Experiencing Swami Desika - 35

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SrI:

Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:

Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:

Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

 

Lets see Swami Desika's description on the greatness

of Shri emberumAnAr's tiruvadi. Swami Desika's

explanation makes all of us long for the touch

of Shri rAmAnujA's tiruvadi!

 

"lipse lakshmanayOgina: padayugam ratyAparAgacchatA-

rakshArOpaNadanyasooriparishatsImantasImAntikam !

BhikshAparyatanakshaNeshu bibharAm chakrae galatkilbisha

yadvinyAsamisheNa patramakarImudrAm samudrAmbarA !!"

 

-- yatirAja Saptati (64)

 

Shri rAmAnujA was a sanyAsi. As part of his

daily routine he used to walk along the streets

and get the Maadhokaram (biksha) from paramaukAntins,

(as a sanyasi ought to do) and prepare amudhu(food).

 

At that time Shri rAmAnujA's feet used to touch

the ground. Alas, all the impurities of that place

would disappear by the very touch and the whole

place would become pure!

 

mahA purushAs have some symbols viz. kOdi, Meen,

kudai, tAmarai, etc. We see these symbols in the

inner part of the feet of Shri rAmAnujA in the form

of lines. So, when Shri rAmAnujA's feet touches the

earth all these symbols also get imprinted!

 

Swami Desika says that Shri yatirAjar places his

feet on the ground as a matter of fact. In reality,

it is Bhoomi devi (mother earth) who utilises this

opportunity. Swami Desika beautifully explains that

by the touch of yatirAjar's tiruvadi, Bhoomi devi

gets purified. And in addition to that Bhoomi devi

receives these symbols and thus gets her work done!

 

The vidvAns come in drove's to collect the dust in the

streets which was touched by Shri EmberumAnar. These

vidvAns realise this dust to be a rakshA (protection),

and place it on their heads. Their head is blessed

with such a bAgyam! This is not all, after this the

vidvAns come in person and have Shri yatirAjars feet

itself placed on their head!!!

 

Swami Desika says that he also wants to bear

Shri yatirAjar's thiruvadi on his head and

get purified!

 

Swami Desika tells us about Shri yatirAjar's philosophy.

Swami gives us the reply to the question "Is VisishtAdvaita

of Shri rAmAnujA an evolved philosophy ? " Swami Desika

establishes that Shri rAmAnujA's philosophy is ancient.

 

"yatishmAbruddrushtam matamiha navInam tadapi kim

tata: prAgavAnyadooda tadapi kim varNanikape !

nishAmyantAm yadvA nijamatatiraskAravigamAt

nirAtangAshtangadramidakuhadevaprabrutaya: !!"

 

-- yatirAja Saptati (57)

 

Some people say that Shri Visistadvaita Vedanta has been

found by Shri rAmAnujA and hence the philosophy is new!

They say that the other matam's existed before this and

hence are ancient.

 

Swami Desika says that even if we take their words to be

true, we have nothing to lose. Swami says -

What is it we lose if our philosophy is new, and what do

the other philosophies gain because it is old?

 

Swami emphatically states that Superiority of the

Philosophy is not based on its advent. Vedas have

to be wholly considered and interpreted appropriately.

The philosophy which succeeds in this is the superior

philosophy. And it is obviously our philosophy

which is the MOST SUPERIOR.

 

If we analyse it further, we realise that our

VisistAvaita Vedanta has not been found out by

Shri rAmAnujA! Our sampradAyam is also anAthy

like the Vedas. Tanka, Dramida, guhadEva, nammalvar,

nAthamunigal, alvar's ... all those who lived long

before Shri RAmAnujA have been teaching this philosophy.

Nobody could come forward and refute their doctrines.

So without any interruptions they could spread the

philosophy. They have not established the philosophy

based on the just swArasyam of vakyAs and padams

of the Vedas and Brahma sutras. It is explicit that

they have considered swArasyam, aksharA by aksharA

and have written the vEdanta grantA.

Shri bhasyakArar, in the beginning of Sri bAshyam

itself says that it is based on PoorvAcharyas

principles the akshara's of Brahma sootra's are

being translated. In reality, Shri bhasyakArar

gave a new shape to the philosophy which came

through this lineage, in a way that all learned

people could understand. Shri rAmAnujA by systematising

these in his srI sookti's did an extraordinary help

and that is the reason for our philosophy to be called

as Ramanuja siddantam.

 

Swami Desika determinedly states that the arguments

which state that this philosophy is new is baseless.

 

.......to be continued!

 

yatirAjar tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

22nd Aug 1999