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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00107 Sep 2003

 
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SrI:
Dear BhakthAs :
 
As the Thirunakshathram day of Swamy Desikan approaches ( October 5 ) , adiyEn's mind
is racing towards the translation of Swamy DEsikan's Prabhandhams . Prior to that , it is
important to have the wonderful summary ofthe scope and content of Swamy Desikan's
Darsana Saara Sangraham as bequeathed to us by my First AchAryan , Sri Vangipuram
Navaneetham SrI SrIramadesikAcchAr  Swamy of Oppiliappan Sannidhi . adiyEn has
just translated below his magnificent summary, which is the essence of Swamy Desikan's
Prabhandhams. This should serve as a fitting introduction to the 405 Paasurams
constituting the entire (19) Desika Prabhandhams .Here is that Summary.
 
1. Only Vedam is the Moola PramANam
************************************************
Every one born in this universe should clearly understand the three Tatthvams
(ChEthanam , achEthnam and Iswaran) ,  perform one of the two anushtAnams
( Bhakthi Yogam and Prapatthi Yogam)and attempt to gain the PurushArTam of
Moksham . All of these are contained in the different Veda BhAgams . Vedam 
is the hand lamp for all of us in this SamsAric world. Vedam alone stands as 
the eternal/timeless (anAdhi) , limitless (anantham ) and not composed by any
humans ( apourushEyam) and as an independent PramANam ( as Svathanthra
PramANam that does not depend on anything else). All the SaasthrAs become
PramANams (means of valid knowledge, evidence) with the help of Vedams.
AzhwArs out of their infinite mercy to uplift the human beings from their 
samsAric sorrows analyzed the inner meanings of Veda-VedAnthams 
and blessed us with the essence of them through their 4000 Divine Collect
(NaalAyira  Dhivya Prabhandham).
 
2. The AzhwArs
*******************
There are ten AzhwArs ( Pathinmar): Poyghai, BhUtham , pEy , Thirumazhisai ,
NammAzhwAr , KulasEkarar ,  PeriyAzhwAr , ThoNDaradippodi , ThiruppANar,
and Thirumangai . Since they were totally immersed in BhagavAn's GuNAnubhavam
(Aazhnthu kidanthamayaal ) , they are saluted as "AazhwArs". They are all 
avathAra PurushAs ( Incarnation of either Nithya sooris/eternally liberated jeevans,
or Bhagavan's weapons or AabharaNams). Many were not born in human wombs
(ayOnijAs). Besides the above ten AazhwArs, the Paasurams of ANDAL
(the avathAram of the divine consort of the Lord ) , Madhura Kavi ( Key
disciple of Swamy  NammAzhwAr ) and Thiruvarangatthu AmudhanAr
( Disciple of Swamy KurEsar)  make upthe 4000 Divine collect. Among all
the ten AzhwArs, Swamy NammAzhwAr is the most important . He is revered
as Prapanna SanthAna Kootasthar . The sweetness and the depth of meaning
of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi  is indescribable. The commentary
on ThiruvAimozhi is known as Bhagavath Vishayam.
 
3. The AchAryAs
********************
SrIman NaarAyaNan is the First and Foremost AchAryan for all chEthanams.
MahA Lakshmi (Periya PirAtti) is the second in the line of AchAryaas. VishvaksEnar
is third in this line. Only after theabove three , the BhUlOka AchArya Paramparai
comes into being and Swamy NammAzhwAr is the first among the BhUlOka
AchAryAs. VishvaksEnar descended from Vaikuntam to earth and performed
Pancha SamskArams for Swamy  NammAzhwAr and became thus his AchAryan.   
Swamy NammAzhwAr is not only the first among the AzhwAr GhOshti
but also in our AchArya Paramparai .
 
Swamy  Naatha MUni is the next AchAryan after Swamy  NammAzhwAr ,
who incarnated many centuries before Swamy Naatha Muni , who was
a MahA Yogi. In Swamy  Naatha Muni's Yoga dasai (Yogic stance),
Swamy  NammAzhwAr appeared and initiated him into Dhivya
Prabhandhams and became thus the direct AchAryan for Swamy Naatha Muni.
The VaishNava SampradhAya Sambhandham also was blessed to
Swamy  Naatha Muni through SrI ParAnkusa Daasar , who belonged to
the vamsam of Madhura Kavi, who in turn performed direct kaimkaryam
to Swamy NammAzhwAr duirng His stay on this earth. This connection
also led to Swamy  NammAzhwAr becoming the AchAryan for Swamy
Naatha Muni seperated by few generations . After Swamy  Naatha Muni ,
UyyakkoNDAr , MaNakkAl Nambi , AaLavathAr became AchAryas
in that order. Swamy AaLavanthAr was the grand son of Swamy  Naatha Muni .
He is one of the most important AchAryAs in our Guru Paramparai.
Through his maginificent SrI Sookthis like SthOthra Rathnam , Chathu: SlOki
and others , Swamy  AaLavanthAr nourished our darsanam and helped
the world immensely  . The key disciple of  Swamy AaLavanthAr is Periya Nambi.
 
4. SrI BhAshyakArar
************************
Periya Nambi's sihya is SrI BhAshyakArar ,who is pravarthakar  of
our SiddhAntham. He is known also by othernames such as Udayavar,
RaamAnujar and  YathirAjar . He is the One , who saved our siddhAntham
from the destruction that would have been caused to it by other mathams.
He blessed us with nine SrI Sookthis: SrI BhAshyam , VedAntha Dheepam ,
VedAntha Saaram , VedArTa Sangraham , GitABhAshyam , SaraNAgathi
Gadhyam, SrI ranga Gadhyam , SrI Vaikunta Gadhyam and Nithyam. Among
these nine blessed works, the most celebrated is SrI BhAshyam , which is
the commentary on Sage BaadarAyaNA's Brahma Soothrams.Swamy Desikan
states that he spent His life time studying and intrepreting SrI BhAshyam .
AchArya RaamAnujA has instructed us that the study of SrI BhAshyam is
the first duty and the loftiest among the kaimkaryams to be performed by
a Prapannan.He has placed the SrI BhAshya KaalakshEpam and teaching
of SrI BhAshyam to others  as the foremost act to be performed by such
a Prapannan. If we are to think of AchArya Paramparai as a necklace ,
then AchArya RaamAnuja is the center pieceof that necklace ( Naayaka
MaNi for that Haaram). He collected the fragmented AachArams and
assembled them with the help of VedAs and protected the VarNAsrama
Dharmams from endangerment. He is the guide for all of us through His
discovery of the inner meanings of the VedAs and the related pramANams
and codified the way of conduct for the people of the world . AchArya
RaamAnujA never swerved from the Saasthrams of the Lord and His
SrI Sookthis based on them even during the most dangerous times
in His life. It is important for us to gain a clear comprehension of
His SrI Sookthis to understand the SiddhAntham revered as Bhagavath
RaamAnuja SidhdAntham . This is the properway. Anything other than
that way  to comprehend His siddhAntham could only prove harmful.
His SiddhAntham can also be understood through KaalakshEpams at
the sacred feet of SadAchAryAs.
 
One of the most important disciples of AchArya RaamAnujA was
Thirukkuruhai PirAn PILLAn , who blessed us with the celebrated
commentary on ThiruvAimozhi known as Thiru AaRAyirappadi.
The AchArya Paramparai after  PiLLAn is KadAmpi AacchAn ,
YengaL AazhwAn , NadAthUr AmmAL and KadAmpi AppuLLAr .
 
Swamy  Desikan
********************
He is the celebrated sishyar of Kadampi AppuLLAr and also
latter's nephew. We have to remember what Swamy Desikan
said about AchArya RaamAnujA , when it comes to Swamy
Desikan himself . Only those who have the Thiruvadi and Thirumudi
sambhandham with AchArya RaamAnuja deserve to occupy the throne
of AchAryAs . We do not need to seek anyone else than Swamy Desikan
since he has blessed us with every aspect of SaasthrAs through his vast
SrI Sookthis.That great help (MahOpakAram) has no match. We should forever
be grateful to the Lord for blessing us with this MahOpakAram of Swamy Desikan.
Sri Appaya Dikshithar , who wrote a commentary for the great Kaavyam
of Swamy  Desikan revered as YaadhavAbhyudhayam has stated that
even the simplest works of Swamy Desikan has the deepest meanings 
on VedAs and SaasthrAs. Let us understand the Post-Swamy Desikan
AchArya Paramparai form one's own AchAryAs.
 
We will continue with the rest of the summary on Desika Prabhandha Saaram 
in the next postings and will cover:
 
(1) The UpakAram of AchAryan
 
(2) Sishyan's Duties
 
(3) Performance of KaalkashEpam
 
(4)The three Rahasyams (Thirumanthiram, Dhvayam, Charamsa SlOkam) 
 
(5) The three Tatthvams ( ChEthanam, AchEthanam and Iswaran)
 
(6) Hitham /Prapatthi/duties of Prapannan/sinlesness of Prapannan/
anthima smruthi for Prapannan/The exit of the Jeevan from the body of
Prapannan/travel by ArchirAdhi maargam to SrI Vaikuntam
 
(7) PurushArTam / Arrival at SrI Vaikuntamand ParipoorNa
BrahmAnubhavam there.
 
After covering the above topics as the high lights of messages
housed in Desika Prabhandhams , adiyEn would start the Kaimakryam
of translating the individual 405 Paasurams of the 19 Desika Prabhandhams .
 
Swamy  Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan
 
   

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