VedAntha Dheepa of Bhagavath RaamAnujA : Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

After completing the series on Upanishads ,

Dr.N.S.AnantharangacchAr Swamy is directing

his energies now to create a monograph on Bhagavath

RaamAnujA's VedAntha Dheepam . I am told that

he has completed the first two chapters of this new

monograph already . Based on his scholarship and

productivity , we should not be surprised if this monograph

should become available in the next three to six months.

Those who wish to help towards the cost of printing this

book are welcome to contact either myself or Sri Ananatha

Narasimhan Swamy , the son of Dr.NSA SWamy

 

Vaiklunta Vaasi Sri UtthamUr SwamigaL has re-released

the ( Sanskrit ) text of VedAntha Dheepa in the year 1992

under the Ubhaya Vedantha GranthamAlA Series . His Thiruvadi ,

Sri K.BhAshyam has translated this text into English in 1990

from the first edition in Sanskrit original .

 

Vedantha Dheepa among the Nine SrI Sookthis of AchArya RaamAnuja

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Sri BhAshyam , VedAntha Sangraha ( VedAntha Surukku

or Digest) , VedAntha Saaraa ( Essence of VedAntha) ,

VedAntha dheepA ( The lamp of VedAntha) , GitA BhAshyam ,

SaraNAgathy Gadhyam , Sriranga Gadhyam , Vaikunta Gadhyam

and Nithya Grantham are the nine Sri Sookthis of AchArya RaamAnujA .

They are recognized as the Nine Jewels or Nava Ratnams relating to

VaishNava philosophy and Theology .

 

The first FOUR Sri Sookthis deal with the Brahma SoothrAs in one way or

another . If Sri Bhaashyam --the magnum opus of AchArya --is a technically

intricate , masterly and "severely argumentative " commentary on the Brahma Sutras ,

VedAntha Dheepa is an abridged version of Sri BhAshyam without its terse analysis

and elaborate disputations . It is for the help of the beginners and

to prepare them to scale

the heights of Sri BhAshyam later. In VedAntha dheepa , every Brahma Sutra is covered .

 

It will be most intteresting and valuable to read Dr.NSA Swamy 's monograph on

VedAntha Dheepa since it will have very lucid translations of the original passages

in a way in which it will make a novice feel comfortable and to gain an appreciation of

the genius of AchArya RaamAnujA .

 

MangaLa SlOkam for VedAntha DheepA

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Sriya: kAnthOananthO varaguNagaNaikAspadha vapu:

hathasEshAvadhya: paramakhapadhO vaang-manasayO:

abhUmirbhUmiryO natha-jana-dhrasAm-aadhipurushO

manas-tath-pAdhAbhjE paricharaNasaktham bhavathu mE

 

(Meaning): " May my mind be devoted to the service at the lotus feet

of Him , who is the First of primeval Being , the Lord of Sri, the Immeasurable ,

the abode of excellent qualities , the destroyer of all evil , the dweller of Vaikuntam

and who is beyond the reach of speech or mind , but within the range of

the vision of His devotees ".

 

AchArya defines the scope of VedAntha DheepA as " Brahma Sutra padhAnthastha

vEdAnthArTa: " ( the correct meaning of the words of VedAntha , incorporated in

the Brahma SutrAs) . He salutes his AchAryAs and PrAchAryAs and says clearly

that he is following the path of knowledge (prakriyA) established by them in their role

as Vedaviths ( authorities in the understanding of the nuances of the VedAs and Vedic

words ).

 

In a poweful summary at the very beginning , AchArya RaamAnujA points out

the unique distinctions ( athyantha-vilakshaNathvam) between the ChEtanAs

( Sentients) , achetanAs ( insentients) and Iswaran. The three classifcations

among the chEtanAs ( Bound , liberated and the eternally free Jeevans)

are established . The uniqueness of Bhagavaan is defined as (1) abode of all

auspicious attributes ( KalyANa GuNams ) , (2) freedom from blemishes of any kind

( nikhila hEya pratyaneekathvam) , (3) position as the indweller of both chEtanAs

and achEtanams ( antharyAmithvam) at all times and states ( sarvAvasTa chidachith

vyApakathvam) and staying as their Master , Commander and Supporter ( Seshithvam ,

niyanthruthvam and DhArakthvam). AchArya RaamAnuja develops further the important

concepts for his darsanam that the sentients ( chith) and insentients ( achith) are

Sareeraa( body ) of Iswara and as such , the Chith and achith are Iswaran's

attributes (prAkAraas) .

 

(To Be continued)

 

Sri RaamAnuja CharaNou SaraNam PrapadhyE ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan