SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Further, nAyanAr highlights that the birth which is favourable for the servitude which is the natural identity of AthmA, is the superior birth, based on the attachment towards such birth by those nithyasUris who are untouched by the smell of samsAra and mumukshus (who seek liberation).
chUrNikai 87
aNaiya Ura punaiya adiyum podiyum padap parvatha bhavanangaLilE EdhEnumAga janikkap peRugiRa thiryak sthAvara janmangaLaip perumakkaLum periyOrum parigrahiththu prArthippargaL.
Simple Explanation
To be embraced. driven, worn, and be touched with the dust of the lotus feet, the great personalities and elders, accepted and prayed for birth in animal and plant species on mountains and residences [of bhAgavathas].
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
That is
aNaiya – as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.8.1 “aNaivadhu aravaNai mEl pUm pAvai Agam puNarvadhu” (emperumAn lovingly lies down on thiruvananthAzhwAn (AdhiSEshan) in the form of a bed and joyfully embraces the divine body of SrI mahAlakshmi who is most tender person like a budding flower), to be the divine mattress [AdhiSEshan] of Sriya:pathi (lord of SrI mahAlakshmi), which is having a very soft touch similar to that of the divine form of SrI mahAlakshmi, and having coolness, tenderness, fragrance as nature.
Ura – as said in thiruvAimozhi 10.2.3 “Urum puL” (The bird he rides), being the garuda bird who carries him many times to protect those who are suffering, to give enjoyment to his devotees and for his own joy
punaiya – as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.9.7 “thOLiNai mElum nal mArbin mElum sudar mudi mElum thAL iNai mElum punaindha thaN am thuzhAy” (emperumAn is wearing cool/beautiful thuLasi on his divine shoulders, divine chest, divine head and divine lotus feet), being thiruththuzhAy (thuLasi) which is qualified to be adorned to him for his pleasure.
Birth in these animal, plant species, was accepted by nithyasUris who are natural servitors of bhagavAn as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.7.5 “peru makkaL uLLavar” (for the nithyasUris who have greatness of having parama sAmyApaththi (having similar qualities which are of bhagavAn‘s)), and are eternally present [in paramapadham] not having to transform from non-existing state as said in thatiththirIya upanishath “asannEva” (Like achith) to existing state as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “santhamEnam” (to be existing), due to their desire to perform kainkaryam to bhagavAn [in those various forms].
Sages, AzhwArs et al prayed as in :
adiyum podiyum padap parvatha bhavanangaLilE EdhEnumAga janikkap peRugiRa –
adiyum – as said in “pathyu: prajAnAm aiSvaryam paSUnAmvA na kAmayE | aham kadhambO bhUyAsam kundhOvA yamunA thatE ||” (I am not desiring for the wealth of brahmA or Siva; let me become a kadhamba tree or a kurundha tree on the banks of yamunA river), let me become a kadhamba tree which was stepped on and climbed by him as said in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 4.4 “pUththa nIL kadambERi” (climbing a tall kadamba (Indian oak) tree which had just blossomed) and nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 3.3 “pUngurundhu Eri iruththi” (You have climbed the kurundham tree which has blossomed);
podiyum – as said in SrI bhAgavatham 10.48.61 “AsAmahO charaNa rENu jushAmaham syAm brindhAvanE kimatha gulma lathaushadhInAm | yA dhusthyajam svajanamArya padhancha hithvA bEju: mukundhapadhavIm Sruthibhi: virmrukyAm ||” (Meaning explained subsequently), I desire to become one among the small plants, creepers and herbs of brindhAvanam which were touched by the dust of the feet of the cowherd girls who abandoned the path of their relatives and elders who cannot be abandoned, and followed the path of krishNa who is searched by vEdham too.
parvatha – as said in perumAL thirumozhi 4.1 “kOnEri vAzhum kurugAyp piRappEnE” (I would like to be born as, at the least, a crane, that lives in the swAmy pushkariNi (the divine pond in thirumalai)), perumAL thirumozhi 4.2 “mInAyp piRakkum vidhi udaiyEn AvEnE” (let me have the fortune to be born, at the least, as a fish), perumAL thirumozhi 4.4 “senbagamAy niRkum thiruvudaiyEnAvEnE” (let me have the fortune to remain as a seNbaga (champaka) tree), perumAL thirumozhi 4.5 “thambagamAy niRkum thavam uadiyan AvEnE” (let me have the fortune to remain as a pillar tree (without being useful to anyone)) and perumAL thirumozhi 4.10 “emperumAn ponmalai mEl EdhEnum AvEnE” (I would desire to be some substance on top of thiruvEngadam hill, which belongs to my lord, thiruvEngadamudaiyAn), let me be born in any animal or plant birth which has connection with thirumalaiyAzhwAr (thirumalA hill).
bavanangaL – as said in sthOthra rathnam 55 “thava dhAsyasukhaikasanginAm bhavanEShvasthvapi kItajanma mE” (I should be born even as a worm in the divine palace (residence) of those who are engaged in the joy of servitude), I would like to be born and to die as a worm in the divine residences of SrIvaishNavas who have attachment towards the joy of your highness’ servitude only.
perumakkaLum periyOrum parigrahiththu prArthippargaL – In this manner, to be stepped on by him, and to be touched by the dust of the feet of those who embraced him, to live in the divine abodes which are mercifully inhabited by him or which are dear to his devotees, those mumukshus (who seek liberation) who are glorified in periya thirumozhi 7.4.4 as “pErALan pErOdhum periyOr” (Those great personalities who recite the names of the great lord) such as SrI Suka brahmarishi [udhdhava], SrI kulaSEkarap perumAL, periya mudhaliyAr [ALavandhAr], prayed to be born in animal and bird species.
With this, it is established that the birth which is favourable for servitude towards bhagavAn, is the superior birth since it is said – even though SAsthram says that birth in animal and bird species in this material world is a result of one’s sins through words and bodily action respectively as said in manu smruthi 12.9 “vAchikai: pakshi mrugathAm mAnasai: anthya jAthithAm SarIrajai: karmadhOshai yAthi sthAvarathAm nara:” (A person attains bird and animal birth through sins committed by words, lowly human birth through sins committed by mind and plant birth through sins committed by bodily action), unlike that nithyasUris will willingly accept these births to serve bhagavAn, and mumukshus who know the taste of servitude pray to accept animal and plant births which are connected to bhagavAn and bhAgavathas.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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