SRI RANGA SRI JOURNAL VOL.08 / ISSUE # 27 dated 2nd June 2007

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SrI:

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//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.08 / ISSUE # 27 dated 2nd June 2007

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. " AYODHYA KHAANDAM " PART -3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.

(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)

2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 23 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 4

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 254 Regular issues of SRS have been released

so far, apart from numerous " Special Issues " as indicated below:

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

27 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)

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1. " AYODHYA KHAANDAM " PART - 3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

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31. GUHA'S RAMA BHAKTI - STORY OF THYAGARAJA (SIDE STORY)

H.H. narrates the following story to illustrate the depth of Guha's

Bhakti to Rama.

Once, a family of pilgrims had to spend a night in a far off

village. It was midnight and it was pouring heavily. Only a few days

before, there was a robbery in the village and none of the villagers

dared to offer them any place to rest. They spotted a nearby temple

but the heavy doors were under deadbolt. One man tried to jump over

the tall wall to find out if there was any space for accommodating

the women and children in the group. But, there was no sign of his

coming back. The next morning, the priest came and opened the main

door.

 

They narrated to him the incident. At long last, when someone peeped

into a well that was precisely where the man had jumped into, they

found his body there. They pleaded with the priest to save the man.

But, he said that in a short while a great Bhakta would be coming

and that they could request him to do the needful. The Bhakta did

come. When the wife of the man prostrated before the Bhakta, he

blessed her " Long live your married life " " Dheergha Sumangali

Bhava " . When they told him that the man was suspected to have died,

he said " It is Rama who blessed through me and Rama would save him " .

He sang the kriti " nannu paalimpa " in Mohana Raagam. Lo and behold!

The man believed to have died got up as if waking up from sleep. The

Bhakta was none other than Saint Thyagaraja. Guha's Bhakti was like

that. No wonder, Rama had a soft corner in his heart for Guha. He

told Guha " Earlier we were just four brothers. Now, with you, we

have become five "

 

Munbu uLem oru naalvEm; muDivu uLadu ena

Anbu uLa, ini naam Ore aivargaL aanOm (Guha-617)

 

Guha brought the milk of banyan tree (gel like liquid) as ordered by

Rama for shaping up his hairs like what the Sages sported on their

heads. Needless to say, that LakshmaNa followed suit.

 

32. SUMANTRA RETURNS TO AYODHYA

Though Sumantra wanted to accompany Rama and sought his permission

to do so, Rama advised him to go back to AyOdhya saying that only if

he returned to AyOdhya, mother KaikEyi would believe that Rama had

actually gone to the forest. Rama told him: " If people accuse you

for having been instrumental in taking Rama to forest, tell them

that you would yourself bring me back after the 14 years of sojourn

in the forest " .

 

33. CROSSING RIVER GANGA- GUHA WASHES RAMA'S FEET (SIDE STORY)

Before they got into the boat brought for crossing River Ganga the

next morning, Guha washed Rama's feet (Paada prakshalanam) Do you

know why? H.H answers: Guha knew how a stone became a woman when

Rama stepped " upon " it. By Rama's stepping " into " his boat, it might

get transformed into a woman. So, he hastened to wash his feet clean!

 

34. CROSSING RIVER KALINDEE

Stepping out of the boat after crossing Ganga, after some distance,

they had to cross another River, KaaLindee. LakshmaNa prepared a

big 'barge' with pieces of timber fastened together, covered with a

kind of grass and spread over with dry bamboo canes. Thereafter, the

valiant Lakshmana made for Seetha a comfortable seat, after chopping

branches of reeds and branches of rose apple tree [naaval maram in

tamil].LakshmaNa fixed tall upright poles and mats for masts to " go

with the wind " . It is popularly believed that LakshmaNa swam

alongside the boat carrying the divine couple. Both Aapasthamba and

Manu prohibit crossing a river by swimming (literally beating the

waters with hands) or by a boat suspected to be leaky.

Varjayet baahubhyaam cha nadee teeraNam

naavam cha saamsayi keem na baahubhyaam nadeem tarEth

There is no evidence for this in either Valmiki or Kamban that he

ever did that.

 

35. VALMIKI ASRAMAM

They arrived at the hermitage of Sage Valmiki. There LakshmaNa built

a custom designed " ParNasaalai " with all facilities for a

comfortable stay of the divine couple. It was so professionally

built that Rama asked LakshmaNa how and when he learned the art.

Enru sindittu iLaiyavar paarthu iru, Kunru pOlak kuvaviya thOLinaai

Enru katranai nee idu pOle enraan Tunru taamarai kaNN pani

sOrginraan ((Chitrakoota 778)

 

36. DASARATHA'S LAMENT- Cf. KULASEKARA AZHWAR

Six days had passed by since Rama left AyOdhya. Valmiki then takes

us to AyOdhya to show what happened there after Rama's exit. What

else can one expect except a pall of gloom with heart rending sorrow

enveloping the ruler and the ruled? When Sumantra arrived, he could

see the desolate Dasaratha bewailing his plight of separation from

Rama. He reminded himself how Rama was so dutiful to him that he

agreed to the wedding only after the proposal was approved by his

father and that the separation was like a dagger-stab at his heart.

{Bhagavatas may remember that the lament of Dasaratha has been

poignantly described by KulasEkara Azhwar in his " PerumaaL

Tirumozhi " }

 

 

37. KOUSALYA TAUNTS DASARATHA

Dasaratha asked Sumantra if he could take him back to DanDakaaraNya

to meet with Rama. Kousalya taunted Dasaratha saying that even if

Rama were to return after 14 years, he would not like to take over

the reins. She asks: " Will a strong tiger ever taste the flesh of an

animal killed and tainted with the spittle of a fox? " Naturally,

Dasaratha had no answer for this. He folded his palms (anjali) to

beg Kousalya to pardon him. Kousalya knew that a wife who is so

entreated by her husband will come to eternal grief. So, she

immediately stopped him from begging her. (Remember that when

Dasaratha fell at the feet of KaikEyi earlier, she was stubborn)

Kousalya's wrath now turned to KaikEyi. She asked KaikEyi " Do you

think you have earned a Kingdom? What you have earned is just widow-

hood, since the King will not live any longer. This is solely due to

your conspiracy " . She vowed that she and the other wives of

Dasaratha would enter the funeral pyre in the event of Dasaratha's

death.

 

38. REQUITAL OF DASARATHA'S PAST SIN (A MAIN STORY) **

Dasaratha narrated to Kousalya how he was facing retribution for a

sin that he had committed earlier in his life. " When I was just an

adolescent, I learned the art of " Sabda vEdanam " (locating merely by

tracing its sound of an animal that was not visible). On a fateful

night as I was in a forest area, I heard a sound that looked like

that of an animal drinking water at a pond. I shot an arrow at the

location. Soon I heard a human voice crying in the agony of death.

When I got near, I was shocked to see that it was not an animal but

a young boy who was hit by my arrow and was about to die. He told me

that he had come to the pond to collect water in a pot to quench the

thirst of his blind parents who were waiting for him a few yards

away under a tree. The boy asked me to pull out the arrow. I did so

and the boy died instantly. I took the pot filled with water to his

parents, narrated the unfortunate, unexpected incident. They wanted

me to take them to the place where the boy's dead body was lying.

There, they also cast away their mortal coils but not before laying

a curse on me that I would also die due to pangs of separation from

my son (PutrasOkam), even as they did. I did not realize the gravity

of the curse then. On the other hand, I felt happy that their curse

was a blessing in disguise in that after all I would be blessed with

a son! Now, I am reaping the consequence of my misdeed "

 

The lesson is that whether we remember or not, one cannot escape

experiencing the consequences of one's past " karma " . But, knowing

this fully well, what do we do?

The following slOka answers:

puNyasya phalam ichchanti, puNyam na kurvanti maanavaa: /

Paapasya phalam na ichchanti, paapam kurvanti yathnata: //

People desire to reap the fruits of puNya (meritorious deeds) but do

not do any acts that would fetch them the same; On the other hand,

they do not want to experience the consequences of sins Paapa (sin)

but commit sins with enormous effort " We enjoy or suffer the effect

of our good or bad actions, whether we like it or not!

 

39. THE KING IS DEAD; CAN WE SAY " LONG LIVE THE KING " ?

His Majesty died at dead of night. Unfortunately, even though he had

four sons a a result of performing numerous intense Yaagas, not one

of them was near his bedside at the time of his death! AyOdhya

became a kingdom without a king! The King's body was put in

a " Thailak-kopparai " - (A wide mouthed large brass vessel) containing

preservative oils waiting for the return of Bharata. VasishTa sent

messengers to summon urgently Bharata and Satrughna to AyOdhya

cautioning them not to reveal the news of the demise of the King and

the exile of Rama and LakshmaNa.

 

40. BHARATA'S DREAMS

Valmiki now takes us to kEkaya kingdom where Bharata and Satrughna

were enjoying their vacation. Valmiki catalogues about 15 dreams

that Bharata had that night. When the emissaries conveyed the

message from VasishTa, they took leave of the King instantly and

started on their journey. They traveled for several days and reached

AyOdhya. They found the city in a shambles and were afraid that some

mishap had befallen, though they could not divine what it could be!

 

41. BHARATA- KAIKEYI SAMVAADAM

Dasaratha was not found in his chambers or in KaikEyi's, his usual

resort. When inquired, KaikEyi conveyed the news by saying that the

King had reached the final resting place to which all living beings

are destined to reach. When asked where Rama was, she replied that

the King had sent him on exile to live in the forest for 14 years

and that Dasaratha desired that Bharata should rule the kingdom in

Rama's place. He asked what crime Rama had committed to deserve such

punishment. When Bharata came to know that it was at her behest that

Rama was exiled, he flew into uncontrollable rage. He scolded

KaikEyi saying " So, you wanted to rule making me a scapegoat? No

wonder that you seem to have inherited the evil traits of your

mother who was driven out of the Kingdom for her misdeeds " . He

spared her life not because she was his mother but he was scared

that Rama may not approve of killing her. However, he left her and

proceeded to Kousalya's place.

 

42. BHARATA PRATIGNAI

The first reaction of Kousalya on seeing him was one of accusing him

of complicity in his mother's designs. Bharata was beside with grief

on hearing her accusations. He tried to convince her that he had

nothing to do with his mother's plans. To prove his point, he went

on listing over 50 heinous sins that cast a soul in terrible hells

and that he would go to those hells if he had any hand in his

mother's deal. Valmiki cautions us through Bharata's Pratignai what

we SHOULD avoid to regulate our own lives on Dharmic lines. (Vide

Introduction to this series on " would " and " should " ) We give below a

few of them. He swears-

 

" If my heart ever hankered in the least after this kingdom and

turned traitor to Rama, let all the lessons learned at the feet of

Gurus go futile.

 

May I go the way of him who-

 

1. lends himself as a tool to the wicked and the sinful

2. excretes urine and ordure facing the Sun

3. kicks at a sleeping cow

4. sweats his workmen and cheats them of their lawful wages

5. deals treacherously with a righteous king who treats his

subjects like his sons

6. collects public money but swindles them by using for

personal use

7. promises sacrificial fees to holy men but later denies it

with haughtiness

8. turns his back and flees from the battlefield

9. consumes food without first offering to Bhagavaan

10. reviles his Guru and dishonors elders

11. betrays the confidence placed in him especially by his

friends

12. is ungrateful and does not render back the kindness done to

him

13. is devoid of all sense of shame and decency

14. commits suicide, patricide, matricide, fratricide etc

15. is selfish ignoring his kith, kin and servants who languish

in penury

16. is disqualified from performance of Vedic rites

17. is suffering the curse of barrenness

18. slays women, children and old men

19. abandons his servants and retainers to a miserable and cruel

fate

20. sells food and articles like red cotton, honey, meat and iron

21. kills an enemy who has surrendered

22. is a madman clad in a single piece of cloth, begging from

door to door

23. is a slave to passions and is drowned in sensual enjoyments

like wine, women and dice

24. avoids the path of Dharma and stays with zeal in the path of

Adharma

25. showers gifts on the unworthy

26. sleeps in the twilights

27. sets fire to habited houses and of defiling the bed etc

28. does not perform Nitya and naimittika karmas like

Sandhyavandanam, Sraddham etc

29. speaks harsh and unpleasant words and is unclean

30. acts as spy and an informer

31. puts away a dutiful wife who seeks to beget a lawful son, in

due season

32. deserts his lawfully married wife and goes after other's

wives

33. starves to death his wife, children and dependents

34. adulterates or poisons food or drinks

35. is an Atheist who spoils or prevents the worship of

Bhagavaan and Bhaktas

36. Does not offer water to one who is thirsty and begs for the

same

37. milks the cow dry with the expectant calf by its side

38. while umpiring between disputants, instructs one of them how

to overcome his opponent

Kousalya was moved by his sincere pleadings and convinced herself

that he was blemish-less.

 

 

(To Continue with Ayodya kaaNdam)

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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 23 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 4

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 23 - Slokam 13 Part 4, tiruvAimozhi

1.3 contd.

 

• pASuram 1.3.7:

onRu ena, pala ena aRivarum vaDivinuL ninRa

nanRezhil nAraNan nAnmugan aran ennum ivarai

onRa num manattu vaittu, uLLi, num iru paSai aRuttu

nanRena nalam Seivadu avaniDai nammuDai nALE.

 

onRu ena, pala ena, aRivu aru vaDivinuL ninRa nanRu ezhil nAraNan,

nAnmugan, aran ennum ivarai num manattu onRa vaittu, uLLi, num iru

paSai aRuttu, nammuDai nAL avaniDai nanRu ena nalam Seivadu -

" Oh,You souls! These three forms – nArAyaNan, the four-faced

brahmA, and rudra all have divine forms that are disntinguished;

(with superficial analysis) it is difficult to figure out whether

these forms all have one soul controlling them, or whether they each

have different souls, etc. You should thoroughly analyze their

complete attributes in your mind based on all available pramANa-s,

analyse and understand them completely, completely remove any

attachment to the two who are inferior out of the three, and then

completely dedicate your devotion to the One Supreme Deity within

your lifetime, without any delay, realizing that this is the best

thing for you.

 

svAmi deSikan identifies the guNa of emphasis in this pASuram

through the phrase sva-ruci vitaraNAt – Because He bestows the

desire in Him. One meaning for the word vitaraNa is gift, donation.

Because bhagavAn is sulabhan, once we start meditating on Him with

devotion, He takes care of removing any confusion in our mind about

who the Supreme Deity is, and creates the desire in our mind to be

totally devoted to Him. All one needs to do is start with an

unbiased mind on the three forms, and then deeply analyse all the

scriptural evidence, the guNa-s of the three mUrti-s, etc., and He

will take care of creating the desire in us for exclusive devotion

to Him, by removing all our confusion. This is how the likes of

mArkaNDeya, ghaNTa karNa, etc. realized the supremacy of SrIman

nArAyaNa over the other two.

 

A more detailed write-up for this pASuram can be found in the

anaubhavam for this pASuram in the series – " tri-mUrti in

tiruvAimozhi " .

 

• pASuram 1.3.8:

nALum ninRu aDu pazhamai am koDu vinai uDanE

mALum; Or kuRaiu illai; mananagam malamaRak kazhuvi

nALum nam tiruvuDai aDigaL tam nalam kazhal vaNa'ngi

mALum Or iDattilum vaNakkoDu mALvadu valamE.

 

mananagam malam aRak kazhuvi, nam tiruvuDai nam aDigaL tam nalam

kazhal vaNa'ngi, nALum ninRu, nama pazhamai am koDu vinai uDanE

mALum; nALum Or kuRaivu illai; mALum Or iDattilum vaNakkoDu mALvadu

valamE. – By removing all other desires from our mind completely,

and meditating on the Lotus feet of our Lord who is ever associated

with our Divine Mother mahA lakshmI, all our eternal and huge sins

will be immediately destroyed, and all our desires will be

fulfilled; even when our soul leaves the body, it is best to die

having surrendered thus to Him, over the path of bhakti yoga.

 

svAmi deSikan captures the essence of the pASuram as `sarva kAla

ASrayatvAt' – mALum Or iDattilum vaNakkoDu mALvadu valamE – He who

can be surrendered to at any time in this birth, even including at

the time of death, with complete redemption from all the sins

accumulated over uncountable prior births). AzhvAr points out that

bhagavAn is such a sulabhan that He will accept our surrender at any

time, and redeem us from all our accumulated sins over countless

births – uDanE mALum, tIyinil tUSAgum, and we need not be worried

that we have such huge sins accumulated to our credit. SrImad

tirukkuDanthai ANDavan refers us to the following:

 

- " meru madara mAtro'pi rASih pApasya karmaNah keSavam vaidyam

AsAdya durvyAdhiriva naSyati " (vishNu dharmam 69.110) - One might

have accumulated sins the size the meru mountain; however if he

worships keSava, the sins disappear just as the worst diseases

disappear when treated by a good vaidya or doctor.

- na vAsudeva bhaktAnAm aSubham vidyate kvacit (vishNu sahasra

nAmam – phala Sruti) - Nothing inauspicious ever occurs to the

devotees of vAsudeva.

 

SrI UV quotes the upanishad text: " iha ced avedIt atha satyamasti na

cedihAvedIt mahatI vinashTih: " (keno. 2.5) – If one has realized

(Brahman) in this birth itself, then he becomes worthy of having

existed. If one has not realized, then it is a great loss.

Every single word that AzhvAr has chosen is full of significance:

mananam malamaRak kazhuvi – leaving behind all attachments to anya

devatA-s completely; Or kuRaivu illai – There is nothing that is

left to be desired or accomplished; mALum Or iDattilum – SaraNAgati

at His Lotus feet can be performed even at the time of death, and He

will offer His protection; tiruvuDai nam aDigaL – bhagavAn is to be

worshipped together with SrI or mahA lakshmi;

 

uDanE mALum – You don't have to wait for another birth after

surrendering to Him; nalam kazhal – His Lotus feet will never fail

anyone who has surrendered to Him once. These are the guNa-s of

emperumAn that make Him a sulabhan (recall the guNa identified by

svAmi deSikan at the daSakam level).

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)

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