SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
In this prabandham, from the beginning up to here, piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully explained that sarvESvaran, who is the sidhdhOpAya bhUtha (one who is the established means), is the unconditional means for chEthana’s attainment of the ultimate goal. Such sarvESvaran, who is the means, is uncontrollably independent to make the chEthanas remain in samsAram due to their karma or to uplift them by his mercy. For those who hold him as the means, by the meditation upon self’s karma and bhagavAn’s mercy, fearfulness and fearlessness will occur respectively, until the attainment of the goal. Subsequently, since it is said in nAradhIya purANam “sAkshAn nArAyaNO dhEva: kruthvA marthyamayIm thanum” (SrIman nArAyaNa who is the controller of both paramapadham and samsAram, accepts human form as AchArya) and gyAna sAram 38 “thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan thAnE guruvAgi” (emperumAn who is the dear lord of periya pirAttiyAr who resides on a honey laden lotus flower has become the AchArya),
- instead of being separate from such sidhdhOpAyam, being the ultimate stage of such sidhdhOpAyam,
- instead of being common to bondage and liberation, being the cause for liberation only, thus eliminating the scope of fear for those who are focussed on such means who can remain fearless
Emphasising that, being an apt match for the ultimate state of svarUpa (one’s true nature) and prApya (goal), the mercy of a true AchArya is the ultimate means; pUrvAchAryas who are experts in all of vEdhAntham, meditated on such means themselves and also instructed the same to others. piLLai lOkAchAryar is mercifully explaining this confidential principle in the remaining portion of the prabandham in a very precise manner.
In that, he is mercifully responding to the question “Are there no means to remain fearless always instead of having to repeatedly go through fear and fearlessness?”
sUthram 407
svathanthranai upAyamAgath thAn paRRina pOdhiRE ipprasangandhAn uLLadhu.
Simple Explanation
Only when one holds on to the independent bhagavAn, scope for this discussion (fear and fearlessness) is present.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
svathanthranai …
Only when one holds on to ISvaran who is uncontrollably independent to engage chEthanas in samsAram based on their karma or to uplift them based on his mercy to have them reach his divine feet, as the means for ishta prApthi (attaining desired goal) and anishta parihAram (eliminating obstacles), such scope for discussing about going through fear and fearlessness repeatedly until one attains the goal, is present. When one holds on to one’s AchArya who is totally dependent [on bhagavAn], and who is the cause for liberation only, such scope does not occur and one can always remain fearless.
upAyamAgaththAn,
This is a single word meaning “as upAyam”.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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