The "brief" descriptions of the five Mathams

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>Mon, 01 Feb 1999 20:04:45 -0500

>"Malolan Paduka Sevaka Net":;

>Anand Srinivasan <asriniva

>

>Dear Sriman. Sadagpoan,

>

>Could you (if possible) very briefly elaborate on each one

>of the mathams below?>

>adiYen

>Anand

>

>>Sadagopan wrote:

>>6. H.H The Jeeyar elaborated on the five incorrect views

>> (pakshams )that define the five different mathams :

>>

>> A. Aathmaikya Paksham of Yaadhava Prakaasan

>> B. Dhevathaikya Paksham ,

>> C. Thrimoorthy Saamya paksham

>> D. Thrimoorthy Eikhya paksham

>> E. Anyathra Isvarya paksham

 

Dear Sri Anand Srinivasan :

 

These 5 mathams are very important to understand

in the context of the correctness of Sri VisishtAdhvaitham

as proven by Swami Desikan in Tattva Muktha Kalaapa ,

Sarvaartha Siddhi ( a commentary on the latter )

and Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram . I will try to

summarize them , although they are difficult Vedanthic

concepts and will defy brief descriptions.

 

A.Aathmaikya Paksham of Yaadhava Prakaasaa

 

This system of philosophy is known as

the BhEdhAbhEdha Vaadam and is attributed to

BhaaskarA and Yaadhava PrakaasA . This is a powerful

school of VedanthA at one time , as seen from

the lengthy steps taken by Sudarsana Soori to refute

the above darsanam following the lines of AchArya

RaamAnujA's Sri Bhaashyam .BhEdhAbhEdham means

literally ,identity in difference .

 

The issue is related to how one can explain the

material causality of Brahman ? For reference ,

a lump of clay is the material cause (upAdAna

Kaaranam ) for an earthern pot .How does Brahman ,

which upanishads assert as immutable transform into

the universe ? How is the material casuality of

Brahman accounted for without affecting the svarUpam

of Brahman ?

 

BhaskarA and YaadhavaprakAsA accounted for this

by stating that Brahman itself transforms into the

material universe .This is generally recognized as

BRAHMA -PARINAAMA -VAADHAM .

 

VisishtAdhvaithins connected Brahman with chEthanam

and AchEthanam ( sentient/chith and insentient/achith )

and held that the subtle form of assoication of Brahman

with Chith and achith ( Sookshama -chith-achidh visishta form)

is how one can explain the material causality of Brahman .

This is a considered a modified form of BRAHMA-PARINAAMA-

VAADHAM .

 

Advaithins had the view based on the illusory

nature of the universe .They held that Brahman is

the basis of the illusory appearance of of the universe

IS its material cause. Vedantha Desika classed this view

as Vivartha Vaadham and dismissed both the Advaithin's

and the YaadhavaprAkAsaa's views following the line

of AchArya RaamAnujA and established the soundness

of VisishtAdhvathic darsanam .

 

In YaadhavaprakAsA's(YP's) matham , Brahman has three fold

power (sakthi) and it transforms into chith , achith

and Isvara sakthis.Brahman , which is being (sath)

transforms itself into a triadic form , while maintaining

its svarUpam unchanged although its sakthi undergoes

transformation .In YP's matham , Brahman undergoing threefold

changes (BhEdham )as Chethanam , Achethanam and Isvaran , while

the svarUpam of Brahman remains unchanged (abEdham ).Swami

Desikan rejects this view as unsound on the basis that

acceptance of bhEdham and abEdham in one breath

amounts to self-contradiction . This aathmaikyam

( the identity of aathmA/Paramaathma with prapancham

(material universe ) is thus rejected .

 

2. dEvathaikya Paksham : This accepts that Brahman ,

ChEthanam and AchEthanam are distinctly different .

But , it commits the blunder by holding the view that

there is no difference between dEvAs like BrahmA ,

RudrA , Indran and ParamAthmA ( BhagavAn/Isvaran ).

This point of view promulgates that the aathmA

underlying all of them is one and the same .Since

the same aathmA is present in the bodies of both

BhagavAn and devathAs according to this view ,

it leads to the conclusion that there is no

difference between the supreme God and the demi-Gods .

Our SiddhAntham in distinct contrast recognizes limitless

jeevans occupying limitless sarirams while our Lord shines

as the antharyAmi of all these multitudinous Jeevans .

Swami Desikan rejects this view as well .

 

3. ThrimUrthy Saamya paksham : This point of view

overcomes the inherent limitation of the dEvathaikya paksham .

It recognizes that the bodies of BrahmA-VishNu-Rudhran

house different aathmAs .Those three aathmAs have

the six auspicious attributes of Jn~Anam , Sakthi ,

Bhalam , Eisvaryam , Veeryam and Tejas in the same measure.

These six attributes associated with the three aathmAs

belonging to Brahma -VishNu-Rudhran are considered

identical in value. There is no thAra Tamyam in

these GuNams . They have saamyam or identical value

among the thrimUrthys .This view recognizes that

other DevAs like Agni , Indran will have less or

more of each of the six guNAs , but not the thrimUrthys.

 

Our siddhAntham based on Sruthis assert that

Brahma and Rudran are karma vasyAs , who derive their

origin/power from Sriman naarAyaNA and the Lord takes on

the incarnation of VishNu from para VaasudEva Roopam .

VishNu is not born like Rudran and BrahmA .

Jeevans like BrahmA and Rudran are born because

of their karmAs and that VishNu is not born , but

is an avathAram of Sriman NaarAyaNA .

 

4. ThrimUrthy Eikhya paksham : Here ,a subtle change

is made from the above ThrimUrthy Saamya Paksham .

Here the sarirams of the thrimUrthys are recognized

as different , but the same aathmA resides inside all

the three. All the other devathAs would have aatham

bhEdham , but not these three.

 

When one takes into account pramANams such as

" aadhyO NaarAyaNOdhEva:tasmaath BrahmA tathO Bhava:",

it is hard to support either the ThrimUrth Eikhya or

Saamya pakshams. The first and foremosrt Jagadh

KaaraNam is Sriman naarAyaNan in our sampradhAyam

and hence views 3 &4 are rejected .We believe in

the PramANam : "AadhyO naarayaNa: deva: ,

ParO NaaraayaNa : deva: ( He is the first and ancient

as well as the supreme devan : para devathai ).

 

5.Anyathra Eisvarya Paksham : This view is known

as utthIrna vaadham . This view holds that VishNu

because He is part of th trinity can not have

jagath KaaraNathvam and hence there must be yet another

( anyathra Isvaran ) beyond the Trinity , who must

have jagath kaaraNathvam . In this vaadham known also

as VyOmAdhitha vaadham , VishNU's status as an

incarnation of para Vaasudevan is deemphasized

and He is lumped with BrahmA and Rudran. This

view is therefore not acceptable to us based on

PramANams once again .

 

What is acceptable after rejecting the above five pakshams ?

***********************************************************

 

The theme of the sixth chapter , ParadEvathA PaaramArthya

adhikhAram deals at great length about this subject

and establishes unambigously that Sriman NaarAyaNA

is the Para dEvathai and that is the true status

(paaramArthyam)among all gods.Swami says in the second half

of the introductory slOkam of the sixth hapte rthat all

the VedAs announce Sriman NaarAyaNA's supermacy in

a united voice (Yekha kantam ) as well as Sage VyAsaa and

other great ones :

 

thrayyanthi : yEkha KaNtai:

tadhanuguNamanu:VyAsamukhyOkthibhisccha

 

What do they say ?They say clearly that

Sriman NaarAyaNan is the supreme Lord

to All and has the chEthanams and achEthanams

as His body ; He is the one and only One ,

who can grant us Moksham and He is the One ,

who is enjoyed by the Muktha Jeevans :

 

Sriman NaarAyaNO na: pathirakhila tanu:

mukthidhO MukthabhOgya :

 

Thus the refutation of the five points of view

leaves us convinced that Sriman NaarAyaNan

is para Tatthvam and He is the Sarva sEshi tous all

and is our Supreme Swami .Manu Smruthi , MahA Bharatham ,

Sri VishNu PurANam provide us the PramANams

to recognize Sriman NaarAyaNan as Jagadh KaaraNan

and Para Tatthvam .SaraNAgathi at His sacred feet

would yield without fail Moksham .

 

H.H. The 45th Jeeyar of AhObila matam focused

on the sixth chapter of Srimath Rahasya Thraya

Saaram in his last UpanyAsam over the tele-bridge .

 

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa !

 

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan