GITA 10.13

GITA 10.13

SRI TAMARAIYALKELVAN IN TIRU PARTHANPALLI TEMPLE

Tirumangai Alwar has sung the poems on this Kshetram, in the guise of the Lord's sweetheart's mother. In the Alwars, Tirumangai Alwar and Nammalwar have composed many pasurams, imagining themselves in female forms, either as the sweetheart of the Lord or her mother or her girlfriend. In these pasurams, they would forget their original male forms and assume female forms and sing in that guise. This is continuing from the Sanga time Tamil literature. In the female guise, they assume any of the three characters: 1] As the Lord's lover girl. 2] as the mother of the Lord's lover. and 3] As the girlfriend of the Lord's lover. This way the mind of the Alwars will be in any of the three states. In sampradayam, the lover is called either as Parankusa Nayaki or Parakala Nayaki, in respective pasurams of Nammalwar or Tirumangai Alwar. Why should they sing in the female guise? When their Bhakti reaches a peak and they lose themselves to the Lord, spontaneously they assume the female forms and start singing. When the lover is progressing boldly in her love with the Lord, the pasurams will be sung in the guise of the lover, herself. But when the lover is not able to go ahead with her love and is pining for the Lord, then the Alwars would assume the forms of the mother or the girlfriend of the lover.

 Praying the Lord in this Kshetram, where one can see both Sri Rama and Sri Krishna together, we proceed to slokas 12 and 13. We are to see the second half of sloka 12 and full sloka 13:

purusham sasvatam divyam

adi-devam ajam vibhum

ahus tvam rsayah sarve
devarsir naradas tatha
asito devalo vyasah
svayam caiva bravisi me

"You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me."

We will see sloka 13 first. Rsaya sarve = all the sages, tvam ahu = tell about You [Sri Krishna], about the Lord as Param Brahma, Param Damam and Paramam Pavitram, mentioned in the first half of sloka 12, which we saw earlier. Arjuna says that what he told, in praise of the Lord, is not only his researched conclusion. But these are also the conclusions of impartial, unbiased and great intellectuals. They have come to the same conclusion over a period of thousnds of years. Rishi means those who speak the truth. The words of people who are close to us is called apta vakhyam. Can we believe just because it was told by all these rishis? Every person believes another to be his/her father, because it was told by his/her mother. This can not be researched and we have to accept the words of the mother. We believe that because mother is the most interested in the welfare of her child and she would not utter lies. She does not get any benefit by this declaration. Similarly. all the sages declare unanimously the greatness of the Lord. Sages are not waiting for any favour from anybody. They are already secluded and remain in forests, meditating. They have no desire for money or fame. So, they are unlikely to divert us to wrong directions. Why should Yudhishtra go to Bhishma who was spending the last few hours of life and seek his guidance? Why should he ask for Bhishma's opinion about which Lord to be worshiped? [Kimekam daivatham loke, kim vapekam parayanam...]. One may wonder, why should Yudhishtra ask these? Could he not himself study, research and come to a conclusion? But, it would be like re-inventing the wheel. Bhishma would certainly tell what is correct to his grandson. We have to accept what has already been researched and conclusions arrived. Though all sages have unanimously declared the truths about the Lord, Arjuna mentions the names of certain sages or rishis. Devarisi Narada = sage of heavens, Narada. By mentioning devarishi, Arjuna implies the satva quality of the sage. In fact, in a coming verse Sri Krishna Himself is going to declare that He is Narada among sages. Similarly, asita = [sage] Asita, devala = [sage] Devala, vyasa = [sage] Vyasa, have all declared. What Vyasa declares is like medicine for us. He is the great-grandson of Vasishta, grandson of Shakti, son of Parashara and father of Suka [vyasam vasishta naptharam, shakte poutramakalmasham....]. What a great lineage and dynasty!! Vyasa says in Mahabharatham epic 'krishnam dharmam sanathanam'. All declare that Sriman Narayana has come as Sri Krishna in Mathura. Vyasa tells in Mahabharatha, that this Universe originated from Sri Krishna, sustained by Sri Krishna and would merge with Sri Krishna. Svayam = [now, Your] self, bravisi me = for my [Arjuna's] benefit. All the scriptures and great sages, and more than all Sri Krishna Himself have told the great qualities of the Lord. What are they? Now, we have to see the Second half of sloka 12. Divyam = glory, sasvatam = everlasting or eternal, purusham = the Lord. Even Sri Krishna might depart after the Avatar was over. But the divya or the most Supreme Lord is eternal. Purusham means who makes our bodies as His abode, along with atman. Adi devam = Predecessor of all gods, He precedes every god. Devam means playful. Adi indicates He is the Cause of everything and devam indicates His playful nature in creating or protecting or destroying this Universe. Ajam = without a birth. That is He is not born out of karma like we are; but takes birth at His will. Vibhum = all pervading without exception. Thus Arjuna praises the Lord. Those desirous of wealth and prosperity should visit this Kshetram, which requires renovation. We will now take leave of Tiru Parthhanpalli Kshetram.

                                                                                                 (continued)