Swami Alavandar had many sishyas (disciples). Five of them were Acharyas of Swami Ramanuja. Besides, Swami Ramanuja considered as dear to his heart, Swami Tirukkachi Nambi also as an Acharya. Tirukkachi Nambi also was one of the Sishyas of Swami Alavandar. He was born in Poovirundavalli பூவிருந்தவல்லி (popularly known as Poonamallee பூந்தமல்லி), near Chennai (Madras) city, where we are today (14th January 2009). Earlier we saw Kooram, the place of Swami Koorattalwan, who was a sishya of Swami Ramanuja, even though he was older. Now we have come to a place of an Acharya of Swami Ramanuja and who was older than him. He was born in 1009 C.E. in the month of Masi (Feb-March) in the star Mrugaseersha. We are at the sannidhi of Sri Pushpavalli Thayar in the temple of this Kshetram.
SRI PUSHPAVALLI THAYAR |
From here we will see the slokas 5 and 6 of Chapter 13 of Gita. With the blessings of Sri Thayar we will proceed now. The Lord is explaining to Arjuna the difference between Atman and the Body. Now the slokas:
maha-bhutany ahankaro
buddhir avyaktam eva ca
indriyani dasaikam ca
panca cendriya-gocarah (5)
buddhir avyaktam eva ca
indriyani dasaikam ca
panca cendriya-gocarah (5)
iccha dvesah sukham duhkham
sanghatas cetana dhrtih
etat kshetram samasena
sa-vikaram udahrtam (6)
sanghatas cetana dhrtih
etat kshetram samasena
sa-vikaram udahrtam (6)
"The five great elements, false ego, intelligence, the unmanifested, the ten senses and the mind, the five sense objects, desire, hatred, happiness, distress, the aggregate, the life symptoms, and convictions—all these are considered, in summary, to be the field of activities and its interactions."
Sri Krishna describes in one part of the sloka how the body is made of. The Body is composed of the Five elements or Pancha Bhootani- Earth (Prithvi), Water (Appu), Fire (Tejas), Air (Vayu) and Space (Akasam). Ahankaram is the cause for all these Five elements. This we had seen earlier. That from Moola Prakruti, Mahan comes which causes Ahankaram. Ahankaram has Three branches namely Sattva, Rajasa and Tamasa Ahankarams. The Five Elements and Five Tanmatras appear from Tamasa Ahankaram. From Sattvika Ahankaram appear 11 entities viz. Five Karmendriyas, Five Gyanendriya and Mind. Ahankaro = the Ahankara entity responsible for, maha-bhutany = the Five Elements, buddhir = (the cause of Ahankaram) mahan, avyaktam eva ca = and (the cause of Mahan) (moola) prakruti. Vyaktam means explicit and avyaktam means not explicit. For example mud is used to make many things like pot and plate. But seeing the mud, these objects are not explicit. Therefore, prakruti transforms to explicit other forms. Prakruti is known as Three types: samas, aksharam and avyaktam. The Lord mentions here the Third type avyaktam. All these 8 entities make up our body. Next, dasaikam ca = ten and one (eleven), indriyani = organs (organs of perception viz, eyes, ears, tongue, nose and skin, organs of karma or action viz. hands, legs, organs for excretion and reproduction and Mind), panca cendriya-gocarah = the perceptions of the five (perception) organs (gyana indriyas) - namely sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. All these 16 entities are residing in the body.
The Lord then explains in the next sloka (6) as to what the Body does. Iiccha = desire, dvesah = hatred, sukham = comfort or happiness, duhkham = discomfort or sorrow. These are the experiences of the body. Therefore, because there is a body, desire, hatred, happiness and sorrow feelings are felt. Ccetana dhrtih = Chetana or soul is the base. So, the soul or Atman is to experience all the various actions and feelings and a Body is required. In other words, Atman experiences the result of Atman's past Papa and Punya actions' results through the body. The Papa and Punya of past actions result in a body for the Atman to experience the results of the Papa and Punya. Also, Atman requires a body to do such actions which would result in moksham or release from the cycle of births and deaths. Sanghata =a combination (of the Five elements) is the body. Etat kshetram = this cultivable land (the Body), sa-vikaram = with its actions and perceptions, udahrtam = have been explained. Thus the non-sentient body is the amalgamation of the Five elements and various organs and their perceptions, the residence for the Atman to perceive and to perform such actions to get redeemed and attain eternal release.
(continued)
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