Thuppul PiLLai- 60- Sanskrit granthas of Swamy - Group 1

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SrI:

SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the

lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Let us continue to enjoy Sanskrit granthas of Swamy Desikan in summary form:

 

Swamy Desikan wrote 12 works in Sanskrit which can be grouped under three

heads. Under the first group, are included seven independent works, all on

philosophy of VisistAdvaita. Among these, the Tattvamuktakalapa, with his

own commentary Sarvaartthasiddhi, bears the impress of the original thinker

and untiring indicator of the system of Sri Ramanujcharya. The text contains

five hundred stanzas in five chapters called rightly sara (strand) as they

from part of the necklace of tattvas.

 

Of the philosophical treatises of Vedantha Desika, this Tattvamuktakalapa

stands out as the most important work. This work, consisting of saras

(strands) of five major topics, namely dravya (substance), jIva (individual

self), Iswara (Gold), Buddhi (knowledge), and adravya (non substance), is

compared to pearl necklace with all these strands (saras) combined,

beautifully and coherently. This is an ornament (kalapa) of pearls (mutthu-

muktha) of tattvas (philosophy). What a name chosen by Desikan, so apt and

deep!

 

According to tradition (writes Sri SMS Chari in his book on Fundamentals of

Visishtadvaita Vedantha -a study based on vedantha Desikan’s Tattvamuktha

kalapa), this work was written and dedicated by Vedantha Desikan to Lord

Ranganathan in the same way as an ornament is offered to God in devotion.

This book is therefore referred to and described as a special ornament

(bhUshaNam), comprising pearls in the form of Tattvas or metaphysical

doctrines of the VisishtAdvaita Vedantha.

 

In Vishnu purana, the different tattvas such as individual soul, Prakriti,

mahat, buddhi, mind, indriyas, etc., are described as different ornaments of

Iswara (God). It is therefore justified to treat this book

(Tattvamuktakalapam) as a SPECIAL ornament of God – says Sri SMS Chari

quoting from Introduction to Tattvamuktakalapam by Sri U Ve Uttamur

Veeraraghabvchariar Swamy.

 

The main objective of Tattvamuktakalapa, as stated in one of the opening

verses, is to establish the doctrines of Visistadvaita Vedantha on a sound

basis through a critical evaluation of the corresponding doctrines advocated

by rival schools of thought. It covers all the important philosophical,

epistemological, cosmological and religious doctrines of the Visistadvaita

Vedantha system. As Vedantha Desikan claims (says Sri SMS Chari in his book)

there is no topic in philosophy which is not discussed in this work. What is

not considered here can not be found elsewhere (yannaasmin kvapi naitat).

This reflects the statement made by Sage Vyasa in Mahaabharatha: yad ihaasti

tad anyatra; yan nehaasti na tat kvachit..

 

In the concluding potion of work, Swamy Desikan says: I have examined in

this work, very carefully almost all topics relating to both pramaaNams and

pramEyams at some place or the other. Until this day, the only source of

authority for deciding any controversial philosophical and epistemological

issue in Visistadvaita Vedantha is the views of Vedantha Desika as expressed

in Tattvamukta kalapam and Sarvaartha siddhi. Truly Tattvamuktakalapam, is

an important compendium of all topics in Visishtadvaita.

 

The schools of thought which come up for critical evaluation in

tattvamuktakalapam are:

NyAya and VaishEshika, Saankhya and Yoga, Poorva mImAmsa of both Prabhaakara

and Kumaarila, Vedantha as presented by Bhaskara, Yaadava and Sankara,

Buddhism covering the four schools of Vaibhashika, Sautraantika, Yogaachaara

and Maadhyamika, Jainism and Chaarvaakam.

 

Only such of the theories of these schools as stand opposed to those upheld

by the Visishtadvaitn are taken up for critical examination. The main

objective of the criticism is to expand the doctrines of Visishtadvaita and

reaffirm their soundness by exposing the defective nature of the

corresponding theories held by the rival school of thought. The theories are

subjected to critical analysis in a very systematic manner and their

soundness is evaluated with reference to three accepted pramaaNaas –

perception, inference and revealed scripture. What is evident to perceptual

experience is not rejected as invalid. In matters, which are outside the

purview of perceptual experience, scriptural evidence is accorded greater

importance than perception as well as logic while determining the validity

of a theory.

 

As for inference, it is acknowledged that it has a limited role since logic

cannot establish conclusively the supersensuous realities. However, logic is

adopted to support the theories established by scripture.

 

NOWHERE in this work, does Vedantha Desikan adopt dialectical arguments to

condemn a theory of the rival schools in a dogmatic manner, but rather he

uses them to elucidate and establish the soundness of Sri Ramanuja Darsanam

(the unparalleled VisishtAdvaita Vedantha) by pointing out the defects in

the views of the opponents. (Readers are highly recommended to buy this book

of Sri SMS Chari’s on Fundamentals of Visishtadvaita based on Swamy

Desikan’s Tattvamuktakalapa.- This is an excellent book and is lucidly

written. )

 

Swamy Desikan Himself has written a commentary on Tattvamuktakalapam called

Sarvaarthasiddhi’. As the title signifies, it contains all that is to be

known by a student of philosophy. It is a very scholarly and comprehensive

commentary, exhibiting author’s encyclopaedic knowledge of all systems of

Indian philosophy. This is very much evident from the way he has stated

succinctly the views of the other schools of thought by quoting the relevant

statements from their original worksJ According to tradition, Swamy Desikan

was conferred the title Sarvagnan- as one possessing comprehensive knowledge

par excellence – on the basis of his masterly work, Tattvamuktakalapa and

Sarvaarthasiddhi.

 

The second work is AdhikaraNasaaraavaLi in 562 stanzas. As the title

indicates, this work gives the gist of the 454 sections (adhikaranas) into

which the BrahmasUthras are classified. These sUthras contain the exposition

of the knowledge of Brahman as contained in the Upanishads. Each stanza

offers in remarkably crisp manner the contents of each section.

AdhikaraNadarpaNa is a smaller work on this topic and is not extant.

 

SathadUshaNi is the Third work which is incomplete containing 66 sections

only. There is no evidence to find out why Acharya did not write further.

Each section is called Vaada. Sri SMS Chari writes in his book on Advaita

and Visishtadvaita- “The SatadUshaNi is an important classic of

Visishtadvaita Vedantha in which as the title suggests, one hundred

philosophical issues have been chosen for systematic criticism directed

against the school of Advaita. The text as available at present contains

only 66 topics (Vaadas). These are mainly based on the arguments advanced by

Sri Ramanuja in the early portion of his

monumental work Sri Bhashyam. The arguments are elaborated by Swamy Desikan

with his metaphysical profundity and mastery over the art of disputation.

 

The topics developed in the SatadUshaNi each one of which is devoted to a

discussion of an independent controversial doctrine of Advaita, refer to

various issues bearing on epistemological, metaphysical, cosmological,

religious, and ethical problems.

 

It appears from the order in which the Vaadas are presented give us an

impression that the work must have been based mainly on the arguments

advanced in the debate. Though there is no logical sequence in the

arrangement of the topics, (Sri SMS Chari says), the work is complete and

highly comprehensive so far as the criticism of Advaita doctrines is

concerned. It exhibits fully Swamy Desikan’s mastery of the art of

disputation.

 

The sixty six vaadas though each of them deals with a specific controversial

issue, may be grouped under the following eight broad headings:

 

1. PramaaNaas

2. Perception and Difference

3. The nature of Consciousness (anubhUthi)

4. The individual Self and the Absolute

5. The NirguNa Brahman

6. Universe

7. The doctrine of Avidyaa

8. Saadhana amd mukti

 

A cursory glance at the titles of each Vaada and its bearing on its contents

would reveal the Acharya’s zeal in defending the system of Ramanuja from the

attacks of the Advaitins and also in launching arguments abounding in

incisive logic, the like of which is hardly found in the field of saasthras.

The Acharya was conferred the title of “Vedanthacharya”, by the Lord of

Srirangam in appreciation of this work.

 

Chakrasamarthana is a work which is lost and which indicated the use of the

particle “cha” which was sought to be shown by VidyaraNyar as superfluous.

 

The fourth work is Nyaayaparisuddhi. The Acharya establishes that the nyAya

system as it is based on the sUthras of Gautama and maintained as a system

by the commentators, is opposed to the Vedantha doctrines. The logical and

epistemological aspects of the Nyaya systemare subjected to a very rigorous

scrutiny and criticized whenever they run counter to the vedathic

disciplines. The art of ddebate which was developed by Gautama and his

followers, is assailed using their own weapons. This work contains two

parts, one on pramaaNaas, means of valid knowledge and pramEyam, the objects

of knowledge.

 

The fifth work NyaayasiddhAnjanam is a master piece containing six sections

on Jadadravya, Jiva, NithyavibhUthi, Buddhi, and Adravya. In the main, the

Acharya takes up the VaishEshika system for study. According to the title,

this work offers the magical ointment (siddhAnjanam) in the form of good

logical arguments to know the Reality accurately. Hence, the Acharya takes

up the treatment of Soul, God, and mOksham in separate chapters, which are

clubbed.

 

VaaditrayakaNdana is held to be the work of the Acharya refuting the views

of Sankara, Bhaskara and yaadavaprakasa. The authorship of this for the

Acharya is doubtful.

 

The sixth work is SeswaramImAmsa which intends to prove that the

PoorvamImAmsa system is part of Vedantha system. Jaimini is stated to have

treated in his sutras the deeds (karma) in order that people could attend to

their duties without leaving them altogether. It is further shown that

Jaimini was not against admitting Brahman as the Ultimate Reality. This

independent work, containing criticisms and elaborate expositions of the

system of Jaimini, though, it appears, on the face of it, to be a commentary

on the adhikaraNAs 1 and 2 of the first chapter; beyond which the work was

not written.

 

MImAmsapAdukA is the seventh work in 173 stanzas giving a summary of the

tenets of the mImAmsa system as acceptable in the light of those of the

Vedanta system.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |

Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

 

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the

teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

 

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