Fw: A Good Beginning

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- sadagopaniyengar

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tiruvenkatam ; ramanuja

Cc: sadagopaniyengar

Thursday, March 10, 2005 8:15 AM

A Good Beginning

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta

Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

A Good Beginning

 

Most of us, when we begin a letter, a list of things to buy, an

article or other piece of writing, usually write a

“Shree:” at the top. Others, of different persuasions,

believe in commencing everything with a “Pillayaar

Suzhi”. Those having affinity for the Sampradayam never begin

anything without mentioning their Acharya’s hallowed name and

that of their favourite Deity. Sentimentally, we feel that any

literary endeavour, or for that matter, anything we begin, would be

completed successfully, only when we begin it thus. It may be as

simple as writing a mere letter of four lines or it may be a profound

literary creation—without the aforesaid preludes, we feel it

somehow incomplete.

 

Is this a practice born out of mere sentiment, or does it have the sanction of the Shastras?

 

When we look into various sacred works composed ages ago, we find the

practice of paying obeisance to the Acharya widely prevalent—so

much so that it would be difficult to find any work of significance

without an accolade to the Guru adorning its initial pages. Acharya

Vandanam is thus considered the foremost duty of an author. The

reasons for this are not far to seek. Since all wisdom has been

imbibed from the Acharya, it was considered only fair to pay him due

tribute, while commencing composition. It is one’s sacred duty

to illuminate the Guru’s glory, says Swami

Desikan—“Gurum prakaasayet dheemaan” (the wise

should always sing the praise of their preceptor). It follows from

this that those who do not do so, are indeed unwise.

 

Any number of examples can be adduced for the Guru coming in for

praise, before commencement of the work. Sri Alavandar, in his Stotra

Ratnam, (which is the font of inspiration from which all subsequent

Acharyas have drawn heavily) devotes not one, but three verses in

praise of his Praachaarya Sri Nathamuni and a few more to other

Preceptors (though not direct) like Sri Parasara Maharshi and

Nammazhwar. We find Sri Bhattar too following this hoary practice and

praising Sri Koorattazhwan, in his works. Swami Desikan begins Srimad

Rahasyatrayasaaram (and the prelude of Guruparampara saaram) with a

glowing tribute to all his Acharyas and

theirs—“Gurubhyascha tat gurubhyascha namo vaakam

adheemahi”.

 

Apart from eulogizing one’s preceptor, are there any other

requirements while commencing a work? Should the work begin with any

particular letter of the alphabet or a specific word?

 

Traditionally, the letter A—the “akaaram”-- has been

considered to be extremely auspicious. It is the letter which denotes

Emperuman—“akaaro Vishnu vaachaka:”. Though it is

only a single letter, it is pregnant with esoteric purport. Being the

first of all letters in the alphabet, it is only natural that it

should denote the Lord. However, it is not merely because of such

primacy among alphabets that the akaaram is said to indicate

Emperuman. Since the roots of the letter have protection as their

purport (“ava rakshane”), the akaaram naturally points to

the Saviour of All (Sarva Rakshaka:), viz., Sriman Narayana.

“Akaara arttha: Vishnu:” says Sri Bhattar, categorically

declaring that the letter denotes none other than Emperuman. This is

confirmation of the Katha Shruti, which says, “akaarena uchyate

Vishnu: sarva lokeswaro Hari:” It is perhaps for this reason

that even the venerated Veda Purusha opts for the auspicious akaaram,

while commencing the Rig Veda Samhita (“Agnim eede

purohitam”) and the Sama Veda too, (“Agna aayaahi

veetaye”) telling us that right from the first letter, the

Shruti is an exclusive eulogy for Emperuman. The preference for the

letter A is evident in the Brahma Sutras too, where Sage Baadaraayana

begins with “ataatho Brahma jigyaasaa”.

 

 

Thus, can there be any better or more auspicious letter to begin your

composition with, than the letter A? It is this hoary practice that

Sri Ramanuja follows, when commencing his magnum opus, Sri Bhashyam,

the beautiful commentary on the Brahma Sutras. “Akhila bhuvana

janma sthema bhangaadi leele” begins the Sri Bhashyam (the

invocatory verse). “Akhila” means universal. Though there

are other words too conveying the same meaning, (like

“nikhila”, for example), the fact that Sri Ramanuja

prefers to begin his work with “a” is a pointer to us

all. Emperumaanaar sticks to this tested mode of commencement in his

“Vedanta Deepam” (an abbreviated version of Sri Bhashyam)

too with the words, “Atra ayam eva hi veda vidaam

prakriya”. (Even if one were to count the invocatory verse to

this work as the real beginning, the first word is “Shriya:

Kaanta: ananta:”, confirming Sri Bhasyakara’s penchant

for the auspicious beginning).

 

Other examples, that spring to the mind while considering sacred works

beginning with akaaram, are the Second Tiruvandaadi or Sri

Bhootattazhwar—“Anbe tagaliyaa aarvame neyyaaga”.

Sri Tirukkurugai Piraan Pillaan’s “Aaraayirappadi”,

the pioneering commentary on Tiruvaimozhi, also begins with the letter

A—“Apraakrita sva asaadhaarana divya roopa”. Four of

the 28 Stotras of Swami Desikan begin with akaaram—the Garuda

Panchaasat, Bhagavat Dhyaana Sopaanam, Nyaasa Dasakam and the

Abhitistavam.

 

Other worthies have considered it auspicious to begin their works with

a reference to Piratti, who is the repository of all things

auspicious.

 

“Tiruk kanden, pon meni kanden” says Sri Peyazhwar,

commencing his Third Tiruvandaadi with a mention of the Divine

Consort Tiru or Shree.

Again, it is with the “Shree” sabdam that Sri Ramanuja

commences his Gita Bhashyam—“Shriya: Pati: nikhila heya

pratyaneeka kalyaanaikataana:” Swami Desikan too faithfully

adheres to his master’s practice, by beginning his commentary--

the Gita Bhashya Taatparya Chandrika-- with “Sreemad

Gitaam”.

 

Sri Nammazhwar too adheres faithfully to this practice, by commencing

his Tiruvaimozhi with the letter “U”—“Uyarvara

uyar nalam udayavan yavan avan”. Just as the letter A denotes

Emperuman, U indicates Piratti. This is as declared by the Katha

Shruti—“Uddhrutaa Vishnunaa Lakshmi U kaarena uchayate

tathaa”.

 

The glorious exposition on Tiruvaimozhi, Sri Nampillai’s

“Eedu”, also begins with the auspicious

“Shree” sabdam—“Shria: Patiyaai”. Sri

Vedanta Ramanuja Mahadesikan (“Saakshaat Swami”) too

commences with Irupattunaalaayira padi with “Sria:

Patiyaai”. Swami Desikan too adheres to this practice by

beginning his magnum opus Srimad Rahasyatrayasaaram, with “

Sria: Patiyaana Sarvesvaranukku” (first word of the Upodghaata

Adhikaaram).

 

Other words considered appropriate for commencing compositions with,

include the “Nama:” sabdam, standing for obeisance,

reverence and surrender. We thus find Sri Alavandar beginning his

incomparable Stotram with “Nama: achintya adbhuta aklishta

gnaana vairaagya raasaye!”, paying reverential tribute to his

Praacharya, Sri Nathamuni.

 

Similarly, “Sat” appears to be another opening gambit,

popular with Swami Desikan and others. A quick analysis of his

Rahasya Granthas reveals that no less than six of the 32 Chillarai

Rahasyangal, begin with the word “Sadaachaarya”. The ones

that begin thus are Sri Sampradaaya Parisuddhi, Sri Tattva Padavee,

Sri Tattva Maatruka, Sri Taatparya Ratnavalee, Sri Rahasya

Ratnaavalee Hridayam and the Rahasyatraya Chulakam.

 

Three other esoteric works of the Acharya, the Rahasya Padavee, the

Rahasya Sandesam and the Paramapada Sopanam commence with the letter

“A” or the akaaram, while the Tattvatraya Chulakam begins

with the “Shree” sabdam.

 

The “Sam” shabdam, denoting auspiciousness, is in evidence

as the first word, especially in the Taittiriya Upanishad, which

commences with the Shanti Paatam, “Sam no Mitra: sam

Varuna:”. The Atharva Veda too opens with “Sam no Devee:

abhishtaye”.

 

Well-begun is half-done, says the adage. From the scintillating

success all the aforesaid works have achieved in enlightening and

emancipating mortals, it would appear as though the venerated

authors’ strategy, of beginning with auspicious alphabets or

propitious phrases, has indeed paid rich dividend. So, the next time

we compose a letter, an article, a book or even a mere shopping list,

let us commence it with our Acharya’s tirunaamam or, at least,

with a “Shree:” Those in North India often make fun of us

South Indians, calling us great ones at beginning everything with

fanfare but lacking the will and resolve to see things

through—“Daakshinaatyaa: khalu aarambha shooraa:”.

However, if we take a leaf from the hoary books of Poorvacharyas and

begin everything well, with auspiciousness, we would definitely be

able to see them to their logical conclusion, with the minimum of

hurdles that invariably crop up to hinder any lofty endeavour.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan

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