Guest guest Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 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.08 / ISSUE # 03 dated 18th October 2006 ============================================================= EDITORIAL HAPPY DEEPAAVALI! On behalf of the Members of the Board of Advisory Council (BAC) and theInternal Resource Panel (IRP) and on our own behalf, we wish you all a very HAPPY DEEPAVALI. May the “Festival of Lights light and delight your homes and your life”. May the dawn of lights bring an era of mutual understanding and respect and continued “Kainkarya praapti” for all of us. Dasoham Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy Madhava Kannan Vasudevan President SDDS and Moderator SRS Co- Moderator SRS =================================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. “THE MIGHTY AND THE ALMIGHTY – A CLASH OF WILLS? - Part 2” BY ANBIL RAMASWAMY (This is from my talk at Sri Hayagrivar Temple, Pondicherry on 31st May 2006) 2. MAATHULAR [MATERNAL UNCLES] - PART 2”: BY SRI MADHAVA KANNAN SWAMI, CO-MODERATOR OF “SRI RANGA SRI” 3."DRAMIDOPANISHAD TATPARYA RATNAVALI" - PARTS 2 and 3”: BY SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO ==================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED With this issue, about 230 Regular issues of SRS have been released so far: 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of Vol. 4 28 Issues of Vol. 5 30 Issues of Vol. 6 50 Issues of Vol. 7 and 03 Issues of Vol. 8 --- These issues have been archived for public view at - By Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxx) You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained By Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxx) 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” ====================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ====================================================================== 1. “THE MIGHTY AND THE ALMIGHTY – A CLASH OF WILLS? – Part 2” BY ANBIL RAMASWAMY ---- We concluded the last posting with the following words: “In the face of the statements of philosophers mentioned above, we seem to have no “locus standi”, no freedom, and no hand in respect of any action and how can we be asked to take responsibility? This takes us on to what is known as “Karma theory” which seems to define the relative roles of the “Mighty” and the “Almighty” in this regard. How it does this? We will see in the next posting” ---- This “Karma theory” permeates throughout our philosophy of life and provides a rational explanation of this seeming conflict of wills. The very fact that the scriptures lay down “Dos and Don’ts” shows that we do have some leeway either to follow or flout the injunctions. In other words, the Jeeva has some freedom to act and to that extent may be considered to be “mighty”. It is in exercising this freedom that the individual soul acts well or ill and enjoys or suffers the “reactions” of their respective “actions”. This initial “action” is regulated by what is known as “Vasanas” or the impressions gathered by the soul in this or earlier births. “Vasana” means “smell” – which imparts a mental personality to the individual. It means a subconscious proclivity, subliminal inclinations, habit patterns, experiential motivations, attitudinal tendencies and subtle impressions gained over past experiences. A “thief” tends to carry the propensity of “thieving” and pious person his propensity to be pious. In the Mahabharata, when Duryodana and Dharmaputra set out to find the nature of people, Duryodana returned to report that he could not spot a single “good soul” while Dharmaputra reported that he could not spot a single “evil soul”. Their respective findings were mere projections of their respective “vasanas” which they had inherited from their past lives in which they had either followed or flouted the injunctions respectively. SANCHITA, PRARABDA & AGAMI KARMAS (Excerpts from Chapter 11 of “Hinduism Rediscovered”) “Our Scriptures speak of 3 kinds of KARMAS (Actions or Deeds) namely: SANCHITA, PRARABDA and AGAMI We saw that souls with mind integrated into them in a subtle manner take different bodies from beginning-less time - all the time accumulating vasanas - both good and bad. This total accumulation is called “Sanchita karma”. This is like the opening balance in a Bank account at the time of birth of the current life. A portion of this “Sanchita karma” starts yielding results to be experienced by the soul in the current life. This is called “Prarabda karma”. This can be said to represent a Bank withdrawal for current use. No force on earth can change this or its course. The Prarabda decides our parentage, sex, time and place of our birth, whether and if so, whom we are destined to marry, the length of our life span, the time and place of our death and even the manner of our death. In other words, it constitutes the limitations under which we are born and are destined to live and work. It determines the initial conditions under which this life has to be carried on. It contributes to our character and tendencies according to the Vasanas of our previous births - which have been brought into this life for being experienced. And, this is called 'fate'. While nothing can be done about “Prarabda”, the “Sanchita Karma” can be modified by what is called the “Agami karma” (i.e) the future Karma a.k.a. Kriyamana karma (Oncoming or accruing) or Varthamana karma (that which sets in motion) just as we can alter the Bank balance by deposit or withdrawal. Agami karma is entirely in our hands. Every action and every thought of ours today contributes to this “Agami karma”. It is for us to think and act in a way that our Agami Karma opens up a better future for us, if not in this life, certainly in our future lives. While “Prarabda Karma” regards initial conditions as determined “Agami Karma” determines the future as amenable to being conditioned. Human beings are not just mechanisms of instincts. The spiritual elements in man can help in trampling over the forces that try to enslave him. In a game of cards, the cards are provided to us and we don't select them. But, with the cards provided we can play well or ill and as we play, we win or lose. There is freedom to play. Similarly, in the game of life, the cards based on past Karma are provided to us - we don't select them. But if we play our part well, and according to the rules, we can win; otherwise, we might lose. The freedom to play is present with equal validity in the game of life. Thus, Hinduism gives absolute freedom in the realm of thought while it enjoins a strict code of conduct in action. Another analogy compares 'Sanchita' to grains harvested and stored in a granary, 'Prarabda' to that portion of it taken out for being husked and got ready for current consumption and 'Agami' to the grains germinated and set aside for being planted for future cultivation. As already mentioned, if 'fate' were to decide everything and man has no free will at all the Saastras would not have taken pains to proclaim such profound commandments as 'Satyam Vada' - 'Speak the truth', of 'Dharmam Chara' - 'Do your duty' etc., These commandments would be meaningless if we do not have the free will either to follow or flout them. That is why God waits until we have shown at least an iota of interest in following the right path. 'Prarabda karma' no doubt commences our life with some initial conditions; enforce certain limitations on our mind, our intellect, our environment. But, for every subsequent action that we take, it is our own free will that is responsible and we mould our destinies ourselves. By his actions, man can to a certain extent direct his destiny. The acceptance of Prarabda is only an acceptance of the past - of what has gone already into our making. Karma theory Says: ACKNOWLEDGE THE SINS OF YOUR PAST LIVES; ACQUIRE SPIRITUAL MERIT IN THE PRESENT LIFE; ACHIEVE THE GLORY YOU DESERVE IN YOUR FUTURE LIFE” ---- - To Continue – ==================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==================================================================== 2. MAATHULAR [MATERNAL UNCLES] - PART 2”: BY SRI MADHAVA KANNAN SWAMI, CO-MODERATOR OF “SRI RANGA SRI” ---- Let us continue on our sequel post on Mathulars [maternal uncle]. Thus, Swamy desikan learned vedantha from his maternal uncle Sri AppuLLAr. It is also seen that the ancient traditions were learned from mAthulars [maternal uncles]. What did Venkatanathan learn? “Sakalaa: kalaa: sakala saasthra artthams” He had learned all 64 types of arts. He learned everything from his maternal uncle Sri AthrEya Ramanuja- AppuLLAr. As mentioned earlier, though his father and his grand father were great vidwAns, as per the command of Sri Nadadur ammAL, his maternal uncle started teaching him from basics everything one ought to learn. He took the niyamanam of Sri Nadadur ammAL as the very command of Swami Devaadhi Rajan Lord Varadarajan’s Himself and humbly obeyed the order. Swami learned sakala saasthrAs thus from appuLLAr. Those days, the only objective was to let the disciple learn everything and become a great scholar and a learned Srivaishnava. That was at the top of the mind of any Guru /Acharyan. Though Sri Bhashyakaarar father was a great learned one, he sent his son Sri MahapoorNar [swami Periya Nambhi] as per the divine command of Swami Alavandhar. Swami Ramanuja attended all Vedantha kalakshepams at the feet of Sri Periya Nambhi thus. Sri Periya Nambhi also taught all sampradaya siddhantha artthams to EmperumANAr; not just that. He also followed the statement “Bahubhya: SrOthavyam bahuDhA srOthavyam [one should listen and learn many good things from many people). Oh! King DharmaputhrA! [YudhishtrA!] I have learned many things from many persons who are very knowledgeable and matured in age and jnAnam-says the Grand Sire Bheeshma PithAmahar. –“karNAbhyAm bhoori viSruvam”- with both ears I need to listen all good things. In view of these, Swami Periya Nambhi arranged to let his sishya Ramanuja learn from Sri Thirumalai Nambhi, Sri ThirukkOttiyoor Nambhi, Sri Thirumalai ANdAn, Sri Alavandhaar AzhwAn, et al various RahasyArthas [esoteric meanings and purports] and samrapadya vishayams. Swami KooratthAzhwAn was a great scholar and very learned. He was so knowledgeable that he was even addressed as walking pathanjali. When such was the case, he could have initiated his sons Swami Parasara Bhattar and Swami Veda vyasa bhattar himself. But he did not. He sent them to Embaar Sri Govindhar [another fellow sishya of Ramanuja- read the first post in this series]. Why? Because the student has to be very learned and even shine better than him by learning from other scholar and Srivaishnava vidwAn was Swami Kuresa’s ThiruvuLLam [mind]. Not like these days wherein there is a general notion to keep everything within him; and not pass it on… Those days people were broad minded [says Sri Vathsankachar Swami in his article adding with his usual remark]. “Sakala kala” = 64 kalais. Types of arts- “yettettenum kalaigaL” Swami Desikan enlists what are these 64 types of learning in Thirumanthra vyAkhyAnams. There is no rule that it should relate to srungara rasam as claimed by Bhoja rajan in Srungara prakasam or Sri JayamangaLar’s JayamangaLA. And it is not necessary either; there can be various types of 64 arts. Swami completed his learning of all these sakalaa: kalaa: from his uncle before he reached twenty years of age. He learned every saasthrA within that tender age. Swami himself mentions that in Sankalpa suryOdhayam “vimsathy abdhE viSrutha nAnA viDha viDhya”: One should learn everything in the young age itself. Before desires, anger, hatred etc. set in one should learn Vedas, Upanishads etc. says Apasthambar. “ParyAptham paryaChaisham kaNaCharaNakaThAm AkshapAdham SiSikshE / meemaamsAmAmsalAthmA samajAnishi muhu: sAnKhyayOgow SamAKhyam”// – even those systems of study- one should learn deeply; [and not just at a superficial level]. Our Acharya saarvabhouman accomplished that. That’s why he is addressed as “Sarvathanthra Swathanthar. vyathirEka viDhaya” Sri Pathanjali in Mahabhashyam mentions that one should learn everything at a young age- “ADhyE vayasi nArDhAnAm yowvanE nArjitham Dhanam / kAryakAlE thu samprApthE na sA vidhyA na thadh dhanam//” If one learns after ageing, it would not enter into the head [iLaimaiyil kavil silai mEl yezhutthu]. There are four stages in learning: 1. Learning from the teacher [Acharyan] 2. Whatever learnt- one practices and attempts to retain 3. Then pass on to others by teaching them [what has been learned] 4. Making use of this learning, teaching process, write for future generations to refer and use Sri Pathanjali has enlisted them as: “Chathurbhischa prakAri: vidhyA upayukthA bhavathi- aagamakaalEna, SwAdhyAyakAlEna, PravaChanakAlEna, vyavahArakAlEna”. Thus all these four stages of learning are completed for our Swami Desikan by his twenty of years of age. Since he was such a great scholar and vidwAn, with amazing humility, he was revered and respected by one and all. That is why “thasmai prAgnAya mangaLam” “Raamanujaayaath AthrEyaath maathulaath sakalata kala:…. mangaLam” All auspiciousness and mangaLams to Swamy Desikan the greatest scholar, who had learned all Saastras before he attained 20 years of age, from his maternal uncle Kidaambi appuLLAr. Anything good in this write up is all due to the wonderful write up by Sri U Ve Sri Srivathsankachar Swami in Sri Hayagriva Priya Dec 2001 and all errors mistakes, are only due to my lack of understanding and ajnAnam. [Thanks to Sri Anbil Ramaswami Swamin for his abhimaanam towards me for his encouragement in sending this piece as part of the journal article. dhanyOsmi… anugrahithOsmi..] Swamy Desikan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 3."DRAMIDOPANISHAD TATPARYA RATNAVALI" - PARTS 2 and 3”: BY SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO ---- Introduction – Continued. We are continuing with the Introduction, since there are some additional points that I would like to cover. ---- We will see in Slokam 4 of the avatArikA (Introduction) of svAmi deSikan to his tAtparya ratnAvaLi, that he profusely praises the tamizh language, and gives various reasons for its greatness. And yet he has taken the effort to write a summary of the tamizh tiruvAimozhi in the samskRt language in the form of tAtparya ratnAvaLi. This leads one to wonder about the reason for this work. One writer notes that the reason might be found in the relative status accorded to the two languages at the time of svAmi deSikan. samskRt was the common language used for communicating religious and philosophical ideas at that time. This was even more so at the time of rAmAnuja, partly explaining why he had used samskRt as the sole language to communicate his ideas and philosophy, especially to his advaitic opponents. The samskRt language had established itself as the language of the royal courts throughout the country. SvAmi deSikan wanted to share the divine joy given to us by nammAzhvar with the community of devoted scholars, especially non-vaishNavaite scholars, who did not understand tamizh. This could also explain why he extracted the essence of tiruvAimozhi into a condensed form (one Slokam for each decad, with one phrase in the Slokam for each pASuram of tiruvAimozhi giving the key guNa that is enjoyed in that pASuram) and presented it in the form of tAtparya ratnAvaLi. As much as svAmi deSikan chose the samskRt language to communicate the message of nammAzhvAr’s tiruviAomizhi to the devoted among the non-tamizh knowing people, he probably also had as his target those who did not accept tamizh as a valid language for praising the Lord. svAmi deSikan’s vociferous defense of the appropriateness of the tamizh language for praising the Lord, as expressed in Slokam 4 of the avatArikA that we will study in the near future, confirms that this latter view was prevalent at his time. He uses the language that they considered ‘appropriate’ - samskRt, and praises the devotional outpouring of nammAzhvAr in the tamizh language as the dramiDopanishad – the Upanishad in the tamizh language, and gives it the status of vedAnta. He has also referred to tiruvAimozhi as ‘samhitA’, and as ‘dramiDa nigama’, in different places. In fact, svAmi deSikan has expressly stated that he has found that AzhvArs’ SrI sUkti-s (divine outpourings) have helped him clarify many points of doubt in the Vedic texts. In addition to tAtparya ratnAvaLi, svAmi deSikan has composed another companion work called dramiDopanishad sAram. As the name conveys, this is a further level of extraction (sAram) of the bhagavad-guNa-s (attributes of bhagavAn) conveyed in tiruvAimozhi, perhaps for the benefit of those who may not find the time to go through and enjoy the guNa-s extracted from each pASuram and conveyed through tAtparya ratnAvaLi. While tAtparya ratnAvaLi consists of 130 Sloka-s, the dramiDopanishad sAra consists of only 26 Sloka-s. In this work, svAmi deSikan only describes the guNa conveyed by each ‘patthu’ (the group of approximately 100 pASuram-s). For each groups of 100 pASuram-s, he has allocated two Sloka-s. The first one describes the guNa sung in the given patthu (group of 100), and the second Sloka gives the connectivity between this patthu and the previous one. We will get into the details of the organization of the Sloka-s when we deal with the dramiDopanishad sAra, after completing the tAtparya ratnAvaLi. SrI azhagiya maNavALa jIyar has also composed a work in samskRt, titled dramiDopanishad sa’ngati, consisting of one Slokam for each tiruvAimozhi (each decad). However, this gives only the sequence of the theme in each tiruvAimozhi, and does not identify the key guNa of emperumAn that is praised in each pASuram. It has been brought to my attention that the vyAkhyAnam in maNipravALam found in the four-volume publication titled “bhagavad-vishayam” published by SrImad Periya ANDavan ASramam in SrIra’ngam, is by SrI ve’nkaTeSAcArya. It may be recalled that SrI UV had made a reference to a vyAkhyAnam in maNipravALam for tAtparya ratnAvaLi by a SrISaila ve’nkaTAcArya. Because of the similarity of the names, and the very few scarce vyAkhyAnams available for tAtparya ratnAvaLi, one wonders if the work referred to by SrI UV is the same as the one that is included in the ANDavan ASramam publication). Slokam 1: svAmi deSikan starts his work with an ‘avatArikA’ (an Introduction that serves as a high-level summary) consisting of the first ten Sloka-s of tArparya ratnAvaLi. The first of this Ten Sloka-s is: sAraH sArasvatAnAm SaTha ripu phaNitiH SAnti SuddhAnta sImA mAyAm AyAminIbhiH sva-guNa vitatibhiH bandhayantIm dhayantI | pAram pAramparIto bhava jaladhi bhavan majjanAnAm janAnAm pratyak pratyakshayen-naH pratiniyata ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam || svAmi deSikan points out at the outset that bhagavAn is always and inseparably associated with SrI or lakshmI, and it is this duality that we worship. It is this emperumAn with pirATTi who is revealed to us by AzhvAr as one who is the antaryAmi and Controller of all, and who is the treasure that will relieve us from the bondage of samsAra once and for all. Understanding of tiruvAimozhi will remove us from our involvement and desire in vishaya sukha-s (interest in things that are purely sense-gratifying), and will reveal to us the great treasure that is SrIman nArAyaNan. sArasvatAnAm sAraH SaTha ripu phaNitiH – nammAzhvAr’s words (in the form of tiruvAimozhi) are the best among all the works that have been composed (by all authors in all languages over all time). It is the ‘sAratamam SAstram’ – the best summarization or condensation of all the SAstra-s. SAnti SuddhAnta sImA – nammAzhvAr’s tiruvAimozhi is the safe abode of peace in its utmost limit. The SAnti rasam is contained to its utmost limit within tiruvAimozhi. AyAminIbhiH sva-guNa vitatibhiH bandhayantIm mAyAm dhayantI – It helps us to be relieved from the never-ceasing and ever-present association with the tri-guNa-s (sattva, rajas and tamas) that extend far and wide in space and time; it leads us to a state of distaste in things that are purely materialistic. Those who have grasped the essence of tiruvAimozhi will never again be bound by the influence of the tri-guNa-s. pAramparItaH bhava jaladhi bhavan majjanAnAm janAnAm pAram – It is the other side of the shore for those who are deeply and repeatedly drowning in the ocean of samsAra. In other words, by following the teachings of tiruvAimozhi, the jIva-s overcome the cycle of repeated birth and death by attaining His Feet, and will forever be involved in nitya kaikaryam (eternal service) to Him in SrI VaikunTam after their soul leaves the body at the end of this life. pratyak, prati niyata ramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam naH pratyakshayet – It reveals the treasure to us in the form of bhagavAn who is inseparably associated with pirATTi, and who is the antaryAmi of all (and thus who is the Supporter, Protector and Controller of all). By implication, this means that those who do not resort to Him with devotion, as repeatedly guided by AzhvAr through his SrI sUkti-s, will not be able to cross the ocean of samsAra in this birth. The greatness of tiruvAimozhi is that it delves exclusively in bhagavad anubhavam, and is completely antagonistic to any involvement in vishaya sukham (seeking pleasures for the gratification of our senses). It is the realization that we are His Sesha-s that is an essential step for us to reach Him. If we do not realize that He is our SeshI (Lord and Master) and that we are His Sesha-s (eternal servants), then we will not realize the nidhi that is in the form of the Duality that is emperumAn eternally associated with SrI. It is significant that svAmi deSikan makes reference to the sva-guNa-s (sattva, rajas and tamas) that naturally keep diverting the mind towards the senses that are always directed outwards, seeking external pleasures, and then points out that nammAzhvAr’s tiruvAimozhi reveals to us the antaryAmi bhagavAn – pratyak (instead of referring to bhagavAn in His other forms such as the para, vyUha, etc.). The greatness of tiruvAimozhi is that it takes the mind away from going outwardly towards the external sense-objects, and turns it inwardly to see emperumAn, who resides in our heart. SrI UV refers us to the kaThopanishad mantra: parA’nci khAni vyatRNat svayambhUh tasmAt parAn paSyati nAntarAtman/ kaScit-dhIrah pratyag-AtmAnam aikshat AvRtta cakshur-amRtatvam icchan// “The self-born (Supreme Lord) condemned the senses to revel in outer objects. Therefore, they see outward objects and not the inner self. A rare intelligent man, desiring immortality, sees the inward self, with his eyes turned inward”. This ability to see and realize that our antaryAmi is none other than the Supreme Lord will help us realize that He is our SeshI (Master), and we are forever His Sesha-s (servants). BhagavAn should be realized as our antaryAmi, our Controller and Master, and we should realize that we are eternal servants to tiru mAl (emperumAn inseparably associated with SrI). tiruvAimozhi gives us this realization. AzhvAr’s declarations – “ uDal miSai uyir enak karandu e’ngum paranduLan” (1.1.7) and “enadu Avi Aviyum nI” (2.3.4) etc., reveal this truth to us. ---- To Continue ====================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ====================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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