GITA 13.33

GITA 13.33

We have already completed half the steps to climb the hill. While climbing the remaining half, we come across the old sannidhi of Sri Thayar. Earlier Sri Amrutaphalavalli Thayar [ஸ்ரீ அம்ருதபலவல்லி தாயார்] aks Sri Sudhavalli Thayar[ஸ்ரீ சுதாவல்லி தாயார்] was worshipped in this place only. But Swami Doddayacharya, felt that Sri Thayar should be near the Lord, atop the hill and so established a sannidhi on the top of the hill, for Sri Thayar. We should remember that on the top of the hill, Sri Moolavar, Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy is always there. Also, on the top of the hill Sri Moolavar and Sri Utsavar of Sri Amrutaphalavalli Thayar are always there. Sri Utsavar of the Lord is known as Sri Bhaktochita [ஸ்ரீ பக்தோசிதன்]. He is always at the foot of the hill in the town, Cholasimhapuram. Many times Sri Bhaktochita arrives at the top of the hill. There are days like Navaratri when Sri Thayar arrives at the foot of the hill. She graces the devotees for some more days and then returns to the hilltop. Today's [20th February 2009] lecture is from Sri Thayar's sannidhi on the hilltop.

A PICTURE OF MOOLAVAR SRI AMRUTAPHALAVALLI THAYAR

UTSAVAR SRI SUDHAVALLI THAYAR

 Renovation works are going on and so devotees are blessed with luck. Sri Bhaktochita normally arrives at the top of the hill for Panguni Utthiram festival. At that time we can worship the Lord and Sri Thayar on the same platform. But because of renovation works, Sri Utsavar Lord is on the top of the hill for the past more than a year, along with Sri Thayar! Sri Thayar is seated with the right hand in Abhaya mudra and left arm in Varada hastha pointing to Her divine Feet. Her name is derived from amrutam meaning immortal nectar and Valli means creeper. She is like a creeper, granting amruta phala or fruits of amrut, meaning She grants what we desire and much more! Acharyas have composed 100 verses poem on Her. Sri Moolavar is Sri Amrutaphalavalli and Sri Utsavar is Sri Sudhavalli. Sudha also means amrut! Milk ocean was churned to get amrut. But the main purpose of the churning was for the Lord to get back His Sri Thayar, to adore His chest! It appears She emerged from the Milk ocean and arrived here near Lakshmi Theertham.

 In the last sloka we saw that Atman resides in the body, but is different from the body, unaffected by the body's nature. Chalam - body - is always changing and achalam - Atman - is always constant and changeless. Atomic and everlasting is Atman; while perceptible and destroyable is the body. Atman is imperceptible. Atman does not have any of sattva, rajo and tamo qualities. Therefore, Atman is actionless, unlike a body which is full of action because of the influence of sattva, rajo and tamo qualities. This was told by the Lord as Atman is nirgunatvat. But He also told that Atman is na lipyate - not affected or influenced by the body. This may create a doubt. After all Atman is associated with one body or the other for an infinite time, how it can remain without the influence of the body? If a rod or stick is kept in saline water for a long time, we have seen those objects taste salty, against their nature! We know the thread used to tie jasmine flowers, also get that scent. Thus association will surely have influence. Therefore, will not the disadvantages of a body, influence Atman? This doubt is answered by the Lord in sloka 32! Sri Krishna emphatically denies any influence of body on Atman. He explains this with an illustration. Now sloka 32:

yatha sarva-gatam sauksmyad
akasam nopalipyate
sarvatravasthito dehe
tathatma nopalipyate

"The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the soul situated in Brahman vision does not mix with the body, though situated in that body."

Sri Krishna cites an example. Space is spread everywhere. But is it influenced by any? Space is in air, water and in the sky. Space is in our body. But space in an object is not affected by the object. Space in water is never wet! Space in an elephant does not behave like an elephant! Thus space -Akash- is never influenced by the object in which it is there! Why it is so? Because of the imperceptible nature -sookshmam - of space. If a thread carries the scent of the flower, which is tied with, it is because a thread is perceptible. It has a surface area on which flower is able to pass on its scent. Space has no dimensions and so has no surface, and can never be perceived! Therefore, no other object can influence on space its any characteristic. On the same analogy, Atman is also imperceptible and so can never be influenced by the body in which Atman is resident, in spite of infinite time of association. Yatha = just as, sarva-ghatam = everywhere present, akasam = space, sauksmyat = being imperceptible or atomic, nopalipyate = is not affected or influenced [by the objects in which space exists], tatha = similarly, sarvatra = in every, vastitho = object, deha = of bodies, atma = soul or Atman, nopalipyate = is not influenced [by the body's nature]. Atman is inside a body, but the body's nature has no effect on the Atman or soul. Because Atman is imperceptible, like space. We can perceive and understand Atman only by Shastras. Amrutam is Atman as it is never destroyable. Sri Thayar presents one amrutam - our Atman - to another Amrutam - the Lord - as fruits of our devotion. 

                                                                                                    (continued)