Sri VaikunTha Gadhyam : Part II

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SrI:

 

YaamunAya sudhaambhOdhim avagAhya yathAmati

AadhAya bhaktiyOgAkhaym ratnam sandarsyAmyaham

 

Above is the Taniyan for SrI Vaikunta Gadhyam .

 

(Meaning): adiyEn plunges/delves deeply into the ocean of nectar of the SrI Sooktis of my prAcharyan (Acharyan's AchAryan) , Swamy AlavantAr and have brought out the precious jewel of Bhakti yOgam . adiyEn will now describe the loftiness of this gem ( SrI VaikunTha Gadhyam) to the best of my ability .

 

Here , AchArya RaamAnuja who was influenced very much by the GitArtha Sangraham of Swamy AlavantAr( YaamunAchArya ) in creating His own Sri Sookti of SrI GeetA BhAshyam , expresses His gratitude to YaamunAchArya .

 

The Number of ChUrNikais in SrI VaikunTha Gadhyam

 

ChUrNikai 1 : " svAdheena-trividha-----sarvabhAvEna SaraNam anuvrajEt "

 

ChUrNikai 2: Tatasccha pratyahamAtmOjjeevanAya yEvam anusmarEt

 

ChUrNikai 3: ChaturdaSa bhuvanAtmakam aNDam---iti yAchamAna: praNamya AtmAnam BhagavatE nivEdhayEt "

 

ChUrNikai 4: Tata: BhagavatA svayamEva--upAseeta "

 

ChUrNikai 5: tatasccha anubhUyamAna bhAva viSEsha:niradhisaya---

avalOkanEna avalOkayan Aaseeta "

 

ChUrNikai 6: TatO BhagavatA svayamEva ---sarvAyavAya sukham Aseeta ".

 

There are 6 chUrNikais in SrI Vaikunta Gadhyam as indicated above according to one tradition .Another tradition r the 6 ChUrNikais into Fourteen .

 

Let us study these chUrNikais one by one with word for word meanings provided by Sriman K.R.KrishNaswaami and follow it up with the overall meanings of the individual chUrNikais and commentaries from PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai's vyAkhyAnam as translated by Sriman Sridharan of Srirangam . Swamy Desikan has extensively commented upon SaraNAgaty and Sriranga Gadhyams but has provided only a brief commentary on Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam . We will rely therefore on PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai's detailed commentary .

 

An Appeal to AstikAs : Prior to the study of Sri VaikunTha gahdyam , let me appeal to all readers to take part in supporting the Gopura NirmANa and SamproKshaNa kaimkaryam at Satyagalam Temple for SrI PerumdEvi SamEta Sri VaradarAja PerumAL , who was worshipped for number of years by Swamy Desikan .Please contact adiyEn regarding your participation in this important kaimkaryam .

 

Sri VaikunTha Gadhyam's place among the three Gadhyams: " While SaraNAgathi gadhya , the first of thre three gadhyAs is in the form of a homage being paid to the Lord and His glory and a declaration of Sri Ramanuja's position of absolute surrender to the Lord , the Sriranga Gadhyam addresses itself to the image ( archai) of Lord Ranganatha at His temple in Srirangam . The third and the last one , Sri VaikynTha gahdyam gives a graphic description of VaikunThaor Paramapadha , the Supreme abode of Sriman Narayana , who lives amidst a community of liberated souls ( Mukta Jeevans and Nitya Sooris). These liberated souls have attained Moksha siddhi as their Parama PurushArtham ( Supreme Goal) , the quintessence of which is eternal and blemishless ( nitya niravadhya) kaimkaryam to the dhivya dampatis at Sri VaikunTham .

 

The gospel of self-surrender ( Prapatti or SaraNAgati ) leading to Parama PurushArtham of nitya Kaimkaryam forms the central theme of the three gadhyams. In VaikunTha Gadhyam , RaamAnuja declares that SaraNAgati is the stepping stone for nitya Kaimkaryam to the Lord . AchAryan is also telling us as what one should be doing or how one should be conducting oneself after performing SaraNAgati . There is a fascinating description of Sri Vaikuntam : its opulence , the beautiful gardens , ponds , birds . flower plants , creepers , sweet sounds etc. At the center of all this wealth is the Lord , Sriman Narayana , seated on AdhisEsha in the company of Mahaa Lakshmi and entire entourage of Nitya Sooris and Mukta Jeevans , who are engaged in performing various kaimakaryams to Him . RaamAnuja describes the affectionate look of the Lord on seeing the liberated souls , whom he has accepted for Kaimkaryam . The final step is the One , when the Lord Himself calls the mukta jeevans to His proximity , places His lotus feet on their heads , which results in them getting immersed in heavenly bliss."

 

Sriman NarayaNa CharaNou SaraNam PrapadhyE ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

P.S : Please support the Satyagalam Kaimkaryam linked to Swamy Desikan !