Guest guest Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 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.06 / ISSUE # 11 dated 02/19/05 ============================================================= EDITORIAL: 1. SRS SATSANGAM SITE. As you know, the membership of "Sri Ranga Sri" has risen to nearly 4500 with about 3000 Active members and about 1500 members whose mails have bounced temporarily due to various reasons, including insufficient capacity of their mail boxes. On an average, we receive daily about 400 mails most of them for moderation and approval. By the time we complete reading the last line of just one mail, and go back to the "Inbox", we find at least 30 to 40 more such mails waiting to be viewed for moderation. We are hard put to scan all the mails to determine the suitability of featuring in "Sri Ranga Sri" journal. In the melee, some important mails go without approval and some undesirable postings sneak past the moderator, in spite of efforts to filter the same. Queries and doubts raised by some members of "Sri Ranga Sri" were being approved to encourage reader participation andfor information of general membership and reply by scholars well versed in the specific topics, and NOT for triggering a discussion, much less, a debate on the subject. Unfortunately, we are stormed by a flood of responses most of them personal opinions and speculation without any appropriate authority (PramaaNam) to back them. This is inspite of clear Guidelines included in the "Files" Section of "Sri Ranga Sri" We wish to reiterate that "Sri Ranga Sri" is a Journal and NOT a forum for discussions. It is for this reason that we created a special group called "SRS_Satsangam" All queries and doubts and responses thereto may be addressed to this site only and NOT to the Journal. The Guidelines for the Journal referred to above will apply mutatis mutandis to this site as well. A minimal monitoring will be made to keep up the quality of postings. This means that postings to this site also will require prior approval by the Moderator. But, as only members can post to this site, those who wish to avail of the facility should,in the first place, send an email to "sRS_Satsangam-" and get their membership approved. Moderator "Sri Ranga Sri JOurnal" and "SRS_Satsngam" group ============================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =============================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MASI (KUMBA) MONTH 2. “TRIMURTI”- IN NAMMAZHWAR’S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 7 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) ================================================= 157 Regular issues have been released, so far besides several Special Issues) – - 27 Issues of Vol. 1 - 15 Issues of Vol. 2 - 42 Issues of Vol. 3 - 35 Issues of Vol. 4 - 28 Issues of Vol. 5 & - 10 Issues of Vol. 6 These issues have been archived for public view at - by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark) You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts) We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived in the “Files” Section and view the Contents at “srsindex.html” (Not the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that you will be convinced of the quality of the contents. IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of “Sri Ranga Sri”- Tell your friends to join by sending an email to Srirangasri- IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve. Ever at your service Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy, Editor & Publisher, “Sri Ranga Sri” ====================================================================== 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MASI (KUMBA) MONTH ----- DATE IN ALMANAC/IN ENGLISH/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/ (THITHI)/ EVENT/ REMARKS ======================================================================= 01/ 02/13/05/ Sunday / Revati / (Panchami) / Vasantha Panchami 06/ 02/18/05/ Friday / Mrigaseersham / dasami / Tiukachchi NambigaL 07/ 02/19/05/ saturday/ Tiruvadirai / Sukla Paksha Ekaadasi Bheema Ekaadasi 08/ 02/20/05/ sunday/Punarvasu /dvaadasi / KULASEKARA AZHWR, 09/ 02/21/05/ Monday/ Pushyam/ trayodasi / AM 37 Pillaipakkam VSYMD, PERIYANDAVAN SRINIVASA MAHA DESIKAN(PA & PP) 10/ 02/22/05/ Tuesday/ Aayilyam/chaturdasi /SRINIVASA MD, Tirumalai Andaan 11/ 02/23/05/ wednesday/Aayilyam /pournami/Pillai Urangaavilli Daasar 12/ 02/24/05/ Thursday/ Magam/ prathamai/MANAKKAAL NAMBIGAL,Tirumalai Andaan (S) 17/ 03/01/05/ Tuesday/ swati/ panchami/ Panchamatabhanjanam Tata Desikan, SuddhasatvamaNNan (S) 19/ 03/03/05/ Thursday/Anusham/ashtami/ASHTAKA, Agnihotram TDTT(p386) 20/ 03/04/05/ Friday/ Kettai/navami/ ANVASHTAKA/Raahu,KEtup peyarchi, ANNaavilappan (S) 22/ 03/06/05/ Sunday/Pooraadam/KrisNa Paksha Ekaadasi/ SOlasimhapuram DoTtayaachariar 23/ 03/07/05/ Monday / Utrattadam/ dvadasi/ MUNITRAYA SRAVANA DVAADASI 25/ 03/09/05/ Wednesday/Avittam/chaturdasi/BODHAYANA AMAVAASYA, SIRIYA TIRUVADIGAL, KP 2/1 Madurantakam Veeraraghavachariar 26/ 03/10/05/ Thursday/Poorattadi/Amaavasya/ ======================================================================= VSYMD: Sri VeeraraghavaSadagopa Yatindra Maha Desikan (S) Srirangam Koil Panchangam (p-) page # in Swami Desikan's 7th centenary Souvenir ====================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ====================================================================== 2. “TRIMURTI”- IN NAMMAZHWAR’S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 7 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) -t\ rimurti-s in tiruvAimozhi – Part 7. 2.2.3: (11) ERanip pUvanaip pU-magaL tannai vERinRi viN tozhat tannuL vaittu mEl tannai mIdiDa nimirndu maN koNDa mAl tannil mikkum Or deivam uLadE ? In the ten pASuram-s of the current tiruvAimozhi (2.2), nammAzhvAr repeatedly hammers at us that there is no Deity who can be supreme over kaNNan. In the current pASuram, he again reminds us of both the parattvam and sauSIlyam of perumAL, and jogs our ability to rationally think and understand the truth. emperumAn has accommodated on His tirumEni (Dvine Body), the Supreme Periya pirATTi (the Divine Mother, mahA Lakshmi) on the one hand, and the likes of rudra and brahmA on the other, without discrimination. He did this out of His sauSIlyam, His ability to mix with anyone and everyone without minding His Supremacy. Realizing this sauSIlyam of His, the deva-s in the upper worlds worship Him. We also know His parattvam by His unimaginable actions such as His measuring the three worlds in His tri-vikrama incarnation. This same action of bhagavAn that shows His parattvam, is in fact a display of His affection to all the creatures in all the worlds - He blessed all the beings without distinction by giving them the touch of His Lotus Feet. Thus, this act is one that demonstrates His sauSIlyam as well. AzhvAr asks: Who else is there, other than this great tiru mAl, that can come anywhere close to even being considered to be the Supreme Deity? ERanai – One who has Rshbha or the bull as his vAhana or vehicle. A reference to Siva. AzhvAr is contrasting him with One who has garuDa as His vAhana. pUvanai – One who was born from the lotus flower from Lord vishNu’s navel. A reference to brahmA. Perhaps because brahmA is born from the lotus, he is falsely proud that he is really ‘not born’. pU-magal tannai – pirATTi, who is seated in the lotus flower. AzhvAr refers to pirATTi as “unakku Erkkum kOla malarp pAvai” – She is in every way comparable to Him (na anayor vidyate param). The addition ‘tannai’ is to distinguish the great pirATTi from “ERan and pUvan”.rudra and brahmA will take some other birth at the end of their current birth, depending on their karma-s, whereas pU magaL will always be pU magaL. vERu inRi – Without distinguishing between them; Irrespective of the greatness of pirATTi on the one hand, and the relative insignificance of rudra and brahmA on the other, He gave them all a place in His body without distinction. Why? Because of His great sauSIlyam. viN tozhat tannuL vaittu – He included rudra and brahmA in His body along with periya pirATTi, and seeing this display of His sauSIlyam, the deva-s in the upper worlds worship Him. Having thus sung perumAL’s sauSIlyam, now AzhvAr sings about His parattvam or Supremacy through a reference to His trivikrama incarnation. mEl tannai mIdiDa nimirndu maN koNDa – He measured all the worlds above without exception (mIdiDa). mAl tanil – Refers to tirumAl – Lord vishNu. mAl literally means ‘Person of greatness”. Here it refers to the One Who measured the three worlds – emperumAn. mikkum Or deivam uLadE? – Who ever can even think that there is a greater God than this One? On the one hand, we have the One Who placed His Divine Feet on everyone and everything without distinction during His trivikrama incarnation, and on the other, there are these gods who worship these Divine Feet of Lord vishNu. Who is Supreme among these? There is brahmA who performed pAda pUjA worship for this trivikraman as He was measuring the upper worlds, and there is rudra who bore the waters that flowed out of this Mighty trivikraman’s Feet on his head in the form of Ganges. Are these later two the supreme deities, or is tri-vikraman the obvious Supreme Deity beyond any doubt? Who is the Supreme out of these three – trivikrama, rudra, or brahmA? What is there to be confused about in this? svAmi deSikan stresses the aspect of bhagavAn’s greatness as displayed in His vAmana incarnation as the emphasis of this pASuram – vAmanatve mahAntam – om vAmanatve mahate namaH. -- 2.2.4: (12) tEvum ep-poruLum paDaikka pUvil nAn-muganaip paDaitta dEvan em-perumAnukku allAl pUvum pUSanaiyum tagumE ? In this pASuram, nammAzhvAr specifically reminds us that it is bhagavAn Lord vishNu who created brahmA, and then empowered him to create other beings including all the deva-s and everything else. AzhvAr points out that it is this emperumAn who deserves to be worshipped by everyone through flowers and other offerings, and NO ONE ELSE. Note that through this pASuram nammAzhvAr clearly points out that devatAntara pUja should not be performed. tEvum ep-poruLum paDaikka – For the purpose of creating all the deva-s and all other things in this world. pUvil nAn-muganaip paDaitta dEvan – The Lord Who created the four-faced brahmA in the lotus flower arising out of His navel - A reference to Lord vishNu. dEvan – One Who has Creation as One of His leelA-s (derived from the samskRt root: div – krIDau – to play etc.), or One Who is resplendent and beautiful (derived from the samskRt root div – to shine). Here the vyAkhyAna kartA-s emphasize the saukumAryam or ‘never-diminishing Youthfulness’ of this Unborn, non-aging, never-ending Purusha (ajaH, ajaraH, amaraH) – Lord vishNu. The term ‘devan’ signifies delicacy and tenderness. In this pASuram, AzhvAr reminds us that the ‘delicate, beautiful, and soft’ flowers are meant for the worship of the One Who is the most beautiful and delicate – SrIman nArAyaNa, and not anyone else. em-perumAn – Refers to the Supremacy of bhagavAn. Thus, the use of the words ‘devan’ and ‘emperumAn’ are both significant – one referring to His saukumAryam, and the other referring to His Supremacy. dEvan emperumAnukku allAl – If it is not for this Supreme Deity, pUvum pUSanaiyum tagumE? – Who else deserves to be offered the flowers and other offerings of worship? (No one else deserves to be decorated or worshipped – That is AzhvAr’s categorical conclusion and declaration through this pASuram). “pU taguvadu sundaranukku; pUSanai taguvadu sarvESvaranAi iruppAnukku” – Flowers are befitting for One Who is most beautiful; Worship is befitting One who is the Supreme Deity. PerumAL is both, and thus, pUvum pUSanaiyum are befitting only Him, and no one else. Flowers are used to decorate a form, and so “pUvum” here is chosen by AzhvAr to denote the decoration to be offered to the beautiful Divine Form of emperumAn. “pUSanai” refers to worship, and thus it denotes the worship to be offered to Lord vishNu who is the undisputed Supreme Deity in AzhvAr’s determination. Even when any offering is made to anya devatA-s with the declaration – “na mama” – “these do not belong to us”, (which is how divine offerings are to be made), these anya devatA-s in turn offer these to emperumAn, saying “these do not belong to us”. Thus again, bhagavAn is the final destination of all offerings, and is thus the only One fit to be worshipped with these offerings. In his SaraNAgati gadyam, bhagavad rAmAnuja describes bhagavAn as “niratiSaya aujvalya, saundarya, saukumArya, lAvaNya, yauvanAdi ananta guNa nidhi divya rUpa” – referring to His Divine tirumEni which is beyond the reach of thought, ever existing, pure and unsullied, pre-eminently excellent, of brilliant loveliness, sweet smelling, charming with the prime of youthfulness – a Form full of such a whole treasure of excellences. Note that nammAzhvAr’s emphatic declaration – “devan emperumAnukku allAl pUvum pUSanaiyum tagAdu”, is not any half-hearted declaration on the parattvam of perumAL, but a statement of unswerving conviction by nammAzhvAr. It is this same conviction that is reflected in AzhvAr’s declarations in all the pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi so far: - alladu illai Or kaNNE – (2.2.1) – There is no one more Supreme than Him; He is the Eye of all the Universes. - kOLa ari ERu anRi aruLAl aLippAr Ar? (2.2.2) - There is no one else except gopAla who can protect all these worlds from the enormous sins, and thus He alone is the Supreme Deity. - mAl tanil mikkum Or daivam uLadE?(2.2.3) - Who ever can even think that there is a greater God than tiru mAl – Lord vishNu? - pUvum pUSaiyum tagumE? – current pASuram – Who else, other than emperumAn, is fit to be decorated and worshipped with beautiful flowers? (No One else). Note the subtle difference in the use of the term ‘devu’ for the other deities, and ‘devan’ for vAsudevan. The difference between the terms ‘devu’ and ‘devan’ is like the difference between the words ‘adu’ and ‘avan’ in tamizh. There are many ‘devu-s’, but He is the Only devan (eko devaH sarva bhUteshu gUDhaH) – There is Only One devan, Who is the antaryAmi in everything else; divyo deva eko nArAyaNaH – There is Only One God who has Creation, Protection and Destruction as His sport, and that is nArAyaNa. ‘devan’ is “One Who has all the devu-s as His possession”). The ‘other deities’ are still called ‘devu’ because they still continue to be worshipped by some. The beauty of bhagavAn’s tirumEni is brought out in this pASuram (devan, pUvum pUSanaiyum tagumE), as also His parattvam or Supremacy (nAn-muganaip paDaitta emperumAn --- To Continue ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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