SrIvachana bhUshaNam

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

SrIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya SAsthram is the most important literature and authority for our sath sampradhAyam principles. mAmunigaL writes a beautiful prabhandham named upadhEsa raththina mAlai mainly to reveal the glories of this most magnificent work of piLLai lOkAchAryar.

  • mAmunigaL starts the prabhandham with highlthe thirunakshathram (birth star – appearance) days  and the thiruvavathAra sthalams (birth places) of AzhwArs and emperumAnAr. 
  • He goes on to establish the special position of emperumAnAr in our sampradhAyam and his great contributions for the firm establishment of sath sampradhAyam and visishtAdhvaitha sidhdhAntham. 
  • Subsequently, he highlights all the vyAkyAnams of thiruvAimozhi and the glories of the vyAkyAnams and their authors.
  • He then highlights the manner in which nampiLLai‘s Idu vyAkyAnam was preserved and taught through the AchArya paramparai.

 nampiLLai kAlakshEpa gOshti

  • He then highlights the glories of piLLai lOkAchAryar and srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram.

 piLLai lOkAchAryar kAlakshEpa gOshti

  • Subsequently, the essence of srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram is revealed in the most precise and beautiful manner highlighting the importance of total dependence on one’s own AchArya.
  • Finally, mAmunigaL highlights the importance of accepting the words of pUrvAchAryas whole-heartedly and preaching/practising the same without any alteration.
  • The result of following the pure instructions of pUrvAchAryas is explained to bless us with the highest benefit – that is to become the object of emperumAnAr‘s mercy and to be uplifted.
  • eRumbi appA adds a beautiful pAsuram in the end of upadhEsa rathina mAlai – highlighting that whoever has the thiruvadi sambandham of mAmunigaL will be automatically and dutifully touched by amAnavan (the deliverer to paramapadham) and will cross the virajA river comfortably to reach paramapadham.

mAmunigaL – SrIrangam

So, from this, we can understand the whole purpose of upadhEsa raththina mAlai is to highlight the principles explained in SrIvachana bhUshaNam and to glorify the same.

Let us enjoy a few pAsurams from this divine work of mAmunigaL:

 piLLai lOkAchAryar, mAmunigaL – SrIperumbUthUr

pAsuram – 53

anna pugazh mudumbai aNNal ulagAsiriyan
innaruLAl seydha kalai yAvaiyilum
unnil thigazh vasana bUdaNaththin sIrmai onRukkillai
pugazhalla ivvArththai mey ippOdhu 

Simple translation: piLLai lOkAchAryar who is most famous and who hails from a family which is from the town named mudumbai, out of his great compassion, blessed us with many divine granthams. Among all of those, the greatness of srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram is incomparable – this is not just plain glorification but it is absolute truth.

pAsuram  – 54

munnam kuravOr mozhindha vasanangaL thannai
migak koNdu kaRROr tham uyirkku
minnaNiyAch chErach chamaiththavarE
sIr vasana bUdaNam ennum pEr ikkalaikku ittAr pin 

Simple translation: piLLai lOkAchAryar compiled this wonderful literature which is made of the divine words of our pUrvAchAryas. For the greatly learned scholars, this srIvachana bhUshaNam is the ornament which decorates their souls and is very dear to them. piLLai lOkAchAryar himself named this beautiful grantham as “srIvachana bhUshaNam” which means an ornament that is filled with the divine words of pUrvAchAryas.

pAsuram  – 55

Ar vasana bUdaNaththin AzhporuL ellAm aRivAr
Aradhu sol nEril anuttippAr
Or oruvar uNdAgil aththanai kAN uLLamE
ellArkkum aNdAdhadhanRO adhu 

Simple translation: Who understands the in-depth meanings of SrIvachana bhUshaNa mahA sAsthram? Who can practically apply those high principles? Even if there is one person who can understand and follow this grantham – that is to be appreciated greatly as this is not achievable by everyone. piLLai lOkam jIyar, in his vyAkyAnam, highlights that mAmunigaL is one such person who fully understood this glorious literature and absolutely lived by that.

pAsuram – 61

gyAnam anuttAnam ivai nanRAgavE udaiyanAna 
guruvai adaindhakkAl 
mAnilaththIr thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan
thAnE vaigundham tharum

Simple translation: Once a person takes shelter of an AchArya who is most knowledegable in the essential principles of sampradhAyam and who truly follows such principles, oh men of this world! SrIman nArAyaNan who is the husband of SrI mahAlakshmi who is seated on a beautiful lotus flower, will automatically bestow us with the opportunity to serve him eternally in paramapadham.

With this, we understand the greatness of this wonderful grantham named SrIvachana bhUshaNam. maNavALa mAmunigaL has mercifully written a beautiful vyAkyAnam (commentary) for this grantham. We will be seeing the English translation of the same here. We will be referring to vidhvAn SrImAn B R purushOththama nAidu’s explanation of mAmunigaL’s commentary.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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