SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
avathArikai (Introduction)
The reason for these persons (SAsthris (those who are well versed in SAsthram) and sAragyas (those who are well versed in essence of SAsthram)) acquiring these states (of depending upon self effort and bhagavAn’s grace, and bhagavAn’s grace exclusively) is explained here.
chUrNikai 20
ivai svarUpaththai uNarndhu uNarndhu uNaravum uNarvaip peRavUra migavuNaravum uNdAm
Simple Explanation
SAsthris, having progressed step by step, will depend on self-effort and bhagavAn’s grace; sAragyas, having realised the truth by bhagavAn’s grace, will fully depend on that grace only.
vyAkyAnam (Commentary)
That is – for SAsthris, as said in thiruvAimozhi 1.3.6 “uNarndhu uNarndhu izhindhu aganRu uyarndhu uruviyandha in nilaimai uNarndhu uNarndhu uNarilum” (Since jIvAthmA is naturally knowledgeable and that knowledge in its pure form is unlimited and expanding in all directions, one can understand that the AthmA is different from body by hearing and meditating and realise the self. Even if that is accomplished), as one understands and sees the true nature of AthmA through SravaNam (hearing) and mananam (meditation), to be not just having knowledge, but as 1) one which is having eternal knowledge, 2) pervading the whole body with that knowledge, 3) because of that being different from the body 4) due to being knowledgeable, also being doer and enjoyer and 5) being subservient to bhagavAn, one will try to cross over samsAram with one’s own effort.
For sAragyas, to reveal the greatness of the true nature of AthmA, as said in thiruvAimozhi 8.8.3 “uNarvum uyirum udambum maRRulappilanavum pazhudhEyAm uNarvaip peRa Urndhu” (he conducted himself to make me realise “the knowledge in the form of actions, five types of prANa , different types of body, mahath, ahankAra and indhriya are all to be given up”, reaching up to the distinguished AthmA to have my consciousness and intelligence), as ISvara arranges one to acquire knowledge to understand that knowledge about worldly aspects, vital air, body, the inconceivable changes of prakruthi (primordial matter), are all to be abandoned, as said in thirumAlai 38 “meymmaiyai miga uNarndhu” (clearly realising the truth), one realises the true nature of AthmA to be distinct from body etc, being embodiment of gyAnam (knowledge) and Anandham (bliss), having knowledge etc as qualities, having subservience towards bhagavAn which extends up to bhAgavathas, and will be having total dependence which is the ultimate state of such subservience; then, one will place one’s burden on bhagavAn completely and remain free from self-effort.
With this, it is explained that the distinction in the way they have understood the true nature of the AthmA, is the reason for their states of existence.
Thus from chUrNikai 17 “munivarai idukkiyum” up to here, with respect to SAsthram and its essence, the variations in the target, the qualified persons, the understanding of such qualified persons, and the reason for such states being the distinction in the knowledge about the true nature, have all been explained,
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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