SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
When nAyanAr said in the previous sUthram “janma uthkarsha apakarshangaL therivadhu“, a few aspects were implied as the reason for superiority or inferiority of birth; in these two sUthrams, nAyanAr is revealing those. In that, first, to highlight which is lowly birth, the lowly nature of varNa etc when there is lack of knowledge on bhagavAn, is shown with pramANams (evidences).
chUrNikai 86
agyar bhramikkiRa varNASrama vidhyAvruththangaLai gardhabha janmam SvapachAdhamam SilpanaipuNam bhasma AhUthi Sava vidhavA alanKAram enRu kazhippargaL.
Simple Explanation
The varNa (class), ASrama (order), vidhyA (knowledge) and vruththam (conduct) which are looked up by ignorant ones, are eliminated saying “Donkey birth”, “Lowest of dog-eaters”, “Cobbler’s skill”, “Offering ashes in yagya”, “Decoration on a dead-body or a widow”.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
agyar – That is, those who don’t have the knowledge to identify abandonable and pursuable aspects according to the determined principle of “servitude towards bhagavAn is the real identity”.
bhramikkiRa varNASrama vidhyAvruththangaLai – While some are inferior due to lack of knowledge on bhagavAn, they are inappropriately considered to be superior as in uththama varNam (superior varNa), uththama ASramam (superior ASrama), sadhvidhyA (having good knowledge) and sadhvruththam (having good conduct).
Such varNam etc are considered as
gardhabha janmam – as said in “chathurvEdha dharO viprO vAsudhEvam navindhathi | vEdhapAra parAkrAnthas savai brAhmaNa gardhabha: ||” (The brAhmaNa who has learnt all four vEdhams, but is not knowing about vAsudEva who is pervading everywhere, is to be considered as a brAhmaNa donkey who is carrying vEdham), though one has learnt all four vEdhams, if he does not know sarvESvaran who is revealed in all of vEdhams as said in katavalli “sarvE vEdhA yath padhamAmananthi” (That bhagavAn who is spoken by all of vEdhams) and SrI bhagavath gIthA 15.15 “vEdhaiScha sarvair ahamEva vEdhya:” (The whole of vEdhams speak about me only), he is to be considered as a donkey which carries saffron. He is to be considered as brAhmaNa donkey who does not know the fragrance of vEdham which is carried by him.
SvapachAdhamam – as said in “SvachOpa mahIpAla vishNu bhakthO dhvijAdhika: | vishNu bhakthi vihInasthu yathiScha SvapachAdhama ||” (Oh king! Even if a person is a dog-eater, if he is a vishNu bhaktha, he is greater than a brAhmaNa; but if there is a sanyAsi who has no devotion towards vishNu, he is lower than a dog-eater), even a charmASrami (sanyAsi), if he lacks in devotion towards bhgavAn, is lower than a dog-eater.
SilpanaipuNam – as said in SrIvishNu purANam 1.19.41 “thath karma yanna bandhAya sAvidhyA yAvimukthayE | AyAsAyAparam karma vidhyAnyA SilpanaipuNam ||” (The act which does not bind us in samsAram, is a good deed; that education which leads to mOksham, is the best education; the act which is done for earning wealth and joy, leads to sorrow; other education are compared to the knowledge which is required to stitch a sandal [it is still knowledge, but not useful for higher purpose]), that which is focussed on bhagavAn and which leads to mOksham, is only knowledge; other skills are similar to that of learning to stitch sandals.
bhasmAhuthi – as said in mukundha mAlA 25 “AmnAyAbhyasanAnyaraNyarudhithaṃ vEdhavrathAnyanvaham mEdhaSchEdhapalAni pUrthavidhaya: sarvE huthaṃ bhasmani । thIrthAnAmavagAhanAni cha gajasnAnam vinA yathpadha dhvandhvAmbhOruhasamsmruthir vijayathE dhEva: sa nArAyaNa:॥” (The recital of vEdhams without remembering nArAyaNa’s divine feet is useless, similar to crying out loud in a forest; reciting the rituals shown in vEdham [without such remembrance] daily will lead to weakening the body; charitable acts such as digging a tank etc are useless, similar to offering yagya with ashes; bathing in rivers such as gangA is useless similar to an elephant’s bath; such lord nArAyaNa is shining), engaging in karmAnushtAnams without remembrance of bhagavAn is useless, similar to offering ashes in yagya.
Sava alankAram – as said in SrI bhAgavatham 10.18.12 “yasyAkilAmIvahapis sumangalair vAchOvimiSrA guNakarmajanmabi: prANanthi kampanthi punanthivai jagathyAsthathvimukthAs Sava SObhanA mathA:” (It is said by elders that the words which are united with the qualities, deeds and incarnations of krishNa who eliminates everyone’s sins and gives auspiciousness, make the world live and shine; other words are like decorations done to a dead body) and “vishNu bhakthi vihInasya vEdhachchAsthram japasthapa: | aprANasyEva dhEhasya maNdanam lOkaranjanam ||” (The vEdha adhyayanam (learning/recital), japam, thapas etc which are done by a person who is devoid of vishNu bhakthi, is similar to decorating a dead body for the pleasure of the people of the world), the words which don’t speak about bhagavAn and the knowledge and deeds of one who lacks bhakthi towards bhagavAn are like decorations for dead body.
vidhavAlankAram – as said in “prAthurbhAvais suranaras samO dhEvadhEvas thadhIyA jAthyA vruththair apicha guNathas thAdhruSO nAthra garhA | kinthu SrImath bhuvana bhavana thrANathOnyEshu vidhyAvruththa prAyO bhavathi vidhavAkalpakalpa: prakarsha: ||” (sarvESvaran, through his incarnations, becomes dhEva, manushya etc; similarly, bhAgavathas also assume different states of birth, qualities and discipline; there is no shortcoming in this. But since these incarnations (of bhagavAn and bhAgavathas) happen for the protection of the world, they are great. The greatness acquired based on knowledge and good conduct, is similar to decoration on a widow, and is hence despised), the wise men will despise the greatness acquired by abundance of knowledge and wealth by those who lack devotion towards bhagavAn due to the lack of auspiciousness in the form of knowledge on the relationship with bhagavAn, which is considered as decoration on a widow.
Thus, by saying that varNASramam and knowledge and good conduct which has no connection with bhagavAn are inferior, we can understand what is inferred as inferior birth, previously.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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