SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 21 – ayOdhyA kANdam 42.34 – rAmam mE – Part 3

_{SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:}

We are currently enjoying the vyAkhyAnam for the SlOkam:

rAmam mE’nugathA dhrushtiradhyApi na nivarthathE I
na thvA paSyAmi kausalyE sAdhu mA pANinA spruSa II

King dhaSaratha loses consciousness upon SrI rAma leaving for the forest. After regaining his consciousness, king dhaSaratha calls kausalyAp pirAtti to come near him and asks her to touch him with love. He says, “I am not able to see you, so please touch me nicely, so that I may know that you are here beside me”.

King dhaSaratha says that his eyes, which have seen SrI rAma, do not desire to see anything other than perumAL and hence they have followed SrI rAma. Similarly, thiruppANAzhwAr in his pAsuram amalanAdhipirAn 10, says that his eyes, which have seen the lord in SrIrangam will not see anything else.

aNdar kOn aNiyarangan en amudhinaik
kaNda kaNgaL maRRonRinaik kANAvE

(My eyes, which have seen that insatiable emperumAn, one who is the leader of the nithyasUris, who is reclining in SrIrangam, will not see anything else hereafter).

periyavAchchAn piLLai mercifully explains in depth thiruppANAzhwAr’s pAsuram along with the vyAkhyAnam for this SlOkam.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: Although it is usually explained as ‘amudhinai” as per the pAsuram, here periyavAchchAn piLLai explains as “amudhanai”. perumAL is referred as amudham (nectar) when he is called as ‘amudhinai’. When he is called as “amudhanai” it means the one with the name ‘amudhu’. Both are considered correct).

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

aNiyarangan

aNdar kOn – leader of nithyasUris. Being leader of the nithyasUris shows his eminence.

aNiyarangan – one who is residing in SrIrangam. (This shows perumAL’s simplicity).

Throughout the year many festivals are celebrated in SrIrangam and it is always decorated beautifully. And in this beautiful place, SrIrangam, periya perumAL resides majestically reclining on AdhiSEsha. The beauty of SrIrangam is such that it can be compared to the grandeur of ayOdhyA during SrI rAma’s coronation ceremony.

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 7-2 “siktharAjapathAm kruthsnAm prakeerNakamalOthapalAm” (with all its main roads sprinkled with water and strewn with heaps of lotus and water-lily flowers).

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 7-6 “pathAkAdhvajamAlineem” (mantharA saw the roads decked with banners, flags and flower garlands).

thiruvAimozhi 7-2-3 “thitkodi madhiL sUzh thiruvarangaththAy!” (Oh one who is residing in kOyil (SrIrangam) which is having the firm flag on the surrounding fort!)

aNiyarangan

gAruda purANam 11 “dhESOyam sarvakAmadhuk” (this city can bestow everything that is desired)

It is said that all the hurdles that come in the way of attaining the ultimate goal (SrIman nArAyaNa) are removed even if one night is spent in this dhivya dhESam. The kOyil (SrIrangam) vows to provide protection and to remove the sins of the materialistic people who come to the temple and to unite them with perumAL.

aNiyarangan

SrIranga mAhAthmyam “rangam syAn narthana sthAnam” (it is the place/theatre where SrIdhEvip pirAtti performs her dance and hence it is called SrIrangam). And for this reason – to fulfil his desire to enjoy pirAtti, perumAL resides in SrIrangam.

In nithya vibhUthi, nithyasUris and the mukthAthmAs are flawless, without any defects of the materialistic world. Hence, there is no opportunity for emperumAn to demonstrate his qualities like vAthsalyam (motherly forbearance) and saulabhyam (easy approachability).

vAthsalyam is to consider even the defects as virtue. In paramapadham, since everyone is flawless, there is no opportunity for perumAL to reveal this quality of his. Similarly, perumAL who is complete in all manner, can show his saulabhyam and attract samsAris. But in paramapadham, since everyone has all the qualities equal to bhagavAn, this quality is not needed there. Therefore, in paramapadham he is not able to use all of his qualities. This is a drawback for him in paramapadham. All the people who need protection are in the material world and hence perumAL happily resides in this world demonstrating all his qualities. Hence, it can be said that only after coming to SrIrangam, he became complete (without any drawbacks) and came to be known as the wealthy lord of SrIrangam (with all opulence).

Just like how a jIvAthmA’s goal is to go to paramapadham to do eternal service to perumAL and pirAtti. emperumAn’s goal is to reside in SrIrangam for the sake of protecting his servitors.

As AzhwAr glorifies these virtues of perumAL, one asks AzhwAr: AzhwAr! Why do you celebrate these virtues of perumAL? How will these virtues of emperumAn (vAthsalyam, saulabhyam etc.,) be advantageous for you?

AzhwAr says, “He is amudhan. perumAL is not only sweet as a nectar but he is my sustenance”.

AzhwArs considered the ‘amrutham’ that was taken by churning the milky ocean as

salt water
insentient (without any life)
something earned with a lot of physical exertion
beneficial solely for the nourishment of the physical body, and
something that will not provide immortality.

But unlike the amrutham from the milky ocean, emperumAn, who is amudhan, is

full of all kinds of sweetness
full of knowledge ( omniscience)
easily attainable (by surrendering)
nourishes the AthmA, and
eternal in existence.

amudhanai – not cloying or not satiating

emperumAn is the nectar, a nectar that neither becomes too sweet nor feels satiated.

chAndhOgya upanishadh 3-1-1 “asau vA AdhithyO dhEvamadhu” (the one who is the antharyAmi (soul) of the sun, is the nectar for the dhEvas) “AthmA vai purushasya madhu” (paramAthmA is nectar for the jIvAthmAs).
thaiththirIya upanishadh 3-7-1 “rasO vai sa:” (paramAthmA is the essence or reservoir of all flavours).
chAndhOgya upanishadh “Sarvarasa:” (in him exists all flavours/essence)
yajur vEdham 2-4-6 “vishNO: padhE paramE madhva uthsa:” (honey springs and flows from vishNu’s divine feet)
thiruvAimozhi 1-7-3 “thUya amudhai” (pure nectar)
thiruvAimozhi 5-8-1 “ArAvamudhE” (unquenchable, being eternally enjoyable)

aNdar kOn aNiyarangan en amudhanai

emperumAn who is aNdarkOn (leader of nithyasUrIs), who resides in aNiyarangam (SrIrangam) is my nectar (en amudhan).

AzhwAr says that the two vibhUthis are one side [of a weighing balance] and he (AzhwAr) is the other side. He says that the experiences and joy that emperumAn gives in both nithya vibhUthi (as aNdarkOn) and leela vibhUthi (as aNiyarangan), are given by emperumAn entirely to him.

This is similar to what nammAzhwAr describes in thiruvAimozhi 10.7.8. AzhwAr says that emperumAn showed all the desire he showed on the two thirumalais, para (paramapadham) and vyUha (kshIrAbdhi) on AzhwAr’s divine form itself.

thiruvAimozhi 10.7.8 “thirumAlirunjOlai malaiyE thiruppARkadalE en thalaiyE thirumAl vaigundhamE” (emperumAn desired equally for thirumAlirunjOlai in southern direction, thiruppARkadal and AzhwAr’s top-most limb; he desired equally for SrIvaikuNtam, thirumalai in northern direction and AzhwAr’s divine form).

By calling him ‘aNdarkOn’ emperumAn’s swAmithvam (that he is the master) is revealed. By calling him ‘aNiyarangan’ emperumAn’s saulabhyam (his simplicity which makes him easily accessible) is revealed. By calling him ‘en amudhanai’ , emperumAn’s sauSeelyam (his magnanimity in not seeing the difference between superior and inferior persons) and vAthsalyam (his motherly affection in considering even the defects as virtues) are revealed.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: This is also found in mumukshuppadi – emperumAn’s 4 qualities – knowledge of these qualities of bhagavAn is needed for one to surrender to him. After surrendering, knowing his qualities such as gyAnam, Sakthi, prApthi, pUrthi, one knows to depend on him for the ultimate liberation).

By saying aNdar kOn aNiyarangan, he is referring to emperumAn as “akhilajagathswAmin”. By saying en amudhanai, he is referring to him as “asmathswAmin”.

bhagavath rAmAnuja in SaraNAgathi gadhyam calls SrIranganAthan as “akhilajagathswAmin” (lord of the all the universes) and “asmathswAmin” (my lord).

Just as a jIvAthmA who attains emperumAn (the amrutham – nectar) becomes immortal, it is said that emperumAn becomes ‘amudhan’ (nectar) by attaining AzhwAr.

SvEthASvathara upanishadh 3-8 “thamEva vidhithvA athimruthyumEthi” (jIvAthmA who understands bhagavAn’s nature attains the status of immortality).

One may ask AzhwAr, “AzhwAr, What did you do after obtaining amudhan?”.

AzhwAr says: kaNda kaNgaL – “I enjoyed emperumAn endlessly so that the eyes are not wasted. The eyes enjoyed him as much as they desired”.

periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 11-7-1 “kANAdhAr kaN enRum kaNNalla” (The eyes which have not seen the lord, are not eyes at all).
thiruvAimozhi 8-5-2 “kANavArAy” (Oh swAmy! You should come so that your beauty can be seen by me).
ALavandhAr in his sthOthra rathnam 30 asks “kadhA nu sAkshAthkaravANi chakshushA” (when will I be able to see you with my eyes?)

As such king dhaSaratha says, “Not only did my eyes go after SrI rAma, they enjoyed him to their desire”.

amudhinaik kaNda kaNgaL

Oh the eyes, which can only enjoy a sight, are now even savouring the flavour of the amrutham (nectar)!

amudhinaik kaNda kaNgaL

King dhaSaratha says, “My eyes are not like the eyes found on the peacock feathers, these eyes are the ones which have gotten the dharshan of bhagavAn”.

SrI bhAgavatham 2-3-22 “barhAyithE thE nayanE narANAm vishNOr na lingAni nirIkshathO yE” (The eyes that do not look at the identifications of vishNu are like those that seem like eyes on the peacock feather).

rig vEdham “na mAmsachakshur abhivIkshathE tham” (The external eyes, made of flesh, cannot see the supreme lord).
thaiththirIya upanishadh 1-10 “na chakshushA paSyathi kaSchanainam” (No one sees the lord with their eyes).
thiruvAimozhi 7-2-3 “katkilee” (one who is difficult to be seen by the eye).

(Note from kAlakshEpam: bhagavAn is not visible to the eyes, he can be seen only if he wishes for us to see him. That is, he can be seen only with his mercy. This is described by parAnguSa nAyaki’s mother as “katkilee”).

Even though the pramANams say that the lord cannot be seen by the eyes, it can be seen that king dhaSaratha’s eyes were able to have the dharshan of the lord.

amudhinaik kaNda kaNgaL

chAndhOgya upanishadh 3-6 “nASnanthi na pibanthi yEthadhEvAmrutham dhrushtvA thrupyanthi” (This amrutham – bhagavAn is not enjoyed by eating or bdrinking, he is enjoyed by his divine darshan).

Unlike worldly people’s enjoyment obtained by drinking, that leads to annihilation of the body, enjoyment of emperumAn by his divine dharshan, leads to longevity.

kaNgaL

These eyes which have seen emperumAn cannot be compared to any other. The two eyes can only be compared to each other. They are peerless.

maRRonRinaik kANAvE

AzhwAr says that he will not see anything else since says his eyes are unwavering in their commitment to fidelity. He says, there is nothing else that is even worthy of consideration to be seen.

(To elaborate on why there is nothing worthy to be seen. Note from kAlakshEpam: Can paramapadha nAthan be considered as worthy of seeing? No, he is no comparison to periya perumAL. Can vyUha avathArams be considered as worthy of seeing? May be in vyUha avathArams, he has saulabhyam, yet he is no match to periya perumAL. Can vibhava avathArams be considered worthy of seeing? Even though in the vibhava forms he has saulabhyam and sauSeelyam, he is still no match to periya perumAL. For the sake of this comparison, can we consider other dhEvathAs? No, because comparing them to perumAL, is like comparing a mountain to a pebble and ascertaining something that is obvious – that a mountain is bigger than a pebble. Hence such comparisons with dhEvathAs are needless).

Since it was not possible for AzhwAr to specifically mention the things he would not look at, he encompassed everything other than SrIranganAthan with the phrase “maRRonRu” (other things).

kANAvE

In paramapadham, “paSyanthi sUraya:” the nithyasUrIs are looking at him, “sadhA paSyanthi” (eternally looking at him). But just one glory of periya perumAL is sufficient to provide an experience greater than the total experiences of everyone in paramapadham (who enjoy his beautiful form without even a blink of their eye).

Hence, AzhwAr says that there is no need to turn away from periya perumAL and go towards anything else.

aNiyaranganaik kaNda kaNgaL maRRonRinaik kANAvE

mahAbhAratham udhyOga parvA 68-5 “SAsthrAdh vEdhmi janArdhanam” (Only through SAshthram do I know janArdhanan).
vishwaksEna samhithA “SAsthradhrushtEna varthamanA” (He can be known only in the way as told by the SAsthram).

This divine vision of SrIranganAthan is unlike having a divine dharshan through some texts in a grantham. The eyes which had such a divine darshan, will they be able to see anything else?

en amudhinaik kaNda kaNgaL maRRonRinaik kANAvE

Even though the other dhEvathAs are some forms of bhagavAn, it is mentioned that rudhran has a red form that radiates heat. But the dark complexion of emperumAn provides comfort to one.

thirunedunthANdagam 2 “onRu sendhI” (rudhran’s (Sivan) form is of the nature of reddish fire)

So AzhwAr says, “That being the case, why would one leave the thirumEni (periya perumAL’s form) that provides the supreme bliss and go towards other things?”.

kaNda kaNgaL maRRonRinaik kANAvE

It may be possible for one to avert one’s eyes from perumAL before seeing his divine form, but after having his divine dharshan, how is it possible for one to look away?

aNdar kOn aNiyarangan en amudhanaik kaNda kaNgaL maRRonRinaik kANAvE

emperumAnai (amudhanai)k kaNda kaNgaL- means one who has realised parabrahmam. For such a person, whatever he sees, he can see them only as parabrahmam.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: After seeing emperumAn, one will know that emperumAn is everything. Then, one comes to an understanding that all forms which are seen are emperumAn’s forms. Hence, it is not possible for one to see anything other than emperumAn. In vEdhArtha sangraham, emperumAnAr explains – one who has learnt vEdhAntham, whatever he sees, he will see them as – first the outer form/body, next, the AthmA within that body, and then, the paramAthmA within that AthmA. For example, when one sees a goat, he sees the goat, the AthmA within and then the paramAthmA within. So, to a person who has the knowledge of vEdhAntham, whatever that he sees in the world, whether a goat, a pillar or a human, he sees only emperumAn.

He cannot see anything other than the parabrahmam. The same is explained here.

bruhadhAraNya upanishadh 6-5-6 “Athmani khalvarE dhrushtE idham sarvam dhrushtam bhavathi” (seeing paramAthma is seeing everything).
chAndhOgya upanishadh 1-2-4 “nAnyathpaSyathi nAnyachSruNOthi” (When one sees that brahmam, he sees nothing else, when one hears about brahmam he hears about nothing else).

Thus with realisation of parabrahmam, everything will be known as having paramAthmA within and nothing will be seen as different from parabrahmam.

maRRonRinaik kANAvE

He will always at all times see only emperumAn. That is, from now on, he will not see anything else. Because, for him nothing else exists other than emperumAn. emperumAn assumes the archA thirumEni as per his desire; if one gets the divine dharSan of that thirumEni (i.e, realising that paramapadha nAthan is present in periya perumAL thirumEni), he will not see anything else.

muNdaka upanishadh 2-2-9 “thasmin dhrushtE parAvarE” (when he sees bhagavAn)

(the knots in his heart will be untied, all his doubts will be severed, all his karmas will be removed, when he sees bhagavAn).

bruhadhAraNya upanishadh 6-5-6 “AthmA vA arE dhrashtavya:” (paramAthmA is to be meditated upon, as if he is seen directly).

If one holds on to bhagavAn as upAyam or if one holds on to bhakthi yOgam as upAyam, it will lead him to a state where he is able to enjoy bhagavAn as though seeing him directly. After attaining bhagavAn, he will then enjoy him eternally (sadhA paSyanthi). And then, this continues as long as AthmA exists. Since AthmA is eternal, this experience also continues eternally. Therefore, when one continues to see only emperumAn, there is no possibility of his seeing anything else.

Thus, king dhaSaratha says, “I enjoyed SrI rAma while he was in ayOdhyA, but when SrI rAma went to forest, my eyes followed him; so I am not able to see you kausalyA dhEvi. So, touch me nicely and show that you are present here”.

This is explained by vAlmeeki rishi as “rAmam mE’nugathA dhrushti: na thvA paSyAmi” (King dhaSaratha says, “My eyes have followed SrI rAma. kausalyA dhEvi! I am not able to see you).

vyAkhyAnam for next SlOkam will be continued in the next article.

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

periyavAchchAn piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Source – SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 21 – ayOdhyA kANdam 42.34 – rAmam mE – Part 3 Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi

Proofreading/Curating done by – kOsalEndhra rAmAnuja dhAsan, krishNan rAmAnuja dhAsan

Artwork – namperumAL rAmAnuja dhAsan

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