Tattva Muktha Kalaapam : Part II

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Thirukkudanthai Andavan has constructed 235 Sahasra NaamAs to cover

the doctrines elaborated in Tatthva Muktha Kalaapam and SarvArTa Siddhi

( NaamAs 206-440) . There are five items that are covered thru these 235 NaamAs:

 

1) JaDa dhravyam ( NaamAs 206-250 )

2) JeevAthmaa ( NaamAs 251-291)

3)Iswaran ( NaamAs 292-325)

4)Buddhi ( NaamAs 326-393)

5)adhravyam ( NaamAs 394-440) .

 

Here is a brief Naama by Naama commentary based on the exhaustive

coverage by Dr.Navalpakkam Vaasudevacchar Swamy and Dr.S.M.S. Chari.

Tatthva Muktha KalApam is not an easy one to browse thru . The need for

Saasthra Jn~Anam to understand the individual slOkmas of Tatthva Muktha

KalApam can be understood from a sampler slOkam (57th slOkam ) covered

currently by Sri KaaNiyampAkkam DEvanAthAcchAr Swamy in the Avyaya Iypaasi

issue of Sri Nrusimha Priya :

 

bhAshyE bhAsvath prabhAdhou prathihathi-BahuLee-bhAvapoorvam yadhuktham

tEna srOtha: samAdhim paramathanayatha: prAhurEkE prabhAyAam

vasthunyastE vikalpE sphuDavigaDanayO: vakthurApthasya vaachO:

tAthparyam tarkamAnAnuguNam adhiguNai: chinthyam anthEvasadhbhi:

 

In the earlier slOkam (56th) , Swamy Desikan dealt with the relationship between

the lit dheepam and the lustre ( Prabhaa) associated with it . He pointed out that

the lustre is a guNam of the dheepam . The oLi ( PrabhA/lustre) is a dhravyam

(substance) and it never is disassociated from the dheepam and hence it can be

recognized as a guNam of the dheepam . It was made clear the dheepam has to be

concieved with the prabhaa.

 

In the 57th slOkam , Swamy examines whether the avayavams of the Prabhaa

spread out ( ViSeerNaa: ) . Allof this subtle points are housed in the form of a poem

in the sragdharaa metre chosen for this Sri Sookthi . It is mind boggling to think of

the multifaceted genius of Swamy Desikan .

 

In the 57th slOkam , Swamy Desikan reminds the intelligent sihyAsabout the need

for using PramANams and tarkams to arrive at answers for resolving concepts that

collide with each other ( paraspara Viruddham) .Swamy is a genius in analyzing

conflicting points of view and establishing the correct view based on ParamANams

and Tarkam . He suggsts this firm route to his sishyas in upadEsam form:

" Vasthuni vikalpE asththE sathi , Aapthasya vakthu: , sphuDa vigaDanayO:

VaachO: tarkamAnuguNam tAthparyam --chinthyam ".

 

Swamy points out that there is no room for conflict in the case of Siddha Vasthus.

When one comes across mutually contradictory statements , tarkam and PramANam

based approach should be taken to settle the issues .

 

The gentle firmness of a skilled diplomat engaged in conflict resolution is seen here .

 

Now , let us move on to the summary of Thirukkudanthai Desikan

on the upadEsams of Swamy Desikan in the Sri Sookthi of Tatthva

Mukthaa Kalaapam :

 

206)dhravyAdhravya bhidhaa tatthatth lakshaNokthi VichakshaNa :

 

( Meaning ) Salutations to the AchAryan who was skillful to describe

the two major categories of the Tatthvams /PadhArTams and their

subdivisions. The two major categories of te Tathvams are : Dhravyam

and adhravyam .Dhravyam is is the PadhArTam serving as the substratum

for modification ( avasthAvathi ). A limp of clay is a dhravyam . It can exist

as a pot or as its broken pieces t or as the pulverized entity of that pot .

Clay however is the dhravyam (substratum) , which can undergo changes

as pot or shreds or powder .

 

adravyam is a non-substance , " an attribute which can not be the basis

for another Quality ". adravyam can not serve as the substratum of anything

else anupAdAna) although it is necessarily dependent ondhravya .

 

Swamy Desikan lists six dhravyAs : Prakruthi ( cosmic matter) ,Kaala ( Time) ,

Iswara ( God) ,Jivaa ( individual Soul) , Jn~Ana ( knowledge) and nitya vibhUthi

( " transcendental spiritual matter ) .

 

The six dhravyAs themselves have two categories : JaDam ( Material) and ajaDam

(non-material) .Prakruthi and Kaala belong to JaDa . The remaining four are ajaDams or

non-material ( spiritual) substances .Jadam shine thru other Jn~Anam , where as

ajaDam is self-luminous ( Svayam JyOthi) .Among these non-material ( spiritual )

substances , Iswara and Jivaa are PraTyak ( self-revealed or shines on its own)

and Jn~Anam and Nithya VibhUthi are Paraak ( revelation for another such as

Jn~Ana for Jeevan).

 

There are thus 6 dhravyAs and ten adhravyAs .Together they constitute 16 TatthvAs.

The ten adhravyAs are : the three guNAs ( Sattva , Rajas and Tamas) ;the five qualities of

the pancha bhUthAs ( gross elements) : sabdha ( sound) , sparsa ( touch or tactile) ,

roopa ( color) , rasa ( taste) and gandha ( odour) .The remainin gtwo of the ten adhhravyAs

are : sakthi ( potency) and samyOga ( conjunction) .

 

SlOkams 6-7 of Tathva Muktha Kalaapam covers these divisions of Tatthvams

and their lakshaNams .

 

207) thraikAlyAnEka siddhAntha nirAsAsambhavaanthaka: ( Based on SlOkam 5)

 

(Meaning ) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who showed the way to refute many

vipareetha siddhanthams of the present , past and future thru a clear understanding of

the Tattvams and thereby avoid the delusions caused by Para Matha siddhAnthams.

Swamy Desikan declars right at the beginning of Tatthva Muktha Kalaapam that he will

win in the debates with Para Matha Vaadhis and establish the correctness of our

Matham ( VisishtAdhvaitham) .

 

208) roopAdhi panchakAdhArA bhAva Vaadha nirAsaka:( Based on SlOkam 8)

 

(Meaning ) : Roopam ( color) ,rasam ( taste) ,Gandham ( fragrance) , sparsam

and Sabdham are guNams .Their AadhArams are dhravyams. For iinstance , Flower

is a dhravyam ; it has roopam and rasam . This is our Matham .BhouddhAs deny

that the above five have no aadhAram. Swamy Desikan rejected these views and defended

the division of PathArTams into two categories : dhravyam and adhtavayam .

 

209) dharma-dharmithva apalAbha-vAdha dhvAntha dhivAkara: (Based on SlOkam 9)

 

(Meaning ) : dharma is the attribute ; dharmi is the substantive aspect of an entity

or substratum for that attribute . A pot is the Dharmi and the roopam et al , the attributes

of that pot are its dharma. We have to understand the distinctions between dharma and

dharmi .The sambhnadham between dharma and dharmi is dharma-dharmI bhAvam .

In Brahma Soothrams, Brahmam , the dharmi is established thru dharma . This is our

Matham .Bhouddha Matham does not accept dharma-dharmi bhAvam.

 

210) pruTivAdhi chathur-dhravyamAthra paksha vibhEdaka: ( Based on SlOkam 11)

 

(Meaning) : Here Swamy Desikan refutes the Naasthika Matham of ChArvAkam ,

which accepts only 4 dhravyams that can be percieved such as PruTvee , Jalam ,

tEjas ( agni) and Vaayu . They do not accept other dhravyams , which are not

comprehended diretly by the senses ( prathyaksham) . For them AakAsam ,AathmA ,

Kaalam beyond direct perception level are not acceptable as dhravyams. Swamy

stats that sabdha ( Veda) pramANam has to be used in determining the list of

dhravyams and can not dismiss some because they are not Prathyaksham .

For instance , there is a pot in adark room that one can not see . The pot can not

be declared as nonexistent because one can not see it in the dark room .

 

211) thriguNEndhriya vargAnadhyaksha bhAva vidhAyaka:( Based on slOkam 11)

 

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

Indhriya vargams will not become prathyaksham and they can not be seen or

felt . Prakruthi is a dhravyam with three guNams .It is the moola kaaraNam for

achEtanams .Prakruthi , which is KaaraNam becomes kaaryam , when it becomes

PruTvee ( earth ) . During its kaaryam stage , the KaaraNam ( Prakruthi) becomes

prathyaksham and can not be seen in its kaaraNam state .Same with the assembly of

indhriyams