shrI: tattva dIpikA - Part 1

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Sri:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha ParabrahmaNE nama:

Srimate Sri Satakopaya nama:

Srimate Sri Ramanujaya nama:

Srimate Sri Nigamantha mahadesikaya nama:

Srimate SrimadhaathivaN satakopa yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedantha Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Dhivya Padhuka sevaka

Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

shrI: tattva dIpikA:

(By srimad Azhagiya Singar)

 

shrItattvadIpikA ceyaM lokopakR^itayo.adhunA |

pramANasnehasaMpannA dIpyate sevyatAM budhai:

 

Swami Sri Desikan authored Srimad Rahasya Thraiyasaram in Manipravalam and

discussed in detail the three realities, cetanam (sentient), acetanam

(insentient), and Iswaran (God), in the fifth chapter entitled, " Tatva

traiya cintana adhikaaram " , so that everyone can clearly understand our

Visishtadvaitha philosophy.

 

Who is the ultimate god? What are his distinctive qualities? Swami Sri

Desikan explains these concepts, in the sixth chapter, " Paradevata

Paaramaarthya adhikaaram. " Therefore, it is important that we understand

these two chapters very well. It is for this reason that these two chapters

were written in great detail.

 

There cannot be any flaw in agreeing that both Piraatti - PerumaaL, as a

divine couple, are Lords (seshi), masters (Iswara), and refuge

(Ubhaayaboothas) for this universe.

 

Swami Sri Desikan's view

------------------------

In his commentary on Catusloki, Swami Sri Desikan explains five views about

Piraatti. Without stating which one is correct, Swami Sri Desikan simply

states in general that only one of these five views has the support of

pramaaNaas. The other four views do not have such support. Here All he

says is, " pa~ncasveteShu paksheShu kashcideka: pramaaNavaan " (pÂSvete;u

p]e;u kiídek> àma[van!).

 

Due to this lack of specificity, some have interfered and claimed that the

fourth view, the one that is favorable to their own chosen position, is the

view Swami Sri Desikan favored.

 

" Piratti belongs to the Iswara category; Perumal lords over everything

except Himself while Piratti lords over everything except Herself and

Perumal; only Perumal is the cause for creation; all of Piratti's glory is

due to Perumal's resolve (sankalpam). " This is the essence of the fourth

view.

 

This view does not accept any role for Piratti in creating the universe.

So, those who reject a role for Piratti in creating the universe seek to

portray that Swami Sri Desikan also holds the same view. However, from the

first line of the verse at the start of Carama sloka adhikaaram of Srimad

Rahasya Thraiyasaaram, Swami Sri Desikan very clearly establishes that,

Piratti and Perumal create this universe only with their joint resolve.

Here is that verse, number 43, from adhikAra sangaraham.

 

oNdodiyaaL thirumagaLum thaanumaaki

oru ninaivaal eenRa uyirellaamuyya

vaNduvarai nagar vaazha vasuthEvaRkkaay

mannavaRkuth thErppaaganaay ninRa

thaNduLavam alarmaarban thaanE sonna

thaniththarumanthaanemakkaayth thannaiyenRuNG

kaNdukaLiththadi soodavilakkaayn^inRa

kaNputhaiyal viLaiyaattaik kazhikkinRaanE.

 

Thus, Piratti and Perumal create this universe together. The above evidence

is sufficient, no other evidence is necessary, for the establishing that

they both have " jagat kAraNatvam " . Thus, when Swami Sri Desikan states

that only one view is supported by pramanas, it is this view that accepts a

role for Piratti in the creation of the universe. It is in support of this

view that that Swami Sri Desikan quotes poorvAchAryaas such as Sri Parasarar

and Swami Nammazhvar. Thus, it is the fifth view that Swami Sri Desikan

says is supported by many pramanas.

 

-- to be continued

 

 

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

-- adiyen ramanuja dasan

 

 

(Translation by P. Dileepan)

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Sri:

Sri Lakshmi nrisimha parabrahmaNE nama:

Sri Lakshmi nrisimha divya paduka sevaka

srivan satakopa sri narayana yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

A bhagavatha wrote:

 

> Would it be possible if you could translate this as my

> literary Tamil is not good enough to render a translation

> that I would feel comfortable with.

>

> oNdodiyaaL thirumagaLum thaanumaaki

> oru ninaivaal eenRa uyirellaamuyya

> vaNduvarai nagar vaazha vasuthEvaRkkaay

> mannavaRkuth thErppaaganaay ninRa

> thaNduLavam alarmaarban thaanE sonna

> thaniththarumanthaanemakkaayth thannaiyenRuNG

> kaNdukaLiththadi soodavilakkaayn^inRa

> kaNputhaiyal viLaiyaattaik kazhikkinRaanE.

 

(This is verse #46, not #43 as was indicated in the post!!)

 

 

Here is a free translation:

---------------------------

The lord and Piratti with beautiful bracelets,

with common resolve created all the worlds;

For the sake of the salvation of all these jeevas,

He incarnated as a divine son of Vasudeva and

redeemed the Dvarakans;

Driving the chariot for king Arjuna;

His chest adorned with beautiful garlands of thiruththuzAy;

He revealed the matchless " dhrmam "

He stands Himself as " upaya " ;

He dispels the shroud of material association

which covers our eyes and prevents the

uninterrupted enjoyment of beholding

the Lord in paramapadham.

 

 

oNdodiyaaL = one wearing beautiful bracelets

thirumagaLum thaanumaaki = both shrI: and PerumaaL

oru ninaivaal = common resolve

eenRa uyirellaamuyya = created all the jIvas

vaNduvarai nagar vaazha = deliverance of beautiful

vasuthEvaRkkaay = for Vasudeva

mannavaRkuth thErppaaganaay ninRa = driver to king Arjuna

thaNduLavam alarmaarban = chest adorned with beautiful thulasi malai

thaanE sonna = He Himself revealed

thanith tharumam = peerless dharmam

thaane emakkaayth = for our sake He stood as upaya

thannaiyenRum kaNdukaLiththadi sooda = to behold Him eternally

vilakkaay ninRa = shroud of material association

that prevents the above

kaNputhaiyal viLaiyaattaik = the leela of covering our eyes

kazhikkinRaanE = He removes this shroud.

 

What is important in the context of the present topic is the fact that Swami

Sri Desikan clearly indicates in this pasuram that Perumal and Piratti,

together, with identical thought and resolve (sankalpam), create all the

worlds. Thus, this one verse is sufficient to refute the assertion that

Swami Sri Desikan criticized the fifth view in Thathparya Chandrika. It is

interesting to note that the above verse is the essence of " Caramasloka

adhikaaram " .

 

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan