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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00074 Sep 2005

 
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SrI :
 
On this AavaNi Svathy day dear to Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan , adiyEn would like to initiate
a likitha Kaimkaryam on the above controversial topic (!) , which was assigned as a topic for
discussion by the Program Chairman of the AchArya SmaraNothsavam Committee of
Ahobila Matam North America . The celebrations took place at Sri RanganAthA Temple
at Pomona ,  NY on Sep 3 , 2005 . There was a spirited discussion , which was mediated
by MahA Vidwaan Dr.S.M.S. Chari in an impartial manner .
 
AdiyEn and Dr.Murali Rangaswamy of Boston argued in favor of Sanskrit and Srimans AMR Kannan
of Syrcuse and Sri Oppili Gopalan of Washington DC argued in favor of Tamil . The Sanskrit Team
focussed on Vedams , Upanishads , AchArya SthOthrams as the source material for Bhagavath
anubhavam in all languages including Tamil . The Tamil team grounded deeply in NaalAyira 
Dhivya Prabhandham argued effectively in favor of Tamil being the superior language for
Bhagavath anubhavam .  After the friendly debate was over and a popular vote was taken ,
Dr.SMS Chari gave his impartial judgement that both languages are equal in superiority 
for Bhagavath anubhavam and gave the reasons in a scholarly manner . The debate was 
enjoyed thoroughly . We agreed with Dr.Chari's position . The debate was like the Kaliyan's
Paasurams , where one ghOshti sings the praise of Raaman and the other of KrishNan
as the one with greater vaibhavam .  
 
By copy of this note , I am requesting SriamAns Murali Rangaswamy and A.M.R.Kannan
to summarize what they covered at the debate .  
 
After the debate was over , adiyEn thought that the great genius , Swamy Desikan who
channeled his Bahgavath anubhavam in a superior manner in the three languages of
Sanskrit , Tamil and Prakrutham is the best AchAryan to study for illumination on 
this subject (Ubhaya VedAntham) dear to Sri VaishNavAs . 
 
In this context , I remembered the six introductory postings going back to October 1996
in Sri Ranga Sri on Taathparya RathnAvaLi and DhramidOpanishad Saaram , the two
Sanskrit Sri Sookthis of Sw amy Desikan . The topic of these two Sri Sookthis is Swamy
NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi . In these two divine works , Swamy Desikan provided deep
insights in to AzhwAr's ThiruvuLLam and AzhwAr's Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam .After the sixth
posting in that series , adiyEn went off to other topics and forgot about them . This debate
brought me back to DhramidOpanishath Saaram and Taathparya RathnAvaLi , the two
central Sri Sookthis for insights in to ThiruvAimozhi as an anubhava grantham . Unfortunately ,
Swamy Desikan's detailed commentary known as "Nigama ParimaLam " is no longer
available to us .
 
On this AavaNi Swathy day , adiyEn thought that it will be good to get back to
these two Sri Sookthis and connect them to Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam in Sanskrit
of ThiruvAimozhi and relate them to various commentaries of this sacred Prabhandham
of our Kula Pathy , Swamy NammAzhwAr . The subject is an ocean in size and scope .
Remembering the proverb , fools enter , where angels fear to tread , adiyEn will start
this effort and  seek   Lord HayagrIvan's anugraham to complete
this Kaimkaryam , which may take almost an year to conclude
even in  a modest  effort .
 
In view of the nature of the subject , not all members might be interested
in this series . Hence , adiyEn will post them in Oppiliappan , Saranagathy ,
Ramanuja Mission and Malolan Lists . Those of you who are not members of
any one of these Four lists are requested to enroll as mmembers of one of
these lists for access to future postings . You can always capture them
in Sripedia?oppiliappan archives as well .
 
Summary of my contributions to the Sep 3, 2005 debate at Sri RanganAthA Temple
********************************************************************************************************** 
1. There is enormous "PrAmANya SamarTanam " (ample power of PramANams / valid
knowledge) for defending the position that Sanskrit Language is the best for Bhagavath
GuNAnubhavam through Japam , SthOthram and Archanam .
 
1. Japam here is the recitation of the sacred names of the Lord and enjoying
the deep and delectable meanings behind them . Swamy ParAsara Bhattar
has engaged in such Japam in his Sri Sookthi , " Bahgavath GuNa DarpaNam"
( A Mirror to the GuNams of the Lord ).
 
2. SthOthram here is the keertanam of the Lord's Vaibhavam loudly as eulogy
(with or without Music and TaaLam ) . BhAvam is most important here .
 
3. Archanam is the elaborate ritual worship or Bhagavadh AarAdhanam
with prescribed Aaasanams and Veda Manthrams with deep Bhakthi .
 
Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam covers Roopa , Svaroopa  , ArchA , Vibhava
and LeelA anubhavams as well .
 
The Six Major GuNAs of the Lord
******************************************
Upanishads salute the Parabrahmam tersely as " Sathyam Jn~Anam Anantham BrahmA ".
This Brahman of Upanishads is rederred to in AchArya RaamAnujA's Sri BhAshyam as
Ubhayalinga VibhUthi NaaTan : (1) One with a Dhivya MangaLa Vigraham and limitless
auspicious GuNams and (2) free from any hEyams ( blemishes ). All the limitles guNams
fold in to SIX  Primary  GuNams . They are :
 
1.Jn~Anam ( Omniscience ) , (2) Sakthi ( Omnipotence) , (3) Balam (Strength ,
(4) Iswaryam ( Lordship) , Veeryam ( Energy ) and Tejas ( Splendour) .
 
All the other GuNams like Souseelyam (Gracious condescense ) ,Soulabyam
(Easy accessibility ) , Vaathsalyam ( loving disposition ) , KrupA (Compassion) ,
OudhAryA (generosity)  , BandhuthvA ( Friendly Relationship ) and the numerous
other auspicious attributes used by AchArya RaamAnujA in His three Gadhyams
come under one or more of the six primary GuNmas . Swamy Desikan brings
these insights in His Gadhya Thraya , CahthusslOki and SthOthra Rathna BhAshyams
in Sanskrit brilliantly .
 
When one reflects on the three gadhyams of RaamAnuja , Panchasthavams of KurEsa ,
Swamy AlavanthAr's ChathusslOki and SthOthra Rathnam as well as the profound
commentaries of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar on (1) Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam ,
(Sri Bhagavadh GuNa DarpaNam ) , (2) GuNa Rathna Kosam , (3) Sri Rangaraja Sthavam
and (4) Thirumanjana Kattiyam fro RanganAthA ; Swamy Desikan's 28 moving SthOthrams
and DhramidOpanishath Saaram/Taathparya RathnAvaLi are in Sanskrit . Now , one wonders
 why these AchAryAs chose to write in Sanskrit instead of in Agastya BhAshA . Swamy Desikan's
Commentaries on PrakaraNa granthams are in MaNi PravALam ( a heavily Sanskritized version of
Tamil ). The fact that they wrote only in Sanskrit has many answers form proponents and
opponents of Sanskrit as THE medium of communication for Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam .
That formed the core of the debate at the Sep 3  sessions.
 
AdiyEn has a  biassed view here to share : All of our AchAryAs cited above knew Dhivya
Prabhandhams very well including PiLLAn , who wrote the first commentary on ThiruvAimozhi in
MaNi PravALam ( 6000 Padi where the two thirds of the words are Sanskrit )  .
Yet they chose Sanskrit for Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam because no other language
has the SaguNa Texts ( pramANams ) except Sanskrit ( Vedam , Upanishads , IthihAsam
and Saathvika PurANams : all of these are in Sanskrit ). They needed those SaguNA texts to celebrate
and highlight the VisishtAdhvaithic View of Bhagavath GuNAs of Para Brahmam ,
the Tatthva Thrayams and the Rahasya Thrayams dealing with Tatthvam , hitham and
(Parama) PurushArTam . In addition to the SaguNa texts , Sanskrit has unique
Sabdha alankArams , ArTa alankArams , VyAkaraNam , Metres for poetry ( SaardhUla
VikreeDitham , UpajAthi , Vasantha Tilakam , Manju BhAshiNi , SragdharA , Maalini ,
MandhAkrAnthA,SikhariNi , Indhra VrajA , Rukmavathy , SasikalA , PrastArikA et al).
All of these enhances the depth of Bhagavath anubhavam ,whether one knows these
topics are not .  
 
BhagavAn Himself gives the clue for Bhagavath GuNAnubhavam in His GithOpanishad:
 
macchitthA madhgathaprANA BhOdhayantha: Parasparam
kaTayantasccha Maam nithyam tushyanthi cha ramanthi cha
 
(Geethai : X.9 )
 
(Meaning) : "With their minds focused on Me , inspiring one another
and always speaking of Me , they  live in contentment and bliss at
all times .
 
Acharya RaamAnujA's Commnetary on this slOkam : " MathchitthA: Mayi nivishta manasa:
( They live with their minds fixed on Me); Madhgatha: PrANaa: ( Their life is centerd
on Me ); MadhgathajeevithA: MayA vinA AathmadhAraNam alabamAnA : (  Their
lives are centered on Me and they are unable to sustain themselves without Me ) ;
Svai: Svai: anubhUthAn MadheeyAn guNAn Parasparam BhOdhayantha:
( They inspire one another by speaking about My guNams , which have been
experienced by them ); MadheeyAni dhivyAni ramaNeeyAni karmANi cha
KaTayantha: tushyanthi cha ramanthi cha ( Narrating My divine and adorable
acts , they live in contentment and bliss at all times ). VakthAra: tadhvachanEna
ananya prayOjanEna tushyanthy ( The speakers are delighted by their own speech ,
because it is spontaneous and has no ulterior motives) SrOthrAsccha tadhsravaNEna
anavadhikAthisaya priyENa ramanthy ( the listeners too feel the speech to be
unsurpassingly and incomparably dear to them . They thus live in bliss ) . 
    
That is the word of GeethAchAryan !
 
Genius of Sanskrit Language
***************************************
The extraordinary ease of Sanskrit language is in summing up huge doctrines
in one word or few words . Swamy Desikan used Sanskrit therefore to provide
the Quintessential essence of NaalAyira Dhivya Prabhandha Pasurams . These
4000 are divided in to decads ( Dasakam ) , Hundreds ( Sathakams) and ten hundreds
( Dasa Sathakams ).
 
Swamy Desikan used the inherent facility of Sanskrit for condensing entire decads ,
centums and Thousands in to one word in  terse manner without l;osing the core
meaning of the Paasurams .
 
We will devote the subsequent posts to introduce DramidOpanishath Saaram
and Taathparya RathnAvaLi in this light .
 
With Prayers to Swamy Desikan and Lord HayagrIvan , let us commence this journey ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAry Sadagopan  
  
   
 
 
  


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