SRI RANGA SRI e- JOURNAL- VOL.09 / ISSUE # 04 dated 14th October 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.09 / ISSUE # 04 dated 14th October 2007

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. SARVAJIT - AIPPASI MAASA PANCHANGAM DETAILS – SRI V

MADHAVAKKANNAN

2. SUNDARA KHAANDAM PART - 2 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)

3. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

 

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 267 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

36 Issues of Vol. 8

04 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)

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1. Sarvajit varsha aippasi maasa Panchangam:

 

October 18, 2007- Thursday – Aippasi month begins

October 20, 2007 – Saturday – Hayagreeva Aradhanai (Sarasvati puja)

October 21, 2007 – Sunday – Vijayadasami

October 21, 2007 - Sunday – avittam – BhoothatthAzhwAr

Thirunakshathram

October 22, 2007 – Monday – sadhayam – pEyAzhwAr Thirunakshathram

November 8, 2007 – Thursday – Deepavali

November 9 2007 – Friday – Amaavaasyai

November 14, 2007 – Wednesday – moolam- Sri Manavala maamuni

Thirunakshathram

November 16 2007 – Friday – ThiruvONam - Poygai AzhwAr

Thirunakshathram

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2. " KISHKINDHAA KHAANDAM " PART - 2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

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8. LANKINI WORSTED:

LankiNi was the Guardian deity of the impregnable and impenetrable

city. She intercepted Hanumaan and prevented him from entering the

city without first vanquishing her. Hanumaan punched her forcefully

with his the fist of his left hand (because it was beneath his

dignity to strike a woman with the right hand) and this punctured

her ego. She fell to the ground and told him that Brahma once told

her that when a monkey hit her there would be a great catastrophe

for the race of the Raakshasas (VR-3)

 

9. NO ENTRY PLEASE!

Hanuman had overcome all the obstacles in jumping over the ocean and

reaching Lanka. He waited outside long till dusk before entering

Lanka city at night. He did not enter through the main gate but

through a location that could well be considered a " No entry " zone

(like a No fly zone).

 

AdvaarENa mahaa baahoo praakaaram abhi pupluvE /

Nisi lankaam mahaa sathvO vivEsa kapi kunjara: // (Sargam 4.2)

 

This is one of the strategies to be adopted by warriors seeking

victory over their enemies. They are supposed to make a backdoor

entry, at an hour when none from the enemy camp could notice

anything out of the way. Also, it is said that AnjanEya took a tiny

form to outwit the enemy camp. Perhaps it was a case of

saying " Honey! I shrunk myself " ! The point is that for one desirous

of victory, entry into the enemy fortress should be under cover of

darkness of night, in full disguise and by jumping over a protective

wall avoiding the regular gateway

 

10. LANKA BY NIGHT

The moon was shining in full bloom and made " Lanka by moon " more

beautiful than " Lanka by noon " (VR 5). Hanumaan searched in the

mansions of the great heroes of Ravana's Court like: Prahasthan,

Mahaa-paarsvan, Kumba-karNan, VibheeshaNan, MahOdaran, Viroopa-

akshan, Vidhyuj-jihvan, Vidyun-maali, Vajra-dhamshtran, Sukan,

SaaraNan, Indra-jit, Jambu-maali, Sumaali, Rasmi-kEtu, Soorya-Satru,

Vajra-kaayan, Dhoomra-akshan, Sampaadi, Vidhyut-roopan, Ganan,

Viganan, Sukha-naasan, Vakran, SaTan, Hrasva-KarNan, DhamshTran,

ROmasan, YuddhOnmattan, Mathan, Dvaja-greevan, Naadhi, Indra-jihvan,

Hasti-mukhan, KaraaLan, Pisaachan, SONita-akshan and Ravana himself

and was amazed by the kind of luxurious life they were enjoying.(VR

6) Though Viswakarma and Mayaa took credit for constructing these

mansions, they were built actually under the personal direction and

supervision of Ravana himself. (VR7)

 

11. PUSHPAKA VIMAANAM:

 

The flying mansion (an RV?) called " Pushpakam " was built by

Viswakarma with all the comforts and luxuries " built-in " . As it was

a divine vehicle, it did not land on land but had its own runway and

hangar and other appurtenances right on the skies. It could fly to

any place as per the mere wish of its owner and could accommodate as

many as he wished. With the powers gained by penance of over 10,000

years, Ravana fought with his brother, KubEra who himself got it

from Brahma after intense Tapas and snatched it from

him.

 

BrahmaNa artE kritam divyam divi yad Viswa karmaNa /

Vimaanam pushpakam naama sarva ratna ParENa tapasaa lEbhE yat

kubEra: pita mahaath /

 

KubEram Ojasaa jitvaa lEbhE Tad Raakshas Eswara: //

(VR 8 and 9.11-12)

 

12. DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A REASON WHY RAVANA DID NOT SUBDUE

SRI SITA BY FORCE?

 

It is said that though he was physically strong, he developed a

weakness for women. He tried to sexually molest NalaKubara's wife.

She spelled a curse saying that if ever he tried to force any woman,

his head would smash to smithereens. This is said to be the reason

why he desisted from touching Sri Sita. Ravana himself admits to Sri

Sita that he would not touch her without her consent.

 

13. RAVANA'S HAREM:

 

The young ladies in Ravana's harem lay in deep unconsciousness with

their necklaces and waistbands broken and garments loose. This

looked like mares who having gone through a very long course, rolled

over and over on the ground to throw off their weariness and

fatigue! As AnjanEya traversed the inner apartments of Ravana, he

saw the burning lamps standing steady and motionless. This looked

like gamblers who lost everything having been fleeced bare by

veterans deeply planning about wreaking vengeance and recovering

their losses!

 

The gem studded lamps glowed with a steady radiance as if they were

lovers stealthily gazing on with un-winking eyes at the ladies of

Ravana's harem which they could not ever dream of doing when Ravana

was awake!. Only some of the ladies in the harem were brought by

Ravana through his might or entranced by his opulence but most of

them came to him on their own volition enchanted by his charm and

glamour. (VR 9)

 

Ravana was lying in the midst of these ladies on a special bed on a

cot embedded with precious gems and flowers of various hues and

fragrances like saffron, musk, athar, aloes, sandal, civet and other

rare perfumes. Hanumaan was sorry that while he could not see Sita,

he had to see the one who abducted her. He saw a woman of

exceptional beauty lying on a similar ambience and for a moment

doubted if it was Sita (VR 10).

 

14. THE LIQUOR BAR

 

Soon, he decided that Sita could not sleep especially when she was

desolate on her separation from Rama. He passed through the liquor

parlor with attendant appearances of wine glasses, some " full " ,

some " half-full " and some others " half-empty " with the revelers,

some were half-asleep and some others in deep-sleep but all in

different stages of intoxication with their dresses not covering

parts of bodies that ought to be covered and others even without any

dress at all! As Hanumaan, (the confirmed bachelor who had perfect

control over his senses) goes through the harem of Ravana in search

of Sri Sita, he happens to see ladies lying there in voluptuous

postures and rues over his having had to look at them in the course

of his search for Sri Sita. Hanumaan was even sorry for a moment

whether he had been a " fool to rush where others feared " to attempt.

But, he finds that this scene did not distract his mind. He

concludes saying that – " It is indeed the mind that is responsible

for senses getting attached to sense objects " . Since his mind was

under perfect control, no opprobrium attached to his going through

the harem. Further, if a woman were to be searched for, where else

can one hope to find her than where ladies congregate?

 

Na hi manasa: kimchit vaikrityam upa padhyatE

ManO hi hEtu: sarvEshaam indriyaaNaam pravrtanE

 

StriyO hi Streeshu drisyantE savathaa pari maargaNE (Sargam 11.42-44)

 

The moral conveyed is that one should strive to keep one's mind

under full control even at provocative situations.

 

15. WHY ONE SHOULD CONQUER SORROW?

 

When he gets exasperated on not being able to find Sri Sita in spite

of an intensive search everywhere, Hanumaan becomes despondent. But,

soon he regains composure and tells himself how sorrow would spoil

one's efforts in any pursuit and therefore one should pursue one's

objectives without being overwhelmed by sorrow

 

AnirvEda: sriyO: moolam anirvEda: param sukham /

AnirvEdO hi satatam sarva arthEshu pravartaka: //

 

karOti saphalam jantO: karma yathntatha karOti sa: /

tasmaat anirvEda karam yatnam chEshTE aham uthamam // (Sargam 12 -

10-11)

 

dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

 

(To be continued)

 

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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.

svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4 continued.

svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.9 – " nADAda malar nADi " pASuram: AzhvAr

invokes the " UDADu pani vADAi " – the cool breeze that is moving back

and forth between him and perumAL, as his messenger in this

pASuram. svAmi deSikan captures the AcArya guNam conveyed as the

inner meaning in this pASuram through the words " abhigata SiSirAn " –

AcArya-s act like a cool soothing breeze to anyone who approaches

them and seeks their guidance. This is conveyed through the

words " ASrayitta pErgaLukku atyanta SIta svabhAvarAna AcAryagaL " by

SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya, and through the words " kuLircci porundiya

vADaik kARRu pOlE aDiyAr tirattil kuLirnda (irakkam pUNDa) cintai

uDaiyAr " by SrI PBA.

 

SrI UV captures the significance of the words " UDADu' in " UDADu pani

vADAi " by pointting out that the AcAryan graces the disciples

by `coming to them' – " SishyarkaLik kuRittu ezhundaruLiyavarAi " , or,

alternately, `having been approached by the Sishya-s' –

`SishyarkaLAl ASrayikkap paTTavar'. Or, the word can be enjoyed as

referring to the AcAryan coming back and forth to greet the many

Sishya-s repeatedly. SrI UV gives another interpretation also –

AcArya-s interact with perumAL through their offering of worship

beautifully – uDADi.

 

svApadSeSam for pASuram 1.4.10 – " uDal Azhip piRappu " pASuram: In

this pASuram, AzhvAr addresses his mind which is the most intimate

thing he can communicate with – " Azhi maDa ne'njE! " , unlike in the

previous pASuram-s where external entities were being asked to

convey messages to emperumAn. svAmi deSikan identifies the AcArya

guNam conveyed in this pASuram as " antara'nga ukti yogyAn " – AcArya-

s with whom intimate rahasya-s can be shared very freely. As for

the words `UDADi' in the previous pASuram, this aspect of sharing of

intimatcy applies to both the relationship between perumAL and

AcAryan, and the relationship between AcAryan and the Sishyan.

SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan summarises the AcArya guNam in this

pASuram by noting that the AcAryan is one with whom intimate

thoughts can be shared – antara'ngamAna Sollukku ucitarAna

AcAryargaL. This covers the relation between perumAL and AcAryan,

and also between AcAryan and disciple. Just as our mind is intimate

to us, AcAryan is intimate both to bhagavAn and to the disciple.

AcAryan communicated to tirukkacci nimbi the answers to the six

questions raised by bhagavad rAmAnuja because of this intimacy.

AcAryan instructs the disciple on rahasya-s (secret meanings of

SAstra-s), and shows the path to surrender to emperumAn to the

disciple. The disciple also feels free to share his intimate

questions, doubts, issues, etc., with the AcAryan because the

AcAryan is a sulabhan. Azhi means `deep', and maDam refers to

innocence, tenderness etc. Just as the mind keeps information

without letting out indiscriminately, AcAryan also will not divulge

the faults (dosham) of his disciple to others – Azhi maDa ne'nju –

antara'nga ukti yogyan.

 

Thus, the following ten guNa-s of AcArya-s have been conveyed as

svApadeSam in tiruvAimozhi 1.4. The AcAryan:

- is easily accessible to the disciple –(maDa nArai)

- is endowed with sweet and kind words to instruct the

disciple – (kuyil)

- clearly distinguishes between way of life that follows

SAstra-s and that does not, and leads a way of life consistent with

the SAstra-s – (annam)

- resembles Lord kRshNa Himself in guNa-s such as infinite

mercy etc.(kRshNa sArUpa saumyam)

- considers kaNNan as his sustenance in all ways (uNNum

SORu, parugum nIr, tinnum veRRilai ellAm kaNNan) – those who are

pure in what they eat for sustenance

- has the marks of SrIman nArAyaNan on his tirumEni

(Sa'nkha, cakra etc.) – Azhi vari vaNDu

- displays the innocence of a child by hiding his greatness

(iLam kiLi)

- becomes subservient to the will of his disciples (pUvai

bird, SarikA)

- have a cool and comforting nature – pani vADai

- has the disposition that makes him suited for intimate

exchange of thoughts (Azhi maDa ne'nju).

 

Having thus described 10 guNa-s of AcAryan that make him ideally

suited to convey our message of surrender to bhagavAn and to make

Him accept our surrender, svAmi deSikan summarizes the glory of the

AcAryan in the last line of the Slokam – AcAryAn kRshNa labdha

avavRNuta SaThajit preyasI dUta nItyA – SaThakopa muni who is deeply

intoxicated in love with Lord kRshNa is approaching the AcAryan to

serve as the messenger to facilitate his surrender to emperumAn,

just as the nAyaki in deep love with her separated nAyakan will send

all the birds around her as her messenger to him – avarkaLai SaraNam

pukku dUtyattilE niyOgittu aruLinAr

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)

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