BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA’S SARANAAGATHI GADHYAM

April 29, 2009

AN INTRODUCTION

Of the nine Granthas authored by Bhagavad Ramanuja, the three Gadhyams called Saranaagathi Gadhyam, Sriranga Gadhyam and VaikunTa Gadhyam are outstanding for various reasons:

1. The other Granthams like Vedaartha Sangraha, Vedanta Deepa and Vedantha Saara as also his magnum opus Sri Baashyam lay emphasis and in great detail on the Reals (Tattva Trayas) of Chit (sentient) Achit (insentient) and Iswara (the All-sentient Bhagavaan) as the ultimate Purushaartha (Goal of attaining mOksham). These Gadhyams vividly describe the “Hita” (Means to attain mOKsham) which is most important for the “mumukshu” (one desirous of attaining mOksham) who has already gained insight into these Tattvas.

2. While the other Granthas like Vedaartha sangraha, Vedanta Deepa and Vedantha Saara and Sri Baashyam were composed by Bhagavad Ramanuja in the early part of his life, these Gadhyams were (according to tradition) reported to have been composed much later in his life.

3. The earlier Granthas obliquely hint at “Bhakti” (Devotion) as the means to mOksha and describe in detail the various Upaasanas like 32 Vidyas that constitute Bhakti Yoga. They were instrumental in inspiring the Bhakti maarga among various VaishNava sects like -

In North India

Ramananda, Ravidasar, Meera Bai, Kabeerdaasar and TuLasidasar,

In Bengal

Chaitanya, Rupa Goswami in Prayag, Sanathana GOswami in Kaasi, Radha the prime devotee among Kaantha-bhaktas and Gourangar

In Assam

Sankara Devar of Navgaum, Jagadees Misrar, Gayapaani Ramadasar (Kaayastha), Damodara Devar, VaikunTa BhaTTanaatha Devar, and Maadhava Devar

In Karnataka

Madwachariar, PaanDu-Rangar of Daasar movement, Sripaada Raajarar LakshmaNa Theerthar, Vyaasa-Raayar, Purandara Daasar, Kanaka Daasar, Vaadi-Raajar, Vijaya-Daasar and Jagannaatha Daasar.

In Maharashtra

Jnaana Devar, Naama Devar, Eka-Nathar, Sant Tuukaaraam and ViTTalar

It was later on of his life that Bhagavad Ramanuja while writing his commentary known as Geethaa Baashyam popularized the famous “Charama slOKam” of Lord KrishNa who offered mOksham to all those who surrendered unto his feet (through what is known as Prapatti or SaraNaagathi) being unable to adopt any other means like Bhakti.

4. Unlike most of other devotional works that are in poetic form, the Gadhyams are in prose but are not by any means “prosaic”. Even a cursory reading of the Gadhyams would take our minds to unparalleled ecstasy and motivate us our eagerness (tvarai) to instantly aspire to reach Godhead. But, reciting the Gadhyams with an understanding of the meanings would indeed be a rich and rewarding experience.

5. Bhagavad Ramanuja offered his SaraNaagathi through “SaraNaagathi Gadhyam” to Lord Ranganatha and Sri Ranga Naachiyaar during the “Serthi sEvai” on a Panguni Uttram day. This is a heart rending piece in which he pours his heart out through SaraNaagathi Gadhyam at the feet of Divya Dampathis who instantly responded to him. The graphic supplication of Bhagavad Ramanuja and the reassuring response of Divya Dampathis - stand out as a great treasure for all SrivaishNavas. These Gadhyams show us the quickest, surest and simplest way of attaining mOksham – in other words securing “maximum benefit through minimum effort”!

Bhagavad Ramanuja provides the following topics in “SaraNaagathi Gadhyam”

01. SaraNaagathi to Sri Lakshmi

02. Why this SaraNaagathi and why to Mahaalakshmi in the first place?

03. Exposition of “NaaraayaNa”

04. His Attributes

05. His Adornments

06. His Weapons

07. His Consorts

08. His Attendants

09. His VaikunTa

10. Leela Vibhooti

11. Invocations denoting the above qualities

12. SaraNaagathi

13. Prayer for purification

14. Prayer for being saved

15. The Desired End- Eternal Service

16. Prayer Answered

17. Lord’s Injunctions – How Prapanna is to spend his days

18. Assurance by the Lord

========================================================================================

01. SaraNaagathi to Sri Lakshmi

Bhagavan naaraayaNa abhimata anuroopa svaroopa guNa vibhava aiswarya seelaadi anavadhika atisaya asankhyEya kalyaaNa guNa gaNam padma vana Aalayaam bhagavateem sriyam dEveem nityaanapaayineem niravadhyaam dEva dEva divya mahisheem akhila jagan maataram asman maataram asaraNya saraNyaam ananya SaraNa: saraNam aham prapadhyE/

MEANING:

Oh! My Mother!

I have no other help to which I can resort to. You are the refuge of all the helpless creatures. You are my mother and indeed of the whole world. You are the queen of the Lord of the entire world. You are never separated from the Lord. You’re the Lord, You are always pure and untarnished and full of innumerable auspicious qualities like for example, greatness, authority and virtues that are to the liking and worthy of the natural form and qualities of Bhagavaan NaaraayaNa.

COMMENTS

This Gadhyam is considered to be an explanation of Dvaya Mantram which highlights that Bhagavaan is both the means (upaaya) and the goal (upEya) to be attained through the intercession of “Sri” who out of her infinite compassion (Vaatsalyam) strongly recommends acceptance of the Jeeva (Purushaakaaram) for the saving grace of the Lord. The father being a disciplinarian naturally tends to be unrelenting in strictly enforcing punishments to the erring souls whereas as “Sri” with her motherly affection prevents the Lord from such a course and transforms his wrath into grace. Therefore, the souls are advised to propitiate her first before approaching the Lord. Like the Dvaya Mantra which starts with the word “Sri” in the Upaaya and upEya dasas, SaraNaagathi Gadhyam also starts with a prayer to ‘Sri”.

Bhagavan naaraayaNa

Who is Bhagavaan? One who possesses “Bhaga”

What is “Bhaga”? One who is possessed in full of the six prime qualities of jnaana (Knowledge), Bala (Strength), Aiswarya (Lordship), Veerya (Prowess), Sakti (Power)and tEjas (Splendor). Who possesses these qualities? It is Sriman NaaraayaNa.

It will be seen that Lakshmi is closely associated with the Lord in these qualities.

Abhimata Anu-roopa sva-roopa: guNa vibhava

Lakshmi is, therefore, dear to the Lord (abhimata) and she has the same form (roopa) and qualities (anu-roopa) as the Lord. This is to assure that the Lord cannot turn down the recommendation of Lakshmi.

aiswarya seelaadi

These denote the collection of qualities of Lordship and more importantly easy accessibility on the part of Lakshmi that make it easy for the soul to approach her for help.

anavadhika atisaya

This means extraordinary, so extraordinary that there can be nothing equal or exceeding it. The greatness of the Lord and Thaayaar are of this nature. It is a class by itself and is really wonderful (atisaya)

asankhyEya kalyaaNa guNa gaNaam

The cluster of auspicious qualities of the Divya Dampathis cannot be quantified

padma vana Aalayaam

Sri Lakshmi dwells literally in the midst of a forest full of lotus flowers – a distinguishing feature of Sri Lakshmi which other deities cannot boast of.

Bhagavateem

Bhagavad Ramanuja is the first Achaarya to describe Sri Lakshmi as “Bhagavatee” meaning that she is possessed of all the six prime qualities exactly like the Lord. If he is Bhagavaan, she is Bhagavatee.

sriyam dEveem

To be more specific, he identifies her (dEveem) by name as “Sriyam”

Nitya- anapaayineem

Lakshmi is ever present with and never separated from the Lord. Why? IT is because she wishes to be ever ready to intercede on behalf of the erring souls and veil their defects from the view of the Lord.

Niravadhyaam

Though she possesses all the six qualities enumerated earlier, it is her Vaatsalyam and KaaruNyam that are foremost in protecting the souls from getting punished for their faults. This also shows that she is always approachable (unlike the Lord)

dEva dEva divya mahisheem

She is the most divine of all divine entities (dEva dEva divya) and she is the crowned queen of the Lord whose recommendations cannot be ignored or transgressed by the Lord.

akhila jagan maataram asman maataram

She is THE mother of all the souls in which he includes himself.

asaraNya saraNyaam

Those who have no other refuge to seek

ananya SaraNa:

To show that he is one among them, he uses the specific expression “ananya SaraNa:” referring to himself.

saraNam aham prapadhyE/

Here, he formally offers his surrender to Sri Lakshmi. This is also known as “GOptrutva varaNam” or “AtmanikshEpaNam”

===========================================================================================

02. Why this SaraNaagathi and why to Sri Mahaalakshmi in the first place?

Paaramaarthika Bhagavad charaNaaravinda yugaLa Aikaantika atyantika para-bhakti para-jnaana parama-bhakti krita pari-poorNa anavarata nitya visadatama ananya prayOjana anavadika atisaya priya Bhagavad anubhava janita anavadhika atisaya preeti kaarita asEsha avasthOtita uchita asEsha sEshataikara rati-roopa nitya kainkarya praapty apEkshayaa paaramaarthikO Bhagavad charaNa aravinda saraNaagathi: yathaa avasthitaa avirataa astu mE//

Astu tE/ tayaiva sarvam sampatsyatE//

MEANING:

“Oh! Mother! Please bless my earnest prayer and unconditional surrender at the feet of the Lord to become absolutely fruitful. May my surrender be taken as well performed with all the formalities enjoined in the Saaastras and continue to be effective till the goal is achieved. What is the goal? It is securing uninterrupted, eternal service to the Lord precisely suited always to his Sankalpam. In other words, let my service be rendered with utmost and loving devotion in all conditions and circumstances because it is so rendered out of exceptional and unbounded, selfless love for the Lord and only for the Lord and none else. This devotion should arise from unbridled desire for securing His vision (also called Parabhakti) that will mature into direct perception ( also known as Parajnaana) and blossoming into unbearable intensity to have this perception forever and anon (also known as Parama Bhakti) at the lotus feet of the Lord. This prayer is granted by Sri Mahaalakshmi saying “So be it. You have attained this”

COMMENT:

Paaramaarthika

This means that that the experience (anubhava) of securing the vision of the Lord is “Parama Purushartha” (ultimate goal). It also means that it is only a natural corollary to the progression of Para Bhakti to Parajnaana to Parama Bhakti.

Bhagavad charaNaaravinda yugaLa

The delectability of holding on to the lotus feet of the Lord is brought out to show that for the Prapanna, it is His lotus feet that attracts attention and which are so easily accessible for securing his/her ends. The implication is that like for just born baby, the breast becomes the most lovable limb of the mother because it is the one that provides sustenance through milk, for the Prapanna the feet are the ones that provide what he/she desires.

Eikaantika:

This denotes that the surrender is directed pointedly towards securing the pleasure of the Lord and none else.

Atyantika:

This denotes that as a result of such devotion, the anubhava (experience) becomes continuous. In other words, the longing to have the direct perception of the Lord is a continuous experience.

pari-poorNa anubhava

Means that the experience is perfect, complete in all respects, be it devotion (para Bhakti) or knowledge (Para jnaana) or direct perception (Parama Bhakti) in all stages and conditions, namely Para, Vyooha, Vibhava, Antaryaami and Archaa

Anavarata:

Means continuous, not “once in a while” or “sometimes”.

Nitya:

Dispels any reference to limitations. In other words, it denotes continuous, uninterrupted and endless.

Visadaatama

Negates all ideas of the perception not being direct

ananya prayOjana

Negates the existence of any other object in view

Anavadika atisaya priya

Denotes both limitless and intense love and ecstasy

Bhagavad anubhava janita

Born out of experiencing the direct perception of the Lord

AsEsha avasthOtita uchita

Suited to His sitting on a Sudharsana or standing or resting on the bed of Advises

AsEsha sEshataikara

The word “seta” here means services of various kinds like holding umbrella, ringing the bells, serving as footwear, offering Taambhoolam etc

rati-roopa:

A question can arise that because some of these kainkaryams have already been allotted to Aadhi sEsha, GaruDa and others, how could a Prapanna aspire to do the same services .That is why Bhagavad Ramanuja uses the word “ratiroopa” which means whoever does a particular kaimkaryam it is pleasing to the Lord. What pleases the Lord is also pleasing to the Prapanna as if he/she were doing the same service. The satisfaction derived by the Prapanna on seeing this is itself deemed to be a kaimkaryam.

paaramaarthikO:

Such satisfaction is not artificial or belabored but arises due to the intrinsic nature of the Prapanna.

avirataaindicates that the service so rendered is uninterrupted and is direct.

astu mE// Astu tE/

Mahaalakshmi blesses

tayaiva sarvam sampatsyatE//

The word “sarva” is said to indicate that the blessing is not only to Bhagavad Ramanuja but also to all those who are connected to him, whom the Goddess promises to save.

In this effort, none can do any better than Abhinava Desika Sri Uttamur Vira Raghavacharyar Swami. Sri K. Bashyam Iyengar Swami has prepared under the guidance of Abhinava Desikar both the English translation of the texts and its commentary by Sri Srutaprakaasika Achaarya on “SaraNaagathi Gadhyam” (Published by VisishTadvaita Pracharini Sabha in 1959 and Reprinted in 1964 and 1970). Sri V. Sadagopan Swami has reproduced verbatim the meanings and comments on the further slokams as written by Sri K. Bashyam Iyengar Swami in his series.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy