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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00020 May 2002

 
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SrI:

Dear BhakthAs:

Today , adiyEn will cover the Thirty Second slOkam 
of Sri SaraNAgathi DhIpikai , where Swamy Desikan
refers to SrI DhIpa PrakAsan being worshipped at
different dhivya dEsams as Sriman NaarAyaNan through 
the PaancharAthra and VaikhAnasa Aagamic rites:

ThvAm PaancharaathrikanayEna pruTakvidhEna
vaikhanasEna cha paTA niyatAdhikArA:
samgn~yA visEsha niyamEna samarchayantha: 
preethyA nayanthi phalavanthi dinAni dhanyA:

--SrI SaraNAgathi DhIpikai: SlOkam 32

Meaning: 
********

Oh ViLakkoLI PerumALE ! The fortunate ones (dhanyA:) 
worship You through the two VaishNava Aagamams 
( PaancharAthra and VaikhAnasa Aaagamams ) with their 
own specific traditions and Vidhis. Each of these two
aagamams have their own uniqueness. It is the long-
observed rule that those who follow one of the two 
aagamams are not eligible to use the other aagamam.
This is a strictly observed restriction . Each of these
two aagamams has its own individual names for the Lord .
In PaancharAthram , the Lord (archA moorthy) is worshipped 
as VaasudEvan , SankarshaNan ,Pradhyumnan and Aniruddhan. 
In VaikhAnasam , the four names for worship of the Lord 
are: VishNu , Purushan , Sathyan and Achyuthan. The archakAs
of the two aagamams hold strictly to their ancient traditions 
and worship the Lord at different dhivya desams through one
or the other aaagamic way. These archakAs and the bhakthAs
are the fortunate ones , who spend their life fruitfully 
through such daily worships and are happy with their lot.

Additional Comments :
**********************
"DhanyA: niyathAdhikArA: ThvAm preethyA samarchayantha:
dinAni Phalavanthi nayanthi" is the central message of this
slOkam extolling the good fortune of those qualified adhikAris
engaged in loving worship of the Lord either through 
PaancharAthraa or VaikhAnasa rites . That these two aagamams
have distinct and different prescribed rites for worship
is indicated by Swamy Desikan this way: " PruTak vidhEna
PaancharAthrikanayEna (aTa vaa) VaikhAnasEna paTA cha
ThvAM preethyA samarchayantha: dinAni phalavanthi nayanthi".
They worship You with affection through the specific rites
of PaancharAthram or VaikAnasam and they feel fulfilled during
the days of their lives. The niyamam ( codified observances)
of the two rites regarding the names assigned to the Lord in
each of these two aagamams is referred to by Swamy Desikan
in this slOkam this way: " samj~nA visEsha niyamEna ThvAM
preethyA samarchayantha: dinAni phalavanthi nayanthi". 
In Tamil we call niyamam and the discipline as " nEma-
nishtai". The dhanyasaalis worship the Lord with prescribed 
rules and regulations of the individual aagamams . 

Parama Paavana VishNava Aagamams
**********************************
ThiruviNNagaram (Oppiliappan Koil ), ThiruvahIndhrapuram 
are dhivya dEsams where VaikhAnasa aagamam originating from
Vikhanasa rishi is followed. Dhivya desams like Srirangam 
use the PaancharAthra aagamam . 

Nigama and Aagama
******************
It is generally accepted that Nigama(Vedam )and Aagama are 
the two pillars of our vaidhika sampradhAyam . Aagama is closely
allied to the VedAs. The aagama , tantra and manthra saasthrAs 
deal with the worship of the deities , the construction and
consecration of the temples , the lakshaNam for the deities ,
the daily routine of aarAdhanam at the temples , the conductance of
uthsavams , drawing of yanthrAs et al. RudrayAmalam pays tribute
to the Aagamam this way:

" tadhAgama ithi prOktham Saasthram PARAMA PAAVANAM ".

The VedAs deal with upAsanA , conductance of Yaagams 
and deal with aathma-vichAram. Aagamaas provide the rules
and details of the saadhanaa (practise ) of the UpAsanA 
of the Vedaas and Upanishads. Aagamaas thus deal with
the practises , processes , mantrAs and rituals regarding
worship of the deities. VaishNav aagamAs are two in number 
and one originated from BhagavAn Himself ( PaancharAthram )
and the other from Sage Vikhanasar at NaimichArANyam.

Aagama SamhithAs
***************** 
PaancharAthra Aagamam has many samhithAs: NaaradIya, Yogatatva, 
Paadhma , Isvara,Satthvatha , Paushkara, JayAkhya , Kapinjala , 
VishNu ,Hayaseersha,SrIprasna , Ahirbudhnya , LakshmI Tantram 
et al. PaancharAthra aagama got its name from the fact 
that it was delivered by the Lord Himself in five nights.
Deva Sannidhyam is the fruit of worship by the AagamAs.
One of the slOkams of SrIprasna SamhithA refers to this:

AachAryO Manthra-sampoorNa: KriyA-poorNAsthu silpina:
DhAthA thu vittha-sampoorNa: DEva-sAnnidhya-kAraNAth

(The AchAryan and the archakAs are(should be) repositories of
ManthrAs and the architects (of temples ) and Creators
of the archA icons should be fully conversant with Silpa 
SaasthrAs.The philanthrophic minded people should be wealthy.
on these three (AchAryAs , Silpis and DhAthA) , the living 
presence of deities rests ).

The greatness of PaancharAthram
******************************** 
Of the greatness of PaancharAthram and its tight links to
Vedam , Swamy Desikan states:

yaathum ilAtha anRum yavarkkum nanRi yeNNiya Namm-
MaadhavanAr vadanathamudham uNNum valampuri pOl
vaadhukaLAl azhiyA maRai mouLiyin vaan poruLE
Othiya PanchAtthiramum uhavArai ozhukkuvamE

Here Swamy Desikan points out the divinity of 
PaancharAthram as being the same as sacred meanings
of undefeatable VedAs and Upanishads (MaRai MouLi).
It is Veda Saaram and given to us by the Lord (Maadhavan).
Those who revere it and follow it will be dear to Him.

Elsewhere , swamy Desikan identifies the Yugam of
avathAram of PaancharAthram as "Krutha Yugam "
(Kaavalithu nalluyirkkenRu kAttum Kaartha Yugak-
athikaNDOm karai kaNDOmE).Here Swamy Desikan says that
the Lord considered the PaancharAthram as the Rakshai
(protection ) for the aasthika chEthanams and blessed
us with this aagamam during Krutha Yugam. 

The greatness of MahA Lakshmi in the two Aagamams
*************************************************
In PaancharAthram , the glories of MahA Lakshmi (SrI Devi)
is equal to Her Lord. JayAkhya Aagama Samhithai practised
at Sri RanganAthA temples at Srirangam and Pomona , NY 
states that SrI Tatthvam is celebrated with the four names
of SrI DEvi (Lakshmi, Keerthi, JayA and MaayA ). These four names
of Her being inseperably united with her Lord Sriman NaarAyaNan.
The divine couple (Dhivya Dampathis ) of SrI and Sriya: Pathi
united together is the essence of PaancharAthra Aagamam.

VaikhAnasa Aagamam places equal emphasis on SrI Devi.
It is also known as Archaa Saasthram since it deals
with the worship of Archaa Moorthys (archAvathAra:
sarvEshAm adhikArO nirankusa:) by us all through 
archakAs.

The VaikhAnasa Aagama SirOnmaNis are Sages Bhrugu,Vikhanasar,
MarIchi,Kaasyapar, Adhri et al:

SrI VaikhAnasa Aagamam places great emphasis on the importance of
the Devis of the Lord: SrI Devi and BhUmi Devi ( Hreesccha tE 
LakshmIsccha Patnyou ).These are the Ubhaya NaacchiyArs of ArchAvathAram.
SrI Devi is worshipped first in our sampradhAyam because of
Her auspicousness and being the SahakAri of SrIman NaarAyaNan.
SrI Devi according to VaikhAnasa Aagamam arose from SrI vathsam 
of Lord NaarAyaNan. They take on three forms: YOga Lakshmi, BhOga
Lakshmi and Veera or Svatanthra Lakshmi.YOga lakshmi never leaves
the chest of the Lord and She declares "ahalahillEn" ( NithyA 
anapAyini). She is on the right side of the chest of the Lord.
BhOga Lakshmi is on he left side of the chest of the Lord .
Veera or Svatanthra Lakshmi has her own sannidhi ( TanikkOil).
Svatanthra Lakshmi as SrI Devi is saluted with the four names of
SrIyam, DhruthIm , PavithrIm and PramOdhAyinIm (vandhE).
She is worshipped with either Bhilva leaves or white lotus 
petals for recieving Her anugraham.Her birth star is Utthara 
Phalguni.She has Jayaa and Vijayaa as DhvAra PaalakAs in
Her Special abode and has as Her parivAram DhurgA, Sarsvathi,
JyEshtA ,UmA , NandhA and NirmAlya HaariNI.There are 5 days 
in themonth that are special to Her (SrI Panchaka Dinam).
Worship of Her on these 5 days is sure to attain Her 
anugraham.

Sri VaikhAnasa Aagamam like Its sister Aagamam places
tremendous emphasis on the worship of SrI devi.She is 
recognized as the Lord's Isvaryam and accepted as One
without beginning or end (Aadhi MadhyAntha rahithai).
Her Roopam and Vaibhavam is beyond our imagination.
She is the sahakAri for VishNu Sankalpam .She generates
aanandham in Her Lord .

The sources of VaishNava Aagamic scholarship
*********************************************
The experts at Kaanchi and MelkOte are great scholars
in PaancharAthra Aagamams(SrI PaancharAthram Sampath
Bhattar and SrI Varada Bhattar of PerumAL Koil ).
Dr.S. Mutthu Bhattar of Vivekanandha College ,
Mylapore is an authority on VaikhAnasa Aagamam . 
Oppiliappan net is planning to publish a series of
articles later on both the Aagamams with the help of
authorities from Melkote on PaancharAthra and
authorities from ThiruvallikkENi on VaikHAnasam .

SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
SrI Lakshmi Nrusimha ParabrahmaNE Nama: 

NigamAntha MahA Desikaaya NamO Nama:
SrI Maragathavalli SamEtha SrI DhIpa PrakAsa ParabrahmaNE nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan/SaThakOpan

P.S: Please do not forget to support the NithyArAdhana 
Kaimkaryam for Swamy Vedantha Desikan at ThUppul and
Sri ViLakkoLi PerumAL at ThUppul/ThirutthaNkA dhivya desam.
We have only 5 more Laks of Rupees needed to complete
this kaimkaryam. There is nothing greater to us
than honoring our AchAryAs in general and Swamy Desikan
in particular . Please contact adiyEn for details incase
you wish to particpate in this NithyArAdhana Kaimkaryam .




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