Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Ramanuja's Ten Divine Words to Mudhaliyandan
Mudhaliyandan fell at the feet of Ramanuja and asked
him the following "Please explain the difference
between us (who wear the sacred thread, recite the
Vedas and have the status of acharyas) and bhAgavatas
such as Pillai Uranga Villi Dasar (who are always
sishyas, who don't wear the sacred thread and who
don't recite the Vedas). Ramanuja replied "I have
been meaning to explain this to you and now you have
asked me about it yourself". He then collected these
ten words from all the Vedas, Itihasas and Puranas
and which lay hidden in the divine works of the
Azhvars and gave them to Mudhaliyandan.
1. The difference between us and them.
Being acharyas, we have to go everywhere in this world
to save all beings. Not having this duty, they stay
detached from others in this world and remain close to
Sriman Narayana ("nAttArOdu iyalvozhindhu nAraNanai
naNNinamE" - Thiruvaymozhi 10-6-2).
2. The difference between other divine places and
Srirangam (Koil), Thirumalai (Malai) and Kanchipuram
(Perumal Koil).
Instead of staying in one of the primary divyadesams
and living without fear, we keep going from one divine
place to another, like a person who holds on to a float
with one hand while swimming with the other hand.
Whereas, they stay in a primary divyadesam such as
Srirangam, Thirumalai and Kanchi and live without a
burden, like a person who is in the top section of a
boat.
3. The difference between other Azhvars and Periyazhvar.
We are like the other azhvars who sometimes sing verses
pushing Him away, being angry with Him, etc and who
sometimes sing mangalAshAsanam for Him ("kalakkangalum
thERRamumAy" - Thiruvaymozhi 6-3-2). They are like
Periyazhvar singing only His mangalAshAsanams
("kalakkamillA naRRavamunivar" - Thiruvaymozhi 8-3-10).
4. The difference between the ocean and the beach.
We get caught in this samsaric ocean and tossed by its
relentless rain and great wind, we suffer in its joys
and sorrows. They are like a ship anchored to a bay in
the beach and holding on to the Lord are steady
("thaLardhal athanarugum sArAr" - Irandam Thiruvanthathi
45, "tharu thuyaram thadAyEl" - Perumal Thirumozhi 5-1).
5. The difference between a small atom and the loftiest
mountain.
We hold on to our birth class, gOtram and sUtram and
are stuck within it. They have only the knowledge of
the relationship between the soul and the Lord and
consider its practice as their class, gOtram and sUtram.
6. The difference between sugarcane and sugar.
We break our teeth by biting on the Vedas which is like
sugarcane. They enjoy the Dvaya mantra which is like
sugar and is the essence of the Vedas.
7. The difference between land and the sky.
We are afraid and confused like those in this world
(lIlA vibhUti) ("mannuL ennaip peRRAl" - Thiruvaymozhi
7-1-6, "aruviththinRida anji ninnadainthEn" - Periya
Thirumozhi 7-7-1, "pala nI kAttip paduppAyO" -
Thiruvaymozhi 6-9-9, "thirumAlE ini seyvathonRaRiyEn"
- Periya Thirumozhi 7-7-9). They are without fear and
steady like those in His divine abode (nitya vibhUti)
("ingE thirinthRkizhukkuRRen" - Thiruvaymozhi 8-10-4,
"vAnuyarinbameythilen" - Thiruvaymozhi 8-1-9, "nambuvAr
pathi vaikuntham kAnmin" - Kanninun 11, "seyththalai
ezhu nARRuppOl avan seyvana seythukoL" - Periyazhvar
Thirumozhi 3-7-9).
8. The difference between night and day.
We remain confused in the darkness that is the Vedas.
They use the light which is His thousand divine names
("pErAyiramOdhina" - Periya Thirumozhi 1-5-10), walk
steady with His guidance ("mAdhavan than thuNaiyA
nadandhu" - Periya Thirumozhi 3-7-4) in the path shown
by Him in Bhagavad Gita (Carama Shloka) ("mAyan anRu
aivar dheivath thErinil seppiya gIthaiyin semmaip
poruL" - Ramanuja Nootrandadhi 68).
9. The difference between an ordinary thing and a
jewel.
We keep reciting the Gayatri mantra during the
sandhyA times ("manthiraththai manthiraththAl
maRAvAthenRum vAzhuthiyEl vAzhalAm mada nenjamE" -
ThirunedunthANdagam 4). Instead of that ("anthiyAlAm
payan angen" - Mudhal Thiruvandadhi 33), they think
ony about the jewel amongst the mantras which is
the Dvaya mantra.
10. The difference between an ordinary woman and a
virtuous woman.
We are attached to the vaidika rituals and worship
the Lord through the devatas such as Agni and Indra.
Therefore, we appear to be like a woman who is not
faihtful to her husband. They are attached only to
Him and do not care about anyone else. Therefore,
they are like pativratas.
Ramanuja then said that this can be seen with Perumal
(Sri Rama who was attached more to Guha, the vAnaras
and Vibeeshana than to the Rishis), Namperumal (who
was attached more to Thiruppanazhvar than to Loka
Saranga Muni), Appan (Srinivasa who was attached more
to Kurumbaruththa Nambi than to the king Thondaiman)
and Periya Nambigal (who performed last rites for
Maraneri Nambi). He then told Mudhaliyandan that if
all Srivaishnavas follow these meanings everyday,
they would not sin against bhAgavatas who do not
wear the sacred thread and therefore would attain
the Lord's divine feet.
Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
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azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam
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