You are here: SriPedia - ebooks - Vedanta Desikan - Works
adhikarana saravali
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.
Spelling: