Three is a Crows--Part III

[Guest guest]

Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Three is a Crowd!--Part III

The Three Steps

 

Any number of people might have walked any number of steps over the years, but it is just three steps that have stolen the limelight for all time to come. These were no giant steps to begin with, but were just tiny ones sought by a diminutive dwarf, so much so that the philanthropist from whom these three steps of land were prayed for laughed outright at the ridiculously trivial request and tried to persuade the seeker to opt for more substantial alms. However, the young bhikshu stood firm in His request. And once the request was granted, the dwarf suddenly grew into a colossus, spanning the three worlds with His burgeoning form. One foot measured the entire earth and another the heavens above and there was no space for the third step to be placed.

 

The three steps the Lord took as Trivikrama have been chronicled only too frequently by the Shruti—“treeni padaa vichakrame Vishnur gopaa adaabhya:”, ”idam Vishnur vichakrame tredhaa nidadhe padam” “Vichakrame prithiveem esha etaam”. Azhwars too have waxed eloquent over this episode of the three giant steps the Paramatma took, in the process of which the Lord’s tiruvadi was placed on all the sentient and non-sentient beings on earth. And Mahabali was so fortunate that the third step of the Lord was placed on his head. “Since I was not around at the time of the Trivikramaavataaram, when are you going to place your holy feet on my head?” asks Alavandar—“

Trivikrama! Tvat charanaambuja dvayam madeeya moordhaanam alankarishyati?”

 

There are three types of Trivikrama moorties, according to the Vishnu Kosam:

 

 

With the left leg lifted up and stretched out to the height of the knee of the right leg (“Jaanu maatram”)—this signifies the act of measuring out the earth (“bhoo loka aakramanaarttham”)

With the left leg aloft and stretched to the height of the navel (“Naabhi maatram”) to signify the occupation of the mid-region by the second step (“antariksha loka aakramanaarttham”) and

With the left tiruvadi raised to the level of the forehead (“lalaata maatram”) to signify the occupation of the heavens.

 

Three Types of Karma

Karma capable of ridding us of births and deaths is of three types, says the Kathopanishad—“Trikarma krit tarati janma mrityoo”. And what are these three types of action?

 

Yajanam: Performance of yaagas and yagyas, without any desire in their fruits and dedicating them solely for the Lord’s pleasure—“Bhagavat preetyarttham”

Adhyayanam: Learning the Vedas and Vedanta from an Acharya and moulding one’s life based on the learning.

Daanam: Giving away one’s possessions to the needy, with absolutely no expectation of return in any form—“variyaarkku ondru eevade eegai”.

 

Trishavana Snaanam, Tridandam and Tripundram

 

The Narada Parivraajakopanishad has some interesting references to three, relating to Sanyaasis. These holy men who have renounced all their possessions and have embraced the Paramatma as their sole relative, are supposed to bathe thrice a day. However, according to the Upanishad, the number of times differs according to the class and type of Sanyasi-

 

“Snaanam trishavanam proktam Bahoodaka Vanastthayo:

Hamse tu sakrit eva syaat, Parahamse na vidayate”

 

Sanyaasis are required to sport the Oordhvapundram and Tridandam too, according to this Upanishad. The lines of the Oordhva pundram worn on the forehead are again three, signifying the two holy feet of the Lord worn with the Sreechoornam in between, signifying the presence of Sri. Ekapundram or a single line, consisting only of Sreechoornam, is not approved, as it entails separation of the Divine Consort from Her inseparable companion.

 

A few words here about the Tridandam, which every Sri Vaishnava Yati holds aloft in his holy hand, as did Sri Ramanuja—“Upaveetinam oordhvapundravantam, trijagat punya phalam tridanda hastam”. The three sticks that form the Tridandam signify the Sanyasi’s triumph over the three aspects—Karma, Speech and the Mind, says the Upanishad—

 

“Vaak danda: Karma danadascha Mano dandascha te traya:

Yasya ete niyataa dandaa: sa: Tridandee maha yati:”

 

Thus the three components of the Tridandam represent respectively the resolution to control Speech, Mind and the Body. The Tridandam is the Yati’s closest friend and constant companion, as is evident from the mantra for picking it up—“sakhaa me gopaaya”. Sri Koorattazhwan, in his Dhaatee Panchakam, describes in detail the glory of Sri Ramanuja’s Tridandam. Sanyasis belonging to other faiths hold a single stick—“Eka Dandam”: however, the reference to “Mukkol Bhagavar” or Tridandi sanyaasis in the Tolkaappiam, the earliest available Tamizh work, signifies the preponderance and popularity of Sri Vaishnava sanyaasis during ancient times. Even during the times of Tirumazhisai Piraan, there was a profusion of Sri Vaishnava Yativaraas at Srirangam, all immersed in the immeasurable bliss of Bhagavat Anubhavam—

 

 

“Chittreyittru muttra moongil moondru tandar ondrinar

Attra pattrar suttri vaazhum antaneer Arangame”

 

Tattva Trayam

 

Going back to Vedaantam, we find that the Tattva Trayam or three tenets form the fundamentals of Visistaadvaita Siddhaantam. These are respectively Chit or Sentient Souls, Achit or Insentient Objects and Isvara, denoting the supreme Lord.

 

It is notable that the concept of “Tattva Trayam” is rooted in the Shruti, in the Svetaasvataropanishad, which lays down that the knowledge of these Three Tenets is indispensable to a seeker after liberation—

 

“Etat gyeyam nityam eva Atma samsttham na ata: param veditavyam kinchit

Bhokta Bhogyam Preritaaram cha matvaa sarvam proktam trividham Brahmam etat”.

 

 

Trividha Achetanam

If we take the “Bhogyam” or the inanimate matter (which is known as “Achetanam”) first, it is of three kinds—

 

1) Prakriti or Non-sentient Matter—has the following characteristics:-

a) It is absolutely without the spark of knowledge, non-sentient. If we take an earthen pot, for example, it has no power of cognizance or knowledge.

 

b) It exists solely for the purpose of others, to be used as per their whims, fancies and requirements- (“achetanaa paraartthaa cha nityaa satata vikriyaa”—Parama Samhita). To cite the example of the Pot again, it doesn’t serve any purpose of its own, but is utilised exclusively by its owner to fetch and store water, etc.

 

 

c) Though it is essentially eternal and permanent, it is subject to constant change and modification, in form and attributes. The Pot was first mud, then turned to clay with the addition of water, was then made into a Pot. When it breaks, it becomes bits and pieces, which, when they undergo further destruction, become mud again. Thus, though in its essential form of mud, it is permanent, it undergoes transformation into other forms constantly.

 

d) It is the abode of the three gunaas-- Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas.

 

 

e) It is this Prakriti that is the field of action for the Jeevatmas, affording them appropriate experiences in tune with their accumulated baggage of merit and demerit. For instance, this physical body (Praakrita shareeram) that all of us possess, has been given to us so that we may experience pleasure and pain in accordance with our Karma. The disembodied soul would not be able to experience anything without a physical shell composed of Prakriti.

 

2) The second type of Non-sentient matter or “Achit” is Time. Time, we are told, has neither a beginning nor an end (“anaadi: Bhagavaan Kaala: na antosya dvija vidayte”—Sri Vishnu Puranam), but only divisions like seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, centenaries, millennia etc. The advance of Time is inexorable and is what is responsible for changes in Prakriti, as for instance the physical changes our body undergoes with advancement of age.

 

3) The third component of the class of “Achetanam” is “Suddha Satvam”, representing the material of which the transcendental worlds of Sri Vaikunttam are made, beyond the reach of either Prakriti or Time. In these exalted worlds, though Time does exist, in the sense of providing a sequence to events, it is incapable of causing the sort of inexorable and irreversible changes, as it does in the mundane lands down below. The world of Suddha Sattvam is filled with immeasurable Wisdom and Bliss—“Gnaanaananda mayaa lokaa

:”). These are the worlds inhabited by the Lord and His celestial courtiers.

 

Trividha Chetanam

Having seen the three types of Non-sentient matter, we go on to the three types of “Bhoktaa” or the Jeevatmas, who constitute the second important component of Tattva Trayam.

 

The individual soul is neither God nor Man, as all these nomenclatures are caused by and apply to only the physical shell in which it resides for the time being. When the soul is inside a cow’s body, we call it a cow and another soul residing in Brahmaa’s shareeram is known as “Prajaapati”. There is, however, absolutely no difference between one soul and another, all the differences being caused by the material enclosures they occupy due to their Karma.

 

..

These Jeevatmas fall into three categories:-

 

1)”Baddhaas’ are souls like us, suffering constant imprisonment in physical shells. Due to their association with the perishable bodies, they are themselves termed perishable, in the Gita sloka, “Kshara: sarvaani bhootaani”. This class of beings comprises of all those subject to the unending cycle of births and deaths, right from the exalted Brahmaa, the Creator, down to the most insignificant insect inhabiting the sewers of a city.

 

2) “Muktaas” are those who were originally “Baddhaas”, but graduated to liberation through the adoption of an appropriate strategy like Bhakti or Prapatti, for emancipation. All those occupants of Sri Vaikunttam who were originally inhabitants of the mundane morass, but were wise enough to recognise its despicable nature and to adopt an “upaaya”, fall into this category, having acquired citizenship rights to Sri Vaikunttam through assiduous effort and the immeasurable grace of the Lord.

 

3) “Nityaas” are the permanent inhabitants of Paramapadam, with absolutely no stigma of earlier residence in the inauspicious worlds down below. These are exalted souls who have always been in Sri Vaikunttam as its natural citizens, performing eternal service to Emperuman without even a second’s interruption, drinking in His boundless beauty with their unblinking eyes— “Tat Vishno; paramam padam sadaa pasyanti sooraya:”. Ananta, Garuda, Vishvaksena, et al fall in this category.

 

The third and most important component of Tattva Trayam is the Isvara or the Parabrahmam, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, the repository of all auspicious attributes, the antithesis of all that is evil or bad, unassociated with any of the baser traits common to mankind, like fear, greed, anger etc.

 

To sum up, Tattva Trayam or the Three Tenets comprise of the Non-sentient matter Achetanam, the sentient individual souls or Jeevatmas and the Lord and Master, the Isvara, who controls and directs the first two. Achetanam is classified into three categories—Prakriti, Kaalam and Suddha Sattvam, while Jeevatmas fall into three similar types, viz., Baddhas, Muktas and Nityas.

 

And we have another triad thrown in here by Sri Ramanuja, who says that the Svaroopam, Stthithi and Pravritti of all the three types of sentient souls and non-sentient objects are subject to the Lord’s will—“Svaadheena trividha chetana achetana svaroopa stthithi pravritti bhedam”

 

--to be continued--

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

--dasan, sadagopan