..sloham 14-12..Manakkaal-near Lalgudi..thirithandathudan sevai..varadarajar sannithi..masi maham avatharam..Swami Nathamuni was born in circa 823. Hia disciple, Swami Uyyakondar, was born in circa 886. Swami Mankkal Nambi was born in circa 929..rama misrar eyar peyar.. uyakkondaarin pudalvikallai settru manalil nadakkaamal thaan paduthu kondu avarkallai than mel nadakka solli manal kaal padinthathaal petra peyar manakkaal nambi..thoothu valai keerai koduthu Aallavandarai thiruthinavar..Swami Vedanta Desika, in his Yatiraja Saptati, praises Swami Manakkal Nambi as the Fourth Rama, as he was known as Swami Ramamisra also! First Rama, Sri Parashu Rama, was claiming bhoomi or lands [Kingdoms], while the Fourth Rama, showed the patience of bhoomi [Mothr Earth]! Sri Rama, the Second among Ramas, killed rakshasas or demons, while the Fourth Rama, attached himself with satva persons [satvika] amd did good to all. Sri Balarama, was in the habit of drinking and off the mind [madham], while Swami Ramamisra, removed all madha [madness] and other bad qualities such as likes and dislikes! He bathed in the great ocean of Bhakti, and removed the heat from three sufferings [adhyatmika, adhidaivata and adhbowtika]. Many people do not visit this place, though it is situated near Srirangam and Anbil. Even if exclusive visit might not be possible, on way to Anbil, this place should be visited by all.
lobhah pravrttir arambhah
karmanam asamah sprha
rajasy etani jayante
vivrddhe bharatarsabha
O chief of the Bharatas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion the symptoms of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.
Bharatarsabha = Arjuna, hero among Bharata dynasty ..Lobha = unwlling to share or donate, things dear to us.
..Pravriti = engaged in useless actions, like biting nails, tapping on the lap, plucking grass, etc. These actions do not produce any results but shows rajo quality…Karmanam arambhah = Beginning actions, for inferior objectives like reaching heaven or Chandra lok, etc. Should they not be done? No, we should never take any efforts for obtaining lower and inferior results. We should do anything which will take us to Moksham as taught by Alwars and Acharyas…Asamah = sama means control of organs, while here asama means uncontrolled organs. Seeing what should not be or tasting what should not be or thinking what should not be, are all indicative of rajo quality..sprha = desires in objects and enjoying them…
Lord Krishna now describes what is indicative of passion with the following words.
The word lobha means greed, avarice, parsimony regarding wealth.
The word pravritih means restlessness with no specific purpose or reason.
The word arambhah means engaging in fruitive activities.
The word asamah means agitation of the senses.
The word spriha means craving for sense gratification.
All of these qualities manifest when raja guna or the mode of passion is predominant.
..sloka 14-13..Thiru ev vullur..Sri Vaidya Veera Raghava Perumaal..Sri Kanakavalli Thaayar..Vijaya Kodi Vimanam..Hruth thaba nasini pushkarani..hruth-manas.thabam-heat..Ignorance itself is a suffering. Adyatmika [ஆத்யாத்மிகம் our own makings], adidaivika [ஆதி தைவதம் God’s punishments] and adibowthika [ஆதிபௌதிகம் Nature’s fury] cause sufferings. These sufferings are remedied in this pushkarini.thai amavasai antru pradyumna rajavukku pradyadsham..punya aavrutha shethram..
aprakaso ’pravrttis ca
pramado moha eva ca
tamasy etani jayante
vivrddhe kuru-nandana
“When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.”
Kuru-nandana = Arjuna [ of Kuru dynasty]…Aprakasa = without brightness, or darkness, indicating lack of knowledge. Swami Ramanuja says it means Gyana anudaya or knowledge not born…pravrtti = not engaged in [any] action [laziness]…Pramada = carelessness, preventing performing our duties prescribed and to be done at a scheduled time.Moha = delusion, understanding things in confused way. Here, though knowledge is born, confusion exists. It is viparita Gyana, where we mistake one for another.Etani = all these [defects] are, tamasi = in tamas quality, vivrddhe = when well developed, jayante = exhibited. Defect in knowledge is in Three categories:..Gyana anudayam – not understanding the matter. He will not know what Vedas and Puranas have told. He will not know what are his duties. We might not know many things. It hardly matters; but to know what is good for oneself has to be known. Not knowing this is aprakasa. ..Annasa Gyana – one sees the matter but understands its quality wrongly. For example, understanding the white color of conch as yellow due to defect in the eyes. Viparita Gyana – here the matter is understood differently, like thinking a rope to be snake.
Here Lord Krishna explains what is indicative of tama guna or the mode of ignorance. The word aprakasa means devoid of illumination, nescience, ignorance. The word apravrrtih means inertia, lethargy, absence of effort. The word pramada means madness, fragmentation, propensity for sinful activities. The word moha means illusion, distortion, misinterpretation of reality. When tamas is predominant then delusion and perversion are seen to be rampant in society.
..sloka 14-14..Salohotra munivar..sali-paddy..28 salikallai 1000 days kootti yaagnam panninaar.. varusham muzuvathum pattini erunthu thai amavasai mattum moontru kai pidi nel vaithu annam panni kaal pangu guest vaithu meethi saapiduvaaraam..perumaal antru vanthu athai saapiittu meethiyum kettu anaithaiyum saappittaaraam..athu pola adutha varushamum nadanthathaam..evvull thoonga yentru kettu kidakiraar..therkku paarthu sri rengam pola kidantha sevai..
yada sattve pravrddhe tu
pralayam yati deha–bhrt
tadottama–vidam lokan
amalan pratipadyate
“When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.”
Pratipadyate = attains; when satva quality is dominant, if a person dies, he would attain this, says the Lord. That is the atman of that person, is going to leave the present body and take up a new body, or is going to be born. Yada = when, satve = satva quality is, pravrddhe tu = well developed and dominating, deha–bhrt = supporter of body [atman], pralaym yati = departs, or the person dies, tada = then, that atman, pratipadyate = attains, amalan = blemishless, that is without the blemish of ignorance, uttama–vidan = supreme level, lokan = place or society.
Lord Krishna explains that when the jiva or embodied being is in sattva guna or mode of goodness at the time of death then numerous blessed regions are reached where the knowers of atma tattva or knowledge of the immortal soul are residing. The word amalan means pure, exempt from blemish, denoting devoid of ignorance. The understanding is that the fate of a jiva who dies under the influence of sattva guna would be so beneficial that it would predetermine that the next birth would take place in the enviornment of pious and holy people that have realised atma tattva and so combined with an inner impulse to pursue this way of life and with opportunity in abundance one would continue in sattva guna purifying one’s existence by performing spiritual activities until one achieves perfection.
..sloka 14-15..Sri Kanaka Valli Thaayaar..Sri vasumathi..dharma sena raja pudalvi peyaraal..thirumangai thiru mazisai aazvaar mangalaa saasanam..munnor thoothu ponavan thuyilkiraan yenkiraar..yaarum thoothu poha solla villai ramanai yenbaar parasara battar..
rajasi pralayam gatva
karma-sangisu jayate
tatha pralinas tamasi
mudha-yonisu jayate
“When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.”Rajasi = [when ] rajo [quality, was prominent], pralayam gatva = [if the person] reached death. Here pralayam does not mean the occasional deluge but the daily happening death among living beings. Karma-sanghi = [those] involved in Karmas, like performing various yagnas to attain swarga, etc. Jayate = is born [among such people]. Tamasi = [person with] tamo quality, pralina = dying, mudha-yonishu = in senseless species, jayate = [he is] reborn. ..
Ramanuja’s Commentary for sloka 14-15..
Now Lord Krishna describes that when a jiva or embodied being dies while in raja guna or the mode of passion one takes birth among those who perform activities out of desire for rewards and having been born as such will endeavour mightily to accomplish works that would be rewarded by immense wealth and power even up unto the heavenly spheres. Similarly if one dies while under the influnce of tama guna or the mode of ignorance then such jivas will be born from the wombs of animals such as pigs and dogs where one would be completely incapacitated to perform any activity that would give any spiritual benefit.
..sloka 14-16..Thiru senga nallor-15 kms from kumba konum..Periya aachaan pillai avathara sthalam..We have also visited the birth places of Acharyas, with approximate year of birth:
- Swami Nathamuni – Kattumannar koil – 823
- Uyyakkondar -Thiruvellarai – 886
- Manakkal Nambi – Manakkal – 929
- Alavandar – Kattumannar koil – 976
- Periya Nambi -Srirangam – 997
- Thirukkoshtiyur Nambi – Thirukkoshtiyur – 987
- Thirumalai Andan – Azhagar koil – 988
- Alwar Tiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar [s/o Alavandar] – 1017
- Thirukkacchi Nambi – Poovirundavalli [Poonamalle] – 1009
- Swami Ramanuja – Sriperumbudur – 1017
- Koorattalwan – Kooram – 1010
- Mudaliyandan – Pettai – 1027
- Embar aka Govinda Perumal – Maduramangalam – 1021
- Engalazhvan – Thiruvellarai – 1097
- Parasara Bhatta [s/o Koorattalwan] – Srirangam – 1122
- Nanjeer – Tirunarayanapuram – 1113
- Nampillai [Varadacharya, author of Eedu] – 1147
- Periyavacchan Pillai – Chenganur – 1167 to 1262
- Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai – 1167
- Pillai Lokacharya [s/o Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai] – 1205
- Azhagiya Manvala Perumal Nayanar [s/o Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai] – 1207
- Thiruvaimozhi Pillai – Kuntinagaram – 1290
- Swami Manavala Mamunigal – Azhvar Tirunagari – 1371
- Nadathur Ammal aka Vatsya Varadacharya –
- Kidambi Appullar –
- Swami Vedanta Desika [nephew of Kidambi Appullar] – Thoopul – 1268..
..karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam
rajasas tu phalaṃ duḥkham ajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam
Sukrutasya karmana = he who has been doing noble Karmas. Sukrutasya means detached in results for the Karma being done or dedicating such Karmas as Bhagavad Aradana..Nirmalam = blemishless without any alloy of sorrow and full of bliss, phalam = result, sattvikam = very pure and sacred. ..Rajas tu phalam dukham = but, a person dieing when rajo quality was dominant, he is reborn in the company of persons performing Karmas, aspiring for worldly pleasures, and so he also performs similar Karma. It is dukham or samsaram, as the result. Here also the cycle repeats. Ajnanam tamasa phalam = person dieing when tamo quality was dominant, he is reborn in society of animals, with no scope for intellect development. Here also cycle of similar rebirths is repeated.
Thus result of those situated in sattva guna or mode of goodness at the moment of death is birth in a family of enlightened transcendentalists who are atma tattva or knowledgeable of the immortal soul. Such a virtuous being performs all actions without any motive for rewards but only for devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna. The result of such actions is only increasing one’s bhakti or exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord. Purity means the absence of any pain so say sages who are in a position to know such matters. The result of those situated in raja guna or the mode of passion at the moment of death is birth among those prodiguous families who only perform activities desirous of rewards. They actually engage in actions with the sole intent of enjoying the results themselves and gratifying their dependents and then again and again embarking on more and more ventures developing more and more passion as they do. Hence do they perpetuate a mountain of karma or reactions to actions, some good giving pleaure and some bad giving pain. Thus they perpetuate themselves permanently into samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Similarly the result of those situated in in tama guna or the mode of ignorance at the moment of death is inertia, nescience, darkness of knowledge.
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