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/svargam & naragam?/ A la Smt. Sumithra: /pAcuram No.2

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Visu9 • August 4, 2002 


/Sri rAmAnujsya caraNau SaraNam prapadyE.

/namaskArams to all.

In the past several weeks, there have been at least two postings on /pAcuram No. 2 of /tirumAlai of /toNTar/aTip poTi AZvAr. (Shri Sadagopa Iyengar on colors and one other posting.) These are in adition to the series by Smt. Sumithra on /tirumAlai. Moreover there has also been discussion on the word /toNtar. 

It seems appropriate to deal with pAcuram No. 2 now. So I will skip several items on the concept of svargA as a model of globalism, and deal with /pAcuram No. 2. I had promised that I would end my series on /svaerga and /naraga with /pAcuram No. 2. I will do so with this posting. I think there may be other opporunities to deal with /brahmA and /civA in the global model.


/tirumAlai consists of 45 songs. The first nine songs form a theme: That of relative values of different religions. With this in mind, the /AZvAr begins right away with the waxing oratory and other brazen behaviors of Sri vaiShnavAs. In /pAcuram No. 2, the /AzvAr advances the reasons therefor. 

The AzvAr concludes this theme in songs no. 8 and 9. And then onward, he proceeds to the glories of the Lord of Srirangam.  Ms. Sumithra has been dealing with these in her ongoing series very ably in great detail. 

In relating Shri vaishNavism to other forms of worhsip and religion, the /AzvAr singles out /camaNam and /buddhism. He makes the point that /camaNam is a /modhdhu (mass), a /moTTai without structure. It is like a body without head, a mass without shape. A malai without a face. He is unhappy with /budhdhism practiced then as a religion having no rules. Everything goes, based on rationalism. He takes strong objections to these. 

It is therefore instructive to compare smilar currents of thought in the modern world. Let us take a look at Christianity. Let us compare the Lord's Prayer with /pAcuram No.2. Our goal is only to understand the depth of /pAcuram No.2, which has been cited umpteen number of times.  

In tHE LORD'S PRAYER, Jesus teaches people how to pray. Luke 11. I am interested in only one line: Luke 11:2.

It reads:
 
Our Father, which art in heaven
 
Hallowed be thy name. 

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Here is the translation, published by the Bible Sopciety of India:

/para/maNTalaGkaLil irukkum enGkaL pitAvE,

/ummuTaya nAmam pari/cuttap/paTuvatAka;
 
/ummuTaya rAjyam varuvatAka
 
/ummuTaya cittam para/maNtalattilE ceyyap/paTukiRatu pOlap pUmiyilEum ceyyappaTuvatAka.

I will attempt a secondary  translation of this verse using language from /toNtar/aTip poTi AZvAr. I use the key words: /intira/lOkam AZum, accuvai and iccuvai. 


/para/lOkattil/irukkum entaiyE 

 /nin na/nAmam pORRI
 
 /nin/ALukai varuvatAka
 
 /para/lOkam ALum accuvai/pOl INTum nin naR/cuvai varuvatAka! 

Now compare with /pAcuram No. 2.

/paccaimA . . . . 

/accutA . . .

/iccuvai tavira, yAn pOy intira/lOkam AZum 

/accuvai peRinum vENTEn, araGka mAnakaruLAnE.

Jesus prays to God to create a nitya anubhavam here on Earth based on the /para/lOka model. One can also say that he wants /rAma/rAjya here and now on Earth. But it is the joy and experience (/anu/bhavA) which matter. By definition /anu/bhavA is something that follows after a perception. 

The second /pAcuram confirms that the nitya anubhavam is already here in /Srirangam to be experienced and enjoyed. So much that the /AZvAr prefers God's Earthly abode to His Heavenly Abode. 

The Lord'ss Prayer has expectation built into it, whereas the  AzvAr has it as a fait accompli. The choice is for Man to make it now or to wait for the "second coming of Christ". In practice, we also hope for /kalki to be born and redeem us. But 
those who take to the /AZvAr's  or similar affirmations can experience that /cuvai here and now (INTu). 

/pAcuram No. 2 is an all-time  /pAcuram, which has stood time and which will continue to flourish. 

/naH svIkurvaka asmAt krupAm. 

Visu



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