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Dhanur Maasam : Twenty First Day --Artha Panchakam/Virodhi Svarupam

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • January 6, 1997 


Dear Devotees of AndAL :

In this posting we will study together the fourth of
the pentad of Artha Panchakam known as Virodhi
Svarupam . Virodhi or the obstacle here is the obstacle to
Moksham or freedom from rebirths . Bhakthi and Prapatthi
are the two routes to overcome the obstacles placed in the way 
of attaining Moksham . Svarupam or self-nature of the Virodhis
for Moksha prApthi are covered  by AndAL in her Thiruppavai .

In the fourth verse of Thiruppavai , AndAL commands VaruNA this way :
" vAzha ulahil peythidaai  naangaLum margazhi neeraada ". 
Here , Margazhi Neeraatam is the symbol for Bahgavadh Samslesham 
or union with the Lord . Here she is worried about the obstacles to 
that type of nal vaazhvu or auspicious life . She consoles herself 
in the next paasuram and cheers herself up through the insight 
that the Virodhis to Bahgavad Samslesham will be burnt to ashes like 
the dust in fire ( poya pizhaiyum puhutaruvAn ninranavum theeyinil
thoosaahum ) . She points out that the recitation of the name of 
the Lord (Govinda Dhamodhara maadhavEthi ) with affection would
destroy the Virodhis of Moksham by elimiating sanchitha , aagaamya 
KarmAs and their fruits . Those are the two kinds of fruits in the form
of Papams and PuNyams. They unite with and bind the Jeevan
and obstruct the attainment of Moksha siddhi . RajO and TamO 
guNams prevail in this state of bondage and Artha Panchaka 
JnAnam is banished . Rebirth occurs and the Jeevan is deeply
immersed in the sea of SamsArA . These Virodhis however are 
destroyed by BahgavannAma Sankeerthanam (ThuyOmaai Vandhu --
VaaiyinAl paadi , Manathinaal chinthikka ) effectively . 

The state of arriving before the Lord in a state of purity of mind
(ThooyOmaai Vandhu ) is very important to destroy the Moksha VirOdhis .
When the blemishes are removed , the Jeevan is in a state of
purity , which is a prerequisite for Moksha PrApthi . AndAL states
TWICE about arriving in a state of Thooymai ( Purity of thought ),
before the Lord to seek His Kaimkaryam . First , she says in the 
fifth Paasuram , " ThooyOmaai vandhu naam " . In the sixteenth
pasuram (Nayakanaai ) , she describes her state as " ThooyOmai
VandhOm ) . 

In the twenty eigth Paasuram (KaRavaigaL pin chenru )  , she again 
points out her state  : ariyaatha PLLaihaLOm , Arivonrumillatha Aaikulatthu ".
Recognition  of that state and seeking the Lord as Upaayam leads 
to a pure state charactrestric of one , who has adopted the SiddhOpAyam
(SiddhOpAya SveekAram ) . Seeking that state to reach the purity and 
thereby to banish the Virodhis of Mokshaanubhavam , she begs the 
Lord to remove all other PrayojanAs (PrayOjanAntharam ) from her 
mind :"  MaRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu " . She also reminds Him 
about the unchangable relationship between them ( UnrannOdhu 
uRROmEyAvoM ) . She prays for the Manatthooymai born out of 
the Bhogthruva buddhi ( a mind that relishes the taste of Kaimkaryam
to the Lord ) . 

Dr. Rangarajan has pointed out that in  ParAsara Bhattar's view ,
the prayer , " maRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu "  is the 
prabhala tara Virodhi PraharaNam ( topmost weapon for destroying
the Moksha Virodhi ) . PiLLai LokAcchAr has taken a similar view.
He says that svaprayOjana buddhi is the virOdhi for Moksha PrApthi .
NishkAma , Bhagavath kaimkaryam resulting from His answer to the prayer,
" MaRRai nam kaamangaL MaaRRu " is the sure solution to destroy the 
obstacles (Virodhis ) in the path of Moksha Siddhi . 

NammAzhwAr laments over the above Virodhis in one of his Paasurams
this way : KaNNapiRaanai --naNNahillEn , Pala sey vinai kayiRRaal 
yennai pOra vaitthaai puRamE " . He states that the Lord has tied him down 
firmly with the ropes of the karmAs and has placed him far away from his 
presence ( Thiruvaimozhi 5.1.5) . 

The Thiruppavai Jeeyar in his saraNAgathi gadhyam laments over the same
virodhis in a moving passage :"  Madhiyaanaadhi karma pravaaha pravrutthAm
bhagavadh svarupa tirOdhaanakareem viparitha jnaana jananeem ---daiveem
guNamayeem maayaam --- daasa bhootha: saranAgathOsmi tavaasmi daasa:
ithi vakthAram mam taaraya ". The essential message of AndAL and 
the achAryAs is that the sure step  for victory over the Moksha Virodhis 
is saraNAgathi at the Lord's sacred feet . 

The Thiruppavai Jeeyar sums it up succinctly in Sri Bhashyam this eternal
truth in this manner : "Tasya cha vaseekaraNam taccharaNagathirEva "
( The saadhanam to attract the Lord to cast His merciful glance at us 
and to have Him in our control is the SaraNAgathi that we perform with 
mahAvisvAsam at his Lotus feet  .

We will discuss the Pala svarupam in the final posting on the Artha Panchakam 
tomorrow .

AndAL thiruvadigaLE SaraNam 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri sadagopan