viSlEshangaL …
purushakArathvam means gatakathvam (connecting); hence it is said that this will be revealed in her while she is united with emperumAn as well as separated from him.
While being together, it is seen in the following occasions where pirAtti’s purushakAram is nicely visible in the protection given by perumAL:
- When iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNa) observed that perumAL (SrI rAma) decided to leave him behind while going to the forest, he surrendered to perumAL with the purushakAram of pirAtti as said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 31.2 “sabrAthuScharaNau gAdam nipIdya raghu nandhana: | sIthAmuvAchAthiyaSA: rAghavam cha mahAvratham ||” (lakshmaNa the most famed one, held the feet of his brother tightly and appealed to pirAtti; then he appealed to Sri rAma who had the grand vow of protecting those who surrender unto him) – in this surrender of iLaiya perumAL.
- As perumAL, pirAtti and iLaiya perumAL mercifully arrived in panchavati, perumAL mercifully said to iLaiya perumAL “You locate a water-rich place with ample shade, and build a hermitage for us”. Hearing that iLaiya perumAL became very sad thinking perumAL has placed svAthanthryam (freewill) upon him; to regain his pArathanthryam (dependence) with joined palms, he prayed through pirAtti to fulfil his desire as seen in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 15.6.1 “Evam ukthasthu rAmENa lakshmaNas samyathAnjali: | sIthA samAksham kAkuthstham idham vachanam abravIth || paravAnasmi kAkuthstha thvayi varshaSatham sthithE | svayanthu ruchirE dhESE kriyathAm ithi mAm vadha ||” (iLaiya perumAL who was ordered by perumAL in this manner, stood with joined palms and spoke the following words towards perumAL in the presence of pirAtti. “Oh son of emperor dhaSarathi! Even if your highness lived forever, I will be your servitor. You yourself should mercifully say exactly how and where this hermitage should be built).
- jayantha, the one who was having demoniac nature, assumed the form of a crow and engaged in prohibited activities towards mother sIthA. On realising what happened, perumAL became angry on him as said in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38.16 “ka:krIdathi sarOkshENa pancha vakthrENa bhOginA” (Who is playing this angry five-hooded snake?) and launched the brahmAsthram towards him. That jayantha ran everywhere in search of a refuge, in vain and finally surrendered to SrI rAma as said in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38.33 “sapithrAcha parithyaktha: suraiScha samaharshibhi: | thrInlOkAn samparikramya thamEva SaraNamgatha: ||” (That kAkAsura being abandoned by his mother and father, great sages and celestial beings, after running around the three worlds, again returned to perumAL and surrendered unto him). At that time, as said in SrI rAmAyaNam and pAdhma purANam, perumAL protected him with pirAtti’s purushakAram as said in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38.34 “satham nipathitham bhUmau SaraNya: SaraNAgatham | vadhArhamapi kAkuthstha: krupayA paryapAlayath ||” (perumAL, the refuge, with his mercy, protected kAkAsura who had fallen on the ground, who had surrendered, even if he deserved to be killed) and pAdhma purANam “puratha: pathitham dhEvI SaraNyAm vAyasam thadhA | thachchira: pAdhayOs thasya yOjayAmAsa jAnakI || thamudhdhApya karENAtha krupA pIyUsha sAgara: | raksha rAmO guNavAn vAyasam dhayayaikshatha ||” (At that time, sIthAp pirAtti united the head of the crow which fell on the ground, with the divine feet of perumAL. Then, perumAL who is filled with auspicious qualities and is an ocean of the nectar of mercy, took the crow on his hand and protected it by mercifully glancing at it).
While in separation:
- As said in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21.9 “iha santhO navAsanthi sathOvA nAnuvarthasE | thadhAhi viparIthA thE budhdhir AchAra varjithA ||” (Are there no noble people in lankA? Even if they are there, you are not following them. Isn’t that why your mind is in such corrupted state? This is why you have lost your good conduct) etc, she tried to unite rAvaNa who had a corrupted mind with perumAL’s divine feet.
- After rAvaNa was vanquished, thiruvadi (hanuman) set out to torment and destroy the rAkshasis (demoniac women). She spoke very convincing words to soften his heart and made him forgive their offenses as said in SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116.44 “pApAnAm vA SubhAnAm vA vadhArhaNAm plavangama | kAryam karuNamAryEna na kaschith nAparAdhyathi ||” (Oh best among the monkeys! Whether sinners or auspicious persons or eligible to be killed, all deserve to be shown compassion by good people. There is none who is not at fault).
From these incidents, we can understand that, both in union and in separation, her purushakArathvam is manifested.
parASara bhattar explained that she protected the rAkshasis through hanuman as he requested her to grant permission to punish them severely, matching their mistake, as said in SrIguNarathna kOSam 50 “mAthar maithilee rAkshasIs thvayithadhiva ArthrAparAdhAs thvayA rakshanthyA bavanAthmajA lagutharA rAmasya gOshtI kruthA – kAkam thancha vibhIshaNam SaraNam ithyukthi kshamau rakshathas sAnas sAnthra mahAgasas sukhayathukshAnthI sthavA gasmikI” (Oh mother sIthAp pirAtti! Your highness protected the rAkshasis, who committed cruel mistakes on you, from hanuman. The group of SrI rAma who protected kAkAsura, SrI vibhIshaNa and others who surrendered unto him, have been made smaller by you [your kind act of protecting the rAkshasis]. Your such unconditional tolerance should bring joy to us who have great sins in us). Since you convinced him not by force but your kind instructions, this can also be said as purushakArathvam. piLLai lOkAchAryar himself explained her purushakArathvam towards hanuman as in mumukshuppadi 129 “thiruvadiyaip poRuppikkumavaL than solvazhi varumavanaip poRuppikkach chollavENdAviRE” (Since she can convince hanuman, there is no need to explicitly state that she can convince bhagavAn who follows her words). Hence, in this sUthram which explains that pirAtti will perform purushakAram in both union and separation, this (convincing others) can also be included.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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