SRI RANGA SRI JOURNAL VOL.08 / ISSUE # 28 dated 9th 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 # 28 dated 9th June 2007

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. " AYODHYA KHAANDAM " PART -4 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.

(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)

2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 255 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

28 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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43. THE KING CREMATED

The King's body wad duly cremated. While Valmiki says that Bharata

performed the funereal rites (anthima kriyais) and after-death

rituals (Apara-uttara- kriyais) , Kamban says that since Dasaratha

had declared Bharata as not qualified to do these, Satrughna

performed them.

" enru koori nondu iDarin moozhgum, attunru taaar avarkku ILAYA

THONRALAAL

Anru nERk kaDan amaivadu aakkinaan, Ninru naan marai neri sei

neermaiyaan "

 

44. BHARATA DECLINES THE OFFER

The subjects requested Bharata to take the reins. VasishTa also

advised him to accede to the request of the subjects. But, he flatly

refused saying that as per the law of primogeniture, only Rama was

entitled to rule after Dasaratha and that he would not agree to

their request. Saying that both he and the Kingdom were equally the

properties of Rama he asked whether one property could ever hold

sway over another property. He ordered that arrangements should be

made for the entire citizenry to go with him to the forest to

persuade him to return and accept the kingdom.

 

45. BHARATA MEETS WITH GUHA

Guha saw the huge battalions of Bharata's entourage and suspected

that not satisfied with banishing Rama, Bharata was coming to the

forest to exterminate Rama there. However, as he was not sure of

Bharata's intentions, he was getting ready for both a peaceful

détente if possible and a fierce fight if need be. He ordered his

armies to keep themselves in readiness. He gazed at Bharata wearing

no royal insignia but was in the garb of an ascetic. He changed his

mind and approached Bharata with fruits etc. as a mark of respect to

a guest. Guha was so moved when Bharata narrated his side of the

events that he exclaimed that his greatness was more than even a

thousand Ramas.

 

" taay urai koNDu/ taadai udhaviya / dharaNi tannai

Tee vinai enna neethu / chintanai mugattil tEkki

Poyinai enra pOzhdu / pugazhinOi/ tanmai kaNDaal

Aayiram Raamar nin kEzh aavarO, teriyin ammaa! (Gangai kaaNN-1019)

 

Guha then described to Bharata how Rama, LakshmaNa and Sita spent

their time in his company. Strange that Guha, who had spent just one

day with Rama and LakshmaNa, was lecturing to Bharata about those

with whom he was born and had lived for so long!

 

46. BHARATA MEETS WITH BHARADWAJA

Crossing Ganga with the help of Guha, Bharata proceeded to the

hermitage of Sage Bharadwaaja who incidentally was of the same age

as VasishTa. Since a king should not approach the hermitage of a

Rishi with a crowd and especially with an army, he ordered them to

stay at a distance and proceeded with Satrughna to pay their

respects to the Sage. Bharadwaaja invited the entire entourage and

gave a grand feast to all of them. Ascertaining the route to

ChitrakooTam, Bharata searched for " Raamaasramam " . They spotted the

Asramam from the smoke emanating from the roof evidencing some

cooking there.

 

47. LAKSHMANA'S ANGER ON SEEING BHARATA

Rama and LakshmaNa heard the din of an approaching crowd. LakshmaNa

climbed up a tree to find out what it was. He saw Bharata coming

with a huge army. He climbed down to tell Rama that Bharata was a

traitor and that he was coming to kill them. He vowed to smash and

burn up his army. Rama counseled patience telling that he had

mistaken Bharata who was a real Saatvic.

 

He told LakshmaNa:

- " If you kill him, people would say that because he had

deprived me of my dues, I arranged for you to kill him.

- In AyOdhya, you swore to kill our father. Here, you are

vowing to kill Bharata.

- Can you not think anything positive?

- Let Bharata come.

- If you want to rule AyOdhya, I will ask him to give it up in

your favor.

- Will you be satisfied? "

On hearing this, LakshmaNa felt ashamed and kept quiet.

 

48. RAMA GITA

The moment Bharata arrived, Rama hugged him and enquired about the

welfare of the King. Even before Bharata could answer, Rama started

putting to Bharata a volley of 60 questions bearing on as many as 83

aspects of Statecraft (Raaja-neethi) and asked him whether he was

following these rules in his governance.

Do you know why?

 

It is because, if he were to come to know about Dasaratha's death

first, there would be no occasion for him to put those questions and

advise Bharata. Also, he knew that Bharata would need this advice

later on when he would have to rule the kingdom (albeit by proxy).

This peroration of Rama is known as " Rama Gita " .

 

The points advised by Rama are as relevant to today's administrators

as they were at the time when they were delivered to Bharata!

Bharata, however, replied that he had no use for these aspects

because he was determined not to go back to rule but had come to

request Rama to return to AyOdhya for the purpose.

 

49. RAMA-BHARATA SAMVAADAM

Bharata advanced several arguments as to why Rama should return:

While revealing the news of the death of the King Bharata said " The

King died thinking of you and you only; He desired to see you and

you only; He never ever had any thoughts other than you; It was

separation from you that immersed him in such grief; Till the last

breath, he was remembering you and only you " (101-9)

 

sOchams TAVA darsanEpsu: TVAYYA va saktaam/ anivarthya buddhim/

TVAYAA viheena:/ TAVA sOka rugNas /TVAAM sam smaran/ astamita: pita/

TE//

 

On hearing the news, Rama was struck with grief. Addressing

LakshmaNa he said " Your father has passed away " Addressing Sita he

said " Sita! Your father-in law has passed away! Even if I were angry

with you at any time, you would seek his advice. Who will advise you

now? " Then Rama and LakshmaNa did the " PiNDa pradaanam " to the

departed soul as per the Saastras.

Bharata again and again pleaded with Rama to return.

- " Even if one person were to shed tears, you cannot bear it.

How can you bear when the entire citizenry of KOsala with tears in

their eyes beg of you to return? "

- " I will stay in the forest for 14 years if you agree to rule

AyOdhya "

Rama was not moved. He replied:

- All that had happened was as per the will of destiny

- It is natural for a fruit to fall off the branch when it

becomes over ripe.

So, do not grieve for the demise of the King.

- Will the waters of a river flowing into the ocean ever

return?

- Man delights at Sunrise thinking that he would earn his

livelihood; At Sunset, he delights on the opportunity to enjoy what

he had earned. He does not realize that every passing day, ticks off

one day from the length of his life.

Nandanti udita aadityE nandanti astamitE ravou/

aatmanO na avabudhyantE manushyaa jeevita kshayam// (VR 105-24)

- Like two logs of wood in sea are brought together by a wave

and cast asunder by another wave, there is no cause to grieve over

the demise of father.

- Like drops of rain waters falling into a flowing river and

are not seen anymore life on earth is ticking away without our

notice.

- More than anything else, you should know that our father has

ascended to Svargam and will " live happily ever after " . Why do you

feel guilty?

- Finally, Rama comes out with the big truth he had learned

that at the time of Dasaratha's marriage with KaikEyi, Dasaratha had

made a solemn promise that the son born to her only will succeed him

to the throne.

Sage Jaabaali seized upon the thread of Rama's advice on the

impermanence of mortal relationships and tried to convince Rama by

taking up the stand of Chaaru-vaaka philosophy that negates all

relationships in the world saying -

- A wayfarer would never care for what happens to the choultry

where he was staying once his work was finished

- If departed souls could be fed by offering Sraaddha piNdam,

the same logic could be applied to relatives who go to far off

places and piNdam given to a person here should sate the hunger of

the traveler there!

- The very mother who sent you to the forest now pleads for

your return. Why not obey her now also?

Rama took umbrage at Jaabaali's arguments as atheistic (Naastika

vaadam) saying that he would never ever forsake the path of Dharma

of obeying the order of his father.

 

50. PINDAMUM PANDAMUM- A MONEY ORDER (STORY)

It may be questioned whether the " piNDa " (Balls of cooked rice) and

sesame seed offerings directly reach them. The three generation of

ancestors consisting of parents, grandparents and great grandparents

(Pitu; Pitaamaha: and Pra-pitaamaha) are believed to live in the

regions of Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.

 

Supposing you offer a soiled currency to the Post Office near your

home for sending a Money Order to someone in another place, the

delivery Post office does not deliver the same soiled currency to

the payee. May be, a fresh currency note in the Treasury branch of

that Post office is actually delivered. Likewise, the piNDam etc

offered here are converted into forms acceptable to them and their

blessings returned to the Karta (doer) in a form acceptable to him.

In other words, this would return in the form of welfare of the doer

and his progenies. In a sense, this is very much like " Foreign

Exchange "

 

But, one thing is believed to be certain. While performing these

rites may or may not confer any blessings but Non-performance is

believed to lead to displeasure of ancestors translating into sin.

 

51. BHARATA SARANAGATI

When Bharata surrendered to him, Rama replied -

" Since you say that I am your master, I hereby order you to go back

and rule the kingdom as per the wishes of our father and your

mother " Bharata was flabbergasted by the firm resolve of Rama and

had no alternative to accepting his command. But, he put one

condition that if at the end of 14 years, if Rama did not turn up at

AyOdhya, he would commit suicide by falling into fire. Rama agreed.

As a pawn, Rama stood on his footwear (Paadukas) and offered it to

Bharata. It is common practice that the value of the pawned article

would always be more than the amount pawned. By this logic, says

Swami Desika in " Sri Paadukaa Sahasram " , Rama's Paadukas were more

valuable than Rama himself!

 

52. WHY BHARATA'S SARANAGATI BECAME INEFFECTIVE?

1. There was a lack of confidence (Mahaaviswaasam) on the part

of Bharata when he said " IF RAMA DOES NOT RETURN, I will also stay

back in the forest "

2. Bharata spoke ill of Kula guru in the open assembly, when

VasishTa suggested his ascending the throne " sabhaa madhyE jagarhE

cha purOhitam "

3. Rama had earlier promised to the Devas and later to the

Rishis that he would destroy the Rakshasas (including Ravana). He

had to execute his prior promise before acceding to the subsequent

request of Bharata.

4. He had first to keep up the word given to his father (pitru

vaakhya paripaalanam), keep the Dharma to which he had committed

himself (Svadharma paripaalanam)

 

53. PADUKA PATTABHISHEKAM

Holding the Paadukais on his head, Bharata returned to AyOdhya. He

did the coronation to the Paadukais (Paadukaa PaTTabhishEkam) by

placing them on a throne in Nandigramam, a village on the outskirts

of AyOdhya from where he ruled in the name of the " Rama Paadukais " ..

 

(To Continue with AraNya khaaNdam)

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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSIkAya namaH.

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 24, Slokam 13 Part 5,

tiruvAimozhi 1.3 concluded.

• pASuram 1.3.9:

valattanan tiri-puram erittavan iDam peRat tundit-

talattanan ezhu tiSai-mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum

pulappaDap pinnum tan ulagattil agattanan tAnE

Solap pugil ivai pinnum vayiRRuLa ivai avan tuyakkE.

tundit-talattu ezhu tiSai mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum tundit

talattu iDam peRa, tiri-puram erittavan valattanan; pinnum tan

ulagattil pulappaDa tAnE agattanan; Solap pugil, pinnum ivai

vayiRRuLa; ivai avan tuyakkE. –

 

The four-faced brahmA who was born from the navel of bhagavAn has a

place of sustenance at that same lotus navel, along with the worlds

that he created; rudran who is credited with destroying the three

cities in the form of the three asura-s, has a place of protection

on the right side of emperumAn. While He is thus Supreme above all

else, still He takes incarnations and presents Himself in that same

world for all of us to see. If we are to list His kalyANa guNa-s,

there are infinte such guNa-s that we don't even realize. Our

inability to realize Him fully is just another of His mAyA-s.

svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the

words " SarvAdeh svA'nga dAnAt " - Because He has offered a place of

protection for rudra etc. in His body. SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan

refers us to the following from moksha dharma, which converys the

same message: paSya ekAdaSa me rudrAn dakshiNam pArSvam ASritAn

(moksha dharma 36.11).

 

Even when bhagavAn shows His extreme saulabhyam by offering places

of protection to rudra and brahmA in His own tirumEni, and even

though He has given them the same treatment as He has given tio

pirATTi by offering a place in His tirumeni to them (refer to

nammAzhvAr's pASuram ERALum iRaiyOnum tiSai muganum tirumagaLum

kURALum tiru uDamban – tiruvAi. 4.8.1), and even when He has

revelaed His superiority over all through His incarnations, still

there are those who are confused about who the Supreme Deity is

(ivai avan tuyakkE). The fact that bhagavAn is a sulabhan in not

only revealed by His offering a place of protection to brahmA and

rudra in His body, but also by His taking incarnations in the world

in which even the likes of brahmA and rudra don't set foot, just to

be accessible to His devotees.

• pASuram 1.3.10:

tuyakkaRu madi-il nal j~nAnattuL amararait tuyakkum

mayakkuDai mAyaigaL vAnilim periyana vallan

puyal karu niRattanan peru nilam kaDanda nal aDip pOdu

ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan, vaNa'nguvan amarndE.

tuyakkaRu madi il nal j~nAnattuL amararai tuyakkum mayakkuDai

vAnilim periyana mAyaigaL vallan , puyal karu niRattanan, peru nilam

kaDanda nallaDip pOdu amarndu, ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan,

vaNa'nguvan. – I will stay put at the Lotus Feet of that dark-hued

emperumAn who measured the three worlds, and who can control the

minds of even the likes of rudra and brahmA who are endowed with

superior knowledge and with clear minds beyond confusion, through

His leelA-s that are more huge even than the sky itself, and I will

not be distracted from my enjoyment of the greatness of those Lotus

Feet, I will brag about their greatness incessantly, I will embrace

them, and I will prostrate to them.

 

svAmi deSikan captures the most noteworthy guNa of bhagavAn from

this pASuram through the words " prahita padatayA " – Because He gave

the shelter of His extended Feet to all (during His trivikrama

incarnation) - peru nilam kaDanda nal aDi. The word `prahita'

means `Placed, extended, stretched out, dispatched, directed'. One

derivation given by SrI UV for the word prahita is `prakRshTam hitam

pra-hitam', stressing tht it is for the hitam or good of all. It is

not just those who are not devoted to Him that have difficulty

realizing His true nature; even the likes of brahmA and rudra, who

know that He is the Supreme Deity, get distracted by their desires,

and get confused about His true nature. If this is the case with the

likes of brahmA and rudra, there is nothing to wonder about the

state of confusion in which ordinary people find themselves in, when

it comes to realizing who the Supreme Deity is, and in following the

sure and correct path to redeem themselves from the bondage of

samsAra. To redeem these countless jIva-s, bhagavAn in His Infinite

Mercy, decided to take the tri-vikrama incarnation, decided to

extend His Feet to reach all these jIva-s and became accessible to

them without any effort on their part. Those Lotus Feet are the

resort that nammAzhvAr reveals to us in this pASuram. Through this

act, bhagavAn who is the utmost sulabhan (recall the guNa at the

daSakam level) shows His deep attachment to all the jIva-s who are

His possession.

 

As noted earlier, svAmi deSikan concludes the Sloka 13, identifying

the 10 key guNa-s of the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3, with the

summary for this tiruvAimozhi – ananta saulabhyam Aha – AzhvAr is

revealing the infinite saulabhyam (infinite ease of access to the

true devotee), through the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3

(pattuDai aDiyavarkku eLiyavan).

This concludes Slokam 13.

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)

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