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Thirumantram - question on 'mantram yathnEna GOpayEth'

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Thirumalai Anandanpillai • October 8, 1996 


Thanks to Sri Sridhar for providing additional clarifications -

The thirumantraartham commentary on mumukshuppadi 3 explicitly refers to
'mantram yathnEna GOpayEth' 

 Gurum prakaasayEth Dheemaan mantram yathnEna GOpayEth|
 aprakaasaprakaasaabhyaam ksheeyEthE sambhandhaayushee ||

The one who is wise will make sure that his guru is known. He is dutybound to
protect the mantras (from the anadhikaaris) with great effort.....

The Thirumantraartham commentary says that one should take care
that anusandhaanam is done in such a way that the thirumantram is not heard by
non-adhikaaris ('anadhikaarikaL sevippadaadhapadi').

The definition of an adhikaari is pretty simple - one who desires moksha as
a result of the desire for the Lord (i.e. mumukshu).
However, the question 'Who are we to decide who is a mumukshu and who is not?' 
still exists. I do tend to agree with the position that we have no business in 
speculating on the qualifications of another bhAgavatha.

I am definitely not understanding something here - Why the reference to
'mantram yathnEna GOpayEth' when one is not in a position to make a decision on
who an adhikari is and & who is not?
Or, am I misunderstanding the real meaning of 'mantram yathnEna GOpayEth'? 

Daasaanu Daasan,
Varadhan