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srI:
SrI sAra sAram â I (5)
--
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram
--
The Eminence of Thirumantra
---
After conveying the order in which the three mantras have to be observed, SwAmi
Desikan now shows the various aspects of the greatness of the Thirumantra:
âivaRRil SrImad ashTAksharamAkiRa mahA mantram pala upanishaththukkaLilum
upa-brahmhaNangaLilum prasiddhamAi, âtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAniâ
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE Sruti-smrutikaL ellAvaRRilumuLLa sAra-thama arththangaLaip
pothinthukoNdiruppathAi, âyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE
sarva anishTa nivarththana-kshamamAi, âaihalowkikam-aiSvaryamâ
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva purushArththankaLukkum sAdhanamAi,
âsakrudashTAksharam japtvAâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE
japa-artha-jn~AnAdi-mukha-ththAlE karma yOgAdikaL ellAvaRRukkum upakArakamAi,
âna svarah praNavOngAniâ, âvadikam thAntrikam caivaâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE
thantham adhikAra-anuguNa-mAka sarva-varNangaLukkum upajeevyamAi,
âcEtanAcEtanam sarvamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, SEsha-SEshi-sarva-tattva
kaNThOkti-maththAi, âkim tatra bahubhir-mantraihâ, âEkOshTAkshara
EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayEâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva-mantra nairapEkshya-karamAi,
âsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA
bhavEtâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva bhagavan moorththi-kaLukkum sAdhAraNamAi, âna
mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ, âmantrANAm paramO mantrahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE,
sarva vyApaka mantrangkaLilum pradhAna-mAyirukkaiyAlE, sarva AchAryarkaLum
iththaiyE AdharippArkaL.â
SwAmi Desikan points out that all AchAryas adopt the Thirumantram which
is also known as ashTAksharam, because of its unique eminence. He proves its
greatness from ten angles, based on various scriptural authorities. Let us
study them.
âivaRRilâ â Of these three mantras, namely, Thirumantram, Dvayam and the
Caram-SlOkam.
âSrImad ashTAksharamAkiRa mahA mantramâ â The magnificent mantram, known
as âSrImad ashTAksharamâ. As this mantra contains eight letters, it is
called âashTAksharamâ. This is also a holy mantra which is indicated by the
prefix, âSrImadâ.
(1) âpala upanishaththukkaLilum upa-brahmhaNangaLilum prasiddhamAiâ â
This mantram is adored in many Upanishads and scriptures which clarify the
vEdic ideas.
(ii) ââtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAniâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE Sruti-smrutikaL
ellAvaRRilumuLLa sAra-thama arththangaLaip pothinthukoNdiruppathAiâ â
This mantram contains in it the most essential truths expounded in all
the Vedas and Smrutis, as stated in this scriptural SlOka:
âtrayO vEdAh shaDhangAni chandAmsi vividhAh svarAh /
sarvamashTAksharAntasstham yccAnyadapi vAngmayam //â (nAradeeyam, 1-9)
(Three vEdas and their six auxiliaries, Chandas, svaras, and other holy mantras
are all contained within the ashTAkshara mantram.)
(iii) ââyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhahâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva anishTa
nivarththana-kshamamAiâ -- This mantram is capable of removing all
undesirable effects, as stated in this SlOka:
âyatrAshTAkshara-samsiddhO mahAbhAgO maheeyatE /
na tatra samcarishyanti vyAdhidurbhikshataskarAâ (nAradeeyam, 1-19)
(Where the MahAnubhAvas (the saintly minded), who knowing the truth of the
Thirumantram are meditating on it, are respected, there neither disease, nor
famine nor thieves will not enter. Here, disease means desire etc.; famine
means absence of awareness; and thieves are ahankAram, mamakAram etc.)
(iv) ââaihalowkikam-aiSvaryamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE sarva
purushArththankaLukkum sAdhanamAiâ --
The Thirumantram stands as a means for all the fruits including wealth,
heaven and liberation, according to the following scriptural statement:
âaihalowkikam-aiSvaryam svargAdyam pAralowkikam /
kaivalyam bhagavantam ca mantrOyam sAdhayishyati //â (nAradeeyam Kalpam,
6-50)
(This mantram helps to attain wealth in this world, heaven; or kaivalyam; or
mOksham for enjoying the total bliss of the Lord.)
(v) ââsakrudashTAksharam japtvAâ ithyAdikaLiRpadiyE
japa-artha-jn~AnAdi-mukha-ththAlE karma yOgAdikaL ellAvaRRukkum upakArakamAiâ
--
The mantram also helps one to adopt karma-yOga etc. through the performance of
japa and the knowledge of its significance, as stated in this scriptural
statement:
ârucO yajoomshi sAmAni tathaivAtharvaNAni ca /
sakrudashTAksharam japtvA sa tasya phalamaSnutE //â (nAradeeyam, 1-10) â
(Even if one does the japa of the ashTAkshara mantram only once, he obtains the
fruit of reciting all the four Vedas, namely, Rg, yajur, sAma and atharva.)
(vi) ââna svarah praNavOngAniâ, âvadikam thAntrikam caivaâ
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE thantham adhikAra-anuguNa-mAka sarva-varNangaLukkum
upajeevyamAi,â â
This mantram can be adopted by all the castes according to respective
qualifications, says the scripture:
(1) âna svarah praNavOngAni nApyanyavidhayastathA /
streenAm tu SoodrajAteenAm mantramAtrOktirishyatE //â (nAradeeyam,
1-103)
(Women as well as those belonging to the fourth caste can just utter the
mantram alone to get the benefit, though they are not supposed to use svaram,
praNavam or do anganyAsam.)
(2) âvadikam thAntrikam caiva tathA vaidika-tAntrikam /
trividham karma samprOktam pancarAtrAmrutArNavE //
vaidikam brahmaNAnAm tu rAjn~Am vaidika-tAntrikam /
tAntrikam vaiSya-SoodrANAm sarvEshAm tAntrikam tu vA //â (SanatkumAra
Samhita, 4-68, 69)
(In the PAncarAtra Agamam, karma is defined as of three types: vaidikam,
tAntrikam and vaidika-tAntrikam. Vaidikam is meant for brAhmins;
vaika-tAntrikam for kings; and tAntrikam for vaiSyas and soodras. But,
tAntrikam is for all.)
(vii) âcEtanAcEtanam sarvamâ ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, SEsha-SEshi-sarva-tattva
kaNThOkti-maththAi,â â
The mantram openly indicates the relationship between the SEsha
(servant) and the SEshi (Master), as stated in the scripture:
âcEtanAcEtanam sarvam vishnOryadvyatiricyatE /
nAram tadayanam cEdam yasya nArAyaNastu sah //â (Source is not known) --
(All sentient beings and non-sentient objects, which are different from VishNu,
are called as nAram. The indweller in them is nArAyaNan.)
(viii) ââkim tatra bahubhir-mantraihâ, âEkOshTAkshara
EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayEâ enkiRapadiyE, sarva-mantra
nairapEkshya-karamAi,â --
This mantram does not depend on any other mantra for its adoption, as
confirmed by the scriptural statements:
(1) âkim tatra bahubhir-mantraih kim tatra bahubhirvrataih /
namO nArAyaNAyEti mantrah sarvArtha-sAdhakah //â (nArdeeyam, 1-60) â
(Why should there be so many mantras and rites? The mantram, ânamO
nArAyaNayaâ is alone capable of getting all the desired fruits.)
(2) âEkOshTAkshara EvAyamalam-Atma-viSuddhayE /
kshudra-mantra-japaastvanyah kEvalam kAlayApanam //â (nAradeeyam, 1-17) â
(The ashTAkshara mantram is alone suffice to purify the soul. Performing other
minor japas is a waste of time.)
(ix) ââsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA bhavEtâ
enkiRapadiyE, sarva bhagavan moorththi-kaLukkum sAdhAraNamAi,â â
This mantram is common for all the moortis (forms) of the Lord, without
any need for a separate mantra for every form of the Lord, as stated in this
SlOkam:
âsarvatra-ashTAksharO mantrah moorti-mantrO yathA bhavEt /â (Source is not
known)---
(The ashTAkshara mantram is common for all the forms of the Lord.)
(x) ââna mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ, âmantrANAm paramO mantrahâ
ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, sarva vyApaka mantrangkaLilum pradhAna-mAyirukkaiyAlE
sarva AchAryarkaLum iththaiyE AdharippArkaL.â â
Three mantras are known as vyApaka mantras. They are: Thirumantram,
VishNu-shadaksharam and DvAdaSAksharam. Of these three, the Thirumantram is the
most important, say the scriptures:
(1) âyathA sarvEshu dEvEshu nAsti nArAyaNat parah /
tathA sarvEshu mantrEshu na mantrOshTAksharAt parahâ (nArasimha
PurANam, 18-32) â
(As there is no superior to nArAyaNa among all the gods, there is no superior
to the ashTAkshara, among all the mantras.)
(2) âmantrANAm paramO mantrah guhyAnAm guhyamuttamam /
pavitrANAm pavitram ca moolamantrah sanAtanah //â (nAradeeyam, 1-11)
â
(Thirumantam is without beginning; the best among all the mantras; the
secret-most mantra; and the purest among the pure.)
In view of these facts, all Acharyas prefer this Thiru ashTAkshara
Mantram alone.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
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