SRI RANGA SRI E-JOURNAL- VOL.09 / ISSUE # 13 dated 22nd December 2007

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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 # 13 dated 22nd December 2007

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. YUDDHA KHAANDAM PART - 3 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)

2. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 43- SLOKAM 17 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

 

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 276 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

13 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)

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1. " YUDDHA KHAANDAM " PART - 3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

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14. COUNSELLING SESSION

- Sugreeva was the first to object the admission of

VibheeshaNa to their fold, saying that he had ditched his own

brother and cannot be relied upon. (He had obviously forgotten that

he himself had earlier ditched his brother, Vaali when he made

friendship with Rama!). He enlisted the support of LakshmaNa who was

none the less skeptical about VibheesahaNa's credentials. He

compared VibheeshaNa to an owl which knowing that the crows could

not see in the dark entered their nests at night and slew them all.

He cautioned that if they were allowed to spare him, he would play

his tricks again like Maareecha.

 

- It was now Angada's turn. He said that VibheeshaNa could be

accepted only after putting him to a strict test as to his

intentions.

- Sarabha suggested that one of their spies should be sent to

find out this.

- Jaambhavaan argued that VibheeshaNa had no need to come all

the way to their place. Therefore, it was not appropriate and this

aroused suspicions.

- Mainda suggested that using soft and pleasing words, they

should diplomatically ascertain the genuineness of his statement.

- Hanumaan, who had firm grasp of the Saastras and practical

knowledge of the ways of the world, without mentioning their names,

rejected their suggestions as impracticable. As VibheeshaNa was just

in front of them within their sight, there was no need to send a

spy; the place and time of his arrival and the manner of his

pleading clearly showed his sincerity; a test as suggested by them

was the surest means to make him hostile; his face was clear and

reflected his innocence; seeing Sugreeva securing the Kishkinda

after killing Vaali, VibheeshaNa might have come for securing Lanka

after the killing of Ravana; Even if this were so, there was nothing

wrong in it. (17)

 

15. RAMA'S DECISION

 

Rama finally declares his judgment: " I never forsake one who comes

to me as a friend. Even though he has faults, I shall accept him and

the wise ones will not denounce my action "

 

Mitra bhaavEna sam praaptam na thyajEyam katham chana/

doshO yad yapi tasya syaat sataam Etad agarhitam// (18.3)

 

- Rama seems to say that there was nothing special if he were

to favor one who is already friendly; it would give greater glory

for him if only he could extend protection to one who may be his

enemy but approached him as a friend! (mitra bhaavEna sampraaptam

and doshO yady api tasya syaat:)

- Rama says that if VibheeshaNa had asked for refuge while at

Lanka itself, he would have had to rush to Lanka to protect him.

VibheeshaNa coming to the place where he was to plead for protection

was like the waters of Ganga altering its course to flow near a lame

person! And utters in no uncertain terms his pledge: " Even if a man

just thinks for once:

 

" I am yours " , that is enough for me. I will protect him from fear

from all beings and this is my inviolable vow. Oh! Sugreeva! the

foremost among the Vaanaras! Go bring him to me even if he were to

be Ravana himself "

 

sakrudEva prapannaaya tava asmi iti yaachatE//

abhayam sarva bhootEbhyO dadaami Etad vratam mama/

aanaaya yEnam hari srEshTa dattam asya abhayam mayaa//

vibheeshaNO vaa Sugreeva! Yadi vaa RaavaNa: svayam/ (18-33 to 35)

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is known as Rama Charama slOkam in which the

Lord gives his assurance that he would save anyone who befriends him

and conveys an important message to us all.

 

- I am waiting for someone to come forward to surrender to me

so that I could protect him. This being the case, would I give up

this rare chance when one has actually come forward to surrender to

me?

- Like the mother cow that prefers to shower its extraordinary

fondness to the newborn even ignoring those born to it earlier, my

heart goes out to receive VibheeshaNa with extraordinary affection.

- If as you say VibheeshaNa had come with a view to secure

Lanka, that is reason enough to conclude that he would endeavor to

please me and will not intend to harm me.

- Even if Ravana himself came forward to surrender despite his

being my sworn enemy, I would not hesitate to accept him. What

objection could be there for rejecting VibheeshaNa now?

- Narrating stories of how a pigeon gave up its life to save a

hunter who had earlier killed its spouse and

- how a bear saved the life of an ungrateful human who

ventured to sacrifice it in response to the prodding of a tiger,

Rama ordered Sugreeva to go and bring VibheeshaNa to his side. (18)

 

dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

(To be continued)

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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 43 - SLOKAM 17 -PART 5

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahAS deSikAya namaH

tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 43, Slokam 17 Part 5,

tiruvAimozhi 1.6 - pASuram-s 1.6.9, 1.6.10.

 

pASuram 1.6.9:

 

taruma arum payanAya tiru magaLAr tanik kELvan

perumai uDaiya pirAnAr irumai vinai kaDivArE.

 

BhagavAn is the Consort of mahA lakshmi and is the ultimate object

attained through all the righteous conduct (dharma arum payan); He

is One who is magnanimous enough to remove the effects of both types

of our karma (puNya as well as pApa).

 

svAmi deSikan describes the guNam revealed in this pASuram in

support of bhagavAn sukara bhajanatvam or ease of worship, through

the phrase dharma sausthyAt- dharuma arum payanAya. SrImad

tirkkuDanthai ANDAvan gives the meaning as dhaarmngaLuDaiya parama

(mElAna) phalanAi iruppavan - Because He is the ultimate and highest

benefit attained through dharma. SrI UV interprets svAmi

deSikan's phrase dharma sausthyAt as meaning bhagavAn and pirATTi

together are well established as the upAyam " dharmam " for moksha.

In other words, worshiping pirATTi and bhagavAn (tiru magaLAr tanik

kELvan) with single-minded devotion will lead to the ultimate

benefit of all (arum payan = moksham) therein lies the sukara

bhajanatvam, because pirATTi and perumAL together are both the means

and the end. One does not need to resort to any other upAyam or

means.

 

Based on a reading of the different interpretations for this

pASuram, it is clear that the emphasis in this pASuram is that

bhagavAn, because of His association with pirATTi, removes all our

blemishes both puNyam and pAvam, and bestows moksham as the ultimate

benefit, if we are firmly established in our devotion to them, and

realize that this is the sole upAyam or means to attain them. Of

particular emphasis is that bhagavAn has the magnanimity to forgive

the irumai vinai both the effects of our good deeds as well as bad

deeds, because of His being tirumAmagal tanik kELvan " the Consort of

the ever-compassionate mahA lakshmi.

 

A pramANam quoted in this context is:

 

lakshmyA saha hRshIkeSo devyA kAruNya rUpayA |

rakshakas sarva siddhAnte vedAntepi ca gIyate ||

 

If it is asked how it is possible that bhagavAn will give the

greatest of all benefits " moksham, by our just prostrating to this

Duality of pirATTi and perumAL, the answer is that the

Personification of Mercy " kAruNya rUpiNI " maha lakshmI, is

inseparably associated with Him. SrI UV indicates that AzhvAr

points to the importance of pirATTi in the function of moksha

pradatvam `tarum avvarun payanAya, by referring to pirATTi as tiru

magaLAr. in plural, with the added respect, while referring to

perumAL as tanik kELvan " in singular. In other words, perumAL's

mercy in bestowing moksham derives from His eternal association with

pirATTi " kAruNya rUpiNI. The greatest among all His gretnesseses is

Sriyah patitvam. Veda sings the same point " SraddhayA devo devatvam

aSnute " The Lord derives His divinity because of SraddhA SrI or

lakshmI.

 

There is an alternate pATham for this pASuram that starts with tarum

av-arum payanAya:

 

av-arum payanAya tarum; irumai vinai kaDivAr; tiru magaLAr tanik

kELvan, perumai uDaiya pirAnAr " emperumAn who is the Consort of mahA

lakshmi, will bestow on us that kind of great benefit (referred to

in the previous pASuram " azhivinRi Akkam " moksham), by removing the

two kinds of fetters " puNyam and pApam; He is One with such great

magnanimity.

 

However, based on svAmi deSikan characterization of the guNa sung in

this pASuram as dharma saushthyA, it seems that he has preferred the

pATham dharuma arum payanAya.

 

This pASuram can certainly benefit by kAlakshepam with our learned

AcArya-s.

pASuram 1.6.10:

 

kaDiyAr tIya vinaigaL noDi Arum aLavaikkaN

koDiyA vaDu puL uyartta vaDivAr madhavanArE.

 

 

aDu puL koDiyA uyartta vaDivAr mAdhavanAr, noDi Arum AlavaikkaN tIya

vinaigaL kaDivAr Sriyah pati mAdhavan who has garuDan - the

destroyer His devotees' enemies - as His flag, and who has a

beautiful tirumEni, will remove all the bad karma-s of His devotees

in a fraction of a moment.

 

svAmi deSikan captures the guNam sung in this pASuram through the

words kshipra kshipta ahitatvAt " He throws away or annihilates the

worst karma-s of His devotee before a tiny fraction of one moment

expires (kshipra " speedily, fast; kshipta discarded, thrown away,

ahitatva bad karma-s (tIya vinaigaL) - koDiya tI vinaigaL noDi Arum

aLavaikkaN kaDivAr.

 

The fact that bhagavAn will remove the effect of the worst sins of

His devotees when they surrender to Him has been mentioned in three

different pASuram-s in this tiruvAimozhivazhi: ninRa val vinai

mALvittu azhivinRi Akkam tarumE (1.6.8), tiru magaLAr tanik kELvan

irumai vinai kaDivArE (1.6.9), and kaDivAr tI vinaigaL noDi Arum

aLavaikkaN (1.6.10). SrI PBA notes that there is no redundancy here

the first one stresses that He removes the negative effects of karma-

s when one surrenders to Him; the next one stresses the role of

pirATTi in this act; the last one stresses the speed with which

this removal of the effects of karma-s takes place.

 

The reference to periya tiruvaDi garuDAzhvAn " in this pASuram is

interpreted in more than one way: a) bhagavAn bestows the same

level of kainkaryam to all the devotees who surrender to Him as He

has given to garuDAzhvAr; b) He will raise His devotees to the high

level to which He has raised periya tiruvaDi " a presence on His

flag, at a higher level than even Himself. Equality with nitya sUri-

s, and the speed with which He bestows this blessing on the true

devotee who surrenders to Him unconditionally, are both emphasized.

The aspect of sukara bhajanatvam is evident in that such a high

blessing the attainment of the utmost goal in life is available just

by the act of unconditional surrender to Him with no other benefit

in mind except Him.

 

Thus, the ten Sloka-s of this tiruvAimozhi point to the ease with

which He can be worshiped:

 

- There is no need to expend any money or other wealth on

acquiring materials to worship Him. He can be worshiped with mere

water, freely available flowers, etc. (1.6.1)

- Anyone can worship Him without distinction of varNa-s,

using the different ways available as prescribed in the SAstra-s

(1.6.2)

- He becomes pleased with any sincere offering, without

distinguishing between the level of the people who are making the

offering, or the value of the object that is offered (1.6.3)

- He becomes subservient to those who become subservient to

Him (1.6.4)

- To those who seek Him as their only goal, He makes Himself

available as insatiable Nectar to them (1.6.5)

- He is sweet as a result of the abundance of auspicious

qualities (1.6.6)

- Meditating on His divya caritram will help one cross the

ocean of this samsAra very easily (1.6.7)

- He will bestow moksham on anyone who surrenders at His

feet just once (1.6.8)

- He will remove the effect of all our karma-s because of

His association with mahA lakshmI who is karuNA incarnate, when we

surrender to Him (1.6.9).

- He will remove the effects of our karma-s in a fraction of a

moment when we surrender to Him unconditionally (1.6.10).

 

dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)

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