SrIvachana bhUshaNam – thaniyans

SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:

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Before reciting/studying SrIvachana bhUshaNam, it is customary to recite the following thaniyans (invocatory verses). Let us see them briefly to understand our glorious preceptors and their literary contributions for the benefit of everyone.

First SrIsailEsa dhayApAthram … bhUtham sarascha thaniyans are recited. These can be seen at https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/thaniyans-invocation/ . After that the following thaniyans are recited.

lOkagurum gurubissaha pUrvai: kUra kulOththama dhAsam udhAram |
SrInagapathi abhirAma varESau dhIpraSayAna guruncha bhajEham ||
(also recited as dhIprasayam varayOgi namIdE)

Simple translation: Rendered by mAmunigaL. I worship our pUrvAchAryas, piLLai lOkAchAryar, the most munificent kUra kulOthama dhAsar, thirumalai AzhwAr (thiruvAimozhi piLLai), azhagiya maNavALap perumAL piLLai (maternal grand father of mAmunigaL) and thigazhakkidanthAn thirunAvIRudaiya pirAn thAdhar (mAmunigaL’s father). Note: mAmunigaL’s father learns the sath sampradhAyam principles from his own father-in-law kOttiyUr azhagiya maNavALap perumAL piLLai who is a dear sishya of piLLai lOkAchAryar.

lOkAchAryAya guravE krishNapAdhasya sUnavE |
samsAra bhOgi sandhashta jIva jIvAthavE nama: ||

Simple translation: Rendered by eeyuNNi padhmanAbha perumAL (son of eeyuNNi mAdhava perumAL who is a disciple of nampiLLai). My obeisances belong to the AchArya named piLLai lOkAchAryar who is the son of vadakkuth thiruvIdhi piLLai and who is the life saving medicine for the bound souls that are bitten by the snake of samsAram.

lOkAchArya krupApAthram kauNdinya kulabhUshaNam |
samasthAthma guNAvAsam vandhE kUra kulOththamam ||

Simple translation: Rendered by thiruvAimozhi piLLai. I worship kUra kulOthama dhAsar who is the target of piLLai lOkAchAryar‘s mercy, who is the crest jewel of the kauNdinya clan and is the abode of all auspicious qualities.

nama: SrISailanAthAya kunthInagara janmanE |
prasAdhalabdha parama prApya kainkarya SAlinE ||

Simple translation: Rendered by mAmunigaL. My obeisances belong to SrISaila nAtha (thirumalai AzhwAr – thiruvAimozhi piLLai) who is radiantly shining with kainkaryaSrI (wealth of servitude) that was blessed by nammAzhwAr and who was born in the town named “kunthInagaram” (now named konthagai).

lOkAchArya padhAmbhOja rAjahamsAyithAntharam |
gyAna vairAgyajaladhim vandhE saumya varam gurum ||

Simple translation: Rendered by mAmunigaL. I worship azhagiya maNavALa perumAL piLLai (his maternal grand father) who is attached to the lotus feet of piLLai lOkAchAryar like a divine swan (that is attached to a lotus flower) and who is an ocean of knowledge and detachment.

SrI jihvA vathadhISadhAsam amalam aSEsha SAsthravidham |
sundharaguruvara karuNAkandhaLitha gyAnamandhiram kalayE ||

Simple translation: Rendered by mAmunigaL. I glorify thigazhakkidanthAn thirunAviRudaiya pirAn whose intelligence was groomed by the divine mercy of azhagiya maNavALap perumAL piLLai, who is blemishless and an expert in all SAsthrams.

Specific thaniyans for SrIvachana bhUshaNam

SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram is explained as containing 6 prakaraNams (sections) and 9 prakaraNams (sections). The following thaniyans explain the two different classifications of this prabhandham.

purushakAra vaibhavam cha sAdhanasya gauravam
thadhadhikAri kruthyam asya sadhgurUpa sEvanam |
haridhayAm ahaithukIm gurOrupAyathAncha yO
vachanabhUshaNEvadhaj jagadhgurum thamASrayE ||

Simple translation: I take refuge of piLLai lOkAchAryar who mercifully explained the following principles in srIvachana bhUshaNam.

1. the glories of pirAtti who performs purushkAram (facilitating emperumAn‘s acceptance of jIvAthmA)
2. the greatness of sidhdhOpAyam – bhagavAn as the already established upAyam
3. the attitude/behaviour of the adhikAris (qualified persons) who accepted bhagavAn as upAyam
4. such persons’ attitude and servitude towards his AchArya
5. the glories of bhagavAn’s causeless mercy
6. AchAryan being the ultimate upAyam

sAngAkila dhravida samskrutharUpa vEdha sArArththa sangraha mahArasa vAkyajAtham |
sarvagya lOka guru nirmitham Arya bhOgyam vandhE sadhA vachanabhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram ||

Simple translation: I constantly worship SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram which was compiled by the all-knowing/omniscient piLLai lOkAchAryar, which is most pleasing for the learned scholars, which reveals the essence of vEdham, vEdhAntham etc in a very crisp manner and has many groups of beautiful phrases and sentences.

akuNtOthkaNta vaikuNtapriyANAm kaNtabhUshaNam
guruNAjagathAm uktham vyAptham vachana bhUshaNam

Simple translation: SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram is the beautiful ornament for the necks of the devotees who are desirous in reaching SrIvaikuNtam (paramapadham) which is the abode of endless pleasures and is known (spread) everywhere. Such wonderful prabhandham was rendered by piLLai lOkAchAryar.

pERu thaRuvikkumavaL than perumai ARu peRuvAn muRai
avan kURu guruvaippanuval koLvadhilaiyAgiya kuLirndha aruLdhAn
mARilpugazh naRkuruvin vaNmaiyodelAm vachana bhUdaNamadhil
thERida namakkaruL mudumbai iRaiyavan kazhalgaL sEren mananE

Simple translation: Oh dear heart! Please take shelter of the lord of mudumbai (piLLai lOkAchAryar) who revealed the most important principles in the clearest manner for us to be uplifted in SrIvachana bhUshaNam. The six principles which are explained in this prabhandham are:

1. the glories of pirAtti who performs purushkAram (facilitating emperumAn‘s acceptance of jIvAthmA)
2. the greatness of siddhOpAyam – bhagavAn as the already established upAyam
3. the attitude/behaviour of the adhikAris (qualified persons) who accepted bhagavAn as upAyam
4. such persons’ attitude and servitude towards his AchArya
5. the glories of bhagavAn’s causeless mercy
6. AchAryan being the ultimate upAyam

thirumAmagaL than sIraruLERRamum thirumAl thiruvadi sErvazhi nanmaiyum
avvazhi ozhindhana anaiththin punmaiyum meyvazhiyUnRiya mikkOr perumaiyum
AraNam vallavar amaru nanneRiyaiyum nAraNan thAL tharu naRkurunIdhiyum
sOdhivAnaruL thUyamAguruvin pAdhamAmalar paNibavar thanmaiyum
thIdhil vAnavar dhEvan uyirgaLai EdhuminRi edukkumpadiyaiyum
manniya inbamum mAgadhiyum guruvennu nilai peRum inporuL thannaiyum
asaivilA vEdhamadhanuL anaiththaiyum vachanabhUdaNa vazhiyAlaruLiya
maRaiyavar sigAmaNi vaNpugazh mudumbai iRaiyavan engOn Er ulagAriyan
thEnmalarchchEvadi sindhaiseybavar mAnilaththu inbamadhu eydhi vAzhbavarE

Simple translation: One who meditates on the honey-like lotus feet of my lord piLLai lOkAchAryar who is also the lord of mudumbai, who is the crest jewel on the crowns of the experts of vEdham and who narrates the most essential principles of SAsthram through SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram – such person will enjoy the greatest pleasure (of bhagavath/bhAgavatha anubhavam and kainkaryam) in this world itself. piLLai lOkAchAryar mainly explains the following nine principles in this prabandham and more.

1. the glories of SrI mahAlakshmi who facilitates bhagavAn’s acceptance of jIvAthmA (just like a mother who will constantly represent the children and speak for them with the father)
2. the greatness of bhagavAn as the upAyam (means) to reach him
3. the limitations of other paths such as karma, gyAna, bhakthi yOgams, etc
4. the glories of the ones (prapannas) who accept bhagavAn alone as upAyam
5. the behaviour and daily routine of such prapannas
6. the ideal qualities that are to be found in a true AchArya and his behaviour
7. the ideal qualities that are to be found in a true Sishya
8. the causeless mercy and efforts of bhagavAn (who is the master of nithyasUris) to uplift the jIvAthmAs
9. the ultimate principle which explains that AchAryan is the means and goal (charama parva nishtai)

lOkAchArya kruthE lOkahithE vachanabhUshaNE |
thathvArtha dharSinO lOkE thannishtAScha sudhurlabhA: ||

Simple translation: It is very rare to find persons who truly understand and practice the principles that are explained in SrIvachana bhUshaNam which is purely written for the benefit of all jIvAthmAs.

jagadhAchArya rachithE SrImadhvachana bhUshaNE |
thaththva gyAnancha thannishtAm dhEhinAtha yathIdhramE ||

Simple translation: oh yathirAja (srI rAmAnuja)! Please bless me that I understand the principles that are outlined in SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram by piLLai lOkAchAryar and follow the same.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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