Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Selected excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy's ThiruppAvai Monograph: Part XXVIII-> Twenty Second day : "angaNmA Gn~alatharasar" Dinam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • January 6, 2001 


Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Dear BhakthAs: Today is sacred Sri Vaikunta EkAdasi day .
Our Lord at Srirangam would have bleesed all those traveling
with Him through the Sri Vaikunta Vaasal. 

In the previous paasuram , the Gopis described to 
Lord KrishnA their "abhimAna Soonyathai"( their state
with freedom from ahankAra-mamakArams ). In this paasuram , 
the Gopis declare their "ananhArya sEshathvam " ( exclusive 
servitude to the Lord and Lord alone ) according to JananyAchArya 
Swamy .

With Nappinnai's niyamanam , the Gopis approach the foot
of KrishNA's bed and assure Him that they have arrived 
in a state of freedom from SvathanthrAthma Bramam 
(delusion that they have the independence & power to act as 
their own protectors) and anya-sEshathva Bramam ( delusion
that other devathais can be obeyed as their Masters instead
of Sriman NaarAyaNan alone).They reveal thus the perfection
of their tatthva Jn~Anam. 

The Gopis tell KrishNA that it must be a curse (saapam) 
that stood in the way of receiving His anugraham , although
they are fully qualified to receive that anugraham. They
appeal to Him to look at them with both of His eyes to banish
that Saapam and bless them with the boon of 
anushtAna poorthi.

SrI BhuvarAhaacchAr Swamy's description of 
******************************************
the context Of Paasuram
**************************

" Sri Krishna (innocently)inquires with the Gopis 
the reason for their visit ; and they reply:

Oh Lord ! even though You know very well that we have
approached You as refugees , having no one else to give
us protection , You have not condescended to cast Your
nectarine glances on us. We are born of a family 
(of AzhwArs) whose constant prayer is for Your grace
and that You should talk to us by moving Your coral-
like lips. We , like the vanquished kings , have cast 
aside our ego and have assembled at the foot of Your bed 
seeking Your protection. Our sole ambition is to be 
the target of Your merciful eyes .Your inquiry regarding 
the purpose of our visit appears to be a new practise
in Your relations with us. Know that we, who should be 
always united with you , are today pining in separation 
from You. This situation , which appears to be due to some 
curse , can be modified only by Your nectarine glances .It is
only for this comforting look that we have come to You and 
not for any other favour. So open Your eyes slowly and steadily
and look at us ". 

Literal Meaning of the Paasuram (Dr.V.K.S.N.Raghavan):
******************************************************
(The Young girls pray to the Lord in the strain of 
defeated kings surrendering to the emperor , who is 
the Supreme Soverign) Oh Lord ! We have come to You 
just as the kings of the vast beautiful Earth , who stay
contented in large groups at the foot of Your cot
( throne) after renouncing their haughtiness and 
self-esteem. Oh Lord! Will You not look at us, with
Your gentle and  exquisite eyes , resembling 
the half-blossomed lotus similar to a small kinkiNi 
( jewel-like little bells)opening little by little 
(gradually)? If You direct Your glance at us, with 
Your pair of beautiful eyes that resemble the rising 
Sun and the Moon , we will be freed from the curse of
sins (past , present and future).

Upanishad BhAshyakArar's lilting Sanskrit explanation
******************************************************
"--mahAmaNdalAdhipathaya: nirasthAbhimAnA:santhO
sangIbhUya thvadhIya manja adhasthAna pradEsE yatho
Upavisanthi tathA thvadhguNa vivasA bhUthvA aagathya
aasrithA:sma --( just as the great kings casting aside
their ego have arrived at the foot of Your cot , we are
also standing overcome by Your guNAdhisayam and have
sought Your protection )" .

KinkiNi Vaai seytha thAmari--" dhara-vikasitha puNDarIka 
sadhrusa raktha nayanAbhyAm mandham mandham asmAn aalOkaya"
( with Your slowly opening red lotus like eyes , please
look at us and bless us).

ThinkaLum --saapam azhinthu: " udhitha Chandra Soorya 
sadhrusAbhyAm athisundara nayanAbhyAm asmAn pasyasi chEth 
asmadhIyAni pApAni nasyanthi" ( If You look at us with Your
Sun and Moon-like , most beautiful eyes , all of our sins
will be destroyed).

PerukkAraNai Swamy's anubhavam on selected passages :
*******************************************************
(1) abhimAna BhangamAi Vanthu = There are 8 kinds of delusions
that a human beings have that interferes with their Tatthva
Jn~Anam:

(a) Delusion that one's SarIram is AathmA
(b) Delusion that one is a svathanthran
(c) Thought that we are servants to some one 
    other than the Lord.
(d) Delusion that there are bhandhus other
    than Sriman NaarAyaNan to help us.
(e) Delusion that one can attain purushArtham (mOksham)
    by seeking UpAyams other than Bhakthi & Prapatthi.
(f) deep desire to wallow in persihable pleasures.
(g) the delusion that we do everything by our own power.
(h) the tendency to commit apachAram to BhaagavathAs.

The release from these eight kinds of delusions is 
the conviction that one is Bhaagavatha Seshan 
( the servant of the devotees of the Lord).

(2) AngaNmA Gn~Ala paasuram is the 22nd one in Thiruppaavai.
AhankAram is the 22nd Tatthvam in the hierarchy of Tatthvams.
While talking thus about abhimAna Bhangam (ahankaram's banishment),
ANDAL chooses the 22nd Paasuram to house the thoughts on
AbhimAnam (ahankAram).

(3) When seeking Lord KrishNA's help in the war to come
at KurukshEthram , Arjunan stayed at the feet of the sleeping 
Lord and DuryOdhanan chose the position at the head of the cot. 
Once Lord KrishNa woke up , his nectarine glances fell on
ArjunA and blessed him . ArjunA chose the Lord Himself
and DuryOdhanA chose the army of KrishNA for help
in the ensuing battle. The results of that choice are
well known. It is better to be at the foot of the Lord's 
cot rather than at the other side. That is what the Gopis 
are alluding to here( SenkaNN yemmEl VizhiyAvO).The Gopis
pray for the prathama KatAksham of the Lord .

(4) ThingaLum Aadhithyanum : Chandran makes one joyous
with his cool rays. Sooryan chases away the enemies 
with its power. Lord's eyes are like the Moon and 
the Sun . The Gopis pray for both the blessings 
( " prasanna Aadhithya varchasam Chandra kAnthAnanam 
Raamam atheeva Priya darsanam " is the description of 
the Lord in Srimath RaamAyanam).

(5) AnkaNN iraNDum koNDu: Seeing with one eye or
half eye (kaNN chimittal) generates  base instincts 
(kaama VikAram).Hence , the Gopis pray for Him to 
look at them with both eyes like a caring Mother 
looking at her child with both eyes.This is 
the proverbial "VishNO: KatAksham".The Gopis 
remind Him that they are not there for half or
one eyed glance that will lead to Madhana VikAram
(Manmatha ChEshtai like in Raasakreedai ).They 
want the two eyes of the Lord like Moon ( cooling , 
comforting glance) and Sooryan ( Removal of the darknes 
of aj~nanam)to bless them for Moksham .

(6) When One recites the 22nd ThiruppAvai Paasuram
daily with niyamam , then all the sins committed by
us will be eliminated according to PoorvAchAryAs.
This is an appropriate thought for this Vaikunta 
EkAdasi day. ANDAL is indeed our Maarga Darsini .

ANDAL, Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadikaLE SaraNam
RamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan    

 
     




--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Search archives at http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/index.html#SEARCH
Manage your subscription at http://www.egroups.com/mygroups