. Yadruchchikappadi 1 Next

By Sri T.A. Varadhan

Yadruchchikappadi

Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:
SrimathE lOkAchArya mahA guravE nama:
Srimath Varavara Munaye nama:

Foreword

lOkAchAryAya guravE krshNa pAdasya sUnavE |
samsArA bhOgi sandaShta jIva jIvatavE nama: ||

svAmi piLLai lOkAchAriAr is perhaps the greatest exponent of our sampradAyam as far as rahasya granthaas are concerned. The common meaning for the word rahasya is secret. But, in this case, a more appropriate meaning is "esoteric teaching". The reason that his works are called "rahasyas" is because of the nature of these teachings – they convey the most essential meanings in our sampradAyam. His 18 rahasya granthaas (aStAdasa rahasyAs) are the most wonderful treasure that he blessed us with, and svAmi maNavALa mAmuni wrote commentaries on 3 of these rahasyAs.

The word "yAdruchchika" means spontaneous, unexpected, or voluntary (without any condition, or expectation from the other person). The grace of our Lord, Sriman nArAyaNa is one such thing – it is called nirhEthuka, or causeless. This work deals with the concepts that one who has had the spontaneous grace of the Lord fall on him/her should understand. These concepts are contained in the three mantras – the Thirumantram, dwayam, and charama slOkam. Many of the 18 rahasya granthaas deal with the meanings contained in those three mantras. yAdruchchika-p-padi is one of those – it perhaps is the smallest work among the 18 rahasys granthaas , in terms of amount of words, that deal with the meanings of the three sacred mantras.

A few caveats need to be made clear, with regard to this series/booklet:

(i) Normally, rahasya granthaas are learned under the tutelage of one's AchAryA, in a traditional method – after undergoing initiation into the sampradAyam through samashrayanam.
(ii) Translation of rahasya granthaas into English is not very easy, given that the anubhavams of the beautiful maNipravALa words cannot be expressed in English.
(iii) More than the literal meanings, the practice of the concepts is very important; and the way to practice the concepts can only be learned by observing, and listening to elders and fellow srIvaishNavAs.

This translation is NOT intended to replace the actual learning that one should undergo from an AchArya. However, given that many interested devotees are more familiar with English than any other language, and most devotees use English on a daily basis, there is a need for some translations so that we can fulfil our AchAryA's commands – that of helping anyone who is interested learn about the sampradAyam.

This translation is an attempt to translate the actual rahasya grantha, to the best of my ability. All credit for the good that people perceive in this translation goes to adiyEn's AchAryA, paramapadavAsi Sri ThirumAlai AnandANpiLLAi KrishNamAchAriAr svAmi, adiyEn's grandfather paramapadavAsi Sri ThirumAlai AnandANpiLLAi NarasimhAchAriAr svAmi, who taught me, at an early age basics of our sampradAyam and the scholars that adiyEn has had an opportunity to learn from – particulary Sri EmbAr RangAchAriAr svAmi of thiruvallikkENi who instilled in me the unique greatness of our AzhvAr pAsurams and the greatness of AchAryAs like svAmi nampiLLai and svAmi piLLai lOkAchAriAr. Any mistakes, or errors are *entirely* due to my faults.

Pillai Lokacharyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

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