Guest guest Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 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 # 17 dated 04/09/05 ================================================= EDITORIAL: Dear Bhagavataas: 1. HAPPY PARTHIVA SAMVATSARAM! May the Divya Dhampatis shower their blessings of peace, prosperity and mutual amity upon all humanity. Let us all be happy, healthy and prosperous and engage in greater kainkaryam to Bhagavaan and Bhagavatas in the year ahead. Kindly accept my heartfelt greetings on the dawn of the New Year. Sri Seva Swamigal has composed a Stotra, “Akshaya Aaraadhanam” in which he has used the names of all the 60 years of our almanac to pay tributes to Swami Desika. Here is the one dedicated to “PARTHIVA” Samvatsaram. Paarthiva sthuti vidaayi naatataa Paarthivam cha vachasaa anugrunhataa / Paarthivaasraya sukham nigrunhataa vEda mouLi guruNaa drutaa vayam // MEANING: ”Paarhiva: he praised the Paaarthiva (King); He blessed another King through his UpadEsa; He renounced the Royal gifts and pleasures offered. We are saved by such Sri Vedanta Desika” The traditional Panchangams, of course, give their “veNbas” that do not instill much of sanguine prognosis of the year ahead. More often than not, the frightening prospects or the more welcome scenario predicted therein normally do not come true. But, one thing is certain. The prayers to Swami Desika as contained in Seva Swami’s Akashaya Aaraadhanam” are sure to guarantee us a worry free and pleasant future. So, we are not referring to the traditional VeNbaa” in our New Year greetings. ================================================= xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ================================================= IN THIS ISSUE: 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN CHITRAI (MESHA) MAASAM 2. ATHIMAANUSHA STHAVAM OF SRI KOORATHAAZHWAN Part 4 (Slokas 16 and 17) (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) 3. VILAKSHANA MOKSHAADHIKAARI NIRNAYAM Part 8 (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) 4. “TRIMURTI” - IN NAMMAZHWAR’S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 13 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) ================================================= 163 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 & - 16 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” Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN CHITRAI (MESHA) MAASAM ALMANAC DATE/ENGLISH DATE/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/THITHI/EVENTS/REMARKS ========================================================== 01/ 04.14.05/ Thursday/ Mrigaseersham/ ShashTi/ TAMIL NEW YEAR BEGINS 04/ 04.17.05/ Sunday/ Punarvasu-Pushyam/ Navami/ SRI RAMA NAVAMI 07/ 04.20.05/ Wednesday/ Pooram/ Ekaadasi/ Sukla Paksha Ekaadasi 10/ 04.23.05/ Saturday/ Hastam/ Chaturdasi/ PourNami/ CHITRA POURNAMI, KiDambi Aachaan 11/ 04.24.05/ Sunday/ Swati/ PourNami/ MADHURAKAVI AZHWAR, Tirutaazhvarai Daasar, Tirumalai Nambi, Anantaazhwar, NaDadoor AmmaaL 12/ 04.25.05/ Monday/ Swati/ Pratamai / Periya Tirumalai NambigaL 15/ 04.28.05/ Thursaday/ Kettai / Chaturti- Panchami/ VARAAHA JAYANTI 18/ 05.01.05/ Wednesday/ Poorattadi/ Ekadasi/ KrishNa Paksha Ekaadasi 22/ 05.05.05/ Thursday/ Utrattadi/ Dvaadasi/ MATSYA JAYANTI, AGNI NAKSHATRAM BEGINS 23/ 05.06.05/ Friday/ Revati/ TrayOdasi/ PERIYA PERUMAAL 24/ 05.07.05/ Saturday/ Aswini/ Chaturdasi- Amavasya/ BOdaayana Amavasya, VaDuga Nambigal 25/ 05.08.05/ Sunday/ BharaNi/ Amavasya/ AMAVASYA (Other than BOdaayana) 26 /05.09/05/ Monday/ Krittigai/ Pratamai / UYYAKKONDAAR 27/ 05.10.05/ Tuesday/ Dviteeyai/ RohiNi/ EngaL Azhwaar 28/ 05.11.05/ Wednesday/ Mrigaseersham / Triteeyai/ AKSHAYA TRITEEYAI, BALARAMA JAYANTI 29/ 05.12.05/ Thursday/ Tiruvadirai/Chaturti/ BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA JAYANTI, Koyil Somayaajiyaandaar 30/ 05.12.05/ Friday/ Punarvasu/Panchami/ Mudaliyaandaar =========================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =========================================================== 2. ATHIMAANUSHA STHAVAM OF SRI KOORATHAAZHWAN Part 4 (Slokas 16 and 17) (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) ========================================================== SLOKAM 16 Tvan nirmitaa jaTaragaa cha tava trilOkee Kim bikshaNaadiyamrutE bhavataa duraapaa? / madhyE kadaa tu na vichakramishE jagachchEt tvad vikramai: kathamiva sruti ranjitaa syaat? // “Oh! Emperumaan! You created all the three worlds. You kept them in safe custody in your tummy. Could you not think of any way other than begging Mahaabali to get back your own property? If you had not measured the worlds with your feet at some ancient times, how could the Vedas recount your glories as Trivikrama and your exploits that you enacted on earth? May be, it is with this in mind, you sought to measure the world under the pretext of receiving from Mahaabali by begging” NOTES: • Viswakarma Sooktam says that the Lord created all the worlds by his very wish (Sankalpam) “ya imaa viswaa bhuvanaani juhvata” • Sruti says that at the time of deluge, the Lord gulped the worlds as easily as swallowing a small rose apple (Jambu) “grasEt samhaara samayE jagascha badaraaNDavat / leelayaa yastu Bhagavaan thum gachcha saraNam Harim” • KaTavalli describes how the Lord swallowed the worlds as if they were just handful of cooked rice (Annam) with Yama as a pickle to go with it. “yasya Brahma cha Kashtram cha ubhE bhavata Odana:/ Mrityu: yasya upasEchanam ka ithaa vEda yatra sa:” • The Vedas have declared that all that was, is and will be are yours “yad bhootam yat cha bhavyam, uda amrutatvasyEsaana” and “asyEsaanaa jagatO vishNU patnee” • This being the case, could you not have wrested your property from Mahaabali, without resorting to begging? • Did not Azhwar say: “seeraai pirandu sirappaai vaLaraadu pEr vaamanan agaakkaal pEraaLaa!- maarbaarap pulgi nee uNDu umiznhnda bhoomi neer yErparidE? Sollu nee yam ariya soozhndu” MEANING: • The whole of VishNU Sooktam makes special mention about how the Lord measured the worlds and how far his third step went and how by this act all the worlds became purified proving him to be the Supreme being (Paramaatma), how the waters of Ganga flows from his feet, how the water could transform ordinary deities into celestials capable of bestowing boons on other beings. That is why KoorEsar uses the word “anjitaa” which means “glorious” • Vedas are like departmental stores where under one roof you can get anything you want. It provides for means to achieve trivial gains as well as great ones and the greatest one of “mOksha”. If the vEdas had not sung the glory of the Lord and thus shown the supreme maarga also, it would have become an exercise in futility. • What is meant by the term “Veda”? pratyakshEna anumityaa vaa yah tu upaayO na gamyatE / yEnam vidanti vEdEna tasmaat vEdasya vEdataa // It is because they reveal the means (upaayas) that are beyond physical perception (pratyaksha) and by mental comprehension or inference (anumaana), it is called VEDa. Otherwise, they would lose their “VEdatvam” itself. Perhaps to ensure VeEdatvam to Vedas that the Lord took the Trivikrama Avataara, so that they could bring out his glory for all to see and attain his feet, says Azhwaan. SLOKAM 17: Etat katham kathaya yat mathitas tvayaa asou Hitvaa svabhaava niyamam prathitam trilOKhyaam / Aswa apsarO visha sudhaa vidhu paarijaata Lakshmee aatmanaa pariNata: jaladhir babhoova // “Oh! Lord! We know that it is in the nature of things to change into another. But, how is it, that the milky ocean that you churned went beyond and changed into many different things all at once – like Uchaisravas, the horse, Ramba, MEnaka and other divine damsels, Haalaahala, the most potent poison, the just opposite nectar (amrita), various medicinal herbs, the Moon, the Kalapaka (the wish yielding tree) and Periya PiraaTTi herself! Only you can explain this strange phenomenon. Please explain” NOTES: • We have seen milk turning into yogurt, threads turning into fine textiles, mud becoming pots etc. But, it is strange that so many different things could emerge from the milk in the Ksheeraabdi when the Lord had it churned. • Vedas describe the churning episode thus: ‘vaayurasmaa upaamanthat pinashTi smaakunannamaa/ kEsee vishasya paatrENa yad rudrENaapibat saha” • Sri VishNu PuraaNam, Srimad RamayaNam, Sri Bhaaratam, Sri VishNu dharmam and other scriptural texts allude to this “churning of the milky ocean” elaborately. • They describe how good and bad, immobile and mobile (JaTa and ajaTa), male and female, solids and liquids, big and small, exalted and mean things emerged from the milky ocean. This is possible only due to the superhuman feats (Athimaanusha ChEshTitam) of the Lord. • They describe how the Lord made the Mantara Mountain as the churndashery, Vaasuki, the serpent as the churning rope etc. • ILango ADigaL in his “Aaaychiyar kuravai’ also describes this incident as follows: ”vaDavaraiyai mathaakki vaasukiyai naaN aakki” • When the mountain wobbled, the Lord took the form of a tortoise and bore the mountain on his back and took another form to press it down to stop it’s wobbling. “KsheerOda madhyE Bhagavaan koorma roopi svayam Hari: / manthaanaadrEra adhishTaanam bhramatO abhoot, mahaa munE!” // • It would appear that the Lord took the form of a dEva on the side of dEvas and as a Daanava on the side of Daanavas and pulled the rope. “roopENa anyEna dEvaanaam madhyE chakra gadaa dhara: / chakarsha naaga raajaanam ditya madhyE aparENa cha // (Paraasarar) • He also empowered Vaasuki with his tEjas to relieve Vaasuki of the breathlessness he suffered in the process of churning. “tEjasaa naagaraajam thum tathaapyaayitavaan hari: / anyEna tEjasaa dEvaan upabrimhitvaan prabhu: // (Paraasarar) • He let go the elder sister (moodEvi) and chose to wed the younger one who came after her (pinnai). And became “pinnaimanaaLan” I.e. Periya PiraaTTi. VishNu puraaNam describes this: “pasyataam dEva dEvaanaam yayou vakshasthalam harE:” • Not only this. In order to show that the one with the bull on his flag (Siva) and Brahma, Indra and the rest were incapable of administering the curative for the ailment of Samsaaram, he himself appeared as the divine physician “Dhanvantari” “ eruthukkoDiyaanum piramanum indiranum marrum oruttarum ip piravi ennum nOikku marundu arivaarum illai” and He himself is the “maruttuvanaai ninra maa maNi vaNNan” “tatO Dhanvantarir dEva: swetaambaradhara: svayam / bibrat kamaNDalum poorNam amrutasya samuthita: // • Thus, he proved that all others were merely instruments but He himself did all the works connected with the churning. ---------------------------- Slokas 18 to 32 relate to the exploits of the Lord in his Avataara as Sri Rama. Azhwaan challenges Sri Rama’s claim “aatmaanam maanusham manyE” by cataloguing the events in which the Paratvam of the Lord got betrayed much against the said claim. This is one of the most interesting parts of this Athimaanusha Sthavam. We will commence studying them in the forthcoming postings ------------------------------ To Continue =============================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =============================================================== 3. VILAKSHANA MOKSHAADHIKAARI NIRNAYAM Part 8 (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) ----------------------------- WHO IS A DESERVING SISHYA? FROM NYAASA VIMSATI OF SWAMI DESIKA • Swami Desika in his “NYaasa Vimsati” lays down clearly the characteristics of a “deserving” disciple. He provides practically a questionnaire containing 15 conditions necessary for a Sishya to be considered a “deserving” candidate. • A ”Qualified” Achaarya, as described earlier, is required to put the would-be-Sishya to a strict test based on the criteria laid down by Swami Desika. • In other words, an Achaarya is forbidden from accepting one as a Sishya, based merely on the quantum of SamarpaNai that he is capable of offering to the Achaarya, or on the basis of the age, sex or level of education etc. of the prospective Sishya. • You may wish to do a self-assessment to gauge your suitability in this regard. For each question, you should attempt to record your self assessment results with absolute honesty and utmost sincerity never indulging in self-deception in the first place and never intend to hoodwink the Achaarya you wish to resort to. • For every positive answer, credit yourself 10 points and for every negative ones debit 10 points. If you are not sure, give yourself a benefit of doubt of 5 points, at the same time resolving solemnly to rectify yourself by making a conscious effort to improve your scores. • Are you ready? Now look at the questions from “NYaasa Vimati”: sadbuddhi: saadhusEvee samuchita charitas Tatva bOdhaabhilaashee Susrooshu: tyakta maana: praNipatana para: prasna kaala prateeksha: / SaantO daantO anasooyu: saraNam upagata: saastra viswaasa saalee sishya: praapta: pareekshaam kritavida abhimatam tattvata: sikshaNeeya: // -------------------------------- NOTE1: Meanings are as per Sri D. Ramaswamy Iyengar in his”Nyaasa Vimsati of Swami Desika published by VisishTaadvaita PrachaariNi Sabha in 1979. NOTE 2: Comments are based on instructions heard during AnushTaana grantha KaalakshEpams and personal experience with Acharyas, while in India. NOTE 3: Wherever the masculine is employed, it includes the feminine also) ------------------------------ 1. sadbuddhi:: He should possess proper intellect, not perverted intelligence. Otherwise, he cannot imbibe the teachings of the Achaarya properly. NOTE: Otherwise, He is likely to branded as mentally perverse, conceited., as one engaging in vain arguments (vitanDaavaadi), atheist (naastika), or heckling for the sake of embarrassing, demanding reasons for everything (hytuka), or one with distorted views (kudhrishti), prattler (jalpa), or one who misinterprets (kuyukta), heretic (paashaaNDi), or a hypocrite – as indicated in Vol 6.15. 2. saadhu sEvee: He should be intent on honoring God minded and good-minded persons (Saadhus) NOTE: This must come naturally to the seeker of truth. He should have the anxiety to be in the company and service of Bhagavatas. 3. samuchita charita: He should be of good and impeccable conduct consistent with his status and the due performance of Nitya and Naimittika karmas prescribed for his status ( VarNaasrama Dharama) NOTE: He should not give up Nitya and Naimittika karmas under any circumstances and can have no excuse for skipping them. For example, Daksha Smriti 2.27 makes it clear that one who skips these is eternally unclean and is totally unfit to do any other Karma and that even if one does other karmas without doing the Nityakarmas, they will not be fruitful”. “Sandhyaa heenah asuchir nityam anarha: sarvakarmasu” 4. Tatva bOdha abhilaashee: He should be keen to know the truths. What are the Truths”? The Taatva, HIta and Purushaarta. Tattva: Jeevaatma is a permanent sentient entity as different from the body that is perishable. Again, Jeevatma is different from Paramaatma who is its Seshi and its ONLY protector. This is Tattva. Hita: This Jeevaatma remains submerged from beginning less time in the ocean of Samsaara. Only by a stroke of luck it could come across an Achaarya who would instruct the Dvayamantra and initiate into Prapatti. This is Hita. Purusharta: The goal he should attain (mOksham as a result of his knowledge and understanding of the Tattva and Hita as above. NOTE: This is a basic requirement for anyone who desires to learn anything in life. 5. Susrooshu: He should be willing and anxious to render service to the Guru. NOTE: Lord KrishNa himself says in BG 4.34 how one should approach the Achaarya; Learn this knowledge by prostration, by polite questioning and by service. The wise who seek the truth will teach you true knowledge” “tad viddhi prtipaadEna pari prasnEna sEvayaa/ upadEkshyanti tE jnaanam jnaanina: tattva darsina: // The Sishya should be ever ready to serve the Achaarya and Bhagavatas in mind, word and deed and carry out their commands faithfully. 6. tyakta maana: He should have no sense of false prestige and should give up feelings of self-importance. NOTE: In other words, one should shed ego (ahamkaaram) and possessiveness (mamakaaram) while approaching an Achaarya. 7. praNipatana para: He should be ever ready to bow and prostrate before the Achaarya. This is really a corollary of items (5) and (6) above. NOTE: He should be incessantly conscious of being subservient to Achaaryas and Bhagavatas. 8. prasna kaala prateeksha: He should be patient looking for the proper time and opportunity to submit any questions for clearing his doubts and for seeking further clarifications. NOTE: This means that he should not rush and interfere with the Achaarya’s routine or put questions in a blunt or rude manner but should look forward and wait patiently to seek clarification of doubts in the spirit of submissiveness mentioned at 5 above. 9 and 10: SaantO daantO : He should have control over his senses like eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. There is a difference of opinion as to which of these two Saanta is and which Daanta is. NOTE: He should have a calm and patient mind and should be averse to material and worldly benefits. 11. anasooyu: He should eschew jealousy. It is not infrequent that one is jealous of another. NOTE: This must be avoided. Lord KrishNa has warned that these truths should not be revealed to unworthy persons and most importantly to one who is jealousy or indulges in nit-picking on the qualities and achievements of others. 12. saraNam upagata: He should take shelter at the feet of the Achaarya by way of Prapatti or SaraNagati. NOTE: This is Self-explanatory. Swami Desika clearly says that the Lord will not show the way to mOKsham except for the one who has done Prapatti or SaraNagati at the feet of his Achaarya. “Prapannaath anyEshaam na disati mukundO nijapadam” This surrender should be absolute and unconditional. 13. saastra viswaasa saalee: He should have abounding faith in the Sastras. NOTE: This includes Sastra arthas expounded by the Achaarya. 14. praapta: pareekshaam : He should have been tested and found fit by the Achaarya. NOTE: Manu Dharma Sastra says that the sins of the subjects will accrue to the King, the sins of the King accrue to his priest; the wife’s sins accrue to the husband and the sins of the Sishya will accrue to the Guru. “ raajnO raashtra kritam paapam, raja paapam purOdasa: / Bhatru Bhaaryaa kritam paapam sishya paapam gurOrapi // Because of this, an Achaarya cannot take a Sishya without testing his suitability in the first place. So, no true Achaarya will accept a Sishya, just because he got one and cannot afford to miss him. Swami Desika in Guru Paramparaa saaram warns this with the words “perratu guNamaaga upadEsithaal sishya paapam gurOrapi engaiyaalE Achaaryanukku nishTai kulayum paDiyaam…” So, one should be prepared to submit oneself to the severest of tests to which one may be put to by the Achaarya. 15. kritavid: He should be ever grateful to the Achaarya for all that the latter does for him. NOTE: He should feel immensely grateful for any help received from anyone at any time, especially the Achaarya. These 15 qualities qualify one to be taught what he desires to learn. Swami Desika says that it is such a one who really deserves to be accepted as a Sishya fit to be initiated into the esoteric secrets by the Achaarya. Swami Desika goes one step further to say that it is the duty of the Acharya to impart knowledge of Sampradaya arthas to such a person unhesitatingly and without any reservations. WE will see in the next posting the further views of Swami Desika in the “Sishya kritya Adhikaaram of Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram and then see how Sri Erumbiappa in his “VilakshaNa Mokshaadhikaari NirNayam” echoes faithfully Swami Desika’s views on the subject. ---------------------------- To Continue ============================================================= xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ============================================================= 4. “TRIMURTI” - IN NAMMAZHWAR’S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 13 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) -- 3.4.8 (22): oLi maNi vaNNan enkO! oruvan enRu Etta ninRa naLir madic caDaiyan enkO! nAnmugak kaDavuL enkO! aLi magizhndu ulagam ellAm paDaittu avai Etta ninRa kali malart tuLavan emmAn kaNNanai mAyanaiyE. AzhvAr pours out his unbounded emotions on the indescribable nature of emperumAn, His unbounded vyApakatvam (pervasion into everything), His antaryAmitvam in everything because of which whatever shines in this world gets its ability to shine, etc. All the ten pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi 3.4 contain the many expressions of bhagavAn’s Infinite Power in this Universe. We are covering only one pASuram of this tiruvAimozhi, where AzhvAr specifically notes that bhagavAn is the antaryAmi of rudra and brahmA. Before we get into the detailed meaning of the current pASuram, it is worthwhile getting an overall idea of the scope of all the ten pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi. Probably the best summary of the thought of AzhvAr in this tiruvAimozhi is given in pASuram 3.4.9, where AzhvAr declares: “j~nAlam uNDu umizhnda mAlai eNNumARu aRiya mATTEn, yAvaiyum evarum tAnE” – “There is no way that I am going to be able to describe this great Lord vishNu who swallowed the whole Universes and recreated them later – He is the Force behind anything and anyone that exists”. He starts in pASuram 3.4.1 with “Should I describe You as the Supreme purusha, or should I describe You as the Great Earth, or the Great Waters, or the Fire, or the Air, the Ether, the Sun, the Moon, or all of these together?. O My Lord kRshNa! How am I going to describe You?” He continues groping for many ways of trying to describe emperumAn in the next six pASuram-s, and then in 3.4.8, AzhvAr continues: “Should I call You the One with the complexion of the bright shining diamond? Or should I describe You as rudra or as brahmA? O kaNNa! You of wondrous acts that are beyond anyone’s comprehension! You who wears the tulasi garlands, and swallowed all the Universes at the time of pralaya and then recreated them later! How am I ever going to describe You?” For AzhvAr, there is no difference between bhagavAn’s vibhUti-s and His guNa-s. AzhvAr only thinks of bhagavAn in everything he does, and sees only bhagavAn in everything he sees. BhagavAn is the antaryAmi of everything, and whatever shines in anything is because He is their antaryAmi. At the same time, He is not in the least affected by their impurities. SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavanpoints out that AzhvAr is enjoying bhagavAn’s guNa of sarva vastu sarIritvam – His having everything and everyone as His Body, and His sarva vastu gata aSesha doshaiH asamspRshTatvam – His being unblemished by any flaws of all that He is associated with as their antaryAmi. AzhvAr is performing vAcika kainkaryam – Service to Him through singing His praise through words through these pASuram-s, since bhagavAn is stava-priyan (One Who is pleased by His devotee’s praises). Note that every pASuram in this tiruvAimozhi, after saying “should I call You as this, as that, etc.”, ends with “kaNNaniak kUvumARE”, “emmAn pa’ngayak kaNNanaiyE”, Sa’ngu Cakkarattan”, “acyutan amalanaiyE”, “kaNNanai mAyanaiyE”, “kaNNanai mAyan tannai acutanai, anantanai”, etc. So it is unambiguously clear who the Supreme Deity is that is being talked about by AzhvAr - It is kaNNan with Infinite attributes that is beyond description. Perhaps the best way to understand the idea of manifestation of bhagavAn through rudra, brahmA, etc., is to recall Slokam 41 in chapter 10 of bhagavad gItA, where bhagavAn summarizes His brief illustration of His manifestations, including those in the form of rudra etc.: yad-yad-vibhUtimat sattvam SrImad-Urjitameva ca | tat-tadevAgaccha tvam mama tejo’mSa sambhavam || (gItA 10.41) “Whatever being is possessed or power, or of splendor, or of energy, know that as coming from a fragment of My power”. In the beginning of this chapter in the gItA, bhagavAn points out that “He is the source or beginning of all the gods and the great seers”: aham Adir-hi devAnAm maharshINAm ca sarvaSaH | (gItA 10.2) Also, Lord kRshNa declares that the sapta-Rshi-s and the four manu-s were created by bhrhmA for the purpose of continuing the creation and preservation according to His Will (It is well-known that brahmA himself was created by bhagavAn, and entrusted with the function of continuing the creation): maharshayaH sapta pUrve catvAro manavas-tathA | mad-bhAvA mAnasA jAtA yeshAm loke imAH prajAH || (gItA 10.6) “The seven great seers of yore, and the four manu-s, all possessing My mental disposition (that is, acting according to My Will and driven by Me) were born of My mind. All the creatures of the world are descended from them” The subject of this tiruvAimozhi is same as that expounded by Lord kRshNa in chapter 10 of the gItA - the chapter titled “vibhUti yoga”. In the gItA, we get bhagavAn’s description of His unlimited vibhUti-s, and in tiruvAimozhi, we get a description of the same vibhUti of bhagavAn as experienced by the foremost of devotees of bhagavAn – nammAzhvAr. In the gItA, Lord kRshNa describes a limited few of His unlimited vibhUtis- or manifestations. Bhagavad rAmAnuja explains the term ‘vibhUti’ as a reference to bhagavAn’s ‘pravartyatvam’ of all beings – His being the effective Force that drives everything. We should be clear on the meaning of this term – it is not a suggestion of ‘identity’ of bhagavAn with all His vibhUti-s; it is an expression of a tiny fraction of His Power in each of the manifestations listed (Lord kRshNa Himself clearly expresses this in Slokam 10.41 whish has been referenced earlier). BhagavAn lists among His vibhUti-s, the Sun, the moon, the stars, Sa’nkara – one of the rudra-s, agni, the mEru mountain, the ocean, etc. Now compare this with AzhvAr’s exclamations in this tiruvAimozhi: tigazhum taN pAravai enkO (3.4.1) – Shall I describe You as the Great Ocean; tI enkO (3.4.1) – or as Fire (agni); vAyu enkO (3.4.1) – Or, as vAyu (air); nIl SuDar iraNDum enkO (3.4.1) – Or, as the Sun and the Moon; kunRan’ngaL anaittum enkO (3.4.2) – Or, as all the mountains; viLa’ngu tAragaikaL enkO (3.4.2) – Or, as the shining stars in the sky; vAnavar Adi enkO, vAnavar daivaum enkO (3.4.7) – Shall I describe You as the Origin for all the deva-s, or as the Lord and Master of all the deva-s; naLir maDic caDaiyan enkO, nAn mugak kaDavuL enkO (3.4.8) – Shall I describe You as Siva with his knotted hair, or as the four-faced brahmA, etc. In pASuram 3.4.9, AzhvAr says that there is no way that he is going to be able to comprehend the full extent of the vibhUti-s of emperumAn, since He is the Driving Force behind everything and everyone – (j~nAlam uNDu umizhnda mAlai eNNumARu aRiya mATTEn yAvaiyum yavarum tAnE. This is how Lord kRshNa also summarizes His short description of a few examples of His vibhUti-s in the gItA: nAnto’sti mama divyAnAm vibhUtInAm paramtapa | esha tUddeSataH prokto vibhUter-vistaro mayA || (gItA 10.40) “There is no limit to My divine manifestations. Here the extent of such manifestations has been made in brief by Me”. Thus, nammAzhvAr’s tiruvAimozhi 4.3 is a devotee’s anubhavam of what came out of the Lord through His own words in the gItA – namely, the unlimited nature of bhagavAn’s Glory. The important point to remember is that bhagavAn has everything and everyone as His Body, and is the antaryAmi in everything and everyone, and is the driving force behind everything that exists, without exception. Thus, AzhvAr says in the current pASuram that rudra and brahmA are but an expression of a tiny fraction of bhagavAn’s true powers, they operate because of His Will, He is the driving force behind them, and He is their antaryAmi. Any other interpretation, such as the ‘equality’ of brahmA and rudra with bhagavAn (as the ignorant people may try to suggest, based on “Shall I call You rudra, or shall I call You brahmA”), is neither the message given by AzhvAr, nor a true understanding of AzhvAr’s message even in the remotest sense. nammAzhvAr’s message should be correctly understood in the context of all the other pASuram-s we have studies so far, which is the same message given by bhagavAn in the gItA. aLi magizhndu – Out of His sheer kindness towards the jIva-s, and feeling happy to protect the jIva-s (‘aLi’ means ‘love, kindness’). Sarva-loka rashaNaika bhogan – He Who finds pleasure in protecting all the beings of all the worlds. (kAkkum iyalvinan – pASuram 2.2.9). - BhagavAn is happy that He is protecting the jIva-s during the pralaya by keeping them inside His stomach - Or, He is happy that He is going to re-create everything by giving all the jIva-s a body again. ulagu ellAm paDaittu – He created everything in the Universe (including brahmA and rudra) avai Etta – The cetana-s thus created, and those who realize this kindness of His, worship Him ninRa – He Who stands in kshetra-s such as tiruvE’nkaTam to be worshipped thus kaLi malar tuLavan – He Who wears the tulasi garland that is sweet and fragrant with honey (‘kaLi’ means ‘honey’). emmAn – He Who is My Lord kaNNanai – He Who is easily accessible to His devotees mAyanai – He Who is full of unimaginable and wonderful acts of protection and kindness towards His devotees oLi maNi vaNNan enkO – Shall I describe Him as One with the beautiful complexion that resembles the pure and lustrous pearls naLir madi SaDaiyan enkO – Or shall I describe Him as the antaryAmi of Siva who carries the cool, nascent moon in his head and who has knotted hair oruvan enRu Etta ninRa – and who is worshipped by some as the Supreme Deity himself nAnmugak kaDavuL enkO – Or shall I describe Him as the antaryAmi of brahmA who is the Lord (father) of Siva also BhagavAn is referred to as ‘oLi maNi vaNNan’ because of His attributes of unbounded love to the jIva-s, His sauSIlyam to them, His saulabhyam, and the innumerable kalyANa guNa-s that are all meant to help the jIva-s – He has the greatness, the luster and all other attributes that make Him the compassionate Lord and Master of all. Alternatively, the term ‘oLi maNi vaNNan’ could be a reference to indra, since there is a phrase “indra nIla maNi’, a blue-colored precious stone that is associated with the complexion of indra. In this case, ‘oLi maNi vaNNan enkO’ will mean ‘Shall I refer to emperumAn as the antaryAmi of indra, who has the complexion of ‘indra nIla maNi’. If an uninformed reader reads only this pASuram of AzhvAr, and does not look into any other pASuram, then this uninformed reader can erroneously conclude: “ “AzhvAr says – Should I call You as rudra, or should I call You as brahmA” – “naLir maDic caDaiyan enkO! nAn mugak kaDavuL enko!”, and proceed to conclude that AzhvAr is saying that vishNu, rudra and brahmA are one and the same. Even though anyone who has even the faintest idea of AzhvAr’s message will not come to such an inappropriate conclusion, still it is aDiyEn’s lot to discuss this specific issue as part of the title of this write-up. In order to avoid falling into this trap of total misinterpretation of AzhvAr’s message, all we need to do is to keep in mind all the previous pASuram-s that we have covered so far, where AzhvAr has repeatedly refuted this kind of misinterpretation. In order to properly understand AzhvAr’s message, we have to remember that AzhvAr has repeatedly pointed out that bhagavAn has everything as His body (in other words, everything is controlled by Him), He is the Creator of rudra and brahmA, He is the antaryAmi (Controller dwelling within) of everything including rudra and brahmA, and that they do not have any power except that which He has given them. So, when AzhvAr says “Should I call You rudra” etc., all he is saying is: “Should I describe You as the Force behind the power of rudra to destroy, or the Force behind the power of brahmA to create, which are all but aspects of Your Infinite Power. There is no limit to Your vibhUti-s, and I am lost in my ability to fully describe You”. Extensive reference to the bhagavad gItA has been provided in this write-up in order to provide additional clarification of this point. It should not be necessary to belabor this point any further. -------------------------- To Continue =========================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =========================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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