Oh Ethiraja,
Vaduga Nambi's immortal fame is due to his exclusive singular
devotion to you and to none else. Be pleased to grant me such
a boon so that I too may be devoted to you alone likewise exclusively.
MM propounds the most important doctrine of Vaishnavite cult
called Charama Parva Naishti in this stanza. Mathurakavigal and
Vaduganambi are classic illustrations following in this category.
Madhurakavigal knows no other God other than Nammazhvar vide
his utterance "thEvu maRRaRiyEn kurukoor nNampi!" Similarly
Vadaduganambi's devotion to Ramanuja is very famous. It is exclusive
to Ramanuja and none else even to Lord Ranganatha. This devotion
is so intense so that Vaduganambi goes to extent of mildly rebuking
the two great disciples like Kuraththazhvar and Mudhaliyandan
for their devotion to Ranganatha also thereby belittling their
devotion to Ramanuja, which is not exclusive. This sentiment
of Vanduganambi is illustrative of Charama Parva Nishti vide
Srisukthi in Srivachana Bhusanam as " vaduganNambi aazhvaanaiyum
aaNdaaLaiyum irukaraiyarenpar "
(Charama parva Nishti of VadugaNambi is a great treatise and
adiyEn is writing an exclusive article on Vaduganambi Vaibhavam"
in course of time.)
(12)
Oh Ethiraja,
my famous Acharya Thiruvaymozhippillai so well known in the Vaishnavite
world as Thirumalai azhvar (referred as srisaileshar) has been
extremely kind to me and was singularly responsible to divert
my devotion to you. You know well his intentions in this regard
and so I request you to fulfill the same.
As MM fulfilled his Acharya's wish
by diverting his devotion exclusively to Ramanuja, he won the
admiration of Thiruvaymozhippillai who conferred on Mamunigal
the title of "Yatindra pravanar". To illustrate his
depth of devotion to Ramanuja, Mamunigal composed Yatiraaja Vimsati,
his first work in praise of Ramanuja where in he states. "sreemath
yatheenthra thavathivya pathapja sEvaam sreesailanNaatha karunaa
pariNamathaththaam". This verse in Arthi Prabandham is only
an echo of the sentiment expressed in Yatiraja vimsati.
Mamunigal pays his gratitude to
his Acharya who was solely responsible to divert his devotion
exclusively to Ramanuja. Mamunigal says further that his Aaacharya's
intention in diverting him this way is within the knowledge of
Ramanuja and so requests Ramanuja to fulfill his Acharya's objective.
In this verse Mamunigal strengthens his appeal by bringing in
his Acharya. We thus see Mamunigal's appeal gaining momentum
stage by stage.
Till now we have seen Mamunigal's
appeal treating Ramanuja as father, mother etc and wishing to
be identified as another Vaduga Nambi and finally bringing in
his Acharya to strengthen his appeals to Ramanuja to help him
to attain Moksha. We now see another stage stepping in from next
stanza.
(13)
People who bow before devotees
chanting Mangalam to Ethiraja thrice will be the lot to receive
the blessings of azhvars.
This is similar to the first stanza
with a slight difference. In the first stanza devotees of Ramanuja
are respected by the immortal divinity (nithyasoorigal). Here
they are blessed by Azhvars. In a nutshell the theme conveyed
is as under: It is essential to have the association of the Holy
feet of Ramanuja and His devotees to be blessed by Azhvars.
(14)
People practicing Karma ,Jnana, Bhakthi yoga , etc get qualified
to get the grace of the Lord. People who have no such attributes
are dependent only on your grace Oh Ramanuja. If you too behave
like Lord, where else we can go?
Amudanaar, who was one of the foremost
devotees of Ramanuja, and who knows no other God than Ramanuja
has composed an immortal work called Ramanuja Nootranthaadhi.
Many of the sentiments expressed in that work is echoed by Mamunigal
in this work which will be illustrated.
In this verse it is stated that
the Lord discriminates by giving Moksha to select few. The same
sentiment is expressed by Amudanar vide his srisukthi (Holy saying)
" NJanam kanintha nalankondu naadoRum naibavarkku vaanam
koduppathu mathavan " (66), whereas Ramanuja has no such
descrimination. His grace is universal. That is why He is praised
as Kripa Matra Prasannaacharya in view of his universal grace
which does not require anybody requesting for it but naturally
goes to the needy out of compassion unmindful of eligibility
and disqualification vide Amudanar's Srisukthi "iraamaanusan
thannaiyeythinarkku aththanankoduppathu than thagavennunj saraN
koduththu"
In another verse Amudhanar says
" nigarinRi ninRa en neesathaikku nin aruuLin kaNanRip pugal
onRumillai-arutkumaþthE pugal " (48)
Even though I am the worst and
most undeserving person your grace to redeem me with extreme
kindness alone shines in contrast to that of the Lord and in
this way you stand at a higher level than the Lord.
(15)
My tongue always
utters "I bow before the feet of Emperumanar? What is the
use? The utterance is only mechanical, devoid of any devotional
feeling of reverence. Till today I have not imbibed such feelings.
I doubt whether I will imbibe that reverential feeling in future?
Bhattar will always be mentioning
the name of Ranganatha. Anandazhvar likewise will be mentioning
the name of Lord Srinivasa. Such people utter with deep devotion
and they inspire us. Their utterances and inward feelings are
in the same plane whereas my utterance of Ramanuja is devoid
of such spiritual experience. Mamunigal condemns himself in all
possible ways to glorify Ramanuja's grace, which will be available
even in such circumstances. In the second stanza we find "Ramanuja
Namaha" In this stanza we find " emperumaanar thiruvadigaLE
saranam! This couplet constitutes Dvayam as follows:
I lecture to
others not to do what is forbidden. But, I don't practice what
I speak. I do all forbidden things. Please don't condemn me as
I do all these in blind glamour. Kindly let me know when I will
be received at your Holy feet.
Here Mamunigal condemns himself
for his hypocrisy of lecturing to others Virtues but practicing
what is forbidden. He says he is an embodiment of all vices.
But that should be no bar for Ramanuja to redeem him. Mamunigal
longs for Moksha early so as to arrest farther accumulation of
sins. Pious people have no liking in the material world. Nammazhvar
expresses similar sentiment vide his Srisukthi "enNNaaL
yaan unnai ini vanthu kooduvanE (thiruvaaymozhi 3-2-1)
(17)
Even though
I am the author of all evil things and have no good act to my
credit, you have promised Moksha. Please let me know the reason
for the delay in granting the same.
Here a question
arises: when was such assurance of Moksha given?
Sri.P.B.Anangarachariyar Swamy
answers this query thus. During Panguni Uththiram festival when
Sri Ramanuja recited the three gadhyams, Ranganatha gave an assurance
that people who are associated with the holy feet of Ramanuja
will attain Moksha. Hence, Mamunigal says he has the association
of Holy feet of Ramanuja and so qualifies for Moksha despite
his acts of omission and commission. Hence there should be no
delay for the mercy of Ramanuja.
(18)
This life of family bondage is equated to the darkness of the
never-ending night. When will this life end (Night darkness dispelled)
and I enjoy dawn. Oh Ethiraja, Tell me.
Mamunigal is fed up with the life
in this word of darkness of enlightenment and compares it to
the darkness in the night. It appears the night is prolonging
just as this wretched life never seems to end. He longs for the
end of the night i.e. for the end of this life and enjoy the
bright sun rising in dawn i.e. enjoy the ever bright shine in
Moksha. Mamunigal's passion is so intense that he puts the same
idea in different forms appealing to the grace of Ramanuja to
end this misery.
(19)
Even though I am
duty bound to do service to you throughout my life, I am not
doing it but go on in pursuit of materialistic designs forgetting
the essence of my duty. Will elders tolerate their people doing
wicked things? Does not my continued neglect to do my duty constitute
a blot on your eminence?
Mamunigal implies Ramanuja's negligence
to grant him the end of this life constitutes a blot as it is
responsible for his continuance of doing misdeeds
(20)
Here MM muses over
the eternal pleasure of Atma merging finally in the kingdom of
God called Vaikuntam.
Quoting Nammazhvar's Srisukthi
"pOm vazhiyai tharumenanum ( thiruvayomozhi ) MM gives a
detailed a account of Atma's ( soul ) experience from its separation
from the mortal body till it reaches the immortal stage. This
verse very closely follows the experiences of Atma as described
in detail by Nammazhvar in his "sozhvusumpaNimugil"
( Thiruvaymozhi 10-9 ). This Atma ( soul ) after it leaves the
body is guided by celestial agencies like Archis etc. That is
why it is called Archiradi route. After experiencing the eternal
happiness throughout the route, it reaches the Holy Vrija River,
which is the boundary of the kingdom of God called Vaikuntam.
After bath in the nectar-like pure sweet waters of Vrija, atma
sheds its earthly qualities, assumes the ever bright form of
celestials, then after being dressed with splendid jewelry given
a fitting reception by the celestial mortals reverentially and
finally taken to the Thousands pillar Mandapam Hall called Thirumamani
Mandapam where the Lord ( Vaikuntanatha ) is seated with His
consort. There, Atma is received by the Lord with great affection,
gets seated and finally merged there eternally. This immortal
Wealth is obtained only by the grace of Ramanuja.
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)