Guest guest Posted September 1, 2000 Report Share Posted September 1, 2000 ===================================================================== Part III - Swami DESika Prabandam - artha Panchakam ===================================================================== SrImAn vEnkata nAthArya: kavitArkika kEsarI | VedAnthAchArya varyOmE sannidhaththAm sadA hrudi || ===================================================================== rAmAnuja dayA pAtram jgnyAna vairAgya bhUshaNam | SrImath vEnkata nAthAryam vandE vEdAntha DESikam || ===================================================================== SrImathE vEdAntha mahA dESikAya nama: ===================================================================== PrApya swarUpam =============== amalanavi yAdasuDa raLavillA vAramuda mamalavuruk guNangaLaNi yAyudanga Ladiyavarka Lamalavazhi yAdanaga razhindezhungA vudanellAng Kamalayuda narasALung karigirimER kAvalanE This pAsuram talks about the Iswara-tatva SrIman NArAyaNa: All entities have attributes. Among the attributes that an entity possesses, that attribute(s), which distinguishes that entity from other entities and serves the purpose of identifying that entity uniquely, is called " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNam " . The entity cannot be known if it is told without being possessing these " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNam " . The other attributes of the entity, which are told after telling the entity as possessing " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNam " , are called " nirUpita swarUpa viSeshaNam " . The " nirUpita swarUpa viSeshaNam " is for making the features of the entity more explained after being identified by " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNam " . This pAsuram's first line talks about the " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNam " of SrIman NArAyaNa: - Brahman. The verses of VEda like " satyam jgnyAnam anantam " , " Anandam " , " apahatapApma divya: " are explained in the first line of this pAsuram. Let us see the meaning of the first line, word by word. " aviyAda " -SrIman NArAyaNa: is unchanging (Satyatvam) " suDar " - SrIman NArAyaNa: is sentient (jgnyAnatvam) " aLavillA " - SrIman NArAyaNa: is infinite, who cannot be limited by dEsa (place, length), kAla (time) and vastu (mass, volume) (ananthathvam) " Aaramudam " - SrIman NArAyaNa: is eternally blissful in nature (Aanandathvam) " amalan " - SrIman NArAyaNa: is absolutely pure, untouched by impurities (amalathvam). These five namely, Satyatvam, jgnyAnatvam, ananthathvam, Aanandathvam and amalathvam are the " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNams " of Brahman - SrIman NArAyaNa:. By knowing this " SwarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNams " of Brahman, one can understand that SrIman NArAyaNa: is " Purushoththama: " , that is, SrIman NArAyaNa: surpasses all the three types of chit and achit tatvas and is the unique Iswara tatva. Having known this, the " nirUpitha swarUpa viSeshaNams " of SrIman NArAyaNa: is told as follows: SrIman NArAyaNa: possesses infinite divine attributes (guNangaL) like sowsIlyam, vAthsalyam, kAruNyam. He has divine body (amalavuru) in five forms namely para, viUha, vibhava, hArda and archa. He has divine ornaments and weapons (aNiyAyudangaL). He has the imperishable pure transcendental (divine) world namely SrI VaikuNta Lokam (amalavazhiyAdanagar) where he is served eternally by niya-sUris and mukthAthmans (adiyavarkaL). SrIman (Kamalayudan) NArAyaNa: rules (arasALung) and protects (kAvalanE) all the material worlds (azhindezhungAvudanellAng) standing on the " hasthi sailam " (kari-girimER), KAnchIpuram (Satya-vratha-kshEtram). The material worlds (lIla-vibhuthi) are referred here as " azhindezhungA " because it is created, sustained and destroyed by SrIman NArAyaNa: as his sport, again and again. On the other hand, the SrI VaikuNta Loka (nitya-vibhuthi) is called as " amalavazhiyAdanagar " because, the nitya-vibhuthi is always pure, imperishable. This pAsuram means that " SrI and NArAyaNa:, having the above mentioned swarUpa nirUpaka viSeshaNams and nirUpitha swarUpa viSeshaNams, rules the ubhaya-vibhUthis (Nitya-vibhUthi which is SrI VaikuNtam and the lilA-vibhUthi which are the material worlds) " On seeing the meaning of the first pAsuram in brief, let us see the meaning of the second pAsuram also in brief. Then, let us see the purport of the first two pAsurams in a little elaborate manner. uLLapOru Lanaiththukku muruvanilai karumanga DeLLisaivin vasamAkkith thigazhduyirA yuraigindrA naLLiruDIrth thadiyavarkku nalangkodukun tiruvudanE vaLLalaru LaLarenum vAraNaveR piRayavanE SrIman NArAyaNa: is the " antaryAmi " of (uLLapOru Lanaiththukkum) all the sentient (chit-jIvAtmA) and the insentient (achit) entities. SrIman NArAyaNa: is the Aatma of all these entities and all these entities are his body. That is, SrIman NArAyaNa: has under his control, the nature-substance (swarUpa), continuance of existence (sthiti) and actions (pravruthi) of all the chit and achit entities. This is what the line " uLLapOru Lanaiththukku muruvanilai karumangaDeLLisaivin vasamAkkith thigazhduyirA yuraigindrAN " conveys. SrIman NArAyaNa: removes the darkness, which is " samsAra " and grants " moksha " , infinite bliss (naLLiruDIrth thadiyavarkku nalangkodukun). SrIman (tiruvudanE) NArAyaNa: grants all the four purushArthas to all those souls who surrender to his divine lotus feet (vaLLalaru LaLarenum). He is the Lord PraNathArthihara VaradarAjan, our DevaperuMaL of Hasti-giri (vAraNaveR piRayavanE). All the sentient (chit) and the insentient (achit) entities are the body (sarIram) of SrIman NArAyaNa: and SrIman NArAyaNa: is the soul (AtmA) of all the sentient (chit) and the insentient (achit) entities. Swami DESika has wonderfully summarised the " PrApya swarUpam " in the first two pAsurams of this prabandam " artha panchakam " . At this point, we need to note the importance of the terms " Kamalayudan " and " tiruvudanE " mentioned in the first two pAsurams whenever the Iswara-tatvam was identified. These two terms are the meaning of the term " SrIman " . It denotes the eternal and inseparable association of " SrI " with " NArAyaNa: " The parama-vaidika-matham, which is Visishtadvaita SrI VaishNavam, has ascertained that the Iswara-tatva is the divine couple (divya-dampathi) " SrI " and " NArAyaNa: " . The terms " Kamalayudan " and " tiruvudanE " in the first two pAsurams, convey this SAstrArtha. In nyAya-sidhdAnjana, SrImath Rahasyatraya SAra and such divine works, Swami DESika has explained this SAstrArtha with appropriate pramANa and nyAya. As this is an important concept to be noted while discussing " PrApya swarUpam " , let me elaborate it as follows: In the " tatva-traya-chinthanAdhikAram " (5th chapter) of SrImath Rahasyatraya SAra, Swami DESIka quotes the tiru-vAi-mOzhi pAsuram of SrImath SatakOpa - " iRai nilai-uNarvaridu " (tiru-vAi-mOzhi 1-3-6 uNarduNarndu). This means that the tatva can be ascertained only by studying the pramAna, which is Veda several times under scholarly guidance and by using only that " tarka " which is suitable for the pramAna. The " vidanda-vAdam " and " Jalpa-vAdam " are useless. " vidanda-vAdam " is useless because it is just criticising opponent's views without telling own views. " Jalpa-vAdam " is again useless because it is just attempting to establish own views using illogic and inappropriate logic. " tarka pAndithyathtAlE ninaithadellAm sAdhikkalAyirukachcheidE nAm pramANa SaraNarAi pOrugiradu " ( " The usage of barren tarka is unfit because, it can lead to irrelevant conclusions regarding tatvas. Therefore, " WE " fully accept the SAstra as the only pramANA (authority) - source of knowledge regarding tatva-hita-purushArthas " ) This portion of words of SwAmi DESika in his SrImath Rahasyatraya SAra ( " tatva-traya-chinthanAdhikAram " - 5th chapter) has been wonderfully explained by SrImath Abhinava DESika U.Ve. UtthamUr VIra RAghavAchArya SwAmi in his divine commentary " sAra visthAram " . The term " nAm " - " WE " in the above-mentioned words is having great significance. SrImath Abhinava DESika U.Ve. UtthamUr VIra RAghavAchArya SwAmi explains this as follows: " ninaithadellAm " - " tvAmEvAhu: kathichith " endrapadi lakshmiyai bhagavAnukku mElAgavO, lakshmikku prApyathvam kUDa illai endrO, purushakArathvam kUDa avasyamillaiyendrO, sivAdigaLE chirandavargaL endrO, VEdam apramANamendrO endravAru koLga… " nAm " endra sollAlE DESikan thammai mattum solvadAga bhramikka vEndA; nAthamuni mudalAnavargaL-uLpaDa tarka-dowrlabhyamum pramANA swarasaprAbalyamum koNdavargaL anaivarayum, iv-vishayathtil vivAdam seigira Eka DESigaLayum ChErththuch chonnaDu " " nIngaLum pramANaththirku bhavyappaDa vENDum enDrapadi " . " As per the sUtra, " SAstra YonithvAth " , it is ascertained that SrI and NArAyaNa: - the divya dampathi is the Iswara tatvam denoted by the term Brahman. But few people use only hypocritical tarkam and argue in various ways that " lakshmi is superior to NArAyaNa: " , " lakshmi is not sidhdOpAya (means) " , " lakshmi is not necessarily to be called purushakAra (recommending nature) " , " demi-gods like pasupathi are superior " , " VEda is not authority " etc. All these arguments and views are rejected and refuted because they have no substance in them. These hypocritical tarkams are against the pramANam. By telling " nAm " ( " WE " ), Readers! Do not get bewildered that SwAmi DESika has denoted only himself. But, by telling " WE " , SwAmi DESika denotes all our AachAryas like Sriman nAthamuni, who accepted VEda as pramANa in this context and ascertained the tatva-hita-purushArthas correctly. " Therefore, we must accept the pramANam VEda as the authority - source of knowledge regarding Brahman. " From this, it is clear that SrI SatakOpa, SrIman nAthamuni, SrI PundarIkAksha, SrI Ramamisra, SrImath YamunAchArya, SrI mahA PUrNAchArya, SrImath Bhagavath rAmAnuja YatirAja, SwAmi VEdAntha MahA DESika has preached and practised the one and only parama-vaidika-matham Visishtadvaita SrI VaishNAvam in its absolute form. There is no difference of opinion in terms of " sidhdAntham " as well as " anushtAnam " . That is why the one and only parama-vaidika-matham Visishtadvaita SrI VaishNAvam is in its original and absolute form only in those guru-paramparas having SwAmi DESika as its member. From the above words of explanation, it can be understood that even if someone calls himself as follower of Bhagavath Ramanuja, but deviates from the Visishtadvaita SrI VaishNAva philosophy and practice and talks of " tatva-vikalpam " (like, Lakshmi is a jIvAthman but remarkable among them etc)., he must not be recognised as SrI VaishNava: BhAgavatha: and his " tatva-vikalpams " must be treated like the VEda-virudhda smruthi-virudhda nyAya-virudhda Advaita, Saiva etc., and refuted, rejected. It is the same case with hita and purushArthAs. Only because of VishNu-GhantAvatAram, we are now able to ascertain Bhagavath rAmAnuja darsanam. The parama-vaidika-matham, which is eternal philosophy and practice of apowrusheya VEda got the name " Bhagavath rAmAnuja darsanam " signifying the unparalleled greatness of Bhagavath rAmanuja. In the same manner, " Bhagavath rAmAnuja darsanam " got the name " SwAmi DESika darsanam " signifying the unsurpassed greatness of SwAmi SrImath VEdAntha mahA DESika. The above words will not make anyone who follows Bhagavath Ramanuja, to get offended because, " tatva-vikalpam " (deviations, fluctuations and changes in " tatva " is not at all warranted by SAstra). The " kudrushtis " and " kuyuktis " find no place before the person who has understood the meaning of the words of Bhagavath Ramanuja SArAsAra-vivEkagnyA: garIyAmsOvimathsarA: | pramANa tantrA: santIthi krutha: vedArtha Sangraha: || Therefore, calling " NArAyaNa " alone without " SrI " as Iswara-tatva and sidhdOpAya is against the SAstra. SAstra has ascertained that SrI and NArAyaNa: - the divya dampathi is the Iswara tatvam denoted by the term Brahman. SrI and NArAyaNa: the divya dampathi are the sidhdOpAya. In addition to SrI being sidhdOpAya, SrI has purushakArathvam. But NArAyaNa: is not purushakAra. He is having " dandadharatvam " . But SrI is not having " dandadharatvam " attribute, she being " agnyAtha nigrahA " . The divya dampathi are the upEya. SrI and NArAyaNa: - the divya dampathi are the only cause of the universe. All chit and achit entities are supported (AadhEyam), controlled (niyAmyam) and owned (Sesham) by the divya dampathi and exists for the purpose of the divya dampathi. These points will be explained in detail in the following paragraphs. The SAstrArtha is elaborated with special references to the divya dampathi being the tatva, divya dampathi as sidhdOpAya (saraNya) and divya dampathi as upEya (SEshi). " nyAya-sidhdAnjanam " of SwAmi DESika is the " prakaraNA grantha " for the Visishtadvaita SrI VaishNava philosophy and practice. " prakaraNA grantha " is the grantha, where the tatva-hita-pururshArthas of a philosophy and practice are told comprehensively and in a manner ascertaining them through pramANa and pramANa-based-tarka. In this grantha, SwAmi DESika has categorically told the same in six parts namely dravya-parichchedam, jIva-parichchedam, Iswara-parichchedam, nitya-vibhUthi-parichchedam, budhdi-parichchedam and adravya-parichchedam. If this granta is studied properly under the guidance of a SrI VaishNava AachArya, then, one can ascertain clearly the contents and teachings of SrI BhAshya, SaraNagati-gadyam, Gita-BhAsyam, Sidhdi-trayam, ChatuslOki, Tiru-vAi-mOzhi, pAncharAtra, Vishnu-purANa, Brahma-sUtra and VEda-VEdAnta. " nyAya-sidhdAnjanam " is named so because it rectifies the " knowledge-vision " and makes a person to get the accurate knowledge from the SAstra regarding tatva. " sf(p)ArAstIrNa bhujanga-pungava-vapu: paryanka-varyam gatoW | sarga-sthityavasAna-kELi-rasikoW thoW dampathI na: patI || (read na: as naha) nAbhi pankaja sAyina: sruthi-sukai-ranyOnya-badhda-smitoW | DimbasyAmbuja-sambhavasya vachanairOnthathsadithiyAdibhi: || " " SrI and NArAyaNA:, the divine couple, reclining on the divine serpent bed-Adi Sesha, are enjoying their sport (lOkavath tu lIlA kaivalyam - Brahma sUtra) which is creation, sustaining and destruction of the universe. SrI and NArAyaNA: (divya dampathi) are our Lords. " " SrI and NArAyaNA: delight in the melodious words like " Om thath sath " chanted by their son, who is Chaturmuka-BrahmA born in the lotus. On hearing the words of their son who is worshipping them by those words of VEda, SrI and NArAyaNA: mutually smile at each other as an expression of their delight. The " prApya swarUpam " , that is told in the first two pAsurams of the prabandam " artha-panchakam " is only getting elaborated. The topic is seldom getting deviated. SrI BhAshya begins with identifying the divya-dampathi as the jagath-kAraNam (the only cause of the universe), sarva-rakshaka (protector of everything, being the soul of everything), known through the VEda, the Brahman - SrInivAsa (brahmaNi SrInivAsE). Bhagavath YAmunAchArya salutes (refer Stotra Ratnam) Bhagavath ParASara and SrImath SatakOpa - namAzhvAr who clearly ascertained that the divya-dampathi is the Iswara-tatva. SwAmi DESika quotes this and explains these concepts in SrImath Rahasyatraya sAram. Let us now see these concepts following nyAya-sidhdAnjana and SrImath Rahasyatraya SAra. (Please note that SrImath Rahasyatraya Sara will be referred here only with respect to the " tatva-vichAram " and not with respect to " rahasyArthas " in public) " SriyA saha thu dAmpathyam SAsvatham thatha Eva thu | thayO: sAmya-Ikya-Sakthithva-thathvath-Adi girAm gathi: || The relationship of NArAyaNa: with SrI (lakshmI:) as his divine consort is eternal and inseparable. This is the reasoning, which enables easy understanding of the concept " SrImAn " Brahman. The VEda has stated this as " hrIscha thE lakshmIscha pathnioW " The VEda has stated NArAyNa: as Iswara-tatva in its verses like " IsAna: BhUthabhavyasya " , " uthAmruthathvasyESAna: " . In a similar manner, the VEda has stated SrI as Iswara-tatva in its verses " asyEsAnA jagatha: " , " IswarIm sarva-bhUthAnAm " etc. The purport of VEda is, SrI and SrImAn are equal and are Iswara tatvas. The " sAmya " (equality) between SrI and NArAyaNa: is clearly told here. LakshmI is called " VishNu pathni " - (wife of NArAyaNa:) and NArAyaNa: is called as " MAdhava: " (Sriya: pathi:) (husband of LakshmI). Because of the words " pathni " , " pathi " , the lordship and supremacy are equally applicable to SrI and NArAyaNa:. When this is the purport of the Sruthi, few smruthis state the oneness (identity) of SrI and NArAyaNa: by telling " nara nArI maya: hari: " , " NarAyaNAthmikAm dEvIm " , " tvam yAdrusO(a)si kamalA(a)pi thAdruchIm thE DhArAnvadanti yuvayO: nathu bhEda-gandha: mAyA-vibhaktha yuvathI-thanum EkamEva tvAm mAtharam cha pitharam cha yuvAnamAhu: " . This is called " Ikya " . Few smruthies state that SrI is the " Sakthi " (power) of NArAyaNa: (jagathuthpAdikA Sakthi: thava prakruthirishyathEsaivanAma sahasrEshu lakshmI: SrIrithi-kIrthyatE). This is called " Sakthithva " . Some smruthis state that SrI is like NArAyaNa: (yathA sarvagathO VishNu: thathaivEyam). This is called " thathvath " Though these smrithis are appearing to be differing among themselves in their purports and from the Sruthi, these verses are in fact conveying only the purport of Sruthi in various angles. This can be clearly comprehended when the synthesis-synchronisation of these verses is done with the knowledge regarding the eternal divine " pathi-pathni " relationship between NArAyaNa: and SrI. LakshmI and VishNu: have their individual swarUpam identified by the swarUpa-nirUpaka-dharmas as told in the first pAsuram. Their nirUpitha-swarUpa-viSeshaNams are also equal to each other as told in the first pAsuram. LakshmI and VishNu:, as their sport, create, sustain and destroy all the material worlds. LakshmI and VishNu: are the upAya and upEya. LakshmI and VishNu: are served by nityas and mukthas in the nithya-vibhUthi. All sentient and insentient entities are supported, controlled and owned by LakshmI and VishNu:. LakshmI and VishNu: pervade everything as the soul " antaryAmi " . Therefore, the ubhaya-vibhUthi is the " Sesham " of the divya dampathi LakshmI and VishNu:. The " sAmya " (equality) is thus explained. In certain VEdic-karmas, there are certain divinities that are together addressed as one entity. This is because such groups of devatAs are considered as single goal to receive the " havis " (offerings put in the agni as per the prescribed VEdic-rules and with chanting of appropriate VEda-mantras). Further, such devatAs are always to be addressed together, receiver of the " havis " , identified as " devatha " of the karma etc., the devatAs though are different from one another, are told as single devatA. Examples are " Mahendra, AgnIshoma " etc. In this manner, the " Ikya " told in SrI and NArAyaNa: has to be understood. SrI and NArAyaNa: are addressed as " one " just because both of them are always together in all times, only owners of the ubhaya-vibhUthi, together being the only goal (prApya) of the jIvAthman. The " Sakthithva " is explained as follows: As LakshmI is always with VishNu as his inseparable associate, equally participating with VishNu in all his sports (like creation of universe etc) and stimulates him to enjoy such sports, she is called as " Sakthi " of VishNu. The " thathvath " is explained as follows: As LakshmI is like VishNu in all aspects of swarUpa, rUpa, guNa, viBhUthi-Iswaryams, the " thatvath " vadam is easily comprehensible. That is, she is " anurUpa " in all aspects of VishNu. Thus the verse " SriyA saha thu dAmpathyam SAsvatham thatha Eva thu | thayO: sAmya-Ikya-Sakthithva-thathvath-Adi girAm gathi: || explains the concept of SrI and SrImAn based on the relationship of NArAyaNa: (SrImAn) with lakshmI: (SrI) as his divine consort, which is eternal and inseparable. Before we proceed with the elaboration for " yathA sarvagathO VishNu: thathaivEyam " , let us see some more points in this aspect. Sage Aapastamba in his sUtras has told that the husband and the wife equally own the property. Also, the pUrva-mImAmsa has discussed regarding the ownership of the person who does the yAga. Is it the husband or his wife or both together? As the yAga is " dravya-tyAga " (sacrifice of wealth) and as the wealth is equally owned by both husband and wife, both the husband and wife has to do the yAga. At this point, one can refer a wonderful sloka of our SwAmi DESika in his " ParamArtha Stuti " for a parallel idea, which runs as follows: " kamalA nirapAya dharma-pathni karuNAdyA: swayamruthvijO guNAsthE | avanam SrayathAmahInamAdyam sa cha dharmastvadanya-sEvanIya: || Also in pUrva-mImAmsa it is ascertained that, something belonging to an entity can belong to another entity also. (Example, prokshaNam, which is sprinkling of holy water with mantras, belongs to yAga as its anga. The same is also told to belong to the grains used in the yAga). The ubhaya-vibhUthi is ascertained to be the " Sesham " (property) of the divya dampathi SrI and NArAyaNa: The sacred single syllable mantra " praNava " also confirms that the jIvAthman is the Sesha of SrI and NArAyaNa: Sage ParaSara who is celebrated by Bhagavath YamunAchArya, explains the Sruthi vAkyas like " antar-bhahichca thathsarvam vyApya nArAyaNa: sthitha: " , " asyEsAnA jagathO vishNu pathni " etc., as follows: " thvayaithath vishNunA chAmba jagath-vyAptham charAcharam " , " yathA sarvagathO VishNu: thathaivEyam dvijOththama " , " nAnayOrvidhyathE param " . These verses are explained as follows: " LakshmI and VishNu pervade the entire universe " . " Like VishNu who pervades everywhere, LakshmI pervades everywhere along with VishNu " . " Nothing is equal to or greater than this divine couple LakshmI and VishNu " . The pAncharAtra Agama, which is celebrated in the Brahma sUtra to be in full accordance with the VEda, talks about this divine couple LakshmI and VishNu in this context elaborately confirming the aspects told above. The divine couple is like a single tatvam though it is a couple - SrI and NArAyaNa: In SrImath Rahasyatraya SAra ( " tatva-traya-chinthanAdhikAram " - 5th chapter), SwAmi DESika says " ivvidathtil, dandadharatvamum, purushakArathvAdigaLum emperumAnukkum pirAtikkum kURaga vibhajiththa vyApArangaL. UpadishyamAna-dharmAdhAraththRkAtil athidisyamAna-dharmAdhAraththukku viSesham swatha-prAptam… " A pUrva-mImAmsa nyAya " atidesa-nyAya " is used in this context to explain the concept. " Prakrutivath vikruthi: kartavyA " . The yAgas in the pUrva-mImAmsa are classified into two divisions namely prakruti and vikruthi. Prakruti yAgas are those which are prescribed and clearly explained regarding their performance, accessories etc. The vikruti yAgas are those, which are prescribed to be done like the prakruti yAga but with a speciality. For example, a yAga " AgnEyam " is prakruti yAga, because, it is prescribed with all its details regarding its performance. It has " Agni-god " as its deity. But another yAga " Sowryam " is vikruti yAga, because, it is prescribed to be done as the " AgnEyam " is done but with a special feature which is " Sun-god " being the deity of this yAga. All the aspects of the " AgnEyam " are applicable for " Sowryam " except that aspect regarding the deity. The manner of applying the aspects of prakruthi karma to vikruthi karma, except the unique aspect (here deity), is called " atidesam " . It has to be noted here that both prakruthi and vikruthi, each has definite unique aspect(s), which cannot be considered in " atidesam " . One has to understand that NArAyaNa's swarUpa-rUpa-guNa-vibhUthi-iswaryams are told in the VEda like the " prakruti " karma prescription. On the other hand, LakshmI's swarUpa-rUpa-guNa-vibhUthi-iswaryams are told in the VEda like the " vikruti " karma prescription. " Nityam thath-dharma-dharmiNi " , " yathA sarvagathO VishNu: thathaivEyam dvijOththama " are the SAstra VAkyas ascertaining this. Therefore, the swarUpa-rUpa-guNa-vibhUthi-iswaryams told in the VEda regarding NArAyaNa: are applicable to SrI but with the following specialities. The SAstra says " strInAmni LakshmI: " and " punnAmA bhagavAn " . VishNu has attributes like " dandadharatvam " (punishing the jIvAthmans as per the individual jIvAthman's karma) which are unique attributes for him. On the other hand, though LakshmI is equal to VishNu, she has attributes like " PurushakAratvam " (recommending that the jIvAthman should be mercifully pardoned) as her unique attributes. She is called " AgnyAtha nigraha " - " who does not know how to punish " - this is to be understood only as her expression of infinite mercy and not as an ignorance. Further, division of the attributes which are unique to Hari: and those to SrI are done by the divya-dampathi (Hari and SrI) by their mutual and divine sankalpam (wish). The attributes unique to SrI and the attributes unique to NArAyaNa: do not get mixed up and again this is by their own sankalpam. Therefore, by this nyAya, the equal status of SrI and NArAyaNa: as Iswara-tatvas is made clear. Thus the " PrApya SwarUpam " - Iswara-tatvam - was explained. This will be further elaborated in subsequent postings. To know these concepts in detail, one has to approach a SrI VasihNava AachArya and get to know the same from him in traditional kAlakshEpam manner. ===================================================================== kavitArkika simhAya kalyANA guNa SAlinE | SrImathE vEnkatESaya vEdAntha guravE nama: || ===================================================================== ===================================================================== To be continued… ===================================================================== Thanks & Regards M.S.HARI Ramanuja Daasan. __________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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