SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
sUthram 45
நித்யரென்கிறது ஒருநாளும் ஸம்ஸரியாத ஶேஷஶேஷாஶநாதிகளை.
nithyar engiRadhu oru nALum saMsariyAdha SESha SEShASanAdhigaLai.
Meaning
The nithyas are those, such as AdhiSEsha, SEshASana (vishvaksEna) and the other nithya sUris, who have never undergone samsAram.
Explanation
Who are the nithyas?
The expression “those who have never undergone samsAram” (oru nALum samsariyAdha) distinguishes the nithyas from the mukthas. The mukthas are those whose samsAram has come to an end (nivruththa-samsAram), whereas the nithyas have never been touched by the smell (taint) of samsAram (asprushta-samsAra-gandhar).
As parASara bhattar says:
अहृतसहजदास्याः सूरयः स्रस्तबन्धाः
(ahrutha sahaja dhAsyA: sUraya: srastha bandhA:)
Their innate servitude to bhagavAn has never been obstructed or lost.
Why are they called “nithyas”?
The scriptures declare:
नित्यो नित्यानाम्
(nithyO nithyAnAm)
and
ज्ञाज्ञौ द्वावजावीशनीशौ
(gyAgyau dhvAvajAvISanISau)
Since the essential nature of the AthmA is itself eternal, the word “nithya” cannot simply denote eternality.
The statement “असन्नेव” (asannEva) is understood as “सन्तमेव” (santham Eva) because of the presence or absence of knowledge relating to bhagavAn (bhagavadh vishaya-gyAna).
Therefore, the nithyas are so called because their bhagavadh gyAna has never undergone contraction (bhagavadh gyAnaththukku oru nALum sankOsam illAmai).
Glory of the nithya sUris
The Sruthis glorify them:
यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः [purusha sUktham]
(yathra pUrvE sAdhyA: santhi dhEvA:)
and
यत्र ऋषयः प्रथमजा ये पुराणाः [yajur vEdham]
(yathra rushaya: prathamajA yE purANA:)
Likewise, rAmAnujar describes their greatness elaborately in the SrI gadhyam [SaraNAgathi gadhyam], beginning with:
स्वच्छन्दानुवर्ति…
(svachchandhAnuvarthi…)
Hence, by merely stating “those who have never undergone samsAram,” the sUthram itself conveys all their greatness.
AdhiSEsha – the embodiment of all kainkaryam
Since thiruvananthAzhwAn (AdhiSEsha) is endowed with all forms of SEsha vruththi (aSEsha SEsha vruththi) and stands as the very model (prathimA) for all those devoted to bhagavadh kainkaryam, he is specifically called SEsha.
yAmunAchArya says: [in sthOthra rathnam 40]
निवासशय्यासनपादुकांशुकोपधानवर्षातपवारणादिभिः ।
शरीरभेदैस्तव शेषतां गतैर्यथोचितं शेष इतीरितो जनैः ॥
(nivAsa SayyAsana pAdhukAmSukOpadhAna varshAthapa vAraNAdhibhi: |
SarIra bhEdhais thava SEShathAm gathair yathOchitham SEsha ithIrithO janai: ||)
SEshAsana – vishwaksEna
Unlike the other nithyas, SEshASana (sEnai mudhaliyAr / vishwaksEna) observes the unique discipline of never eating anything except the remnants of what the supreme lord has eaten. It is because of this observance that he is called SEshAsana.
yAmunAchArya says:
त्वदीयभुक्तोज्झितशेषभोजिना
(thvadhIya bhukthOjjihitha SEsha-bhOjinA)
Likewise, kUrESa says: [in sundhara bhAhu sthavam]
वनाद्रिनाथस्य सुसुन्दरस्य वै प्रभुभुक्तशिष्टाशिना सैन्यपतिः
(vanAdhrinAthasya susundharasya vai prabhu bhuktha SishtASinA sainyapathi:)
Other nithya sUris
By the word “Adhi”, the sUthram includes all the nithya sidhdhas, headed by vainathEya (garuda), who have bhagavadh kainkaryam alone as their sole enjoyment.
As stated:
शेषशेषाशनगरुडप्रमुखनानाविधानन्तपरिजनपरिचारिकापरिचरितचरणयुगल
(SEshaSEshASana-garuda-pramukha-nAnAvidhAnantha-parijana-parichArikA-paricharitha-charaNa-yugala)
Thus, the term nithyas encompasses AdhiSEsha, SEshASana (vishwaksEna), garuda (vainathEya), and all the eternally liberated attendants who eternally delight in bhagavadh-kainkaryam.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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