Dr.

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Yesterday night , adiyEn had the BhAgyam of

listening to Dr.AnanatharangAcchAr Swamy's

TeleupanyAsam in the Sathsangam of few other

BhakthAs. It was a most memorable experience .

 

First of all , my sincere thanks are to Sri Krishna Kalale

and Srimathi Nagu Satyan for taking the initiative

for organizing this outstanding Tele-UpanyAsam .Those who have

missed this first UpanyAsam would very much benefit from

listening to this great vedAnthic Scholar providing

clear instructions for Self realization backed up by

innumerable PramANams and answering clearly and concisely

the Questions from the listening audience.It was a great

feast for the ears and mind .

 

Starting from the three questions of NachikEtas

to Yama in KatOpanishad , Swamy took us through

the intrepretations of different AchAryAs to define

PurushArtha YogyathA to realize the fruits of

one's saadhanA.He underlined AchArya PrApthi is

a must for any SaadhakA independent of His knowledge

level.He defined the qualities (attributes ) of

a SadAchAryan from Swamy Desikan's Sri Sookthi

and connected it to the Upanishadic PramANams

(SrOthriyam Brahma Nishtam--).

 

He pointed out that AchArya Sevai is one of the most

important ingredient to advance in one's Saadhanai

to reach the goal.

 

He explained that the BhagavAn's KaaruNyam alone makes

us attain a SadhAchAryan ( Isvara SouhArdham , VishNOr

KatAksham YadrucchA Sukrutham , adhvEsham, Aabhimukyam and

Saathvika SambhAshaNai being the six ways in which one can

realize a SadhaachAryan).

 

Sri AnantharangAcchAr Swamy summarized the nithyAnithya-

Vasthu vivEkam of NachikEtas , which helped him sort out

the asaaram (earthly bhOgams) , alpa saaram ( that of little value

such a sSvargam ) Saaram ( Kaivalyam ) Saarataram and Saaratamam .

That vivEkam made NchikEtas choose from Yaman the instructions

on Aathman as the Saaratamam (Supreme essence)to learn .

Swamy had quite a link to specific slOkAs of Geethai dealing

with the recognition of the seven DhOshAs to overcome during

one's spiritual journey towards the gaining of Parama PurushArtham.

 

The questions comon to allschools of VedAnthA are:

(1) who am I ? (2) What should I gain? (3)How can I

gain it ? (4) What are the obstacles? (5) What are

the results (prayOjanam) for observing such

a discipline (Saadhanai)? He pointed out the need for

control of Raagam /Kaamam(desires ) and dhvEsham/Krodham

(hate/anger) for overcoming " prabhalakara prAchina karma

VaasanaikaL " .Once the above two (Raaga-DhvEsaham ) are controlled ,

tranquility and progress towards the goal will become easier.

This is connected with the control of the mind , which stands

in between Aathman and the external world.

 

Listening to AnantharangAcchAr Swamy's upanyAsam

on the various steps in reaching the goal of a Saadhakan

reminded adiyEn of Swamy Desikan's brilliant summary of

the NINE STEPS of the LADDER that we have to climb to

attain the Lord's parama Padham .AnantharangAcchAr

Swamy referred to a few of these steps ( Virakthi,

NirvEdham and Bheethi).The Slokam of Swamy Desikan

enlisting all the NINE steps in His Parama Padha SOpAnam

is positioned at the very beginning of His Sri Sookthi:

 

VivEka-nirvEdha-virakthi-bheethaya:

prasAdha hEthuruthkramaNaarchirAdhaya:

prakruthyathikrAntha padhAdhirOhanam

parApthirithyathra thu parvaNAm krama:

 

The order of ascension on this ladder to

Parama Padham is summarized here:

 

(1) VivEkam : discriminating intellect

that comprehends true Tatthva Jn~Anam about

the sentient (Chith), insentient (achith)

and Isvaran ( The Supreme Lord ).

 

(2) NirvEdha: " metaphysical agony " over

the wasted time spent in Svaroopa Viruddha

kaaryams.

 

(3) Virakthi: VairAgyam to avoid worldly temptations

that are savroopa Viruddham .

 

(4) Bheethaya: Fear over the thought that this

SamsAric experience will recur.

 

(5) PrasAdha HEthu: The Bhakthi and Prapatthi

UpAyams that lead to Bhagavath anugraham

 

(6) UthkramaNam: The departure of the Aathman

from the body(prison ) .

 

(7) ArchirAdhaya: the archirAdhi gathis (travel

via archirAdhi maargam led by aadhi vaahikAs).

 

(8)Prakruthi-athikrAntha-padha-adhirOhaNam:

reaching Parama Padham , which is beyond

the Prakruthi MaNDalam .

 

(9) ParApthi: The enjoyment of Sri Vaikunta Naathan

in His Parama Padham

 

These are the nine ParvANAm Krama: ( Order

of steps in the ladder to Parama Padham).

 

AnantharangAcchAr Swamy concluded by saying

that the Karma Yogam is backed up by IsAvAsyam ,

Bhakthi Yogam by Kena Upanishad and Jn~Ana Yogam

by BruhadhAraNyam and ChAndhogyam .

 

It will be a wonderful treat to listen to

this great Scholar-teacher again. Please

particpate in the future upanyAsams.

 

V.SatakOpan