Dear Fellow-Bhagavathas,

The next Prabandham in the triplet of Churukkus is Dhvaya-Churukku which we shall have a look at here.

13. Dhvaya-Churukku

‘Dhvayam’ means ‘double’. The Dhvaya Manthram, which is hailed as ‘Manthra Rathnam’, has two segments or sentences. The most important among the Prapaththi Manthras, Dhvayam, may be recited by anyone at any time.

This Manthram was revealed by Sriman Narayana by connecting two sentences from the Upanishads, at the instance and on the request of Sri. The first part amounts to Upaayam since it speaks about the Jiva taking refuge at the Lord’s feet. The second part, as it lays the responsibility of saving the Jiva the fruits of that endeavour with the Lord, denotes ‘Upeyam’.

Ten meanings that are obtained by dissection of the Dhvaya Manthram are summarised in this Prabandham, so the name Dhvaya-Churukku.

The following is an abstract of the Prabandham, Paasuram-wise:

1. Piraatti is a picture of compassion. Unable to bear the distress suffered by Jiva, She made a plea to Her Consort for their succour. The Lord was kind enough to conjoin two sentences from the Upanishads and formed the Manthra. The 10 meanings of the same are like the best of wealth among the Sri Sookthis that extol Him.

2. The six connotations of the term ‘Sri’ are: a) Is attained by by Chethanas and Achethanas; b) In turn, attains the Lord, for their sake; c) Listens to the rambling of Chethanas; d) Makes the Lord listen to them through Herself; e) Separates the Karmas that separate Chethanas from the Lord; f) Out of affection to the Lord as well as Chethanas, reaches the latter at the feet of the former. So, Sri of this nature, permanently resides in our minds.
3. When the letter ‘Sri’ is joined by the suffix ‘Mathup’, the term ‘Srimath’ is derived. This implies that Sri is forever inseparable from the Lord in all His five forms. This communion always stays in our minds.
4. Sriman Narayana is ever waiting for us to attain Him. He is the first-cause of the Universe, the Master of all beings and the means and destination of salvation to all. He is the body of the whole Universe. He is the relation as spelt in the Vedas, such as mother, father, brother, support, refuge and friend. He is one who never deserts us and has a radiant form of beauty and knowledge, and is omni-present.
5. The term ‘Charana’ is explained here. Sriman Narayana is the Supreme Lord who adorns Sriaikuntam, manifests in four Vyuhha forms, takes Aatharas like the Mathsya, Koorma and Varaha, exists as the Antharyaami in the body of all beings and has stationed Himself in temples so as to be worshipped by all. This Lord has placed His lotus feet in our hearts.
6. The term ‘Sarana’ is dealt with here. Sriman Narayana will avert the Chethana from worshipping another god. He will bless us with the means and be the destination with his nectar-oozing, soft feet.
7. The Lord has made us realise that none else can be the ‘Upaaya’, steadied our minds and provided great faith in Him with the knowledge that He is the lone refuge. Thus, we became the object of protection to the Lord who has Srivathsam on His chest. Here, performing Prapaththi with ‘Maha Viswaasam’ is denoted by the verb ‘Path’.
8. The first person-singular in the term ‘Prapaththi’ is explained in the Paasuram. Noble souls in yore performed the Karma Yoga, Jnaana Yoga and Bhakthi Yoga, as prescribed in the Vedas, but we are incapable of the same. So, we are concerned, and there is no other go for us but Sriman Narayana. From the term ‘incapability’, Akinchanyam is derived, and this is in context to the one who undertakes the means. This is first person-singular.
9. He is the Lord of the massive Universe, but the blemishes of the same do not get anywhere near him. We yearned to acquire the Kainkaryams that we lost when He did not favour us with His grace and also never to be subjected to that state.
10. The fourth case of the term ‘Narayana’. The Lord has pledged to obviate the three kinds of distresses (Aathyaathmikam, Aadhi Bouthikam and Aadhi Dhaivikam). We have worshipped Him and prayed to Him decorating our heads with his feet which strode the three worlds and wearing the attire He had worn, seeking His Kainkaryam. This ‘Kainkaryam’s is derived from the fourth case ‘Aaya’.
11. ‘I’ and ‘Me’ display ego and arrogance and are lowly. They can trouble us no end and push us into a deep pit. So, it is imperative to destroy them, for which we ought to know well the meaning of ‘Nama:’ and recite. The incomparable Lord will clear our minds of the bad qualities.
12. The final Paasuram summarises the 10 meanings — ‘Sri’, the ‘Mathup’ suffix, ‘Narayana’, ‘Charana’, ‘Sarana’, the verb ‘Path’, the first person-singular in ‘Prapadhye’, ‘Narayana’ in the second part, the fourth case in the word ‘Narayana’ and ‘Nama:’.

Thus, the essence of Dhvaya-Chuukku is, the Jiva, who is incapable of any other means of salvation, must submit the responsibility of saving the soul and the fruits of the act, by performing the five-part Prapaththi.

Meet you in the next Note.

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