SrI sArasAram -- I (19)

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srI:

 

SrI sAra sAram – I (19)

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I – ThirumantrAdhikAram

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The Significance of the ‘a’ in PraNava (continued)

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SwAmi Desikan has some more aspects emerging out the syllable, ‘a’ to

reveal. These aspects are supportive of the Lord’s causal and protective

nature. SwAmi Desikan says:

“ik kAraNatvAdikaLukku upayukthangkaLAi pramANa siddhangkaLAna

sarvaj~natva-sarva-SaktitvAdikaLum

‘lakshmyA saha hrisheekESah’

‘asyA mama ca SEsham hi’

ityAthikaLiRpaDiyE dvayatthil pOlE sarv-rakshaNa-deekshithanAna sarva

SEshiyinuDaiya sahadharma-cAriNee sambandamum ingkE anusamdhEyam.â€

 

These aspects are useful to the Lord in His being the Cause etc.:

“ik kAraNatvAdikaLukku upayukthangkaLAi†-- Here ‘Adi’, etc., refers to

the Lord being the Protector and His being the Master of all.

Scriptural authorities ‘pramANangkaL’ indicate these aspects. They are:

“pramANa siddhangkaLAna sarvaj~natva-sarva-SaktitvAdikaLum†– What are

shown by the scriptural authorities are: omniscience, omni-potency, etc.

Omniscience is the capacity to know everything. Omni-potency is the capacity to

do anything.

One more aspect is there: The relationship with SrI (Lakshmee). SwAmi Desikan

quotes from the scriptural authorities:

“lakshmyA saha hrisheekESahâ€, “asyA mama ca SEsham hiâ€

The first quote is from a SlOka of LakshmeeTantram. Let us see the full SlOka:

“lakshmyA saha hrisheekESah dEvya kAruNya-roopayA /

rakshakah sarvsiddhAntE vEdAntEpi ca geeyatE //†(Lakshmee Tantram, 28-14)

(It is stated in all siddhAntas (systems) and in the vEdAnta that the Lord acts

as the protector only in the company of Lakshmee, Who is the very embodiment of

compassion.)

The second quote is from the VishvakSEna Samhita. The full SlOka is:

“asyA mama ca SEsham hi vibhootih ubhayAtmikA /

iti SrutiSirah siddha macchAstrEshvapi mAnada //†(VishvakSEna Samhita)

(The two kinds of aiswarya (namely, nitya-vibhooti and the leelA-vibhooti) are

SEsha to me and to Her, Oh Brahma! This is declared in the VEdAnta and in My

scriptures (PAncharAtra Agamas).

SwAmi Desikan further shows how this association of Lakshmee helps the jIvas in

ensuring protection from the Supreme Lord:

“ityAthikaLiRpaDiyE dvayatthil pOlE sarv-rakshaNa-deekshithanAna sarva

SEshiyinuDaiya sahadharma-cAriNee sambandamum ingkE anusamdhEyam.†–

The Lord Who is determined to grant redemption to all, is ever ready to do so

with His Consort, Lakshmee Who remains with Him for ever. The relationship with

His spouse for the purpose of protection, which is evident from various pramANas

is derived by inference in the Thirumantram. She is being mentioned specifically

by the word, “SrI†in the Dvaya mantram. Whenever the Lord is referred to,

Lakshmee should also be considered as referred to, as per the principle, known

as ‘sanniyOgaSishTa-nyAyam’:

“sanniyOgaSishTAnAm saha vA pravruttih, saha vA nivruttihâ€.. This is a

statement in vyAkaraNa scripture. The meaning is:

If two things are enjoined as necessary, wherever one of them is mentioned, the

other should be considered as indicated. The same is stated by the AchAryas too:

“svaroopam svAtantrayam bhagavata idam candravadanE

tvadASlEshOtkarshAd-bhavati khalu nishkarsha samayE /

tvamAseermatah Sreeh kamituridamitthamtvavibhavah

tadantarbhAvAttvAm na pruthagabhidhatE Srutirapi //†(SrI

GuNaratnakOsam-28)

(Since Thou (SrI) art ever inseparably connected with Thy Lord, even the Veda

does not mention Thee separately.)

Hence, in all the forms of meditation prescribed in the Upanishads, all

qualities and attributes of the Lord which define His nature are to be meditated

upon even though only one or two of them are actually mentioned in the

particular Vidya. Similarly, this attribute, that is, Laksmee, Who is the most

important of all attributes, should also be borne in mind. It is this attribute,

that is, Lakshmee, which is exclusive to the Lord and rules out other deities,

and defines the Lord’s essential nature which is not dependent upon anything

else. This can be seen as mentioned in SrI VAlmeeki RAmAyaNa:

“SakyA lObhayitum nAham aiSvaryENa dhanEna vA /

ananyA rAghavENAham bhAskarENa prabhA yathA //†(RAmAyaNa, 5-21-15)

(Just as the radiance cannot be separated from the sun, I cannot remain

separated from RAghavA.) These are Sita’s words.

Thus, in the syllable ‘a’, along with the other attributes of the Lord, His

ever-lasting relationship with SrI Lakshmee also is highlighted, says SwAmi

Desikan.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivasan

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