Sage of Kanchi

Virtual Mahaperiyava Temple

श्रीशिवानन्दलहरी -६१ – ஶ்ரீஶிவாநந்த³லஹரீ -61 – Sri Sivaanandalahari-61

श्रीशिवानन्दलहरी -६१

अङ्कोलं निजबीजसन्ततिरयस्कान्तोपलं सूचिका
साध्वी नैजविभुं लता क्षितिरुहं सिन्धुः सरिद्वल्लभम्।
प्राप्‍नोतीह यथा तथा पशुपतेः पादारविन्दद्वयं
चेतोवृत्तिरुपेत्य तिष्ठति सदा सा भक्तिरित्युच्यते ॥ ६१ ॥

ஶ்ரீஶிவாநந்த³லஹரீ -61

அங்கோலம்ʼ நிஜபீ³ஜஸந்ததி, ரயஸ்காந்தோபலம்ʼ ஸூசிகா,
ஸாத்⁴வீ நைஜவிபு⁴ம்ʼ, லதா க்ஷிதிருஹம்ʼ, ஸிந்து⁴ஸ்- ஸரித்³வல்லப⁴ம்।
ப்ராப்நோதீஹ யதா² ததா² பஶுபதே꞉ᳲ, பாதா³ரவிந்த³த்³வயம்ʼ
சேதோவ்ருʼத்தி-ருபேத்ய திஷ்ட²தி ஸதா³ ஸா, ப⁴க்திரித்யுச்யதே ॥ (61)

 

निज-बीज-सन्ततिः अंकोलं, सूचिका अयः-कांत-उपलं साध्वी नैज-विभुं लता क्षिति-रुहं सिन्धुः सरिद्‌-वल्लभं यथा प्राप्नोति तथा इह पशु-पते: पाद-अरविन्द-द्वयम्‌ उपेत्य चेतः-वृत्तिः सदा तिष्ठति, सा भक्तिः इत्युच्यते॥

भक्तिस्वरूपं निश्चिनोति – अङ्कोलमिति। निजबीजसन्ततिः निजानि च तानि बीजानि च तेषां सन्ततिः समूहः अङ्कोलम्‌ अङ्कोलो वृक्षविशेषः तं यथा स्वयमेव प्राप्‍नोति। अस्य वृक्षविशेषस्य बीजानि परिपाककाले भूमौ पतित्वा पुरुषप्रयत्नं विनैव पुनः स्वस्थानं प्रविशन्ति इति प्रसिद्धिः। सूचिका अयोमयी सूक्ष्मशलाकिका अयस्कान्तोपलम्‌ अयस्कान्तः स्वयं लोहकर्षणशक्तोपलविशेषः तं यथा, साध्वी पतिव्रता नैजम्‌ आत्मीयं विभुं भर्तारं यथा, स्वयं लता व्रततिः क्षितिरुहं वृक्षं यथा, स्वयं सिन्धुः सरित्‌ सरिद्वल्लभं नदीपतिमिह अत्र यथा प्राप्‍नोति चेतोवृत्तिः चित्तस्य व्यावृत्तिः (प्रवृत्तिः?) पशुपतेः महादेवस्य पादारविन्दद्वयं चरणपद्मयुलकं स्वयमुपेत्य सदा सर्वदा तथा तिष्ठतीति यत्‌ सा भक्तिः परमशिवे प्रीतिः तत्सायुज्यं मे भूयादिति प्रीतिरित्युच्यते अभिधीयते। भक्तिरेतादृशीति निश्चिनोमीति भावः॥६१॥

[अङ्कोलाख्यो वृक्षविशेषः क्वचिद्‌दक्षिणे प्रसिद्धः। तस्य बीजानि यदा पतन्ति तदा वृक्षमूल  एव पतन्ति। तद्‌ दृष्टान्तेन प्राक्कृतसुकृतवशात्‌ कश्चिद्‌ भगवदुपासने प्रवर्तते। स्वयमेव भगवन्तं सर्वमूलकारणमाश्रयते। द्वितीयो दृष्टान्तः अयस्कान्तोपलं सूचिकेति। यथा अयस्कान्तः सूचिकां स्वयमाकर्षति तथा भगवानेव कानिचित्‌ शुभनिमित्तानि प्रदर्श्य भक्तं स्वयमाकर्षति। अत्र पूर्वपेक्षया भक्तेरुर्त्कषः। तृतीयः साध्वी नैजविभुमिति। यथा साध्वी प्रोषितभर्तारं सदा चिन्तयन्ती तद्विघ्नं न सहते तथा भक्‍तः भगवतः भक्तिविघ्नं न सहते। चतुर्थः लता क्षितिरुहमिति। यथा लतां कश्चिदादातुमिच्छति चेत्  तदा लता त्रुट्यति, तथा भक्तस्य भगवच्चिन्तनस्य विघ्‍ने सति शरीरापायोऽपि संभाव्यते। पञ्चमः सिन्धुः सरिद्वल्लभमिति। यथा नदी प्रवहन्ती समुद्रं प्राप्य तेन सहाभेदं प्राप्‍नोति एकी भवति एवं दृढभक्तिबलाद्‌ भक्‍तः अत्रैव शिवाभेदं प्राप्‍नोति इति भावः। अत्र दृष्टान्तः-यथा भागवते गोप्यः श्रीकृष्णान्तर्धानेन तद्विरहतप्ताः  आत्मानं कृष्णं मन्यन्ते स्म। तदुक्तं -“कस्याश्चित्‌ पूतनायत्त्याः कृष्णायन्त्यपिबत्‌ स्तनम्‌” इति। (भा० १०-३०-१४) अत्रोत्तरोत्तरभक्ति भूमिकासु उत्कर्षवर्णनात्‌ सारालङ्कारः। भ्रमरकीटन्यायः पञ्चमभूमिकायां साधकः आचार्यैः  अन्यत्र निबद्धः।]

பக்தியின் ஸ்வரூப லக்ஷணத்தை விளக்குகின்றார்

इह ​-இஹ – (ஏ மனமே! பக்தியின் தன்மையை உனக்கு விளக்கவேண்டுமா?) இவ்வுலகத்தில்

अंकोलम् – அங்கோலம் – அங்கோலம் என்ற மரத்தை

निजबीजसन्ततिः – நிஜபீ³ஜஸந்ததி꞉ – அதன் விதைகளின் கூட்டம் (இரவில் கீழே விழுந்துவிட்டு காலை சூரியோதயத்துக்குள் தானே கிளம்பி மரத்தில் ஒட்டிக்கொள்ளும்) – அது போலவும்

सूचिका – ஸூசிகா – இரும்பினாலாகிய ஊசி

अयस्कान्तोपलम् – அயஸ்காந்தோபலம் – காந்தக் கல்லைக் (கண்ட மாத்திரத்தில் தானே நகர்ந்து ஒட்டிக் கொள்ளுவதுபோலவும்)

साध्वी – ஸாத்⁴வீ – உயர்ந்த பதிவிரதா சிரோன்மணி

नैजविभुम् – நைஜவிபு⁴ம் – தனது புருஷனே கதி என்று அவனைச் சேர்ந்து அணைந்திருப்பது போலும்

लता – லதா – சிறிய கொடி

क्षितिरुहम् – க்ஷிதிருஹம் – அதன் பக்கத்திலுள்ள விருக்ஷத்தைப் பற்றி வளர்ந்தோங்குவது போலும்

सिंधुः – ஸிந்து⁴꞉ – மலையினுச்சியில் உற்பத்தியாகி பலநாடுகளில் ஓடி செழிப்பு செய்யும் நதி

सरिद्वल्लभम् – ஸரித்³வல்லப⁴ம் – முடிவில் சமுத்திரத்தைக் கண்டு

यथा – யதா² – எவ்விதம்

प्राप्‍नोति – ப்ராப்நோதி – தானாகவே சென்று அடைகின்றனவோ

तथा – ததா² – அவ்விதமே

चेतोवृत्तिः – சேதோவ்ருʼத்தி꞉ – மனமென்ற சித்தவிருத்தி

पशुपतेः – பஶுபதே꞉ – ஹே பரமேச்வர!  உம்முடைய

पादारविदद्वयम् – பாதா³ரவித³த்³வயம் – திருவடித்தாமரை யிரண்டையும்

उपेत्य​ – உபேத்ய – அடைந்து

सदा – ஸதா³ – ஸதா அவ்விடமே

तिष्ठति – திஷ்ட²தி – நிலைத்திருந்தால்

सा – ஸா -அதுவே

भक्तिरिति उच्यते – ப⁴க்திரிதி உச்யதே – பக்தியென்று சொல்லப்படும்.

ஏ தீனபந்துவே! ஏறழிஞ்சல் விதையானது, அம்மரத்தைத் தாவி யொட்டிக்கொள்ளுதல் போலவும், கொடிகளானது, மரஞ்செடிகளில் தாமே யேறிப் படர்வது போலவும், ஊசியானது, காந்தக்கல்லைக் கண்டமாத்திரத்தே, தானே யெதிரிட்டேறியடைதல் போலவும், அலைகளை வீசும் நதிகளின் பிரவாகமானது, தானே விரைந்தோடிக் கடலிற் சேர்வது போலவும், தன் கணவனைப் பிரிந்த பதிவிரதையானவள், திரும்பத்தானே யவனைத் தேடியடைந்து ஸந்தோஷிப்பது போலவும் (வஸ்து நிச்சயமுணராது) ஸதா பரிதவித்து அலையும் எனது மனமானது, நினது பெருமை மிக்க பங்கயப்பத பக்திக்கே எப்போதும் அவாவி நிற்கின்றதாதலின், நீர் பிரத்தியட்சமாய் இந்த ஏழையைக் காப்பாற்றுதல் உனது தலையாய கடமையாம் (என்பதாம்).

இவ்வுலகில்‌ விசேஷமான சில பொருள்கள்‌ இருக்‌கின்றன. அங்கோலம்‌ (அழிஞ்சல்‌) என்ற மரத்தினுடைய விதைகள்‌ மரத்திலிருந்து கீழே விழுந்தவுடன்‌ அவை தானாகவே பிறர்‌ உதவியின்றி நகர்ந்து தாய்‌ மரத்துடன்‌ ஒட்டிக் கொள்கிறது. அது போலவும்‌, காந்தக்‌ கல்லானது இரும்பினாலான ஊசியை இழுப்பது போலவும்‌, கற்புடைய பெண்மணி தன்‌ கணவனையே நாடுவது போலவும்‌, கொடிகள்‌ மரங்களையே தழுவுவது போலவும்‌, ஆறு கடலையடைவது போலவும்‌ அடி மனத்தில்‌ எழும்புகின்ற நுண்ணிய எண்ண அலைகள்‌ ஸ்ரீ பரமேச்வரனுடைய திருப்பாதங்களை அடைந்து அதைவிட்டு அகலாமல்‌ ஸதா ஸர்வகாலமும்‌ இருந்தால்‌ அதுவே பக்தி எனப்படுகிறது. அதுவே அரியது: அதுவே பெரியது.

பகவத்பாதாள் இந்த ச்லோகத்தில் பக்தியின் பெருமையையும், ஸ்வரூப லக்ஷணத்தையும் ஸித்தாந்தம் செய்கிறார்கள். அழிஞ்சல் மரத்தின் விதைகள் பூமியில் எந்த இடத்தில் விழுந்தாலும், வேறு ஒருவருடைய உதவியின்றியே மரத்தடிக்கே வந்து சேர்ந்துவிடுகின்றன என்பது பிரசித்தம். அது போலும், ஊசி அயஸ்காந்தத்தினிடம் செல்லுவதுபோலும், மற்றுமுள்ள உதாஹரணங்களைப்போலும் மநோவிருத்தி இயற்கையாகவே ஸ்ரீபரமேச்வர சரணாரவிந்தங்களை நாடிச்சென்று அவ்விடத்திலேயே நிலைபெற்று விட்டால் அதுதான் பக்தி எனப்படும். இதுதான் பக்தியின் லக்ஷணம்.

த்வைத பாவத்துடன், அதாவது, ஜீவாத்மா பரமாத்மாவாக ஆகமுடியாது, மோக்ஷத்தை அடைந்தாலும் ஜீவாத்மா பரமாத்மா என்ற பேத ஞானம் உண்டு என்று பக்தி செய்பவர்களை அங்கோலம்ʼ நிஜபீ³ஜஸந்ததி, ரயஸ்காந்தோபலம்ʼ ஸூசிகா – என்ற இரண்டு உதாஹரணங்களினால் அறியவேண்டும். விதைகளின் கூட்டமானது அங்கோலமென்ற மரத்தை அடைந்தபோதிலும், மரம் என்றும் விதைகளின் கூட்டம் என்றும் பேத புத்தியானது இருந்துவருகிறது. அவ்விதமே ஊசியானது தானாகவே காந்தத்தை அடைந்தபோதிலும், ஊசி காந்தம் என்ற பேத ஞானம் தெரிகிறது. இது ஒருவித பக்தி நிலை.  இந்த பக்திநிலையில், ஜீவாத்மாவினுடைய ஆநந்தாம்சத்தை மாயையானவள் மறைத்துவிடுகிறாள். இந்த பக்தி நிலையை, பக்தியின் காஷ்டை (உச்ச நிலை) என்று சொல்ல முடியாது.

அதுமாதிரியே, ஜீவாத்மாவானது பரமாத்மாவுடன் ஐக்கியம் ஆனபோதிலும் கூட, ஜீவாத்மாவானது பரமாத்மாவாக ஆக முடியாதென்றும், அந்நிலையிலும் தான் ஜீவாத்மா என்றும், தான் பரமாத்மாவில் ஐக்கியம் ஆகியிருக்கிறோம் என்ற தனி பிரக்ஞை உண்டு – என்ற (விசிஷ்டாத்வைத) நம்பிக்கையோடு பகவானை உபாஸித்து பக்தி பண்ணுகிறவர்களுடைய நிலையை ஸாத்⁴வீ நைஜவிபு⁴ம்ʼ, லதா க்ஷிதிருஹம்ʼ என்ற இரண்டு உதாஹரணங்களினால் அறியவேண்டும். பதிவிரதையானவள் பார்த்தவை அடைந்தபோதிலும்கூட, அவளுக்கு தன்னுடைய பர்த்தாவென்ற பிரக்ஞை இருந்துவருகிறது என்பது ப்ரஸித்தம். அவ்விதமே கொடியானது மரத்தை அடைந்து மரத்தில் படர்ந்தபோதிலும்கூட மரம், கொடி என்ற பேத ஞானம் தெரிகிறது. கொடியானது ஒரு காலத்திலும் மரமாகவும் மரத்தின் அம்சமாகவும் ஆகாது. இவ்வாறு, ஜீவாத்மாவை பரமாத்மாவினுடைய அம்சம் என்று அநுசந்தானம் செய்துவருவதை ஸாமான்ய பக்தியென்று சொல்லலாமே தவிர, பக்தியினுடைய பரமகாஷ்டை (உச்சநிலை) என்று சொல்லமுடியாது.

இவ்விதம் இந்த ச்லோகத்தில் நான்கு உதாஹரணங்களினால் ஸாமான்ய பக்தியின் ஸ்வரூப லக்ஷணத்தை வர்ணித்துவிட்டு, ஆத்ம ஸ்வரூபமாகவே பரமேச்வரனை அநுசந்தானாம் செய்யும் பக்தியின் மஹிமையை பகவத்பாதாள் ஸிந்து⁴ஸ்- ஸரித்³வல்லப⁴ம் என்ற உபமானத்தினால் ஸித்தாந்தம் செய்கிறார்கள். நதியின் தர்மம் என்னவென்றால் எவ்வளவு தடுத்தாலும் ஸமுத்திரத்தில் விழவேண்டும் என்பதுதான். முன்னாலும் நதியானது ஸமுத்திரமாகத்தான் இருந்தது. வர்த்தமான காலத்திலும் ஸமுத்திரமாகத்தான் இருந்துவருகிறது. ஆனால் ஸமுத்திரத்தில் கலக்கும் வரை எதோ உபாதியினால் கொஞ்சகாலம் நதியாக அனுபவித்தது. நதி ஸமுத்திரத்தில் கலப்பதைத்தான் ஐக்கியம் என்று சொல்லுவார்கள். அதுமாதிரியே, ஜீவன், முன்னாலேயும் பரசிவமாகவேதான் இருந்தான். வருங்ககாலத்திலும் பரசிவமாத்தான் இருக்கிறான். வர்த்தமான (நிகழ்) காலத்திலும் பரசிவமாகவே இருக்கிறான். ஆனால், அக்ஞானத்தினால் பரசிவம் வேறு, ஆத்மா வேறு என்று தோன்றுகிறது. ஆநந்தமயமான ஆத்மாவை அக்ஞானமான மாயையானவள் மறைப்பதினால்தான் பேதஞானம் உண்டாகிறது. பேதஞானத்தினால் உண்டான பேதமானது, பேதஞானம் இருக்கிறவரையிலும் ஸத்யமாகவே இருந்துவருகிறது. தத்வமஸி என்ற மஹாவாக்யமானது ஜீவனும் ப்ரஹ்மமும் ஒரே அகண்டமான வஸ்து என்று உபதேசிக்கிறது. இப்படி சொன்னதினால் முன்னால் இரண்டாக இருந்த வஸ்து இப்போது ஒன்றாக மாறியது என்று கிடையாது. இரண்டும் எப்போதும் ஒரே அகண்ட வஸ்துவாகத்தான் இருந்துவருகிறது. அந்த பிரும்மானந்த ரஸத்தின் ஸ்வாநுபாவம்தான் பரமேச்வரனுடைய ஸ்வரூபமாக விளங்கி வருகிறது. இவ்விதம் பிரும்மானந்த ரஸத்தையே ஸ்வரூபமாகவுடைய பரமேச்வரனுடைய பாதாப்ஜங்களிலேயே மனத்தினுடைய வியாபாரத்தைச் செலுத்தி, சஞ்சலமில்லாமல் முடிவில் ஸகல த்வைத ஞானத்திற்கும் மூலகாரணமாக அந்த மனதை பரமேச்வரனுடைய பாதாப்ஜங்களில் நாசம் செய்துவிட்டு பரசிவத்தை ஆத்மஸ்வரூபமாக அனுபவிக்கும்பொழுது உண்டாகிற ஒரு நிர்விகல்பமான ஆநந்த ப்ரீத்தியையே பக்தியென்றும், பக்தியினுடைய பரமகாஷ்டை என்றும் ஞானிகள் சித்தாந்தம் செய்ததைத்தான் சர்வக்ஞாளான பகவத்பாதாள், ஸிந்து⁴ஸ்- ஸரித்³வல்லப⁴ம் என்று வர்ணிக்கிறார்கள்.

எவ்விதம் நதியானது ஸமுத்திரத்தில் கலந்து ஸமுத்திரமாகவே ஆகி ஸமுத்திரத்தை அறிந்ததாக இல்லாமல் இருந்துவருகிறதோ, அதுபோல் ஸகல ப்ராணிகளும் தங்கள் த்வைதமான மனதை பரசிவத்தில் லயிக்கவைத்து, பரசிவத்தை அறிந்தவர்களாக இல்லாமல் இருந்துகொண்டு பரசிவமாகவே இருந்துவருவதற்கு ஒரு த்ருடமான பிரக்ஞையுடன் பரமேச்வரனிடன் அநன்ய பக்தி செய்து வந்தார்களேயானால் காலக்கிரமத்தில் அஹம் ப்ரஹ்மாஸ்மி என்ற ஸ்வஸ் ஸ்வரூப நிலையில் எல்லையற்ற ஞானாநந்தக் கடலாகவே இருப்பார்கள். இந்நிலையை அடையவேண்டுமென்பதுதான் இந்த ச்லோகத்தின் ஸாராம்சம் என்று அறியவேண்டும். பக்தியினுடைய பரம காஷ்டை (உச்ச நிலை) அஹம் ப்ரஹ்மாஸ்மி என்ற இந்நிலை தான் என்று பகவத்பாதாள் பக்தியின் மஹிமையை நிர்த்தாரணம் செய்கிறார்கள். இந்த ச்லோகத்தைச் சொல்லி நமஸ்கரிப்பவர்கள் பரமேச்வரனிடம் அநன்ய பக்திசெய்யும் பாக்யத்தைப் பெற்று சிவாநந்தலஹரியில் லயிப்பார்கள் என்பதற்கு இந்த ச்லோகமே ப்ரமாணம்.

यथा = जैसे,
इह= संसार में,
निजबीजसन्ततिः = (उसके) अपने बीजों की शृंखला
अङ्कोलम्‌ = अंकोलवृक्ष को,
सूचिका = सुई,
अयस्कान्तोपलम्‌ = चुम्बक पत्थर को,
साध्वी = पतिव्रता स्त्री,
नैजविभुम्‌ = अपने पति को,
लता = लता,
क्षितिरुहम् = वृक्ष को,
सिन्धुः= नदी, `
सरिद्वल्लभम् = समुद्र को,
प्राप्नोति = प्राप्त होती है,
तथा = वैसे,
चेतोववृत्तिः= चित्त का समस्त व्यापार,
पशुपतेः = पशुपति के,
पादारविन्दद्वयम्‌ = चरणकमलयुगल को,
उपेत्य = प्राप्त कर,
सदा = हमेशा (वही),
तिष्ठति = रहे,
सा = वह,
भक्तिः = भक्ति,
इति = इस शब्द से, उच्यते = कहा जाता है

 

Dr.T.M.P.Mahadevan

Just as, here, the seeds of the ankola tree go and attach themselves to the tree, the needle sticks to the magnet, the chaste woman to her lord, the creeper to the tree, and the river (runs) to the ocean, even so if the flow of the mind reaches the lotus-feet of the Lord of souls and remains there always, that is called devotion.

The previous two verses lead to the present one where devotion is defined. The similes given here are taken from the living as well as non-living realms. Here, again, the higher member of each pair is indispensable for the lower member. These similes are meant to illustrate the nature and value of constant attachment to a single ideal. Such constancy, when it is in relation to God, is called devotion (bhakti).

Swami Tapasyananda

That state of mind is called Bhakti (divine love) wherein all movements of thought go automatically to the lotus feet of the Lord and stick to them for ever just as the seed of Ankola tree (on falling) gravitates to the parent tree, the iron needle to the magnetic stone the devoted wife to her husband, the creeper to the tree and the river to the ocean.

Sivaanandalahari -61

अन्कोलम् निजबीजसन्ततिरयस्कान्तोपलम् सूचिका
साध्वि नैजविभुम् लता क्षितिरुहम् सिन्धु: सरिद्वल्लभम्
प्राप्नोतीह यथा तथा पशुपते: पादारविन्दद्वयम्
चेतोवृत्तिरुपेत्य तिष्ठति सदा सा भक्तिरित्युच्यते ॥ ६१ ॥

Commentary

इह – In this world;
निजवीजसंतति – the crowd of its seeds;
अन्कोलम् – A special tree with a unique guna;
सूचिका – needle;
अयस्कान्तोपलम् – the needle attracted to the magnet;
साध्वि – pativrataa;
नैजविभुम् – to her bharta (husband);
लता – the creeper;
क्षितिरुहम् – of the tree;
सिन्धु: – the river;
सरिद्वल्लभम् – the sea;
यथा – how;
प्राप्नोती – that reaches;
तथा – that way;
चेतोवृत्ति – the activities of the praaNis
पशुपते: – to Pasupathi
पादारविन्दद्वयम् – Those two feets that are the lotus flowers;
उपेत्य – reaching
सदा – always;
तिष्ठति – without agitaion, doubt;
सा – that alone
भक्ति – Bhakthi
उच्यते – is so described.

‘य सर्वेदेवाः नमन्ति मुमुक्ष: ब्रह्मवादिनश्च इति’ says the Sruthi. It says that Everyone from jeevanmuktha to ordinary praaNi do namaskaaram to ParamEswara indicating the importance of Bhakthi. Moreover, Naradha Bhakthi Soothram says: ‘त्रिसत्यस्य भक्तिरेव गरीयसि भक्तिरेव गरीयसि’ underscoring the importance of bhakthi. In this sloka BhagavathpaadhaaL amplifies the siddhaantha of bhakthi, its greatness and its swaroopa lakshaNam.

The seeds of angOla tree when they ripen fall on the ground and without human intervention they race towards the tree. Likewise the needle is attracted to the magnet by nature. A pathivrathaa gets behind her bharthaa. A creeper seeks the nearby tree and hugs its way up. The river inexorably reaches the ocean. In the same way if the mind without frittering itself surrenders at the lotus feet of Pasupathi bringing peace and quiet to itself, that would be the utmost Bhakthi. That bhakthi should be beyond measure.  This is the thaathparyam of the naaradha soothra:

‘अनिर्वचनीयं प्रेमस्वरूपम्’.

That is everyone has this अनिर्वचनीय प्रेम only with his own aathmaa.  Actually it is the case with sakala praaNis.  Even if he is a fool he will have utmost prEma only with his own aathmaa.   What we know from this is that only Aathmaa alone is the substance entirely of Aanandha.  A person would not place his prEma on a vasthu that is different from aathmaa.  People give up everything when there is haani to the aathma.

“आत्मा परमानन्दस्वरूपः परमप्रेमास्पदत्वात् “

This anumaana pramaaNa vaakyam does the siddhaantham that aathmaa alone is the आस्पद वस्तु (abode) of the superior prEma.  Placing this superior prEma of the aathmaa at all time in the paadhaaravindham of Parameswara is called Bhakthi.  AathmaprEma should be surrendered to ParamEswara. MOksham is nothing but placing one’s aathmaprEma with ParamEswara.  One cannot place his aathmaprEma with ParamEswara as long as he thinks that ParamEswara is a different vasthu than oneself.  Until this दृढ प्रज्ञ is reached the bhakthi that a person has is merely a ‘saamaanya’ bhakthi. That bhakthi cannot be considered a purushaartha.

Because I say that aathmaprEma should be placed on ParamEswara it should not be understood that ParamEswara is anya vasthu.  Why do I say so?  Because, everyone has prEma only on his self.  That prEma of the self (aathmaprEma) is not placed on anya vasthu in which case it will be anyaprEma which is caused by the प्रज्ञ that such and such is an anya vasthu.  The idea of considering ParamEswara as anya vasthu should completely leave one’s mind, then only will he be able to place his aathmaprEma on ParamEswara.  The main reason for this is only the mind, is it not?


“मनः परंकारणमामनन्ति संसारचक्रं परिवर्तयेद्यत् ” says the saasthra. The mind is the stumbling block between oneself and Parameswara. That is why the mind has to be parted first to Parameswara. In fact Parameswara steals this mind from a ripe bhaktha! (உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்!) Why not part it willingly?

Manas is the root cause of द्वैत ज्ञानम्. Only when this manas is destroyed द्वैत ज्ञानम् also gets destroyed.  In order that manOnaasam to take place one has to do नवविद  bhakthi.  These different bhakthis are highlighted by BhagavathpaadhaaL by examples.  Even though AngOla seeds that reach the tree there you see the bhEdham of the seed and the tree.  In the same way is the magnet and the needle has the भेदज्ञानं.  Even though the Pathivrathaa is conscious of her bhartha the bhEdham between them is evident.  Even when the creeper is seen together with the tree the bhEdham between them is discernible.  This भेदज्ञानं is called MAAYAI.

All the aanandham that we enjoy with भेदज्ञानं should be known as नश्वर आनन्दम् (perishable happiness). Even though in reality aathmaa is aanandhamayam maayai hides this and makes aathmaa appear as devoid of aanandha.  That is why sakala praaNis consider themselves as dhukkaswaroopis.  Because they consider themselves as dhukkaswaroopis they keep seeking aanandha.  And aanandhaa they seek is seen with ParamEswara.

Now, let’s tread back a little. We were saying that the root cause of our misery is our mind. Why so? Because the mind has no ability to function in a world where there is no two. Mind knows only by differentiation for which it needs the second one. In fact the more the merrier for it! So its first conclusion for its own survival is that Parameswara is different from oneself. The train of events that follows is that the one, the jeeva, is miserable and Parameswara is blissful. We say that as long as there are two, the misery will always have to be with the jeeva, otherwise there won’t be any argument because if the jeeva is blissful there won’t be any need for Parameswara! So the dwaithins spread their siddhaantha that this Aathma is miserable and at no time would it ever be blissful. They say that the Aathma is different from Parameswara and that Aananda is obtained only from Parameswara etc.

The dwaithis keep ignoring the fact that everyone has prEmai on his own aathma and everyone has scorn at dhukkam.  They are spreading their view that aanandha can be obtained only from ParamEswara instead of inquiring why we are dhukkaswaroopis; if we are dhukkaswaroopis then why should we have this anirvachaneeya prEmai on the self?  If they do enquire then they would know that a person would not have prEmai on a vasthu that he considers as dhukkaswaroopam because it is in the nature of every praaNi to shun the dhukka vasthu.  What do we understand from this?  It becomes clear to us that our own aathma is sukhaswaroopi, aanandhaswaroopi!  Yet why are we experiencing ourselves as dhukkaswaroopis?  — This is how the dwaithis should have examined their contention.

Secondly, by the very nature of being different from oneself, the other, namely the ‘object’, generates love and hate in oneself. Is it not?  What is loved at one time is hated at another time. What is loved at one place is hated at another. Also familiarity breeds contempt. We leave it to the readers to find examples for these from their own experience that must be plentiful. The point we are making therefore is that for anything to be blissful it needs to be ‘वस्तुतः देशतः कालतः परिचेत शून्यं’ that is it cannot be an object bound in space, time and familiarity.

The various differences in the bhakthi was highlighted by AachaaryaaL by his examples in this sloka. There are three variations of bhakthi. They are (i) Anya Bhakthi, (ii) AnyOnya Bhakthi and (iii) Ananya Bhakthi. The cases of (a) AngOla seeds that reach the tree and (b) the needle that reaches the magnet are examples of Anya Bhakthi. The cases of (a) pathivratha and bhartha and (b) the creeper and the tree are examples of AnyOnya Bhakthi. The example of the rivers in general that ultimately reach the ocean, are the examples of Ananya Bhakthi.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Anya Bhakthi is Hanumaan. By becoming the most devout slave of Lord Rama Hanuman attained his Parama Purushaartha. So the Lord blessed him with Chiranjeevithwam. This is Dwaitham. It will be interesting to see how Bhagavan Ramana describes the attitude of this ‘Anya Bhaktha’ and the best method of his worship. Bhagavan says: ‘ईश्वरार्पितं नेच्छया कृतम् | चित्तशोधकं  मुक्तिसाधकम्  ||’. Nishkaama karmyam is his attitude. In Dwaitham the body attains reality and knowing that there are three bodies in each one, these three bodies they are dedicated to the Lord with respective best worship they are capable of. Bhagavaan says: ‘कायवाङमनः कार्यमुत्तमम् | पूजनं जपस्चिंतनम् क्रमात् ||’ With the gross body you do pooja to the Lord, with vaak the subtle body you do japam and with the mind the causal body you meditate on Him’.

भेदज्ञानं hides the limitless Aanandha. All the joys that one experiences with भेदज्ञानं are fleeting. Because Maayai succeeds in hiding the limitless Aanandha in भेदज्ञानं, all praaNis experience only dhukkam. And they crave for everlasting Aanandha. They recon that Aanandha resides in ParamEswara and begin to attach themselves to Him. And they confound themselves with the dwaithic philosophy that jeeva is real and miserable and Easwara is real and Aanandhaswaroopi etc. Therefore they never understand that in lakshyaartha jeeva is Brahmaanandham and this ignorance about jeeva persists in them needlessly. Because of this they never understand that the sukham derived from another even if it be Easwara is anithyam.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of AnyOnya Bhakthi is Prahlaadha. He saw the Lord everywhere and in his own self. He was thus entitled to the coveted ‘SaalOkya, Saaroopya, Saameepya, Saayujya’ padhavis. This is Visishtaadvaitham. Bhagavan Ramana says: ‘भेदभावनात्सोहमित्य्सौ | भावनाभिदा पावनी मता ||’. ‘I am Him (SOham)’ idea is better than the dualistic idea of I am different from Him. Such people get the idea of agency such as ‘I am an instrument in His hands’. This gives exceeding courage and endurance as seen in Prahlaadha. Like dwaithis Visishtaadhvaithees too believe that separate conciousness resides in jeeva and Easwara. Therefore all that we have said about the dwaithins apply to visishtaadhvaithins too.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Ananya Bhakthi is Kannappa Naayanaar. He was the personification of non-difference with Parameswara. He thus had Parama PrEma on Parameswara. He exemplified the Mahavaakya ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि ’. This is Advaitham. Bhagavaan Ramana says: ‘भावशून्यसद्भावसुस्तितिः |भावनाबलात्  भक्तिरुत्तमा ||’ Poised in one’s own self, devoid of thoughts is the uththama bhakthi.

But those who enjoy their aathma as ‘dhukkaswaroopi’ worship Parameswara as the Aanandha dhaathaa without realizing that such bliss borrowed from another is ephemeral. Vedhaanthis contend that these borrowed joys are temporary and are inert because that which is obtained from another comes through the mind for the mind is the gateway to the objects. 

The most important fact is if you are by nature dhukkaswaroopi you can never enjoy sukham. For example only a vidwaan in mathematics can solve the problem E = mc^2 and get the thrill out of it.  If you tried to explain this equation to an idiot in mathematics firstly he would not know what you are talking about and secondly, he would not know the विद्यारहस्यम्  embedded in the problem and revealed in the solution and thereby miss the thrill.  Thus if the aathmaa is dhukkaswaroopi how can one differentiate that such and such is aanandham, such and such is NOT aanandham and that aanandhaa came from ParamEswara?  Such निर्धारणम्  is certainly impossible.

आनन्दो ब्रह्मेति व्यजनात् |
सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म ||

such sruthi vaakyas are pramaaNam for these.  It is totally false, nay, well nigh impossible for  anyone who thinks that he is dhukkaswaroopi and that ParamEswara is different from aathmaswroopam to have prEma on ParamEswara on any occassion and at any time.

MOksha is placing one’s aathmaprEma at PramEswara and doing upaasana.  Only those who do this are praised by the sruthi as: “नस पुनरावर्तते  नस पुनरावर्तते”

Let us meditate on the parama kaashtai of the three bhakthis which BhagavathpaadhaaL did siddhaantham as “चेतोवृत्तिरुपेत्य तिष्ठति सदा”. Those who does upaasana to ParamEswara holding on to the view that at no time can one becomes Paramaathma, and even if he attains mOksha there would be the bhEdam of Jeevaathma and Paramaathma – are described by the two examples “अन्कोलम् निजबीजसन्ततिरयस्कान्तोपलम् सूचिका “. AnkOla seeds even when the reach the tree from which they came continue the idea of separateness so also the needle that reached the magnet. In this way those jeevaraasis that have anubhava buddhi that they are different from ParamEswara cannot lend their aathmaprEmai to ParamEswara for aathmaprEma can only be with oneself and not with an anyan. Yet they do consider themselves to be dhukkaswaroopis because of maaya. In such a situation this upaasana cannot be called the kaashtai (goal) of bhakthi.

Likewise, those who do upaasana to Bhagavaan holding on to the view that the jeevaathma even when he unites with Paramaathma, they both cannot become one but continue to hold to the conviction (प्रज्ञया) that even though he has united with Paramaathma he would never become Paramaathma – are described by the two examples “साध्वि नैजविभुम् लता क्षितिरुहम्”. Even though a pathivrathaa reached her barthaa she has the प्रज्ञयै that she is pathivrathaa and he is the bharthaa. In the same way the creeper even though it winds itself to the tree has the प्रज्ञयै that it is different from the one that supports it. So anyone holding to the view that a jeevaathma is only an amsam of Paramaathmaa can only be said to have ordinary bhakthi that does not have paramakaashtai. Even in aikyam there is bhEdha buddhi in the jeevan and in his case also maayai has hidden the aanandhaamsam. This must be clear on reflection. What is the gain out of this different version of bhEdhagnyaanam? Only the complete destruction of भेदज्ञानं can achieve the total oneness is the view of the Vedhaanthis. If aikyam is Sathyam there cannot be भेदज्ञानं. If there is भेदज्ञानं that aikyam cannot be Sathyam because Sathyam can always be One only. Just as if a person says: “I have seen a barren woman and she has a child”, the world will not accept that statement, we cannot accept that in the state of unity there can be भेदज्ञानं. So the aanandha one gets in this unity cannot be the goal of bhakthi. It can never be.

After describing the saamaanya bhakthi with the four examples AachaaryaaL takes up those who do upaasana to ParamEswara holding on to the view that the jeevathma was already non-different from the nishkaLanga Paramasiva and so much so would not be ‘becoming’ Paramasiva but in varthamaana kaalam remains with the appearance of ‘jeeva is different and Paramasiva is different’, the moola kaaraNam for which is मूल अज्ञान भ्रान्ति – are described by the example ” सिन्धु: सरिद्वल्लभम्”. To explain, the dharma of a river is, howsoever it is dammed on its way, its object is to merge with the ocean. Before it was a river it was only the ocean that went up as cloud and it rained on the hill setting off this pravaaham of the river. Until it gets back to the ocean it remains as a river and has its प्रज्ञयै  as a river but the very moment it merges into the river its नदिज्ञानं  is lost. No one can separate the water as ‘this is nadhijalam and this is samudhra jalam’.

The point of fact is that the jeevaathma has never in the past been different from the faultless Paramasiva nor would we say that he would be different in the future. But due to मूल अज्ञान भ्रान्ति in the present, he considers himself different from Parameswara. MOksham is the destruction of this मूल अज्ञान भ्रान्ति. Those who do such upaasana for the destruction of this मूल अज्ञान भ्रान्ति are referred to by AachaaryaaL by the example of ‘सिन्धु: सरिद्वल्लभम्’.

The bhEdham (the multitudes we see) remains real because of the भेदज्ञानं and only to those afflicted with भेदज्ञानं comes the importance of ज्ञानोपदेसं. Therefore the mahaavaakya “तत्वमसि ” is addressed to the अज्ञानी  to tell him that he is Brahman and this mahaavaakya is not to tell a ज्ञानी that he is BrahmaN. this mahaavaakya “तत्वमसि” says to the अज्ञानी  “Do not think that aathmaa is different from Brahman. Do know that both are one and the same ‘अखण्डाकार आनन्द वस्तु ‘. Just because these two are one you should not also think that there were two and those two are becoming one. You have assumed there were two because of अज्ञान. The fact of the matter is there has never been two.”

PraaNis due to भेदज्ञान have the tendency to have the anubhava that ‘aathmaa is different and Paramasiva is different, aathmaa is dhukkaswaroopi, only paramasiva is aanandhamayam’ but they do not yearn to approach a sathguru and fall at his feet and have the benefit of vichaaram from him. They do not realize that the love they have for the wife and children is only so long as they derive aanandha from them. So is the case with hatred that one has only so long as they suffer dhukkam from them. The one is who is loved at one time is hated at another. That which exists at one time and does not exist at another is called ‘braanthi’ by the vEdhaanthis. Those sukham and dhukkam that arise out of this braanthi is called anithyaanandham. On the contrary there is unfailing prEma on one’s own self. That is why in Bhagavath Geetha (6.22) it is said: “यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः । ” there is no greater gain than aathmalaabham. That is because it is the only aanandha vasthu. Enjoying this aanandha vasthu as Paramasiva is known as MOksham.

‘रसोवैस:’ By this sruthi that Brahman which is taught as the rasa and that rasa’s swaanubhavam is the swaroopam of ParamEswara. This brahmaanandha rasam is that to be surrendered at the feet of ParamEswara so the cause of सकल द्वैत ज्ञानं namely the mind is destroyed by those holy feet bringing about an experience of the प्रत्यगात्म स्वरूपं of Paramasiva yielding a nirvikalpa aanandha preethi is the truest bhakthi. It is the paramakaashtai of bhakthi says सर्वज्ञाळ  ParamaacharyaaL ‘सस्वरूपानुसंधानं  भक्तिरित्यमिधीयते ’. Bhagavaan Ramana says in his famous UpadhEsa Saaram: “हृस्थले मनः स्वस्थता क्रिया | भक्तियोगबोधास्छ निश्चितम् ||’. Sinking the mind (the source of भेदज्ञानं) into the Heart (ParamEswara), is Karma Yoga, Bhakthi Yoga, Raja Yoga and ज्ञान  Yoga.

This in essence is the import of this sloka of Sivaanandalahari.

Jaya Jaya Sankara, Hara Hara Sankara!

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