O Lord! In my mind, which is now very agitated due to mental and physical afflictions, may Thy beautiful form manifest, which is of the nature of Knowledge-Bliss absolute. This will excite me with supreme devotion causing horripilation all over the body and tears flowing in ecstasy and in such a thrill, my endless sorrows will melt into insignificance.
vidhuuya kleshaanme kuru charaNayugmaM dhR^itarasaM
bhavatkshetrapraaptau karamapi cha te puujanavidhau |
bhavanmuurtyaalOke nayanamatha te paadatulasiiparighraaNe
ghraaNaM shravaNamapi te chaarucharite ||
Tamil Transliteration
விதூ₄ய க்லேஶாந்மே குரு சரணயுக்₃மம் த்₄ருதரஸம்
ப₄வத்க்ஷேத்ரப்ராப்தௌ கரமபி ச தே பூஜநவிதௌ₄ |
ப₄வந்மூர்த்யாலோகே நயநமத₂ தே பாத₃துலஸீ-
பரிக்₄ராணே க்₄ராணம் ஶ்ரவணமபி தே சாருசரிதே || 7||
Meaning in English
O Lord! Be graceful to remove all my afflictions so that my two feet will take delight in reaching Thy temple, my hands in performing worship to Thee,my eyes in seeing Thy enchanting form, my nose in enjoying the fragrance of the Tulsi leaves offered at Thy feet and my ears in hearing the stories of Thy glories and great deeds
O Lord! devotion to Thee is sweet right from the beginning because of Thy glorious attributes. When such devotion becomes intense, it removes all sorrows of the devotee. At the final stage of devotion, the devotee experiences pure absolute Bliss coupled with knowledge of the Self. What more is there for one to seek !
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
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