Swamy Desika Sahasra Naamams : 186 to 196 / Part III, Taathparya ChandrikA & Few PrakaraNa granthams

[Guest guest]

(186) (PraNavam) KaivalyAkhya pumarTa savroopa anithyathva saadhakAya nama :

 

 

(meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who prooved that the Kaivalya

PurushArTam is not a lasting one (anithyam) .

 

(Commentary ) : Kaivalyam is AathmAnubhavam . Enjoying one's aathma

svaroopam after casting aside the mortal body is Kaivalya Sukham . This

anubhavam is more enjoyable than SvargAnbhavam . Some seek it as a

PurushArTam ( goal of life ) . Kaivalyam is lower by many measures in bliss

than MokshAnanadham. In this state of Kaivalyam , there is no Iswarya

anubhavam or BrahmAnubhavam . It is just kEvala aathmAnubhavam(Kaivalyam).

 

When the Jeevan has Kaivalya PrApthi , it resides in a lOkam below and

near to SrI Vaikuntam .There , it enjoys KaivalyAnubhavam .The UpAyam

to gain Kaivalyam is to meditate on one's aathma savaroopam . Those who

observe the Brahma Vidhyai of PanchAgni Vidhyai stay in this Kaivalya lOkam

for a limited time before ascending to their final destination of SrI Vaikuntam .

Those who practise Jn~Ana Yogam ( not Bhakthi yOgam) also end up with

the non-lasting Kaivalya PurushArTam . After their extended stay in Kaivalya lOkam ,

they return to SamsAric world . In the state of true Moksham , BrahmAnubhavam

unlike KaivalyAnubhavam , is ever lasting . There is no more return to SamsAric

world for one who has attained Sri Vaikunta PrApthi .

 

(187) (PraNavam) Saanga-karma jn~Ana bhakthi yOgaavadhruthi

kOvidhAya Nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who had the skills to determine

the parts ( angams) of Karma , Bhakthi and Jn~Ana Yogams .

 

(Commentary ) : In GeethA BhAshyam of AchArya RaamAnujA , the above three

yOgams are elaborated upon . Yogam here stands for UpAyam . Karma yOgam

consists of performing the Nithya -Naimitthika karmAs , practising Kaamya karmAs without

looking for phalan and observing peanance ( tapas) or theertha yAthrai or DhAnam

(giving alms) routinely . Jn~Ana yOgam is the state of meditation on the JeevAthma

svaroopam without attachement to the body after cleansing one's mind from

the practise of Karma yOgam . Bhakthi yOgam is the uninterrupted dhyAnam of

Bhagavaan with deep BHakthi . The observance of VarNAsrama dharmam

is an angam for all the three yOgams .

 

(188) (PraNavam) VibhUthi-viswaroopAdhi virOdha-samana

kshamAya Nama:

 

(Meaning ) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who had the skills to remove

the confusion arising from the understanding of VibhUthi and Viswaroopam .

 

(Commentary ) : The tenth adhyAyam of Geethai is VibhUthi adhyAyam .

The eleventh chapter of Geethai is Viswaroopa adhyAyam . VibhUthi is

about the Iswaryams (wealth) of Bhagavaan . Viswaroopam is the sEvai

that Bhagavaan blessed Arjunaa with in the middle of the battle field

regarding His Universal form as the Supreme Master of all ChEthanams and

achEthanams ( His VibhUthis) . While reading the above two chapters of

Bhagavath GeethA , one may be confronted with doubts . Swamy Desikan

was able to provide the answers to remove doubts about compatability of

the content of these two chapters .

 

For example , in the VibhUthi adhyAyam , Bhagavaan says that He is Raamaa

among the skilled archers or wielders of the bow and arrow in war . The doubt

may arise why GeethAchAryan says that Raaman is my VibhUthi , when Raama

and Krishna are one and the same Bhagavaan . The parihAram for this sankhai(doubt)

housed in the statement , " Sasthra bhruthAm RaamOaham " is " Sastrrabhruthvam

athra VIbhUthi: " . The VibhUthi is not Raama but the Sasthrabhruthvam ( the Iswaryam

or the skill of handling the bow and the arrow as an archer ) . Many heros can

handle the bow and arrow well. This VibhUthi is the most elevated(highest) in Raama .

This high dharmam ( sasthrabhruthavam ) is also My niyAmyam (adheenam , under

My control) says GeethAchAryan . Similarly , one may have doubts about points

made in Viswaroopa adhyAyam like how can one have multitudes of eyes and

ears etc in the same body . Swamy Desikan provided answers for these doubts

that assailed the mind of aasthikAs .

 

(189) (PraNavam) aathmAnAthma guNakshEthra KshEthrataj~na sOdhana

dakshiNAya Nama:

 

(Meaning ) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who had the intellectual rigor to

anlayze and clarify doctrines like Aathma guNAs , anAthma guNAs , KshEthram

and KshEthraj~nan .

 

(Commentary) : Aathma guNAs are those like ahimsA , VairAgyam , Freedom from ego ,

Patience , AchArya Bhakthi , Soucham or Suddhi , which promote aathma Jn~Anam .

The opposite of Aathma guNams are anAthma guNams . They are collectively known

as ajn~Anam or Aathma Jn~An aViruddhams . KshEthram is our SarIram (body) , where the Sukha

and Dukkha anubhavams are experienced . Just as the seeds planted in a field (KshEthram)

yields fruit in the form of a crop , the karmAs planted in the SarIram yields karma phalan .

KshEthraj~nan is the JeevAthma , who is different from the SarIram .

 

(190) (PraNavam) PurushOtthama nirukthi vidhE nama:

 

( Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who understood clearly

the nirvachana prakAram (etymology) for the PurushOtthama Sabdham .

 

(Commentary) : When one uses VyAkaraNam strictly , one experiences

difficulty in providing the right meaning for the PurushOtthama sabdham . Swamy

Desikan had the intellectual rigour to explain the meaning of this important

word , " PurushOtthaman " celebrated in the PurushOtthama adhyAyam

of Geethai . There are three ways to understand the meaning of " PurushOtthaman":

(1) Panchamee Tathpurusha SamAsam: PurushEbhya: Utthama:( Loftier than Purushas ,

Viz., Bhaddha-Muktha-Nithya Jeevans (2) Shashtee Tathpurusha SamAsam : PurushANAm

Uttthama: ( Uthaman beyond the PurushAs ) , (3) Sapthamee Tathpurusha SamAsam :

PurushEshu Utthama: ( Utthaman among PurushAs) . He is the Supreme Being

amongst us is the meaning given by Bhagavaaan in the Geethai : " Utthama:

Purushasthvanya: ".

 

(191) (PraNavam ) DevAsura VibhAga nirukthi vidhE nama:

 

( Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan, who can define the lakshaNams

about the DevAs and the AsurAs and the differences between them .

 

(Commnetary ) : Bhagavaan creates PurushAs either as Deva srushti or asura srushti.

Those who come under Dhaiva srushti ( DevAs) obey the injunctions of the VedAs

and Smruthis and are obedient to the commands of the Lord . They possess traits of

ahimsai , Dayaa , Forbearance , ThyAgam and other noble guNams . Here , the reference

is not to the DevAs like Indhraa but to those , who follow the path laid out by Bhagavaan in

His SaasthrAs . Aasura Prakruthis are those who are the opposite of the DevAs in

every aspect .

 

(192) ( PraNavam) karthru-karmAdhi satthvAdhi guNAdhIna vibhAga

vidhE nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan, who understood the underlying guNams

associated with Jn~Anam( knowledge about the deed/karma that is to be done) ,

Karma ( the deed to be done) and KarthA ( One who engages in the karmA ) .

 

(Commentary ) : Three kinds of GuNams (Saathvikam , Raajasam and Taamasam)

underly the above three categories of Jn~Anam , Karma and KarthA .

 

Saathvika Jn~Anam will permit one to do the karmAs without links to Phalans.

Saathvika Jn~Anam arises , when one understands that the Aathmaa is the same

inspite of the fact that there are many SarIrams for th Aathmaa . Raajasa Jn~Anam(RJ)

is the erroneous knowledge that Aathmaa like Sariram is of many kinds . RJ will lead

to performing karmAs with phala sambhandham . Taamasa Jn~Anam is associated

with the incorrect understanding of aathmaa and that leads one to perform karmaas

that yield insignificant Phalans .

 

Karmam is also of three kinds : Saathvika Karmaa(SK ); Raajasa Karmaa(RK) and

Taamasa Karmaa ( TK) . SK are those done without prayOjanam ( Phala sambhandham)

and without ego . These are appropriate karmaas befitting VarNAsrama dharmams .

RK is the karma done expecting a Phalan and done with intensity . TK is the karmaa

resulting from aj~nAnam , when one engages in actions without thought about the himsai

that he is causing , the sorrow that he creates in others and with unawareness of

his talent/qualifications to undertake that action .

 

Kartha is also of the three kinds : Saathvika , Raakasa and Taamasika karthAs .

Sathvikar is disintersted in Phalan , has no ahnakAram and engages in karma

with courage and uthsAham ( joy); Raajasar has interst in the Phalan and experiences

the changes such as sorrow. Taamasar is a cheater and practioner of inauspicious

deeds and is filled always with sorrow due to his ajn~Anam .

 

(193) (PraNavam ) yEkayanOktha asooyAvirbhAva vyAkruthi

dakshiNAya nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who commentd skillfully about asooyaa--

aavirbAva prakaraNam dealt with in In EkAyanam ( RahasyAmnAyanam) .

 

(Commentary ) : There is a story in RahasyAmnAyanam that deals with the appearance of

hatred between the four Varnams ( BhraamaNa , Kashathriya, Vaisya nad Soodhra Jaathis)

about their respective duties assigned by the Sruthis and Smruthis. Each felt that their

particualr duites were superior to the other three . The question arose : Why service

( Paricharyai) alone is assigned to Soodhraas , while MahA BhAratham says that they

can have dheekshai and also considered fit to perform Bhagavad AarAdhanam ?

SrI Saathva Sahithai approves the performance of Taantrika Poojaa by the SoodhrAs

without using PraNavam . Other SaasthrAs say that the SudhrAs can perform pancha

Yaj~nams , SrArdhdam and observe EkAdasi Vratham . The question in this context

is : How can you relegate them only to kaimkaryam ( sEvai) to the other three

groups ? The answer is that they do have the rights to observe all the above anushtAnams

but their PradhAna ( Prinicipal) dharmam is Paricharyai to the other three groups. They

have to observe other anushtAnams without conflict to their pradhAna varNAsrama dharmam.

The distinctions and differences established by the Saasthrams should not be transgressed at.

any time . At the same time , The evolved Soodhra VarNatthAr should not be insulted or treated

ill by the other three groups because of their bloated feelings of superiority .

 

(194) (PraNavam) UcchishtAdhanahEthvArya bhEdha nirNaya

kOvidhAya Nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who established the rules on what left overs

( Yecchil , Ucchishtam ) from the great ones can be eaten by the others .

 

(Commentary ) : SaasthrAs rule that the Ucchishtam form others are not to be eaten .

The exceptions are: The left overs from one's Father , AchAryan and elder brother .

The wife is allowed to eat the left over from her husband. The rest of the dos and

donts has to be understood in the context of Saasthrams .For instance , VihagEswara

SamhithA states that the Ucchishtam of yEkAnthis is suddham . Swamy Desikan

explains that it is stated so to point out the greatenss of EkAnthis and ParamaikAnthis .

It does not mean that one can eat their ucchishtam . Ucchishtam means two things:

(1) food left over in the plates(ilai) after they have eaten and (2) Food left over in the serving

vessel after feeding them . In the case of EkAnthi/ParamaikAnthi , the second definition

applies . Such food left in the cooking/serving vessel is fit to be eaten as sacred

( Ref: ThoNDaradioppodi's 41st ThirumAlai Paasuram : " pOnkam seytha sEDam taruvarEl ,

punithamanRE " ) . Here Sesham means not the left over from their plates but the food

left after feeding them. It is similar to anna sEsham in SrArddhams ( food left after

serving Pithrus and those invoked for NiminthriNam to partake the food as Pithru ,

VishNu and Brahma ) . The left over from the plates of Father , Elder Brother , AchAryan

and husband can however be eaten .

 

(195) (PraNavam) Sthree-Soodhra Bhagavath-poojA

tAnthrikathvAbhidhAyakAya nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who established that the women

and SoodhrAs can do Taantrika aarAdhanam for the Lord .

 

(Commentary ) : MahA BhAratham and Samhithais permit such Taantric aarAdhanam

by the women and SoodhrAs . Swamy Explains the thought behind such recommendations.

They can perform Taantrika aarAdhanam ( without using PraNavam and Veda Manthrams).

They can use Raama - KrishNAdhi manthrams in such poojAs . This is sufficent for them .

There will be no loss of Phalans (lObham ) thru the use of Taantrika worship.

 

(196) ( PraNavam) svaparAdheenathAyattha Saasthra

vaiyarTya BhAdhakAya Nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who cleared the doubts that could

arise from the total dependence of the Jeevan on the ParamAthma .

 

(Commentary ) : Jeevan is under the control of BhagavAn . His doership (Karthruthvam)

is also unser the control of ParamAthmaa. Saasthram says that ParamAthmaa alone

does these karmAs and the jeevan has no independence/Svatantram . If this were to be so ,

the Vidhi-NishEdhams will be rendered meaningless . Commanding one to do is Vidhi

and commanding one to desist from doing is NishEdham . " SaraNam vraja " ( perform

SaraNAgathi ) is Vidhi . AchArya DrOham is to be avoided is nishEdham . The qustion

will arise as to how can the Jeevan , who has no Svatantram ( being dependent on

paramAthmaa for every initative) be commanded to engage in some act . Such a command

is a futile one. Questions may arise that Jeevan is incapable of doing anything anyway ,

Bhagavan is going to do either the auspicious or the inauspicous act . In that case , what is

the purpose of Vedam saying to the Jeevan: do and do not do ( Vidhis and NishEdhams ) .

 

The samAdhAnam for this question on Jeevan's Svathnthram and the impact of Vidhi

and NishEdham on it are addressed by Brahma Soothrams . ParamAthma gives us the tools

( UpakaraNams) of Indhriyams and Sareeram .Through them , He blesses us to engage in

karmAs and the sakthis of Jn~Anam and Icchai . He also creates the appropriate vasthus

for use in that karmaa. The Jeevan develops the desire to perform a karmaa and makes

the first effort ( PraTama Prayathnam ) .In the next second , the indwelling Brahman grants

the permission ( anumathi) and helps with the entry ( Pravrutthi) into the performance of

that Karmaa . Since Jeevan propelled by its own Buddhi wishes to engage in this karmaa ,

the Vidh-NishEdha Saastrams apply . Since Jeevan uses the upakaraNams given by

BhagavAn to begin the Prayathnam , ParamAthmA gives the permission and does

the Karmaa the second after the Jeevan starts the Prayathnam . The role for ParAdheenam

for the Jeevan comes in because , it can not do these karmaas without the anumathy of

BhagavAn . Since the Jeevan starts the Prayathnam with his own Buddhi , Vidhi - nishEdhams

are applicable to it. The achEthanams in contrast to ChEthanams ( Jeevans) are athyantha

Paratantram ( ParAdheenam) .They can not engage in pravrutthi .They have no svatantram .

AchEtanams are beyond the influence of Saasthrams , whereas the ChEtanam is Saasthra-

vasyan . Iswaran has blessed the chEthanam with Jn~Ana and Pravrutthi sakthis . Therefore ,

the ChEthanam has the independence needed for engaging in anushtAnam . Since the Lord

performs the KarmA desired by the jeevan , after giving His permission , Jeevan becomes

Paratantran to the Lord . Since the Jeevan has to conduct itself according to the Saasthrams of

Iswaran , the Jeevan comes to be known as " Saasthra-Vasyan " .

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

SrImathE SrI NaarAyaNa Yatheendhra MahA DesikAya Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan