SrIH
SrImate raângarAmAnuja MahA deSikAya namaH
SrImate SrInivAsa rAmAnuja MahA deSikAya namaH
SrImate VedAnta rAmAnuja MahA deSikAya namaH
SrI raânganAtha divya maNi pAdukAbhyAm namaH
AcArya rAmAmRtam - (from SrI raânganAtha pAdukA dt. August 08 Part 3)
English Translation of
SrImad rAmAyaNa upanyAsam in tamizh by SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan
As published in SrI raânganAtha pAdukA by
SrI u.ve. nATTEri KiDAmbi rAjagopAlAcAriyAr (Editor of SrI raânganAtha
pAdukA)
(Please set your encoding to Unicode UTF-8)
SrImad ANDavan tiruvaDi,
kalyANi kRshNamAcAri
=====================================
SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavanâs SrImad rAmAyaNa upanyAsam
gacchhatA mAtula kulaM bharatena tadA'naghaH |
In addition to the term âSatrughnaâ, vAlmIki has added the term ânitya
Satrughnaâ. anitya Satru-s are the ones that are outside our body. nitya
Satru-s are the ones that are in our body. The five senses are called nitya
Satru-s (enemies).
oruvarkkARRi uyyum vagai inRAl
uDan ninRa aivar ennuL pugundu ozhiyAdu
aruvit tinRiDa anji nin aDaindEn
azhundUr mEl tiSai ninRa ammAnE ! (periya tiru.. 7.7.1)
[tirumangai AzhvAr says that he is afraid of the havoc that the five senses
cause by preventing him from attaining BhagavAn, and so he is running to Him
and seeking His protection from the five senses].
Since Satrughna vanquished the nitya Satru-s - the senses like eye, ear etc, he
became nitya Satrughna; he is doing kaimkaryam to bharata by not even getting
distracted by looking at rAma. So, when bharata left, Satrughna also left.
This first Slokam [gachhatA mAtula kulam] in ayodhyA kANDam is held in great
esteem by SrIvaishNava-s because it stresses the importance of bhAgavata
Seshatvam..
It is not even necessary to pray to perumAL; even though that is considered a
good deed, since it is in the way of attaining the desired purushArtham â
bhAgavata kaimkaryam, they say perumAL kaimkaryam is not needed.
Everyone wants to do good deeds and go to heaven. They do ya~jnams and yAgams
so that they can go to svargam. Even that good deed is branded âsinâ by
us, vedAnti-s. We do not want the good deeds that will lead us to heaven â
svargam and not to SrIvaikuNTham, and we donât want to commit sins that will
lead us to narakam - hell. We have to give up both the good deeds and sin in
order to attain salvation - moksham.
In rahasyatryasAram, SvAmi deSikan says â ponnum irumbumAna iru vilangugaLai
veTTi.[niryANAdhikAram Sec. 3]. When we commit a sin, it tortures us by
throwing us in hell; if we do a good deed, it opens heaven - svargam to us [and
not to SrI vaikuNTham]. Both are obstacles for total liberation - moksham.
So, what is the difference if it is either?
Does it matter if a prisoner in jail is bound by an iron chain or a golden
chain?
kasmai svadeta sukha sa~ncaraNotsukAya
kArAgRhe kanaka SR~NkhalayâApi bandhaH |
deSikan tells devap perumAL:
sadyaH tyajanti varada! tvayi baddhabhAvAH
paitAmahAdishu padeshvapi bhAvabandham |
kasmai svadeta sukha sa~ncaraNotsukAya
kArAgRhe kanaka SR~nkhalayAâpi bandhaH || (varadarAja pancAsat. 29)
In varadarAja pancASat, SrI nigamAnta mahAdeSikan prays to SrI varadarAjan and
says â âvarada! My Father! When a devotee worships You with love - sadyaH
tvajanti varada! tvayi baddhabhAvAH â Hey varada! The bhAgavata-s who
prostrate before You and surrender their minds to You will decline even the
post of brahmA if You offer it to them.â
paitAmahAdishu padeshvapi bhAvabandham sadyaH tyajanti
Those who worship varadarAjan in kAncipuram with full concentration of their
minds will not even take brahmAâs post if it is offered.
Why? Canât one be brahmA?
kasmai svadeta sukha sancaraNotsukAya
kArAgRhe kanaka SRnkhalayâApi bandhaH |
What a Slokam!
Will a person who wants to roam around happily want to be in a jail even though
he may be bound by a golden chain? For one who wants to keep walking freely -
sukha sancaraNotsukAya kanaka SRnkalayâApi bandhaH.
Thus we group all the titles such as brahmAâs post, and all acts such as
ya~jnam, yAgam etc that will bestow wealth and comfort of all kinds on us, into
the âsinâ category. Just like that, Satrughna said ânoâ to bhagavad
sevai because it would come in the way of his performing kaimkaryam to a
bhAgavata (bharata) â anaghaH.
gacchhatA mAtula kulaM bharatena tadA'naghaH |
anaghaH â one without any blemish. What blemish? Kaimkaryam to rAma.
If he does sevai to rAma, he will keep going after Him. rAma will totally
enchant him. Then he will end up doing kaimkaryam only to Him. There will be
no bhAgavata kaimkaryam. Our highest goal has to be bhAgavata kaimkaryam.
kaN SOra ve~Nkurudi vandizhiya ventazhal pOl kUndalALai
maN SEra mulaiyuNDa mAmadalAi vAnavar tam kOvE enRu
viN cErum iLam ti~NgaL agaDurinju maNimADa malgu Selvat
taN cERai emperumAn tAL tozhuvAr kANmin en talaimElArE (periya tiru. 7.4.1)
PerumAL kept His divine foot on tirumangaiyAzhvArâs head. The latter said,
âI do not want your tiruvaDiâ. âI did not ask for this tiruvaDi! taN
cERai emperumAn tAL tozhuvAr kANmin en talaimElArE â there is a divya dEsam
called âtiruccEraiâ. âI asked for the tiruvaDi of the devotees who pray
to the perumAL of that divya dEsam. Oh, God, why did You keep Your foot on my
head?â
AzhvAr is declining even perumALâs divine feet on his head.
Why? Because, he wants only bhAgavatasâ feet on his head.
ampuruva vari neDumkaN alarmagaLai varaiyakalattamarndu mallal
komburuva viLankanimEl iLankanru koNDaRinda kUttar pOlAm
vambalarum taNcOlai vaNcERai vAnundu kOyil mEya
emperumAn tAL tozhuvAr eppozhudum en manattE irukinRArE! (periya tiru.7.4.2)
It is the bhAgavata-s who pray to this tiruccERai perumALâs tiruvaDi who
occupy my mind always!
mIdODi vALeyiRu minnilaga mun vilagum uruvinAnai
kAdODu koDi mUkkanRuDanaRutta kaittalattA enRu ninRu
tAdODu vaNDalambum taNcERai emperumAn tALai Etti
pOdODu punal tUvum puNNiyarE viNNavaril poliginRArE! (periya tiru.7.4.3)
What AzhvAr is asking for are the sacred feet of those bhAgavata-s. AzhvAr
says: âI yearn for the tiruvaDi of bhAgavata-s who do ArAdhanam â worship
- of perumAL, giving Him arghyam, pAdyam, AcamanIyam and worship Him with
flowers.â
vandikkum maRRavarkkum mASuDambin vallamaNar tamakum allEn
andic cenRariyuruvAi iraNiyanai muraNazhitta mudalvarkkallAl
candappU malarc cOlait taN cErai emperumAn tALai, nALum
cindippArkku ennuLLam tEnURi eppozhudum tittikkumE (periya tiru. 7.4.5)
âOnly those bhAgavata-s, not emperumAn, is holding the attention in my
mind.â
candappU malarc cOlait taN cErai emperumAn tALai, nALum
cindippArkku ennuLLam tEnURi eppozhudum tittikkumE
AzhvAr says â âWhen I think about the devotees who worship perumAL, my mind
can taste that sweetness. It is like eating alvA/ bAdAm alvA/wheat alvA!â
But when we look at bhAgavata-s, we experience a burning stomach. âHow long
is this person going to live! What is the scoop on that!â (AcAryar laughs
slightly).
tErALun vALarakkan tennilangai vencamattu ponRi vIzha
pOrALum SilaiyadanAl porukaNaigaL pOkka vittAiyenRu nALum
tArALum varaimArban taNcERai emperumAn umbarALum
pErALan pErOdum periyOrai oru kAlum pirigilEnE (periya tiru. 7.4.4)
AzhvArâs pASuram-s are full of alliteration - if he starts a sentence with a
word beginning with âpaâ, he will use the other words in the same sentence
with âpaâ; if he starts with âtaâ, he will use the other words with
âtaâ [e.g., last quarter in above pASuram â pErALan pErOdum periyOrai
pirigilEnE.]
pErALan pErOdum periyOrai oru kAlum pirigilEnE! âI will never be separated
from the bhAgavata-s who keep chanting that emperumAnâs tirunAmams, even for
a single day.â
paNDu EnamAi ulagai anRiDanda paNbALA enRu ninRu
toNDAnEn tiruvaDiyE tuNai allAl tuNai ilEn SolluginREn
vaNDEndum malarppuRavil vaNcERai emperumAn aDiyAr tammai
kaNDEnukku idu kANIr en ne~njam kaNNiNaiyum kaLikkumARE
(periya tiru. 7.4.2)
AzhvAr says: âI seek only the tiruvaDi of bhAgavata-s; they are very
special.â
If we enjoy servitude to bhAgavata, is the enjoyment of servitude to bhagavAn
going to be any better?
One may ask: âPerumAL rules over yamadharmarAjan and gets rid of our sins.
Can bhAgavata-s do that?â
uNNAdu venkURRam OvAdu pAvangaL SErA mElai viNNArum
maNNOrum vandirainjum men taLir pOl aDiyinAnai
paNNAra vaNDiyambum paimpozil Suzh taN cERai ammAn tannai
kaNNArak kaNDurugik kaiyArat tozhuvAraik karudum kalE
(periya tiru. 7.4.8)
All the songs are extraordinary songs. âI do not need tEpperumAL or any other
perumALââ (loud laughter in the audience). What? Did I mention your
perumALâs name! (audience laughs again). AzhvAr says the sacred feet of
those bhAgavata-s who worship that tEpperumAL is enough for him. kaNNArak
kaNDurugik kaiyArat tozhivAraik karudum kAlE, uNNAdu venkURRam OvAdu pAvangaL
SerA. These devotees pray to this emperumAn with tears in the eyes â
bhUyo bhUyaH pulakanicitaiH angakaiH edhamAnAH
sthUlasthUlAn nayanamukuLaiH bibhrato bAshpabindUn |
dhanyAH kecit varada! bhavataH samsadam bhUshayantaH
svAntaiH antarvinaya nibhRtaiH svAdayante padam te || (varadarAja pancAsat. 45)
AzhvAr says he does not need tEpperumAL. He wants only His devotees, whose
hairs stand on their ends when they worship Him - bhUyo bhUyaH pulaganicitaiH
angakaiH edhamAnAH. Because of dEvap perumALâs extremely beautiful sevai and
His exquisite charm and His divine acts, their hairs stand on their ends.
sthUlasthUlAn nayanamukuLaiH bibhrato bAshpabindUn - Tears roll down from
their eyes like a stream when they enjoy emperumAn.
dhanyAH kecit varada! bhavataH samsadam bhUshayantaH
AzhvAr says â it is enough for me if I get these kind of blessed bhAgavata-s;
I do not need perumAL. kaNNArak kaNDurugik kaiyArat tozhivAraik karudum kAlE.
If one asks: âWhat will you do when yama (God of death) comes tomorrow and
pulls you?â, the answer is: uNNAdu venkURRam â yama will not harm those who
worship bhAgavata-s. He will not even come anywhere near.
To the argument â âSin may attach to us; donât we need perumAL to remove
our sins? - even âsinâ will not come near.
paNNAra vaNDiyambum paimpozil Suzh taN cERai ammAn tannai
kaNNArak kaNDurugik kaiyArat tozhivAraik karudum kale â pAva~Ngal SerA.
BhagavAn asks: âThen what do you need?â The answer is: âWe only need
bhAgavata-sâ blessings; we need their prasAdam - grace; we do not need
perumAL.â
Devotees ask deSikan what he will ask if perumAL comes in person before him.
He says he will not ask for anything.
âWill you ask for wealth?â
âNo.â
âWill you ask for wealth in this world?â
âNo. I will not ask for heavenly wealth. I will not ask for brahmalokaâs
wealth. I will not opt for the post of brahmA. I will not even ask for
salvation. â
nAthe naH tRNam anyadanyadapi vA tannAbhi nAlIkinI
nAlIka spRhaNIya saurabhamucA vAcA na yAcAmahe |
SuddhAnAm tu labhemahi sthiradhiyAm SuddhAnta siddhAntinAm
muktaiSvarya dinaprabhAta samayAsattim prasattim muhuH ||
(rahasyatrayasAram â
16.37)
Look at how great a Slokam this is. Very rare one â from SrI rahasya traya
sAram.
nAthe naH tRNam anyat anyat api vA â When enquired as to what he will ask
perumAL, he says, âI will not ask for these tRNam-s - small pieces of
strawâ Will anyone ask for a piece of straw?
In deSikanâs dictionary, tRNam is same as wealth. He considers wealth as a
piece of hay - straw.
nAthe naH tRNam anyat â And, another one; I will not ask for the wealth of
deva lokam â the world of the deva-s.
anyat â and then, there is another one. I will not ask for the post of
brahmA.
What is the other one? api â I will not ask for kaivalyam;. Another one; vA
â I will not ask for moksham also.
[Notice that he does not say the words âbrahma lokam, kaivalyam, moksham,
etc., explicitly!] Canât he even say these words with his mouth?
He says it is sin to say that word. Why? âWill I ask for it with my
mouth?â
tannAbhi nALIkinI nALIka spRhaNIya saurabhamucA vAcA na yAcAmahe !
The lotus flower that came out of perumALâs navel did not have enough
fragrance. The flower attempted to find if some fragrance can be borrowed from
anywhere in the fourteen worlds; it was not found; finally, it came to tUppul
deSikan and asked him, âLend me the fragrance of your Slokamâ, and went
away taking that. Even the flower from perumALâs navel did not possess the
fragrance of svAmi deSikanâs Slokam!
That is why this svAmi (AcAryan points to one of the svAmi-s in the audience)
is doing kaimkaryam to deSikan.
tannAbhi nALIkinI nALIka spRhaNIya saurabhamucA vAcA na yAcAmahe !
âI will not ask for anything with my mouth with my Slokam which has the
fragrance that is desired by even the lotus from perumALâs navelâ.
âThen, what will you ask for?â
SuddhAnAm tu labhemahi sthiradhiyAm SuddhAnta siddhAntinAm
muktaiSvarya dinaprabhAta samayAsattim prasattim muhuH ||
antaH purasiddhAntam â a rAja mahishi â queen in the inner quarters of a
king â will not look at anybody else. Like that, I only need the prasAdam
â grace - of the bhAgavata-s who do not worship anyone other than
dEvapperumAL. I do not need anything else.
SuddhAnAm tu labhemahi sthiradhiyAm SuddhAnta siddhAntinAm
Those who are in SuddhAnta siddhAntam â dedicated to worshipping only
BhagavAn and no one else, those who say that even in arcAvatAram, they will not
worship any other perumAL, prasAsdam â blessing from only those bhAgavata-s
is what he seeks; so says svAmi deSikan. So,
gacchhatA mAtula kulaM bharatena tadA'naghaH |
Satrughno nityaSatrughno nItaH prItipuraskRtaH ||
===========
(End of translation of AcArya rAmAmRtam as it appeared in the August 2008
issue of SrI raânganAtha pAdukA)
To be continued â..
------------------------------------
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