The Three Gems

[Guest guest]

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra

Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

The Three Gems

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Diamonds are forever: however, Ratnams are for

eternity, and their glitter and glow cast a spell on

even the most prosaic of individuals. As far as our

Sampradaya is concerned, we have Ratnams galore strewn

around, wherever we turn. In this piece, adiyen would

like to focus connoisseurs’ attention on a few of

them.

Where else do we start but with the Adi KAvyA? This

Itihasam itself is a Ratnam, but the pArAyaNa slOkAs

talk about another, much more precious stone, which

forms the centerpiece of the beautiful garland that is

Srimad Ramayana. It is none other than Sri Maruti, who

is extolled as a Ratnam par excellence.

“GOshpadI kritvArAsim masakI krita Rakshasam

Ramayana mahA mAlA Ratnam vandE anilAtmajam”

And why should Sri Hanuman be equated to a Ratnam?

Perhaps because he performed feats that were

considered impossible. One such is his crossing the

long, broad, tumultuous and treacherous ocean that lay

across his path to Lanka, in the quest for Sri Janaki.

 

And he exhibits more of his bravery in the service of

Sri Rama, whenever and wherever the occasion demands,

especially in the annihilation of the Rakshasas who

meet their end at his hands, like so many mosquitoes.

For him, it is almost a sport. Azhwars also speak of

him as “thiral viLangu Maruti”. No wonder then that

he is termed a Ratnam, adorning the garland that is

Ramayana.

Morover, Sri Maruti is showered with high praise by

none other than Sri Janaki-

“slAghaneeya: anilasya tvam putra: parama dhArmika:

balam shouryam shrutam sattvam vikaramo:dAkshyam

uttamam

tEja:kshamA dhritir dhairyam vineetatvam na samsaya:

EtE cha anyE cha bahava: guNA: tvayyEva shObhanA:”

 

Hearing from Hanuman the glad tidings about Sri Rama’s

victory over Ravana, Sri Mythily tells Siriya

Tiruvadi,

“ You are the illustrious son of Vayu Bhagavan, and

an adherent of dharma of the highest order. You are

adorned by a galaxy of good qualities- unmatched

strength, manliness, proficiency in shastras, inborn

greatness, the capability to vanquish even the most

powerful of enemies, strict adherence to

righteousness, superhuman prowess, unlimited patience,

perseverance, courage, with absolute control over the

five senses. You are the repository of these and other

numerous such auspicious guNAs.”

 

More than anything else, Sri Anjaneya is hailed as a

Ratnam due to his Kainkarya Ruchi, or penchant for

service to Sri Rama. Even while introducing himself to

Ravana, he proudly proclaims, “dAsOham KOsalEndrasya”

(I am a humble servant of Sri Rama). Who indeed can

excel this Kainkarya Ratnam?

 

We turn next to the “PurANa Ratnam”. Of the eighteen

puranas, depending on the content, coverage, and

credibility, some are classified as “Satvika Puranas”,

some others as “RAjasa Puranas”, and yet others as

“TAmasa Puranas”. Mumukshus only to the

Satvika Puranas. And among the Satvika Puranas, the

best is the Sri Vishnu Purana. Hence it is no wonder

that every Acharya, irrespective of the Sampradaya he

belongs to, has quoted widely from the Vishnu Purana-

Sri Ramanuja and Sri Sankara almost confine their

quotes to this purana, in their respective

commentaries on the Brahma sutras and the Bhagavat

Gita. And Sri Alavandar hails this as the “Purana

ratnam” –

“TatthEvEna yat chit achit Easvara tat svabhAva

BhOga apavarga tad upAya gatee: udAra:

Sandarsayan niramimeeta purana Ratnam

Tasmai namO munivarAya ParAsarAya”

Sri Yamuna muni adduces reasons for considering this

as a gem among puranas. The lakshaNA of a good purana

is the ability to clarify the Tattvatrayam- the nature

of the sentient soul, the non-sentient matter, and of

the Lord. Sri Vishnu purana details not only the

Tattvatrayam, but also the nature of swargam and

Paramapadam, and the means the Jeeva has to adopt to

attain them. With regard to the Easwara Tatvam, this

purana stipulates that Divinity consists of a Duo- The

Lord and PirAtti. (“DampatI daivatam na:” as Swami

Desikan puts it). Further, this purana has the

distinction of clarifying the greatness of the Divine

Consort. It states conclusively that She is not just

an ornamental appendage to the Lord, but is equally

powerful, and more merciful (“Bhagavan Narayana

abimata anuroopa svaroopa roopa guna vibhava ishvarya

seelAdi anavadhika asankyEya kalyANa guNa

gaNAm”-Gadyam). It lays down further that just as the

Lord is a “Vibhu”(is present everywhere), so is TAyAr-

 

“yata sarvagatO Vishnu: tataivEyam dvijOttama”. The

purana also focuses on the inseparability of Sri from

Emperuman-« nityA Eva EshA jaganmAtA VishNO : Sri

anapAyini” – (or, as Sri Nammazhwar puts it,

:”agalakillEn irayaum endru alarmEl mangai urai

mArbA”.). With all these weighty qualifications, it is

little surprise that Sri Vishnu puranam has earned

from our Acharyas the sobriquet, “Purana Ratnam”.

 

The next and perhaps the most important Ratnam that

comes to adiyen’s mind is the “Acharya Ratnam”. While

all Acharyas, past and present, do qualify for this

title, yet there are some who deserve special mention,

for their exceptional contribution to the Sampradaya.

The value of a tribute varies, depending on the source

from which it emanates. By this standard, Swami

Desikan’s accolade to Sri Ramanuja is indeed a fitting

one, from one Acharya Ratnam to another. The 15th

sloka in Sri Yatiraja Saptati is a gem indeed-

 

“amunA tapana atisAyi bhoomnA

YatirAjEna nibaddha nAyaka Shree:

MahatI gurupankti hArayashti:

VibhudhAnAm hridayangamA vibhAti”

 

If the magnificent Guruparampara of ours is a garland

of gems, then Sri Ramanuja is the glittering

centrepiece or pendant, which adds resplendence to the

entire “hAra”. There have been several Acharyas prior

to Sri Bhashyakara-Sri Nathamuni, Sri Yamunamuni, Sri

Perianambi, Sri GhoshtiPurna, and any number of

others. And there have been illustrious Acharyas after

Sri Ramanuja- Sri Azhwan, Sri Pillan, Sri Bhattar, Sri

Kidambi AcchAn, Sri Embar, Sri Mudaliandan- and their

respective sishyaparamparAs. Swami Desikan says the

fame of all these Acharyas has increased manifold due

to their association with Sri Ramanuja, either as his

Acharyas or disciples. Acharyas prior to the

Bhashyakara have his tirumudi sambandham, while the

ones subsequent to him treasure his tiruvadi

sambandham. Whatever be the doctrinal differences

among Sri Vaishnavites, they are all unanimous in

accepting Sri Ramanuja as the Acharya Ratnam.

 

Those were the principal Ratnatrayam.

Swami Desikan is so enamoured of Ratnams that he has

devoted a full two chapters to them, in that

MahAkAvyam, Sri Paduka Sahasram- the Ratna SAmAnya

Paddhati and the Bahuratna Paddhati. Though the former

has 50 slokas, all of them priceless gems, here is one

for a sample-

“SamAdhi bhAjAm tanutE tvadeeyA

RangEsa pAdAvani Ratna pankti:

StthAnam prayAtum tamasa:param tat

Pradeepa krityam prabhayA mahatyA”

 

Sri Ranganatha’s footwear is lined with several

sparkling Ratnas. The brilliance generated by these

gems illuminates the way to Sri Vaikuntam. This

samsArA is a den of darkness (“iruL taru mAgyAlam”-Sri

Nammazhwar), and if we are to transcend it and cross

over to the brightness of the world of the immortals,

only the Ratnas in the Lord’s padukAs can show us the

way. Here is another sample from the Bahuratna

paddhati-

“tApatraya prasamanAya samAsritAnAm

sandarsita aruNa sitAsita Ratna pankti:

pushNAsi Ranga nripatE:maNi pAdukE tvam

prAya: sarOja kumuda utpala kAnanAni”

 

Sri Azhagia Manavalan’s Padukas are beset with gems of

three colours- red, blue and white. The sparkle from

these three types of Ratnas creates an impression as

though it is a forest of three-coloured flowers,

specifically created to relieve devotees of the three

types of problems that they encounter

-tApatrayam-(AdhyAtmikam, Adi bhoutikam, Adi

daivikam).

One can see the sparkle of countless Ratnas in the

ocean that is our Sampradaya (the ocean is called

“RatnAkara” or the repository of priceless gems). To

mention a few, there is the “YAdavAnAm sirO Ratnam”

that the Sri Krishnashtakam speaks of, the

“RaghukulAnvaya Ratnadeepam” of Srimad Ramayana, the

“Saptati Ratna MAlika”, a garland of seventy gems

composed by Sri PrativAdi Bhayankaram aNNan in praise

of Swami Desikan, the beautiful “UpadEsa Ratna MAlai”

of Sri Manavala Mamunigal etc.etc.

These and other such Ratnas with which the firmament

of our tradition is studded, beam down a brilliant but

pleasant light, illuminating our paths in this world

and others.

“ikshvAku vamsArNava jAta Ratnam

SeetAnganA youvana bhAgya Ratnam

Vaikunta Ratnam mama BhAgya Ratnam

Sri Rama Ratnam sirasA namAmi”

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrsimha divya paduka sevaka

SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya

Nama: ------------dasan, sadagopan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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