anything. Furthermore, in the womb itself, there are certain jNanis who attain the jNana even before they come to the world. Not after knowing or reading anything, such jNanis are called "Garbha Sriman". Just like Prahlada, when in the womb itself, the upadEsha from Narada was being expounded to him. Therefore Prahlada is a "Garbha Sriman". Parikshith, when in the womb of Uttara, having had the darshan of Sakshath Narayana himself was a "Garbha Sriman". How come Parikshit got this name?
ChakrathAzhwar was the one who had protected Parikshit in the womb of Uttara. Parikshith had the darshan of the four shouldered Lord Narayana who is within the wheel / disc (Chakra) in the womb itself and after being born in this world, he was searching for this form of Lord Narayana by questioning ("parikshai = examining"), hence he came to be known as Parikshith. Parikshith was such a "Garbha Sriman". Likewise, LakshmanAzhwar, BalaramAzhwar, izhaiAzhwar being the manifestations of the Lord AnanthAzhwar were indeed the "Garbha Sriman". izhaiAzhwar was a "Garbha sriman". Suka brahmam, when in the womb itself, being born with such a jNanam is a Garbha sriman.
Vyasa, with so much knowledge of the upanishads, brahmasutras, bhagavad gita and vedanta himself was calling out to his son with affection. But Suka brahmar did not even respond, he just went to the forest and was sat in meditation, being in samadhi. Just like nammazhwar in alwarthirunagari, who sat meditating within a hole on a tamarind tree. Vyasa somehow wanted to bring suka brahmar out of his samadhi, not just to get him married or something, but to give him the Srimad bhagavatham. Because of this, we have now got the bhagavatham. The disciples of Vyasa will go out to the forest to get the yagna items (samithi) for performing the Guru seva, get the berries, fruits, darbha, flowers. Once the disciples of Vyasa tell him that the forest is ridden with ferocious and wild animals and therefore requested Sage Vyasa to nstruct them with some mantra for their protection. Vyasa, however told them that of the Venu Geetham in the Srimad bhagavatha which is the stotra - "Barha peedam natavara vapuHu" which will offer them protection.
In case of mantras such as "Om Phat Phut…", the animals may run helter skelter out of fear. However, when the disciples sing the vEnu geetham - "Barha peedam natavara vapuHu karnayO karnikAram bibrath vasa kanaka kapisam vaijayanthim cha mAlam", while collecting the items from the forest, the animals such as the Lion, tiger and what not would wag their tails like a pet dog and be amongst the disciples in a loving and tender manner. This sloka is about the “prEma swaroopam”, the loving form of Lord Krishna. The cosmic itself would be transformed with love and it would be installed everywhere in its vicinity. Once installed, due to the effect of this love, even the wild animals will loose their ferocious nature and their hearts being filled with this cosmic love would wag their tails and be with the disciples. That is not enough, now Sukar himself sitting there with no thought of the world, heard this too.
"Barha peedam natavara vapuHu karnayO karnikAram bibrath vasa kanaka kapisam vaijayanthim cha mAlam". On hearing the vEnu geetham, just like a bee coming close to the ear with a whirring sound, the sound of "Barha peedam" woke him from his samadhi. Even within the heart being in samadhi and in nishtai (steadfastness), this slokam is attracting Sukar from such a state, such being the power of the vEnu geetham in the Srimad Bhagavatham. Sukar now comes searching for the source of this song.
"Barha peedam natavara vapuHu karnayO karnikAram bibrath vasa kanaka kapisam vaijayanthim cha mAlam”.
Now coming near the disciples who are gathering the "samithi" for Sage Vyasar, Sukar asks about this beautiful sloka and wherefrom this has come. The disciples now say, "this is from our Gurunathar who has composed it".
Then Sukar desires to see their Gurunathar and requests them to take him to their Gurunathar. Following them, he reaches the hermitage of Sage Vyasa, who is none other than his father. To which father who called out to his son "putra, putra" but Sukar did not heed and left, the same Sukar is now coming in search of him and requests of his father to teach him this slokam. Not only this sloka but there are 18000 of them which I will teach you, says Vyasa.
The 18000 slokas of the Srimad bhagavatham was taught to Sri Sukar by repetition. That is why we have now got the bhagavatham, which Sukar expounded to Parikshith, whilst this was being expounded there were several sages who heard this too, amongst them were the Suta Pouranikas who expounded this to the SounakAdhi maharishis. This bhagavatham is with us till now. Such a Vyasa and Suka brahmar were brought together by a sloka only.
Likewise Azhavandar, sends his stotra ratnam accompanied by the Srivaishnavas and just not a Sreemukham or an invitation, requesting izhaiAzhwar to come to Srirangam. AzhavandAr knew what would turn izhaiAzhwar’s mind and touch his heart, creating the feeling of a "rasana" within izhaiAzhwar.
The Srivaishnavas come to kanchipuram, find out where thirukatchinambi is staying and come to the place near the sAlai well where izhaiAzhwar daily takes the water from there to perform theertha kainkaryam to pEraruzhAzhan, VaradarAja perumal. They find izhaiAzhwar there. izhaiAzhwar, being most humble, will take the water from the well but will not talk to anyone and always walk with head down, be shy and very humble, just as a sadhu would, taking the water for the theertha kainkaryam on his shoulder and thinking of the bhagavan all the time. One day from near the sAlai well, he hears this wonderful stotra from the stotraratna,
"swAbhAvika anavatika adishaya ishitrithvam nArayana twayinam rishyathi vaithikakAkaHa brahmashtiva shathamakaHa paramaHaswarAtiHi yEtEpi yAsyam mahimarnava viprushyasthE".
listening to this, “swAbhAvika anavatika....”, the greatness of the Eswaratattvam of the bhagavan sriman nArayana was heard.
For a certain period of time, even Ravana was an Eswara and so was Hiranyakashipu by means of their tapas. Even Indra was an Eswara of swarga. For such an Indra, even a tapasvi can control him. Like that of janamEjaya, who performed a snake sacrifice and whilst all the snakes fell into the fire, he then called out to Indra and Indra himself was pulled to the fire.
Likewise there will be a Eswaran for a place. In this place, we normally see that a kumbhabhishEkam would be performed for a temple and there will be a name for that temple. When people ask whose name is this, as they have not heard of it, pat would come the reply that this is the village Eswaran. If we go away about ten villages thither, then no one will even know the swami of the other village. Some will be the Eswaran for a place, some will be Eswaran for a time, like Ravana or Hiranyakshipu were. Likewise, there will be a dEivam for a family, dEivam for ten people, dEivam for a time and place etc., But for all time and place, all the worlds and space, everywhere and everytime, a dEivam will be there and that dEivam will be Sriman Narayana himself.
"swAbhAvika anavatika adishaya ishitrithvam" - such a deivam being Sriman Narayana. Without even comparison as to what is greater or lesser from ones point of view, it is not easy to make a decision. So from what can one base the Lord upon - "nArayana twayinam rishyathi vaithikakAkaHa", it is indeed the sastras and the vEdas. When the vEdam itself tells who is dEivam or the paramAtma, who can deny this or debate this?
"brahmashtiva shathamakaHa paramaHaswarAtiHi yEtEpi yAsyam mahimarnava viprushyasthE". Once this stotram was heard, being a strotra ratnam, izhaiAzhwar who was taking the theertham now shakes his head, relishing the stotram. AzhavandAr, who thought what would be the impact upon Sri Ramanujar, had that effect now upon izhaiAzhwar. izhaiAzhwar, who would never turn towards anything or anyone, being such, now "swAbhAvika anavatika adishaya ishitrithvam" – as these words kept repeatedly ringing in his ears became immersed in its beauty.
"swAbhAvika" - being the Eswaratattwam by virtue of its nature (swabhAvam) itself, not a given one, no one gave this Eswaratattvam upon sakshAth Narayanan.
"swAbhAvika anavatika adishaya ishitrithvam" - is this bound by any place, person or time, "nArayana twayinam rishyathi vaithikakAkaHa" – is based upon the vedam and only an Asthika can deny this if he could.
If such a “Narayana paratattvam”, say, were denied by the Ashtikas who base themselves upon the vEdam, then there would no longer be vaitheekAs or Asthikas. Which vaitheekar will have asuyE? What then is the meaning of vaitheekar or the vaitheeka matam?
Those who read the vEdas or perform the vEda adhyayana are called vaitheerkAzh and those who don't follow the vEdas or perform the adhyayana are not vaitheekars, can we say this?
Are all reading the vEdas. In todays world, there are only a few people who read the Vedas. So if we say that only those who read the vEdas are vaitheekars, there would be a handful of people and then it would be confined to only those ten odd people. So it is not like that, the word "vaitheekar" means all those people who take vEdam as the truth and the proof, those people are indeed the vaitheekars. vEdam is pramAnam!
What is right or wrong? How do we decide, which. In each and every country there is a social law. In each department, there are rules and regulations. If we need to build a house, we need to adhere to the rules and regulations of that department and if not, they would destroy the building. In the society too, there are certain things we should do and should not do and we should be acting according to these rules, which is the social law. Each and everything has a law. But there is the Eternal law, which is infinite and everlasting and that law is the vEdam.
Therefore it is said "vaithikakAkaHa brahmashtiva shathamakaHa paramaHaswarAtiHi yEtEpi yAsyam mahimarnava viprushyasthE"
When this stotram was heard by izhaiAzhwar, izhaiAzhwar himself being very good at grasping things at the first time itself, felt this stotram within his heart, the beauty of which touched him deeply within, immersed in it and wondering who it might be that was telling such a stotra. Slowly, he turned to find out who was it that sang this stotra and turned his head in that direction and asked him, "are you the one who sang this stotra and who has composed this?" He replies, "it’s our Acharyan who composed this, and his name is AzhavandAr."
izhaiAzhwar says, yes he has heard of AzhavandAr as Thirukatchinambi has often told of him in great terms. izhaiAzhwar then asks about the whereabouts of AzhavandAr and was told that he was in Srirangam and they have come all the way from Srirangam to see him. What is the reason for their visit here, asks izhaiAzhwar. They reply that, “AzhavandAr had sent them to invite izhaiAzhwar to come to Srirangam.” izhaiAzhwar did not even think twice, neither telling his family or friends, or even taking any clothes to make the trip to Srirangam on hearing that AzhavandAr had invited him.
Here izhaiAzhwar shows the sishya lakshanam, that is when the Acharya calls a disciple, there should be no second action, no second thought, you should start instantly upon the call of the Acharya. This is what shows.
Immediately, izhaiAzhwar started form here, accompanied by the Srivaishnavas, walking all the way to Srirangam and for the first time, Sri Ramanujar arrives at Srirangam!
