Sri Parasara Bhatta, son of Sri Kurattalvan, was a younger contemporary of Sri Ramanuja. He was a veritable master of the Ubhaya Vedanta. His Nirvahas (wise interpretations) and Aitihyas (legendary accounts) quoted in the commentaries on the Divya Prabandha make a veritable feast for the mind. Parasara had an ideal disciple in Nanjiyar, whose commentary called “the 9000” (Onpadinayirapppadi) on the Tiruvaymozhi of Nammazhvar is very famous. He used to raise some interesting doubts during the Kalakshepas of his Master and the resourceful Master used to clear those doubts in an extremely interesting manner. One such instance is the following episode, narrated in the commentary of Tiruvaymozhi Pillai on Periyazhvar Thirumozhi.
One day the master said: “Sukracharya advised Mahabali not to go ahead with the dana (act of charity) to the Dwarf (Vamana) since he was none other than Vishnu in disguise who came to deprive him of his power. Mahabali did not heed his advice. So, Sukra assumed the form of a small insect, entered the water-pitcher (kamandalu) of Vamana and tried to prevent the flow of water into the palm of Mahabali. Any act of Dana would become solemnised only after the donor touches water. Vamana the Omniscient One, promptly cleared the nozzle with the sharp edge of darbha-grass, blinding Sukra in this process. Vamana became Trivikrama and pushed Mahabali down to the nether world.”
Nanjiyar: “Revered master! Here I have a doubt. Kindly enlighten. How come Sukra who gave a sane advice to Mahabali lost his eye? He was but trying to do good to his disciple. “
Nanjiyar: “Revered master! Here I have a doubt. Kindly enlighten. How come Sukra who gave a sane advice to Mahabali lost his eye? He was but trying to do good to his disciple. “
Parasara: “According to Dharmasastra texts, Dana or act of charity should not be prevented by anybody under any circumstance. Since Sukra tried to stop it, he committed an offence. So he lost his eye.”
Nanjiyar: “A very convincing reply indeed! But revered master! Your answer gives rise to another doubt. How come Mahabali who gladly performed the noble act of charity lost everything, was punished and pushed to the nether world?”
Parasara: “Listen! Mahabali ought to have obeyed his Guru’s counsel. He didn’t. That is a great offence again, according to the Dharmasastra. As a consequence, he lost his position. Thus in both the Guru and his disciple, there was Dosha, for which they reaped the result accordingly.”
Nanjiyar: “ Oh what a wonderful clarification! I am beholden to you sir, for your illumining clarification.”
There are several episodes like these in the commentaries on the Divya Prabandha. They are a source of great satisfaction, incomparable delight and inexhaustible bliss to both the scholar and the layman.
Source:
Sri Nrisimha Priya
