seethaa's education

May 22, 2006

dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

after reading the chapter of raamaayaNam yudhdha kaaNdam I got this doubt.

i welcome scholars in the list to provide some insighton the following.

seethaa feels 'sokham' and weeps, when she is taken in pushpaka vimaanam to see

raama and lakshmana hit by weapons and fallen on the ground.

while she weeps over about the separation of raama, she also says as per chamudhrika

lakshaNa saasthram, i have all positive features in my body like padhma rekai,

my teeth not separated, my body is like this, like this, etc.

which are the lakshaNams of a 'uththama sthree' - 'high class perfect woman'.

That shows she is having good knowledge of this saasthram which is very rare

even among the learned.

Now my point is -- is there some reference which states seethaa is learned in this this etc and

if so what are the topics in which she is good.

i am quite aware of raama being said as saasthragNa, vedhapaarangatha, dhanur vedha nipuNa,

neethi saasthra nipuNa, artha saasthra thathvagna, etc. and that his expertise comes out when he discusses

these with bharatha in the forest.

like wise any references on seethaa's educational achievements?

dhasan

vasudevan m.g.

PS: about these 'perfect woman's lakshaNams' of seethaa as stated by her, and as described by raavaNa,

i will write shortly.

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May 22, 2006

Dear SrI vAsudevan svAmin:

Rather than prepare a new response for the question you have raised, I am copying the interpretation for the nAma mA-dhava from my SrI vishNu sahasra nAma write-up below. This includes in detail the interpretation for this nAma by Sri parASara bhaTTar. pirATTi is no different fromn bhagavAn in Her shADguNya paripUrNatva, or any other abilities, including bestowing moksham, according to the followers of bhagavad rAmAnuja who also follow the philisophy and interpretations of bhagavad rAmAnuja sampradAyam by svAmi deSikan. According to this tradition, the incarnations by bhagavAn and pirATTi are just an act that they put on for our benefit,. as a part of their leelA. When some of us ask the question - Why did pirATTi suffer etc., the natural question also arises as to why Lord rAma suffers as well in His incarnation in this world. The explanation given by svAmi deSikan and the AcArya-s that follow, is that this is part of their leelA (applies equally for both perumAL

and pirATTi). In that incarnation,. pirATTi and perumAL are living a life to illustrate how we humans should lead a dhArmic life - how the wife should behave towards the husband, the husband towards the wife, the younger brothers towards their elder brother, the son towards the parents, etc. In their nitya vibhUti-s, even though they are equally endowed with all guNa-s in their fullness (shAD-guNya paripUrNattvam), they have chosen certain functions for one and certain others for the other, mutaslly between them. Thus, for instance, dayA, SrI, purushakArattvam, etc., are in the domain of LakshmI, and the dispensing of the karma phalan, bestowing moksham, etc., are in the domain of perumAL. Thus, the question of how or where pirATTi got the education does not arise, for those who believe that perumAL and pirATTi are the inseparable pair called the Supreme Being, and that, even in their incarnations, they do not lose any of their powers even a little bit. Note the

incident where sItA was able to lift the Siva dhanus with one hand, or probably with a few of Her fingers, while rAvaNa was unable to even make it give way an inch after struggling with all his might.

I apologise for dwelling in detail on this issue, and again I am presenting this only as the position of the rAmAnuja followers that follow the deSika sampradAyam. I am not questioning the right of any other group to have a different view, and am not writing this to start another negative discussion. I have given supporting references throughout. I hope it is taken on that spirit.

-dAsan Krishnamachari

741. mAdhavah â€“

The Consort of Lakshmi.

Om mAdhavAya namah.

a) The Consort of MA or Lakshmi

b) The Bestower or Propounder of Knowledge about Himself.

c) One Who is attained through the madhu vidyA.

d) One Who is attained through mauna, dhyAna and yoga

e) One Who is born in the race of madhu, a yAdhava

f) The nAma that reveals the eternal relationship of the Mother and Father withthe rest of the Universe.

g) One for whom there is no Lord above

The nAma mAdhavah occurs three times (nAma-s 73, 169, and 741). The description below extends the description given under nAma 73, with additional information included.

a) mAyAh dhavah mA-dhavah â€“ The Lord or consort of MA or Lakshmi.

The concept here is that BhagavAn and SrI are eternally associated with each other, and are inseparable. As if to emphasize this, SrI BhaTTar gives a very detailed explanation for the qualities of MA or Lakshmi under this nAma, rather than dwell on the guNa-s of bhagavAn. In the end, he concludes with one sentence: â€œThe secret about the true nature of SrI is that Lord VishNu gets His Lordship because of His association with Lakshmiâ€. All this detailed explanation is provided by Sri BhaTTar under the very first occurrence of the nAma, in Slokam 8.

SrI BhaTTar gives reference to the Sruti vAkhya-s which establish the interpretation for a start:

- hrIScsa te lakshmISca patnyau (purusha sUktam) â€“ Bhumi and Lakshmi are Thy spouses

- asyeSAnA jagato vishNu-patnI (nIlA sUktam) â€“ Lakshmi, who is the Ruler of this universe, is the spouse of VishNu.

Then he proceeds to explain the qualities of Lakshmi in the following words:

asyAh svarUpavat nitya-nirmala-rUpatvam, nirupAdhika paramaiSvaryAdi, jagan-mAtRtvam, autpattiko bhagavat-sambandho nitya anapAyaSca ityAdi tattvapareshu SastreshuamaryAdam | vedeshu tAvat SrI-sUktam, medhA sUktam, uttara nArAyaNam, kaushItakI brAhamaNamityAdau.

â€œThe essential Nature of Lakshmi is described in the SAstras dealing with the Supreme Reality as follows: Her From is eternal and spotless; Her Supreme Rulership is not restricted by any limiting adjunct; Her universal Motherhood, Her natural association with bhagavAn, are all delineated in great detail in the SAstra-s. In vedic literature, the SrI sUkta, SraddhA sUkta, medhA sUkta, uttara nArAyaNa, kaushItakI brAhamaNa and others deal with this subjectâ€.

Then SrI BhaTTar gives several references from the purANa-s etc., that speak of the Supremacy of pirATTi, starting with the following reference from SrI vishNu purANa:

nityaiva eshA vishNoh SrIr-anapAyinI | yathA sarvagato vishNuh tathaiveyam dvijottama || (vishNu purANa 1.8.17)

â€œThis Lakshmi is eternal, the universal Mother, and is ever in union with VishNu. Just as VishNu pervades all things, she also does, O best of Brahminsâ€.

In Brahma PurANa, we have

tat Saktih durjayA bhImA vishNu-Saktih iti smRtA |

sarva bhUta hRdabjasthA nAnArUpa dharA parA ||

prANAkhyA mantra-mAtA ca viSvasya jananI dhruvA |

devI bhinnAâ€™njana SyAmA nirguNA vyoma eva hi ||

"Her power is invincible and awe-inspiring and She is considered the power of VishNu Himself. She is the Supreme Being who lives in the lotus-like hearts of all beings of the universe and She is endowed with diverse forms. Her name is prANa or life. She is the Mother of all mantras, and is the eternal Mother of the Universeâ€.

tathaivaikA parASaktih SrIh tasya karuNASrayA |

j~nAnAdi shADguNya mayI yA proktA prakRtih parA ||

ekaiva Saktih SrIh tasya dvitIyA parivartate |

parAvareNa rUpeNa sarvAkArA sanAtanI ||

ananta nAmadeyA ca Sakti-cakrasya nAyikA |

jagat carAcaram idam sarvam vyApya vyavasthitA ||

â€œLikewise, Lakshmi is His Supreme Power, and She is endowed with the quality of Mercy. She is called the Supreme prakRti and possesses the six qualities, knowledge and others. Lakshmi is the supreme, unique, and eternal Sakti of BhagavAn; She is His second and transforms Herself into diverse forms, high and low. She has innumerable names, and is the head of the Sakti-cakra â€“ the wheel of powers. She stands steady, pervading the entire universe, moving and non-movingâ€.

In SrI LahsmI sahasra nAmam, She is described as follows:

mahA-vibhUteh sampUrNa shad-guNya vapushah prabhoh |

bhagavad-vAsudevasya nityaiva esha anapAyinI ||

ekaiva vartate bhinnA jyotsneva hima dIdhiteh |

sarva SaktyAtmikA caiva viSvam vyApya vyavasthitA ||

sarvaiSvarya guNopetA nityam tad-dharma dharmiNI |

prANa Saktih parA hyeshA sarveshAm prANinAm bhuvi ||

SaktInAm caiva sarvAsAm yoni-bhUtA parA kalA ||

â€œShe is eternal and inseparably associated with BhagavAn vAsudeva, who is the Master of great glory, who is endowed with the six qualities, and who is all powerful. She is like the moon-light of the cool-rayed moon; She is one with Him, yet remains distinct. She pervades the Universe, and is the very embodiment of all Sakti-s.

She is endowed with all glory and qualities, and is eternal. Her dharma is the same as that BhagavAn. She is the life-giving Sakti of all beings on earth. She is the source of all Sakti-s and is the sublime element in allâ€.

yasmAt lakshmyamSa sambhUtAh Saktayo viSvagAh sadA |

kAraNyatvena tishThanti jagatyasmin tadAj~nayA ||

tasmAt prItA jaganmAtA SrIh yasya acyuta-vallabhA |

suprItAh Saktayah tasya siddhim ishTAm diSanti ca ||

â€œAll the Saktis that have emanated from Lakshmi are always pervading the entire Universe. They remain, under the command of SrI, as the cause. Therefore, when Lakshmi, the Mother of the Universe and the beloved consort of Bhagavan Acyuta is pleased with someone, these Saktis themselves, highly pleased, bestow prosperity which one desires.â€

After this detailed description of Lakshmiâ€™s qualities, SrI BhaTTar points out that this subject is more fully dealt with in vaishNava smRti and other dharma SAstra-s.

rAmAyaNa also declares the greatness of Lakshmi in the Sloka in bAla kANDam(4.7):

- kAvyam rAmAyaNam kRtsnam sItAyAh caritam mahat â€“ "The entire epic poem of rAmAyaNa is but the glorious story of sItAâ€.

SrI BhaTTar concludes his vyAkhyAnam for the nAma mAdhava in its first occurrence in Slokam 8 (nAma 73), by elaborately dwelling on the qualities of Lakshmi, and then ending with one line for mA-dahva, where he attributes the greatness of mAdhava to His association with SrI: â€œSraddhayA devo devatvamaSnute â€“ Lord VishNu gets His Lordship because of His association with Lakshmi. This is the secret about the true nature of SrIâ€.

Under nAma-s 169 and 741, SrI BhaTTar gives alternate explanations for the nAma mA-dhavah, but these are a couple of sentences each in length, compared to the very elaborate description above that he has given for the first occurrence of the nAma in Slokam 8 (nAma 73). It is clear that SrI BhaTTarâ€™s thoughts are about our Mother SrI in his anubhavam of the nAma mA-dhava for the Lord.

b) The Bestower of Knowledge (mA â€“ The vidyA or knowledge of Hari; dhavaâ€“ Lord, Preceptor, Propounder)

For the nAma mA-dhava in Slokam 18 (nAma 169), both SrI Sa,nkara and SrI BhaTTar give the interpretation in terms of His being the Propounder (dhavah) of the mA vidyA â€“ the knowledge of Hari. They both quote the support from the harivamSa:

mA vidyA ca hareh proktA tasyA Iso yato bhavAn |

tasmAt mA-dhava nAmAsi dhavah svAmIti Sabditah || (3.69.4)

â€œThe knowledge about of Hari is called mA. Thou art the Master of that knowledge.

Therefore Thou art known as mAdhava. It has been stated that dhava means â€œLordâ€â€.

SrI cinmayAnanda elaborates further on the above.

He Who helps introspection and meditation in the seeker is Madhava.

SrI BhaTTar gives additional support from the mahAbhArata:

madhu vidyA avabodhatvAt dhAvatvAt-vA Sriyoâ€™niSam |

maunAd-dhyAnAcca yogAcca viddhi bhArata mAdhavam || (mahA. 3.69.4)

There are three explanations that are given in the above Sloka for the nAma mAdhavah.

c) first is that since He is cognized through madhu vidyA,

He is called mAdhavah (madhu vidyA is referenced in chAndogya Upanishad 3.1, bRhadAraNya upanishad 2.5);

the second explanation is that He is the Lord of SrI (the explanation discussed in detail under (a) for this nAma);

d) and the third one is that because He is recognized through dhyAna, mauna, and yoga, He is called mA-dhavah.

The dharma cakram writer explains mauna, dhyAna, and yoga further. Mauna results in the control of the indriya-s; dhyAna focuses the mind in the thought of the Atma tattvam,

and yoga solidifies and consolidates this thought on a permanent basis.

e) Under the current nAma, both SrI Saâ€™nkara and SrI BhaTTar give the interpretation that He is a scion of the Race of the Madhus, and therefore has the name mAdhavah (madhu kulodhbahavAt mAdhavah, or madhu kule jAtatvAt mAdhavah).

f) Another explanation given by SrI BhaTTar for the nAma is that this nAma is an illustration of the togetherness of SrI and BhagavAn as Mother and Father of all of us. SrI v.v. rAmAnujan comments on the importance of this special relationship of bhagavAn and pirATTi to the world, and their togetherness always, in the protection of the jIva-s. It is because of the Motherâ€™s nearness that bhagavAn forgives the countless apacAra-s committed by the cetana-s. It is in this sense that it is important for all of us that He is â€œagalagillEn iRaiyum enRu alrmEl maâ€™ngai uRai mArbanâ€ (tiruvAi. 6.10.10), and She is always with Him.

g) SrI tirukkaLLam nRsimha rAghavAcArya in his gItA bhAshya, has given another interpretation â€“ mA dhavah yasya sa mAdhavah â€“ He for Whom there is no Master.

Since there is no one above Him in any sense, and since He is the Lord of everyone and every thing in all the universes, He is called mA-dhavah.