20/12/2014 was Day-5 of Ubha Ve Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar swami’s upanyasam titled “Tiruppavai and Tirunedunthandakam “at Tirukudanthai Andavan Mani Mandapam ( Sathajith Bhavanam )Srirangam. The pasuram” Mayanai Mannu”was discussed. Krishna the darling of the cowherd community showed His eshwarathvam from the very moment He took avatharam. He crossed the deep Yamuna on the very day of birth and reached Gokulam. There He robbed butter ,ate mud and revealed the whole universe inside His mouth to Yashoda yet He let Himself got tied up by His mother and proudly announced that His name was Damodara. He is Anaadhi( without beginning or end) yet Sulabhan(approachable).He is attainable by Bhakthi or Prappathi. Andal invites Her friends to observe the sadhyopayam of Saranagathi and attain Him as siddhopayam. By worshipping Him with a pure heart ,offering pure flowers and thinking of Him and singing His praises all our sins will get burnt to ashes. Once the prathibhandham (barrier of sins) goes parama purushartham is obtained. Parama Purushartham is shasvath kainkaryam(continuous service) in Srivaikuntam.
Having given the gist of tha day’s pasuram Swami proceeded to analyse the first pasuram of Tirunedunthandakam:
Beginning with Minnururuvai the first pasuram tells us about Tatva, Hitha and purushartham from the view of Vishistadvaitha. As discussed in the previous posting, achetnam is not purushartham . The atma though not manifest can be seen by Yogam and atmanubhavam is Bhoghyam(bissful).Perumal resides in the four Vedams and should be studied under a qualified guru. Shravanam(listening) mannanam(comitting to memory ) and dhyanam( recalling) are three steps to knowledge. Knowledge of Paratvam is acquired.Parathvam is that Lakshmi and Narayana constitute the Ultimate. We can see Paramatma by doing bhakthi yogam. Before bhakthi yogam karma yogam should be practised. Karma Yoga controls our senses. After indhriyas are controlled the knowledge that shariram(body) is different from atma(soul) is obtained. Atma is eternal and changeless and when one sights his atma kaivalyanubhavam ensues.But it is Paramatmanubhavam that is the highest level of enjoyment. Atmanubhavam is blissful but not hitham(doesnt benefit). It may be a hungerless, thirstless state yet incomplete. It is samanyam(ordinary) compared to mokshanubhavam. Actual birth is the birth of gnanam. The day we receive ashtakshara mantram from acharyan is the actual day of our birth. the path of sarangathi leads us to eternal bliss in Srivaikuntam and puts a full stop to the endless cycle of births and deaths.
Writeup & Video : Vyjayanthi and Sundararajan
