Mukkoor AzhagiyaSingar's RAmAnuja SiddhAntam - 1

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Sri :

Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha

Srimate Srivan Shatakopa Sri VedAntadesika Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha

Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka -

Srivan Shatakopa Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha

 

Dear devotees,

Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams.

 

Today (tuesday) being the thirunakshatram of 44th patta

Azhagiyasingar ( Srivan Shatakopa Sri VedAntadesika Yateendra

MahAdesikan , well known as Mukkoor Azhagiyasingar ) is a very

auspicious day . Sriman JaganAth Bharadwaj has asked adiyen to

forward his translation of Srimad Mukkoor Azhagiyasingar's tamil

article "Sri RAmAnuja SiddhAntam " that appeared as a AruLmozhi in

one of the Nrusimha PriyA issues. The same article is present in

the excellent book "Sri AzhagiyaSingarin amudha mozhigaL"

which is a collection of various aruLmozhIs of Mukkoor

Azhagiyasingar , published by Sri Nrusimha PriyA Trust.

 

Let us all remember the great mahAn & follow the invaluable

instructions left behind by Azhagiyasingar .

 

Namo NArAyanA

Adiyen

Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan

Sarvam Sri KrishnArpanamastu

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SRI RAMANUJA SIDDHANTAM

BY SRIMAD MUKKUR AZHAGIYA SINGAR

 

< Translated by Sriman Jaganath Bharadwaj >

 

 

Every doctrine stated in this philosophy is absolutely true. The

philosophy and religious line established by NammAzhwAr, NAthamuni,

ALavandAr, RAmAnujar, Desikan and other AchAryAs is our philosophy . In

this philosophy, everything stated in the VedAs, VedAntA, ItihAsAs,

PurAnAs, smrutis and related literature are the truths. Read this over

and over again and understand the hidden doctrines as it is. Since I am

writing this in the form of indoctrination (doing Upadesam), the negative

consequences of making attempts to study SAstrAs by your own efforts will

not arise in your case. Since some pious souls have appealed to me to

write this article, you do not have to worry that I will be affected by

the fault of volunteering information unsought by my disciples.

Therefore, in a mood free from anxieties, clearly understand all the

principles.

 

1.) Sriman naaraayaNA is the Para Brahman (God). Equal in every

respect to Him is "Sri" (Lakshmi). This means that Lakshmi is also full

of unlimited auspicious qualities and is omnipresent (i.e. exists

everywhere or vibhu). These two are the ParamaatmAs.

 

2.) JIvAtmAs have knowledge (jn~Anam) and are eternal just

like God. The living entity (jIvAtmA) is the smallest thing that exists.

It is therefore infinitesimal. The number of jIvAtmAs is so large that it

is said that even the ParamaatmA cannot keep count of their number.

 

Scriptures have classified the jIvaatmAs into three types. They are

called baddha jivaatmAs, mukta jIvaatmAs and nityasUris.

 

The number of jIvaatmAs in each category is also infinite to the extent,

it is stated that even God cannot count the number of jIvaatmas that

exist .

 

I will now explain who are baddha jIvaatmAs. Listen carefully. Those

who have committed acts of PunyA and PApA (pious deeds and sins), and

are experiencing the result of such activities in the form of limited

happiness and substantial sorrow; those who are unable to experience

either (being trapped in bodies like stones, furniture, etc,) and are

leading a frustrated existence; such living entities are called baddha

jIvaatmAs according to SaastrA. BrahmadevA (chatur mukha brahmA),

ShivA, IndrA, SUryA, ChandrA, the 330 million demigods, asurAs

(those in whom Rajo Guna dominate), raakshasAs (those in whom Tamo Guna

dominate), Maharshis, human beings, insects, plant life, countless micro

organisms; living entities occupying all such bodies are all baddha

jIvaatmAs.

 

I shall now explain who mukta jIvaatmAs are. Knowledge about them is

essential for us. This is because we have to emulate their example and

put an end to all difficulties and eternally enjoy bliss. Carefully

read and understand who mukta jIvaatmAs are. There were baddha

jIvaatmAs that got fed up with the constant suffering they were

undergoing because of the twin ropes of punyA and pApA. They squirmed

with agony about this miserable state of existence and thought about

ways to escape from this situation. They inquired from great souls about

how to experience superior pleasure. They clearly understood from these

people that only by getting rid off the shackles of karma and attaining

liberation (moksha) can one attain infinite happiness. For all of us

who are the products of this kali YugA, we have very limited

intelligence and capacity. "Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja. Sarva Paapebhyo

Mokshayishyaami" ( Take Me as your refuge. I will free you from all

sins. I will give you liberation (moksha) ). They understood with great

clarity, this statement of Sri Krishna in Srimad Bhagavad GeetA. They

clearly understood reality from a SadaachAryA (bona fide spiritual

preceptor).

 

They either learnt from the AchAryA as to how to take refuge (prapatti)

of Sriman NArAyanA, or they got refuge through the AchAryA . They

obtained His blessings and got rid of their karma, or in other words,

they successfully pacified His anger towards them. They attained Sri

VaikuNTam as a result of His blessings and are now enjoying bliss.

These are called Mukta jIvaatmAs in our scriptures (Saastras). So far

I have explained two out of the three categories of jIvaatmAs.

 

I shall now explain the third category of jIvaatmAs called NityasUris.

As explained previously , baddhAs are those who have committed sins and

are, as a consequence, pushed by paramAtmA into the prison called birth

and death as per "PaSava: PaaSita: Poorvam ParamENa sva leelayA" .

 

The second category of jIvaatmAs called muktAs are the ones who seeked

BhagavAn's forgiveness of their sins & got released from this jail called

death and went to their home Sri VaikuNTam wherein they stay forever

without separation from Bhagavaan (God) and experience infinite bliss.

NityasUris are those that have never committed any sin and have not

experienced the prison of birth and death. As per "savayasa iva ye nitya

nirdoshagandhA" they are like friends of paramAtmA of same age ,form,

wealth ,qualities (gunA)& enjoy all the opulence of Bhagavaan in an equal

measure with Him. Only such souls are NityasurIs.

 

BhUmidevi, NILAdevi, Adi SeshA, GarudA, VishwaksenA, dwArapAlakAs or

gatekeepers, parichaarakAs, attendents, GanapAtIs in Vaikuntha, apsaras of

VaikuNTa, soldiers, swans and other birds, lions and other animals etc

who are enjoying opulence at a level equal with God in Sri VaikuNTA

forever (eternally) are nityasUrIs. For more details refer to Sri

VaikuNTa GadyA. If one commits to memory the mantrAs for Adhaara Shakti

tarpanam, then it will stay in the mind.

 

3.) There are three more items that need to be described. These are

Prakruti, KAlA and Suddha sattvA.

 

First I shall talk about Prakruti. Listen carefully. The origin of

everything we see in this world that is made up of ether, air, fire,

water and earth is called Prakruti, just as grass and straw eaten by the

cow is the source of milk, cream, butter, ghee etc.

 

I am now giving you more details. Listen carefully. Give up lethargy

and grasp the truth. SaastrAs confirm that a time will come when every

lokA from BrahmalokA downwards will be dissolved (praLayA) . But even at

that time there will be countless jIvaatmAs that will not have attained

liberation. These jIvaatmAs will be sticking to Prakruti at that time

just as powdered gold sticks to molten wax. This combination of

Prakruti and jIvaatmAs is called tamas. When not connected with

jIvaatmAs, tamas is called as Prakruti. A portion of this Prakruti

is converted into a product called Mahat by Sriman NArAyanA. From a

portion of this Mahat , ahamkaarA is made by Him. A portion

of this ahamkaarA is used to make the eleven senses such as the

eyes, nose, ears etc.

>From another portion of ahamkaara, arises a rudimentary form of ether.

>From this rudimentary ether develops the ether proper. From this ether

proper develops first a rudimentary form of air and then air proper.

>From air develops first rudimentary fire and then fire proper. From

fire develops an rudimentary form of water and from that, comes water

proper. From water comes rudimentary earth and then earth proper. In

this way Sriman NArAyanA has constituted 24 ingredients for material

nature (prakruti). ParamaatmA uses these 24 ingredients to create all

bodies & according to the individual punya and papa karmas He confines

the jIvaatmA to a particular type of body . ParamaatmA also enters into

each and everybody and protects us.

 

Now I shall explain about Suddha SattvA. Carefully ponder over this and

understand everything clearly. The Prakruti that I have been talking

about earlier is composed of three elements viz. sattva, rajas and tamas.

There is another thing called "Suddha sattvA " constituting the sattva

guna alone (different from the "sattva" of prakruti) , without any

mixture of rajas and tamas. That is why it is called Suddha sattvam.

This Suddha sattvA is the cause for the existence of all non living

substances within Sri VaikuNTA. In other words, the bodies of

Bhagavaan , bodies of nitya sUris, bodies of mukta jIvaatmAs, gopurams,

towers, pillars etc in Sri VaikuNTam are all made up of Suddha sattvam.

 

There is one more element called time. It has many divisions such as

moment, seconds, minute, hour etc. Moola Prakruti does not exist within

the realm of Sri VaikuNTam. Suddha sattvam, the cause of Sri

Vaikuntham does not exist in the material world. However time exists in

both realms. Make sure that you have carefully read and digested

everything that has been written up till now. We are going to touch

upon some additional subjects covered by Saastras.

 

-- to be cont--

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