Proceedings of the 8th Sri Vaishnava Satsangham in the Bay Area

[Guest guest]

Sri Raamajayam

 

Dear Bhagavathaas,

The Bay Area Sri Vaishnavas congregated at the home of Smt.Sumati

& Sri.Ramanujam on 18 June 2000, to celebrate Swamy Nammazhvaar TN.

We started earlier than normal, thanks to the suggestion from

Sri.Arun(and completed on time too), with recitation of Thaniyangal to

our Acharya Parampara. This was followed by Thirupallaandhu,

Thirupalliezhuchi and Thirupaavai.

 

Adiyen talked about Swamy Nammazhvaar Avataaram and promptly followed

by an enthusiastic and nice discussion from other Bhagavathaas. All

the rich qualities of Swamy Nammazhvaar were brought out by

Madhurakavi Azhvaar and we embarked on discovering it again by

reciting "Kanninun Siruthaambu".

 

It is not enough knowing Swamy Nammazhvaar, when we do not share his

Bhakthi and his Anubhavam of the Divya Dhampatis(Unnum Sorum, Parugum

Neerum, Thinnum Vetrilaiyum ellam Kannan. The food he ate, the water

he drank and the betel leaves he chewed were all done in thoughts of

Sri Krishna). So we started reciting Thiruvaimozhi together, and

continued to talk about Swamy Nammazhvaar as Sadagopa Nayaki pining

for the Lord.

 

Then Smt.Sumati and family treated the lord with Thaligai Samarpanam

followed by Sattumurai.

 

The second part of the session, was a great group event lead by

Smt.Sridharan(Arun's mother) and Smt.Sumati's sister(in-law) who were

leading us in Hari Naama Sankirthanam(Bhajans).

 

This was followed by Adiyen's continuation on "Ethiraaja

Sapthathi"(Slokas 14-20, Slokas 1-13 explanation were started in our

our last Satsangham) and we concluded the day with Mangala Aarathi to

Swamy Nammazhvaar/Divya Dhampatis & partaking the nice prasaadham.

 

Adiyen Sri Raamanuja Daasan,

 

 

Sudarsana Dasosmi

 

ETHIRAAJA SAPTHATHI SLOKAS 14-20, in brief(please pardon errors, and

do feel free to correct Adiyen).....

 

For Adiyen it was a great way to learn and share the greatness of

Swamy Ramanuja, as explained by Swamy Desikan. Adiyen would suggest

we could focus on every Satsangham having a talk on

Emperumaanar(Bhashyakaarar, Sri.Ramanujar, Udaiyavar,

Ethiraajar....)who has nurtured the Vedas from the onslaught of

mis-interpretations and slander(Sloka 14) and glittered as a Nayaka

Ratnam(Sloka 15) in our Guru Parampara. Swamy Ramanuja's explanations

on Vedas/Sastras were un-clipped due to his divine qualities &

presence of mind, unlike other interpretations which were clipped with

lack of basis, as proved by Emperumaanar(Sloka 16. an analogy to Swamy

Ramanuja's interpretation of Vedas is to compare it to the Mainaaka

Parvatham, which was the only mountain whose wings were not clipped by

Indra, as other mountains then were causing damage by their constant

relocation).

 

Such is our great Acharya, blemishless(Sloka 17. Even the moon which

is blemishless on full-moon is diminishing on other days) and his

feet is like a city with glittering flags(sloka 18) which is even

greater than that of the Lord himself(Sloka 20 - since he even saved

the lord from slander and mis-interpretations), so we should take

refuge in him as Swamy Desikan demonstrated. In Sloka 19, Swamy

Desikan says, by delivering his slokas on Ethiraaja, even the dirt

associated with the necessity of speaking against other philosophies

which mis-interpret or slanders the Vedas, is nullified(IT IS

IMPORTANT FOR A SRIVAISHNAVITE TO HOLD THIS THOUGHT, NOT TO HURT IN

WORDS, ACTION OR THOUGHT ANOTHER JEEVA, IT IS GREAT TO SEE THIS

EXPRESSED BY SWAMY DESIKAN IN ALL HUMILITY), and we benefit from it

like Panagam(Water Sweetened with Gur and Spiced up) or Sandal-wood

paste which are all murky, yet dear to us. Adiyen choose to interpret

this Sloka, as "any act dedicated to our Lord and Acharya alike, done

for the benefit of humanity..in short Satvika Tyaagam, can only be

pleasing to everyone and should be free of sins".

 

Swamy Desikan, Emperumaanar Thiruvadigalae Charanam.

SrimathE GopAla DEsika MahA DEsikAya Namaha