based on the vyakhyanam of Sri Periyavaccan Pillai
by Sri M.N. Ramanuja

kAlEShvapi cha sarvEShu dikShu sarvAsu chAchyuta
sharIrE cha gatau chApi vartatE mE mahadbhayam

Meaning:
achyuta-- one who does not let his devotees slip off
sarvEShu kAlEShu api cha-- in all auspicious times too
sarvAsu dikShu cha-- in the auspicious places in all directions
sharIrE cha-- in this body too (that is a tool for doing dharma)
gatau api cha-- in the migration into other bodies too
mE-- for me
mahat bhayam-- great fear
vartatE-- there is

Introduction:
(kAlEShvapi cha etc.) God says "can you say 'I have no other go'; after having provided various means, through scriptural procedures, of uplifting the soul, on top of that, have We not provided you with various auspicious times and auspicious places for eliminating all sins by simple actions? can you say that you are not aware of any other means? ". In answer, man says " I am not denying the existence of other means. But I being an eternal samsAri, my initial status also goes from worse to worse, if I keep employing various other means ".

From this, it is understood, that the adoption of the ready means (god) (siddhOpAya parigraham) is imperatively preceded by the renouncement of all other means (upAyAntara parityAga pUrvakam Ayirukkum). One Who is thus a stand-alone and self-sufficient means, alone can verily, become a refuge-provider (sharanyan AvAn).

VyAkhAnam:
(kAlEShvapi cha) in the meritorious summer and winter solstices (dakshinAyana and uttarAyana) and vernal and autumnal equinoxes (mESha viShu and tulA viShu punyakAlams) and exceptionally meritorious ardhOdaya and other punyakAlams etc. That is, great sin-eliminating powers have been attached to sethu visit and bathing and gifts at sangamas (confluences) in these punyakAlams. As said in "kritaghnOpi vishuddhyati" and "gOghnE chaiva surApE cha chorE bhagnavratE tathA. niShkritir vihitA sadbhi: kritaghnE nAsti niShkriti: ", even the sin of an ungrateful person which has no prescribed atonement, will be removed by good deeds in such auspicious times.

(sarvEShvapi) "ashvattham sindhurAjam cha sadA sEvEta na sprishEt. mandavArE sprishEt pUrvam aparam parvaNi sprishEt" thus having no prohibitions like not touching the sea in non-parva times (amAvasya and pUrnimA= parva), it includes all tIrthams like Ganga etc which have no time bars for visiting and touching.

(dikShu) apart from the above, as in "dEshoyam sarva kAmadhuk" sacred places that are sanctifying initially, then becoming instrumental for attaining God and then also becoming enjoyable like punya deshams etc are all clubbed under this. Verily it is said "mathurA nAma nagarI punyA pApaharI shubhA".

(sarvAsu cha) By this are indicated all places other than those where the God incarnated at one time or the other, like sAlagrAma mandala etc, where God is invariably ever present.

(sharIrE cha) The body that was provided to me as in "sharIram Adyam khalu dharma sAdhanam" and "vichitrA dEhasampatti: IshvarAya nivEditum" for exercising the various means (upAya anuShThAnam) in the above mentioned places, has in my case become futile for me.

(gatau cha) As in "svadharmE nidhanam shrEya: paradharmO bhayAvaha:" while exercising the sAdhanas or implements of the various means, if death occurs, then one gets another embodiment but even that migration to another body is futile for me by not yielding the aspired fruit. (gatau) in the migration to another body. (api) this word could imply other exercisable means like karma jnAna and bhakti; it could also imply the collective migrated bodies of the previous births. Just like so many of my previous embodiments went waste, so also the present body also is a waste.

(mE mahad bhayam) not only that they went futile, but also fear exists in me regarding the exercisable upAyas like karmayoga etc., that are available in each embodiment. But why should fear exist? Because, having earlier accepted Your feet only as the means, and now deviating to exercise other means, I stand to lose even Your compassion and sympathy and thus those other means that are beckoning me are terrifying to me. But why should a compatible means cause fear? Because, the first accepted or adopted means does not endure other means. As in "tvAmEva sharanam prApya" I had adopted only You as the means, verily. BhagavadGeeta also said "tamEva sharaNam gachcha". Even the refuge-provider (sharanya) said "mAmEkam sharaNam vraja".

(mahad bhayam vartatE) This fear is not of comparable measure as the lesser fear of samsAra mentioned in the previous shlokam. It is inferred that the fear arising out of indulging in other objects or subjects is not as great as the fear arising out of indulging in or exercising other means or implements. (vishayAntara prAvaNyattAl vanda bhayattaLavanrirE sAdhanAntara prAvaNyattAl vanda bhayam!) For, for atoning the sin and removing the fear arising from indulgence in other objects of human aspiration, one can count on the pity and grace of God. But the sin of adopting other means or tools, alienates us even from that grace or pity!

(achyuta) But alas, Your name "achyuta" arose because of Your nature of not leaving in the lurch, even those that have alienated from Your grace and thus have lost all means of redemption. "yasmAt prAptA: na chyavantE sa: achyuta:" is verily the interpretation for "achyuta". He is achyuta from Whom those who surrender are not dropped out. Afterall, thou art one that did not ditch that woman in such circumstances, who yelling "dvArakAnilayA achyuta" threw both her hands off in resignation! Arjuna once told "tvat prasAdAt mayA achyuta" !

If the first shlokam is a summary, this shlokam serves the word "namastE" as even that surrender is done after abandoning all other means.