SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujaya nama: Srimath varavaramunayE nama:
In our SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam, the SrI sUkthis of our pUrvAchAryas are considered as the primary source of truth. This SAsthra vAkyam affirms this principle “dharmagya samaya: pramANam vEdhAScha” (The thoughts of those who know the dharma and vEdham are the authority). Though the vEdham is the supreme authority, the anushtAnams (discipline and way of life) of our preceptors are regarded as even more important. Thus, pUrvAchAryas’ SrI sUkthis, their teachings, their anushtAnams, their way of life stands as the highest pramANam for everyone in our sampradhAyam.
In life’s challenges, when choices seem uncertain, the teachings and examples of our pUrvAchAryas shall guide us. If we are familiar with pUrvAchAryas’ SrI sUkthis, then we can recall – “This was how bhagavath rAmAnujar or kUraththAzhwAn or nanjIyar acted in that particular situation”. Their footsteps light our path and make our decisions much easier.
The SrI sUkthis of our pUrvAchAryas were carefully compiled and collated by pinbazhagarAm perumAL jIyar, a disciple of nampiLLai. nampiLLai was one of the most prominent AchAryas of our sampradhAyam. Renowned for his profound kAlakshEpams, his gatherings were so large that people wondered whether they were witnessing nampiLLai’s gOshti or namperumAL’s grand purappAdu (procession). Tradition holds that namperumAL himself wanted to listen to nampiLLai’s kAlakshEpam. It is said that once namperumAL tried to leave his sanctum to listen to the kAlakshEpam, the kainkaryaparar, thiruviLakkup pichchan who was present there holding the lamp for namperumAL reminded perumAL of his archAvatharam position in Sayana thirukkOlam and gently nudged him back to his position. This way we can understand that nampiLLai was eternally attached to the divine feet of namperumAL through his kAlakshEpams in SrI rangam.
pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar at the lotus feet of nampiLLai, SrIrangam
As heard from nampiLLai,, his disciple vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai penned the eedu vyAkhyAnam, one of the finest commentaries of thiruvAimozhi. This grantham elaborates all the intrinsic, deep principles of our sampradhAyam. Among nampiLLai’s disciples, pinbazhagiya perumAL jIyar stands out prominently.
Unlike his AchAryan nampiLLai who was a gruhastha, pinbazhagiya perumAL jIyar was a sanyAsI and was sincerely devoted to his Acharyan through various kainkaryams. maNavALa mAmunigaL in his upadhESa raththina mAlai while explaining a Sishya’s (disciple’s) conduct towards his AchAryan says that a Sishya (disciple) should have bhakthi towards his AchArya’s thirumEni (divine form). He quotes pinbazhagiya perumAL jIyar as an example to explain this devotion in the following manner,
“pinbazhagiyarAm perumAL jIyar perunthivathil anbadhuvum arru mikka Asaiyinal nampiLLaikAna adimaigaL sei”
He was not even interested in paramapadham; his only desire was eternal kainkaryam to the thirumEni of nampiLLai.
vArthAmAlai is a collection of upadhESams, containing about 500 vArthais. Each vArthai may be a single page or it may extend to several pages. It comprises many upadhESams, philosophical truths and various incidents. Unlike other granthams (such as mumukshuppadi which is an elaboration of thirumanthram, dhvayam and charama SlOkam), vArthAmAlai is a record of the utterances of different Acharyas in varying circumstances. This grantham is a string of various pearls of wisdom that originated from various AchAryas.
puththUr SrI u vE krishNaswAmy iyengAr has mercifully published vArthamAlai with lucid explanations making such deep principles accessible to many. puththUr swAmy is specifically known for his simple explanations in a very inimitable style for many of his publications and thus has performed an enormous contribution to our sampradhAyam.
puththUr SrI u vE krishNaswAmy iyengAr
This article is a transcription from SrI u vE sArathy thOthAthri swAmy’s thamizh kAlakshEpam on this vArthAmAlai grantham.
(Note from kAlakshEpam: This kAlakshEpam began on a thiruvAdhirai day in SrI perumpUdhUr during the mAsi magam festival. About mAsi magam festival in SrI perumpUdhUr – emperumAnAr attained the divine feet of perumAL on mAsi dhaSami. Five days from dhaSami till paurNami is celebrated as mAsi magam festival. Unlike all other places, this celebration is not restricted to just mAsi magam in SrI perumpUdhUr, it is celebrated for five days. Each day there is thirumanjanam for Adhi kESavap perumAL followed by perumAL’s and nAchchimAr’s puRappAdu (procession) in the evening, culminating in garuda vAhanam for perumAL and pallakku (palanquin) for emperumAnAr. The thIrthavAri happens in a nearby lake, there is thIrthavAri of chakraththAzhwAr on behalf of emperumAn and to mudhaliAndAn (emperumAnAr’s pAdhukA) on behalf of emperumAnAr. This happens at about 8am on a pUrNimA day and is a hallmark of SrIperumbUthUr.)
veLukkudi SrI u vE varadhAchchArya swAmy has provided a summary of each vArthai in puththUr swAmy’s publication. This makes it easy to understand and more enjoyable as we go through the details. We will include that as well, wherever applicable.
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