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srI:
SrI sAra sAram â I (30)
--
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram
--
The Significance of ânamahâ (continued)
---
Earlier we saw that the middle syllable, âuâ, in the praNava cuts
off any relationship with anyone else other than the Supreme Lord for the
jIvAtma. It has, therefore, become clear that the jIvAtma is not SEsha
(servant) to himself too. Then, will it not be a repetition to say that
ânamahâ means âI am not SEsha to my self.â? Swami Desikan now clears
the doubt:
âkeezh sAmAnyEna anya SEshitvam kazhinthirukka gObaleevarda-nyAyatthAlE ingu
viSEshikkiRathu. Sthiree-karaNArtham-AkavumAm. iv vartthangkALaik keezhE
siddhamAkki âennAn ceikEnâ ityAdikaLiRpaDiyE sva-svAtantrya-nivruttiyai
ingE anusantthikkavumAm.â
âkeezh sAmAnyEna anya SEshitvam kazhinthirukka gObaleevarda-nyAyatthAlE ingu
viSEshikkiRathu.â --
SwAmi Desikan points out that earlier, servitude to others (anya-SEshatvam)
than the Lord was denied for the jIva in a general way in the praNava through
the middle syllable, âuâ. Now, in the middle word, ânamahâ of the
Tirumantram, the denial is further focused in a specific way. This, in a
popular maxim, is known as âgObalee-varda-nyAyamâ.
âgObalee-varda-nyAyamâ â This maxim is explained thus:
A master asks his servant to bring the cattle from the shed. Soon he
adds saying âBring the cowâ. Even though cow is included in the
expression, âcattleâ, by specifically mentioning âcowâ, the master
meant by âcattleâ all animals except the âcowâ.
In the case under study, the middle syllable of the praNava, denies
Seshatva to others than the Lord. The middle word ânamahaâ is split as
ânaâ + âmahaâ and specifically denies Seshatva to one-self. That is,
the jIva is not Sesha even to himself. More clearly, he is not master of
himself; he is not independent at all. This is the specific meaning of
ânamahaâ. So, earlier, the syllable, âuâ indicated denial of Seshatvam
of the jIva for others except the Lord. This ânamahâ denies specifically
Seshatvam for oneself. Hence, it is not a repetition.
âSthiree-karaNArtham-AkavumAm.â â Swami Desikan says the expression
ânamahaâ further strengthens the fact that the jIva is not a Sesha to any
other than the Lord and His devotees.
âiv vartthangkALaik keezhE siddhamAkki âennAn ceikEnâ ityAdikaLiRpaDiyE
sva-svAtantrya-nivruttiyai ingE anusantthikkavumAm.â â
Swami Desikan further says that we should consider all these meanings
while contemplating on the middle syllable, âuâ, in the praNava. Here, that
is, while considering the middle word, ânamahaâ of the Tirumantram, we must
remember the absence of independence with regard to oneself. As a support,
Swami Desikan refers to an expression in a verse in the TiruvAimozhi of SrI
nammAzhvAr, âennAn ceikEnâ.
We shall consider the verse in full:
âennAn ceikEn yArE kaLaikaN ennaiyen ceykinRAi
unnAlallAl yAvarAlum onRum kuRai vENDEn
kannAr mathiL choozh kuDanthaik kiDanthAi adiyEnaruvANAL
chennAL ennAL unathAL piDitthE chelakkANE.â (TiruvAimozhi, 5-8-3)
(Oh Lord of ThirukkuDanthai! I can not adopt any means to attain You. Who can
help me? I will not think of any other means except You. Please grace me to
spend my remaining days grasping Your feet alone. Nothing else I want.)
AzhvAr emphasizes that he is not independent even to adopt any means on
his own. He leaves it to the Lord to decide what he should do; and even to
decide whether He should save the AzhvAr at all.
SwAmi Desikan thus indicates how a mumukshu should lead his life in
this world after he surrenders to the Lord.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
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