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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.06 / ISSUE # 18 dated 04/13/05
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EDITORIAL:
Dear Bhagavatas:
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. ATHIMAANUSHA STHAVAM OF SRI KOORATHAAZHWAN
Part 5 (Slokas 18 to 20)
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
2. VILAKSHANA MOKSHAADHIKAARI NIRNAYAM
Part 9
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
3. ?TRIMURTI? - IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI-
PART 14
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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1. ATHIMAANUSHA STHAVAM OF SRI KOORATHAAZHWAN
Part 5 (Slokas 18 to 20)
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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In the following 16 SlOkas (18 to 23), Azhwaan narrates several episodes in Sri 
Rama Avataara and proves how in each the Paratvam of the Lord gets revealed 
much against his claim that after all he was only a human being, being the son 
of Dasaratha. ?Aatmaanam maanusham manyE Raamam dasaratha aaatmajam?. This 
makes a very interesting reading of a type of literature known as ?Nindaa 
Sthuti?

Slokam 18:

?Duped by a mere deer??

Pruchchaami kinchana yadaa kila RaaghavatvE
Maayaa mrugasya vasagO manujatva mougdyaat /
Seetaa viyOPga vivasaO na cha tadgatigjna:
Praadaas tadaa paragatim hi katham?khagaaya //

?Oh! Lord! I am asking you one question. When you appeared as Sri Rama you 
called yourself a mere human being and as a man ran after the mysterious deer 
at the behest of your dear wife. When you got separated from her, you became so 
shaken and shattered that you did not know where she had gone. 

This being so, how did you know how to send JaTaayu, the bird to 
Paramapadam? Don?t you see the contradiction in your actions in the two cases??

NOTES:
?       ?Since none else could give a fitting reply, I am asking you directly.
?       When you were exiled, Sri Sita, captivated by the charming deer pleaded 
with you to secure it for her, saying:

?ahO! Roopam! ahO! Lakshmee: svarasampas cha SObhanaa!
mrigO adbutO vichitraangO hridayam harateeva mE?
?       ILayaperumaaL persuaded you convincingly against the deception played 
by the deer.

?MrigO hi Evam vidhO ratna vichitrO naasti Raaghava!?
Jagatyaam jagatee naatha! Maayaishaa hi na samsaya: //

?       You never heeded his advice and like ordinary people who are swayed by 
emotion, you ran after the illusory deer.
?       When RavaNa abducted Sri Sita, you acted as if you did not know where 
and how she had gone.
?       But, you knew the way to mOksham to send PeriyaUDaiyaar (Sri JaTaayu) 
there!
?       Don?t you think there is a contradiction and inconsistency in these 
events?
?       I demand an explanation, please?

yadaa kila RaaghavatvE:
Azhwaan implies that the way Sri Rama acted as if he did not know the way Sri 
Sita went was just acting. It may be noted that he uses the same words: 

"RaaghavatvE abhavat Seetaa? used by Sri Paraasarar.

Maayaa mrugasya vasaga:
The word ?maaya? does not mean ?false? as Advaitins hold. It means 
?wonderful? That is why, LakshmaNa says; ?gandarvapura sannibham?. It is not 
possible to hit with an arrow something false or kill something that did not 
exist. The form of the deer was real, meaning that Maareecha had taken that 
?wonderful? form.

manujatva mougdyaat:
?You went about asking every sentient being and insentient thing like cow, 
bird, hill, river, cloud etc whether anyone of them had seen Sri Sita. And, 
that you would destroy the whole world, if you cannot find Sri Sita:

?sa gandharva manushya panama jagat samastam parivartayaami aham?

Did you not have even the commonsense of ordinary folk when you swore to 
destroy the world, being after all a mere human being for whom this is beyond 
his capacity?

Praadaas tadaa paragatim:
?When you arranged for the last rites (anthimakriya) of JaTaayu, what did you 
say?

Yaa gati: yagjnaseelaanaam aahitaagnEs cha yaa gati: /
aparaOvartinaam yaa cha yaa cha bhoomi pradaayinaam//
mayaa tvam samanujnaatO gachcha lOkaan anuttamaan //

?I permit you to go to the highest worlds to which those who habitually perform 
yagjnas, those who perform ?agnihOtra? with ?aahitaagni?, those by total 
dedication to Emperumaan leave this Prakriti maNDalam never to return and those 
who gift away ?bhoomi? are ordained to reach ? to that world (Paramapadam), I 
hereby dispatch you.?

NOTES:
?       What is the Yagjna that Sri Rama speaks of in this context?
?       It is none other than ?SaraNaagati? or ?Prapatti? as seen from the 
following:

Havirgrheetvaasmaroopam vasuraNyEti mantrata: /
Juhuyaat PraNavEnaagnou achyutaakhyE SanaatanE //

?       It is the same Paramapadam that Lord KrishNa referred to in Bhagavad 
Gita thus:

Na cha punar aavartatE, yad gatvaa na nivartantE
taddhaama paramam mama /
aabhrahmaa bhuvanaat lOKaa: punaraavartinaa Arjuna!
Maam upEtya tu KountEya! Punarjanma na vidhyatE //

?       It is only the one who is the cause of the world (jagat kaaraNa) and 
who alone can grant ?moksham? is called Paramaatma, say the Vedas and Vedantas.

?       KulasEkara Perumaal also mentions this saying
?Jataayuvai VaikuntathErri?
?       If you can grant ?mOksham? to JaTaayu, you must be that Paramaatma and 
definitely NOT a human being. This also proves that your claim ?aatmaanam 
maanusham manyE? does NOT hold water?
?        Swami Desika when he praised Kachchi Varadan says that even though the 
clouds hover over the sky and create darkness, we know that the Sun can never 
be completely hidden, great souls detect the Paratvam in the Lord even if tries 
to hide it under the cloak of his Souseelyam.

Souseela bhaavita dhiyaa bhavataa kathanchit
sanchaadutaanapi guNaan varada! /
Tvadeeyaan! Pratyakshayantya vikalam tava sannikrishTa:
patyustvitvashaamiva payOda vrutaan mayookhaan //
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SLOKAM 19:

?A Bird?s flight to Heaven?

akshuNNa yOgapatham agrya hatham JaTaayum
tiryancham Eva batha mOKsha pathE niyOktum /
saknOshi vEtsi cha yadaa, sa: tadaa katham tvam
dEveem avaaptum analam vyathita: vichinvan //

?Oh! Lord! When you were able to know the way to mOksham and the power to use 
that way to send him there a mere bird, JaTaayu, totally bereft of any practice 
in any yOga, the one who was killed by one belonging to the Brahmin caste 
(RavaNa), how come you were unable to know which way Sri Sita went and 
consequently you were beside with grief on separation from her and anxiety in 
not being able to find her out. This indeed is strange!?

NOTES:
?       There are few subtle points involved in the episode relating to 
?JaTaayu mOksham?. Azhwan brings them out to show how the episode betrayed his 
Paratvam despite his claim to be an ordinary human being.
?       Being a bird,  JaTaayu was not aware that mOksham was the highest 
position to be attained and was not aware of any means to attain the same, 
namely Karma yOga, Jnaana yOga, Bhgakti yOga and Prapatti.
?       Swami Desika has explained this:
avadhheryai chaturvidham pumarthE bhavadatha viniyukta jeevitah: san/
labhatE bhavata: phalaani jantur nikhilaanyatra nidarsanam JaTaayu: //
?       Further, JaTaayu was an ?agrahathar? meaning one who was killed by a 
person belonging to the foremost caste. It is said that one who is killed by a 
Brahmin does not attain mOksha in that birth or the Heavens. ?na agra hatasya 
mOKOsti?
?       RavaNa was the son of Visravas, who himself was the son of Pulastya, 
the Maanasa putra of Saakshaat Brahma. Thus, he was a Brahmin par excellence.
?       JaTaayu was a mere bird. It did not know any ?mOKshOpaayam?. Nor did he 
obtain ?SamaasrayaNam? from any Sri VaishNava as required in Chaandilya etc.

?pasu: manushya: pakshee vaa yE cha VaishNava samsraya: /
tEnaiva tE prayaasyanti tad vishNu: paramam padam//?

?       Sounaka Bhagavaan has assured that if one had done some ?Upaasana? in 
an earlier birth but could not complete it in that birth, the ?vaasana? carried 
over to the next birth could enable the subject to continue that ?upaasana? to 
its completion and attain the resultant ?phalan?

?       There is no evidence to support the view that he could have done some 
?Upaasana? in his previous birth and due to the ?Poorva Janma Vaasana?, he 
continued it in his life as a bird.
?       This being so, how did you declare -
?mayaa tvam samanujnaatO gachcha lOKaan anuttamaan?
?       ?This only proves that you are the ?Paramaatma?. When you decide to use 
your Super-human power, you have the knowledge (Jnaanam) and power (Sakti) to 
grant ?mOksham? and there is none who could prevent you from exercising that 
power or the way you exercise it.?
?       ?At the same time, it is really mystifying to see your incapacity to 
know the whereabouts of Sri Sita and consequently seemed to lose your senses in 
grief and LakshmaNa had to console you!?
?       ?You owe me an explanation to this dichotomy in your behavior!
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SlOkam 20:

?The monkey business?

Saalaan hi sapta sagireen sarasaa talaan yaan
Eka ishu manda javata: nirapatraya: tvam /
tEshu Eka vivyathana khinna kapi praNunnam
saakhaamrigam mrigayasE sma katham sahaayam?

?Oh! Lord! You broke the seven Saala trees that grew up like a huge mountain 
and threw the pieces down to the nether worlds, all with the minimal force of a 
single arrow. It is worth noting that the strong monkey, Vaali could not even 
shake a single branch of a single tree out of the seven. And, you went in 
search of friendship with Sugreeva who was physically driven from pillar to 
post by the same Vaali. How do you reconcile this contradiction??

NOTES:
?       Normally, when someone seeks the help of another, that other person 
should be capable of rendering the help needed.
?       But, when you sought Sugreeva?s help, he pleaded his utter helplessness 
having been hounded out by his brother Vaali.
?       How come you chose such a weakling for helping you?
?       Further, he tried to test your skills by asking you to split not one 
but seven giant trees and shook the green leaves of the trees down to earth 
especially when Vaali could not move very slightly just a single tree.
?       After breaking the trees that were like huge mountains, your golden 
arrow came back and rested in its place in your bag of arrows.

Sa visrushTO balavataa baaNa: swarNa pariskrita:/
Bhitvaa saalaan giriprastham sapta bhoomim vivEsa ha //
pravishTas cha muhoortEna dharaam bhitvaa mahaajava: /
nishpatya cha punas toorNam sva toorNeem punar aavisat//

?       Not only this. He actually doubted your prowess and challenged you 
whether you could shake the bones of Dundhubi. And, you not only lifted but 
also threw them far away especially when Vaali could not move a single bone.

?Sugreeava: sankitas cha aaseet nityam veeryENa RaaghavE?

?       No doubt, this is because after the traumatic experiences with Vaali, 
Sugreeva was naturally got the fear that none could be a match to Vaali?s valor 
and so it cannot be construed as his committing any apachaaram to Sri Rama.

Eka ishu manda javata:
?        Azhwan suggests that Sri Rama darted his arrow with minimal speed. If 
he had done it with force, it might have destroyed the entire world.
?       In Visaaka Datta?s Raamananda NaaTakam, there is a SlOkam by ?Sukha 
SaaraNas? telling RavaNa how he did not know the fact that the air that 
whistled through the holes made in the seven giant Saala trees (Visaala saala) 
sang the praise of Sri Rama with ?Sapta swarangaL? (the seven musical notes):

RaamOyam jagateeha vikrama guNai: khyaata: prasiddhim paraam
asmad bhaaghya viparyayaat yadi param dEvO na jaanaati thum/
Vandeevaisha yasaamsi gaayati marud yasya Eka bhaaNaahati
srENee bhoota visaala saala vivarOd bhootai: svarai: saptabhi: //

Eka vivyathana khinna kapi praNunnam
?       It was with very great difficulty that Vaali tried several times to 
shake the trees one by one:

Thum uvaacha sugreeva: sapta Saalaan imaan puraa/
Evam eka eka aso vaali vivyaatha atha sa chaasakrit //

Saakhaamrigam:
        This usage suggests that
?       Monkey is an animal that jumps from tree to tree and that
?       When even sparrows have the capacity to build their nests, monkeys 
having arms and commonsense they are not able to build their homes and depend 
on tree branches to live.
?       The poet wonders how the Lord chose such an animal to help him.
?       Azhwan suggests that it was because of his Soulabhyam and Souseelyam 
that Sri Rama made a worthless animal feel important to be regarded as his 
leader. For did not Vaalmiki say:

LOKanaatha: puraa bhootvaa sugreevam naatham ichchati /
Yasya prasaadE sakalaa: praseedEyu: imaa prajaa: /
Sa RamO vaanarEndrasya Prasaadam abhi kaankshati //
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To Continue
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2. VILAKSHANA MOKSHAADHIKAARI NIRNAYAM
Part 9
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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FROM ?SISHYA KRITYA ADHIKAARAM?
OF SWAMI DESIKA?s
?SRIMD RAHASYA TRAYA SAARAM?

?       As the Achaarya has shown him the way to Tattva, Hita and  Uttarakritya 
- LIKE SHOWING TO A POVERTY-STRICKEN PERSON A TREASURE LYING HIDDEN UNDER HIS 
OWN HOME WHICH HE HAD NOT KNOWN BEFORE, and that without any expectation of any 
reward - the disciple should be ever grateful to the Achaarya.

?       This gratitude is no return for favor received. In fact, the Sishya on 
his own free volition should offer his entire wealth, or half of it, or a 
quarter of it or whatever he can - again not in the attitude of returning any 
favor to the Achaarya.

?       The Upanishad commands that the disciple should show the same Bhakti 
towards his Achaarya as he shows to the Lord himself:

"Yasya deve para bhaktih yatha deve tatha gurou".

?        Otherwise, he would be LIKE A BLIND MAN EVEN WHEN HE HAS HIS EYES WIDE 
OPEN! All Saastras proclaim that for the Achaarya who has shown the way to 
MOksha, nothing can be deemed adequate recompense. Any offer made to the 
Achaarya can only be a token of gratitude and never be any return.

?       The truths learned from the Achaarya should not be revealed to 
undeserving persons just for the sake of money or in an open assembly 
consisting of both deserving and undeserving persons.

NOTES:
There are several implications in this injunction:
1.      This means that the Sishya-turned-Achaarya should avoid scrupulously 
?aggressive marketing? by ?BODY-SHOPPING? for Sishyas only with a view to 
bringing in more and more revenue for his institution.

2.      Also, the secrets have to be imparted in the manner of ?ashad karNam?.  
?Shad? means 6. ?Ashad KarNam? means ?Not for 6 ears? The secrets should not be 
audible to six ears. There cannot be five ears it boils down to four ears, 
namely two of the Achaarya and two of the Sishya closeted in private. 

In other words, the secrets should be initiated to not more than ?one person at 
a time?.

THIS IN TURN MEANS THAT THEY CANNOT BE ADMINISTERED TO A GROUP OF SISHYAS AS 
THEY DO NOWADAYS IN ?MASS MARRIAGES? OR ?MASS UPANAYANAMS?.

?       If initiation is accorded to undeserving persons, it would be LIKE 
WATER KEPT IN A SKULL OR MILK PLACED IN A WATER POT MADE OF DOG'S LEATHER - 
thus becoming worthless due to the impurities of the containers.

?       If one indulges in imparting sacred knowledge to undeserving for the 
sake of material gain, it would be -
-       LIKE EATING THE VOMIT as it were or
-       LIKE A PROSTITUTE adorning herself for pleasing her clients or
-       LIKE SANDAL PASTE (CHANDAN) PREPARED FOR SALE OR
-       LIKE A BAG OF POPCORN SCATTERED ON THE ROAD OR
-       LIKE ENTRUSTING A GARLAND OF flowers to the hands of a monkey.

?       If the Saastras learned are not utilized for the performance of dharmic 
duties, self purification or self improvement, such Saastras, however beautiful 
in diction and style would be
- LIKE THE CAWING OF THE CROW.

?       The disciple ( now turned preceptor) should-
1.      Always remember and openly acknowledge his gratitude to the line of his 
preceptors through whom he had acquired the sacred knowledge.

2.      Should not propagate the truths without first initiating the Sishya; 
otherwise, knowledge acquired through books or by eves-dropping expositions can 
only be in 'bits and pieces'. One who tries to learn stealthily would be
- LIKE A THIEF ADORNING STOLEN ORNAMENTS ALWAYS APPREHENSIVE OF BEING 
APPREHENDED.

3.      If one does not pay obeisance to his Guru before commencing his 
instructions, the meanings of the truths will be lost on his audience
- LIKE A CREEPER THAT IS MERELY WINDING AROUND A TREE WITHOUT HAVING ITS OWN 
ROOTS FIRMLY GROUNDED IN THE SOIL.

4.      He should not twist the meanings conveyed to him by his teacher. 
Otherwise, he would be treated AS A TRAITOR.

5.      It is equally wrong not to impart guidance to a deserving student.
6.      Even if, by fortuitous circumstances, he stumbles upon new ways of 
expressing the truths, he should acknowledge that he is able to so express 
SOLELY BY THE BENIGN GRACE OF HIS ACHAARYA AND NEVER CLAIM ANY ORIGINALITY FOR 
HIMSELF. Only if this is done, his rating in the minds of his own Sishyas will 
go up sensing the gratitude shown to the Praacharyas. (Guru's Gurus)  The 
Upanishads and the Parama purusha hailed by the Upanishads would be pleased. 
When the Praacharya comes to know about such grateful expressions, he would 
feel mighty pleased that his efforts have not been in vain but have actually 
borne fruit. (Krishi Palittadu)
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We will see in the next posting the views of Sri Erumbiappa on the role of a 
?deserving? Sishya
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To Continue
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3. ?TRIMURTI? - IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI-
PART 14
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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tri-mUrti in tiruvAimozhi ? Part 14.
3.6.1: (23)
Seyya tAamraik kaNNanAi ulagu Ezhum uNDa avan kaNDIr
vaiyam vAnam maniSar daivam maRRum maRRum maRRum muRRumAi
Seyya SUzh SuDar j~nAnamAi veLip paTTu ivai paDaittAn pinnum
moi koL SOdiyODu AyinAn oru mUvar Agiya mUrtiyE.

In this pASuram, AzhvAr reminds us that bhagavAn is the Supreme Being who is 
the Cause of the whole Universe.  The Supreme Deity is the One with beautiful 
lotus eyes (Seyya tAmaraik kaNNan);  He is One who helps all the creatures by 
saving them in His stomach at the time pralaya (ulagam Ezhum uNDa avan);  He 
created everything (ivai paDaittAn) just out of compassion for the jIva-s, so 
that they can have a body and indriya-s to enjoy and function;  He is One who 
controls the functions of brahmA and rudra by being their antaryAmi (oru mUvar 
Agiya mUrti);  In addition, He has infinite other 
kalyANa guNa-s (moi koL SodiyODu AyinAn).  Thus AzhvAr reminds us of His guNa-s 
that are of benefit to all the jIva-s, and tries to motivate those who do not 
worship Him with full devotion, to start changing ways and start resorting to 
Him.

The first two pAda-s (quarters) of this pASuram sing the praise of 
bhagavAn?s vAtsalyam or affection to the jIva-s, in the form of His 
functions of creation, and preservation of the jIva-s at the time of 
pralaya.  The second half of the pASuram refers to His parattvam.  The emphasis 
of this tiruvAimozhi is bhagavAn?s kalyANa guna-s of sauSIlyam and saulabhyam; 
His parattvam will always be evident in the background.

In the previous tiruvAimozhi (3.5) that we did not cover, AzhvAr deplores the 
majority of people who just eat and enjoy, do not realize the greatness of 
emperumAn, and do not sing His praise.   He repeatedly asks:  Those of you who 
do not worship Lord nArAyaNa ? of what use is it that you occupy the space in 
this world? - (3.5.1).  Of what use is your birth in this world? -  (3.5.4).  
Do you deserve to live in the same place that the people learned in the veda-s 
live? ? 3.5.5, etc.   In the current tiruvAimozhi, he takes 
pity on these people, and tries to again reveal to them with kindness the Glory 
of emperumAn, hoping that they will heed his words to resort to Him and worship 
Him.  Our AcArya-s compare this situation to the way that sItA pirATTi tried to 
deal with rAvaNa.  First She rebukes him for his sinful behavior, but then, as 
the Mother, she tries to advise him to listen to Her and follow the good and 
dhArmic path and surrender to Lord rAma and be saved.  AzhvAr is taking the 
same approach here ? deploring our behavior in 
tiruvAimozhi 3.5, but then, out of sheer kindness, trying to advise us to mend 
our ways and resort to Him.

Seyya tAmaraik kaNNanAi ? He with eyes that are beautiful like the freshly 
blossomed lotus flowers (Sei ? to resemble)
-       chAndogya Upanishad declares the purusha with eyes resembling the 
full-blown red lotus ? tasya yathA kapyAsam puNDarIkAksham evam akshiNI 
(chAndogya. 1.6.7)
-       In vishNu dharma we again have Lord vishNu described as One with 
Lotus-eyes

SrUyatAm tu naravyAghra veda vedAnta niScayaH   |
ya~jneSo ya~jna purushaH puNDarIkAksha samj~nitaH   |
sa vishNuH paramam brahma yato nAvartate punaH    ||

Ulagu Ezhum uNDa avan ? He Who swallowed all the seven worlds at the time of 
pralaya (in order to protect the jIva-s from the great floods)

Seyya SUzh SuDar j~nAnamAi -
-       Seyya ? one of the meanings for this word is ?correct, perfect, sound?. 
 SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan translates this as ?Seyya ? RujuvAna; 

SUzh ? vyAptamAna; Sudar j~nAnamAi ? sva-prakASa j~nAnaSAliyAi?.    The meaning 
is thus ?One Who is endowed with all-encompassing knowledge that is natural to 
Him, and that shines out with effulgence?.

BhagavAn is the embodiment of all-encompassing (SUzh) knowledge (j~nAnam) that 
is unbounded, unblemished and immeasurable (SuDar)

An alternate interpretation for this is that in addition to the leelA vibhUti 
that has been described thus far in this pASuram (His acts of creation etc.), 
these words describe His nitya vibhUti in SrI vaikunTham - 

He is also the One who is in the most splendorous and effulgent SrI 
vaikunTham as SrI vaikunTha nAthan.

paDaittAn ? He created
veLip paTTivai ?all these are there for everyone to see (pratyaksha pramANa 
siddhamAna ivaigaLai), that includes
-       vaiyam, vAnam ?  the earth, the sky and the worlds above
-       maniSar, daivam ? the people in this world and the gods in the worlds 
above
-       maRRum ? all the animals, birds, trees, etc.
-       maRRum ? The pa?nca bhUta-s or the five elements that constitute all 
the above
-       maRRum ? The tattva-s such as mahAn that are the causes for the five 
elements
-       muRRumAi  ?  all of the things above and all other things, without any 
exception.

pinnum ? In addition
moi koL SodiyODu AyinAn ? He shines with the multitude of Infinite kalyAna 
guNa-s that are meant for the protection of all that He has created ? 

tejaH-prabhRti guNa yuktan.
oru mUvarAgiya mUrti ? He is also the Supreme Deity Who performs the 
functions of protection, creation and destruction in the form of the 
tri-mUrti-s (with Himself performing the protection, and having brahmA and 
rudra perform the functions of creation and destruction by being their 
antaryAmi and their Lord).  This is clarified further in the next pASuram ? 

mudal mUvarkkum mudalvan.

-       An alternate interpretation given is that the reference to the ?mUvar? 
is to brahmA, rudra, and indra.  BhagavAn has these three mUrti-s as His body.  
This has been discussed in previous pASurams.

mUrtiyE ? He is the Lord of all.

A few additional points are worth noting.
-       This pASuram starts with a reference to Lord vishNu ? Seyya tAmariak 
kaNNan, ulagu Ezhum uNDa avan etc., and thus, Lord vishNu is the sole object of 
praise in this pASuram, as is the case with all other 1101 pASuram-s.
-       mUrti literally means ?that which has a definite bodily shape or 
figure?.   AzhvAr refers to Him as ?oru mUvar Agiya 
mUrtiyE? ? He is One with One form of which the ?three? are part.  The question 
is ?Who are the three referred to here??.  A few alternate interpretations are 
available from our AcArya-s.

If we interpret the words ?oru mUvar Agiya? together, it can mean that Lord 
vishNu is the ?unique ? oru? One among the three, since He is not subject to 
the cycle of karma etc. unlike brahmA and rudra.    In this case, the 
interpretation is that bhagavAn has His form as vishNu (recall that the pASuram 
is on Lord vishNu, as indicated in the first dashed item above, and AzhvAr is 
referring to His One form ? our mUrti), with brahmA and rudra being part of His 
body.  In fact, all of us, and the other cetana-s and 
acetana-s, are part of His body.     
(?Being part of the body? means that all of these are under His control, and 
are meant for His service and benefit, and operate under His Will).

Or, the term ?mUvar? can refer to the trio of brahmA, rudra and indra, who 
again are all part of His body.    In the veda-s, we see reference to these 
three together ? sa brahmA, sa SivaH, sendraH (nArAyana sUktam, a part of 
tattirIya AraNyakam).  In pAsuram 3.6.4, which we will study later, AzhvAr 
refers to these three together ? vAnavar tannai Alum avanum (indra), nAnmuganum 
(brahmA), and SaDai muDi aNNalum (rudra), who all worship bhagavAn;s lotus feet 
(SemmaiyAl avan pAda pa?nkayam Sindittu Ettit tirivarE).

SvAmi deSikan singles out bhagavAn?s lakshaNa of puNDarIkAkshatvam, or being 
endowed with the beautiful reddish lotus-like eyes, as the distinguishing 
aspect of this pASuram ? padmAkshIm.  This aspect is common to all the 
incarnations of bhagavAn.   This is a special lakshaNam of bagavAn that does 
not apply to any other deity.   The Upanishads also refer to this aspect of 
emperumAn:  tasya yathA kapyAsam puNDarIkam evam akshiNI (chAndogya. 1.6).  

The vishNu dharma declares about bhagavAn:  yaj~neSo yaj~na purushaH 
puNDarIkAksha samj~nitaH, again praising the lotus-like eyes of bhagavAn as a 
distinguishing mark of His.  In his daSAvatAra stotram, svAmi deSikan describes 
the beautiful eyes of bhagavAn in His matsyAvatram.
--------------------------
To Continue
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