Dr. N.S. Anantharangacharya's Book on Upanishats

[Guest guest]

SrI:

Nama SadasE !

SrImathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs: May I invite Your attention to

the ongoing plans for printing a set of monographs in

English on Major Upanishads following VisishtAdvaitha

Darsanam.

 

Introduction

*************

Here is a humble introduction to the forthcoming

publications in English by U.Ve. Dr.N.S.AnantharangAcchAr

Swamy of Bangalore on Major Upanishads . He has completed two

monographs on Upanishads already following the commentaries

in Sanskrit by Sri VaishNava AchAryALs. He is working on

two more dealing with ChAndhOgya and BruhadhAraNyaka

Upanishad . Today we have an abundance of commentaries

based on Advaitha and Dvaitha darsanams , but the monographs

in English on the Upanishads based on the VisishtAdhvaitha

darsanam are rare. Dr.NSA Swamy is addressing this paucity

(filling this vaccum) and blessing us with his erudite

scholarship. There is a Tamil summary (Upanishad Saaram )

by U.Ve.Vaikunta Vaasi , utthamUr SwamigaL.

 

Many of you know Dr.NSA Swamy as one of the greatest

SrI VaishNavite Scholars today , who has been prolific

in writing and publishing commentaries on original

Sri Sookthis, Veda Manthrams and Upanishads in Kannada

and English . Two of his most recent English publications

are :(1)Gems from Rg Veda and (2) MahA NaarAyaNOpanishad.

 

Dr.NSA Swamy and SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni of 16th Century

**********************************************************

Dr.NSA Swamy has been actively working on the translation

and commentary of Upanishads based on SrI VaishNavite PoorvAchAryAs

such as SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni of the 16th Century,

who is known as Upanishad BhAshyakArar. SrI Ranga RaamAnuja

Muni was the contemporary of great SrI VaishNavite AchAryAs

like MahAchArya of GatikAchalam (DhoddAchArya) and Panchamata-

Bhanjana TatAchArya (Taata Desikan) . Sri Ranga RaamAnuja Muni

was the disciple of Taata Desikan and Vathsya AnanatachArya .

 

SrI Sookthis of SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni

*****************************************

Sri RangarAmAnuja Muni has blessed us with the following

VisishtAdhavaithic treasures :

 

1. Sruta PrakAsikA vyAkhyana BhAva prakAsikA

( elaborations on the Commentary of SrI Sudarsana

Soori's erudite commentary on AchArya RaamAnujA"s

SrI BhAshyam).

 

2. MoolabhAva prakAsikA

 

3. NyAya SiddhAnjana VyaakhyA ( Commentary on Swamy

Desikan's brilliant PrakaraNa Grantham , NyAya

SiddhAnjanam).

 

4. SarIraka Saasthra DhIpikA ( Commentary on the essentials of

SrI BhAshyam of AchArya RaamAnujA).

 

5. Bhagavadh Vishaya: Sanskrit Commentary on ThiruvAimozhi

following PoorvAchAryALs' commentaries.

 

6. RaamAuja SiddhAntha Saara: Essence of RaamAnuja darsanam

and Selected SrI VaishNavite rituals.

 

7. Vishaya Vaakya DhIpikA : A lucid commentary on some important

passages of the Upanishads selected by AchArya RaamAnujA in

his Magnum Opus, SrI BhAshyam .

 

SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni was an authority on AchArya RaamAnujA's

and Swamy Desikan's SrI Sookthis. He has used this knowledge for

the benefit of posterity to bless us with the above SrI sookthis

in general and the Commentaries on Upanishads in particular

following his magnificent poorvAchAryALs. Inview of his grand

contribution to comment on Upanishads based on the doctrines of

Tatthva Thrayam, ArTa Panchakam , Bhakthi, SaraNAgathi et al,

SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni has been given the title of Upanishad

BhAshyakArar by SrI GodhA pirAtti Herself.

 

Dr.N.S.AnantharangAchAr Swamy has prepared the manuscripts

based on the Vishaya VaakyArTams of SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni

on the major Upanishads :

 

1. Selections from Major Upanishads: selected Manthrams (~250-300)

from all important Upanishads with translations. This is along the lines

of Dr.NSA Swamy's earlier relaease on "Rg Veda manthrAs".This is

under print.

 

2. ChAndhOgya Upanishad: Translation and brief notes based on

Ranga RaamAnuja Muni's commentaries. The whole of ChAndhOgyam

is being covered and it is a huge piece of work on this important

Upanishad dear to AchArya RaamAnujA. The huge manuscript is almost

ready to be released as a separate book .

 

Future Projects

***************

3) BruhadAraNyaka Upanishad: Part of the manuscript on this

huge Upanishad (commentaries based on SrI Ranga RaamAnuja Muni)

is ready and will be published as a separate volume later.

 

4) Prinicpal Upanishads ( Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka , Prashna,

TaittirIya , ShvEtashvathara , MaanDUkya and ItarEya) : Translation

and brief notes based on Upanishad BhAshyakArar's original Texts.

This will be printed as a separate book.

 

With these English monographs , we would have the rare privelege of

learning about the Sruthi Siras ( Upanishads) . This is an once

in a life time opportunity to benefit from DR.NSA Swamy's

benovolent scholarship . Those who wish to acquire these

monographs are welcome to contact me.

 

Let me conclude this longish note on the significance of

Upanishads in our SampradhAyam.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF UPANISHADS

*****************************

AchArya RaamAnujA salutes the Lord of ThiruvEnkadam,

SrInivAsan , at the very beginning of His SrI BhAshyam:

 

SRUTHI SIRASI VIDHEEPTHE BRAHMANI SRINIVAASE

BHAVATHU MAMA PARASMIN SEMUSHI BHAKTHI-ROOPAA

 

Our AchAryan visualizes the shining Thiruvadi of

Lord SrInivAsan as a crown on top of the head of Vedams

(Sruthi Siras) , which is nothing but the UPANISHADS .

 

Our AchAryan indicated here the importance of Upanishads ,

which occupy a cardinal position in the study of VedAntha

(Brahma VichAram ). Brahma SutrAs commented on by all AchAryAs

" formulate, elaborate and defend the philosophy of the Upanishads "

in their own aphoristic style. Until AchArya RaamAnujA's time ,

there were no commentaries on Brahma Sootrams from any

VaishNavite AchAryAs . It was Swamy AlavanthAr's deep wish

to realize a convincing commentary on Brahma SootrAs

that elaborate on the Tattva , Hitha and PurushArtha

doctrines befitting the VisishtAdhvaitha darsanam.

 

AchArya RaamAnujA knew about the prayers of Swamy AlavanthAr

for a competent and correct commentary on the Brahma SootrAs

incorporating all the doctrinal and theistic aspects of

VisishtAdvaitha darsanam. AchArya RaamAnujA fulfilled the wish

of Swamy AlavanthAr by blessing the world with his magnum

opus , SrI BhAshyam , a commentary on Brahma Sootrams.

 

AchArya RaamAnujA spent almost half of his life immersing

himself in Vedic literature in general and Upanishads in

particular to prepare himself to write the most authentic

commentary on the Brahma Sootrams.Our AchAryan identified for

us the Supreme Being as " Aupanishada Parama Pursha" or

the One revealed by the Upanishads and instructed us that

Brahma SootrAs bring out the essence of Upanishads . Although

AchArya RaamAnujA did not write his own commentaries on

individual upanishads , he selected key passages from major

Upanishads for elaboration in his SrI BhAshyam. He formulated

in a synoptic fashion the teachings of Upanishads ,

the declarations " about Brahman in all its perfections" .

 

Sudarsana Suri, VedAntha Desikasn, Ranga RaamAnuja Muni and

KuranArAyaNa , elaborated further on the Vishaya Vaakyams of

SrI BhAshyam dealing with the Upanishads in their SrI Sookthis .

 

The study of the meaning of the Upanishads with the expert

assistance of Sri NSA Swamy would help us improve our understanding

of the five important doctrines of VedAntha: Brahman, Jeevan,

Jagath, Saadhanaa and Mokshaa.VedAntha SoothrAs deal mainly

with TattvA or the Ultimate reality (The first two chapters) ,

Hitha, the means for the attainment of that Supreme Reality

(Chapter Third Chapter) and PurushArTa , the supreme goal of human

endeavour (Chapter four). BadarAyaNa has composed his Brahma SoothrAs

dealing with Tatthva-Hitha-PurushArTam based strictly on the Upanishads.

 

Three main schools of VedAnthA (Aadhi Sankara born in 788 C.E ,

AchArya RaamAnujA born in 1017 C.E and MadhvAchArya born in 1238C.E)

intrepreted the Brahma SoothrAs and the Upanishads in their own

distinct way. As VisishtAdhvaithins, we accept the intrepretation of

Upanishadic messages and Brahma Soothram a la RaamAnujA that is close

to the true purport of the Brahma Soothrams of BadarAyaNA , which

is " a theistic monism , upholding the oneness of the Ultimate

Reality (Isvaran) as organically related to the sentient souls

(Jeevans) and the non-sentient cosmic matter (prakruthi).Deeper

insight into this Darsanam is dear to us (Saariraka MeemAmsa ) .

For those who wish to study SrI Bhaashyam, a clear understanding

of the intrepretations of Upanishads a la AchArya RaamAnujA is

a Must .This is where the Monographs , in-plan and for future ,

are vital . Please join together to help this magnificient

kaimkaryam become reality through Your support. Please contact

adiyEn for details on the ways in which all of us can help.

 

NamO Veda PurushAya,

DaasOham , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 01:04 PM 6/24/02 +0530, you wrote:

>Respected Sri Sadagopan:

>I would like to clarify a few things here.

>I discussed with my Father and am

>giving here some explanation on the status:

>Currently there are two activities going on with respect to

>Upanishads translation:

>1. Selections from all Upanishads

>***********************************

>Selection of about 250 to 300 mantras (statements) from all important

>upanishads (including Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka) and just translation

>of the mantras (without notes) in English and a brief introduction to

>upanishads.

>This book is already under print. This is on the lines of my father's another

>book 'Gems from the Rigveda'.

>This does not have notes but just translation of the mantras as per

>Ranga Ramanuja's interpretation.

>2. Chandogya Upanishad

*************************

>Translation and brief notes based on Ranga Ramanuja's commentary for

>entire Chandogya Upanishad.

>The manuscript is almost ready and needs to be printed. Resources need to

>be arranged for this project.

 

>Future projects:

>******************

>1. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

>Translation and brief notes based on Ranga Ramanuja's commentary for

>entire Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

>Part of the manuscript is ready and needs some time for manuscript to be

>completed. Can be published as a separate volume later.

>2. Principal upanishads (Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka, Prashna, Taittiriya,

*********************

>Shvetashwatara, Mandukya, Itareya)Translation and brief notes based on

>Ranga Ramanuja's commentary for all mantras of these upanishads.

 

>We had published the above upanishads (except Mandukya and Itareya)

>earlier but no copies are available now. Only Mahanarayana is available and

>it is printed as a separate book. Secondly, the notes given earlier

>were too brief and would be expanded a bit more in the new edition.

>

>I hope I have clarified the issues.

>But Chandogya translation is itself becoming huge and

>hence he says it would

>need to be published as a separate book.

>

>My father appreciates the keen interest and efforts of all of you in this

>field.

>

>Warm regards,

>Narasimhan