Many years ago, advocate and Visishtadvaita scholar D. Ramaswamy Iyengar began his Tiruppavai discourse by narrating an interesting anecdote. He had found in a bookshop many little brochures relating to Sri Vaishnavism. Interestingly, a book titled ‘Sri Vaikuntha’ was priced at a quarter of an anna, while a book on Tiruppavai was priced at half an anna! D. R. Swami said that the bookseller was a wise man, for he knew the greatness of Tiruppavai!
Sri Vaikuntha is the place we should aspire to go to. But is it enough to know the destination? If we do not know how to get there, will we not flounder in a vast sea of spiritual confusion? Tiruppavai, being the essence of Vedanta, shows us the way to Sri Vaikuntha, and hence its significance. Vaikuntha Ekadasi, falls in the month of Margazhi, which, undoubtedly, belongs to Andal and her Tiruppavai. It is the day when Sri Vaishnavas flock to Srirangam, stepping prayerfully through the Paramapadavasal.
And analysing Vaikuntha Ekadasi from the angle of Tiruppavai, throws up some interesting points. The pasuram for this year’s (January 8, 2017) Vaikuntha Ekadasi is Andru ivvulagam. Here Andal, like her father Periazhvar, does a mangalasasanam for the Lord, and this pasuram is about Saranagati, which, according to Visishtadvaita philosophy, is the means to moksha. Andal first praises the Trivikrama avatara. As Trivikrama, the Lord set His foot on everything in the world, establishing that He was the Master of all. Andal also talks of Rama, an avatara of particular importance to Srirangam, for Ranganatha of Srirangam was once worshipped by Rama and His ancestors, and was Rama’s gift to Vibhishana. Andal talks of the Lord’s feet in this pasuram, to show us that it is His feet that save us. Vaikuntha Ekadasi reminds us that our life on this earth is fleeting, and that we should seek moksha by surrendering at His feet.
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Saranagati has six elements- five angas and an angi. The angas are kaarpanya anusandhanam- acknowledging one’s helplessness; praatikoolya varjanam- determination not to err again; anukoolya sankalpam- vowing to follow rules; mahaviswasam- unshakeable faith that the Lord is the sole refuge; goptrutva varanam- seeking the Lord as Protector. The angi is surrender itself in accordance with the five angas. In Andru Ivvulagam, Andal uses the word potri six times. The Lord has many auspicious qualities, but six qualities- gnanam, balam, aishwaryam, veeryam, sakti and tejas - are considered the foremost.
Ramanuja was greatly influenced by Pancharatra Agama texts, as seen from his work ‘Nitya.’ Pancharatra texts Lakshmitantra and Ahirbudhnya Samhita talk of six asanas (seats or positions) to be offered to the Lord during worship.
Three Pancharatra texts are considered to be gems- Paushkara, Jayakhya and Sattvata. The commentaries on these are Parameswara, Padma and Isvara samhitas respectively. So the three main Pancharatra Agamas and their commentaries add up to six. Andal’s use of the word potri six times thus is important in many ways from the Visishtadvaitic standpoint.
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The verse which precedes Andru Ivvulagam is Maari Malai. Commentator Peria Vachan Pillai said that the spirit of Maari Malai was entirely evident in the beautiful gait of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. So the day before Vaikuntha Ekadasi this year, we take in the charms of Ranganatha’s attractive mien, and the next day, when we recite Andru ivvulagam, and worship at the Srirangam temple, our thoughts will dwell on how, through Saranagati at His feet, we can reach Sri Vaikuntha.