We have been looking at the artha panchakam, the five doctrines that one who is on the pursuit of spiritual knowledge, must understand. These are the nature of the jeevAtmA, ParamAtmA, the upAyam to reach paramAmA, the obstacles that prevent one from reaching this and finally the palan. In this posting we will look at the last of the pentads of Artha panchakam, the pala swarUpam as professed by AndAl in Her ThiruppAvai.
In KoodArai Vellum Paasuram (verse 27), , the Gopis acknowledged , “Unnai arutthithu VanthOm ” and requested the blessings of ” Paal , sORu , AbharaNams , Aadai ” etc. This at a literal sense looks like the Gopis were seeking from Him , the siRRinbhams ( worldly pleasures). But their true and inner wish is to have Lord KrishnA and perform kaimkaryams to Him always .
When Lord KrishnA declared ‘mAsAnAm mArgashIrso aham’, He professed the easiest path (mArga sIrsha) of Surrender (prapathi). The gOpis led by AndAl, finally reveal the actual reason for their mArgazhi nIrattam (Surrender) and thus declare the palam for their nIrAttam as obtaining uninterrupted servitude to the lord.
This becomes evident in verse 24. In the pretext of mArgazhi nOnbu the gopIs, after doing mangalAsAsanam ” அன்று இவ்வுலகம் அளந்தாய் அடி போற்றி” (verse 24):, euologise His powers of creation, ability to control their sanchala mind, power of His guNams to banish their mOksha virOdhis. Finally they request phalan for their nOnbu. They declare what the phalan is and beseech through prayers to give them the eternal kainkaryam at His lotus feet என்றென்றுன் சேவகமே ஏத்திப் பறை (verse 24).
This phalan becomes clearer again in verse 25. They implore ‘அருத்தித்து வந்தோம் பறை தருதியாகில் ———சேவகமும், wherein they declare that they have arrived at His side seeking mOksham so that they will be rid of the sorrows of samsAram and be immersed in paripoorna brahmAnandam (வருத்தமும் தீர்ந்து மகிழ்ந்து)
They also elaborate on ‘paRai’ and state the true purposes of their performance of the nOnbhu as threefold ( சிற்றம் சிறு காலே -verse 29)
(1) Our objective (uddhEsyam) is to perform nithya kaimkaryam at Your holy feet
(2)We can not live away form You even for a second
(3)Please banish any other thought or desire that might interfere with the fulfilment of the above two uddhEsyams
They vehemently also state that they are not desirous of Isvaryam of the world and Kaivalyam . ‘Oh Lord ! You as sarvaj~nar ( Omniscient ) should comprehend this clearly.We will always be cognizant of our Seshathvam to You as Sarva Seshi.We will perform Sarva desa, Sarva Kaala , Sarva avasthA Kaimkaryams. We will deflect the joy of our Kaimkaryam to You alone. ( Phala SamarpaNam).
As the ‘nOnbu’ (saranAgathi) is fructified, Lord releases the soul from the gross body (Stula Sarira) and provides with a subtle body ( Sukshma Sarira) and takes it through the Brahma Nadi on the Devayana. Swami Desika compares this to a king carrying his infant prince for a stroll. The prapannA receives several honours on the away to vaikuntam. He is received by the nityasUris and led to the mandapam where the Lord is seated to the accompaniment of several musical instruments. In ThiruvAimozhi, nammAzwAr, beautifully narrates this (10-9)
• காளங்கள் வலம்புரி கலந்து
• தூரியம் முழக்கின
• வாழ்த்தினர் மகிழ்ந்தே –
• நிறை குட விளக்கமும் ——–ஏந்தினர் வந்தே
• மாமணி மண்டபத்து –
ThiruppAvai which is eulogised as the seed of all vedAs, not surprisingly, comprises the above details and the poetess par excellence has brilliantly interwoven. As the Paavai Nonbhu is nearing completion. Andal requests the SanmAnam (sambhAvanai) from the Lord for the Gopis ,who observed this Vratham. In verse 26 – மாலே மணிவண்ணா, AndAl describes
• Sankhu –
• paRai – to the accompaniment of divine musical instruments
• pallAndu isaippar – singing glories
• kOla vilakku –receved by nityasuris, consorts of the Lord
• vidhAnam – received by muktAs and welcomed by Lord
The Lord bestows Sayujya which means ( being united in equal enjoyment), places the Mukta in the galaxy of Nityas and other Muktas for enjoying infinite being, infinite knowledge and infinite bliss. The Lord mingles with them like friends of the same youthful age group as Nitya yuva as He Himself.
Will be continued
Azagiya Singer Thiruvadigale Saranam
AndAl Thiruvadigale Saranam
