SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Subsequently, to answer the question “What is the reason for AzhwAr’s greatness?” nAyanAr says “The reason for this – bhagavAn’s unconditional grace”. In this chUrNikai, it is elaborately explained about how AzhwAr was blessed in this manner to reform the world, the previous state of AzhwAr and how AzhwAr was blessed by emperumAn.
chUrNikai 94
idhukku hEthu – UzhidhORum sOmbAdhu onRip poruL enRu aLi magizhndhu muRRumAy ninRu nUluraiththu yOgu puNarndhu. kaN kANa vandhu AL pArkkiRavan ulaginadhu iyalvai nalvIdu seyya iNakkup pArvai thEdik kazhalalar gyAnamuruvina muzhudhum Ottina perungaN engum ilakkaRRu anbodu nOkkAna dhiSaiyilE Akkaiyil pukkuzhanRu mArippadindhu thuLangugiRavar mElE padap pakka nOkkaRap paNNina viSEsha katAksham.
Simple Explanation
The reason for this is – bhagavAn’s special, merciful glance which is sequentially explained in many pAsurams.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
idhukku hEthu – The reason for his greatness.
UzhidhORum sOmbAdhu onRip poruL enRu aLi magizhndhu – as said in thiruvAimozhi 10.7.9 “Uzhi thORum than uLLE padaiththu” (who routinely conducts creation), periya thiruvandhAdhi 18 “sOmbAdhu ip palluruvai ellAm padarviththa” (not backing down, creating these chEthanas (sentient entities) who have variegated forms such as dhEva (celestial), manushya (human) et al and spreading them out to many places), thiruvAimozhi 3.9.10 “onRi onRi ulagam padaiththAn” (of the one who created the world in every srushti (creation), carefully with his full heart), thiruvAimozhi 2.10.11 “poruL enRu ivvulagam padaiththavan” (emperumAn who created this world, to have the result (of getting the friendship of his devotees)), and thiruvAimozhi 3.4.8 “aLi magizhndhulagam ellAm padaiththu” (all worlds which he created to do the favour of protecting them), just as a farmer will keep putting efforts without backing down, even though his efforts may fail, while bhagavAn engages in creation during every kalpa (lengthy period), even though it does not lead to the results he expects, instead of becoming upset, he repeatedly engages in creation with great eagerness, thinking “some day, we will get the results we want”, being pleased with his own efforts.
muRRumAy ninRu – as said in thiruvAimozhi 7.6.2 “nila nIr eri kAl viN uyir enRivai thAm mudhalA muRRumAy ninRa” (having all entities starting with five great elements which are earth, water, fire, air and ether, and all creatures with material bodies, as his prakAra (form), bhagavAn entered each entity in the created world for their existence and having a name, ability to act and not act, and remain in them to be called by the names which indicate those entities as said in thaiththirIya upanishath “thath srushtvA thadhEvAnuprAviSath” (He created all the entities; he entered them).
nUluraiththu – as said in periya thirumozhi 11.4.8 “annamadhAyirundhu angaRanUl uraiththa” (Being a swan, bhagavAn instructed dharma SAsthram), emperumAn minimised his greatness and appeared as a swan, so that those who are not ready to worship the teacher, will not miss out, and taught SAsthram which reveals the dharmam which is to be known.
yOgu puNarndhu – as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.10.2 “kuRaivil thadam kadal kOL aravERith than kOlach chendhAmaraikkaN uRaibavan pOla Or yOgu puNarndha oLi maNi vaNNan” (In the ocean which is spacious (for reclining) due to being complete in togetherness with emperumAn, he climbed and reclined on the very strong thiruvananthAzhwAn (AdhiSEshan) with his beauty which highlights his supremacy and pretending to sleep such that his reddish lotus like eyes blossom and meditating upon his own unparalleled divine nature and the protection of all), in thiruppARkadal (milk ocean), climbing on the AdhiSEshan mattress, due to its comfort, resting as if thinking about the ways to protect the world.
kaN kANa vandhu – as per the methods thought about, as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.10.6 “thuyarin maliyum manisar piRaviyil thOnRik kaN kANa vandhu” (appeared in human birth which is subsisted with sorrow, presenting (his spiritual form which is imperceptible) to the human eyes) as said in katOpanishath “na chakshushA paSyathi kaSchanainam” (no one can see that supreme lord with their mortal eyes), “na mAmsa chakshushAbhivIkshathE tham” (the one with mortal eyes cannot see that supreme lord) and periya thiruvandhAdhi 28 “katkaNNAl kANAdha avvuruvai” (The form which cannot be seen by mortal eyes), emperumAn incarnated in the sorrowful human birth and appeared to be seen by their mortal eyes.
AL pArkkiRavan – in this manner, through his avathArams (incarnations) etc, as said in nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi 60 “AL pArththu uzhitharuvAy” (one who goes searching “will I get anyone who will be under my control?”), emperumAn is having this as his main job and searching saying “Will there be anyone who can become my servitor?”.
ulaginadhu iyalvai nalvIdu seyya – as said in thiruvAsiriyam 6 “Oh Oh ulaginadhiyalvE” (How bad is the nature of this world!), those who are well versed in truth, being unable to tolerate, will become sorrowful seeing the nature of this world because,
- just as some people will bathe a plank with hot water when the mother who gave birth to them is present, while the supreme lord, who is the creator and protector is present, ignoring him, people will worship unknown, lowly dhEvathAs by sacrificing lamb, child and offering alcohol etc and hence causing hurt for other living beings
- as a result, that which will give joy mixed with sorrow, to not become free from births which result from the connection with prakruthi (matter) which is beginninless and difficult to cross-over
- being variegated and difficult to escape, that is, the sorrow of being submerged in Sabdha etc (worldly enjoyments through sense organs)
as said in thiruviruththam 95 “yAdhAnum paRRi nIngum viradhaththai nal vIdu seyyum” (one who liberated me who was having vow to hold on to some matter (related to prAkrutham, the causative matter) and move away (from matter related to sarvESvaran)), to completely eliminate the vow of samsAri chEthana (bound soul) who is holding on to materialistic aspects due to impressions from time immemorial and leaving bhagavAn …
iNakkup pArvai thEdi – just as those who catch animals and birds, will keep animals and birds as well trained prey to catch those which will unite with them due to being in same species, to have a well trained prey, he searched thinking “Who will be like that?”
kazhalalar gyAnamuruvina muzhudhum Ottina perungaN – as said in thiruviruththam 58 “kazhaRalam …” (One divine foot measured such that the entire world came under it. The other divine foot grew, went up the sky such that it pervaded all the worlds above and gave shadow to the ones below. What is krishNa, who keeps roaming all over the universe, who has a radiant, self-illuminating knowledge and who has eyes which are like lotus flowers which have blossomed in slush, measuring in my case?), one of his divine feet itself pervaded the whole earth; since there was no more space left on earth, another divine foot went and filled all the higher worlds to facilitate everyone at all times to take shelter of that divine foot and be granted shade under it, based on the eternal relationship; as said in “Oh one who is having lamp which is in the form of shining light which is well-expanded knowledge due to spreading all over the vast universe!”, the lotus feet and well expanded knowledge which was scanned by his huge divine eyes as said in thiruviruththam 45 “perum kaN malar” (The huge lotus like eye) which are well blossomed and fresh.
engum ilakkaRRu – Not seeing anyone matching the eye, while seeing to make someone to be the target of such eye
anbodu nOkkAna dhiSaiyilE Akkaiyil pukkuzhanRu mArippadindhu thuLangugiRavar mElE pada – as said in perumAL thirumozhi 1.10 “anbodu then thisai nOkkip paLLi koLLum” (emperumAn is reclining inside the temple in SrI rangam, looking in the southern direction, with love), since emperumAn is reclining and looking at SrI vibhIshaNAzhwAn with love, such glance fell upon nammAzhwAr who was in the southern direction which is naturally low-lying to receive his grace; nammAzhwAr was trembling with fear in the middle of the ocean of samsAra which is very deep, after having been born in a body irrespective of jAthi, varNa etc, as per his karma, going in the ways of the body, subsequently going through many many births, and not having displeasure in such situation, as said in thiruviruththam 95 “yAdhAnum Or Akkaiyil pukku” (Accepting any body), thiruvAimozhi 3.2.1 “Akkaiyin vazhi uzhalvEn” (having gone in such body’s ways and I am suffering), thiruvAimozhi 2.6.8 “mARi mARip pala piRappum piRandhu” (Being born in many many ways), thiruvAimozhi 3.2.2 “panmA mAyap piRaviyil padiginRa yAn” (I am living in a well fitting manner assuming many different forms (such as dhEva, manushya etc) in prakruthi (material realm) which is amazing, that is variegated (due to the qualities and resulting forms)) and thiruvAimozhi 5.1.9 “piRavik kadaluL ninRu nAn thuLanga” (I am shivering while standing in the middle of samsAra sAgaram).
pakka nOkkaRap paNNina viSEsha katAksham – in this manner, the merciful glance which fell upon AzhwAr was channelled fully towards AzhwAr as said in thiruviruththam 45 “nammEl orungE piRazha vaiththAr” (varAhar placed his divine eyes completely upon me) and will not even eagerly look at his divine consorts even if they embrace him with their bosoms as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.6.2 “pakkam nOkku aRiyAn” (will not see anywhere else); that is the unconditional, special grace which was granted by his divine will as said in SrI pAncharAthram “nAsau purushakArENa nachApyanyEna hEthunA | kEvalam svEchchaiyaivAham prEkshE kanchith kadhAchana ||” (I who am the supreme lord, do not bless anyone with my divine glance, due to purushakAram (recommendation) or other means; I do it only due to my desire) and SrI pAncharAthram “nirhEthuka katAkshENa madhIyEna mahAmathE | AchArya vishayIkArAth prApnuvanthi paramAm gathim ||” (Oh wise one! People attain great benefit by AchArya’s acceptance which occured due to my unconditional, merciful glance).
The sentence (sUthram) should be aligned as in “idhukku hEthu … ippadip paNNina viSEsha katAksham“. Thus, the reason for previously explained AzhwAr’s greatness is clearly revealed. With this, while the various reasons which were highlighted in the previous sUthram which doubts his nature, were discarded and the reason “ananthanmEl puNNiyangaL paliththavar” (the one on whom the grace of bhagavAn, materialised) is established as the actual reason.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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