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Dear Bhagavathas,

We are celebrating the thirunakshatram of Swami Alavandar. His contributions

to viSistadvaita are so great that we cannot find words to praise them.

Eventhough he was a great scholar, he used to give live and simple examples

to explain even complex matters in our sampradaya. Let me share with you all

one such :

 

viSistadvaita - viSista would mean 'koodiyadu' - that which is together and

inseparable. viSistadvaita would mean "monism of that which is together".

Once you say the word together -then we will have to answer who is together

with whom ? Who is united with whom ? Paramatma is together with Chit and

achit having them as his SarIra. Are they separarable ? - No. They are not.

 

Let us take two examples . dandI purushaha and Suklaha pataha i.e. man with

a stick and cloth with white colour. Both examples denote a togetherness but

with a difference. Stick can be separated from the man but not whiteness

from the cloth. Paramatma and his SarIra are like the second example.

 

When we say that they are inseparable - Are they one and the same? No.

Eventhough when we say that whiteness and cloth are inseparable we all agree

that whiteness and cloth are not one and the same. Paramatma and his SarIra

are also like this. This is called 'apruthaksiddhi' .

 

Now coming back to the explanation of viSistadvaita - advaita i.e. monism

propagates that there is no second tatva . Yes it is true. There is no

second tatva to the Brahmam which is together united with its sarIra (chit

and achit).

 

Swami AlavandAr explains this in his siddhi trayam with a beutiful example.

"yathA chola nrupaha samrAt advitIyaha asya bhUtale...". It is narrated as a

story.

A poet once went to a King and sung in praise of him. He said "O! King. You

have none second to you " . The king was pleased and rewarded him well. The

poet went away.

 

Another poet came. He was jealous of the earlier poet getting a fabulous

reward. So he told the King. "O! king. you have been cheated. The poet said

'there is none second to you'. You got carried away by his words. Dont you

have a wife , dont you have a son, dont you have servants, dont you have a

kingdom - all these are second to you . The poet's saying would mean that

you are an anatha without anyone."

 

On hearing this the king got angry and called for the poet to punish him.

The poet came and immediately understood what had happened. He beautifully

handled the situation saying that " O! king. I still say you have none

second to you. i.e there is no second person like you who is bestowed and

together with such a great wife, son, servant, chieftains and kingdoms. " .

The king was overwhelmed with joy and rewarded him again.

 

Where is the difference here? 1. the king has no one other than him 2. the

king has no one like him. If we say that there is no one other than him - it

is advaita. If we say that there is no one like him - it is viSistadvaita.

In advaita there is no one or nothing other than the brahmam - be it his

mahishIs, gunas, vigraha, vibhUti etc. In viSistadvaita - there is no one

like the brahmam that which is united with such great mahisis, gunas, vigrha

and vibhUti.

 

Swami Alavandar's parama krupa made him explain all these things so simply

to the dull headed like us.

 

Alavandar tiruvadigale Saranam.

 

 

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