VedAntha Dheepa of Bhagavath RaamAnujA : Part III of TaaraNa DheepAwaLi Celebrations

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SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

In this CONCLUDING posting , adiyEn would focus on Acharya RaamanujA's

summary of the FOUR AdhyAyAs ( Chapters) of FOUR PaadhAs , each of which

contain various adhikaraNAs ( the complete argument that covers one issue

under discussion and the conclusions about that issue).

 

The First of the Four AdhyAyAs with its own Four PaadhAs

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AchArya RaamAnujA establishes in the First AdhyAyA that

the world is caused by an Omniscient Supreme Person , whose

will (sankalpam ) can not be obstructed .This Supreme Brahman

is further defined with the authority of PramANAs as being free from

any imperfections and having all auspicious attributes . The Jagath

KaaraNathvam of the world and its entities (sentients and insentients )

are solely due to this Supreme Brahman and not due to the agency

of either Moola Prakruthi or the Jeevan .

 

The Second of the Four AdhyAyAs of Brahma Sutrams & its Four Paadhams

 

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*****************ThesecondadhyAyam firms up in an irrefutable manner the

doctrinesadvanced inthe FirstadhyAyayam . It rejects the doctrines of SaankyA

system ofphilosophy thatdoes not accept VedAs as the authority (PramANam). In

thethird paadham ofthe Second adhyAyaa , the differences betweenPrakruthi

andJeevAthma arecovered . Both are shown to be the creations of Brahman or

theeffects ofBrahman. Prakruthi is shown as undergoingtransformation to

becomemanythrough direct changes in its Roopam or Form . In

contrast,JeevAthmanretains its Roopa (Form) but transforms itself into

manythroughthecontraction or expansion of its SvabhAvam

(naturalintelligence).Prakruthior achith undergoes " Svaroopa anyaTA

BhAvam(Changes in Svaroopam) .The Chith ( Jeevan) undergoes SvabhAva

anyaTABhAvamthrough Jn~Ana sankOcha -vikaasam. Sriman BhAshyam summarizes

thepurport ofthe first two adhyAyams this way : " In the first two a

dhyAyAs ,Brahman hasbeen established as an object of contemplation by

personsdesirous ofsalvation ( Moksham) ;as a Being (Brahman) is without

anyimperfections butfilled with all good qualities and is the primaeval causeof

the Universe .The Third and theFourth addhyAyAs focus on how tocontemplate

(Saadhanaa) onthat Brahman andthe gain (Phalan) derived by suchcontemplation ,

i-e.,Moksha." The Third AdhyAyA of Brahma Sutrams with

itsFourPaadhams*****************************************************************\

****************The four PaadhAs deal with (1) description of

thesamsAricafflictionsas a background to create a taste for the

contemplationonBrahman to free oneself from the sorrows of SamsAram (2) The

UbhayaLingaaspects of Brahman are emphasized to increase the

enthusiasmforBrahmOpAsana by the Jeevan. The Ubhaya lingams ( twin marks )of

Brahmanarethe freedom from any and all blemishes ( hEyams)and being the

abodeoflimitless auspicious attributes ( anantha kalyANa guNAkarathvam) , (3

)Thethird paadham establishes that BrahmOpAsanam is of many kinds and

theyaredescribed forthe SaadhakAs (4) The fourth paadham

focusesonVarNAsramadharmams as a help for Saadhana for the different UpAsanAs

..TheFourth AdhyAyam of Brahma Sutrams with its

fourPaadhams********************************************************************\

*****************The gains or the Phalans of BrahmOpAsanam are examined

inthisadhyAyam .The method of performing a specific upAsanaaand

thegloriesarising from the pursuit of such upAsana is covered inthe

Firstpaadham .The second paadham handles the way in which one

contemplatingBrahmancommences on the journey to Brahman .The third Paadham

describes thepath bywhich the successful UpAsakan travels towards Brahman and

reachestheBrahman ( archirAdhi mArgam or the path of light ). The

Fourthpaadhamdescribes how a BrahmOpAsakan enjoys Brahman (

anubhavamofParipoorNaBrahmAnandham in the abode of the Brahman ). The Four

AdhyAyAsof BrahmaSutram & TheirCoverage*******

******************************************************************TheBrahma

SutrAs cover the Tattva, Hitha and PurushArTams that wouldhelp aperson desirous

of Moksham should know andpractise to realize Moksham.These three are summarized

by SrimAn BhAshyam this way : (1) TATVA/Doctrine: " That Brahman , free from

all defects , a treasure house fullofbeneficient virtues of the highest

kind,innumerable and immeasurable istheCreator of the Universe." (2) HITHA/Means

: " That the knowledge ofsuchBrahman , which is the way to attain Moksham is the

DhyAna(contemplation) ,which is the culmination reached by constant and

continousUpAsana ." (3)PURUSHARTAM/Ultimate Fruit : The fruit of this

contemplationis thecomplete enjoyment ( of the Brahman) without return

tothis(praakruthic)world ever again and performing nithya (uninterrupted

)Kaimkaryamto the Divine couple in their Supreme Abode (Srivaikuntam).

"Thisenjoymentis preceded by the manifestations of thejeevan's own

naturalintelligenceetc.

, after attaining Brahman through thepath of ArchirAdhi ".THUS CONCLUDES THE

INTRODUCTION PORTION OF VEDANTHADHEEPA . Sri RaamAnujaCharaNou SaraNam PrapadhyE

,Daasan , Oppiliappan KOilVaradAchAri SadagopanSrimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya

Paduka SevakaSrivanSatakopa Sri NarayanaYatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: