adhikarana saravali

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adhikarana saravali

Introduction

Adhikarana SArAvaLi 
S M Hari, Singapore 

Swami dEsikan delivered an appoorva grantham  known as "Adhikarana
SArAvaLi". In a nutshell, the contents of  the  Brahma  SutrAs are
summarised by Swami Sri Desikan in his famous  and unparalled work,
"AdhikArana SArAvaLi". 

The  BrahmaSutrAs  are aphorisms composed by Veda Vyasa to explain the
Brahma-KAndA.  The  upanishads  which  enlighten  us regarding the
Brahman's swaroopA (reality), roopA (form), gunA (attributes),
vibhuthi-aishwaryam   (lordship).  Shree  Bhagavadh  RAmAnuja  has
delivered commentry on BrahmaSutrAs  and  explained  that only Sri
VisishtAdhvaithA is Shree Vaishnavam's philosophy. The practice is the
purport of the VEda and the philosophy of  VEda  VyAsA.  Swami NigamAntha
MahA DEsikan  who  is  an extraordinary AchAryA in our tradition has
delivered "Adhikarana  SArAvaLi"  wherein,  he  has delivered a hymn for
each Adhikarana explained in Shree BhAshyA in a condensed form. 

Adhikaranam is a sub-section in pAdhA of an AdyAyA in Brahma sutra. Each
Adhikaranam has five components. They are Vishayam (Subject), Samsayam
(Doubt),  Poorva paksham   (Opponent  view),  SidhAntham (Established
truth  with  proof)  and  PrayOjanam  (Benefit   of establishing the truth
with proof). 

Each  chapter  in BrahmaSutrA  has sections called pAdhAs and each pAdhA
has sub-sections called the AdhikaranAs. Each AdhikaranA has one to many
sutrAs. The first chapter  is  sAmanvayA  which  deals with establishing
Shreeman NArayaNA as Brahman  who  is  the  only cause of universe (all
living and non-living things),  having  the universe as his body and he
being the soul of  the  universe.  The second chapter is avirOdha, which
establishes  that  the  Brahman thus established in the  first  chapter,
cannot  be  refuted,  or rejected by any system. The third chapter is
sAdhanA,  which deals with the means to attain the brahman's   lotus
feet.  The  fourth chapter is phala, which deals with  the  goal,  which
is  eternal bliss and service to the lotus feet of Lord Shreeman  NArayaNA
in the Paramapada VaikuntA,  which is  the  transcendental  eternal &
ultimate place. 
  
One sloka (Sanskrit)  from  Swamy  Desikan's  Adhikarana  SAravaLi (almost
in the begining of the work) which explains the meaning of entire Brahma
SutrAs is going  to  be  presented  along  with  its meaning as follows: 

"Srashta Dehi Swanishta: Niravadhi  MahimA ApAsta BAdha: SritApta: KAtmA
DEhEndriyAdEhE Uchita Jananakrut Samsrwtow Tantra VAhi NirdhOshatvAdi
RamyO BhAhu Bhajana Padam SwArha Karma PrasAdya: PApachid Brahma NAdi
Gatikrut AthivAhan SAmyadascha Atra Vedya:" 

Meaning with chapter-pAdha summary is as follows (in brief): 

CHAPTER 1 
========= 
PAdhA 1 : "Srashta" - Shreeman NArAyaNan is the Brahman who is the 
           creator (& sustainer, destroyer) of the universe 
PAdAh 2 : "DEhi" - Shreeman NArAyaNan has  all  the  sentient  and 
          insentients (chit & achits) as his body & HE is the soul 
PAdhA 3 : "Swanishta:" Shreeman NArAyaNan is  the Supreme Self and 
          is the supporter/controller/sEshi of the universe and is 
          unparalled and unsurpassed 
PAdhA 4 : "Niravadhi MahimA" - Shreeman NArAyaNan is infinite with 
          infinite supremacy. 

CHAPTER 2 
========= 
PAdhA 1 : "ApAsta BAdha:" - The  supreme  self thus established in 
          the first chapter cannot be  refuted  or rejected by any 
          system like SAnkya, Yoga, CharuvAka, VaishEsika, Bauddha 
          Jaina, Paasupata and others. 
PAdhA 2 : "SritApta:" - The supreme self Shreeman NArAyaNA  is the 
          only dependable for those who surrender to him as He  is 
          the author of Shree PAncharAtrA  Agama  which  alone  is 
          recognised by Brahma Sutra to be in accordance with  the 
          VEda and equivalent to VEda. 
PAdhA 3 : "KAtmA " -  Shreeman  NArAyaNA is the creator of ether & 
          jIvAtman 
PAdhA 4: "DEhEndriyAdEhE Uchita Jananakrut" - Shreeman NArAyaNA is 
          the creator of the body of JeevAs  and the JeevAs  sense 
          organs according to the individual JeevA's anAdhi karmA. 

CHAPTER 3 
========= 
PAdhA 1 : "Samsrwtow Tantra VAhi"-Sriman NArAyaNA is the controler 
          of the entire universe's actions and inactions. 
PAdhA 2 : "NirdhoshatvAdi RamyO" - Shreeman NArayaNA is identified 
          by  ubhaya-lingam -   the   two  identifications  namely 
          "Infinite with infinite divine qualities/attributes" and 
          "Untouched  by  all  impurities"  though HE  is  present 
          inside and outside of all chit and achit tatvAs always. 
PAdhA 3 : "Bhahu Bhajana Padam" - Shreeman NArAyaNA  is  the  goal 
          of all Bhakthi VidyAs  mentioned in the  upanishads.  He 
          alone is  meditated  upon  by people  who  wish  to  get 
          liberation (mOkshA) 
Paada 4 : "SwArha Karma PrasAdya:" -Shreeman NArAyaNA alone grants 
          the results to all as per their karma. HE  alone  grants 
          all  the four  purushArthas namely Dharma,  Artha,  KAma 
          and MOkshA. 

CHAPTER 4 
========= 
PAdhA 1 : "PApachid" - Shreeman NArAyaNA  destroys  the  obstacles 
          (pApa &  puNyA) of those who practice Bhakti or Prapatti 
          and purifies them and thus makes them  to  be  qualified 
          for getting MOkshA. 
Paada 2 : "Brahma NAdi Gatikrut" -  Shreeman  NArAyaNA  makes  the 
          jIvAtman (who has done Bhakthi or Prapathi) to leave the 
          material body through the "Brahma NAdi" when the JeevA's 
          pApA and puNyA are removed. 
Paada 3 : "Athivahan" -Shreeman NArAyaNA leads the JIvAtman in the 
          ArchirAdhi Gathi to Shree Vaikunta ParamapadA. 
Paada 4 : "SAmyadascha Atra  Vedya:" -  Shreeman  NArAyaNA  grants 
          "SAlOka", "SAroopiya",   "SAmeepyA",  "SAyujya"  to  the 
          Mukta JeevA. "SAlOka" - Jeeva reaches the Shree Vaikunta 
          LOka which is trancendental and imperishable. "SAroopiya" 
         -Jeeva gets divine body of SuddhaSatvam as similar to the 
          body of Sriman NArAyaNA. "SAmeepyA" -  JeevA  goes  near 
          Sriman  NArAyaNA in the ParamapadA.   "SAyujyA" -  Jeeva 
          eternally  does  service  to  the  Lotus  feet of Sriman 
          NArAyaNA along with  Nitya sUrIs  and  other muktAs  and 
          never  returns  to the  material   world.   Thus  Sriman 
          NArAyaNA who is the Para  BrahmA Butha is known from the 
          SAreeraka SAstra which is the Brahma sutra - the purport 
          of entire VEdAs. 


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