BG 14.18

We are at Chenganur [செங்கனூர்], which is the modified form of Thiruchanganallur [திருச்செங்கனல்லூர்], some 15 Kms away from Kumbakonam. We have come to worship Sri Srinivasa and Swami Periyavacchan Pillai [பெரிய வாச்சான் பிள்ளை]. We have already visited the following birth places of Alwars:

• Poigai Alwar - Kanchipuram
• Boothattalwar - Thirukkadalmalli [Mahabalipuram]
• Peyalwar - Mylapore, Chennai
• Thirumazhisai Alwar - Thirumazhisai
• Nammalwar - Alwar Tirunagari
• Madurakavi Alwar - Thirukkolur
• Kulasekara Alwar - Thiruvanjikkalam, Kerala [yet to be visited]
• Perialwar - Srivilliputtur
• Sri Andal - Srivilliputtur
• Tondaradipodi Alwar - Thirumandangudi
  
• Thiruppan Alwar - Nisulapuri or Woraiyur
• Thirumangai Alwar - Thirukkuraiyalur

We have also visited the birth places of Acharyas, with approximate year of birth:

• Swami Nathamuni - Kattumannar koil - 823
  
• Uyyakkondar -Thiruvellarai - 886
• Manakkal Nambi - Manakkal - 929
• Alavandar - Kattumannar koil - 976
• Periya Nambi -Srirangam - 997
• Thirukkoshtiyur Nambi - Thirukkoshtiyur - 987
• Thirumalai Andan - Azhagar koil - 988
• Alwar Tiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar [s/o Alavandar] - 1017
• Thirukkacchi Nambi - Poovirundavalli [Poonamalle] - 1009
• Swami Ramanuja - Sriperumbudur - 1017
• Koorattalwan - Kooram - 1010
• Mudaliyandan - Pettai - 1027
• Embar aka Govinda Perumal - Maduramangalam - 1021
• Engalazhvan - Thiruvellarai - 1097
• Parasara Bhatta [s/o Koorattalwan] - Srirangam - 1122
• Nanjeer - Tirunarayanapuram - 1113
• Nampillai [Varadacharya, author of Eedu] - 1147
• Periyavacchan Pillai - Chenganur - 1167 to 1262
  
• Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai - 1167
• Pillai Lokacharya [s/o Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai] - 1205
• Azhagiya Manvala Perumal Nayanar [s/o Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai] - 1207
• Thiruvaimozhi Pillai - Kuntinagaram - 1290
• Swami Manavala Mamunigal - Azhvar Tirunagari - 1371
• Nadathur Ammal aka Vatsya Varadacharya -
  
• Kidambi Appullar -
• Swami Vedanta Desika [nephew of Kidambi Appullar] - Thoopul - 1268

All these Acharyas preached Vedas, Vedantas, Itihasa, Puranas, Prabhandams, Rahasyatrayam, etc. At present we have arrived at the birth place of Swami Periyavacchan Pillai, who has written commentaries on all 4000 pasurams. To some extent we have gained knowledge about all these great persons. We will now see sloka 16. Here, Sri Krishna indicates about a chain-reaction! In the previous Two slokas the Lord indicated the consequent rebirths of any person dieing when satva or rajas or tamas quality dominating. What happens thereafter? After being born, what further happens? Such rebirths would impel the person to carry the same actions of noble deeds or passionate activities or wandering with ignorance, and to continue the cycle of more births in samsaram. From sloka 16, the Lord indicates a chain after being reborn. To get out of this chain, we have to note the proper exit point. For this we should first realize that we are in the endless chain and decide to quit. Sloka 16:

karmaṇaḥ sukṛtasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṃ nirmalaṃ phalam
rajasas tu phalaṃ duḥkham ajñānaṃ tamasaḥ phalam
14.16

These are the phalam [result] for satva, rajas and tamas qualities. It means, that if a person dies when anyone of satva, rajas or tamas qualities, was dominating and the result after rebirth. Sukrutasya karmana = he who has been doing noble Karmas. Sukrutasya means detached in results for the Karma being done or dedicating such Karmas as Bhagavad Aradana. Those are who perform such Karmas. We have to cross refer to earlier sloka. When a person died when satva quality was dominant, he would be reborn in the society of persons, who perform Karma with no attachment to results and with atma gyana as the only objective. Having born in such society, this person will also perform Karmas with atma gyana as the objective and dedicate them as Bhagavad Aradana. Those will be punya karma and not aspiring for inferior objectives. Nirmalam = blemishless without any alloy of sorrow and full of bliss, phalam = result, sattvikam = very pure and sacred. Thus a person, dieing when satva quality was prominent, is reborn in society of persons doing such atma gyana Karma, and performs similar Karma with no aspirations for inferior objectives, like swarga, and is full of satva quality; again, when he dies, is reborn again in society of persons with atma gyana Karmas, and is full of satvika quality; again, when he dies....It is a iterative process, repeating continuously! This is the result of dieing when satva quality was in dominant position. Rajas tu phalam dukham = but, a person dieing when rajo quality was dominant, he is reborn in the company of persons performing Karmas, aspiring for worldly pleasures, and so he also performs similar Karma. It is dukham or samsaram, as the result. Here also the cycle repeats. Ajnanam tamasa phalam = person dieing when tamo quality was dominant, he is reborn in society of animals, with no scope for intellect development. Here also cycle of similar rebirths is repeated.