SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Further, nAyanAr briefly explains the special meanings of SAsthram and mercifully explains how ISvaran mercifully considered in his divine heart that study of such SAsthram requires many pre-requisites and is very difficult, and hence mercifully revealed thirumanthram which is the essence of such SAsthram and which does not require such pre-requisites and is also easy to learn.
chUrNikai 16
chathurvidhamana dhEha varNa ASrama adhikAra pala mOksha sAdhana gathi yuga dharma vyUha rUpa kriyAdhigaLai aRivikkiRa pAttup parappukku – periya thIvinil onbadhAm kURum mAnidap piRaviyum Akkai nilaiyum IriraNdilonRum iLamaiyum isaivum uNdAy, puguvarElum engiRadhukkuLLE vignamaRa ninRavA nillA pramAdhiyaik koNdu aRakkaRkai aridhenRiRE vEdhasAra upanishath sArathara anuvAka sArathama gAyathriyil mudhalOdhugiRa poruL mudivaAna surukkaith theyvavaNdAy annamAy amudham koNdavan SAkaigaLilum Odham pOl kiLar nAlvEdhak kadalilum thEnum pAlum amudhumAga eduththup peruvisumbaruLum pEraruLAlE singAmai viriththadhu.
Simple Explanation
For the [study of] vEdham which reveals four types of bodies, social divisions and orders, qualifications, goals, liberation, means, path, yuga (long period of fixed duration), righteousness, vyUha forms, forms, acts etc – one should be born in bhAratha varsham in jambU dhvIpam, in human species, with an able body, in brAhmaNa varNam; even after having such birth, one should have a steady mind, it is difficult to perfectly study the same; hence, the name nArAyaNa which is the first to be recited in vishNu gAyathri which is the sArathama (best essence) in the nArAyaNa sUktham which is sArathara (better essence) of vEdhAntha which is the essence of vEdham; the thirumanthram which has this name nArAyaNa, is further elaborated by bhagavAn himself who appeared as hamsa, as honey, milk and nectar.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
chathurvidhamAna …
“four types of” is applicable to all subsequent items. That is –
- dhEham (body) – dhEva (celestial), manushya (human), thiryak (animal), sthAvara (plants etc)
- varNa (social division) – brAhmaNa, kshathriya, vaiSya, SUdhra
- ASrama (social order) – brahmacharya, gArhasthya, vAnaprastha, sanyAsa
- adhikAra (qualification) – as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 7.16 “ArthO jigyAsur arthArthI gyAnI” (one who is in grief (due to loss of wealth), one who desires for (new) wealth, one who desires to enjoy the AthmA and the one who has true knowledge)
- pala (goal) – dharma (righteous acts), artha (wealth), kAma (enjoyment), mOksha (liberation)
- mOksha (liberation) – sAlOkya (being in the same abode), sAmIpya (being close to bhagavAn), sArUpya (having same form as bhagavAn), sAyujya (being united with bhagavAn and serving always).
- sAdhana (means) – karma, gyAna, bhakthi and prapaththi
- gathi (path) – garbha gathi (path to reach the womb of a mother in this world), yAmya gathi (path to reach yama lOka), dhUmAdhi gathi (path to reach svarga etc) and archirAdhi gathi (path to reach SrIvaikuNtam), all of which are shown in panchAgni vidhyA.
- yuga – krutha, thrEthA, dhvApara and kali
- yuga dharma (recommended practice for each yuga) – the four practices such as dhyAna (meditation), yajana (performing fire sacrifices), archana (prayers), sankIrthana (singing) as said in SrIvishNu purANam 6.2.16 “dhyAyan kruthE yajan yagyai: thrEthAyAm dhvAparEr archayEth, yadhApnOthi thadhApnOthi kalau sankIrthya kESavam” (Whatever is attained by meditation in krutha yugam, whatever is attained by archanA in thrEthA yugam, whatever is attained by yagya in dhvApara yugam, the same is attained by singing his glories in kali yugam).
- vyUha – vAsudhEva, sankarshaNa, pradhyumna, anirudhdha
- rUpam (forms) – in krutha etc yuga, as said in thiruchchandha viruththam 44 “pAlinIrmai sembonIrmai pAsiyin pasumbuRam pOlunIrmai poRpudaith thadaththu vaNdu viNdulA neelaneermai enRivai niRaindha kAla nAngumAy mAlineermai vaiyagam maRaiththadhenna nIrmaiyE” (The whiteness of milk, the redness of gold, the freshness of green complexion seen on the outer side of moss and the dark complexion seen when beetles spread out their wings in the pond are seen in the divine forms of emperumAn who is the controller of the four epochs of krutha, thrEthA, dhvApara and kali, respectively. How horrible is it that those who dwell on this earth have become indifferent to the simplicity of such emperumAn!) four types of forms in white, yellow, black and dark blue.
- kriyA (acts) – srushti (creation), sthithi (sustenance), samhAra (annihilation) and mOkshapradhathva (granting mOksham)
With the the word Adhi (etc) in the end, four types of special pramEya (goals) are explained. Four other types of vyUhas – kESava, nArAyaNa, mAdhava who were created from vAsudhEva; gOvindha, vishNu, madhusUdhana who were created from sankarshaNa, thrivikrama, vAmana, SrIdhara who were created from pradhyumna; hrushIkESa, padhmanAbha, dhAmOdhara who were created from anirudhdha. Four types of vyUha abodes – AmOdha, pramOdha, sammOdha, vaikuNta. Thus, in this manner, the expansive SAsthram which is explained in nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi 76 “pAttum muRaiyum” (musical and prosaic), which explains many special meanings in four types.
periya thIvinil …
periya thIvinil onbadhAm kURum
As said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.6.1 “nAvalam periya thIvu” (the great jambUdhvIpa), since it is the place for pursuing bhOga (enjoyment) and mOksha (liberation), jambUdhvIpa being greater than other islands, and in the nine continents in there, bhAratha varsha is fit for engaging in karmas which are means for heaven and liberation, and is unlike the other continents which are like earthly heavens and are present for enjoyment only. It is the ninth continent and is even celebrated by dhEvathAs in SrIvishNu purANam 2.3.24 “gAyanthi dhEvA: kila kIdhakAdhi dhanyAsthu yE bhAratha bhUmipAkE svargApavaragAspadha mArga bhUthE bhavanthi bhUya: purushAs surathvAth” (dhEvas sing as follows: in the bharatha kaNdam which is the means for attaining svarga or mOksha, those who are born as humans after exhausting their divine birth, are to be glorified).
mAnidap piRaviyum
Acquiring human birth which is rare as said in SrI bhAgavatham 11.2.21 “dhurlabhO mAnushO dhEha:” (Rare to attain human birth), SrIvishNu purANam 2.3.24 “athra janma sahasrANAm sahasrairapi saththama kadhAchith labhathE janthu: mAnushyam puNya sanjayAth” (Oh the best maithrEya! An AthmA, due to pious deeds, takes human birth in bhAratha dhESam after thousands of births) and in thirukkuRundhANdagam 8 “mAnidap piRavi andhO” (Human birth which is rare).
Akkai nilaiyum
If the firmness (well-being) of the body which is said to be lacking in general as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.2.2 “minnin nilaiyila mannuyir AkkaigaL” (These bodies are so impermanent that they are not even having the permanent nature of a lightning which appears and disappears in a flash) and in SrI bhAgavatham 11.2.21 “mAnushO dhEhO dhEhinAm kshaNapangura:” (Such human body also gets destroyed in a fraction of a moment), is present.
IriraNdil onRum
Even if one has human birth, if it is brAhmaNa birth which is foremost among the varNas which are qualified to acquire SAsthra gyAnam, as said in thiruchchandha viruththam 90 “kulangaLAya IriraNdil onRu” (One among the four varNas)
iLamaiyum
If one is youthful as said in SrIvishNu purANam 1.17.75 “thasmAth bAlyE vivEkAthmA yadhEva SrEyasE sadhA” (Thus the wise man will try to engage in glorious activities, in his youth), which will facilitate the shining of knowledge, as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.10.1 “kiLaroLi iLamai” (rising knowledge and radiance)
isaivum uNdAy
If one has the desire as said in periya thiruvandhAdhi 26 “yAnum ennenjum isaindhozhindhOm” (My mind and I have agreed), since for any action, one should have desire.
puguvarElum
Even if all of these are there, as said in thirumAlai 3 “vEdhanUl pirAyam nURu manisarthAm puguvarElum” (though people may live for hundred years as per vEdha SAsthram) and “SathAyurvai purusha:” (Humans have hundred years to live), if these people live hundred years as said in vEdham.
engiRadhukkuLLE vignamaRa
In that life span, not having the hurdles in learning SAsthram which is said as in uththara gIthA 7.10 “ananthapAram bahuvEdhithavyam alpaScha kAlO bahavaScha vignA:” (SAsthrams which have no boundary are abundant but life span to learn those is short and many hurdles occur) and in “SrEyAmsi bahu vignAni bhavanthi mahathAmapi” (Even for the efforts of great personalities, there will be hurdles), being relieved from the hurdles which occur for learning SAsthram.
ninRavA nillA pramAdhiyaik koNdu
With the mind which will not remain fixed in a matter even for a fraction of a moment and will pull the person in its ways as said in periya thirumozhi 1.1.4 “ninRavA nillA nenju” (heart which is not firm on anything) and SrI bhagavath gIthA 6.34 “chanchalam hi mana: krishNa pramAthi balavadh dhrudam” (Mind is (naturally) wavering, strong and hence bewildering and firm (in pulling us towards worldly pleasures)) …
aRakkaRkai
As said in thirumAlai 7 “kalaiyaRak kaRRa mAndhar” (humans who have deeply learnt SAsthrams without any doubt), learning SAsthrams such as Sruthi, smrithi etc to understand their essence
aridhenRiRE
such learning, remaining fixed on the principles and being intelligent to apply the principles are very difficult as said in periya thiruvandhAdhi 37 “AmARu aRivudaiyAr Avadhu aridhanRE” (Is it not difficult to have intelligence which goes in the correct path?)
Considering in his divine heart that it will be difficult to become knowledgeable,
vEdhasAra upanishath …
As said in vaikuNta dhIkshithIyam “asAram alpa sArancha sAram sAratharam thyajEth, bhajEth sArathamam SAsthram rathnAkara ivAmrutham” (Abandoning other SAsthrams which are asAram (not essence), pUrva bhAgam of vEdham and vEdhAntham which are sAram (essence) and nArAyaNa anuvAkam which is sAratharam (better essence), one should accept vishNu gAyathri which is sArathamam (best essence) as nectar from the ocean), since one should pursue SAsthram which is sArathamam, nAyanAr is establishing the best nature of thirumanthram (ashtAksharam) which is the goal.
vEdhasAra upanishath
vEdhAntham which is the essence of pUrva bhAgam (Portion of vEdham which speaks about rituals and worship). Since bAhya SAsthrams (those which are outside vEdham based SAsthrams) reveal aspects which are contrary to truth, they are not essence. But pUrva bhAgam is revealing what is in line with truth. Still it ordains different aspects starting with SyEna vidhi (black magic) up to jyOthishtOma etc which speak about goals and means of this world and higher worlds, and since they only create faith in SAsthram, understanding in difference between body and soul, and are cause for lowly goals and their means, it is known as insignificant essence. Unlike that, since upanishath portion reveals brahma svarUpam etc which are the endless, permanent goal and their means, that portion is said to be essence.
sArathara anuvAka
While in those upanishaths bhagavAn is indicated through common words such as parabrahma, parathathva, paranjyOthi, paramAthmA etc and specific names such as Sambu, Siva etc, nArAyaNa anuvAkam (nArAyaNa sUktham) which is specifically focussed on bhagavAn and clearly establishes that such bhagavAn who is indicated through common words and specific names, is nArAyaNa only; such nArAyaNa anuvAkam which very clearly establishes bhagavAn’s supremacy is sArathara (better essence).
sArathama gAyathri
Even more than that, the main identity for sarvESvaran’s supremacy is his antharAthmathvam (being the inner-soul) of all; revealing that, vishNu gAyathri which highlights the three vyApaka manthrams (manthrams which speak about his omnipresence – nArAyaNa, vAsudhEva and vishNu manthrams) which are better than avyApaka manthrams (manthrams which speak about other aspects), is considered to be sArathama (best essence).
gAyathriyil mudhalOdhugiRa poruL mudivaAna surukkai
In this vishNu gAyathri, “nArAyaNAya vidhmahE” is eagerly recited first due to the distinction it has over the other vyApaka manthrams (vAsudhEva and vishNu) which expect additional context from external aspects to get the comprehensive meaning. As said in iraNdAm thiruvandhAdhi 39 “Oththin poruL modivum iththanaiyE uththaman pEr Eththum thiRam aRImin EzhaigAL Oththadhnai valleerEl nanRu adhanai mAttIrEl mAdhavan pEr solluvadhE Oththin surukku” (With the divine names of emperumAn, who is the most supreme among all entities, the activity of praising just this much – is the essence of the meaning of vEdhams. Oh people, impoverished by ignorance! If you are capable of knowing the meaning of vEdham, do know; if you do not have the capability to know that meaning, reciting the divine names of SrIman nArAyaNan is the gist of vEdham; know, at least, this.), this thirumanthram is the essence of vEdhAntham and the short form of all vEdhams as said in SrI pAncharAthram “ruchO yajumshi sAmAni thathaiva atharvaNAnicha sarvam ashtAksharanthastham” (rig, yajur, sAma, atharvaNa vEdhams and other SAsthrams are fully present in ashtAksharam).
dheyva vaNdAy …
This thirumanthram which is the essence of vEdham and remains as said in periya thirumozhi 5.10.6 “thEnum pAlum amudhumAya thirumAl thirunAmam” (The divine name of SrIman nArAyaNa which is like honey, milk and nectar), is extracted by bhagavAn from vEdham; nAyanAr mercifully explains that in three different ways.
dheyva vaNdAy
That is – since bhagavAn is said as a beetle in thiruvAimozhi 9.9.4 “thUviyam puLLudaith theyva vaNdu” (the divine beetle, that is, the supreme lord who is having periya thiruvadi who is having attractive wings, as vehicle), just as a shatpadham (beetle with six feet) would traverse through branches and extract honey, emperumAn would extract this thirumanthram which is the essence of everything and which reveals all the meanings, and is like honey which is very sweet, from vEdha SAkhA (branches of vEdham).
annamAy
As said in periya thirumozhi 5.7.3 “annamAy anRangu arumaRai payandhAn” (on that day, bhagavAn as swan, revealed the vEdham which is difficult to attain) since he is in the form of hamsa (swan), as a hamsa would distinguish the milk mixed in water and separate it, he separated this thirumanthram which can be pursued by all as said in periya thirumozhi 6.10.6 “nAnum sonnEn namarum uraimin” (I too recited; let our people also recite), from the ocean of vEdham as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.8.10 “Odham pOl kiLar vEdha nIranE” (one who is spoken by vEdham like the rising tides of an ocean).
amudham koNdavan
As said in periya thirumozhi 6.10.3 “amudham koNda perumAn” (The lord who accepted nectar), the dhEvathAs feared asuras, and desired immortality; to protect them, for their sake, he churned the kshIrAbdhi (milk ocean) and extracted the nectar; similarly, for the protection of those who are fearful of samsAram, and for those who seek eternal life, this thirumanthram which is like nectar, which is very sweet and which eliminates destruction, is extracted as he extracts nectar from the ocean as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.3.11 “nAl vEdhak kadal” (the four vEdhAs which are like oceans).
amudhumAga eduththup peruvisumbaruLum pEraruLAlE singAmai viriththadhu
Thus, extracting this thirumanthram on his own, which is vEdha sAram, as said in periya thirumozhi 1.4.4 “amarar peruvisumbu aruLum pEraruLALan emperumAn aNimalarkkuzhalAr arambaiyar thugilum Aramum vAri vandhu aNinIr maNi kozhiththizhindha gangaiyin karaimEl vadhariyAchchirAmaththuLLAnE” (Oh mind! Now, I am giving a firm advise to you who don’t know the greatness of bhagavAn. The very merciful sarvESvaran who eliminates the hurdles of his devotees and grants nithyasUris’ paramapadham to such devotees, is mercifully residing in SrI badharIkASramam on the banks of gangA, where the water gathers garments, ornaments of the celestial girls who are having hair which is decorated with flowers, and the precious gems are being pushed along. You worship such sarvESvaran and try to be uplifted), being enjoyable for nithyasUris, by his grace which provides paramAkASam (spiritual sky), as said in “nara nAraNanAy ulagaththu aRanUl singAmai viriththavan” (Being nara and nArAyaNa, he elaborately revealed the truth), incarnated in SrI badharikASramam as nara rishi and nArAyaNa rishi as disciple and master respectively. He ensured that the SAsthram which explains our svarUpam does not shrink and elaborated clearly.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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