Bhattar's Ten Words
Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Bhattar's divine ten words told to Nanjeeyar
The ten words that Bhattar told Nanjeeyar tell the ways
for a prapanna to avoid dangers and live without fear.
Just as a ship in the ocean could get damaged or destroyed
by uncontrollable wind, by hidden rocks or mountains, by
a giant wave, by contact with gigantic sea creatures, etc,
so too known and unknown offences committed against His
devotees can hurt the prapatti perfromed by a prapanna.
Those who listen to these ten words and follow them can
live without fear of such obstacles.
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Even by giving up one's body, wealth and life, do one
service to the acharya such that he always remembers it
in his divine heart.
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Do one service to the Lord which all His devotees will
praise, which will please His divine heart and which even
one's own heart will appreciate.
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Do the same as above in the matter of His devotees.
Always behave such that Srivaishnavas praise one as a
person with good qualities and as a person who performs
good service to the Lord and His devotees.
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If a person seeks the ephemeral things of this world
and for gaining them prays in private (thinking no one
will know of it) to other devatas and associates with
those who pray to these devatas, then the Lord who is
witness to all thoughts and acions will laugh at that
person. Therefore, avoid doing that.
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Just as a rat goes after a object with a bad smell
and gets trapped, so too a person who desires base
things will get trapped by the associated food, place
and bed, lose his good knowledge, gather base knowledge
andd will lose his association with Srivaishnavas. Even
if great danger were to happen to one's life, one should
remain steady and not do the things described above. The
examples for this are Periya Nambi and Kooratthazhvan.
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Do not focus on the ordinary sastras and instead
focus on the special sastra which is bhagavat vishayam.
Even in matters of performing rituals, do the same.
One has to be steady in this and not have any doubts.
There is no need to question this as "This is possible
only for a few such as Bharata and Thirukkannamangai
Andan". Even a wild horse can be tamed over time. For
thos who have a young and steady heart, this is not
difficult. Is it not said that a woman started by
lifting a small stone, then a rock and so on, till
she lifted a whole mountain?
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Live in divyadeshams such as Srirangam, Thirumalai
and Kanchipuram. While living there, make the
Srivaishnavas who live there remember us, by giving
them materials and performing services to them.
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Do not place great attachment on children, friends,
spouse, place, materials and body. Instead, be detached
from them such that it is clear that this person has
been presented to the Lord by an acharya.
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Seeing the ephemeral nature of this samsara, give up
on the things said above completely and become focused
on performing services only to the Lord and His devotees.
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Pray to that Lord who is eternal, who is sweet and
who is all relationships to one, to shower His grace so
that one's mind is always focused on Him alone.
Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam