The quality, which the Alwar found in the Lord here is Nayaka Lakshanam [நாயக லக்ஷணம்]. The Lord exhibited that He was the Nayaka [Hero] of all Nayakis [heroines]! Alwar while singing about the Lord, says that 'she' was totally lost to the Lord Sri Mayappiran's beauty of His image, His make-up and His clothes and ornaments! Parankusa Nayaki, that is Nammalwar in the guise of heroine, was totally lost to the lotus flowers like Divine eyes, lips, palms, navel and feet! Alwar assumed a woman's role to praise the Lord here. Alwars assume ladies' guise in Three roles - 'sweetheart', 'her' mother or 'her' girlfriend! In this Kshetram, Alwar assumes the role of 'sweetheart's friend and sings ten pasurams in 8.9. Nammalwar has assumed this role of friend of 'sweetheart', only in Three decades! One is 'theerttharai..[தீர்த்தாரை..]' decade, next while praising the Lord of Tholaivillimangalam [தொலை வில்லி மங்கலம்] and finally in this Kshetram! Seeing Parankusa Nayaki pining for the Lord, 'her' friends are worried how to join 'her' with the Lord! Today's [15th April 2009] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Mayappiran. We see huge Dwarapalakas, with armour, on either sides. Everywhere we see lamps hanging. Inside the Lord is gracing with Sri Thayar on His chest. Bhimasena came here to worship and enquired the locals about the greatness of this Kshetram. They replied that the Lord here had appeared to Saptarishis [seven great sages]. We have heard of Emperor Sipi. His son was Vrishadharbi. When he was ruling there was a great famine. Saptarishis, visited the Kingdom that time. Emperor requested them to accept his donation and relieve the Kingdom from famine. But according to shastras, one should not accept donations in a famine ridden Kingdom. Saptarishis, therefore, declined to accept and continued their journey. Emperor tried to trick the sages, by offering fruits in which gold pieces were concealed! But the sages could understand the trick of the emperor and so refuced to accept the fruits also! Emperor was angry and he arranged to send a female demon 'Krutyai க்ருத்யை ', to kill the sages! The sages had reached a pond and because of the famine condition, they did not get food and so had arranged the stems of lotus flowers to eat. The female demon reached the pond and engaged the sages in argument. Realizing that the demon was deputed to kill them, they prayed Lord Sri Vishnu to help them. Sri Vishnu assigned the duty to kill the demon, to Indra. One version is that Indra in the guise of one among the sages killed the demon with his weapon. Another version is that Indra took the form of a tiger and killed the demon. Thus this place got the name Puliyur [puli புலி = tiger in Tamil]. With gratitude the sages prayed the Lord to appear, and He graced as Sri Mayappiran here! We will now see sloka 6 of Chapter 15. In sloka 5, the Lord mentioned the qualities acquired by the person, who attempts to attain Kaivalya Moksham. He surrenders at the Divine feet of the Lord and gets the axe of vairagyam, with which he cuts off the tree of samsaram, crosses the Three qualities and reaches Moksham, which is termed by the Lord as 'tat padam [तत पदम्]'. He attains the natural quality of atman [आत्म स्वरूपम्] and remains there never to return to samsaram. What type of swaroopam he attains? How luminescent it is? None is required to kindle light into atman. To see anything, we need the help of light. Does this atman also need an external lamp to be seen? It does not need a Sun or Moon or a lamp to see suddha atma swaroopam. Atman is seen by its own glow! That is the substance of this sloka. We have heard from Mahabharata, that Bhima never needed a lamp to eat food, and Arjuna could hit his target in darkness! That is they had concentrated their intellect to hit the target! By developing atma gyana or knowledge about soul, we also might not need external aids. In olden days, by looking at the sky, people were able to mention the correct time and direction. They never possessed present gadgets like watches! When we reach a yogi's stage, we could see our atman glowing. Now sloka 6:
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṃ mama 15.6
Tad dhama = that superior [bright] stage is, mama = Mine [Sri Krishna's]. Parisuddha atma swaroopam belongs to the Lord. How bright is that stage? Surya = the Sun, na bhasayate = does not illuminate, tad = that place. There is no need for Sunlight to see that place. Na sasanka = not even the Moon [ sasa = rabbit, anka = identification, Moon has a black shadow resembling a rabbit]. Na pavaka = not fire, either. Yad gatva = by reaching which [place], na nivartante = [one] never returns, tad dhama = that place or stage. We need Sun's or Moon's or lamp's light to see objects. But to understand an object, we need our intellect. External light of the Sun or Moon, is just to help. The Sun or Moon does not know those objects we see. Atman realizes an object by its intellect, and to do that it needs the aid of eyes of the body to see and external light to illuminate that object. External light's role is merely to dispel darkness, so that eyes could see. Just because Sun's rays are there, we do not have the knowledge of all the things illuminated. Those objects should be seen by our eyes, which need light to see. The Sun does not tell us what the objects are; and, we need the intellect of atman to realize what is seen. This is the limitation of Bhaddhatma. But a parisuddha atman, does not need even this external light to realize others. That is the brilliance of Jeevatman, in its natural status. That stage is the Lord's, says Sri Krishna. 'His' means it is His 'amsam' or part. This will be explained while we see next sloka. For the present it is suffice to understand that Parisuddha atma swaroopam is a part or amsam of the Lord. Arjuna gets another doubt here. Atman has Two great qualities. One is self realization and the other is realizing others. These are called as 'swayam prakasatvam [स्वयं परकाशत्वं]' and 'tasmai swayam prakakasatvam [तस्मै स्वयं परकाशत्वं]'. A lamp lights for us to identify the surroundings; but it does not know it is a lamp! Atman is able to realize it is atman and does not need external aid. Arjuna asks, then why all are not able to realize? For that yoga is necessary. Why yoga is not there? Karmas have clouded and covered atman. How to get rid of Karmas? As told earlier, surrendering to the Lord is the only way! The Lotd removes all our papa, and we can then get yoga and see atman in its nature. It appears like magic! Yes, we are at the sannidhi of Sri Mayappiran, Who is capable of creating miracles! Maya also means the wonderful Gyana.
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