SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
When asked “Why did ISvara unconditionally shower his special grace for AzhwAr? What is the form of his divine grace? What did AzhwAr become?” nAyanAr mercifully explains now.
chUrNikai 96
gOvruththikku nerinjiyaip pullAkkinavan jagadhdhithArthamAga enakkE nalla aruLgaL ennumbadi sarva sauhArdha prasAdhaththai orumadai seydhu ivaraith thannAkka lOkamAgath thammaip pOla AkkumbadiyAnAr.
Simple Explanation
bhagavAn who turned a thorny forest to grazing field for the cows, for the sake of the well-being of the world, poured all of his mercy of being kind towards all, into a single channel and made AzhwAr to be the same as bhagavAn himself and AzhwAr made everyone to be the same as himself.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
That is – as said in thiruvAimozhi 10.3.10 “thivaththilum pasu nirai mEyppuvaththi” (tending cows is even more joyful than remaining in paramapadham), since he likes tending cows more than being in paramapadham, as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.6.28 “brindhAvanam bhagavathA krishNEnAklishtakarmaNA | SubhEna manasA dhyAtham gavAm vrudhdhimabhIpsathA ||” (The all-capable krishNa vowed effortlessly that the thorny fields be transformed to fertile green fields for the cows for their grazing), the omnipotent lord, vowed through his divine will which is fully focussed on the well-being of others, that the thorny forest become a grazing field as said in SrIvishNu purANam 5.6.37 “uthpanna navachashpAtyA” (filled with beautiful, fresh grass), for the protection of cows; just as he is there for cow protection, since he is also there for the protection of the world as said in mahAbhAratham “namO brAhmaNya dhEvAya gO brAhmaNa hithAya cha | jagadhdhidhAya krishNAya gOvindhAya namO nama: ||” (I worship bhagavAn who is the lord of brAhmaNas and who cares for cows and brAhmaNas; I repeatedly worship krishNa, gOvindha, who cares for the world and the cows), for the well-being of the world, made AzhwAr say that
- sarvESvaran’s mercy tied his divine feet to take many births matching my births and shower his grace as said in thiruvAimozhi 2.7.6 “enaiththOr piRappum – edhir sUzhal pukku – enakkE aruLgaL seyya – ammAn thirivikkiramanai – vidhi sUzhndhadhu” (Saying “I don’t have any goal other than madhusUdhanan (who removed my obstacles)” without any expectation for any results, I sing and dance covering his countless qualities in the form of sthOthrams (praises); to transform me to such state, he took many many distinct/unique births in kalpa (day of brahmA) after kalpa, assuming different forms to do different tricks to become friendly with me; such lord thrivikrama of mine who positioned himself to favour me exclusively, became overwhelmed / wrapped with mercy in the form of unavoidable destiny)
- Not seeing the faults [and ignorance] in me and his omniscience, he exclusively gave his mercy to me which he did as if it is a benefit for him, as said in thiruvAimozhi 8.6.1 “nalla aruLgaL namakkE thandharuL seyvAn” (emperumAn exclusively grants us his unconditional mercies)
In this manner, as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 5.29 “suhrudham sarvabhUthAnAm” (the friend of all creatures), all the mercy which is showered over all creatures are gathered and showered on AzhwAr exclusively, made AzhwAr who was the ultimate in ignorance and inability to be similar to himself in knowledge and ability as said in thiruvAimozhi 7.9.1 “ennaith thannAkki” (making me similar to him); AzhwAr who was reformed in this manner by him, changed those who were involved with him in this world to be exclusively devoted to bhagavAn, as he himself was, as said in thiruvAimozhi 6.7.2 “Urum nAdum ulagamum thannaip pOl avanudaiya pErum thArgaLumE pidhaRRa” (made the town, the country and the world blabber his name and garland).
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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