SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully explains why emperumAn performed menial services and instructed prapaththi for such arjuna who deserved to be killed.
sUthram 22
arjunanukku dhUthya sArathyangaL paNNiRRum prapaththyupadhESam paNNiRRum ivaLukkAga.
Simple Explanation
krishNa went as messenger on behalf of arjuna, remained as the charioteer for him and instructed prapaththi to him for the sake of dhraupadhi.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
arjunanukku …
He went as a messenger to cause the battle as said in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 5.3.4 “poych chuRRam pEsich chenRu bhEdham seydhu” (highlighting a non-existing relationship, he went as a messenger and caused the quarrel between the two sides).
sArathyam paNNiRRum – Since he vowed not to take up arms he became the charioteer to conduct the mahAbhAratha war as said in thiruvAimozhi 3.2.3 “kollA mAkkOl kolai seydhu bhAradhap pOr ellAch chEnaiyum iru nilaththaviththa endhAy” (Oh my lord and master who destroyed all the armies (irrespective of their belonging to the enemies or pANdavas, those who are causing burden to the earth) in the mahAbhAratha battle in the vast land with the thorny stick, which is meant to drive the horse and not to kill!)
prapaththi upadhESam paNNiRRum – krishNa changed the one who said as in SrI bhagavath gIthA 2.9 “na yOthsyAmi” (I won’t engage in battle) to say as in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.73 “karishyE vachanam thava” (I will follow your instructions) and engage in the battle.
He did all of these to make dhraupadhi, who is surrendered to krishNa, to knot her hair as per her vow. Hence, it is said that krishNa’s three acts, viz. being a messenger for arjuna, being a charioteer for him and instructing him prapaththi, were done for the sake of dhraupadhi.
From sUthram 21 “pANdavargaLaiyum” up to here, the cruel nature of the primary dhOsham has been explained. Thus, even though arjuna was having dhOshams such as friendship and compassion in wrong place, fear to fight and the great dhOsham of being a mute spectator when dhraupadhi, the surrendered devotee was insulted, since krishNa lovingly spoke and instructed arjuna as said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.64 “sarvaguhyathamam bhUya: SruNu mE paramam vacha: | ishtO’si mE dhrudam ithi thathO vakshyAmi thE hitham ||” (Hear again my supreme word about bhakthi yOga which is the most secretive amongst the secrets. Due to you being very dear to me, I will tell you what is good for you) and SrI bhagavath gIthA 9.34 “manmanA bhava madhbhaktha: madhyAjI mAm namaskuru | mAm Evaishyasi yukthvaivam AthmAnam mathparAyaNa: ||” (Have your mind fixed on me. (that too) Have great love towards me. (that too) Worship me. Bow unto me. Have me as your ultimate resting place. By training the mind/heart in this manner, you will certainly attain me), it is understood that krishNa accepting arjuna’s dhOshams as the offering, is well known. guNahAni is not expressly mentioned since when dhOshams are accepted as offering, it is obvious that guNahAni will also be accepted as offering, as per “kim punar nyAyam“.
guNahAni for arjuna
Lack of good qualities:
- When krishNa said in SrI bhagavath gIthA 2.18 “thasmAdh yudhyasva bhAratha ||” (Oh descendant of bharatha clan! Thus, you fight), he should have said as in SrI bhagavath gIthA 18.73 “karishyE vachanam thava” (I will follow your instructions) and engaged in the battle which was his duty.
- Not having even a little bit of regret in his heart thinking “I remained a mute spectator when dhraupadhi who was surrendered to krishNa was insulted” etc.
When asked “If krishNa went as messenger and remained as the charioteer to arjuna for dhraupadhi’s sake, it cannot be said that he considered arjuna’s dhOshams as offering and accepted him, there is nothing wrong in it”, that can be explained too – there is no shortcoming in it.
- While doing all of this for her sake, to fulfil her desires, he did not show any disgust on seeing arjuna’s dhOshams and he did them joyfully.
- Even while taking up the role of AchArya for arjuna, he considered arjuna’s dhOshams as offering and mingled with arjuna freely as the charioteer.
In sUthram 14 “aRiyAdha arththangaLai …”, bhagavAn’s ASrayaNa saukarya ApAdhaka qualities (those qualities which facilitate surrender of devotees) such as vAthsalyam etc are revealed.
Here, by “dhUthya sArathyangaL paNNiRRum“, his ASritha kArya ApAdhaka qualities (which facilitate the fulfilment of the surrendered person’s desires) such as gyAnam, Sakthi etc are revealed. That is,
- Going as messenger to protect pANdavas since he is the only one who knows what is to be done and what is not to be done, and who can accomplish the task perfectly as said in mahAbhAratham udhyOga parvam 71.92 “asmAn vEththa parAn vEththa vEththArtham vEththa bhAshithum | yathyadhasmath hitham krishNa thath thath vAchya: suyOdhana: ||” (Oh krishNa! You know us. You know dhuryOdhana et al who are enemies. You know everyone’s intent. You know the apt words to be spoken. dhuryOdhana is not qualified to speak about the well-being of all [Instead, you should inform him])
- Since he cannot take up arms, he engaged as the charioteer and killed the armies by his efficient riding of the chariot.
Further,
prapaththi upadhESam paNNiRRum
These aforementioned two types of qualities are revealed through “mAm” (simplicity) and “aham” (supremacy) in charama SlOkam.
Thus, just as the meaning for the word “SrImath” was announced while explaining the greatness of purushakAram, while greatness of upAyam is explained, the meaning of the word “nArAyaNa” is announced, Since this section speaks about “upAyathvam” (being means), “charaNau SaraNam” (the pair of divine feet are the means) is also explained.
Hence, from sUthram 5 “ithihAsa SrEshtamAna” up to here, the greatness of purushakAram and upAyam which were explained in SrI rAmAyaNam and mahAbhAratham respectively, along with their true nature, were elaborately explained.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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