tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

[Guest guest]

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

 

SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

 

 

Having completed the avatArikA in the first ten Sloka-s, svAmi

deSikan now starts the description of the guNa-s sung by nammAzhvAr

in each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi.

 

It may be recalled that the emphasis of the first Satakam (group of

100) is the guNa of sevyatvam – One who is worthy of being

surrendered to. Sloka-s 11 to 22 are devoted to describing the

hundred guNa-s that are contained in the 100 pASuram-s of this first

Satakam. Sloka 11 contains the description of the ten guNa-s that

are the principal subject of the first tiruvAimozhi (tiruvAimozhi

1.1), of the first Satakam, consisting of the first ten pASuram-s.

Similarly, Sloka 12 describes the ten guNa-s sung in the ten pASuram-

s of tiruvAimozhi 1.2, and so on. In general, one pASuram is

dedicated to each tiruvAimozhi; however, there are exceptions, and in

some cases, svAmi deSikan dedicates more than one Slokam to a given

tiruvAimozhi. In the case of the first Satakam, there are 12 Sloka-s

dedidcated for describing the guNa-s sung in the ten tiruvAimozhi-s.

 

Slokam 11:

 

nis-sIma-udyad-guNatvAt amita-rasatayA ananata-leelAspadatvAt

svayattAsesha-sattA-sthiti-yatatabhitAvaibhavAt vaiSva-rUpyAt |

tRyaksha-brahmAtva-bhAvAt sad-asad-avagateh sarva-tatveshu-pUrteh

paSyan-yogI-param tat-pada-kamala-natAvat-vaSAt-Atma-cittam ||

 

paratvam is the guNa chosen at the daSakam level for tiruvAimozhi 1.1

by svAmi deSikan. This is found in the 4th pAda (last line) of

Slokam 11 (paSyan yogi param tat….). The ten guNa-s identified for

pASuram-s 1.1.1 to 1.1.10, that are the subject of the current Sloka,

are those that are identified by svAmi deSikan as supporting the guNa

pf paratvam at the daSakam level.

 

o pASuram 1.1.1 (`uyarvaRa uyar nalam' pASuram): nis-sIma

udyat guNatvAt - nis-sIma = unlimited, udyad-guNatvAt = having

superior guNa-s; One Who has unlimited kalyANa guNa-s (uyarvaRa uyar

nalam uDaimai). `mayarvaRa madi nalam aruLudal' and `amarargaL

adhipatiyAi iruttal' are additional guNa-s sung in this pASuram, but

the guNa that svAmi deSikan has chosen as the principal guNa that

goes to support the guNa of paratvam at the higher level is `uyarvaRa

uyar nalam uDaiyavan', or nis-sIma udyat guNavAn.

 

o pASuram 1.1.2 (`mananaga malamaRa' pASuram): amita rasatayA –

In this pASuram, AzhvAr refers to three of bhagavAn's principal guNa-

s: "muzhu uNar" – fully j~nAna svarUpan – personification of

absolute flawless knowledge, "muzhu nalam" – totally Ananda svarUpan –

total Bliss, and "edir nigazh" – He has none that can equal Him or

surpass Him in any aspect in the past, present and future. Of these,

the j~nAna and Ananda svarUpatvam are of a different category than

the last one; Given His j~nAna and Ananda svarUpatvam, the third

guNa - that He has none that is equal to Him, easily follows.

Between the j~nAna and Ananada svarUpatvam, Ananda svarUpam already

implies j~nAna sva rUpam (note the taittirIya Upanishad – the

sequence of anna maya, prANa maya, manomaya, vij~nAna maya, and the

final stage of Ananda maya, in increasing order of subtlety). svAmi

deSikan selects the Ananda svarUpatvam as the guNa of import for this

pASuram – "muzhu nalam" – amita rasatayA. One could argue that the

jIva also in its nature is of Ananda svarUpam. To distinguish

bhagavAn's Ananda svarUpam from that of the Ananda svarUpam of the

jIva-s (which is not fully manifested because of the effects of karma-

s), svAmi deSikan adds the word amita – unlimited, flawless.

niravadhika Ananda svarUpan.

 

Remember that that these guNa-s at the pASuram level are all guNa-s

that support the guNa at the daSakam level – paratvam, and the guNa

at the Satakam level –sevyatvam. This concept that is fundamental to

tAtparya ratnAvaLi, should be kept in mind when meditating on the

guNa for each pASuram as we go along. Also note the extent of

thought and analysis that have gone into the choice of the principal

guNa for this pASuram. This is an example of the rigorous

analytical thought process that has gone into the selection of one

principal guNa for each pASuram by svAmi deSikan, which is the unique

contribution of tAtparya ratnAvaLi.

 

Also recall that this is a ratnAvaLi – a garland, that has a thread

of sequence embedded in it. There is a connection between the guNa

in the previous pAsuram with that in the current pASuram and so on.

The first pASuram talked of His infinte kalyANa guNa-s; the current

pASuram gives the basis for that – namely, that His divya Atma

svarUpam is flawless, and of the nature of Infinite Bliss – there is

no room for any negatives.

 

o pASuram 1.1.3 (`ilan adu uDaiyan idu ena ninaivu ariyavan'

pASuram): ananta leelAspadatvAt – "nilaniDai viSumbiDai uruvinan

aruvinan" – He Who has as His possession everything both sentient and

non-sentient, in all the worlds above and below – This refers to His

leelA vibhUti. SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya describes this as "pAtAlam

Arabhya parama pada paryantamAgavuNDa cetanAcetana vibhUtikan".

 

BhagavAn' possessions are being sung here, as one more aspect of His

paratvam (guNa at the daSakam level). He owns everything in His

nitya vibhUti (in SrI vaikunTham), as well as in His leelA vubhUti.

The current pASuram specifically praises His Lordship of all things

in His leelA vibhUti.

 

When we say that He owns all the things –cetana-s and acetana-s that

are imperfect and full of deficiencies, one could argue that this

conflicts with His being `uyar nalam uDaiyavan' – (pASuram 1.1.1).

This is not so. He is not in the least affected by our deficiencies,

and on the contrary, He removes all our sins.

Note the other guNa-s in the pASuram – ilan adu uDaiyan idu ena

ninaivu ariyavan, pulanoDu pulan alan, and an-nalanuDai oruvan. The

first two are further elaborations of `nilaniDai viSumbiDai uruvinan

aruvinan' (2nd pAda) – the guNa chosen by svAmi deSikan. The third

one is a reference to His kalyANa guNa-s, that we saw in pASuram

1.1.2 – muzhu nalam.

 

We will continue with pASuram 1.1.4 in the next posting.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

(To be continued)

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Dear Sri Krishnamachari,

Absolutely wonderful write on on such an intricate work of Swamy Desikan. Am

really enjoying the series.

 

Adiyen,

Jayshree Narasimhan (Singapore)

 

 

On 8/30/06, champakam <champakam > wrote:

>

> tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

>

> SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

>

> Having completed the avatArikA in the first ten Sloka-s, svAmi

> deSikan now starts the description of the guNa-s sung by nammAzhvAr

> in each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Very Nice Sri Krishnamachari Swamin

Great writing

Enjoyed thoroughly reading your anubhavams

Hope you are doing well also as I heard Swami was not feeling well for

sometime

 

Take care of your health

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan madhavakkannan

 

On 8/30/06, champakam <champakam > wrote:

>

> tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

>

> SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

>

>

> Having completed the avatArikA in the first ten Sloka-s, svAmi

> deSikan now starts the description of the guNa-s sung by nammAzhvAr

> in each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi.

>

> I

 

san

[Guest guest]

Respectful swAmin, the explanation of the first slokam of Bhagavad Gunas deeply rooted in the first ten verses of tiruvAimozhi is excellent. Paratvam could have been explained as many may not be aware of its significance. As adiyen understood, it means perfection, thereby declaring bhagvAn as the Perfection Incar nate. Each of the pAsurams of the first tiruvAimozhi describes the various aspects in wnich He is perfect with no one equal or superior to Him.

Regards,

dAsan srInivAsan

 

champakam <champakam > wrote:

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

 

SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

 

Having completed the avatArikA in the first ten Sloka-s, svAmi

deSikan now starts the description of the guNa-s sung by nammAzhvAr

in each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi.

 

It may be recalled that the emphasis of the first Satakam (group of

100) is the guNa of sevyatvam – One who is worthy of being

surrendered to. Sloka-s 11 to 22 are devoted to describing the

hundred guNa-s that are contained in the 100 pASuram-s of this first

Satakam. Sloka 11 contains the description of the ten guNa-s that

are the principal subject of the first tiruvAimozhi (tiruvAimozhi

1.1), of the first Satakam, consisting of the first ten pASuram-s.

Similarly, Sloka 12 describes the ten guNa-s sung in the ten pASuram-

s of tiruvAimozhi 1.2, and so on. In general, one pASuram is

dedicated to each tiruvAimozhi; however, there are exceptions, and in

some cases, svAmi deSikan dedicates more than one Slokam to a given

tiruvAimozhi. In the case of the first Satakam, there are 12 Sloka-s

dedidcated for describing the guNa-s sung in the ten tiruvAimozhi-s.

 

Slokam 11:

 

nis-sIma-udyad-guNatvAt amita-rasatayA ananata-leelAspadatvAt

svayattAsesha-sattA-sthiti-yatatabhitAvaibhavAt vaiSva-rUpyAt |

tRyaksha-brahmAtva-bhAvAt sad-asad-avagateh sarva-tatveshu-pUrteh

paSyan-yogI-param tat-pada-kamala-natAvat-vaSAt-Atma-cittam ||

 

paratvam is the guNa chosen at the daSakam level for tiruvAimozhi 1.1

by svAmi deSikan. This is found in the 4th pAda (last line) of

Slokam 11 (paSyan yogi param tat….). The ten guNa-s identified for

pASuram-s 1.1.1 to 1.1.10, that are the subject of the current Sloka,

are those that are identified by svAmi deSikan as supporting the guNa

pf paratvam at the daSakam level.

 

o pASuram 1.1.1 (`uyarvaRa uyar nalam' pASuram): nis-sIma

udyat guNatvAt - nis-sIma = unlimited, udyad-guNatvAt = having

superior guNa-s; One Who has unlimited kalyANa guNa-s (uyarvaRa uyar

nalam uDaimai). `mayarvaRa madi nalam aruLudal' and `amarargaL

adhipatiyAi iruttal' are additional guNa-s sung in this pASuram, but

the guNa that svAmi deSikan has chosen as the principal guNa that

goes to support the guNa of paratvam at the higher level is `uyarvaRa

uyar nalam uDaiyavan', or nis-sIma udyat guNavAn.

 

o pASuram 1.1.2 (`mananaga malamaRa' pASuram): amita rasatayA –

In this pASuram, AzhvAr refers to three of bhagavAn's principal guNa-

s: "muzhu uNar" – fully j~nAna svarUpan – personification of

absolute flawless knowledge, "muzhu nalam" – totally Ananda svarUpan –

total Bliss, and "edir nigazh" – He has none that can equal Him or

surpass Him in any aspect in the past, present and future. Of these,

the j~nAna and Ananda svarUpatvam are of a different category than

the last one; Given His j~nAna and Ananda svarUpatvam, the third

guNa - that He has none that is equal to Him, easily follows.

Between the j~nAna and Ananada svarUpatvam, Ananda svarUpam already

implies j~nAna sva rUpam (note the taittirIya Upanishad – the

sequence of anna maya, prANa maya, manomaya, vij~nAna maya, and the

final stage of Ananda maya, in increasing order of subtlety). svAmi

deSikan selects the Ananda svarUpatvam as the guNa of import for this

pASuram – "muzhu nalam" – amita rasatayA. One could argue that the

jIva also in its nature is of Ananda svarUpam. To distinguish

bhagavAn's Ananda svarUpam from that of the Ananda svarUpam of the

jIva-s (which is not fully manifested because of the effects of karma-

s), svAmi deSikan adds the word amita – unlimited, flawless.

niravadhika Ananda svarUpan.

 

Remember that that these guNa-s at the pASuram level are all guNa-s

that support the guNa at the daSakam level – paratvam, and the guNa

at the Satakam level –sevyatvam. This concept that is fundamental to

tAtparya ratnAvaLi, should be kept in mind when meditating on the

guNa for each pASuram as we go along. Also note the extent of

thought and analysis that have gone into the choice of the principal

guNa for this pASuram. This is an example of the rigorous

analytical thought process that has gone into the selection of one

principal guNa for each pASuram by svAmi deSikan, which is the unique

contribution of tAtparya ratnAvaLi.

 

Also recall that this is a ratnAvaLi – a garland, that has a thread

of sequence embedded in it. There is a connection between the guNa

in the previous pAsuram with that in the current pASuram and so on.

The first pASuram talked of His infinte kalyANa guNa-s; the current

pASuram gives the basis for that – namely, that His divya Atma

svarUpam is flawless, and of the nature of Infinite Bliss – there is

no room for any negatives.

 

o pASuram 1.1.3 (`ilan adu uDaiyan idu ena ninaivu ariyavan'

pASuram): ananta leelAspadatvAt – "nilaniDai viSumbiDai uruvinan

aruvinan" – He Who has as His possession everything both sentient and

non-sentient, in all the worlds above and below – This refers to His

leelA vibhUti. SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya describes this as "pAtAlam

Arabhya parama pada paryantamAgavuNDa cetanAcetana vibhUtikan".

 

BhagavAn' possessions are being sung here, as one more aspect of His

paratvam (guNa at the daSakam level). He owns everything in His

nitya vibhUti (in SrI vaikunTham), as well as in His leelA vubhUti.

The current pASuram specifically praises His Lordship of all things

in His leelA vibhUti.

 

When we say that He owns all the things –cetana-s and acetana-s that

are imperfect and full of deficiencies, one could argue that this

conflicts with His being `uyar nalam uDaiyavan' – (pASuram 1.1.1).

This is not so. He is not in the least affected by our deficiencies,

and on the contrary, He removes all our sins.

 

Note the other guNa-s in the pASuram – ilan adu uDaiyan idu ena

ninaivu ariyavan, pulanoDu pulan alan, and an-nalanuDai oruvan. The

first two are further elaborations of `nilaniDai viSumbiDai uruvinan

aruvinan' (2nd pAda) – the guNa chosen by svAmi deSikan. The third

one is a reference to His kalyANa guNa-s, that we saw in pASuram

1.1.2 – muzhu nalam.

 

We will continue with pASuram 1.1.4 in the next posting.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

 

Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out.

[Guest guest]

Dear SrI Madhavakkannan svAmin:

Very nice to hear from you. As you know, I am the best example of not knowing anything, and still venturing to submit postings on complex topics such as tAtparya ratnAvaLi. It seems like bhagavAn and pirATTi are having fun making me get into adventures like this, and the divya dampati-s are chuckling at my misadventures. I am reminded of svAmi deSikan's Slokam in dayA Satakam - prAyo daye tvadanubhAva mqahAnburASau....

I have been having my share of health problems. The most recent one was a major brain surgery two months back. I am enjoying my karma phalan, and they are coming and going without much strain by AcAryan's blessings. I have recovered from the surgery without much pain or problems.

Hope everything is going well at your end with His blessings and with AcAryan's anugraham.

-dAsan

 

Madhava Kannan <srivaishnavan > wrote:

Very Nice Sri Krishnamachari Swamin

Great writing

Enjoyed thoroughly reading your anubhavams

Hope you are doing well also as I heard Swami was not feeling well for sometime

 

Take care of your health

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan madhavakkannan

 

On 8/30/06, champakam <champakam > wrote: tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

 

SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

 

 

Having completed the avatArikA in the first ten Sloka-s, svAmi

deSikan now starts the description of the guNa-s sung by nammAzhvAr

in each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi.

 

I

san

 

 

Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

[Guest guest]

Dear svAmin:

 

My sincere thanks for the feedback. I have got into the habit of

taking things for granted, and that is something I have to overcome.

I could not find the 'definition' for the word 'paratvam' in amara

koSam. However, I looked at a dictionary I have, and it gives the

meaning in tamizh as 'mEnmai', 'uyarndadAgai'. I have been

translating it as "Supremacy", "Lordship". The term 'paramAtmA' is

used in the sense of His being the Supreme Deity above all other

deities, and everyuthing else that exists anywhere. I believe that

paratvam is different from perfection, even though they are both guNa-

s of bhagavAn. I venture to write in detail on this, because it is

useful to keep the guNa that is meant in mind while reading the

different guNa-s that go to support that particular guNa.

 

paripUrNatvam may be 'perfection'. The translation of samskRt words

into English is not staightforward, at least for people like me who

neither know English nor tamizh nor samskRt in perfection.

 

Through this mail, I would like to thank all the others who have been

kind enough to give me feedback as well. This gives me encouragement

and support.

 

-dAsan

 

Oppiliappan, srinivasan sowmianarayanan

<vasans2004 wrote:

>

> Respectful swAmin, the explanation of the first slokam of Bhagavad

Gunas deeply rooted in the first ten verses of tiruvAimozhi is

excellent. Paratvam could have been explained as many may not be

aware of its significance. As adiyen understood, it means perfection,

thereby declaring bhagvAn as the Perfection Incar nate. Each of the

pAsurams of the first tiruvAimozhi describes the various aspects in

wnich He is perfect with no one equal or superior to Him.

> Regards,

> dAsan srInivAsan

>

> champakam <champakam wrote:

> tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Part 13 - Slokam 11-1.

>

> SrImate SrI ra'ga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namah.

>

>