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Dhanur Maasam : Twenty second day --Artha panchakam /Pala svarupamo

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • January 7, 1997 


Dear  BhakthAs of GodhA piratti  :

In this posting , we will study the fifth of the pentad 
of Arhta Panchakam celebrated as Pala Svarupam .

AndAL establishes in ThiruppAvai parama purushArtha 
nirNayam as pala svarupam . That parama PurushArtha
nirNayam is evident in the paasuram section :

" iRRai paRai koLvAn anru kaaN GovindhA 
yeRRaikkum YEzhEzh piravikkum unRannOdhu 
uRROmEyAvOm unakkE naam aat seyvOm
maRRai nangkaamangaL maaRRU "

The self-nature (Svarupam ) of Palam (fruit) is
the uninterrupted servitude to the Lord ( VazhuvilA
Adimai seyvathu ) as parama purushArtham  according 
to AndAL . She establishes that the only way to get sure
release from the afflictions of SamsAra is to receive the 
boon of Nitya Kaimkaryam from the Lord . That boon is made
possible by us approaching the Lord with Thooymai . 
It is not just BrahmAnubhavam that AndAL asks for or approves , 
but She selects as THE  Palasvarupam that Nitya kaimkaryam
the Jeevan does to ParamAthmA   and the Lord welcoming it 
with joy and the Jeevan becoming filled as a result with the sense  
of bliss at the Lord's acceptance of the Kaimkaryam . This is 
the PremyArtham of ThiruppAvai .

Swami Desikan points out in Rahasya Traya Saaram (RTS )  
that Pala Svarupam is incorporated in the Mula Manthram 
in the chathurthi vibakthi (case) ; it is included in the namas
sabdham of Dvayam (Mantra Ratnam ) and it is again 
housed in the section of " sarva PaapEpyO mokshayishyAmi "
in Sarama Slokam . 

The kalakshepams with AchAryAs on RTS help the PrapaNNaas
to understand the above relationships between pala svarupam and 
the sections of the three rahasyams referred to above .  Here , we will
focus on the " sarva PaapEbhyo " section of Sarama slokam and its 
connection to the pala svarupam . 

In his  Taatparya chandrikai , the commentary on Bhagavad GitA
closely modelled after that of Acharya RamAnujA , Swami Desikan 
describes the essence of Sarama slokam this way  :

SudushkarEna sochEthyO yena yenEshtahEthunA I
sa sa tasyAhamEvEthi sarama sloka sangraha : II

(Meaning ) : The Lord says through Sarama sloka : " I stand 
in the place of  the Upaayam and complete the efforts of the 
Jeevan , which is saddened by its inability to pursue the means
(Upaayam ) and sincerely regrets over its helplesness . " This is
the essence of sarama slokam .

Swami Desikan in his RTS uses the above verse to indicate 
that the " sarva Paapa " vakhyam of the Sarama slokam destroys
by utterance , the praapthi virodhis , the upaaya virodhis as well 
as the prathikula anubhava hethus (Praathikoolya varjana anubhava
virodhis ) . Prapthi virodhi is the Lord's sankalpam(Nigraham)  that this 
jeevan full of  aparAdhams is not fit to enjoy us .  Upaaya Virodhi is the 
Lord's assessment that this Jeevan will not have the thooymai to
enjoy us . Prathikoola anubhava hethus are the fruits arising from 
performing  deeds not permitted by the saasthrAs sanctioned by the Lord .

All of the above three kinds of obstructions interfering with one's quest for 
Moksham  are destroyed by the Sarva Paapa vaakyam of the sarama slokam 
revealed to us by GeethAchAryan . When He assures us through the words,
"Sarva PaapEbhyO mokshayishyAmi " not only does the jeevan realize 
the destruction of the three kinds of Virodhis  , but it  also gains Ishta
Praapthi
or the fulfilment of the Kaimkarya Purushartham as Pala Svarupam . 

The genius of Swami Desikan sums up the doctrines of Artha Panchakam 
preached and practised by the Thiruppavai Jeeyar brilliantly in the folowing
verse of RTS :

praapyam brahma samastha seshi paramam prApthAham asyochita:
prapthirdhaya dhana kramAdhiha mama praapthA svatha : surivath I
hanthainaamathivrutthavAnahamhammathyA vimatyAsraya :
sethussamprathi seshidampathi BHARANYAASASTHU mE sishyatE II

(Meaning ) : The one supreme object to strive for and to obtain is 
the Lord , who is the Seshi for every one ; I am the one to strive for
this palam . I am fit to be saved by the Lord. The act of attaining this 
blessing is like the father's wealth coming to the son , just as
in the case of the Nitya suris . This fruit (palam ) should have come 
to me due to my sambhandham ( Uravu Ozhikka OzhiYaadhu ) . 
Alas ! my ahankAram stood as the Virodhi (enemy ) and obstructed my
sadhana to attain the kiamkarya purushArtham . Now , the SaraNAgathi 
(BharanyAsam ) that I would be performing at the lotus feet of the 
seshi dampathi (implying Eka seshithvam ) is going to be the bridge 
(Upaayam ) to cross the ocean of SamsAra and attain Ishta Prapthi 
and Palam in the form of Nitya Kaimkaryam to them . 

This then indeed is the knowledge of Artha Panchakam that GodhA
Piraatti taught us and our parmAcharyas explained to us 
through the  paasurams of Thiruppavai ! 

In the next posting , We will examine and enjoy the concept of Prapatthi 
as expressed and practised by AndAL in Her two Prabhandhams .

Soodikkoduttha NaachiyAr ThiruvadigaLE saraNam.

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan