Sriman nAThamuni Thirunakshathram- Let us prostrate at the lotus feet of unparalleled acharya!

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest All

 

Today (July the 14th- Aani anusham is Sriman Nathamuni Thirunakshathram

Let us pay our obesiance to this most pivotal link to our srivaishnavam - the

greatest acharya on his thirunakshathram.

 

The Acharya paramparai of Srivaihsnavm is:

 

Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan

Sri Mahalakshmi

Sri Vishvaksenar (Senai mudali)

Sri SaTakOpar (Sri NammAzhwAr)

Sri Nathamuni

Sri Pundarikakshar (Sri UyyakkoNdaar)

Sri Ramamisrar (maNakkaal nambhi)

Sri Yamuncharyar (Alavandhar)

Sri MahapoorNar (Periya Nambhi)

Sri Ramanujar

 

LakshmI nAtha samArambhaam nAtha yAmuna madhyamAm..

 

Swamy Vedantha Desikan pays his obeisance to Sriman Nathamuni thus:

 

nAthEna muninAthEna bhavEyam nathavan ahamam |

yasya naigamikam tatvam hastAmalakatam gatam ||

 

Sriman Nathamuni is the most benign master (Acharya ) for me. Sriman

Nathamuni indeed availed the good opportunity to perceive the true and

purport of Vedas, like a tiny “amla†fruit on one’s palm (uLLankai

nellikani).

 

Let me pay my humble obeisance to Sri Nathamuni by the folding of my palms.

 

Sriman NathamunigaL was born in 824 A.D in Aani anusham star, in

Kaattumannargudi, at Veeranarayanapuram near GangaikoNda chaozhapuram.

AzhwAr's paasurams (poems) called naalaayira divyap prabhandam composed by

twelve AzhwArs.

 

It was by divine grace of Sriman Narayanan that Sriman Naathamuni came to know

of the Tamil poems praising Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Sriman Naathamuni

heard some devotees visiting his home town singing a few (11) Tamil songs

starting with " aaraa amudhE adiyEn udalam " and ending with " ... kuruhoor

sadagOpan kuzhalil maliyach sonna Or AyiratthuL ippatthum, mazhalai theera

vallaar

kaamar maanEy nOkkiyarkE. " (NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaaymozhi 5.8.1 - 5.8.11)

 

Sriman Nathamuni was greatly excited and enchanted with the exquisite

beauty of the poems. He approached the devotees and enquired about its

origin. The ending of the 11 poems, " aayiratthuL ippatthu, " (means this ten of

the thousand) suggested that there are many more such poems (may be thousand?).

 

Unfortunately, the devotees were unaware of any other poems besides the

eleven they had just finished reciting. However, they suggested to Sriman

Nathamuni that he may try enquiring in the town of thiruk kuruhoor, present day

AzhwAr thiru nagari near thirunelvEli. So he set out to travel from

kaattumannarkudi to thiruk kurugoor, where he found one paraangusa daasar.

 

From him, Sriman Nathamuni learnt 11 more paasurams called kaNNinuN

sirutthaambu. These were composed by Madhurakavi AzhwAr and all 11 paasurams are

in praise of kurugoor SatakOpan(NammAzhwAr).

 

Paraangusa daasar suggested that he repeatedly recite this great kaNNinuN

sirutthaambu (sung in praise of Sri Satakopan- NammAzhwAr) in the hope of

pleasing the Lord. Sriman Naathamuni took his advice sincerely and recited it

about 12,000 times for about three months without a break! It is said that

NammAzhwAr impressed with Sriman Nathamuni's persistence and devotion, acharya

bhakti, appeared before him.

 

NammAzhwAr revealed to Sriman Nathamuni not just the 1102 paasurams of his own

" thiruvaay mozhi " , but also all the rest of the paasurams composed by the other

eleven AzhwArs. Thus only because of Ssriman nathamuni, we are blessed with

AzhwArs srisukthis today.

 

Sriman nathamuni set these 4000 to tune and music and taught to Melai

agatthAzhwAn and Keezhai agatthAzhwAn (his nephews) and propagated the 4000 in

various Divya Desams. Nathamuni re arranged 4000 into four parts and introduced

the same as part of recitation in Divya Desams, as part of worship. Following

the teaching of NammAzhwar, Sri Nathamuni seems to have advocated the adoption

of Saranagati (self- surrender) as the means of salvation in place of rigorous

bhakti yogam, [which Sri Yamunacharya (Sri Alavandhar) followed and performed

his saranagati through his Chathusloki and Sthotra rathnam (tvadpaadha moolam

saraNam prapadyE) – and subsequently by Ramanuja with his divine Gadya

thrayam. ]

 

Kaalam Valampurianna naRkkaathal adiyavarkku

TaaLam Vazhangit thamizh maRai INNISAI TANTHA VALLAL

MooLum tava neRi mootiya Naatha Muni KazhalE

nALum thozhuthezhuvOm namakkAr nihar nanilatthE

 

Let us prosrate at the lotus feet of Sriman nathamuni everyday. Who is equal to

us, (for being blessed with such greatest acharya sambandham)?

None, literally.

 

NathamunigaL is “the vaLLal†who gave us the 4000 the insatiable nectar, set

to music..

 

Sri Nathmuni wrote two works: Nyaya tatvam and Yoga rahasyam.

 

Both are not extant’ But Swamy Desikan and Ramanuja have referred to nyAya

tatvam in their works. Sri Alavandhar in his “Athmasiddhi†says, nyAyatatvam

is the most wonderful composition..

 

Sri Nathamuni ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

[Guest guest]

To : All

 

Any body can answer this Question and I will be thankful to them.

 

As we the Srivaishnavas say Naarayana is the ultimate, Shivaitees say Shiva is ultimate. Even I had read one book of Shiva Puranam beginning with Sutha telling story of Shiva to other Sages when they ask which is the way for Moksham in Kali Yugam. This looks same as Srimad Bhagavatha (of Lord Vishnu) begins. Even in chapters I read Lord Vishnu has been defeated in many cases, has been shown degraded in front of Lord Shiva, etc. my 2 questions are :

 

1) If it is true, how these can be accepted, even if they do not believe Bhagavatha many of Shivaitees believe Mahabharatha and Lord Krishna's Bhagavadgeeta. If so, how they can contradict their claim as Shiva is the supreme, when Lord Krishna showed each and every Gods in him during Vishwarupam and Arjuna saw even Lord Shiva among those, and Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to worship ultimate God Narayana.

2) If it is not true, how the Vaishnavas or Srivaishnavas have not taken actions on these Shiva Puranas and until today Shiva Purana is continued to be the sacred text without any revision or correction for the same. More over, Vaishnavites are lesser in number compared to Shivaitees, how? There may be many reasons for the same, but I want to know if any body gives is. Whether Vaishnavas were more in number than Shivatitees ever in history?

 

I accept even all Gods are one and we may worship any or all Gods, but to pray and put our heart in the Lotus Feet of the God, I require atleast who is the supreme God, and if want to follow Lord Krishna's words "Whoever worship me will attain me and whoever workship other Gods will get them" and also "whoever worhip me will get Moksha and whoever worship other Gods will get limited period Returns and they will come back to Earth again". So, in view of this at least I have to clear the above doubts. Even though Lord Krishna says "Performing your Dharma is best even though it looks dull and other Dharma looks shining", some times when we come across things like above, it will be better if we hear some exchanges from learned people like you.

 

I thank you in advance for all who reads this and if they put their words, so that many doubts will be clared for many Vaishnavas and Srivaishnavas (like me).

 

Regards,

 

Murali

 

 

--- On Tue, 15/7/08, Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan wrote:

Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan Sriman nAThamuni Thirunakshathram- Let us prostrate at the lotus feet of unparalleled acharya! , , acharya , nama-singapore , oppiliappan , parakalamatham , , desikasampradaya , bakthi-indonesia Date: Tuesday, 15 July, 2008, 6:16 AM

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Murali,

 

Your question is genuine but pls do not stop at that but further make enquiries on what you get from scholars on this question in this forum and elsewhere.

 

Whatever little I know, I would like to put it here. If it further enhance your study of shastra, nothing like it:

 

It is vyasa who bifurcated vedas and wrote puranas and itihasas. Vyasaya vishnu rupaya; vyasa rupaya vishnave. He was none other than Vishnu. Who else can write Mahabharatha, it is none other than pundarikaksha - asserts Mahabharatha itself. None can command Vedas, not even demi gods. Then what about bifurcating it. It is unimaginable to gods. ONly Vishnu can do so.

 

Now the puranas - not only shiva purana but many like agni, linga, brahma, skanda etc., eulogises various gods. Why vishnu himself write like this eulogising others and putting himself in a corner. Even the Mahabharatha has instances of Krishna praising Rudra thru Shivasahasranama.

 

First of all, to understand any book we should know what is the objective behind writing the book - is it sheer entertainment, or spreading knowledge etc., etc. So it is said that vyasa wrote his works in three languages - darshana, samadhi and guhya catering to various class of jeevas, for, world also contains rajasiks, tamasiks apart from satvika vaishnavas, who can lay their hand on it. Even their intellect is reduced to such an extent that the other two classes cannot comprehend it the way they should and not to say that even vaishnavas will find it difficult to understand it, let alone gods.

 

To cater to diff classes of people, Deva (from the dhatu, "Div" - viz., to play, Vishnu is called so thru Gayathri Manthra - meaning - playful) i.e., Vishnu, playfully write these puranas, hiding in it satvika elements so as to put tamasik jeevas in confusion. The purity of vishnu tattva can only be sustained when it is rendered incomprehensible for tamasik jeevas. Also, Adhikara has a role to play in this, as, if they are allowed mahatmya gyana of Vishnu then it is termed as bias, as, sadhakas, after much struggle attain him. He is shastrayoni. So whoever understands/respects shastra, can only know him. It is called asuramohana wherein he will himself stoop low and conquers devotees but losing out on tamasik souls in the process.

 

Then there is whole of antaryamibrahmana crux of which is avlbl in antaryamiadhikarana of sutras which gives the purport that how the indweller controlls every being in this world. One must have to unearth it to appreciate the one-god concept.

 

So shastra does exclude such puranas where other gods are made supreme as they are avaidik. But those portions where other gods are praised even in vaishnava puranas - e.g., vishnu purana, mahabharatha etc., are to be interpreted by taking into consideration shruti's assertions. For example, Rudra sahasranama comes couple of times in Mahabharatha. This should be interpreted if you follow shruti which asserts that 'yo devanam namadha eka eva' etc., -- He is the one who has all the names. So whatever you hear out of Rudrasahasranama or even Sri Rudra in Yajurveda are only names of Vishnu and none else. The process of pramana (validity) of shruti quotes are very vast. For a simple view - here is the sample:

 

 

Who is brahman of the veda?

 

 

Smriti - Bhagavatha says about Vishnu - Brahmethi, paramethmethi, bhagavan iti uchyathe.

Shruti - Mundaka says - ayam atma brahma - this Atman is Brahman

 

 

Brahman can only be the highest, supreme and above all - supremacy is one of his attributes

Shruti - Rigveda says - "agnirvAvamano Vishnu Paramaha"' Among Gods Agni is the lowest and Vishnu the supreme.

 

Coming back to Mundaka- ayamatma Brahma (Mundaka) - Atma is the Brahman

What is this atma referred to in Shruti? Why can't it be jeeva like Chaturmukha or Rudra?

Shruti - 'atmavare shrotavyo, mantavyo, nidhidhyasitavyaha - Atma is the one which has to be heard, contemplated and meditated upon

That meditation process is for attaining moksha whereas Rudra etc., cannot be meditated upon as they can't give moksha.

Attributes like aheyatva (dhyana patrata), Moksha dhatrutva etc., adores vishnu.

Geetha says - 'Moksha ishyami maa sucha'

'Abrahma Bhuvanaloke punavarthinorjuna'

'yadgatva na nivarthanthe taddhama paramam mama'

Hence jeevas cant be called as 'Atma'.

 

Further, how can Atma be equated with Vishnu?

Bhagavatha says 'datta durvasa somam atmesha brahma sambhavaha' - datta, durvasa, Soma were born out of atma(Vishnu), Isha(Shiva) and Brahma(Chaturmukha).

 

Atma is none other Vishnu, the controller - otherwise Shruti's assertions like - atmavare shrotavyo.... ayam atma brahma etc., render useless, if we assign to someone else. I have only given out what my mundane mind thinks, but there are scores of pramanas(validations) validating Vishnu as supreme. Sribhashya is the best source. The Shastra that comprises of Vedas, Bhagavatha purana, mahabharatha, ramayana and Pancharatra doles out such valid assertions everywhere.

 

One last straw to think about. There are many gods (about 33 crores of them) but Only one Vishnu who is ruling them, Shruti proclaims -

Ekam, Eva, Advaitheeyam;

Eko Devaha sarvabhuteshu goodaha, sarvabhutadivasa, bhutantaratma, karmadhyaksha, sakshi cheto kevalo nirgunascha;

eko narayana aseeth;

shuddho deva eko narayanaha.

 

Many think that shruti talks about multiple gods but it talks about only one god, i.e., Vishnu thru Samanvaya. Vishnu does not come under the class - Gods. Otherwise Hiranyakashipu would not have got killed, for, among his various conditions, he had also put a condition that he will not be killed by a god. You know what I am talking about. Vishnu is not one of the Gods who gets created by him, but the creator of gods and beyond all of them - Even Sri Shankaracharya himself agrees by saying - "narayana paro vyaktath". He is Para.

 

Vaishnavas have taken action to solidify the fellow vaishnavas by dolling out valuable works throughout the history. Sri Ramanuja, Sri Vedantha Desika's works are case in point. With these valuable treasures vaishnavas will never go astray.

 

Adhikara rules and hence like various class of people and their fittedness, shaiva purana gets validity among that class of people with that much adhikara to go to that extent. Period. It is good that way, otherwise, the scriptures itself may be in danger. It is said that Vedas will cry not for people who do not study it, but for those who misunderstand it. Hence qualification is the key to become a devotee of vishnu, for, he is a vedic god.

 

As regards numbers/popularity - truth never follows popularity it is infact the opposite. Truth always lies hidden deep in the jungles in those days, in aranyakas in the vedas. It is accessible to those few who have fittedness (Adhikara) to receive it. Thus don't ever bother about number game or popularity.

 

 

thanks

sukumar

 

----Original Message----- On Behalf Of murali seshadriTuesday, July 15, 2008 7:21 PM ; ; acharya ; nama-singapore ; oppiliappan ; parakalamatham ; ; desikasampradaya ; bakthi-indonesia ; srivaishnavanSubject: Re: Sriman nAThamuni Thirunakshathram- Let us prostrate at the lotus feet of unparalleled acharya!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To : All

 

Any body can answer this Question and I will be thankful to them.

 

As we the Srivaishnavas say Naarayana is the ultimate, Shivaitees say Shiva is ultimate. Even I had read one book of Shiva Puranam beginning with Sutha telling story of Shiva to other Sages when they ask which is the way for Moksham in Kali Yugam. This looks same as Srimad Bhagavatha (of Lord Vishnu) begins. Even in chapters I read Lord Vishnu has been defeated in many cases, has been shown degraded in front of Lord Shiva, etc. my 2 questions are :

 

1) If it is true, how these can be accepted, even if they do not believe Bhagavatha many of Shivaitees believe Mahabharatha and Lord Krishna's Bhagavadgeeta. If so, how they can contradict their claim as Shiva is the supreme, when Lord Krishna showed each and every Gods in him during Vishwarupam and Arjuna saw even Lord Shiva among those, and Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to worship ultimate God Narayana.

2) If it is not true, how the Vaishnavas or Srivaishnavas have not taken actions on these Shiva Puranas and until today Shiva Purana is continued to be the sacred text without any revision or correction for the same. More over, Vaishnavites are lesser in number compared to Shivaitees, how? There may be many reasons for the same, but I want to know if any body gives is. Whether Vaishnavas were more in number than Shivatitees ever in history?

 

I accept even all Gods are one and we may worship any or all Gods, but to pray and put our heart in the Lotus Feet of the God, I require atleast who is the supreme God, and if want to follow Lord Krishna's words "Whoever worship me will attain me and whoever workship other Gods will get them" and also "whoever worhip me will get Moksha and whoever worship other Gods will get limited period Returns and they will come back to Earth again". So, in view of this at least I have to clear the above doubts. Even though Lord Krishna says "Performing your Dharma is best even though it looks dull and other Dharma looks shining", some times when we come across things like above, it will be better if we hear some exchanges from learned people like you.

 

I thank you in advance for all who reads this and if they put their words, so that many doubts will be clared for many Vaishnavas and Srivaishnavas (like me).

 

Regards,

 

Murali

 

 

--- On Tue, 15/7/08, Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan > wrote:

Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan > Sriman nAThamuni Thirunakshathram- Let us prostrate at the lotus feet of unparalleled acharya! , , acharya , nama-singapore , oppiliappan , parakalamatham , , desikasampradaya , bakthi-indonesia Date: Tuesday, 15 July, 2008, 6:16 AM

 

The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.

Contact your Administrator for further information.