ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi SamarpaNam series:Part 59/VaishNavite Aagamams:Part II

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

In the previous posting , we covered briefly the concepts related to

Manthram ,Yanthram , Tanthram and Aagamam .

 

Summary of the previous posting

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VaishNavite Aagamams were breifly discussed to point out their

Vedic authority . It was mentioned that both the PaancharAthra and

ViakAnasa Aagamams are considered equally sacred for the worship of

the Lord. It is intersting to point out in this context that VaikAnasa

Aagamam is used for the worship of Swamy Desikan at His ThUppul Temple ,

where as PaancharAthra Aagamam is followed at Kaanchi VaradarAja Temple.

 

At ThiruvahIndhrapuram , VaikAnasa Aagamam is used both for Lord

DevanAthan and Swamy Desikan in their AarAdhanams . I mentioned earlier

that ThiruvahIndhrapuram PerumAL is considered traditionally as

Nadu Naattu Dhivya Desa SrinivAsan ( same as at ChOLa Naatu Dhivya dEsa

EmperumAn , ThiruviNNagarappan , Northern dhivya desa PerumAL

at Thirumala).Both at ThiruviNNagar /Oppiliappan Koil , Thirumala ,

the AarAdhanam is according to VaikAnasa Aagamam.

 

The SrinivAsa aspect of Lord DevanAthan can be clearly

seen from the image of the Moolavar at Thiruvahindrapuram at the URL

from the two hastha Mudhraas :

 

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/temples/tiruvahindrapuram/index.html

 

Swamy Desikan & PancharAthra RakshA

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It is important to observe that Swamy Desikan wrote the definitive

defense of PaancharAthra Aaagamam called PaancharAthra RakshA ,

one of the five RakshA Granthams . In that RakshA grantham ,

he also pointed out the equal status of VaikAnasam in worshipping

the Lord by VaishNavAs at home and at the temples.

 

Excerpts from PaancharAthra RakshA

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Today , we will highlight the cardinal aspects of

PaancharAthra Aagamam as revealed to us by Swamy AlavanthAr

in His Aagama PrAmANyam and Swamy Desikan's PaancharAthra

RakshA grantham. The Founder of the Munithraya SampradhAyam,

Thirukkudanthai Desikan ( SrI GopAlArya MahA Desikan) has

blessed us with key summaries on PaancharAthra RakshA

in his SrI Desika Dhivya Sahasra Naamam . U.Ve. Dr. V.VasudEvAcchAr

Swamy of Thiruvananthapuram has published under the auspices

of SrImad PuNdarIkaPuram Andavan Aasramam , a brilliant commentary

on the above Sahasra Naamam. We will follow those commentaries

for highlighting Swamy Desikan's PaancharAthra rakshA grantham.

SrIman N.KrishNamachari of Illinois has posted special articles

on PaancharAthra Aagamam in SaraNAgathy and Bhakthi archives .

Readers are referred to all these source articles.

 

157 NaamAs connected with PaancharAthra RakshA

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The Desika Dhivya Sahasra NaamAs from 524 to 680 ( 157 NaamAs )

relate thus to the content of PaancharAthra RakshA grantham .

In view of the vastness of the subject , we will study only a few

of the Sahsra NaamAs to highlight the PaancharAthric doctrines:

 

** PAANCHRAATHRAM IS PRAMAANAM : To refute the argument that

PaancharAthram is not acceptable, Swamy Desikan established

the validity and authority of PaancharAthram following the way

shown by Swamy AaLavanthAr and AchArya RaamAnujA.One of the

seven arguments for PramAnam of PaancharAthram in this context

is that the base/root (moolam)for PaancharAthram is

the EkAyana Saakhai of the apourushEya Vedam .

The other argument in support is that this Aagamam was

blessed to us by the Lord Himself and as such it has

no blemishes.

 

** PAANCHARAATHRAM HAS 4 SIDDHAANTHAMS :(1) Aagama siddhAntham

(2)Manthra SiddhAntham (3)Tanthra SiddhAntham and

(4) TantrAnthara siddhAntham .

 

The FIRST SiddhAntham (Aagama SiddhAntham) emphasizes

the worship of SrIman NaarAyaNan as the four VyUha Moorthys

only.

 

The SECOND siddhAntham (Manthra SiddhAntham)

follows the worship of the Lord with many other VyUhams,

12 KesavAdhi Moorthys , DEvi and weapons of the Lord.

 

The THIRD siddhAntham( Tantra SiddhAntham) worship of

Bhagavath Roopam outside VyUha Moorthys with or without

Devi or Aayudhams.This is closest it seems to the Taantric

worship that we alluded to earlier.

 

The FOURTH siddhAntham (TanthrAnthara SiddhAntham)

focuses on the Lord with Simha Mukham (Narasimhan) ,

Horse face ( HayagrIvan) with parivArams or separately.

 

All the four siddhanthams in observance lead to Moksham.

These four individual siddhAnthams should not be mixed

with each other in practise.Once a prathishtai is done

one way ,the aarAdhanam has to be maintained the same way .

Sahasra Kalasa AbhishEkam is needed as parihAram (remedy) ,

when there is an inadvertent admixture among these SiddhAnthams.

Sahasra Kalasa AbhishEkam is done also for Loka KshEmam

as wss done at ThiruveLLUr on April 16.

 

VaikAnasa aagamam should not be admixed with any one of

the four PaancharAthra siddhAnthams . PaancharAthra aagamam

is open to all.The dhvijAs , who have recieved EkAyathana

Veda SamskAram are known as MUKHYA KALPA ADHIKAARIS OF

PaancharAthram. Others including dhvijAs with other

Kalpa samskArams can recieve PaancharAthra DheekshA

and belong to the category of ANUKALAP ADHIKAARIS.

 

IN CONTRAST , Only those born in the VaikAnasa kalpa Soothra

Paramparai can have the right to practise ViakAnasa Aagamam.

 

*** The worship performed for BhagavAn is known as Ijyai.

It has 8 parts (angAs). When one performs Ijyai for the Lord

with these 8 angAs, that worships is the Supreme Most and

leads to Parama Padha PrApthi without too much delay .

These 8 angAs --different from pancha kAla prakriyas of

Abhigamanam,UpAdhAnam, ijya , SvAdhyAyam and Yogam-- are

as follows according to JayAkhya SamhithA of PaancharAthram:

 

1) Abhigamanam : This is Hrudh ThyAgam starting from Maanasa

AarAdhanam to Athma SamarpaNam and is not the same as

the abhigamanam of Pancha Kaala PrakriyA .

 

(2) BhOgam: Baahya UpachArams (external samarpaNams) such

as offer of argyam , Flowers et al

 

(3) Madhuparka dhAnam: samarpaNam of the special preparation

known as madhuparkam.

 

(4) NivEdhanam: samarpaNam of Cooked food

 

(5) SampradhAnam: Distribution of Bhagavad PrasAdham

 

(6) Vahni SandharpaNam: Special Homam as part of this Ijyai.

This is not in use these days .

 

(7)Pithru Yaagam: Homam for Pitrus(manes) with

the names of VaasudEva et al.

 

(8)anuyAgam: PrANAgnihOthram/AntharyAmi nivEdhanam/

partaking of Bhagavath PrasAdham .

 

*** PanchakAla Prakriyai: The day is split in to 5 time zones

and 5 karmAs are undertaken by all including ParamaikAnthis :

 

1) Abhigamanam: Approaching the Lord with Japam , DhyAnam

and Archanam and prayer for Aaradhana Kaimkarya PrApthi at

early morning hours ( 6.00 to 8.24 A.M). This is very important

for SanyAsis .

 

2) UpAdhAnam: Collection of flowers, Fruits et al

for AarAdhanam during Mid day( 8.25 to 10.48 A.M).

 

3) IjyA ( 10.49 A.M to 1.12 P.M ) : Bhagavath AarAdhanam

itself. very important to every one .

 

4) SvAdhyAyam(1.13 to the time of sleep): SravaNam , keerthanam ,

study of SrI Sookthis /IthihAsams/Saathvika

PurANams , Teaching of SrI Sookthis et al.

 

5) Yogam ( Night time): Linking of one's mind with the Lord

and resting under His sacred feet and getting up at

Braahma MuhUrtham (after 3 A.M) to get ready for

Abhigamanam et al .

 

**Even PrapannAs have to perform this Pancha Kaala PrakriyA

as Kaimkarya Roopam.AchArya RaamAnujA accepted this and

instructed us to follow this prakriyA.

 

**Hari SmaraNam is the interleaving angam of all these karmAs.

This Hari SmaraNam is considered as Nithyam and not Kaamyam

or naimitthikam.Any fraction of time spent without Bhagavath

DhyAnam is full of imperfections and is a wasted time ,

since during that time the harmful states of mind controlled

by Kaamam , krOdham ,Madham, Maatsaryam , Deha-aathma Brahamam

and other negative entities dominate and push us towards ruin.

Sathva GuNam does not dominate during those wasted moments.

 

** Aarambha manthram and Saathvika ThyAgam are integral

features of all karmAs related to Bhagavad AarAdhanam

and Pancha kAla prakriyA.

 

** AchArya DhyAnam should be done before Hari DhyAnam

after getting up at Brahma MuhUrtham.

 

These then are some of the upadesams found in

the PaancharAthara SamhithAs .

 

(To Be continued)

 

SrImad Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan