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srI:
SrI sAra sAram â I (19)
--
I â ThirumantrAdhikAram
--
The Significance of the âaâ in PraNava (continued)
---
SwAmi Desikan has some more aspects emerging out the syllable, âaâ
to reveal. These aspects are supportive of the Lordâs causal and protective
nature. SwAmi Desikan says:
âik kAraNatvAdikaLukku upayukthangkaLAi pramANa siddhangkaLAna
sarvaj~natva-sarva-SaktitvAdikaLum
âlakshmyA saha hrisheekESahâ
âasyA mama ca SEsham hiâ
ityAthikaLiRpaDiyE dvayatthil pOlE sarv-rakshaNa-deekshithanAna sarva
SEshiyinuDaiya sahadharma-cAriNee sambandamum ingkE anusamdhEyam.â
These aspects are useful to the Lord in His being the Cause etc.:
âik kAraNatvAdikaLukku upayukthangkaLAiâ -- Here âAdiâ, etc., refers
to the Lord being the Protector and His being the Master of all.
Scriptural authorities âpramANangkaLâ indicate these aspects. They
are:
âpramANa siddhangkaLAna sarvaj~natva-sarva-SaktitvAdikaLumâ â What are
shown by the scriptural authorities are: omniscience, omni-potency, etc.
Omniscience is the capacity to know everything. Omni-potency is the capacity to
do anything.
One more aspect is there: The relationship with SrI (Lakshmee). SwAmi Desikan
quotes from the scriptural authorities:
âlakshmyA saha hrisheekESahâ, âasyA mama ca SEsham hiâ
The first quote is from a SlOka of LakshmeeTantram. Let us see the full SlOka:
âlakshmyA saha hrisheekESah dEvya kAruNya-roopayA /
rakshakah sarvsiddhAntE vEdAntEpi ca geeyatE //â (Lakshmee Tantram, 28-14)
(It is stated in all siddhAntas (systems) and in the vEdAnta that the Lord acts
as the protector only in the company of Lakshmee, Who is the very embodiment of
compassion.)
The second quote is from the VishvakSEna Samhita. The full SlOka is:
âasyA mama ca SEsham hi vibhootih ubhayAtmikA /
iti SrutiSirah siddha macchAstrEshvapi mAnada //â (VishvakSEna Samhita)
(The two kinds of aiswarya (namely, nitya-vibhooti and the leelA-vibhooti) are
SEsha to me and to Her, Oh Brahma! This is declared in the VEdAnta and in My
scriptures (PAncharAtra Agamas).
SwAmi Desikan further shows how this association of Lakshmee helps the
jIvas in ensuring protection from the Supreme Lord:
âityAthikaLiRpaDiyE dvayatthil pOlE sarv-rakshaNa-deekshithanAna sarva
SEshiyinuDaiya sahadharma-cAriNee sambandamum ingkE anusamdhEyam.â â
The Lord Who is determined to grant redemption to all, is ever ready to
do so with His Consort, Lakshmee Who remains with Him for ever. The
relationship with His spouse for the purpose of protection, which is evident
from various pramANas is derived by inference in the Thirumantram. She is being
mentioned specifically by the word, âSrIâ in the Dvaya mantram. Whenever
the Lord is referred to, Lakshmee should also be considered as referred to, as
per the principle, known as âsanniyOgaSishTa-nyAyamâ:
âsanniyOgaSishTAnAm saha vA pravruttih, saha vA nivruttihâ.. This is a
statement in vyAkaraNa scripture. The meaning is:
If two things are enjoined as necessary, wherever one of them is mentioned, the
other should be considered as indicated. The same is stated by the AchAryas
too:
âsvaroopam svAtantrayam bhagavata idam candravadanE
tvadASlEshOtkarshAd-bhavati khalu nishkarsha samayE /
tvamAseermatah Sreeh kamituridamitthamtvavibhavah
tadantarbhAvAttvAm na pruthagabhidhatE Srutirapi //â (SrI
GuNaratnakOsam-28)
(Since Thou (SrI) art ever inseparably connected with Thy Lord, even the Veda
does not mention Thee separately.)
Hence, in all the forms of meditation prescribed in the Upanishads, all
qualities and attributes of the Lord which define His nature are to be
meditated upon even though only one or two of them are actually mentioned in
the particular Vidya. Similarly, this attribute, that is, Laksmee, Who is the
most important of all attributes, should also be borne in mind. It is this
attribute, that is, Lakshmee, which is exclusive to the Lord and rules out
other deities, and defines the Lordâs essential nature which is not dependent
upon anything else. This can be seen as mentioned in SrI VAlmeeki RAmAyaNa:
âSakyA lObhayitum nAham aiSvaryENa dhanEna vA /
ananyA rAghavENAham bhAskarENa prabhA yathA //â (RAmAyaNa, 5-21-15)
(Just as the radiance cannot be separated from the sun, I cannot remain
separated from RAghavA.) These are Sitaâs words.
Thus, in the syllable âaâ, along with the other attributes of the
Lord, His ever-lasting relationship with SrI Lakshmee also is highlighted, says
SwAmi Desikan.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivasan
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