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srI:
SrI sAra sAram â I (32)
--
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram
--
The Significance of ânamahâ (continued)
---
SwAmi Desikan points out another important transformation that takes
place once it is realized that one is totally dependent on the Lord:
âippaDi tadEka-Sesha-bhoota mAkavum tadEka-niyAmyamakvm
padadvaya-tthAlE svaroopam cikshithamAnAl,
âyathEshTaviniyOgArham SeshaSabdEna kathyatE /
ISvarENa jagat sarvam yathEshTam viniyujyatE //â
enRu abhiyuktar connapaDiyE, svatantra svAmi viniyOgatthAlE bhAgavata-Seshatvam
prAptamAkiRathu.â â
Thus, we learn that the jIva is Sesha to the Lord alone and that he is
governed by Him alone. These two aspects of the Atma svaroopa, that is, the
innate nature of the soul, are taught through the praNava and ânamahâ, the
first two words of the Tirumantram. This revelation takes us to another state,
says Swami Desikan by quoting a slOka from an authoritative source. According
to this slOka, the term âSeshaâ indicates a thing that belongs to some one
who has the right to use it as he pleases. The entire world is being used by
the Lord as He desires and so, the world is Sesha to Him. Even so, the jIva is
Sesha to the bhAgavatas -- devotees of the Lordâas per the wish of the Lord.
âISvaran svAtantryathAlE ishTaviniyOgatthukku Saktan.svAmitvatthAlE
prAptan.â --
As the Lord is totally independent, He is fully capable of placing the jIva
according to His free will. As He is the master (Seshi), He has every right to
use His property, that is, the jIva, as He desires.
ââj~nAnI tu Atmaiva mE matamâ enRa ivanukku sva-atisayatthaik kATTilum
sva-AStrita-athisayam abhimata mAkaiyAlE tat-Seshatvam
tadeeya-Seshtva-paryantamAyiRRu.â â
The Lord described the man of wisdom among His bhaktas as his own soul
in the Bhagavadgita:
udArAh sarva EvaitE j~nAnee tu Atmaiva mE matam /
Asthitah sa hi yuktAtmA mamEvAnuttamam gatim // (Gita, 7-18)
(All the four kinds of devotees are indeed noble, but My conviction is that the
man of wisdom (bhakta) is My soul, as he is devoted exclusively to Me as the
highest goal.)
The Lord thus praises the man of wisdom among the four types of His
bhaktas â 1) the one who prays to Him to get back the lost wealth; 2) the one
who wants new wealth; 3) the one who aspires to enjoy his own Atma (kaivalya);
and 4) the one of wisdom, who is always attached to Him without any other
desire.
He reveals that He likes the glory of His devotees more than His own
glory. Hence, the fact of being the Sesha to the Lord extends farther to being
the Sesha to His devotees. The Seshatvam, the characteristic of being the
Lordâs servant, attains its full potential only when the jIva realizes that
he is the servant of His devotees too. This is known as
âpurushArtha-kAshThaâ â the frontier of human attainment.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
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