Digest bhakti.v004.n001

[Guest guest]

Sri Raamajayam

A few more clarifications please, this time it is on our favourite Ithihaasa,

Srimad Raamayanam.

 

1.In Aditya Hridayam, which is an integral part of Srimad Raamayanam(Yuddha

Kaandam), there is a verse "Yesha Brahmascha, Vishnuscha,

Sivas skanda Prajapathihi....". I have to revisit the translation from the

Bhakthi list(since I remember only the jist, and the

article is treasured at my workplace). But the hymn casually address Sri.Vishnu

with Brahma, Siva and Skanda with no unique clarity

on Parthvam to Sriman Naarayan. That too when we consider Suryan itself as

Sriman Naarayanan("Suryae/Sathyam Jyothishi Jyohomi...").

A broader explanation on such Ithihaasic verses will be nice to hear.

 

2.In Devipatnam(Navabhaashanam), Sri.Rama prayed to the Navagrahas and

apparently Siva Lingaas at Rameswaram(since our Dhanuskodi

Perumaal is now in Pammal). These worship are not in the Mental plane (like

previously discussed Dhyaana Mantraas, where we have

Dhyaanam of Sriman Naarayanan, and not Indra, Rudra, Sudarsan or Mani), but in

the Physical plane, which we are specifically

encouraged as Sri Vaishnavites, not to practice. In fact there are many other

instances found not only in Srimad Raamayanam, but also

in Mahaa Bharatham. Any explanation on this topic is awaited eagerly.

 

Adiyen is extremely honoured with replies from Bhagavathaas like Sri.Mani,

Sri.Sadagopan, Sri.Anand Karalapaakam(privately I will ask

you for your mentors and Acharya's to fulfill the purpose of my Upanayanam,

before I am worthy of Samasrayanam). I had to share my

ignorance(I am thankful I did), to deeply understand what I practice and want to

cherish.

 

Adiyen,

 

Sudarsan

[Guest guest]

Sudarsan Parthasarathy wrote:

>

 

> 2.In Devipatnam(Navabhaashanam), Sri.Rama prayed to the Navagrahas and

apparently Siva Lingaas at Rameswaram(since our Dhanuskodi

> Perumaal is now in Pammal). These worship are not in the Mental plane (like

previously discussed Dhyaana Mantraas, where we have

> Dhyaanam of Sriman Naarayanan, and not Indra, Rudra, Sudarsan or Mani), but in

the Physical plane, which we are specifically

> encouraged as Sri Vaishnavites, not to practice. In fact there are many other

instances found not only in Srimad Raamayanam, but also

> in Mahaa Bharatham. Any explanation on this topic is awaited eagerly.

>

>

> Sudarsan

 

 

Just to support the replies of Sri K M Narayanan

and others based on what I have learned, there is

absolutely no reference in Srimad Valmiki

Ramayanam to Sri Rama doing arAdhanai to Siva, or

any other anya dEvatha. In fact, there is very

little reference to Sri Rama having done any pooja

or arAdhanai at all. However, Sri Adikavi Valmiki

repeatedly points out that Sri Rama strictly

adhered to the performance of sandhyavandanam as

dictated by sAstra, perhaps as an indication to

all of us about the importance of adhering to

this.

 

There is only one incident which serves as

exception. It takes place in the Ayodha khAndam,

the day before Sri Rama's original coronation

day. Following the instruction of His father, Sri

Rama goes to the family temple along with Sita

Piratti to perform arAdhanai to Sriman Narayana

and meditate and fast until dawn. Sri Valmiki

makes a clear and direct statemement that the

Deity that Sri Rama worshipped was Sriman

Narayana, and no one else.

 

I was also taught that the authors of other

versions of the Ramayanam have taken what could be

best described as "poetic license" in expanding

upon - or at times creating completely new -

incidents to enhance the mood of devotion or bring

more credibility to certain popular religious

sentiments. The latter is probably the case in

explaining the accounts of Rama worshipping Siva

at Rameswaram. While these other versions are to

be respected for their devotional content,

SriVaishnavas by tradition do not give equal

weight to them in terms of their content or

accuracy.

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

 

Mohan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrI Lakshminrusimha ParabrahmaNE namaha

SrI Lakshminrusimha divya pAdukA sEvaka SrIvaNN-

SatakOpa SrI nArAyaNa yateendra mahAdESikAya namaha

 

Dear SrI Sudarsan,

namO nArAyaNA

 

 

Sri Sudarsan Parthasarathy wrote:

>

> 1.In Aditya Hridayam, which is an integral part of Srimad

>Raamayanam(Yuddha Kaandam), there is a verse "Yesha Brahmascha,

>Vishnuscha, Sivas skanda Prajapathihi....". I have to revisit

>the translation from the Bhakthi list(since I remember only the

>jist, and the article is treasured at my workplace). But the

>hymn casually address Sri.Vishnu with Brahma, Siva and Skanda

>with no unique clarity on Parthvam to Sriman Naarayan. That

>too when we consider Suryan itself as Sriman Naarayanan("Suryae/

>Sathyam Jyothishi Jyohomi..."). A broader explanation on such

>Ithihaasic verses will be nice to hear.

 

Vishnu as a dEvata amongst all the dEvAs is an "avatAram"

of SrIman nArAyaNA. This has been discussed and established

very well by BAshyakArar (ie. bhagavad rAmAnuja) in vEdArtha

Sangraha. This is the remarkable "Sowlabhyam" shown by our

Parama Purushan SrIman nArAyaNA in identifying Himself as

one amongst the dEvas. Our PerumAL, not only has parathvam, but

also has intense Sowlabhyam and Sowseelyam. It is the same

Supreme Lord SrIman nArAyaNA, who was tied into a mortar

by YasOdhai. Why, even for that matter that same SrIman

nArAyaNA is giving various sEvais in His archA avatArams

and it looks as if His thirumEni is a stone devoid of

suddha sattvam ; and is identifying Himself in the midst

of even all of us !! Is this not a greater wonder than what

you have asked ?? Understanding only about the parathvam of

SrIman nArAyaNA is incomplete knowledge. We have to

understand about His daya , Sowlabhyam etc kalyANa guNAs

also. Thus, addressing Vishnu alongwith other dEvatAs

is not to be understood as an insult and is not refuting

the parathvam of PerumAL. The mood is to enjoy the

Sowlabhyam aspect of PerumAL as one amogst the dEvAs.

There are various other texts which declare the parathvam

of SrIman nArAyaNA. When one talks about such avatArams,

parathvam will usually be not shown explicitly by PerumAL

all the time. There are also some stories completely

misunderstood by some ; Instead of understanding the

intense sowlabhyam and sowseelyam displayed by PerumAL,

some mistakes it for the lower/equal status of Vishnu in

comparison with other dEvatAs. Anyway, when one understands

sAstrAs as a whole, as beautifully presented by our

pUrvAchAryAs, these things will become easy to understand.

 

Also, a jIvAtma is given the post of sUrya. SUryanArAyaNA

is the one who resides alongwith the jIvAtma SUrya (

SandhyAvandanam mantrams/slokams describe SUryanArAyaNA;

also, a Brahma Vidya on the meditation of this form of

PerumAL is also there).

 

> 2.In Devipatnam(Navabhaashanam), Sri.Rama prayed to the Navagrahas

>and apparently Siva Lingaas at Rameswaram(since our Dhanuskodi

> Perumaal is now in Pammal). These worship are not in the Mental

>plane (like previously discussed Dhyaana Mantraas, where we have

> Dhyaanam of Sriman Naarayanan, and not Indra, Rudra, Sudarsan or

>Mani), but in the Physical plane, which we are specifically

> encouraged as Sri Vaishnavites, not to practice. In fact there

>are many other instances found not only in Srimad Raamayanam, but also

> in Mahaa Bharatham. Any explanation on this topic is awaited eagerly.

>

 

Already, devotees like Sri K.Narayanan, Sri Mohan Raghavan

have well explained this. SrImad vAlmIki rAmAyanam doesn't say

anything like that. Its pretty obvious that, all these are later

concoctions (sources unknown).

 

Even if PerumAL resorted to anya dEvatAs, it is only to shown His

sowlabhyam etc kalyANa guNAs. For instance, Lord Rama performed

SaraNAgathi to Samudra rAjA !! One should not take the "utmost

asAram" here and conclude that samudra rAjA is superior to PerumAL.

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

ananthapadmanAbha dAsan

krishNArpaNam