Digest Number 1322

[Guest guest]

dear shri sampatkumar,

 

it is indeed thrillin to note Srimad Azhagiasingar's tirunakshatram being

celebrated on a global basis. let me take this opportunity to appreciate

your Acharya bhakti, which prompts you to celebrate,despite being thousands

of miles away from home.

 

thanks and regards,

 

sadagopan (coimbatore)

 

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Sunday, December 04, 2005 2:08 PM

Digest Number 1322

 

 

 

There are 3 messages in this issue.

 

Topics in this digest:

 

1. RE: Purpose of creation

"s hariharan" <subramaniam.hariharan

2. Kan Kodukkum Perumal

sadagopaniyengar <sadagopaniyengar

3. H H Srimath Azhagiyasingars Thirunakshatram celebrations near

Geneva

"Sampathkumar Raghunathan" <sampathkumarr7

 

 

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Message: 1

Sat, 3 Dec 2005 00:02:33 +0530

"s hariharan" <subramaniam.hariharan

RE: Purpose of creation

 

Dear Suresh,

 

I would like to attempt to answer your concerns on the below mail.

 

Firstly it is incorrect to think that good people get punished alongwith

evil persons. Every individual soul gets the fruits of what he has done in

this or in his earlier births. So just by a few incidents like

Bhismacharya's death, one should not conclude that alongwith evil the good

also gets punished. All that looks like Dharma is not Dharma, one has to

look at the dharma sookshma. Where was Bhismacharya's dharma when his

duaghter-in-law was being ill treated in the court of Kauravas. Do not

forget that he was fighting the war on the side of evil (Duryodhana). This

applies to many of his illustrious collegues like Dhronacharya etc (all

great names no doubt). How can Dhronacharya being a Brahmin take ayudha

and go to war that too to protect the Evil? To say that Dhrona protected

Kauravas because he was being fed by them, fully knowing they were ion the

path to injustice, would be gauna dharma and not Dharmasookshma.

 

I rever Bhismacharya as a Bhagavatha, however you need to understand that

everyone is individually responsible for his actions and has to pay for

what he has done in this birth or in future births. This is Vyavaharika

Nyaya. The Lord who rules this world will not go against it. The Lord

showered his garce on Bhismacharya by appearing before him at the time of

his departure from this earth, as the Lord is Bhaktha vastal.He gave

Mukthi to Bhishma.

 

In today's context as well if some good persons die in a war (or

otherwise) or meet misfortune, it has to be put down as result of Karma.

You have to look at the actions of Avatara in totality and not by the

individual experiences of the souls however great they might be. However

when the asuric forces start ruling the earth, the Lord descends to

protect the Sadhus and bring back the equilibrium.

 

The latter part of your concern which talks about the entire world being

his body is basically a vedantic thought and not to do with Vyavarika. The

lord is in everything but he himself does not get affected by anything.

Just like the air does not get polluted by the smell of the places it

passes through. The reason why one needs to make a distinction between

evil and good is that while this may not affect the Lord, it definitely

affects the bonded Jiva, since he will have to bear the fruit of his evil

act. Even Tapasvis like Ravana/Hiranyakashyap had to meet their end.

 

Hence as long as one lives in this Mayaic world, one has to necessarily

obey the laws of good and bad. However, once you have attained a state of

equilibrium (called as Stithapragnya) because of having surrendered to

God, then he is not bound by Karma as he looks at everything as Vasudeva.

Prahlada had this state of mind. Such people will never do any evil since

they are absorbed in the Lord who is shuddha satva.

 

Hope I have been able to clarify. If you still have doubts I dont think I

will be able to clarify further, because I do not profess great knowledge

of scriptures either except that I believe in devotion to the Lotus feet

of Lord Krishna.

 

Radhekrishna

 

S Hariharan

 

 

 

 

suresh iyengar [kp_suresh512]

02 December, 2005 5:41 PM

 

Purpose of creation

 

 

Dear Bhagavathas

 

Adiyen knows nothing on Shastra Gnanam. As it occured

in adiyen's thought process wanted to share with all

to get my internal questions clarified.

 

When ever people talk about avatara and its purpose,

they quote many slokas and say that is to remove evil

and protect good. But many times the evil alone is not

removed along with that so call good is removed too.

Example in Mahabarata war great learned persons such

as Bhishmacharya etc were given death. Same way in any

wars between the nations in order to defend their

borders many good souls die. So if we consider the

good and bad attributed to persons then what is

happening should be called "aniyayam". On the other

hand I was going through some of the articles on Sri

Vaishnavam on other groups. What they described the SV

is "Sharira and Sharirik" Bhava. If that is the case

any thing and every thing should be part of "him".

Weather good or evil and hence there should be no

qualification for any act, since it is part of him and

why he should punish one part of his "body" and allow

another part to perish for his own action? is that

called his play his maya? Where from that good or bad

comes unless it is part of him? If it is part of him

why it is bad?

 

It will be great help if some one can answer these

doubts from Gnanasunyam.

 

Dasan

 

Suresh

 

 

 

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Message: 2

Sat, 03 Dec 2005 09:43:11 +0530

sadagopaniyengar <sadagopaniyengar

Kan Kodukkum Perumal

 

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

"Kan Kodukkum Perumal"

 

 

 

"Vendittrellaam tarum vallal Manivannan" is how Sri Nammazhwar describes the

Lord. Whatever we ask, the Lord is ready to give us the same and much more,

however exalted be the boon we seek. He endows us with whatever we need

during our mundane sojourn and once we perform Prapatti, He takes us to his

own eternal abode, never to return to the quagmire of Samsara. And this,

only Emperuman can do, say the Shastras-"Moksham icchet, Janaardanaat".

 

 

 

Though it is true that Emperuman is waiting in the wings to take us away to

Paradise once we seek the same earnestly and adopt an appropriate strategy

therefor, still, during our worldly life, we approach Him for so many

baubles and trinkets, which appear important to us from time to time. It may

be riches, social status, pass in an exam, good health or relief from

disease-we ask for all these and more from the Lord, who obliges readily,

but with a tinge of sadness that we seek from Him not the permanent but the

puerile.

 

 

 

Of these, one of the major praartthanas that people make is freedom from

crippling diseases that afflict them periodically. When they are unable to

obtain relief from mundane physicians, they run to the Divine Doctor. While

Emperumans at most of the divyadesams (like Vaidya Veeraraghavan of

Tiruvallore) are General Physicians, to whom you can take any illness for

cure, there are among them specialists in specific disciplines too, who are

experts at ridding us of specific diseases. For instance, for curing mental

disorders, worshipping Sri Nrisimha of Cholasimhapuram and Srinivasa of

Gunaseelam is held out to be extremely effective.

 

 

 

Likewise, to whom can a person rush, in case of problems with his eyesight?

Especially when the sight is totally lost, which specific Emperuman can we

pin our hopes on, for regaining the same? People who are not conversant with

the Sampradaya would advocate worshipping the Sun god, forgetting the fact

that he himself derives his origin and power from the Lord's eyes ('Chaksho:

Sooryo ajaayata'). However, those steeped in the Sampradaya would definitely

prescribe a visit to Hastigiri, the exalted abode of Sri Varadaraja of

Kanchi. It is He who is the most wonderful of ophthalmologists, capable of

curing the most severe of eye-disorders, including blindness from birth. And

many are those who have benefited from His ministrations, as is evident from

the long list of satisfied patients. For those who need proof, let me

recount the various instances catalogued by Sri Srivatsankachar Swamy, in

his comprehensive and compelling commentary on Sri Varadaraja Stavam.

 

 

 

Students of Tamizh literature would definitely be conversant with the name

of Andhaka Kavi Veeraraghava Mudaliar. As his sobriquet indicates, he was

totally blind. Legend has it that it was only after he worshipped Sri

Varadaraja at Hastigiri that he regained his eyesight in full and expressed

his undying gratitude in the form of a literary tribute. This is a fairly

recent instance of Sri Varadan displaying His expertise as a restorer of

sight.

 

 

 

And within the last two hundred and fifty years, we have another case of

blindness being cured miraculously by Devapperumal. There would be precious

few in the Sampradaya who have not heard of Arasaanippaalai Sri

Venkataadhvari Kavi-he is the renowned author of fourteen beautiful works,

principal among which are the Visva Gunaadarsa Champoo, Lakshmi Sahasram and

Raghava Yadaveeyam. Visva Gunaadarsam is a unique and imaginative work,

recording the observations of two Gandharvas as they fly over the earth

seeing places and people. Of the two, the Gandharva named Visvaavasu sees

merit and goodness in almost all of the Lord's creations, while the other,

Krisaanu, finds only shortcomings in all that falls in his sight. However

good be the subject, Krisaanu has only cynical and caustic comments to

offer. Because of such adverse comments about even sacred things and holy

men, it is said that the author Sri Venkataadhavari lost his eyesight.

 

 

 

Repenting having incorporated such disparaging remarks even as a matter of

fiction, Sri Venkataadhvari paid obeisance to Perundevi Tayaar and

Perarulaala Perumal at Kanchi, composing a thousand verses known as Vishnu

Sahasram (including 200 on Devapperumal alone) and another thousand verses

on Sri Perundevi, known as Lakshmi Sahasram. These works display deep

devotion, excellent poetic imagery and unparalleled ingenuity with wordplay.

Pleased with the devotion, Tepperumal made the poet see again, living up to

His reputation as a restorer of lost sight.

 

 

 

The rich and hoary lore and legends that abound on the subject of Sri

Varadaraja's expertise in eye-care include one on how He bestowed eyesight

on a famous proponent of Dharma Shastras, known as Likhita. Sankha and

Likhita were twin brothers, who lived at Tirumukkoodal and made the

propagation of Dharma Shastras their life's mission. The younger brother,

Likhita, was blind from birth, though this did not affect his acquisition of

scholarship, aided by his elder brother. However, Sankha did feel extremely

bad about the handicap and advised the younger one to pray with devotion to

Devaadiraja, supplementing the brother's supplications with his own. Placing

implicit faith in the elder brother's prescription, Likhita prayed with all

the sincerity he could muster, his mind's eye fixed on the fabulous form of

the Lord, as described in the Scripture. And lo and behold! Likhita could

suddenly see all the wonderful sights he had missed since childhood. Moved

beyond measure by the Lord's mercy in restoring his eyesight, Likhita went

immediately to Kanchi and feasted his eyes for long on the glorious form of

Perarulalan, his newfound sight clouded by a film of tears.

 

 

 

By far, however, the most well-known instance of a person regaining his lost

sight at Kanchi, is that of Sri Koorattazhwan. As we know, Kulottunga Chozha

was a die-hard Saivite, totally intolerant of other faiths, who made it his

pastime to harass and terrorise scholars of other beliefs, forcing them to

accept the supremacy of Shiva. And when the call came to Sri Ramanuja to

attend the royal court, Azhwan, who feared harm to his master from the

barbaric ruler, spirited away Sri Ramanuja to Karnataka and went himself to

Kulottunga's court, posing as Ramanuja and clothed in his ochre robes. When

the king predictably asked the Acharya to sign on the dotted line, accepting

Rudra's supremacy, Azhwan refused point-blank and, instead, put forth

well-reasoned arguments based on the Shruti, Smritis, Itihaasas and Puranas,

in favour of Sriman Narayana being the Parabrahmam. The enraged ruler,

forever blind to the truth, ordered Azhwan's eyes to be gouged out: but

before the sentence could be carried out, Azhwan himself tore his eyes out

and flung them before the king, as he did not want to live on with eyes that

had sighted the cruel bigot.

 

 

 

After the king's demise, when Sri Ramanuja returned from Tirunarayanapuram

and Azhwan from Tirumalirumsolai and the two met at Srirangam, Ramanuja was

extremely sad at Azhwan's loss of sight. He led the protesting Azhwan to the

sannidhi of Sri Varadaraja at Kanchi and commanded him to compose a stotram

on the Deity, seeking return of sight. Thus was born the beautiful

Varadaraja Stavam, incorporating the essence of our Sampradayam and

portraying the glories of Perarulalan in 101 scintillating slokas. The

moment the 23rd sloka was uttered, Azhwan got his vision back and feasted

his eyes for long on the magnificent form of his Acharya first and

thereafter on that of Devapperumal. Azhwan accepted the return of eyesight

with the proviso that it should serve him only when he looked at Sri

Bhashyakara and Varadaraja and he would otherwise continue to be blind. It

was also Azhwan's magnanimous wish that Naalooraan, Azhwan's erstwhile

disciple, who betrayed his Acharya to the king, should also attain the same

exalted state as Azhwan himself did due to the Lord's blessing.

 

 

 

Here is the beautiful sloka, on uttering which Azhwan is reputed to have

been blessed with the faculty of sight-

 

 

 

'Neelamegha nibham anjana punja syaama kuntalam anantasayam tvaam

 

Abja paani padam ambuja netram netrasaat kuru Kareesa! sadaa me'

 

 

 

'O Lord of Karigiri! Please bless me with vision, so that I may feast my

eyes constantly on your glorious form, which resembles a dark rain-bearing

cloud, with jet-black curls on your majestic head, eyes, hands and feet

similar to just-bloomed, beautiful red lotuses, reclining on the soft snaky

bed provided by Adisehsa!' prays Azhwan.

 

 

 

The significance of this episode would not have been lost on readers. Azhwan

and Sri Bhashyakara met at Srirangam. If Ramanuja wanted to get Azhwan his

sight back, it would have been logical for him to have taken his disciple

before Sri Ranganatha (who was available locally) and prayed to Peria

Perumal for the same. Instead, we find the Acharya taking Azhwan all the way

to Kanchi and Varadaraja. It is amply evident from this that it is the Lord

of Kanchi who is to be applied to, for matters relating to sight. Perhaps

Sri Ramanuja came to this conclusion after hearing Sri Alavandar's tribute,

in which he attributes to Devapperumal a penchant for effecting miraculous

cures, enabling those born blind to see, the congenitally deaf to hear, the

lame to run and the infertile womb to yield infants-"Yasya prasaada kalayaa

..andha: prapasyati, sutam labhate cha vandhyaa, tam Devadevam Varadam

sharanam gatosmi"

 

 

 

One more instance of Sri Varadan curing congenital blindness is the case of

Sri Harita vaarana Bhritya, reported to be the grandfather of Sri

Tirukkacchi Nambi. This we come to know from Sri Koorattazhwan's account in

his Sundarabaahu Stavam. Though the stotra as such is addressed to

Kallazhagar of Tirumaalirumsolai, Azhwan recounts this episode of Sri

Varadan blessing a person, born blind, with the light of sight. Here is the

relevant slokam-

 

 

 

'Haritavaarana Bhritya samaahvayam Karigirou Varada: tvam apoorvikaam

 

Drisam alambhaya eva hi Sundara! Sputamadaascha para: shatam eedrusam'

 

 

 

Crowning all these instances is the one recounted in Sri Mahabharatam, by

the Lord Himself. Describing the glory of the Kesava naama to Arjuna, Sri

Krishna narrates the story of a Maharshi, who lost his eyes while still in

the mother's womb, due to a curse from Brihaspati. Due to the dark world he

lived in without sight, he came to be known as "Deergha Tamas". After birth,

the child developed deep devotion to Devaadi Raja of Kanchi and through

constant utterance of the Kesava naama, eventually gained his eyesight,

leading to his being renamed "Gothama". "Hence I am known as Varada and

Kesava"("Evam hi Varadam naama Kesava iti mama Arjuna!") says the Lord in

the Sriman Narayaneeyam of the Shanti Parva of Sri Mahabharatam.

 

 

 

These are only six of the several instances where Varadan has been

responsible for various persons gaining/regaining their eyesight.

 

 

 

Is it any wonder then, that Swami Desikan adoringly calls Him "Kan kodukkum

Perumal" ("Kacchi tanil kan kodukkum Perumal vandaar"--Tirucchinna Maalai")?

In saying so, however, Swami Desikan would appear to have expanded the idea

to include not only physical vision ("oona kan"), but also the vision of

wisdom ("Gyaana kan").

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

dasan, sadagopan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Message: 3

Sat, 03 Dec 2005 09:23:05 -0000

"Sampathkumar Raghunathan" <sampathkumarr7

H H Srimath Azhagiyasingars Thirunakshatram celebrations near

Geneva

 

Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satagopa Sri

Narayana Yatheendra Maha Desikaya Nama:

 

Dear All:

 

As you are already aware, the 79th thirunakshatra mahotsavam of H H

Srimath Azhagiyasingar, the 45th Jeeyar of Sri Ahobila Mutt is going

to be held in Bangalore, India on December 10th, 2005 in a grand

manner. Those fortunate bhagawathas in India can participate in the

celebrations and be recipients of the Krupa of Lord Malolan and the

Anugraham of H.H Srimath Azhagiyasingar. On 10th December 2005 on the

holy day of HHs Thirunakshatram, celebrations are planned in my

residence:

 

1032, La fayette 4

Rue LaFayette,

01630 St Genis Pouilly

France

 

This place is just on Swiss French border very near Geneva close to

CERN. Those around the place desirous of participating may kindly

contact me through email at the earliest so that necessary

arrangements can be made. My contact nos: 0041-22-7679721, 0041-22-

7671038.

dasan

Sampathkumar RAGHUNATHAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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