Raghuveera Gadhyam: Yuddha Khaandham --Part 4

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Musings on the VibhishaNa SaraNaagathi

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As a Paramaachaarya, Swami Desikan dwelled

extensivey on the doctrines of Prapatthi in many of his

sacred works. What Sri Rama said at the sea side

to VibhishaNaa rivetted his attention . He elaborated

on the SaraNAgathi concepts in his work known as

Abhaya Pradhaana Saaram , where he followed the tradition

of Sri Ramaanujaa , Thirumalai Nambhi , who studied

intensively and taught the rahasyaarthaas of SaraNAgathi

embedded in the different KhAndAs of VAlmiki RamaayaNam .

 

It is generally conceded by our AchaaryAs that Srimadh

RAmAyaNam is THE SaraNAgathi Saastram . Swami Desikan

played a key role in reminding us of this truth . Adi Kavi VAlmiki

saw what happened during Raamaavatharam through his

Dharma Veeryam and Divya Chakshus ( POwer of penance

and divine insight ) and described the exquisite incidents associated

with SaraNAgathi in every KhAndham of his Adhi Kaavyam .

That is why Srimadh RAmAyaNam is described as " PuNyam

Vedaisccha Sammitham " ( One that enhances one's PuNyam

and is equivalent to the Vedaas in its sacredness ) . It is no wonder

that VAlmiki's work is considered as Veda UpabruhmaNam ( A work

that elaborates on the principles covered by the VedAs ) .

 

The Para Tattva NirNayam ( the establishment of the unparalleled

superiority ) of Sri Rama is made in Srimadh RAmAyaNam

through the Abhaya PrAdhAnam given by Him on many occasions

as saluted by Sage Vaalmiki . He establishes Ramaa as

Sarva VialkshaNa Para Brahmam ( One with glories that are

distinctly superior to other Gods ) and praises Ramaa as

" Aksharam Brahma Satyam ". This satya Vrathi and SaraNAgatha

rakshaNa deekshitha is hailed as a Veera of an extraordinary

caliber . The distinct and distinguishing principle of Sri Raamaa

is the practise of hte Abhaya PradhAna vara dhaanam principle

for those , who approached him even once for protection

independent of their Avasthaa (state of mind or mood ) .

That is His Vratham as we heard from Swami Desikan

through the previous three Gadhyam salutations.

 

Sri Raamaa's SaraNyathvam is abundantly covered in the Yuddha

KhAndham . All other Gods are described as "Vibhuthi Ekadesam "

( one speck of HIS ruling power ) , where as Sri Raamaa is considered

the total embodiment of the power principle that offers SaraNAgathi unfailingly.

Brahmaa praises the victorious Raamaa in the battle field of Lankhaa

as " saraNyam SaraNam cha tvaam aahu ; Divyaa Maharshaya: "

( Great sages like Sanaka consider therefore YOU as the means and

the fruit of their endeavours through performance of their SaraNAgathis ) .

They recognize that they are " Tadhadheena Padha laabhans "

( Those who Acheived their superior positions as a result of His Dayaa ) .

He is the SaraNyan (Rakshakan , RakshaNa vrathi) . That is His VaseekaraNa

Saamarthyam ( winning ways to attract us to Him ) . That SaraNaagathi is

parama hitam ( the superior and eminently satisfying means and fruit ) .

 

Tondaradipodhi describes the parama hitam aspect of SaraNAgathi

done in a trice (KshaNa Karthavyam ) by PrapannAs this way in one of

the Paasurams of ThirumAlai : " kadaitthalai irundhu vaazhum Sombarai

uhatthi pOlum " ( O Ranganaatha! You take great interest even in those

lazy ones living around your ramparts at Srirangam. They were lazy in that

they did not make the effort to practise difficult Bhakthi and Jnaana Yogams.

They too the easy route appropriate to their limited strength and performed

Prapatthi at Your lotus feet . You accepted those Prapannaas and treated them

as though they were superior to all the others) . Swami Desikan points this out

and salutes the Lord as "Priya-Hita Kaari " ( the one , who treats us with

affection and benovolence through the practise of his SaraNAgatha rakshaNa

vratham ) . We , who are ananya SaraNaas( with no other recourse for protection

)

become the object of His Abhimaana gocharam ( the object of his special

affection ) .

 

Sita Piraati is the SaraNya Sahadharma ChaariNi of the sarva loka saraNyan.

In this role She counsels the evil-minded RavaNA in Sundara Khaandham

this way :

 

vidhitha: sa hi Dharmajna: saraNaagatha vatsala: I

thena maitree bhavathu teh yadhi jeevithumicchasi II

 

prasAdhayasva tvam chainam saraNAgatha Vatsalam I

maam chaasmai prayathO bhoothvA niryaathayithumarhasi II

 

( O RavaNA ! If you want to live in this world , befriend Ramaa ,

who is well versed in the doctrines of SaraNAgathi dharmam .

He discards the offenses made earlier by those , who seek his

protection and perform SaraNAgathi unto Him . With a pure mind ,

beseech His friendship and unite me with Him and make Him happy

and as a result continue to live on this earth ) .

 

Piratti's Vaatsalya Paravasam ( indebtedness to those who seek Her

saraNAgathi as the consort of the Lord ) has been identified by

Parasara Bhattar as being superior ot that of the Lord Himself .

Bhattar describes that attribute of Her in one of

the slokams of GuNa Ratna Kosam this way :

 

maatharmythili raakshaseestvayi tadhaivaardhraaparAdhAstvayA

rakshanthyApavanAthmajAth laghutaraa Ramasya Goshtee kruthA I

kaakam tam cha VibhishaNam saraNamithyukti kshamou rakshatha :

saa na: saandhra mahaagasa: sukhayathu kshaanthistavaakasmikeeII

 

(Meaning ) : O Mother Ranganaayaki ! Sahadharma chaariNI of Kaakustha

Rangesa ! You saved(protected ) the Rakshasis od Ashoka Vanam from

the wrath of Hanumaan , even when they were committing offenses

to You . Through this act of Yours , You made the SaraNAgathi

(Abhaya PradhAnam ) offered by Your lord somewhat inferior to

Your own gesture. Your Lord offered SaraNAgathi to the offending

crow and the supplicnt VibhishaNA only AFTER they performed

their saraNAgathi . You out of Your infinite mercy and affection for

the sinners ( offenders/ApachAris) protected the rakshasis of

asokha Vanam even as they were threatening You . Therefore Your

power of SaraNAgatha rakshaNam is superior to that of Your consort.

May Your natural , causeless --nirhethukam, Avyaaja KaruNaa --

compassion protect us ! )

 

The whole seven Khaandhaas of Srimadh RaamayaNam is

full of incidents illustrating the SaraNAgathi Taatparyam ( the

inner meanings of SaraNAgathi ) . Swami Desikan's Abhaya

PradhAna Saaram salutes the SaraNAgathi episodes in

Baala Khaandham ( Devaas offering their SaraNAgathi and

seeking the Sesha Saayee's protecton to save them from the

cruelty of RaavaNA ) , in Ayodhyaa Khaandham ( LakshmaNA's

prapatthi to Sri Rama and Sita together and seeking their

protection to serve them in the forest . Here SaraNAgathi

according to the spirit of Dvaya manthram is performed by

the anujaa of Ramaaa . The first portion of Dvaya manthram

deals with Prapatthi and the second portion deals with the

fruits of such prapatthi . )

 

In Ayodhyaa Khandham , we encounter once again SaraNAgathi by

the other brother Bharathaa and his obtainment of the fruit of his

prapatthi throught he acquisition of Sri Rama Paadhukaas or

Sri Satakopam .

 

In Aranya Khaandham , the SaraNAgathi of the sages afflicted by

Kara , DhooshaNaa are accepted by Sri Ramaa and he protects

them form the terror of the ogres. Kaakasura SaraNAgathi also

takes place in this Khaandham.

 

In Kishkindhaa Khaandham , we enjoy learning about

Sugreeva SaraNAgathi and Sri Raamaa's protection

of Sugreevaa from Vaali .

 

In Sundara Khaandham , we come across the Abhaya PradhAnam

of Sarva Loka SaraNyai to the ogresses that supervised Her

incarceration in asokha Vanam.

 

Yudha Khaandham houses the famous VibhishaNa saraNAgathi.

In Uttara Khaandham , Sri Ramaa answers the Rakshasaa Maalyavaan

and reveals the rahasyaartham of his SaraNAgatha vratham once again .

 

It is with all these in mind , Swami Desikan saluted Srimadh RaamayaNam

as SaraNAgathi Vedam . He also identified his work (Abahya

PradhAna Saaram ) as the Upanishad that elaborates on the rahasyaarthams

of the Illustrious SaraNAgathi Vedam, Srimadh RaamayaNam .

 

kujantham Rama Ramethi madhuram madhuraaksharam I

aaruhya kavithaa saakaam vandE Valmiki kokilam II

 

Sri VaishNava Daasan ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan