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Gowlai Pancha Rathnam : Part 4--Second CharaNam

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • November 2, 1997 


Dear NadhOpasakAs :

The second charaNam of this pancharathnam is 
as follows :

sakala bhoothamulyanthu nee vaiyunDaga 
madhilEkha pOyina ( duDuku gala ) 

This charaNam is a tribute to Sri Ramachandra
as antharyAmi Brahman . 

The Lord is the inner controller or antharyAmi ,
one of the five forms of the supreme being .
The other forms of His are Para , Vyuha , 
Vibhava and archA . 

>From the study of SubAlOpanishad , antharyAmi-
brAhmaNam section in BrhadAraNyakOpanishad and 
Sad-cidyA section in ChAndOgya Upanishad , we come
to the understanding that just as the Jeevan has an 
atomic sized body of its own , there is Lord , who pervades
the body of that jeevan as its soul (antharyAmi ) and 
controls and supports it . Thus antharyAmi Brahman 
is understood as the soul of souls ( jeevans ) .

Just as the soul ( jeevAthmaa) is pristine and  free from 
imperfections and defects associated with the changes 
in body as it changes from childhood to youth to old age ,
the inner soul ( antharAthmA ) , the supreme Brahman 
is free of the paapams and puNyams acquired by the 
jeevAthmA arising from its karmAs . The earth is karma-
bhUmi and the jeevan with its body on this earth reaps 
the fruits of its deeds , while the antharyAmi Brahman
is untouched by the jeevan's deeds . 

As antharyAmi , the Lord prevails in the heart lotuses
of  ALL  the sentients , which He rules . In this context ,
the Upanishad declares : " He has entered into the heart 
and rules the jeevans , Himself being their inner soul " .
This form of the Lord is seen only by Yogis through DhyAna
Yogam . He has thus anthar-vyApthi as well as bahir
vyApthi ( pervasive presence with in and outside 
ALL of His creations ( sentienrs and  insentients ) .
" Anthar bahisccha tath sarvam VyApya NaarAyaNa:
sthitha: " says another Upanishad . Therefore , He is
not circumscribed or limited by other things ( vasthu
paricchEda rahithan ) . He is not  A or B or C or D , but
He is A,B, C, D etc . 

Anyone , who does not understand His presence in
other creations of His and is disrespectful to the others
has  a lamentable life on this earth . 

The antharyAmi form of the Lord , inspite of the fact that 
it is so close to us in our own hearts , is inaccessible to 
all but the Yogis , who train themselves through meditation 
to enjoy Him in that  form . The others neither pay attention
to the Lord within nor do they recognize the antharyAmi 
brahmam in other sentients . 

Saint ThyagarAja laments over his misspent life , where he
did not have the vivEkam to revere the presence of the Lord as 
sarva charAchara bhUthan  and thus lead a Godly life . He 
says in this charaNam : " Oh Lord ! You are the indweller 
of all the jeevans , BrahmA , IndrA , devathAs . I did not 
comprehend this supreme and central truth and went about 
my ways of hurting and cheating people and collecting my
heavy bundle of sins . " Sakala bhUthamula yanthu nee vai
yuNDaka madhi lEkha pOyina " . That discriminating
knowledge I did not possess due to my dushkarmAs .
Which Dorai mahan is going to come to my rescue now,
except You ? 

Swami Desikan's salutation to Sri VaradarAjA of
Kanchi as " Sarva charAchara Athman and Sarvam "
is the basis of such a feeling by BhakthAs during 
their sadhanAs to gain the grace of the Lord . Swami
Desikan's meaningful slOkam provides then the  basis
for Saint TyagarAjA's feelings of nirvEdham. Swami 
Desikan addresses the antharyAmi Brahmam as
follows  : 

BrahmEthi Sankara itheendhra ithi svarADithi 
aathmEthi SARVAMITHI SARVA CHARAACHARAATHMAN I
Hastheesa sarva vachasaAm avasAna seemAm 
tvAm SARVA KAARANAM USANTHI anapAya vaacha :II

Saint ThyagarajA's words " Sakala bhUthamula yanthu nee "
is a strong  echo of Swami Desikan "s " Sarva CharAcharAthman " .

The need for BhUtha dayai based on the j~nAnam that the Lord is 
the SarvAntharyAmi is the subject of this second charaNam of 
Saint ThyagarAjA .

Sri Ramachandra Para BrahmaNe nama :
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan