SRI RANGA SRI E-JOURNAL - VOL.09 / ISSUE # 18 dated 27th January 2008

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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //

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SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.09 / ISSUE # 18 dated 27th January 2008

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. YUDDHA KHAANDAM PART - 8 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE

HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)

2. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 48- SLOKAM 19 -PART 1

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

 

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 281 Regular issues of SRS have been released

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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

18 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)

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1. " YUDDHA KHAANDAM " PART - 8 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM

(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)

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38. RAMA BREAKS RAVANA'S CROWN

When all his warriors were killed one by one, Ravana himself came on

the scene accompanied by some of his chiefs. He looked like Rudra.

{MaitraayaNi Upanishad says that the Taamasa guNa of Rudra took its

shape in the form of Ravana. This confirms the fact that Rudra is

the presiding God of Asuras}

 

Rama wanted VibheeshaNa to identify them. He did so pointing to

Indra-jit, Athi-kaaya, Pisaacha, Tri-siras, Nara-antaka, and finally

LankEswaran narrating in the kinds of warfare in which each one of

them had expertise.

 

Ravana was an adept in appearing as if he was going to use one kind

of weapon, aim another and shoot with yet another. Hanumaan saw

Ravana heading towards LakshmaNa and pounced on him and hit him hard

with his fist. Anyone in that position would have fallen dead by

that hit. Hanumaan expressed his shame on seeing Ravana being still

alive after receiving his hit. A short while after, he saw Ravana

giving a fight to Neela. Hanumaan told that due to the rules of

warfare one should not attack a person while fighting with another

person. So, Hanumaan told Ravana that he spared him. Ravana

shot " AgnEya Astra " against Neela. Neela fell unconscious. Ravana

now aimed at LakshmaNa. LakshmaNa broke his bow. Ravana used all his

20 hands and hit LakshmaNa with " Sakti " weapon. Now, LakshmaNa fell

unconscious. He tried to lift LakshmaNa with his 20 hands but he

could not even move a muscle. But, Hanumaan was able to lift

LakshmaNa and he took him to the side of Rama. Rama was terribly

angry, got on the back of Hanumaan and struck Ravana with Rama-

baaNa. The bow slipped from Ravana's hand. Rama cut off the crown of

Ravana. Ravana was totally exhausted having lost all his weapons.

Rama took pity on him and told him to go back to Lanka and come the

next day fully armed. (59) Says Kamban:

Inru pOi pOrkku naaLai vaa ena nalginan (Mudar pOr-puri paTalam 1212)

 

39. RAVANA RETURNS EMPTY HANDED

Ravana returned to Lanka crestfallen and with empty hands humbled

beyond recognition by Rama's prowess as much as by Rama's

magnanimity. Ravana lost in the battlefield everything- the chest

bearing the signs of goring sustained from the tusks of elephants,

the hands that shook the Kailaasa Mountain, the tongues that spoke

to Sage Naarada, the ten heads, the sword granted by Lord Sankara

along with his proverbial valor. Kamban says:

 

vaaraNam poruda maarbum varaiyinai eDutha thOLum

naarada muniovarkku yErppa nayam paTa uraitha naavum

Taar aNi mouLi pathum sankaran koDutha vaaLum

Veeramum kaLathE pOTTu verum kaiyODu meeNDu pOnaan

(Kmbhakarna vadaip PaTalam 1213)

 

40. RAVANA REMINISCES

Ravana literally trembled with fear scared of " Rama-baaNam " chasing

him. He felt ashamed at his defeat at the hands of a mere human

being. He remembered -

- Brahma's words at the time of grant of boons that he would

have no fears from anyone except human beings.

- When he killed an Ikshvaaku king, AnaraNaya, he gave a dying

declaration that Ravana would be destroyed by one of Ikshvaaku

descendents and Rama was one such.

- When he tried to rape vEdavati, she cursed that she would be

responsible for his death. " Could it be that this vEdavati had now

come in the form of Sita? " he wondered.

- When Ravana lifted Kailasa Mountain, Paarvati (who was with

Lord Siva) suddenly was seized with fear and cursed that because he

disturbed their privacy, he would meet with his fate through a woman.

- VaruNa's daughter " Punjiskalai " an apsaras, had also cursed

him once that he would meet with his fate at the hands of a woman

(Teertheeyam)

Most of these are chronicled in Uttara khaaNDam of Vaalmiki

Ramayanam.

 

dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

(To be continued)

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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 48 - SLOKAM 19 -PART 1

(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)

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tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 48, Slokam 19 Part 1,

tiruvAimozhi 1.8 - pASurams 1.8.1, 1.8.2.

 

Slokam 19 (gist of tiruvAimozhi 1.8):

 

sUrINAm svaira sevye (1.8.1) svayam avatarati (1.8.2)

 

kshudra divyaika netre (1.8.3)

gopAdyartham dhRtAdrau (1.8.4) Srita-tanu-rasike (1.8.5)

 

vAmanI-bhAva-dRSye (1.8.6) |

sat-citta-ananya-vRttau (1.8.7) vibhava-sama-tanau (1.8.8)

 

svAyudhArUDha-haste (1.8.9)

nIcocca grAhya-pAde (1.8.10) nirupadhimRjutAm (1.8) nIra varNe

jagAda ||

 

svAmi deSikan captures the message of this tiruvAimozhi ODum puL

through the words nirupadhimRjutAm One who is sincere in his

associations with His devotees (nirupadhi means without any

conceit; Rju one who is honest in his dealings, straightforward.

Favorable.). Another term that has been used by svAmi deSikan to

describe the gist of this tiruvAimozhi is Arjavam, which is also the

term that has been used almost unanimously by all pUrvAcArya-s.

svAmi deSikan has used this word in dramiDopanishad sAram -

suSIlam svArAdham sarasabhajanam svArjava guNam to indicate the gist

of this tiruvAimozhi. Arjavam means consistency of behavior between

thought, word and deed. When applied to bhagavAn, an example given

is that when He moves with His devotee at the devotees' level

(sauSIlyam), He does this not only at the external level, but He

also simultaneously does not even have the feeling that He is moving

with a person at a very low level. SrI PBA gives the example of

Lord rAma's response to SUrpaNakhA when she asks Him who He is.

rAma could have just given her a brief reply without wasting time to

explain to her who He is, but instead, He gives her a detailed and

honest reply about who He is etc. vAlmIki uses the word Rju

buddhitayA with honesty, truthfulness, to describe how rAma responds

to her: Rju buddhitayA sarvam AkhyAtum upacakrame.

 

The word Rju has been used by AlavandAr in stotra ratnam (18) as one

of the guNa-s of bhagavAn. svAmi deSikan explains the term Rjuh in

stotra ratna vyAkhyAnam as ASriteshu mano-vAk-kAya vRttInAm eka

rUpatayA kautilya rahitah | etena viSvasanIyatvam vyajyate -

bhagAavAn's disposition in thought, word and deed are consistent

with each other in His disposition towards His devotees. This shows

that He can be completely relied on in whatgever He says. These are

illustrated by bhagavAn's life in His incarnations. svAmi deSikan

gives references to SrImad rAmAyaNam: apyaham jIvitam jahyAm tvAm

vA sIte sa-lakshmaNAm| na tu pratij~nAm samSrutya brAhmaNebhyo

viSeshatah (AraNya. 10.19) I can bring Myself to live without you,

my beloved SitA, and without laksmaNan as well; but I cannot live

with a broken promise; dyauh patet pRthivI SIryet himavAn SakalI

bhavet | Sushyet toya nidhih kRshNe! na me mogham vaco bhavet | - Oh

draupadI! The Earth may fall from its orbit; The land may shatter;

the himAlayA mountain may break into pieces; the seas may become dry

without water; but My words will not be untrue.

 

A lot of discussion and research are presented by vyAkhyAna-kartA-s

on the meaning of the word Arjavam as used here, and SrI UV has

given a very detailed discussion on this topic in his tiruvAimozhi

vyAkhyAnam. A brief list of the different interpretations of the

message of this tiruvAimozhi by different AcArya-s is given below,

without discussion:

 

- ARAyirap paDi ASrita vAtsalyamAgiRa mahA guNattai uLLa

paDiyE pESiRRu it-tiruvAimozhi Extreme affection towards the devotee

truly as bhagavAn displays it, is revealed in this tiruvAimozhi.

- SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan ippattu guNangaLAl avanuDaiya

Arjava guNam (aiSvaryam) Sollap paTTadu Through the ten guNa-s sung

in the 10 pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi, bhagavAn's Arjava guNam

(aiSvaryam Supreme Lordship) is sung in this tiruvAimozhi.

- 36-Ayirap paDi trividha cetanarODum parimARum iDattil

avargaL tan ninaivilE varum paDi paNNugai anRikkE, tannai avrgaLukku

IDAga amaittup parimARum ennum av-vazhiyAlE ivanuDaiya Arjava guNam

SollugiRAr. BhagavAn's Arjava guNam is revealed in this

tiruvAimozhi, by His bringing Himself to the level of the devotee

rather than trying to get the devotee to His level.

 

- periyavAccAn piLLai RjuvAnavan (Rju one who is honest in

his dealings, straightforward. Favorable.)

- VenkaTeSAcArya emperumAniDattilE nirupAdhikamAna

Arjavattai upapAdittu aruLinAr BhagavAn's disposition to the devotee

is one of utmost sincere association with the devotee at the level

of the devotee (utmost sauSIlyam not only in deed, but in thought as

well.)

- PBA Arjavam RjuvAi irukkum tanmai. Mano vAk kAyam

(thought, word and deed) all in unison.

- R. Rangachari - He is ever truthful, this His gracious

nature undeviating.

 

pASuram 1.8.1:

 

ODum puL ERic cUDum taN tuzhAi,

nIDu ninRavai, ADum ammAnE.

 

ammAn puL ERi ODum; taN tuzhAi SUDum; nIDu ninRa avai ADum - My

Lord will climb on His GaruDan and hurry to different places; He

will decorate Himself with the tender and fragrant tulasI garlands;

He will move intimately with the nitya sUri-s as they wish.

 

garuDan and tulasI are referred to in this pASuram as examples of

nitya sUri-s with whom bgagavAn moves freely as they wish. If

garuDan wants to perform kainkaryam by carrying bhagavAn, He

immediately gets on garuDan and goes somewhere or the other. He

creates some excuse to ride on garuDan, and fulfils his wish to

perform kainkaryam as he wishes. Similarly, when tulasI wishes to

decorate bhagavAn's tirumEni, He immediately wears the tulaSi

garlands on Himself. nIDu ninRa avai refers to the eternal nitya

sUri-s. BhagavAn dances to the tunes of the nitya sUri-s, to make

each one of them them happy as they wish (ADum ammAn).

 

svAmi deSikan conveys the gist of this pASuram through the words

sUrINAm svaira sevye He who makes Himself available for worship as

desired by each nitya sUri without any constraint (svaira following

one's own wish or fancy; unrestrained). SrI venkaTeSAcArya explains

this as vainateyar mudalAna nitya sUrikaLAlE yatheshTa sevyanumAi He

makes Himself available for kainkaryam by nitya sUri-s such as

garuDan as they wish.

 

pASuram 1.8.2:

 

ammAnAip pinnum em mANbum AnAn

vem mA vAi kINDa SemmA kaNNanE.

 

ammAnAi vem mA vAi kINDa SemmA kaNNan, pinnum em mANbum AnAn This

Lord of mine not only intermingles with nitya sUri-s without

distinction, but also takes incarnations in leelA vibhUti in such

forms as the beautiful broad lotus-colored red-eyed kaNNan, to

destroy the likes of the evil keSi who came in the form of a horse,

and at the same time to move intimately and without distinction with

the people of this world (another demonstration of His Arjavam).

His aiSvaryam expressed in His many incarnations is sung here.

 

svAmi deSikan conveys the gist of this pASuram through the words

svayam avatarati. He takes incarnations Himself, in which He is not

born like us who are born because of karma, but with His aiSvaryam

completely undiminished, and through His own free will, for the

protection of dharma and for the destruction of evil. In these

incarnations, He moves with the devotees of this world with Arjavam,

at their level without distinction.

 

SrI PBA comments that through incarnations such as the kRshNa

incarnation where He destroyed the asura in the form of a horse by

tearing open his mouth, bhagavAn reveals His Rjutvam in His

incarnations. SrI tirukuDandai ANDavan notes that His beauty in

His incarnations in more notable than in His nitya vibhUti sa u

SreyAn bhavati jAyamAnah

 

Regards

dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)

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