||    Periya Thirumozhi- 4.6- KannA! You alone are my rakshakan!    ||

Commentary on this paasuram

Sri MadhavakkaNnan(MK) is doing a laudable kaimkaryam in translating in his own inimitable way , Kaliyan's paasurms in the spirit of his much-appreciated earlier kaimkaryam of translating Swami NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaaimozhi .

Sri MK has asked some questions about the words chosen by Thirumangai mannan in the 9th paasuram containing deep references to our Vaidhika Matham. AdiyEn will join in Sri MK's anubhavam and add a few words in explanation.

Sri MaadhavakkaNNan said:

9. (A beautiful pAsuram! Please enjoy the transliteration too below!) The Lord of Chandhas (Gayathri?)! The Niyamakan (the Director?) of that words that make the Chandas! The Chief of five elements (Pancha BhUtham)! The Primordial Chief! The Creator and Cause of all creations! The essence of everything! The essence of indescribable, incomprehensible Vedic truths! The One who is here at Naaangai KaavaLampaadi! You alone are my rakshakan!

"chandhamaay samayamaagich/
chamaya aimbhUthamaagi*/
andhamaa aadhiyaagi/
arumaRai avaiyum anaay!*
mandhamaar pozhilgaL thORum/
mada mayilaalu naangai/
gandhamaar kaavaLanthaN/
paadiyaay! KaLaikaN neeyE!"

Introductory Remarks for the ThirunAngUr Paasurams
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Kaliyan started his magnificient mangalAsAsanam of ThirunAngUr divya dEsams with MaNimAdak kOil(NandhA viLakkE ! aLatthaRkkariyAi! Nara NaaraNanE !--) in the spirit of PaadhmOtthAram(an ancient religious VaishNavite text) explaining the relationship between Naran and NaarAyaNan :

naarasthivathi sarva pumsAm samUha: parikeerthitha:
gathi: Aalampanam tasya thEna NaarAyaNa: smrutha:

(Meaning): The entire assembly of jeevans is described as "naaram". Since the Lord is both upAyam (means) and upEyam (goal)for them , He is known as NaarAyaNan ).

naarO narANAm samgAtha: tasyaham ayanam gathi:
thEnAsmi munibhir nithyam NaarAyaNa ithiritha:

(Meaning): This is Lord's own words in Paancha Raathra Samhithai: The sages call Me always NaarAyanan , since I am the gathi and ayanam (upAyam and upEyam) for the entire samUham (asssembly) of the Jeevans.

Kaliyan proceeded further on in his pilgrimage to Vaikuntha ViNNagaram, ArimEya ViNNagaram , ThirutthEvanAr Thokai and ThiruvaNN PuruDOtthamam and asked his mind to enjoy these divya dEsams and celebrate the bhAgyam of these divya dEsa prApthis (the fulfilment of visits to these divya desams).

By the time, he reached ThirunAnkUr Semponsey Koil as his next stop, Kaliyan's mind was in a state of immense tranquility and he described his happy state of mind with the words , " kaNDukoNDu uynthu ozhinthEn"
(I have been blessed with the darsanam of the Divya Dampathis at these divya desams and I have etched that aanandhAnubhavam in my mind and as a result obtained ujjeevanam / spiritual fulfilment).

In the next two Thirumozhis dedicated to Thirut theRRiambalam and ThirumaNik KooDam, Kaliyan focussed on Sriman NaarAyana SabdhAnusandhAnam (celebration of the many meanings of the Sriman NaarAyaNa sabdham such as anthar-vyApthi/pervasive presence inside and Bahir-VyApthi/immanence everywhere outside et al as explained by PaadhmOtthAram , Lakshmi Tantram , another important Sri Vaishnavite text revealed to us by MahA Lakshmi Herself and NammAzhwaar's ThiruvAimozhi ).

As he arrived next at ThirunAngai-ThirukkAvaLampAdi kshEthram ,a Pancha KrishNa KshEthram , he was in a mood to devote himself to SaraNAgathi anusandhAnam ( celebration of the SaraNAgathi as the saving grace for mortals). He movingly appealed to KavaLampAdik KaNNan for rakshaNam (protection) and declared that KaNNan alone is his upAyam/means for protection from SamsAram (KaavaLampADi mEya KaNNanE kaLai kaNN neeyE ) for Moksha siddhi (attaining the boon of freedom from the cycles of repeated births and deaths) in the spirit of the following two MahA BhAratham SlOkams :

KrishNa yEvahi lOkAnAm uthpatthirapi chApyaya:I
KrishNasyahi kruthE bhUtham idham visvam charAcharam II

(Meaning): KrishNan alone is the root cause of all these worlds; He alone is the uthpatthi sthAnam (origin place) for these worlds. These worlds attain layam in Him at the end of a yugam. The chEthana-achEthana prapancham /world exists solely for His enjoyment).

yE cha vEda vidhO viprA yamcha adhyAthma vidhO janA:I
thE vidanthi MahAthmAnam KRISHNAM DHARMAM SANAATHANAM II

(Meaning): Those scholars , who have studied the Karma KhANDam of the VedAs and those , who comprehend the inner meanings of the JnAna KhANDam of the VedAs (Upanishads) dealing with the Supreme Being recognize and salute Krishnan as the eternal siddhOpAyam (Bhagavan or Siddha upAyam , the means to attain Him).

amrutham saadhanam saadhyam tamm pasyanthi manIshiNa:I
Yajn~Akhyam paramAthmAnam VishNum dhyAyan na seedhathi II

(Meaning): The pradhibhuddha adhikAris (nanku uNarnthavar, those qualified ones with clear and full comprehension) recognize the Lord , who is Yaj~na svarUpan as the eternal ,imperishable One (Akshara Brahmam ) and as the durable means (UpAyam) and fruit (phalan). They have stated firmly that those who meditate on Him would be freed of all samsAric afflictions and will attain His parama padham (Sri Vaikunta Lokam).

This unceasing meditation on the Lord as the never-failing means is attested by Kaliyan in the way in which Swami NammAzhwAr taught him in his ThiruvAimozhi (5.10.11):

NahaNaimisai NampirAn charaNE SaraN namakkenRu ,
naadorum yeka chinthayanAi KuruhUr SatakOpan MaaRan--

(meaning): The sacred feet of the Lord resting on AdhisEshan is our only refuge. This was the only thought that ThiukkuruhUr SatakOpan had in his mind.

Comments on the 9th Paasuram section on ThirukkAvalampADi KaNNan
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In the earlier pasurams , Kaliyan declared his ananya gathithvam with the statement :

" kadavuLE KaavaLam taNN PaaDiyAI
KaLai kaNN neeyE , KaathanE Kaavalam taNN pAdiyAi
kaLai kaNN neeyE , KarutthaNE KaavaLam taNN PaadiyAi
kaLai kaNN neeyE ".

As Kaliyan reached the 9th paasuram before the Phala sruthi paasuram , he was overcome by the Immensity of the NaarAyana (Para) Tattvam and broke forth in a rapturous celebration of the Sarva Rakshaka Prabhu (protector of one and all), who gave him(Kaliyan) His darsanam at KaavaLampaadi as Sri KrishNan .This prepared him for the performance of SaraNAgathi at the feet of ThiruveLLakkuLatthu ammAN standing impatiently next in the line as it were for him at the next station of ThiruveLLakkuLam divya desam as RahshOpakEkshakan ( One who impatiently waits for the SaraNAgathi of kaliyan ). ThiruveLLakkuLam was indeed the next stop in the divya desa yAthrai of Kaliyan.

Now coming back to the 9th paasuram on ThirukkAvalampADik KaNNan , the portion for our discussion is as follows :

" chandamAi SamayamAhi Samayavaim bhUthamAhi
anthamAi AadhiyAhi arumaRai avayum aanAi--"

These two magnificient lines are about the Para Tattvam (Supreme Lorship) of Sriman NaarAyaNan as the DhArakan ( who bears the Jeevans as His Body/svarUpam ), as the NiyanthA ( who commands us with His sankalpam ), as the sEshi (as the Lord with no one equal or greater than Him and who receives the fruits of our rakshanam), as the Svatha-Sarvaj~nan (natural Omniscient one), as the Sarvasakthan (Omnipotent one), as the Parama KaaruNIkan (the most merciful one), as the sarva SaraNyan (the refuge for one and all), and as the MOksha pradhan (the sole granter of Moksham).

Let us now enjoy the meanings of the individual words chosen by Kaliyan. I will first give the meanings in VaishNava paribhAshai (coded lamguage) and then break the codes for a learer understanding:

(1) ChandhamAi= by becoming the svAthanthrya sakthi of the Jeevans,
(2) Samayam aahi=by becoming the kaala dhravyam with its many divisons
(3) samayam ei bhUtham aahi=by becoming the prapancham defined by the five elements(pancha bhUtham), which arise after Mahath , ahankAram and other achEthana tattvams
(4) antham aai=by becoming the Pralayam
(5) Aadhi aahi=by becoming the many created beings as upAdhAna kAranam (6) aru maRai avaiyum aanAi=You became the timeless VedAs , which describe all these wonderous doctrines related to You.

A very perceptive reader of my posting on the above subject had the following question relating to the Gayathri chandas.

Please read first the query from the Member before perusing my response. The query is at the bottom of this posting.

****************************************************

the member's question was :

From what I received from my father, and Sri Kozhiyalam Swami's Ahnikam, the gAyatrI that I recite during japa also has 24 syllables. This is accomplished by the 'Ni'in vareNyam being pronounced as 'vareNiyam'.


****************************************************

It is a very important question and is most welcome one. Let me clarify it thru the following comments:

(1) First of all GayathrI Manthram is a Vedha manthram . It is recited as part of the SamhithAs and it is also used in daily japam during SandhyA vandhanam . The aksharams are different in Vedhic recitation and Japam usage:

VarENiyam japE prOktham VarENyam Vedha PaatakE
( VarENiyam should be the use for Japam tiomes
and VarENyam is during Vedha PaarAyanam ).

Thus , The Japya GaayathrI (GaaythrI manthram used for Japam)
has "varENiyam " with an extra aksharam and the total
counts up to 24 aksharams .

The other one with " VarENyam " becomes 23 in count and is permitted as Gaayathri Chandhas in Veda PaarAyaNam . There is no need to add the "i" ( uyir Yezutthu ) to the "N" (meyyezutthu)here to form "Ni" for Veda PaarAyanam , where as it is an absolute must to add "i" to "N" to form "Ni" to get the 24 lettered GayathrI for japam .

(2) GaayathrI has three paadhams. Each paadham during Japam has 8 aksharams. Gaayathri can also be split into Four Paadhams with 6 aksharams each for archanai alone:

JapE thu thripadhA prOkthA
ArchanE thu ChathushpadhA .

(3) There are other sookshmams such as "dhIrga gaayathri" (i-e)., the japam of this sacred manthram with five stops using the Vedha Svarams (PanchAvasAnaI). The number and timing of the dhIrga GaayathrI should be learnt from those , who are familiar with these anushtAnams .

(4) There is yet another GaayathrI manthram revered as "ThurIya GaayathrI " , which one can receive only through special UpadEsam from great anushtAthAs ( great souls ). That has its own nyAsam .That Gaayathri manthram has 32 aksharams . Even an additional YajnOpaveetham has ben recommended for those , who perform Japam of the ThurIya Gaayathri. It is not much in vogue.
(5)The well known statement is " ChathurvimsathyaksharA GaayathrI " (There should be 24 aksharams in GaayathrI). The rules of Chandas permit one less or more or for variations that add up to the total of 24 (6 times 4 or 8 times 3). When it is 23, it is called nicruth GaayathrI.

Hope the above comments help to clarify the points of interest .I am very happy for the excellent question.

Now coming back to the 9th paasuram on ThirukkAvalampADik KaNNan , the portion for our discussion is as follows:

" chandamAi SamayamAhi Samayavaim bhUthamAhi
anthamAi AadhiyAhi arumaRai avayum aanAi--"

These two magnificent lines are about the Para Tattvam (Supreme Lorship)of Sriman NaarAyaNan as the DhArakan ( who bears the Jeevans as His Body/svarUpam ), as the NiyanthA ( who commands us with His sankalpam ), as the sEshi ( as the Lord with no one equal or greater than Him and who receives the fruits of our rakshanam ), as the Svatha-Sarvaj~nan (natural Omniscient one), as the Sarvasakthan (Omnipotent one), as the Parama KaaruNIkan ( the most merciful one), as the sarva SaraNyan ( the refuge for one and all), and as the MOksha pradhan ( the sole granter of Moksham ).

Let us now enjoy the meanings of the individual words chosen by Kaliyan .I will first give the meanings in VaishNava paribhAshai (coded lamguage) and then break the codes for a clearer understanding:

(1)ChandhamAi= by becoming the svAthanthrya sakthi of the Jeevans,
(2)Samayam aahi=by becoming the kaala dhravyam with its many divisons
(3)samayam ei bhUtham aahi=by becoming the prapancham defined by
the five elements(pancha bhUtham), which
arise after Mahath , ahankAram and other
achEthana tattvams
(4)antham aai=by becoming the Pralayam
(5)Aadhi aahi=by becoming the many created beings as upAdhAna kAranam
(6)aru maRai avaiyum aanAi=You became the timeless VedAs , which describe all these wonderous doctrines related to You.

**************************************************

There are SIX illustrative examples given by Kaliyan to celebrate the sweep and magnificence of the Lord , Sriman NaarAyaNan , who blessed him with His darsanam as ArchA mUrthy at KaavaLampADi Sri KrishNan . We will analyze these six words one by one because of their depth of meanings. The first of the SIX is Chandham aai ( Taking the form of Chandham ):

(1) chandham aai: The Jeevans have JnA~nam,icchA and prayathnam. Let us focus on Jna~nam first and relate it to IcchA and prayathnam .

The Jna~nam or knowledge here is dharma bhUtha Jna~Nam (DBJ), an important concept in VisishtAdvaitham. It is eternal and pervasive and is an attribute of Isvaran and the Jeevans. This knowledge is shrunk or obscured (sankuchitham) for bound jeevans( bHaddha Jeevans) and is fully blossomed (vikasitham) in the case of mukthAs or NithyAs (liberated Ones and the eternals).It functions through the mind in all knowing processes; thus all objective knowledge is a modification of it. DBJ has the power to reveal objects as well as itself , but not to know them. What it illumines is always for another". In perception, it goes out to the object,takes on the object's form and as a result, the object becomes known to the perceiving subject.

The modes of DBJ include the internal states of the mind like desire (IcchA and anger) as well as prayathnam ( karthruthvam /muaRcchi).

The DBJ and its modes like IcchA and prayathnam of the Jeevan is covered by the first word of this Paasuram to indicate the realtionship between chEthanam or the sentient being with the Supreme Lord of whose body it is a part.

IcchA sakthi means divine will; Prayathna sakthi is conscious activity .Some of the SvAthanthric charactrestrics of the Jeevan in our sampradhAyam are:Jn~Athruthvam (Jn~Anam), bhOgthruthvam (~IchA) and karthruthvam (Prayathnam). Jn~Athruthvam is "aRivudamai" or possession of Dharma BhUtha Jn~Anam . BhOkthruthvam arising from IcchA sakthi is the capacity for the Jeevan to enjoy the fruits of its karmAs. Karthruthvam is "seyal Purithal" or undertaking the effort or kriyA sakthi. These are not possible for the achEthanam or insentients.

This chandas (chandham aai) also refers to Gayathri(24), ushNik(28), anushtup(32), bruhathi(36) pankthi (40), Thrishtup (44), Jagathi(48) ,Athijagathi (52), Sakvari(56) ,athisakvari(60), Ashti(64) ,Athyashti(68), Dhruthi(72) and athidhruthi(76)et al. The numbers in paranthesis are the total number of syllables in these Vedic metres constituting the veda manthrams. These metres increase by intervals of fiour starting from Gaayathri with 24 syllables .In the Rg Vedam , there are 10,472 manthrams housed in ten cantos in 20 metres including Gaayathri (2,449 mathrams), Thrishtup( 4,251 manthrams), athidhruthi(one manthram ), Dhruthi (2 manthrams) et al. These 10,472 manthrams with 3,94,221 syllables are housed in the above 20 metres.

The famous Gayathri manthram that we use in SandhyA-vandhanam is the thripAdha Gayathri has 23 syllables, one less than the standard 24 and is known as nicruth Gaayathri. The standard Gayathri chandas with 24 syllables can vary as one of the many combinations adding upto 24 syllables: 8+8+8 0r 7+10=7 (yava madhya Gaayathri) et al. Pragathas are combination of one or more metres. For example, Anushtupa pragAthA is made up of Anushtup+Gaayathri+Gaayathri (32+24+24=80 syllables).

By the choice of one single word, "ChandhamAi" , Kaliyan incorporates all the profound principles of VisishtAdvaitham associated with the Jeevan, JnA~na-IcchA-Prayathna svAthanthrya Sakthi- and the entire assembly of chandhas forming the infrastructure for the veda manthrams eulogizing the Lord of ThirukkAvaLampADi .

Kaliyan's intent seems to be aimed at removing the troubles for us to learn about the intricate meanings of SaasthrAs by us of feeble mind through self study and to learn them thru AachArya UpadEsams . He is standing in the role of an AchAryan and giving us parama mangaLa upadEsam through these words of the 9th paasuram on Sri KrishNan of KaavaLampADi. The slOkam in this context for our reflection is:

Saasthra JnA~nam bahu klEsam buddhe:chalana kaaraNam
UpadEsAth Harim buddhvA viramEth Sarva karmasu

(Meaning): Those who are not gifted with firm intellect/mind would find it very diffcult to learn the subtle meanings of the SaasthrAs and they will be easily confused . Therefore, they should learn from the AchArya-upadEsam about the majesty of our Lord and the cardinal doctrines relating to our sampradhAyam and thus cease to learn SaasthrAs by themselves.

In this posting , we will cover the meaning of the second word used by Thirumangai: " samayamAhi" in the ThirukkAvaLampAdi pasuram .

Now coming back to the text of the 9th paasuram on ThirukkAvalampADik KaNNan , the portion for our discussion is as follows (second item hat is underlined) below:

" chandamAi SamayamAhi Samayavaim bhUthamAhi
**********
anthamAi AadhiyAhi arumaRai avayum aanAi--"

(1) ChandhamAi= by becoming the svAthanthrya sakthi of the Jeevans,
(2) Samayam aahi=by becoming the kaala dhravyam with its many divisons
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(3) samayam ei bhUtham aahi=by becoming the prapancham defined by
the five elements(pancha bhUtham), which
arise after Mahath , ahankAram and other
achEthana tattvams
(4) antham aai= by becoming the Pralayam
(5) Aadhi aahi=by becoming the many created beings as upAdhAna kAranam
(6) aru maRai avaiyum aanAi=You became the timeless VedAs , which describe all these wonderous doctrines related to You.

Today's topic
*************
"Samayam Aahi": Thirumangai here salutes the Lord of ThirukkAVaLamPaadi, Sri KrishNan as the Lord of Time and its divisions.

The Kaala Tattvam and its ruling by BhagavAn is described in the 8thanuvAkam of TaittirIya AaraNyakam and MaHA NaarAyaNOpanishad . The AaraNyakam passage asks: where does Time take its residence:

"kvAyagum samvathsarO miTha:?
kvAha kkEyadEvarAthri:?
kkva maasA ruthava: srithA:?
ardhamaasA muhUrthA: ?
nimEshA: thruDibhissaha ?
kkvEmA aapO nivisanthE ?"

(Meaning): Where does the collection of Time, the year reside? On which principle is the day based? Similarly, what is the place of residence of the Time division known as night? Where are the pakshams (two divisons of the Month), the seasons, muhUrthams and nimishams take refufge ?

MahA NaarAyana Upanihsad answers these questions and declares that Sriman NaarAyaNan is the Aasrayam (place of refuge) of the Time Principle and its divisions and are part of His body .

Kaalam is an insentient tattvam (achEthana Tattvam) in VisishtAdvaitha Vedaantham. By the invocation of the first of the six names (ChandhamAi), Kaliyan focused on the Chethanam(sentient beings) in general and the Jeevan in particular. Here, he concentrates on Kaala dravyam (Time as an inert substance). It is devoid of three guNAs/attributes like Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Time however is an essential substance and is all pervasive. Its influence is not felt in Sri Vaikuntam (nithya VibhUthi); there divisions like hour, day, month, year and other divisions of time are not applicable .

Here in the prakruthi manDalam ,Kaalam is dividable in to past, present and future .Kaalam is a coordinate of prakriti and is totally dependent on the Lord (Isvaran). The common adage , "Kaala chakram jagacchakram" refers to the wheel of time that rotates to form the changing days and nights , seasons and years that mark the phases of one's life as a child , youth , old man/woman .

A VishNu PurANa SlOkam summarizes the fine points about Kaalm this way: It is part of His (Lord's) body as achEthanam and yet is different from the other achEthanams like mUla prakruthi , which is also a constituent of the Lord's body .

The Lordship of Isvaran over sentient and other insentient principles like Time , mUla Prakruthi is indicated by the MahA BhAratham passages:

kaalasya --IsathE BhagavAn Yeka:
( BhagavAn alone is the ruler of Kaalam )

kaalam cha pachathE tathra na kaalastathra vai prabhu:
sakalsya Prabhu: Raajan ! SarvasyApi tath Isvara:

( Bhagavaan creates the divisions for Time as second , minute , hour , day , night etal. These divisions are only in the prakruthi manDalam. In Suddha satthva maya Sri vaikuntam ,the influence of Time is not felt.He is the Lord of the ChEthanams and achEthanms . That is why He is saluted as Isvaran of all )

Thirumangai salutes this Swamithvam (Lordship) of ThirukkAvaLampAdi KaNNan here and points in particular about His supermacy in directing Time , the insentient principle of importance in this earth .

We will take up the third NamaskaraNam of Kaliyan, "samayam ei bhUtham aahi" in the next posting .
Thirumangai mannan ThiruvadigaLE saraNam ,
Oppilaippan Koil VaradachAri SadagOpan

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