Pranam to all devotees:
This verse addresses the doubts, and gives answers to them.
Doubts answered for those who feel :
1: The atma is body.
2: he is independent himself
3: he is subservient to any other person or devatha in addition to Narayana
4: desirious of trying himself for the liberation of his soul
5: person has attachment to his relatives
Ashtasloki Verse No.4.
dhehAsaktAtmabuddhiryadi bhavati padam sAdhu vidyAtthrtIyam
svAtantryAndhO yadi syAt prathamamitarasheshatvadhIschetdvitIyam
AtmatrANOnmukhaschenam iti cha padam bAnDhavABhAsalOla:
Shabdam nArAyaNAkhyam vishayachapaladhIschetchaturThIm prapanna:
Simple meaning:
Dheha asakta Atma bhudhihi bavath yathi if any one feels the atma is body (dheha atma bramam)
Tritheeyam padam sadhu vidyat let him look to the third letter 'ma' in the Pranavam 'om'
Swathantriya anthaha syat yathi if any one feels that he is independent himself
Prathamam padam vidyat let him look to the first letter 'ah' of the Pranavam 'om'
together with the hidden 4th case ending.
Ithara seshathwatheehi chaat if any one feels that he is subservient to any other person or devatha in addition to Narayana
Dwadeeyam padam vidyat let him look to the second letter 'ooh' of the Pranavam 'om'
Atma thrana- unmuka chaat if any one is desirious of trying himself for the liberation of his soul
Nama ithi padam vidyat let him look to the word 'namaha' in the Thirumantram
Bandawa basa lolaha if any person has attachment to his relatives
Narayanakyam sabdam vidyat let him look to the word 'Narayana'
Vishaya chapaladeehi chaat if any person is interestd in the enjoyment of senses
Chathurtheem vidyat let him look to the 4th case ending of the Narayana word i.e 'aya'
Thus each set of doubts are answered.
Explanation:
Prapannaha is the person who firmly believes in Paramatma as his goal and means.
The protection provided by Thrumantram is of two kinds.
1: The mantram, by virtue of its sound (sabdha) during japam and homam protects the person very well.
2: But in the case of those who are firm by keeping Lord as goal as well as means to attain Him the Thirumantram protects them by virtue of the effect of its meanings. The second type of protection, provided to Prapannas is explained in this verse.
We will analyse each statement of the verse:
If a person has mistaken the body as soul, then he is advised to look to the third letter 'ma' in the Pranavam 'om'.
What does this 'ma' represent? It speaks of the jeeva which is embodiment of knowledge (all knowing power). We know that this body has no capacity to understand and has no feelings. Therefore, it cannot be atma. Thus the doubt that this body represents atama is dispelled.
After realizing that atma is different than body, a feeling might be entertained that the atma is a free and independent entity. In this case, the advice is to look to the first letter 'ah' of the Pranavam 'om'. We had already seen that there is a fourth case ending with the letter 'ah' which is hidden. The letter 'ah' and case ending together give the meaning that the jeevatma is subservient to Paramatma. Therefore, the possibility of jeevatma to be free and independent is ruled out and the misunderstanding is removed.
Then some may have the doubt that in addition to Paramatma there "may" be some other person or devata to whom jeevatma may remain subservient. When this kind of doubt arises, the second letter 'ooh' in the Pranavam 'om' comes to the rescue. 'ooh' indicates exclusiveness like 'eva' in Sanskrit or only in English. It means that the jeevatma belongs to only Paramatma and none else.
This meaning when properly understood and realised will dispel any doubts about 'anya seshathvam'. It has been established that jeevatma is subservient only to Lord and to no other person or devatha.
Now, some may doubt, can the Jeeva make its own efforts trying to liberate itself?
We will look at this in the next post.
--
Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam
VP Srinivasa Varadan
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