SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
piLLai lOkAchAryar explains the most forbidden nature of upAyAntharams (other means) which are destructive for the true nature of the self, through the words of a venerable personality.
sUthram 122
thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn paNikkumbadi – madhirAbindhu miSramAna SAthakumbamaya kumbagatha thIrtha salilam pOlE ahankAra miSramAna upAyAntharam.
Simple Explanation
thirukkurugaippirAn piLLA’s words – Other means (bhakthi yOgam etc), which are mixed with ahankAram (self effort), are similar to holy water in a golden pot which is mixed with a drop of alcohol.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn …
thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn
One who obediently studied under the divine feet of bhAshyakArar (emperumAnAr) who is omniscient, who is very dear to such emperumAnAr, one who has great expertise in the principles of all SAsthrams. Because of these reasons, he remains most trustworthy.
paNikkumbadi
The way he mercifully explains.
madhirA (madhirai)
Alcohol which is a well forbidden object and which will make other items forbidden when a drop of it came in contact with those objects; since this is cited as an example for ahankAram, the well forbidden nature of such ahankAram, and the objects which come in to contact with it will also become forbidden are revealed.
SAthakumba
Gold.
thanmaya kumbam
Unlike a pot which is made of some other metal inside but covered with gold on the outside, this is a pot which is fully made of gold; with this, the purity of the container (AthmA, in this case) is explained.
thadhgatha thIrtha salilam
Pure water in that pot. With this, the purity of the water in that pot (bhakthi yOgam, in this case) is highlighted.
adhupOlE ahankAra miSramAna upAyAntharam
Since piLLai lOkAchAryar identifies the similarity between the example and the principle which is explained, here also, we need to explain the purity of the container and the aspect which is present in the container. That is, the AthmA (self) which is the container for bhakthi is pure due to its natural purity as said in SrIvishNu purANam 6.7.22 “AthmA gyAnamayOmala:” (AthmA is full of gyAnam; is pure) and its purity acquired by being completely subservient to bhagavAn; such bhakthi too is pure due to being fully focussed on bhagavAn; when there is no ahankAram, there is no defect. With this, it is explained that, just as pure water which is present in a golden pot, becomes forbidden by coming in contact with a drop of alcohol, pure bhakthi which is focussed on bhagavAn which is present in pure AthmA which is subservient to bhagavAn, due to coming in contact with ahankAram which is in the form self effort, will be forbidden by gyAnis, to be rejected by them.
To match paNikkumbadi, “enRu” (it is said) should be added in the end of the sentence.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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