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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 42
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (8) [continued] 
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
----- 
        Of the two angles through which the Lord wins over
the devotees, we considered the first, i.e., the
beauty of His form -- ?vadivazhagu?. We could consider
some aspects only because it would be otherwise
unending. The central point that emerges is that the
charm of His body cannot be described in words. Any
attempt to describe it through comparisons will be a
failure, as there is no object having similar
features. 
        His ?vadivazhagu? gets embellished by the constant
presence of SrI Lakshmi on His chest. There is a sloka
in VAlmIki rAmAyaNa in this regard:

 ?thamasah paramO dhAtA shankha-chakra-gadAdharah /
  shreevatsa-vakShA nitya-shreeh ajayyah  shAshvatO 
dhruvah //? (Rama.,6-114-15)

(BhagavAn, Who is beyond the prakruti, holds the
Conch, the Discus and Mace on His hands, and has the
mole, SrI Vatsa, and SrI on His chest eternally, and
He is birth-less, eternal and firm.)
The Lord is always mentioned as the Husband of SrI
Lakshmi,?shriyah-pathih?.   AzhvArs have sung many
verses describing them together. SrI nammAzhvAr
describes Him as the Lord with the chest where resides
SrI, determined not to leave:
 ?akalakillEn iRaiyumenRu alarmEl mangaiyuRai mArbhA!?


Both Sanskrit and Tamil scriptures assert that we
should meditate on the Lord as the One Who is of the
nature of eternal Bliss and knowledge, with His
Consort, SrI, Who remains eternally inseparable from
Him, in all states and in all respects. 
        In SrI rAmAyaNa, the following physical features of
the Lord as Sri rAma have been enumerated:
        dyutimAn - radiant; vipulAmsah - broad shouldered;
mahA bhAhuh - powerful arms; kambugreevah -
conch-shaped neck; mahA hanuh - stout chin; mahOraskah
- broad chest; goodha jatruh - collar bone covered
with flesh; AjAnubhAhuh -long arms; sushirAh -
well-formed head; sulalAtah - well-shaped forehead;
suvikramah - charming gait; samah - well statured;
samavibhaktAngah - well-proportioned limbs;
snigdhavamah - pleasant complexion; peenavkShAh -
strong chest; visAlAkshah - large eyes; lakShmivAn -
full of splendour; subhalakShaNah - auspicious
features; sadaika priya darshanah - ever pleasing to
see; and sOmavat priyadarshanah - pleasing like the
Moon.   

        SwAmi Desiakn?s second message is that the Lord
captivates jIvas by his conduct also:   

 (8)   ?vadivazhakAlum, seelattAlum
vasheekarikkumtuvum;?

        The Lord draws the jIva-s by His auspicious character
and conduct. One may be rich in auspicious qualities,
but at the same time, he may have some bad qualities
also, as we see in the world. But, the Lord is not
such. He is opposed to all that is faulty or
objectionable. As it is stated, 
 ?samasta-hEya-rahitam vishNvAkyam paramam padam?
(VishNuPurANa, 1-2-53)

(That Supreme Goal, which is called VishNu, is free
from all imperfections.)

 ?parah parANAm sakalA na yatra klEshAdayah santi 
parAvarEshE? 
                                                      
                            (VishNu PurANa, 6-5-85)

(He is greater than the great; is the Lord of the
great and the low, there are no such things as pain.) 
                
On the other hand, the Lord possesses infinite
auspicious qualities, both in number and quantity. The
vAmana PurANa mentions the example of the precious
stone in the ocean (74-40).
        The pAncarAtra SamhitAs and the VishNu PurANa uphold
six attributes as the most important because of these,
the Supremacy of the Lord is established. These are:
j~nAna (knowledge), shakti (power), bala (strength),
aishvarya (Lordship), veerya (enegy) and tEjas
(splendour).  The possession of these attributes makes
the Lord perfect. In addition to these, having SrI as
the Consort identifies the Supreme Lord or Brahman  as
MahAvishNu. 
These are called ?svaroopa-niroopaka-dharma, the
attributes which determine the essential nature of an
object. 
        Besides these, the Lord is also endowed with second
group of qualities, namely,
niroopita-svaroopa-vishEShaNa, that is, qualities
which become known after the comprehension of the Form
of the Lord.     
        Accordingly, SrI BhashyakAra has enumerated the
following nineteen important qualities in this
category:

1)      Sausheelya or intimate communion with devotees; 2)
vAtsalya or tender affection; 
3) mArdava or soft-heartedness; 4) Arjava or
straight-forwardness; 5) sauhArda or friendly
disposition; 6) sAmya or equal treatment; 7) kAruNya
or compassion; 8) mAdhurya or enchanting beatitude; 9)
gAmbheerya or incomprehensible character; 10) audArya
or generosity; 11) chAturya or skilfulness; 12)
sthairya or fortitude; 13) dhairya or courage;    14)
shaorya or fortitude; 15) parAkrama or valour; 16)
satyakAma or the eternal possession of all the desired
objects; 17) satya-sangkalpa or the ability to carry
out all resolves; 18) krutitva or feeling of having
fulfilled the obligation;  and 19) krutaj~natA or the
gratitude. 

SrI rAmAyaNa says:

        ?Anrushamsyam-anukrOshah shrutam sheetalam
damsh-shamah /
  rAghavam shObhayantE ShadguNAh puruShOttamam //?
(rAmAyaNa, 2-33-12)

(Benevolence, compassion, learning, integrity of
character, control of the senses, and the mind --
these six qualities adore Rama, the best of men.)       

        In ValmIki rAmAyaNa, Sage nArada enumerates the
virtues of SrI rAma, an incarnation of the Lord:
shaucam - Purity; dama - control of senses; arindama -
subduing the internal foes; brahmacaryam - celibacy;
tapas - austerity; vEda-vEdAnga tattvajnatA -
knowledge of vEdas and auxiliaries; sarva shAstrArtha
tattvajnA - knowledge of all sciences; bhuddhi-mattva
- intellect; j~nAna sampannatA - being full of wisdom;
neetimAn - upholder of righteousness; vAgmitA -
eloquence; pratibhAnam - quick wit; smrutimattvam -
Sharp memory; vicakshaNatA  - Shrewdness; nitytAtmatA
- Being resolute; adeenAtA - Dauntless spirit;
vaShyatA - Modesty; kShamA - Endurance; gAmbheeryata -
profoundity; AryatA - Nobility; yashasvitA -
Reputation; dayA - compassion; dAna - Charity; satya -
Truth; dharmaj~natA - Clear understanding of dharma;
Arjavam - Guilelessness; krutaj~natA - sense of
gratitude; saraNAgata rakShA - Vow of protecting those
who surrender; vinaya sampannatA - Humility; dAkShinya
- Impartiality; dakShatA - Dexterity (skill);
sAragrAhitA - Quick grasp; aklishta karmatA -
Non-weariness; ahimsA - Blemish-less vision;
sauSheelya - amiability; mitratvam - Friendship;
akArpaNyam - No self-pity-ness: aspruhA -
Non-covetousness; samadruhsevA -- Serving those sages
who look upon all created beings equally; viparya ye
hekSha - Pondering on the man?s activity in
retrospect; maunam - observing silence; Atma
vimarshanam - Examining self-conduct and visualising
at evry moment the public opinion against his
behaviour; {The last two concepts have been taken as
one dharma by some scholars, that is, as the silence
is the first step for inner study of the mind and the
self ultimately.]; AtmAdevatAbuddhi - Treating all
created beings as equal to Himself; santOSha -
contentment; and Astikatva - Belief in Scriptures.   

        During the incarnation as SrI rAma, the Lord
exhibited these aspects of excellent conduct:
smita poorvAbhi-bhAshI - smiles before speaking;
poorva bhAshI - takes initiative in speaking;
mita bhAshI -     speaks less;
madhura bhAshI -  speaks sweetly;
priyamvada  -   speaks kind words;
mrudu poorvantu bhAshate -  gentle in speech;
ucyamanopi parusham nOttharam pratipadyate -- even if
anyone speaks harshly, He will not
                                                                       retort in
the same manner;
nityam praShAntAtmA -  ever tranquil of mind;
vruddhAnAm paripoojakah -- shows utmost regard for
elders;
bahusrtAnAm vruddhAnAm  brAhmaNanAm upAsitA -- adores
the aged and-- adores VEdic 
      scholars;
krutEnaikEna upakArENa tushyati - feels gratified even
for one good thing done for him 
                                        casually;
na vighruhya kathAruchih - never interested in
quarrel-prone talks;
na viruddakathA ruchih - never interested in
unrighteous discourse;
na krudhyatyabhiShaptOpi - does not lose temper even
when He is slandered;
krOdhaneeyAni varjayan - avoids provoking words;
kruddhAn prasAdayan sarvAn - pacifies all who are
angry;
na ca vismitah-svEna veeryEna mahatA - never elated
for His extraordinary prowess;
na cAnrutakathah - never utters a lie;
vruddhAnAm prtipoojatakah - worships elders;
prajAsca anurajyatE - loves people;
kalyanAbhijanah - associates with good;
anasooyakah - never jealous;
nAsadgrAhee - gives no quarter to the evil-minded;
na durvacAh - never utters a foul word;
na druptah - free from pride;
na matsaree - free from envy;
nAshrEyasi ratah - never interested in activiy which
is not beneficial;
sAnukraOshah - compassionate;
deenAnukampee - takes pity on the distressed;
nityam kushalam pariprucchti - enquires about the
welfare of the people regularly;
sama duhkhah -- shares sorrow of others;
pitEva parituShyati - feels happy like a father if any
prosperity comes to others;
na alasah  - not lazy;
nistandree - not indolent;
apramattah - ever vigilant;
caranau vavande - bows with reverence touching the
feet of parents and gurus and sages;
prAnjali abhipretya - approaches elders with folded
hands;
praNathah antikE -  bends the body near elders while
speaking;
nibhrutah - modest; and 
sadA bhavyah - ever auspicious. 

        These form part of the qualities of the Lord from
which no one can escape from being captivated by Him.
These are also witnessed in the archa forms of the
Lord (idols) in various temples by the AzhavArs and
our poorvAchAryas and recorded their experiences in
their works. Both the aspects of His physical beauty
and His conduct are inexhaustible. 
        This is yet another favour conferred by the Lord,
says SwAmi Desikan.
---
(To coninue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
---------------------------------------- 
Note:
Books consulted: 
SrImad Rahasyatrayasara, edited with notes by SrI
VidvAn VangIpuram NavanItam SrIrAmadEsikAchAryar
SwAmi, 
SrImad Rahasyatrayasara , English Translation by SrI
M.R.Rajagopala Iyengar, 
(Formerly of the Madras Educational Service)
Vaishnavism by Sri S.M. SrInivAsa chAri;
The Light of Ramayana by Justice SrI P.Kodanda
Ramayya)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 



      
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