SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
Subsequently, for the establishment of the greatness of pramAthA (i.e., AzhwAr) which is the current point of discussion, nAyanAr takes along pramANam (source of knowledge, i.e., SAsthram) and pramEyam (object of knowledge, i.e., bhagavAn), and explains that in all three of them, there are portions to be pursued and there are portions to be abandoned; and informs the benefit attained by those who know this special aspect and how those who don’t know this special aspects, fall down completely.
chUrNikai 90
mAvuruvil kaLLavEdam, thirundhu vEdhamalamAna mAnidam pAdal, sarvavarNa SUdhrathvam kAduvAzh sAdhiyil kadal vaNNan vEdam, thennuraiyil harikIrthi, Svapacharil paththi pAsanamum aRivAr ArAr amarar enna vERa, aRiyAdhAr sAdhiyandhaNargaLElum thagara vizhuvar.
Simple Explanation
Those who know the mischievous incarnation, glorification of mortal beings in the best vEdham, being a SUdhra even after being born in any varNa, having beautiful ocean like form amidst forest dwellers, glorifying bhagavAn hari in southern language, i.e., thamizh, and having great devotion after being born in dog-eaters clan, are equal to nithyasUris and will reach paramapadham; while those who don’t know these will fall into the lowest of places in this world, even if they are brAhmaNas who have mastered vEdham.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
That is
mA uruvil kaLLa vEdam – as said in thiruvAimozhi 5.8.2 “emmA uruvum vENdum ARRAl AvAy” (he assumes various incarnations in all species out of his own desire), since all his forms are aprAkrutham (divine), they are all best and accepted based on his own desire; among those forms in his incarnations, the incarnation of budhdha muni which was assumed by him to destroy the faith in vEdham by explaining the inaunthenticity of vEdham as said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 109.33 “yathAhi chOra: thathA hi budhdha:” (Just a thief, budhdha should be rejected) and thiruvAimozhi 5.10.4 “kaLLa vEdaththaik koNdu” (Assuming a mischievous form)
thirundhu vEdhamalamAna mAnidam pAdal – in vEdham which has proper boundaries, due to revealing bhagavAn’s svarUpam (true nature) etc truly, as said in “nasmarthavyO viSEshEna vEdha manthrOpi avaishNava:” (Even in vEdha manthrams, those manthrams which are unrelated with vishNu, are not to be specially considered), having dirt and not qualified to be remembered as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.9.3 “mAnidam pAdal ennAvadhu” (What is the benefit in seeking out others and singing [the praises] of the human race), those statements which glorify kshEthragya (sentient beings).
sarvavarNa SUdhrathvam – as said in “na SUdhrA bhagavath bhakthA viprA bhAgavathAssmruthA: | sarvavarNEshu thE SUdhrA yEhyabhakthA janArdhanE ||” (bhagavAn’s bhakthas are not said as SUdhras; they are said to be at par with brAhmaNas and are known as brAhmaNas too; in all varNas, those who lack devotion towards bhagavAn, are called SUdhras), in all varNas, those who are not devoted to bhagavAn, are called SUdhras.
These are the abandonable aspects in pramEyam, pramANam and pramAthA.
kAduvAzh sAdhiyil kadal vaNNan vEdam – as said in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 12.8 “kAdu vAzh sAdhiyum Agap peRRAn” (He also got to be born in the clan of cowherds who leave their homes and live in forests), instead of staying in a house in the town, as he is living in the forest where cows get grass and water, he is born in cowherd clan which is said as “kAdu vAzh sAdhi“; his form which is with the decoration of coming back from tending the cows, which can be enjoyed by self and shared with others also as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.3.1 “kAlippinnE varuginRa kadalvaNNan vEdaththai vandhu kANIr” (Come and see the the divine form of krishNa, who tends the cows, which looks like a cloud).
thennuraiyil harikIrthi – as said in periya thirumadal “thennuraiyil kEttaRivadhuNdu” (we have heard of in thamizh language), in the dhivyaprabandhams which are known as thennurai (southern language) due to being spoken in southern direction [of bhAratha dhESam], as said in mAthsya purANam “hari kIrthinam vinaivAnyath brAhmaNEna narOththama | bhAshA gAnam na karthavyam thasmAth pApam thvayAkruthyam ||” (Oh king! Other than those songs which glorify vishNu, a brAhmaNa should not sing anything), the songs which glorify bhagavAn.
Svapacharil paththi pAsanamum – as said in “SvapachOpi maheepAla vishNu bhakthO dhvijAdhika:” (Oh king! Even a dog-eater is greater than a brAhmaNa, if he is a devotee of vishNu), among dog-eaters, for those who have the wealth of bhakthi on the lotus feet of the lord which cannot be acquired with self effort as said in thiruchchandha viruththam 100 “peRaRkariya ninna pAdha paththiyAna pAsanam” (You should mercifully shower that devotion to me, which is difficult to attain).
These are the pursuable aspects in pramEyam, pramANam and pramAthA.
Those who know these, as said in thiruvAimozhi 10.5.8 “ArAr amarar” (anyone who recites the divine name of the one who is having the complexion of a dark cloud filled with water, without being satiated, is comparable to nithyasUris), are comparable to nithyasUris, and are great even though they are born in any birth and having any conduct; they will ascend to the very radiant paramapadham as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.8.11 “ilangu vAn yAvarum ERuvar” (if this unparalleled decad among those thousand pAsurams is recited, everyone (who recites them) will ascend to the radiant paramapadham).
Those who don’t understand the significance in the pramEyam, pramANam and pramAthA, and analyse the birth of bhAgavatha, who only has the identity of being devoted to your divine feet, and insult them based on their birth etc, will become dog-eaters right then and there and will fall to the lowest level, even if they were born in superior birth, learnt vEdhams along with the ancillary subjects and be best among bhAgavathas, will never get a chance to be uplifted even subsequently, as said in the pAsuram, thirumAlai 43 “amaravOr angam ARum“. It is said in “anAchArAn dhurAchArAn agyAthrUn hInajanmana: | madhbhakthAn srOthriyO nindhan sathyas chaNdAlathAm vrajEth ||” (The one who is well versed in vEdhams, who censures my devotees as being without discipline, righteousness or knowledge, verily attains the character of a dog-eater).
Thus from sUthram 75 “vIttinba …” up to sUthram 84 “nimagnarai uyarththath thAzha izhindhAr“, nAyanAr explained the greatness of AzhwAr and to further establish that, from sUthram 85 “mlEchchanum bhakthan AnAl“, explained the greatness of bhAgavathas in general, and as in the first sentence, concluded the greatness of pramAthA, i.e., AzhwAr along with the greatness of pramANam (thiruvAimozhi) and pramEyam (archAvathAra bhagavAn).
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