Iraamaanusa nooRRanthAthi- 55th verse- VisishtAdvaita doctrine explained!

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Ramanujaya namah:

 

Dearest all,

 

Last verse- Amudhanaar said: with his enormous fame

and popularity that he had earned, he engulfed the

whole earth. In the whole world, his popularity grew

due to his unambiguous philosophy based on true

purport of Vedas; Now- he elaborates; explains why…

and how.

 

kaNtavar chinthai kavarum katipozil thennarangan

thoNtar kulaavum iraamaa Nnuchanaith, thokaiyiRantha

paNtaru vEthangaL paarmEl nilavitap paarththaruLum

koNtalai mEvith thozum,kuti yaamengaL kOkkutiyE. 55

 

Emperumaanaar- Sri Ramanujacharya established the

Vedic truths in his philosophy that he expounded and

thereby the innumerable great Vedic hymns survived in

this world due to Sri Ramanuja's grace. He stands so

victoriously, so beautifully, so gracefully and

mercifully, that Bhaagawathas, who serve the Lotus

feet of Lord Sri RanganAthA- Sesha bhUthars of the

Lord- who lose themselves to such greatest merciful

nature / personality of his, and praise Sri Ramanuja

wholeheartedly. They are the ones capable of ruling

our kulam at all times.

 

kaNdavar chinthai kavarum – The most Beautiful and

Most Handsome One who enchants the mind of everyone

who sees;

kaDi pozhil then arangan- The Lord of Srirangam

surrounded by the cool gardens;

thoNdar kulaavum Iraamanusanai- His [RanganAthan’s]

devotees praise Ramanuja always

[such Greatest Ramanuja]

Thogai iRandha paaN thagu- innumerable rhythmic hymns

[Vedas and Upanishads]

paarmEl nilavu ida- established the vedic truths on

this earth for them to be and survive for ever;

koNdalai- this merciful cloud [i.e. Ramanuja]

mEvi thozhum- [bhAgawathAs of RanganAthan] pay

obeisance to lovingly and reverentially

kudiyaar- such great bhAgawathAs’s family members also

engaL kOkulam- are our masters. Each one in their

families is our master.

 

Every veda has certain swaram; in verse 64- Thamizh

Vedas are referred to. Thus all bhAgawathas of

RanganAthan- those who understand the Parathvam of Sri

Ranganathan understand the greatness of Ramaunuja and

praise him.

 

Thus Our VisishtAdvaita Srivaishnava Sri philosophy

talks about three tattvams (or entities):

 

Chit- AthmA (JivAthmA); sentient and has jnAnam

(knowledge).achit or matter- non sentient and has no

knowledge. Iswara is the Supreme Lord)

 

The jIvathmAs (infinite in number) do not have

beginning or end; it is eternal; it is atomic in size.

No death for jIvAthmA; it is only for the body; The

jIvan passes from one body to other depending on karmA

or attains mOksha (when performs bhakti yogam or

prapatti). JIvAtmAs are also further classified into:

 

baddha- subjected to repeated births and deaths and

are bound in samsaara.

muktha- are released from the bondage of samsaara and

have attained mOksha (by performing bhakti yogam or

prapatti)

nithya- are eternally liberated like Adhiseshan,

Garuda, Vishvaksenar and others.

 

Iswara -is Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan. Master;

Supporter; Controller of everything (other than Him)

He is present everywhere and knows everything. Out of

compassion for us, Sriman Narayanan takes avtaarams as

Rama, Krishna, out of freewill and desire.

 

The most important principle of VisishTadvaita

philosophy is the sarIra sarIri (Body/Soul)

relationship between chethana, achethana and Iswara.

The Lord (Iswara) is the soul; and other two tattvas

chethana and achethana form His Body.

 

It is to be noted that the " sarIrI " needn't be

physically present inside a " sarIrA " . This is not a

condition to be met out for the sarIra-sarIrI bhAvA to

hold good.. Thus Sriman NArAyaNA supports and controls

all jIvAtmAs, and all the jIvAtmAs exist purely for

His enjoyment. Thus, the very essential nature

(svaroopam) of a jIvAtmA is to perform kainkaryam to

Sriman NArAyaNA for His pleasure and performance of

any other activity doesn't conform to its nature.

 

Thus JivAthmAs are existent from time memorial; just

like the Lord. (so is the achEthana). Everything (in

leela vibhUthi)has been either inside His stomach

(during mahApraLayam) or outside ; (Nithya vibhUthi

stays nithyam -permanent). (even devas are temporary.

remember- uNdu, umizhndha eccil dEvar. Thus, jIvAs are

eternal (just like the Lord). jiVas are born (out of

Him) and go back to Him (to His stomach). They lie

dormant in His stomach; Out of compassion, Lord grants

opportunity to jIvAs for being born again so that at

least then, if we think of Him, and surrender to His

Lotus Feet.

 

EmperumAnAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan