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Re: Periya Thirumozhi- 4.6- KannA! You alone are my rakshakan!, Commentary on this paasuram : Part 2

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Sadagopan • July 29, 1999 


(Continuation with some overlaps for coherent reading)

Now coming back to the 9th paasuram
on ThirukkAvalampADik KaNNan , the portion 
for our discussion is as follows  :

" chandamAi SamayamAhi Samayavaim bhUthamAhi
anthamAi AadhiyAhi arumaRai avayum aanAi--"

These two magnificient lines are about the Para
Tattvam (Supreme Lorship)of Sriman NaarAyaNan as 
the DhArakan ( who bears the Jeevans as His Body/svarUpam ),
as the NiyanthA ( who commands us with His sankalpam ),
as the sEshi ( as the Lord with no one equal or greater
than Him and  who receives the fruits of our rakshanam ),
as the Svatha-Sarvaj~nan (natural Omniscient one),
as the Sarvasakthan ( Omnipotent one), 
as the Parama KaaruNIkan ( the most merciful one),
as the sarva SaraNyan ( the refuge for one and all),
and as the MOksha pradhan ( the sole granter of Moksham ).

Let us now enjoy the meanings of the individual 
words chosen by Kaliyan .I will first give the meanings
in VaishNava paribhAshai (coded lamguage) and then break
the codes for a clearer understanding :

(1)ChandhamAi= by becoming the svAthanthrya sakthi of the Jeevans,
(2)Samayam aahi=by becoming the kaala dhravyam with its many divisons
(3)samayam ei bhUtham aahi=by becoming the prapancham defined by
                        the five elements(pancha bhUtham), which
                        arise after Mahath , ahankAram and other
                        achEthana tattvams
(4)antham aai=by becoming the Pralayam
(5)Aadhi aahi=by becoming the many created beings as upAdhAna kAranam
(6)aru maRai avaiyum aanAi=You became the timeless VedAs , which describe
                        all these wonderous doctrines related to You.

**************************************************

There are SIX illustrative examples given by Kaliyan 
to celebrate the sweep and magnificence of the Lord ,
Sriman NaarAyaNan , who blessed him with His 
darsanam as ArchA mUrthy at KaavaLampADi Sri KrishNan .
We will analyze these six words one by one because of
their depth of meanings. The first of the SIX is 
Chandham aai ( Taking the form of Chandham ) :

(1) chandham aai: The Jeevans have JnA~nam,icchA
and prayathnam.Let us focus on Jna~nam first and 
relate it to IcchA and prayathnam .

The Jna~nam or knowledge here is dharma bhUtha Jna~Nam (DBJ), 
an important concept in VisishtAdvaitham.It is eternal and
pervasive and is an attribute of Isvaran and the Jeevans.
This knowledge is shrunk or obscured( sankuchitham)
for bound jeevans( bHaddha Jeevans) and is fully blossomed
(vikasitham ) in the case of mukthAs or NithyAs (liberated
Ones and the eternals).It functions through the mind in all
knowing processes; thus all objective knowledge is 
a modification of it.DBJ has the power to reveal objects 
as well as itself ,but not to know them. What it illumines
is always for another". In perception , it goes out to 
the object,takes on the object's form and as a result,
the object becomes known to the perceiving subject.

The modes of DBJ include the internal states of the mind like
desire(IcchA and anger) as well as prayathnam ( karthruthvam
/muaRcchi).

The DBJ and its modes like IcchA and prayathnam of
the Jeevan is covered by the first word of this Paasuram
to indicate the realtionship between chEthanam or
the sentient being with the Supreme Lord of whose 
body it is a part.

IcchA sakthi means divine will; Prayathna sakthi is
conscious activity .Some of the SvAthanthric charactrestrics 
of the Jeevan in our sampradhAyam are:Jn~Athruthvam (Jn~Anam),
bhOgthruthvam (~IchA ) and karthruthvam (Prayathnam ).
Jn~Athruthvam is "aRivudamai" or possession of
Dharma BhUtha Jn~Anam . BhOkthruthvam arising from 
IcchA sakthi is the capacity for the Jeevan to enjoy 
the fruits of its karmAs . Karthruthvam is "seyal Purithal"
or undertaking the effort or kriyA sakthi. These are not
possible for the achEthanam or insentients. 

This chandas (chandham aai) also refers to Gayathri(24), 
ushNik(28), anushtup(32), bruhathi(36)  pankthi (40),
Thrishtup (44), Jagathi(48) ,Athijagathi (52),
Sakvari(56) ,athisakvari(60), Ashti(64) ,Athyashti(68),
Dhruthi(72) and athidhruthi(76)et al. The numbers in
paranthesis are the total number of syllables in 
these Vedic metres constituting the veda manthrams.
These metres increase by interbvals of fiour starting from 
Gaayathri with 24 syllables .In the Rg Vedam , there are 
10,472 manthrams housed in ten cantos in 20 metres 
including Gaayathri (2,449 mathrams), 
Thrishtup( 4,251 manthrams) , athidhruthi( one manthram ),
Dhruthi (2 manthrams) et al. These 10,472 manthrams
with 3,94,221 syllables are housed in the above 20 metres.

The famous Gayathri manthram that we use in SandhyA-
vandhanam is the thripAdha Gayathri has 23 syllables,
one less than the standard 24 and is known as nicruth Gaayathri. 
The standard Gayathri chandas with 24 syllables
can vary as one of the many combinations adding upto 24
syllables: 8+8+8 0r 7+10=7( yava madhya Gaayathri) et al. 
Pragathas are combination of one or more metres.
For example , Anushtupa pragAthA is made up of
Anushtup+Gaayathri+Gaayathri ( 32+24+24=80 syllables).

By the choice of one single word , "ChandhamAi" ,
Kaliyan incorporates all the profound principles
of VisishtAdvaitham associated with the Jeevan,
JnA~na-IcchA-Prayathna svAthanthrya Sakthi- and 
the entire assembly of chandhas forming the infrastructure
for the veda manthrams eulogizing the Lord of
ThirukkAvaLampADi .

Kaliyan's intent seems to be aimed at removing 
the troubles for us to learn about the intricate meanings
of SaasthrAs by us of feeble mind through self study
and to learn them thru AachArya UpadEsams .He is
standing in the role of an AchAryan and giving us
parama mangaLa upadEsam through these words 
of the 9th paasuram on Sri KrishNan of
KaavaLampADi. The slOkam in this context 
for our reflection is :

Saasthra JnA~nam bahu klEsam buddhe:chalana kaaraNam
UpadEsAth Harim buddhvA viramEth Sarva karmasu 

(Meaning): Those who are not gifted with firm intellect/
mind would find it very diffcult to learn the subtle
meanings of the SaasthrAs and they will be easily confused .
Therefore , they should learn from the AchArya-upadEsam 
about the majesty of our Lord and the cardinal 
doctrines relating to our sampradhAyam and thus cease 
to learn SaasthrAs by themselves.

We will discuss "samyamaahi" in the next posting . 

Thirumangai Mannan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan