SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Now, nAyanAr reveals the special bhakthi of this AzhwAr.
chUrNikai 101
idhu ubhayamum anRikkE aRiyAk kAlaththE okkap piRandhu thazhuvi ninRu kattamE nOyAyularththi vIzhndhalappAy thyAga svIkAra nishtA hAnigaLAkki saththA bhOga vrudhdhi upakaraNamAvadhonRu.
Simple Explanation
This is unlike sAdhana bhakthi (bhakthi as upAyam) and sAdhya bhakthi (bhakthi as tool for kainkaryam), which helps in AzhwAr’s sustenance and enjoyment.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
That is – AzhwAr’s bhakthi highlighted previously is unlike 1) bhakthi yOgam which is acquired by self effort and is an upAyam (means) to attain bhagavAn, and 2) the bhakthi which is attained after having requested for the same, having accepted bhagavAn as upAyam and which is attained by the mercy of such bhagavAn and is used as a tool for kainkaryam.
aRiyAk kAlaththE – As said in thiruvAimozhi 2.3.3 “aRiyAk kAlaththuLLE adimaikkaN anbu seyviththu” (when there was no scope to know about such relationship in me, (just considering our relationship as master-servant) you created that attachment towards such servitude), and in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 18.27 “bAlyAth prabruthi susnigdha: lakshmaNO lakshmi sampanna:” (lakshmaNa is endowed with wealth of kainkaryam; he was very loving towards SrI rAma from infancy), in the infant stage when there is no scope for knowledge, causing great desire for the result of attainment of goal, which is servitude, similar to fragrance which is born along with thuLasi
thazhuvi ninRu – As said in thiruvAimozhi 4.7.11 “thazhuvi ninRa kAdhal” (great desire to enjoy, which is an inherent aspect of the svarUpam and is firm), even if we say we will give up, the bhakthi comes along
kattamE nOyAy – As said in thiruvAimozhi 7.2.4 “kattamE kAdhal” (love is difficult to handle) and thiruvAimozhi 9.6.7 “vEtkai nOy kUra” (increasing the desire to enjoy), due to not getting to enjoy the enjoyable bhagavAn to the heart’s content, just as when food is not received it will be told as “difficulty” and disease, and hence developing hatred
nOyAy ularththi vIzhththu alappAy – As said in thiruvAimozhi 2.1.10 “vEvu ArA vEtkai nOy mel Avi uL ularththa” (My already tender/meek AthmA has further fully dried up by being tortured by love-sickness), thiruvAimozhi 5.7.2 “unnaik kANum avAvil vIzhndhu” (being captivated in love to enjoy you) and thiruvAimozhi 5.8.4 “unnaik kANbAn nAn alappAy” (To see you and enjoy as desired, I am grieving), AthmA which cannot be withered is dried to be like a dry leaf, being drowned in the bhakthi which is in the form of great desire and being unable to reach the shore as if fallen into the ocean and making AzhwAr long to see bhagavAn
thyAga svIkAra nishtA hAnigaLAkki – [thyAga nishtA hAni] As said in thiruvAimozhi 5.8.3 “unnAl allAl yAvarAlum onRum kuRai vENdEn” (I won’t pray to anyone else other than you to fulfil any of my desires), AzhwAr had given up all other upAyams completely and considered bhagavAn as the only upAyam; such AzhwAr was pushed into pursuing one of the upAyams [that is pursuing madal] which he gave up previously, as said in thiruvAimozhi 5.3.9 “kudhiriyAy madalUrdhum” (be a shameless girl who cannot be controlled by anyone and will engage in madal) and thiruvAimozhi 5.3.10 “yAmadalUrndhum em Azhiyangaip pirAnudaith thUmadal thaNNandhuzhAy malar koNdu sUduvOm” (Without shyness matching our femininity in any manner, we will even engage in madal by entering every street and by engaging in hurling accusations continuously with the tongue as done by the neighbouring women, to have all of the world call out in an angry/agitated manner for emperumAn, the benefactor, who let us enjoy the combination of his hand and chakra and attracted us by that and will accept his invigorating and attractive thuLasi garland which is pure due to the freshness of its leaves, and will wear it on our head); hence this bhakthi causes damage to the fixation on the abandoned upAyams.
[svIkAra nishtA hAni] As said in thiruvAimozhi 5.7.10 “ARenakku nin pAdhamE saraNAgath thandhozhindhAy” (You (emperumAn) have bestowed on me your divine feet only, which are the means to attain the goal, as the upAyam (means) which is the refuge), thiruvAimozhi 5.8.11 “kazhalgaL avaiyE saraNAgak koNda” (considered such krishNa’s divine feet which were revealed to him as the only means to fulfil his desire), thiruvAimozhi 5.9.11 “adimEl sEmam koL then kurugUrch chatakOpan” (having firm faith in the form of intelligence of such sarvESvaran’s divine feet), thiruvAimozhi 5.10.11 “nAgaNai misai nampirAn saraNE saraN” (only the divine feet of our lord who is resting on thiruvananthAzhwAn are our upAyam) and thiruvAimozhi 6.10.10 “adik kIzh amarndhu pugundhEnE” (have surrendered unto your divine feet and have become seated beneath them, with exclusive focus on kainkaryam and no other expectation), this bhakthi made AzhwAr perform surrender continuously in spite of SAsthram imposing that acceptance of bhagavAn as upAyam [i.e. the process of surrender] should be done only once as in lakshmi thanthram “sakrudhEvahi SAsthrArtha: kruthOyan thArayEn naram” (The purpose of SAsthram, which is prapaththi, should be done once and will help men cross over the ocean of deluge) and SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18.33 “sakrudhEva prapannAya thavAsmIthi cha yAchathE l abhayam sarvabhUthEbhyO dhadhAmi Ethath vratham mama ll” (To the person who surrenders to me once and to the person who tells me ‘I am your servitor’ I offer protection from all entities alive. This is my solemn pledge). In this way, it caused damage to the firm faith in the acceptance of bhagavAn as upAyam which should be done only once.
saththA bhOga vruththi upakaraNamAvadhonRu – For AzhwAr, there are not two different things namely not remembering bhagavAn and self not existing – both are same for him. For such AzhwAr, this bhakthi is the cause for continuous remembrance of bhagavAn. And, for him who holds as in thiruvAimozhi 6.7.1 “ellAm kaNNan” (everything is krishNa), since this bhakthi is the cause for desire to enjoy him, it is the cause for bhOgam (enjoyment) and for one who remains as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.3.1 “vazhuvilA adimai seyya vENdunAm” (We should perform all types of services without leaving anything), since it is the cause for having desire to do every type of service, this is the cause for his kainkaryam.
Alternatively, for “saththA bhOga vruththi upakaraNamAvadhonRu“, since as said in “nA kinchith kurvatha: SEshathvam” (one who does not serve cannot be called as servitor), as it is said that for the AthmA who does not even serve a little, there is no SEshathvam, for AthmA who is identified exclusively by servitude, his existence is through that little service, this bhakthi is the cause for his existence, and since this bhakthi is to be done as the ultimate goal as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.9.4 “thanakkEyAga” (Exclusively for him), thiruvAimozhi 10.3.9 “undhan thiruvuLLam idar kedundhORum” (when the sorrows in your divine heart are eliminated and you become pleased), sthOthra rathnam 46 “kadhA praharshayishyAmi “ (when I will please you only?) etc, this is the cause for AthmA’s servitude which is enjoyable for him.
Thus – it is explained here that Azhwar’s bhakthi was neither attained by self-efforts nor by prayers. It is born along with him and is the cause for AzhwAr’s existence etc.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
archived in https://granthams.koyil.org/
pramEyam (goal) – https://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – https://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – https://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – https://pillai.koyil.org