Guest guest Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha // SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha // SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/ SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya// KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: / SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm// ======================================================= SRI RANGA SRI VOL.05 / ISSUE # 18 dated 5th May 2004 ================================================================ EDITORIAL 1. ADDITIONS OF MEMBERS TO THE "BOARD OF ADVISORY CONSULTANTS" (BAC) FOR "SRI RANGA SRI" 2. ADDENDUM TO MY "REPORT ON MY VISIT TO INDIA" (contained in SRS Vol.05/17 dated 28th April 2004) ================================================================ IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Addendum to "Important days in TaaraNa Chittirai (Mesha) month" detailed in SRS Vol. 05 /16 dated 27th April 2004. 2. DESIKAMRUTAM Srimad Rahasya Traya Saram "The three Tenets - 2" Sri Sadagopan Iyengar, Srikaryam Swami of BAC of SRS (The previous Part "The Three Tenets -1" appeared in SRS Vol.05/13 d/02/05/04) ================================================== EDITORIAL 1. Additions of Members to the "Board of Advisory Consultants" (BAC) for "Sri Ranga Sri" =================================================================== Dear Bhagavatas: I am glad to inform you that the following Scholars have consented to adorn our Board of Advisory Consultants: * Sri V.N.Vedanta Desikan Swami, Chennai * Sri Ananthanarasimhachariar Swami, Bangalore, Srikaryam of His Holiness, Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam * Smt. Vishnu Priya Chari and Sri R.S.Chari, Pondicherry. You will remember my writing about this devout couple in an earlier Issue of "Sri Ranga Sri". Smt. Vishnupriya Chari has brought out the famous Sri Lakshmi Narayana Hridayam, Sri Nrisimha Kavacham, Sri Varaaha Kavacham etc through Lifco Accociates, 36 North Road, West CIT Nagar, Chennai 600 035 (Phone:2489 1959). Sri R.S. Chari Swamin retired as a Senior IAS Officer from Government. of Pondicherry. He is presently the Managing Trustee of Sri Lakshmi Saras Maruti Trust, "Sri Paduka Rajyam", 9 Ramakrishna Nagar, Muthialpet, Pondicherry (Phone # 5501211) through which he has brought out several rare Stotra booklets for FREE distribution like- Mangalaya Vriddhi Stotram Sampadaa Stotram Sri Hayagriva ChintaamaNi Stotram Sri Hayagriva Panjara Stotram Sarva MangaLaashTakam Jaya MangaLa Stotram Sri Lakshmi Hayagriva Mantra Maalika Stotram by Mahavidwan Kasturi Rangachariar Swami with the lucid translation and commentary by Sri Baashya Simhasanam Sri V.S. Karunakaran Swami (Our BAC member) Sri Hayagriva Ratna Maala Stotram by the 33rd Pontiff of Parakala Matam H.H Brahma Tantra Swatantra Sri Ranganatha Maha Desika Parakala Jeeyar with Tamil translation and commentary by MahamahOpaadhyaaya Abhinava NaagEsa PaiyambaaDi Setlur Srivatsankachariar Swami (French Indological Institute, Pondicherry) Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasra RatnangaL with Tamil Commentary of H.H. Therazhundur AnDavan of Periyasramam. Theertha Mahima and Naama Mahima Stotra from 65th Adhyayam of Nrisimha PuraaNa Sri Mrityunjaya Stotram (also from Nrisimha PuraaNa) Sri Nrisimha Stotram by Sri Sukra Bhagavaan (also from Nrisimha PuraaNa) Sri Hanumat Vimsati by Sri Lakshmi Kumara Tatachariar Tiruppavai rendered in English poetry by Sri R. Seshadri Sri Krishna Charama Upadesam done by Lord Krishna to Uddavar (Srimad Bhaagavatam 11th Skandam 28th Adhyayam) Sri Krishna Charama Slokam (Sri Bhagavad Gita 18th Adhyayam) GovardanaashTakam "RukmiNi LEkhanam" (Srimad Bhaagavatam Dasama Skandam) We are proud to make available to our readers in our forthcoming issues, these RARE STOTRAS that have been proved to confer immense benefits on those who recite them with full faith and devotion =============================================================== 2. ADDENDUM TO MY REPORT ON MY VISIT TO INDIA (Contained in SRS Vol.05/17 dated 27th April 2004) ------------------------------- I forgot to mention the meeting I had with another great Yathisreshta at Sri Rangam, namely H.H. Jeeyar of Sri Ranganathaswamy Kol (popularly known as the "Koil Jeeyar". Many of you will remember the article about his visit to Tirumalai that was widely reported in the media. What is so special about his visit to Tirumalai? In over 1000 years, he was the first "Srirangam Koil Jeeyar" to visit Tirumalai and the "Tirumalai Koil Jeeyar" where he offered Mangalaasaasanam to TiruvenkaTam uDaiyaan. Another Information: He is the Poorvaasrama father of Sri Narayana Bhattar, priest of the temple at Cleveland, Ohio, who conducted "Sudarsana Homam" at my Cleveland home I called upon this Mahaan at his MaTam in North Uttara Street, Srirangam, paid my obeisance to him both before and after the functions. He was so pleased to know about the book release and blessed me with Mantraakshadai. ------------------------------- OTHERS WHO ATTENDED THE FUNCTION Other Bhagavatas who attended the function but were omitted to be included in my report in SRS Vol.05/17. (Sorry for the omission) ========================================================= Sri Srinivasan Swami (Father of our Sri Shyam and Sri Venkat Srinivasan of NJ Sri Kripa Sarathi Swami of Atlanta Smt. Shanta Mami, who constructed the ManTapam at Thooppul Desikan Sannidhi I will be grateful to be informed of any other attendees, whose names, I might have inadvertently omitted in my earlier Report. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy ============================================================= xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ============================================================= 1. ADDENDUM TO "IMPORTANT DAYS IN TAARANA CHITTIRAI (MESHA) MONTH DETAILED IN SRS VOL. 05 /16 DATED 27TH APRIL 2004. ------------------------------ Please add the following to the list: PANCHANGAM DATE/ ENGLISH DATE/ DAY/ STAR/ EVENT ----------------------------- 04th/ 04/16/04/Fri/PooraTTadi/ AM 32 05th/ 04/17/04/Satur/ UtraTTadi/ MATSYA JAYANTI, DenkanikoTtai Swami 06th/ 04/18/04/Sun/Revati/ PM 36 (Prakritam Pontiff), PudukkOTTai Srinivasa Raghavachariar 10th/04/22/04/ Thurs/Kartigai/ AKSHAYA TRITEEYAI, BALARAMA JAYANTI 13th/ 04/25/04/Sunday/Tiruvadirai/Saakshaat Swami,VaadiHamsambuvaahar Velamur Ranganatha Maha Desikan, Kidambi AppuLLaar 14th/ 04/26/04/Monday/ Punarvasu/AM 24 16th/ 04/28/04/ Wednes/ Aslesha/ ILayavalli 20th/ 05/02/04/Sun/Hastam/GaTikasatham AmmaL 21st/ 05/03/04/Mon/Chitrai/NARASIMHA JAYANTI, Ranganatha YMD (AM) 22nd/ 05/04/04/ Tues/ Swati/SiddhaNNa 25th/05/07/04/ Fri/ KeTTai/VARAHA JAYANTI 28th/ 05/10/04/ Mon/ UttraaDam/KOtikannikaadaanam STT =========================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =========================================================== 2. DESIKAMRUTAM SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM Sri Sadagopan Iyengar, Srikaryam Swami of BAC of SRS ========================================================== THE THREE TENETS—2 Summarising the three most important concepts in our Sampradaya and their inter se relationship, Sri Ramanuja says in the Vaikuntta Gadya that these consist broadly of "Isa" (The Universal Ruler) and the "Isitavyam" (the Ruled—including the Jeevas and non-sentient objects). The essential nature, the continued well-being and activity of the latter class, in all its variety, (the IsitavyAs) depend on the former (The Isvara)—"SvAdheena trividha chEtana achEtana svarUpa stithi pravritti bhEdam". As expanding this beautiful phrase of Sri Bhashyakara would illustrate and illuminate these concepts, we shall attempt the same. As already stated, the three types of Jeevas ("Trividha ChEtanam") are 1) those in bondage (BaddhAs) like us, 2) the ones who have been liberated (the MuktAs) and 3) those who are eternally free and delight in constantly serving the Lord as per His wishes (the NityAs). It is to be noted that though Isvara too is a ChEtana, He is excluded here, because He belongs to an entirely different class, that of the Universal Master, vis-à-vis the other class of ChEtanAs, belonging to the class of the subjects, totally dependent on the former for everything, from their very existence to their well being). The three types of non-sentient objects ("Trividha achEtanam") are 1) Prakriti or Matter (with its three-fold traits of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) 2) Time, which is classified variously as seconds, minutes, days, months, years, millennia etc., and 3) Shuddha Sattvam. "SvarUpa" refers to the essential nature of these sentient beings and non-sentient objects, defined by traits or characteristics, which are unique and which distinguish beings or objects, from others in their own class and otherwise. It is important to distinguish the object from its characteristics, for, very often they appear to be indistinguishable. For instance, a pot is inherently different from "Potness" (to coin a word) -- of being made of mud, being round in shape, being fragile etc. Thus these characteristics collectively constitute the SvarUpam of the pot. "Sttithi" indicates the continued existence of these beings and non- beings. Such existence is of two kinds—Eternal and Ephemeral. Those beings and objects, which the Lord wills to be eternal, have a permanent existence. Others, which Bhagavat Sankalpam wills to be temporary, varying in time from a second to a Yuga, are ephemeral. The third state Sri Bhashyakara refers to in the aforesaid phrase from Gadyam is "Pravritti". This includes action as well as abstention from action, as indicated by Sri Naamzhwar's words, "indranar irundanar kidandanar tirindanar nindrilar irundilar kidandilar tirindilar" Thus Sri Bhashyakara says that the essential nature, continued existence and activity of all beings and objects, are entirely dependent on the Lord and His Will. We see, hear or learn of things through sources of knowledge, which are called "PramANAs", which include Sight (Pratyaksham), anumAnam (Deduction or inference), Shabdam (Vedic Wisdom) etc. These PramANAs show all the three aforesaid items, viz., SvarUpam, Stitthi and Pravritti, to be distinctly different in the case of each and every being or thing. While revealing a sentient being or a non-sentient object, these PramANAs show us the Essential Nature (SvarUpa) of the being, its distinguishing traits and the other qualities of the being, as defined by its distinctive traits. The Distinctive and unique Traits, which show up an object to be different from any other, are known as the "SvarUpa nirUpaka Dharmam", without which we wouldn't comprehend the essential nature of the object at all. Once we identify the object to be what it is, with the aid of these unique traits, the other supplementary characteristics which come to light thereafter are known as "nirUpita svarUpa visEshaNam". The Essential nature of an object is always perceived as inseparably accompanied by the attributes that define it. For instance, it is impossible to think of a Jasmine, without its principal traits of fragrance, whiteness and softness. Having laid a foundation with information about the classes of beings and objects and their natures, Swami Desikan proceeds next to describe the nature, attributes and traits of each of the three concepts, viz., Chit, Achit and Isvara. 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