SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
Just like praNavam [Om] is spoken of as “yadhvEdhAdhausvara: prOkthO vEdhanthEcha prathisthitha:” (praNavam is recited at the beginning of recitation of vEdham and at the end), this thaniyan [SrISaliESa dhayApAthram] which has greatness as outlined here, and is in the form of praise for mAmunigaL, is recited at the beginning and end of all dhivya prabandhams, their vyAkhyAnams and rahasyams which are the essence of these, by all the significant adhikAris (those who are qualified to recite the above).
In praNavam, akAram (the syllable ‘a’) will refer to bhagavAn and makAram (the syllable ‘ma’ will refer to chEthana (sentient entity) and ukAram (the syllable ‘u’) will highlight the relationship between the two (‘a’ and ‘ma’). Eminent people will say “avvAnavarukku mavvAnavarellAm uvvAnavaradimai” (the sentient entities are servitors for perumAL). This meaning can be seen in every verse of this thaniyan, as shown here:
SrISailESa dhayApAthram: The term SrISailEsa refers to emperumAn, the akAravAchyan (one who is referred to by akAram). The term dhayApAthram refers to the fact that chEthana exists for no one other than such emperumAn and that he is the object of emperumAn’s mercy. Going by the pramANam (authentic proof) “AchArya: sa hari: sAkshAth” (hari: is the AchAryan), AchArya is emperumAn himself.
dhIbhakthyAdhi guNArNavam: Just as it has been said in dhivyaprabandha pAsurams such as “thAmaraiyAL kELvan oruvanaiyE nOkkum uNarvu” (chEthana will exist exclusively for the divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi), “AdhiyanjOdhikkE ArAdha kAdhal” (deep affection, only for the supreme entity), “unniththu maRRoru dheyvam thOzhAL” (she will not worship any other dhEvathA, after analysing), since the verse dhIbhakthyAdhi guNArNavam refers to knowledge, devotion and detachment, it refers to the bhagavathSEshathvam (carrying out kainkaryam only to emperumAn) through devotion. Since the svarUpam (basic nature of the chEthana) which is to be “unniNaith thAmaraigatku anburugi niRkumadhE” (being affectionate towards the two divine lotus-like feet of emperumAn), is knowledge only about emperumAn, gyAnam (knowledge) is defined as that about SEshathvam (carrying out kainkaryam to emperumAn). Detachment is defined as rejecting any importance to be given to other deities.
yathIndhra pravaNam: The term yathIndhrar refers to the state where one is totally dependent on emperumAn and correcting those who are not carrying out any task and remaining idle, making them to carry out service towards the divine consort of SrI mahAlakshmi. mAmunigaL becomes affectionate towards emperumAnAr on account of this. The characteristic of bhagavath ananyArha SEshathvam (existing exclusively for the sake of emperumAn) should transcend to the levels of his followers too. Moreover, the term yathIndhra refers to rAmAnujar in a distinguished way. The syllable rAma in rAmAnuja would refer to akAravAchyan (emperumAn) and the syllable anuja refers to the chEthana who carries out kainkaryam. The state of affection is as mentioned in the verse rAmAnujam yathipathim praNamAmi mUrdhnA (I will bow down my head to that rAmAnujar, who is the chief among all ascetics).
vandhE ramyajAmAtharam munim: This also gives the same stated meaning. The words ramyajAmAthru refers to akAravAchyan emperumAn, the word muni refers to paramachEthanan who has the knowledge of existing exclusively for emperumAn. Thus, in all these terms, it is not inappropriate to think that they refer to the meanings of praNavam.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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