O Lord! Great sages like Naarada move about freely at will without being noticed. They are free of all sorrows because of their constant contemplation on Thy lotus feet. They have attained the eternal knowledge and are always immersed in Thy non-dual Self,which is of the nature of supreme Bliss-Consciousness. What more can one desire to attain in life?
O Lord! if Thy grace is present, is there anything in this world which man cannot attain? The curing of my disease is just a very insignificant matter for Thee. There are many devotees of Thine, in this world, who having been liberated from sufferings and are moving about freely without any attachment.
pyanaasaktaM chittaM bhavati bata viShNO kuru dayaam |
bhavatpaadaambhOjasmaraNarasikO naamanivahaanahaM
gaayaM gaayaM kuhachana vivatsyaami vijane ||
Tamil Transliteration
க₃த₃க்லிஷ்டம் கஷ்டம் தவ சரணஸேவாரஸப₄ரே(அ)-
ப்யநாஸக்தம் சித்தம் ப₄வதி ப₃த விஷ்ணோ குரு த₃யாம் |
ப₄வத்பாதா₃ம்போ₄ஜஸ்மரணரஸிகோ நாமநிவஹா-
நஹம் கா₃யம் கா₃யம் குஹசந விவத்ஸ்யாமி விஜநே || 2||
Meaning in English
O Lord Vishnu! tormented by this painful disease, what a pity, my mind is not inclined to revel in the joy of worshipping at Thy lotus feet. Be merciful to me, so that I may retire to a secluded beautiful place and enjoy the bliss of meditating on Thy lotus feet immersed in chanting Thy innumerable names.
O Bestower of Boons! I consider those devotees of Thine most fortunate, who always chant Thy sacred names, and so revel in the ocean of Bliss. Contemplating on Thy divine form they are engaged in narrating Thy divine stories. Moving about freely, they are immersed in the joy of Thy thoughts. They, indeed, have fulfilled all their desires in life.
Meaning in Tamil
உன்திருநாமங்களைமீண்டும்மீண்டும்உரைவோர்
மூழ்கித்திளைப்பர்பேரானந்தக்கடலினிலே, வரதனே!
உன்வடிவம்உள்நிறுத்திஉரைத்திடுவரே,
உன் மகிமைமிகு திருவிளையாடல்களை, உலகோனே!
கட்டின்றி நகரும் அப்பக்தர்குழாம் எந்நேரமும்,
மட்டின்றி திளைத்தனரே உன் பேரின்பக் கடலிலே, கண்ணா!
கடந்தனரே வாழ்வதனின் தம் ஆசைக் கடல் அனைத்துமே
கண்டனரே தமை உலகில் புண்ணியரென, குருவாயூரப்பனே! 3.1
The greatness of The Supreme Reality-The Brahma Tatwa is of the nature of the Pure Consciousness, is without parallel or comparison, is totally free of time and space limitations, and is always free of Maya. This was brought out in Daskam 1. That Brahma Tatwa which is not easy to grasp in the beginning, but the realisation of which, is the highest purusharth (i.e. liberation), that very Reality shines right in front in concrete form in the Guruvaayur temple as Lord Krishna. Through this first Daskam, the transcendent and immanent (Nirguna and Saguna) nature of the Brahman is brought out.
The reality of the Brahman is not a question to be solved by dialectic which the vast majority of the human race will be unable to understand. Dialectic in itself and without reference to personal experience cannot give us conviction. Only spiritual experiences can provide us with proof. Narayana Bhattathri has brought out his spiritual experience at the Guruvayur Temple for the benefit of ordinary humans like us. In Dasakam 2, the sweetness of the form and the devotion to that form was brought out clearly.
Now in Daskam 3, Bhattathri brings out his personal health issues and earnestly appeals to the Lord to help him. In that process he amplifies the various aspects of Bhakti and the significant gains that devotees acquire through Bhakti Marga.
We will commence our study of the Slokas. Each Sloka will be covered in a blog.
The first Sloka of Dasakam 3 will appear on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day of 13th January 2022.
The subsequent blogs will appear on every Ekadasi day at 0400 Hrs (IST) and will contain a link to the Chanting Audio .
Each blog will cover the Sloka, transliterations in English and Tamil and the meaning of the Sloka in English and Tamil.
An important message here: Except for the translation in Tamil which is an expression of my limited understanding of the Sloka, everything else is what is available in the public domain.
Having brought out the distinct advantages of Bhakti Yoga in the previous Slokas, Bhattathri concludes this Dasakam with a fervent prayer to Lord Guruvayurappan in Sloka 10.
O all pervading Lord! Devotion to Thee is easily attainable just by submerging oneself in the nectarine flood of Thy stories. This can be done without much effort and it instantly leads to pure Knowledge – Bliss. O Lord of Guruvaayur! May I soon experience that state of melting of the heart in intense love for Thy lotus feet.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
त्वद्भक्तिः तु = त्वत्-भक्तिः तु = devotion to Thee, indeed
कथारसामृतझरीनिर्मज्जनेन = कथायाः + रसः + अमृतम् + झरी = कथारस-अमृतझरी = in the flow of nectar showering from Thy stories
निमज्जनम् = by submerging in its bliss =
स्वयम् सिद्ध्यन्ती = is self attainable, directly
विमलप्रबोधपदवीम् = विमल-प्रबोध-पदवीम् = the state of pure knowledge and enlightenment
अक्लेशतः = (नक्लेशः = अक्लेशः) = without any effort
तन्वती = bestows (because it gives)
सद्यः सिद्धिकरी = instant achievement
जयति = (and) is superior (to the other two paths)
अयि विभो = O Thou Universal Lord!
सा एव अस्तु मे = may I have that (Bhakti)
त्वत्पदप्रेमप्रौढिरसार्द्रता = त्वत्-पद-प्रेम-प्रौढि-रस-आर्द्रता = the state of melting of the heart from the bliss of intense love for Thy feet
There are six important Slokas (Slokas 9-14) of Isavasya Upanishad that clearly bring out the limitations of following the paths of Karma, Upasana and Gnana in isolation, in our spiritual journey. A seamless integrated approach is what is recommended for ordinary mortals like us in our journey. I get a feeling that Bhattathri echoes this philosophy in Sloka 9. Let us study this Sloka.
O Lord! Some people follow the path of Karma Yoga,and perform the various disciplines for long and attain mental purity. This only entitles them to become fit for the practice of Gyaana or Bhakti yoga. Some others strive hard pondering over the attributeless Supreme Brahman, based on logic and reason. They, without melting their hearts in love for Thee, take a long time to reach their goal of perfection.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
अत्यायासकराणि = अति-आयास-कराणि = great + effort + to be done = demanding great effort –
कर्मपटलानि = कर्मणाम् पटलम् कर्मपटलम् = Karma + portion/piece/section/chapter = the disciplines of Karma (yoga) = கர்மயோக
आचर्य = to be approached = by performing = புரிந்து
निर्यन्मलाः = निर्यन्तः + मलाः = set free + impurity = become purified (in mind) = மலமகற்றி
बोधे = awakening/knowledge = (required) for following the path of Gyaana (yoga) = ஞானோதயம்
भक्तिपथे अथवा अपि = भक्ते: + पथम् + अथवा + अपि = devotee + path + rather/and + also = and also for the path of Bhakti (yoga) = பக்தி மாரக்கமதிலும்
उचितताम् आयान्ति = उचितताम् + आयान्ति = fitness + gain = (one) gains fitness – தகுதி பெற்று
किम् तावता = किं + तावता = why + to that extent = what is the use (after spending so much effort) = இத்துனை முயற்சியின் பலன் என்ன
क्लिष्ट्वा तर्कपथे = क्लिष्ट्वा तर्कपथे = क्लिष्ट्वा + (तर्कस्य पथम् ) तर्कपथम् = distress/strain + logical reasoning + path = of straining in the path of logical reasoning (Gyaana yoga) = மிகை முயல் தருக்க விளை ஞான யோகம்
परम् तव वपुः ब्रह्माख्यम् = परं + तव + वपु: + ब्रह्म + आख्यम्- = Supreme + You + body + Brahman + name/known = (because) Thy unmanifested aspect known as Supreme Brahman = பிரமனெனும் பரம் பொருள்
अन्ये पुनः = others, however மற்றோர் எனினும்
चित्तार्द्रत्वम् ऋते = चित्त + आर्द्रत्वम् + ऋते = mind/heart + wet/moist/ + without = without melting of the heart (in love) – உளம் உருகி
विचिन्त्य = pondering over (trying to fathom)= தீர எண்ணி
என்ற திருஞானசம்பந்தரின் திருப்பதிகம் என் நினைவிற்கு வருகிறது.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
निष्कामम् – desire less, without self desire
नियतस्वधर्मचरणम् – नियतः + स्वधर्मः (स्वस्य ध) + चरणम् = assigned/laid down + one’s own duty + practice/follow = performance of one’s duties
यत् कर्मयोगाभिधम् = यत् + कर्मयोगः + इति + अभिधम् = that + karma yoga + which is + named = that which is called Karma yoga – கர்மயோகம்
तत् दूरेत्यफलम् = तत् + दूरात्एत्यम् + फलं = that + distant + fruitful = that becomes fruitful only in a distant future
यत् औपनिषदज्ञानोपलभ्यम् पुनः = यत् + औपनिषदः + उपलभ्यम् + ज्ञानं + पुनः = (Note – औपनिषदोपलभ्यं च तत् ज्ञानं च = औपनिषदज्ञानोपलभ्यम्) = that which + the fruit of the Upanishad which is Brahman + knowledge + again = (again) that which consists in attaining knowledge of Brahman as described in the Upanishads
तत् तु अव्यक्ततया = तत् + तु + न व्यक्तता = अव्यक्त = that + indeed + not evolved = तत्-तु-अव्यक्ततया = that indeed being abstract
सुदुर्गमतरम् चित्तस्य = सुदुर्गमतरम् + चित्तस्य = very difficult to cross + for the mind = is very difficult for the mind to pursue
तस्मात् विभो = hence, O All pervading Lord
त्वत्प्रेमात्मकभक्तिः एव = त्वत्प्रेम (त्वयि प्रेम ) + आत्मा + भक्तिः + एव = Love for you + soul + devotion + only = the Bhakti yoga which consists only in love for Thee