SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully decides to explain what was told in this SrIvaishNava dhinacharyA (explained in previous sUthram) and first elaborates upon mangaLASAsanam.
sUthram 244
mangaLASAsanam svarUpa virudhdhamanRO ennil; gyAna dhaSaiyil rakshya rakshaka bhAvam than kappilE kidakkum; prEma dhaSaiyilE thattu mARik kidakkum.
Simple Explanation
When asked “Isn’t mangaLASAsanam (wishing well) contrary to the true nature of the self?” In the state of knowledge, the rakshaka (protector) – rakshya (protected) mood will be in its original state; in the state of love, the roles will be reversed.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
mangaLASAsanam …
sarvESvaran remains as hEya prathyanIka (opposite to all defects), kalyANaikathAna (abode of auspicious qualities only) and svEthara sakala rakshaka (protector of everyone other than himself); here piLLai lOkAchArayar is raising the following doubt “Being protected by bhagavAn, instead of eliminating one’s inauspicious aspects and acquiring auspicious aspects with his help, would desiring for auspicious aspects for him, who is the protector, not be contrary to the true nature of the self which is to be fully protected by him only?” saying “mangaLASAsanam svarUpa virudhdhamanRO ennil“.
Now, he is clarifying that doubt starting with “gyAna dhaSaiyil“.
gyAna dhaSai
This is the state of clearly seeing sarvESvaran as only the protector and self as the one who is protected by him, as said in praNavam and meditating in that manner; in that state, as said in thiruvAimozhi 5.8.8 “kaLaivAy thunbam kaLaiyAdhozhivAy kaLaikaN maRRilEn vaLai vAy nEmip padaiyAy kudandhaik kidandha mA mAyA thaLarA udalam enadhAvi sarindhu pOm pOdhu iLaiyAdhuna thAL orungappidiththup pOdha isai nIyE” (I am not having any other protector, whether you eliminate my sorrow or not; oh one who is very amazingly beautiful, who is mercifully resting in thirukkudandhai and is having the divine chakra with rounded mouth as weapon! When my body becomes weakened, prANa becomes shaken and the final stage of leaving the body arrives, you only have to allow me to conduct myself holding on to your divine feet in a singular manner without losing the mental strength), as one considers that bhagavAn is the one who can eliminate the unfavourable aspects etc, the protected – protector relationship remains in the original state.
prEma dhaSai
This is the state of meditating upon sarvESvaran’s beauty and tenderness, unnecessarily doubting “what danger will befall him?”, and being unable to meditate upon the true nature of bhagavAn and having the heart in a frightened state; in that state, as one will seek ways to protect ISvara and stumble, the roles will be reversed to have chEthana (AthmA) as the protector and ISvara as the protected one .
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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