saaRRumuRai of SrI VedArtha sangraha upanyasam on Sunday 10.a.m at SrI Hari's residence

[Guest guest]

SrI:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

As you are aware, SrI MS Hari has been delivering SrI Vedaartha sangraham

upanyaasam every alternate Saturday for few months. It is getting completed

this Sunday. We are having saaRRumuRai on Sunday 10 a.m.

 

There will be Bhagawath ArAdhanam and then lunch will also be served.

That's why this week, I am attending-for lunch:-)..

 

Given below is the agenda:

 

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

 

Sunday 08th July 2001

Time: 10:00 AM (SHARP)

Venue: SrI Hari's residence:

Block 269-B, Queen Street, #05-271, Singapore 182269

(Near Bugis (E1) MRT)

 

10:00 AM : Summary of SrI VedArtha sangraha grantam (swAmi Bhagavath

rAmAnuja yatirAja)

 

11:00 AM: SrImath LakshmI hayagreeva AarAdhanam, swAmi Bhagavath

rAmAnuja yatirAja AarAdhanam, AachArya pAdukA AarAdhanams

for HH SrI LakshmI nrusimha divya pAdukA sEvaka SrIvaN SaThakOpa SrI

nArAyaNa

yatIndra mahA dESika swAmi SrImath Azagiya singar & HH SrI powNDarIkapuram

paravAkkOTTai SrI gOpAla dESika mahA dESika swAmi SrImath ANDavan &

SATRumurai

 

12:30 PM: PerumAL Theertham, tulaSi praSAdam & tadiyArAdhanam - lunch

 

Please come to participate in this saaRRumuRai session and receive the

Divine Blessings of SrI LakshmI Nrusimhan, SrI LakshmI HayagrIvan and

Bhagawath rAmAnuja.

 

For your information and enjoyment, given below is the introduction of

Vedaartha sangraham written by Sri Hari a year ago.

 

Regards

Narayana Narayana

adiyEn

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

 

Vedaartha Sangraham- an introduction by Sri Hari

 

The sermons given by Bhagavat Ramanuja on Veda before Shree Venkata

Shreenivasan are compiled as Vedartha Sangraha. This is the first work of

Bhagavat Ramanuja. Though this work mainly ascertains the purport of the

Vedanta (Upanishad), it is not to be understood that this grantha just

explains the upanishads but it is the purport of all Vedas as the Vedas

finally aim at conveying the meaning of upanishads. Therefore this work is

titled as Vedaartha Sangraham, meaning the summary of Veda. This is not

only complete in itself but also serves as a detailed introduction to

Shree Bhaashya as the content of Jignyaasaadhikaranam is elaborated in

this work. This grantha has such a value that without studying this,

beginners find it very difficult to study Shree Bhashya.

 

Vedartha Sangraha has two parts of which the first part is called

" Mathaantara Khandana " and the second part is " Swa Matha Vistaara " . In the

first part, Bhagavat Ramanuja refutes and rejects the Advaita matha of Adi

Sankara, the Beda-Abheda matha of Bhaskara and that of Yadava Prakasa. In

the second part, the preceptor in detail explains and establishes

Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnava philosophy and practice. It is established

in this grantham beyond doubt that the Veda's purport is only

Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnavam and nothing other than that.

 

Sruta Prakashikacharya (Shree Sudarsana Suri) has commented on this work of

Bhagavat Ramanuja and it is known as Tatparya Deepika - Sruta Pradeepika.

 

In the beginning of this grantham, Bhagavat Ramanuja has composed two

Mangala Slokams (Verses) of which the first one is not only in the form of

worshiping the Paramaatman Vishnu, but also is in the form of essence of

the second part of this grantha. Similarly, the second Mangala Sloka is

not only in the form

of saluting his preceptor (Bhagavat Yamunacharya) but also is in the form

of essence of the first part of this grantha. Mangala Slokas are found in

the works of our Aacharyas for two reasons - first reason being,

worshiping Bhagavan makes the grantham to be successfully completed

without obstacles and the second reason being, worshiping Aacharyas

(preceptors) makes us to get the knowledge fully as imparted by the

grantha. Let us first comprehend the mangala slokas as follows:

 

The First Mangala Sloka Of Vedaartha Sangraha:

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

" Asesha Chitachit Vastu Seshine Sesha Saayine |

Nirmalaananta Kalyaana Nidhaye Vishnave Namaha || "

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

 

This is the essence of our Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnava philosophy and

practice. The Tatva-Hita-Purusharthas are beautifully conveyed by this

verse.

 

" Chit " denotes the sentient soul - jeevaatman. The Jeevaatman is identified

as finite (aNu), sentient (Jgnyaana), unchanging (Satya), blissful

(Aananda) nature-reality (Swaroopa). He is thus knowledge-self and also

has a knowledge (Dharma Bhootha Jgnyaana) as his inseparable attribute. He

is Swayam-prakasa meaning knows himself ie., his individuality as he is

Jgnyaana swaroopa. He knows other things using his Dharma Bhoota Jgnyaana.

Baddha (bound by karma in material world), Muktha (liberated from karma

and hence from material world) and Nitya (eternally and ever free from

karma) are the three types of Chit. The Chit is eternal and is

imperishable.

 

" Achit " denotes the insentient matter. Its nature is to change from one

form to another. It neither knows itself nor anything. Trigunya (matter

having Satva, Rajas and Tamas), Satva Soonya (Time which is devoid of

Satva) and Sudha Satva (matter having pure Satva without rajas and tamas)

are the three types of Achit.

 

" Asesha " denotes that there are innumerable Jeevaatmans. It applies for

both Chit and Achit. Upto this, it is clear that chit and achit are

different entities. " Asesha Chitachit Vastu Seshine " means that the

Brahman has all the chit and achit entities as his property. The term

" Vastu " brings out the truth that these chit and achit entities are real

and not falsehood/illusion. This makes it clear that the Brahman is

different from all chit and achit entities and therefore the Brahman is

" Purushotthaman " as " Seshe " denotes clearly that Brahman is the lord/owner

of all chit and achit entities.

 

" Sesha Saayine " denotes that the Brahman reclines on the divine bed, which

is the coil of Adi Sesha - divine serpent. This further implicitly denotes

that the Brahman has divine form, divine abode, divine consort Shree, Bho

and Nila and all the divine royal things signifying his unparalleled and

unsurpassed supremacy.

 

Therefore the part of the verse " Asesha Chitachit Vastu Seshine Sesha

Saayine " brings out the meaning that the Brahman has " Ubhaya Vibhuthi " as

his property. " Ubhaya " means " Twin " and Vibhuthi means property. They are

the Leela Vibhuthi (the material worlds (from Chaturmuka Brahmaa's Satya

Loka to microorganisms) which are created sustained and destroyed by

Brahman as his sport (leela) and exists for his Leela rasa) and the Nitya

Vibhuthi which is the transcendental divine world called Shree Vaikunta

Paramapadam. This part of the verse therefore implicitly brings out the

Pradhaana Pratitantram (key point) of Visistadvaita, which is the

sareera-aatma bhaava relation between the all chit - achit entities and

Brahman. As the Brahman supports, controls and owns all chitachit entities

he is the soul of all chitachit entities. As all the chitachit entities

are supported, controlled and owned by Brahman and exist for the purpose

of Brahman as inseparable attribute of Brahman, all the chitachit entities

are Brahman's body.

 

Nirmalaananta Kalyaana Nidhaye brings out the Ubhyalingam - the two

identifications of Brahman. As follows: " Nirmala " brings out " Akila Heya

Pratyaneekatvam " meaning " the Brahman is pure untouched by all the

impurities of the universe though he is present inside and outside

everything. He is " Aatma " soul of the universe called " Antaryaami " -

meaning " He who controls everything by being present inside everything " .

" Ananta Kalyaana Nidhaye " brings out " Ananta Kalyaana Gunaakaratvam "

meaning " the Brahman is infinite with infinite divine/auspicious

attributes like power, strength, lordship, firmness, knowledge,

resplendence which are beyond the reach of our mind, sense organs and

words. These attributes bring out his " Paratvam " " ultimate supremacy " . His

attributes/qualities like divine mercy brings out his " Sowlabhyam " " Easily

available " nature.

 

" Vishnave " clearly points out that the Brahman is Lakshmi Pathi (Lord of

Shree Lakshmi) who pervades everything everywhere. Vishnu (Shreeman

Narayanan) is the Brahman. His omnipresence is conveyed by this name.

 

To summarise the Iswara Tatva concept, please note the following points:

The Brahman (God - Iswara) is Shreeman Naaraayanan (Vishnu) who is

· Lord of Goddess Lakshmi (Shree)

· Unchanging, knowledge-self, infinite, blissful, and absolute pure

nature

· The material cause and instrumental cause of the universe (all

sentient souls and insentient matter)

· Having the material worlds (universe) and transcendental world as his

body and He being the soul

· Having divine transcendental body (in five modes - Para, Vyuha,

Vibhava, Anaryaami Haarda Roopa and Archa)

· Untouched by all impurities of the universe

· Having infinite divine attributes

· Having as his sport, creation, sustenance, and destruction of all

material worlds.

 

Up to this Visistadvaita Tatvam (reality) was outlined.

 

" Namaha " is not in the meaning of just saluting Lord Vishnu. It conveys the

" Hitam and Purushaartham " implicitly. Hitam is means to attain liberation.

The term " namaha " conveys meaning up to Saranaagathi at the lotus feet of

Shree Vishnu, which is total surrender. Similarly Bhakthi is also to be

understood to have been conveyed here implicitly.

 

" Namaha " with the names of Vishnu used here also implicitly conveys the

" Purushaartham " (goal, result) which is eternal service at the lotus feet

of Lord Vishnu and eternally experiencing the Lord in Shree Vaikunta

Paramapadam.

 

Thus the first Mangala Slokam in Vedaartha Sangraha is not only in the form

of worshiping the Paramaatman Vishnu, but also is in the form of essence

of the second part of this grantha which is " Swa Matha Vistaara: " .