The pundit, the idiot and Sri.Parashara Bhattar

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Dear friends,

 

Sri.Parashara Bhattar (AD 1080-1114), one of the tallest

post-Ramanuja religious leaders of the SriVaishnava fold, was born in

Sri Rangam to Kurathazhwar, arguably the disciple dearest to

Ramanuja.

 

Bhattar was precociously well-versed in Sanskrit and Tamil. In a life

span of a mere 30-odd years he emerged as a distinguished

poet-philosopher of his time and a prolific writer authoring 12 major

works --- 10 in Sanskrit and 3 in Tamil. His commentary on the

'SriVishnu-sahasranamam' entitled " Bhagavad-guna-darpanam " is

generally acknowledged to be in the same, if not superior, league as

Adi Sankara's own " bhAshya " on the same work. Bhattar's two splendid

Sanskrit poems in praise of the Deity at the Sri Rangam temple are

cherished to this day by the SriVaishnava laity. They are " Sri

Ranganatha stotra " and " Sri Rangaraja-stavam " . Parashara Bhattar,

became a leading light of the Sri Rangam temple and its affairs and

was popularly known as " sri parashara-bhattaarya: sri

rangesha-purohitah: " --- High Priest of the Lord of Srirangam.

 

Bhattar endeared himself to one and all but as a religious leader he

identified himself more with the unlearned masses rather than the

elite punditry. At a time in history when the SriVaishnavite movement

was gradually drifting and diffusing into doctrinaire sectarianism,

Bhattar strove to bring Ramanuja's philosophy of VisishtAdvaita, with

its primary emphasis on simple " bhakti " , to the common folk in their

own uncomplicated language and idiom.

 

An incident from Bhattar's life illustrates the fact.

 

With the permission of the group, adiyen will narrate the incident in

the next post.

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Swami,

 

Thanks for your wonderful posting.I have heard the same thing in a slightly

different manner. I am a craze of Swami Parasara Bhattar. His Vaibhavam,His

style of answering the questions asked by Nanjeeyar,His Naichya bhavam, His

love to Sriranganthan and Thirunedunthandagam everything regarding Him is

really wonderful.All his Aithihyams in Divya Prabhandha Vyakyanam are simply

superb.Our sreevaishnava sampradayam must be blessed to have an acharyan

like Bhattar.I have heard almost all His Aitihyams.Please bless this group

by writing more about Him.

 

Thanks & Regards

Adiyen

Lakshmi.

 

 

 

 

>sampath kumar <sampathkumar_2000

>

>The pundit, the idiot and Sri.Parashara Bhattar-3 of 3(CONCLUDED)

>Wed, 13 Sep 2000 22:31:04 -0700 (PDT)

>

>Dear friends,

>

>Shortly later, the " madapalli " idiot strolled by, an outsized pot of

>water on his shoulders, making his way to the SriRangam temple

>kitchens. The idiot seemed to be in good spirits that morning and

>responded merrily to Bhattar welcoming him to step inside the house

>and spend a few moments with the students. Bhattar warmly bade him

>sit down and offered him refreshments. But in the company of

>Bhattar's scholar-students the " jada " nervously fidgeted. He didn't

>know what on earth a simpleton like him was doing in the august

>presence of Parashara Bhattar, High Priest of SriRangam.

>

>Bhattar spoke, " Sire, perhaps you wonder why we have invited you over

>for a chat this morning. Forgive our bothering you in the midst of

>your busy work-schedules. But we have a matter of utmost importance

>to discuss with you. We were all wondering, Sir, if you could help

>us " .

>

>On hearing this the temple nitwit instantly took fright and said,

> " Oh, great Parashara, you and your assembly of pupils are scholars.

>Why have you chosen me, of all persons in SriRangam, to clarify your

>learned doubts?!. Sir, either you are all crazy, crazier even than

>they say I am… or … all you want is some fun at my expense! You are

>looking to pull someone's legs this morning and whose could be better

>than an idiot's like me, eh? "

>

>The man's utter humility truly moved Bhattar. " Not at all, sir! " he

>protested, " We are truly serious. We think you might be able to clear

>a question greatly agitating us all. These students have a question

>for me and I've been unable to come up with a proper answer for many

>days now. I am utterly at a loss. "

>

> " Very well, then " said the " jadam " , " what is your question " ? " These

>students wish to know what is " para-tattva " and where the Supreme

>Principle resides. And I'm not sure I have an answer " answered

>Bhattar.

>

>For a moment the 'jada' sat immobile as if stunned out of his wits.

>Then he asked Bhattar incredulously, " What! Do I hear you right, Sir!

>You say you don't know 'para-tattva'? Are you sure " ? " Yes Sir, so it

>is " , Bhattar replied.

>

>The " jadam " suddenly got up, clenched his teeth and his face went

>livid with rage. Hands on his hips, he began to yell at Bhattar like

>a man outraged. The pupils were shocked. It was feared the half-wit

>was struck by one of his occasional bouts of dementia.

>

>The idiot shouted, " You rotten Parashara! What a great hoax you are!

>What a great fraud! You've been taking all of SriRangam for a ride

>these years! Passing yourself off as a man of great learning and

>wisdom, eh? I feel sorry for these children here who learn at your

>feet! I feel sorry for their parents who sent them to be your wards

>believing you will impart the Truth to them. Alas, my God! Oh

>Ranganatha! Look at your Parashara Bhatta! He says he teaches veda

>and sAstra to young boys and it's now discovered he knows nothing

>about 'para-tattva' even! "

>

>The students were simply aghast at the idiot's audacious outburst.

>But he kept continuing in the same vein, " You're a humbug, O

>Parashara! Listen! You want to know what para-tattva is? Let me tell

>you! I've known it for years now. If only you'd asked me earlier I'd

>have enlightened you! Here, let me now show you what 'para-tattva' is

>and where it resides! "

>

>With those words the 'madapalli-jada', in a show of great anger,

>heaved his great pot of water over the head, and with all might,

>flung it across the front-yard sending it sailing like a missile over

>the street. Bhattar and his pupils watched the pot careening through

>air and then crash with a resounding thump into the temple walls of

>Lord Ranganatha.

>

>Pointing out at the wall the half-wit said, " Look, Parashara, look

>sharply! I'll show you now where para-tattva is! It's over there!

>It's right there where the pot crashed! 'para-tattva' lies right

>behind the wall in the temple sanctum! It's been lying there for all

>times and will remain lying there for all time to come! It's name is

>Ranganatha! And if you'd never known this to be the truth of

>'para-tattva', O Parashara, shame on you! What sort of rubbish then

>have you been teaching your students all these years? Well, at least

>now you know, and you'd better know it well, for you better not waste

>these little children's time anymore! "

>

>Shaking his fists in the air and still muttering words of outrage the

> " madapalli-jada " walked away from Bhattar and pupils.

>

>After the idiot of the SriRangam temple-kitchens departed, Bhattar

>turned to his disciples, smiled knowingly and gently asked them,

> " Now, my children, you watched the vedic pundit and the temple

>half-wit… the man of knowledge and the man of faith! Tell me, who is

>more deserving of our deference? He who after years of ploughing the

>vedic field says he is yet to reap the crop …viz. the knowledge of

> " para-tattvam'? Or he who, in a trice, showed us what 'para-tattvam'

>is and also where it resides! To whom then should I bow my head in

>deep obeisance? To the man of unsure knowledge? Or to the man of

>certain faith? You tell me? " .

>

>His disciples understood Bhattar's great lesson.

> ***********************

>

>(with grateful acknowledgments to U.Ve. Sri.Mukkur

>Lakshminarasimhachariar for this incident)

>

>dAsan,

>Sudarshan

>

>

>

>

>

> Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!

>/

>

>Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

>Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

>

 

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[Guest guest]

>

> sampath kumar [sampathkumar_2000]

> Thursday, September 14, 2000 1:31 AM

>

>

>

> His disciples understood Bhattar's great lesson.

> ***********************

 

 

Dear Sri Sudarshan,

 

namo narayana!

 

thanks for a wonderful series. Your signature

lucidity is a treat by itself.

 

Srimad Azahgiya Singar narrated the same episode

in one of the tele-upanyasams some time back in

the context of " para-tatvam " . That narration,

briefly, is as follows.

 

The two in question, the pandita and the poor

uneducated brahmin, used to come to Sri Bhattar's

asramam for unchavrutti. Sri Bhattar would get

one of the sishyas to give amuduppadi (rice)

to the Pandita, but he himself would do it with

great respect and love for the poor brahmin.

This was surprising to the sishyas and wanted

clarification. Sri Bhattar instructed his

sishyas to ask them the question about para-tatvam.

The next day, the sishyas posed this question

to both the men. When they asked this question

to the paNdita they got an inconclusive answer.

Later, when the poor brahmin came by, they first

offered amuduppadi, and then they asked the same

question to him. The barhmin was visibly shocked

to hear this question from the sishyas of Sri Bhattar.

He just dropped the vessel down spilling all the

amuduppadi and ran away saying I cannot accept

amuduppadi from anyone who is not aware, and whose

AcArya is not aware, that Sri Ranganatha is the

para-tatvam.

 

While there are many important lessons we must learn

from this episode, not the least among them is a

lesson about anushtAnam, next time when we go into

that restaurant or participate in a pot-luck lunch

or dinner, think of this poor brahmin.

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam