Acharya vaibhavam - 13- which is the best dharma? who is the God? Which name for chanting?

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

How do we thus get rid of this suffering? By praising

the Lord; by uttering His divine names; By enjoying

his kalyANa guNAs; by contemplating on His most

beautiful form; by listening to the sthothras rendered

by others [if we do not know]..

 

Thirumazhisai AzhwAr says: theritthu yezhudhi

vaasitthum kaettum vaNangi vazhipattum poositthum

pOkkinEn poadhu.

 

Which sthothras? – Sri VishNu sahasranama sthothra is

more popular throughout our country and is taught in

your age [those days] to all children at home. It is

recited everyday in temples, homes, and in ashrams,

and mutts. It is said to be the easy and unfailing

means for the attainment of all our that we desire and

avoidance of unwelcome things and even for the

realization of God.

 

Sri Vishnu sahasranamam is one of the most popular and

well-knowen sthothras and there are nearly 40

vyAkhyAnams on the same. Sri Parasara Bhattar [son of

Sri KooratthAzhwAn] one of the Prime disciples of

Ramanuja; and 74 simhaasanaadhipathis of Sri Ramanuja,

has written a detailed commentary on it, which goes by

the name of “Bhagavad GuNa darpaNa” [the mirror that

reflects the kalyANa guNAs of Bhagawaan].

 

Bhattar enumerates the following reasons to prove the

greatness, universal popularity and authoritativeness

of VishNu sahasranamam.

 

The reasons are:

1.It is the essence of Mahabharatha which is like the

mine of good things

2.It has been sung by several sages in many places.

3.It has been strung together by the great sage Vyasa.

 

4.It is the considered opinion of Bhishma that it is

best and the easiest of all dharmas.

5.It is accepted by all that it is easiest and most

successful means for the attainment of all fruits.

6.It is in conformity with the teachings of Bhagavad

Gita and other religious texts.

 

Then Bhattar passes on to comment on the thirteen

introductory slokas in the chapter on Sahasranama,

where she questions are put by Yudhishtra to Bhishma

and convincing answers are given by the latter.

Here are the questions asked by Yudhishtra and their

answers by Bhishma:

 

1.Which or who is the Supreme God?

2.Which is Highest Goal that one should target?

3.Which or who is the God to be worshipped?

4.whose names are to be chanted?

5.which is greatest dharma in your Opinion?

6.Which is the means that will bring about the release

from bondage?

 

Bhishma answers them all [but in reverse order], sicne

there is connection between the answers. And in

getting the knowledge of the one leads to another.

Bhishma answers:

 

1.The chanting of the names of Sri Vishnu who is the

Supreme God – Parathvam – Paramaathmaa – Purushotthama

– should be done for obtaining the release from all

these samsaaric afflictions. [this is an answer to

query no. 6]

2.Devaki Nandhana Krishna [i.e. Sriman Narayanan]

alone is to be worshipped and meditated upon with

intense devotion [this is an answer to query no.4]

3.The names of Bhagawaan Sriman Narayanan alone are to

be chanted [this is an answer to query no. 3]

4.It is my considered opinion that the recitation of

Bhagawaan Sri VishNu’s names is the Highest Dharma

[this is an answer to query no. 5]

5.Realization of the Lord Sriman Narayanan with the

divine great effulgence is the Supreme Goal

6.Bhagawaan Sriman Narayanan is the Cause of the

Universe and is the Supreme Lordship.

 

[Reference: Book Sri Vishnu sahasranama Bhashyam of

Sri Parasara Bhattar– translation in English by Prof

Sri A Srinivasa Ragahavan Swami]

 

Taking all scriptural works as authorities,

Srivaishnavam upholds that Sriman Narayanan is the

Supreme Being and that Rudra as well as Chathurmukha

Brahma are subordinate souls constituting His glories

[vibhoothi]. They are more like exalted souls –

jeevathmas and are only positions occupied by

jeevathmas due to their karma. It is not a mere dogma

or cult of ours.

 

As mentioned in an earlier post, this truth is

declared by none other than Sage Veda Vyasa himself in

a very significant verse:

 

alOdya sarva saasthrANi vichArya Cha puna: puna: |

idam yEkam sunishparNam dhyEyO nArAyaNa: sadhA: ||

 

After a very careful analysis and reaseach, after a

detailed examination of all the saasthrAs [sacred

works, texts], and after repeated [again and again]

investigation into their commentaries, inner meanings,

implied ones, etc.., we come to the One obvious

conclusion that opens to us crystal clear that the

Supreme Lordship who is to be meditated upon at all

times is Sriman Narayanan.

 

There is no other God other than VishNu- says Veda

Vyasa. na vishNO paramO devO vidyathE nrpasattama…

 

There is on other God higher than Narayana.

nArAyaNAth parO dEvO na bhoothO na bhavishyati..

[Varaaha puraNa]

 

There is Higher one other than Vasudeva- na vAsudEvAth

paramasthi daivathAm..

 

onRE kulam; oruvanE Devan… - Only One kulam- vaishnava

kulam- vasudeiva kDumbakam… the family of Vaasudeva..

oruvanE Devan- Only One God for the whole Universe-

Narayana

what is the meaning of Narayana?

Why do Srivaishnavas worship only Him?

Is that not being narrow minded?

Tomorrow.... we will discuss this.

asmadhAChArya paryanthAm vandhE guruparamparAm

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

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