Vol 01.013 10 January, 1998
In this Issue:
1. Note from the Publisher/Editor
2. Acharya Vamsa Vriksham - Part 13 - Anbil Ramaswamy
3. Parama Padha sOpAnam -- Part 2 : Divya dEsa PrApthi parvam - V. Sadagopan
4. thirup pAvai - Part 1 - An introduction to first pAsuram - Sampath Rengarajan
Dear BhagavathAs, I will try my best to publish this journal in time in the absence of Sri Anbil and until he returns to resume his responsibility. In the meantime I request all the recipients to send us a feed back on the journal. adiyEn Sampath Rengarajan
Late release of this issue : Due to holiday schedule issue no. 11 was delayed by a week. Though we attempted to publish one more issue for the New Year week, the articles that are undergoing editing are yet to be completed. However, we will try to make one additional issue sometime in the future.
Sri Anbil Ramaswamy was seriously ill at Chennai for a while. He is currently recovering and we hope he will be back soon.
Wish you all a very happy
NewYear.Editors
CONTACT ADDRESS for Sri ANBIL IN INDIA
My contact address in India will beAnbil
Ramaswamy
C/O Smt. Mythili Krishnaswami
22 Prithvipakkam, Ambattur,
Chennai, 600 053
Tamil Nadu, INDIA
PHONE NO. AT MADRAS : 011-91-44- 6350 246Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy President, SDDS.
2. ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM - Part 13 : Period G:
Bhagavad Ramanuja (Contd)
(Anbil Ramaswamy)(24) Once some kids were playing on the road pretending to construct a temple, installing an idol of the Lord, offering fruits and flowers etc all the time using the dust on the road for the purpose. They offered some mud as prasadam to Ramanuja who was passing along , he received it with due respect. He remembered in this connection the words of Poigai Alwar who said that the Lord took whatever name and form his sincere devotees wished and in the instant case though the kids were only playing, they sincerely believed in what they were doing.
(25) Another disciple of Ramanuja was Vaduga Nambi who put the sandals of his Guru along with those of the Lord. When questioned, he replied that the Acharya's sandals were for him as holy as those of the Lord. When Lord Ranganatha was coming on his rounds on the streets of Srirangam, Vaduga Nambi remarked that the eyes that had seen the charm in the eyes of Ramanuja would not be able to appreciate the beauty of the eyes of even the Lord.-'En Amudinai Kanda Kangal Marronrinai Kaanaave.' Such was his devotion to his Acharya.
(26) Ramanuja arranged to make a lifelike idol of himself and embracing it invested it with his powers and had it installed in Tirumalai at Tirupati. The only temple consecrated in Tirumalai , other than that of Lord Venkateswara, is that of Ramanuja.(SAA p.58) The Archa moorthi of Ramanuja known as "Thaan Ugantha Tirumeni" was installed in Tirunarayanapuram.
(27) Once, when he visited Tondanoor in Hoysala State, he happened to meet a Jain king called Devarayan. His daughter was possessed by a demon and none could get rid of her predicament. When Ramanuja's SriPaada Theertham ( water consecrated by association with his feet) was sprinkled on her,she was cured of the devil. The King pleaded to be accepted as Ramanujas Sishya. Ramanuja accepted and named him "Vishnu Vardhana".
(27) Ramanuja nominated 74 Acharyas to succeed him. It is he who instituted the 13 day "iyal Goshti in Srirangam. (PPM)
HIS ASCENT TO PARAMAPADAM With his head on the lap of Embar and his feet on the lap of Vaduga Nambi, Ramanuja breathed his last in 1137 AD listening to the recitation of the Divya Prabandam.
Born in PINGALA year, he left for his heavenly abode also in PINGALA year that followed 120 years from the year of his Avatara. Thus, he lived TWO full cycles of Tamil years after his birth
PLV places the date in Saaka era 1009, Pingala, in the month of Magha, the 10 th day of Sukla Paksha under the constellation of Tiruvadirai and at noon ( as in the time of his birth).
TKG notes that Lord Ranganatha and Periya Piraatti bathed and purified themselves as relatives do.
PRA avers that he died on a Saturday
VAC places the date as 4238 Kali yuga which corresponds to 1137 AD.
PTA, however, states that he lived for 128 years and died in the year Durmati in the month of Vaisaka.
Again, Research scholars may fin ways to piece together all these information to arrive at the correct date.
His physical body is preserved even today in a sitting posture in the Sannidhi (Sanctum Sanctorum) dedicated to him on the southwest corner on the fifth round within the Srirangam temple as ordered by Lord Ranganatha himself.
The whole world is aghast at the feat of preservation of the mummies of Egypt and the body of St. .Xavier in Goa in India and make so much fuss about them.
Even some Srivaishnavas are not aware that here in Srirangam. their holiest place hailed as ' Bhuloka Vaikuntam' ( Heaven on Earth) lies preserved the body of Sri Ramanuja in all its pristine state unostentatiously, without any fanfare or publicity and without using any of the chemical preservatives employed by the Egyptian and Goan models.
Swami Desika in Sloka 10 of his Yathiraja Saptadhi pays obeisance to Bhagavad Ramanuja thus before proceeding with his eulogy.
Pranaamam Lakshmana Munih Prathi Grihnaathu Maamakam |
(meaning) I beseech Sri Ramanuja whose Srisookthis claimed the acclaim of the Lord and adorned the Upanishads to kindly accept my Pranams. There is another famous Sloka which says :-
Prasaadhayathi yat Sookthih Svadheena Pathikaam Sruthim ||Thasmai Ramaanujaaryaaya Namah Parama Yoginae |
(meaning) I bow to that Sri Ramanuja, the great Yogi who became the very soul of Vedas, Upanishads and other Sutras
Yah Sruthi Smrithi Sutraanaam Antharjvaramaso Samathaa ||His Tanian reads as follows : (SAAp.199)
Yo Nityam Achyutha Padhaambuja Yugmarugma Vymohathastad Itharaani Thrunaaya Mene |
Asmat Guror Bhagavadosya Dhayaika Sindhoh, Ramanujasya Charanou Saranam Prapadhye ||.Anbil Ramaswamy
3. Parama Padha sOpAnam -- part 2 : Divya dEsa PrApthi parvam
V. SadagopanThe Divys dEsa PrApthi parvam is the eighth of the nine chapters(steps ) of parama padha sOpAnam . After crossing the VirajA river during the journey on the archirAdhi margam , the jeevan undergoes the following experiences :
8.1: " VirajAm vimunchathi tanum sookshmAm " :
The Muktha jeevan crosses the amrutha nadhi , Virajai , by its own sankalpam . This nectarine river flows at the boundary of Sri Vaikuntam . It is also considered as the boundary of thriguNam and Suddha sathvam . The thriguNams ( Sathvam-Rajas-Tamas ) represent the desert of prakruthi and forms one side of the river VirajA . On the other bank is Sri Vaikuntam , which is suddha sattva mayam . The jeevan crosses this boundary and enters the land of Suddha sattvam and leaves its sookshma sareeram . That is the cleansing power of the " vimala -madhura-surabhi-seethaLa " ( Blemishless, fragrant , cool and sweet ) VirajA river . After that purification by VirajA , the AmAnavan ( the appointed divine 0ne ) touches the Jeevan devoid of sookshma sareeram and removes all the traces of vasanAs ( Karma vAsanais ) .The sthUla sareeram is left behind , when the Jeevan gets out of the cage of its body via mUrdhanya naadi ; it travels with sookshma sareeram during its journey on the archirAdhi path. After crossing the Viraja river , it shakes off its sookshma sareeram and when it is touched by the amAnavan , it looses all karma vasanAs . The shedding of the sookshma rUpam is covered by Brahma sUtram 4.2.9 :
Sookshmam pramANathsccha tathOpalabdhE :
The jeevan attains its atomic svarUpa AvirbhAvam and shines once again with its natural guNas ( apahatha pApmathvAdi sathya sankalpathva paryantha guNashtakam -- sinlessness , lasting and changeless youth , immortality , freedom from sorrow, hunger , thirst , sathya kaamathvam and sathya sankalpathvam ) . This is indicated by the Brahma sUtram " AthmA prakaraNAth " ( 4.4.3) . The Muktha Jeevan now enjoys the sAdharmyam with the ParamAthmA . It does not get created at the time of Srushti; it does not suffer at the time of mahA praLayam as indicated by BhagavAn's words in GeethA :
idham jn~Anma upAsrithya mama sAdharmyamAgathA : |
After crosisng the VirajA river and being touched by the AmAnavan , this muktha Jeevan is never sent back to the cruel world of samsAram again as indicated by the last of the Brahma sUtram :
sarkEpi nOpajAyanthE praLayE na vyathanthi cha || ( GitA --14.2 )anAvrutthi sabdhAdh anAvrutthi sabdhAdh -- Br.Sutram 4.4.21
From here on , the enjoyment of the Muktha jeevan is described as it entered the Divya dEsam of Sri Vaikuntam .8.2 : Divya dEsa prApthi:
The blessed muktha jeevan shares the world of the Lord ( salOkan ) ; It enters the kingdom of Sri Vaikuntam , which is " nithya niravadhya niradhisaya BhOgyam " ( eternal , blemishless and with limitless bhOgams ) . It is the divine kingdom which has the jyOthi of " AnyanirapEksha PrakAsam " ( an effulgence , which is not dependent on any other sources such as Sun or stars , svayam prakAsam ) . It is beyond the reach of even great yOgis by mind or speech as indicated by AchArya RaamAnujA in his SaraNAgathi gadhyam ( Parama yOgi vaangh manasA aparicchEdhyam ) . The muktha jeevan now enters this supremely divine kingdom of the Lord .8.3 : Darsanam of the oceans of nectar and the pond of Iyrammadheeyam:
The jeevan now travels further towards the center of the kingdom. It sees on its way the two oceans , " Aram " and " Nyam " . These are amrutha maya samudhrams as described by ChAndhOgya Upanishad . After that , the jeevan encounters the blissful pond of Iyrammadheeyam . This also has nectar for its contents .8.4: Approaching the pupil tree known as Somasavanam:
Now , the jeevan reaches the asvattha tree , Somasavanam , which is worshipped by the dEvAs . The wonder-struck jeevan now enters the rajadhAni o fthe Lord known as " AparAjitham " and arrives at the Mantapam named " prabhuvimitham " .8.5 : the welcome by Apsaras and BrahmAlankAram:
At this mantapam , 500 apsaras ladies grouped in assemblies of one hundred welcome the muktha jeevan with garlands, fragrant incenses , sandal paste , dheepams and the sunAdhams raised by their musical instruments and celebrate the arrival of the Jeevan in Sri Vaikuntam . NammaazhwAr describes this beautiful scene of welcome in his Thiruvaimozhi ( 10.9.6 ) . The apsaras ladies adorn the jeevan with the peethAmbharam worn by the Lord and present him with the food partaken by the Lord and perform mangaLAsAsanam .8.6 : Further progress to the interior of the Lord's garbha graham:
The jeevan now travels past the forest of Thilya trees , the AsthAna mantapam known as Saalajyam and is pervaded by the divya rasa, gandha , tejas of Sri VaikuntanAthan and becomes filled with ullasitha vigraha guNams ( with shining and radiant body ) . It now reaches the interior of the kingdom of Sri Vaikuntam , which is far superior to the worlds of AmOdham , PramOdham and SammOdham( the three VishNu lOkams in prakruthi mandalam ) .8.7: Welcome by Indran and PrajApathi:
IN ThiruvAimozhi ( 10.9.8) , NammAzhwAr describes the welcome he received befitting that of a muktha jeevan from the nithya sUris . There the eight gaNaathipathis ( Kumudhan , KumadhAkshan , Pundareekan , Vaamanan , SankukarNan , Sarva nEthran , Sumukhan and Suprahtishtan ) , the eight dwAra PaalakAs ( Chandan , Prachandan , Bhadran , Subhadran , Jayan , Vijayan , DhAthA , VidhAthA ) welcome the jeevan with great affection and regard and open the golden door of the inner chambers of their Lord .8.8 Welcome by Sri , BhU and neeLA dEvis
The NithyasUris washed the feet of the jeevan in grateful recognition of the arrival of that Sri VaishNavan at the chambers of their Lord ( ThiruvAimozhi : 10.9.10 ) . The consorts of the Lord with their beautiful moon-like splendorous faces offered the jeevan Sri SatakOpam , Sri ChUrNam and welcomed the jeevan with pUrNa kumbhams and dheepams .8.9 Approach to the divya vimAnam and the bejewelled mantapam
As the jeevan approached the ThirumAmaNi mantapam under the golden VimAnam , Brahma Yasas pervaded it . It had reached the ghOshti of Sri Vaikunta nAthan and stood in front of the 1000 pillared mantapam , which is the embodiment of Anandham as described by ParAsara Bhattar in his Sri RangarAja sthavam ( 1.38 ) .8.10 : Salutation to Garudan, Periya Thiruvadi
At this point, the Veda svarUpan , Garudan , who stands in front of the Lord , who is like a mirror to the Lord is saluted by the Jeevan .8.11: Joining of the Ghoshti of Nithya sUris & wishing to perform kaimkaryam like them :
In that sabhA full of Nithya sUris going about doing the kaimkaryam to the Lord as assigned by VishvaksEnA , the jeevan longs to do similar service ( Thiruvaimozhi 1.6.4) . Then , The jeevan approached the Lord's throne .8.12, 13 &8.14 : Saluting the PurvAchAryAs near the Lord's Throne
The jeevan sees the assembly of purvAchAryAs infront of the simhAsanam of Sri Vaikunta nAthan . They are beaming with joy over the Lord's efforts bearing fruit . The jeevan offers its salutations to them and comes closer to the Lord's throne. There , the muktha jeevan witnesses that the foot (support ) of the legs of the throne are the Past , the future , Isvaryam and amrutham as stated in Kousheedhaki Upanishad . The legs themselves are constitued by the four attributes of Dharmam, VairAgyam , Jn~anam and Isvaryam. The four planks on top of them are adharmam , Ajn~Anam , AvairAgyam and Anaisvaryam . These are the abhimAni dEvathaa viseshams of the throne of the Lord.8.15: The Ladies offering Fan service to the Lord
On top of the throne , the jeevan sees an eight petalled lotus flower , whose effulgence is like the dawn of 1000 Suns . On the eight petals pointing to the eight directions are the eight divine damsels ( VimalA , UthkarshaNee , Jn~AnA , KriyA , yOgA , PrahvA , SadhyA and IsAnA ) . In front of the fruit of the lotus inside are the ladies looking like the rays of the Moon performing fan service ( ChAmara Kaimkaryam ) . The jeevan wants to perform this type of kaimkaryam to the Lord.8.16 and 8.17 : AdisEshan resting on top of the Lotus Center
The Jeevan sees the 1000 hooded AdisEshan resting on top of the fruit of the 8 petalled lotus . The jeevan recalls the 53rd Pasuram of Mudhal ThiruvandhAthi and salutes AdhisEshan as the umbrella for the travelling Lord ( senRAl kudaiAm --) , the throne , when He is seated, the paadhukhAs, when He stands and the bed , when He sleeps . He serves also the pillow and the mangaLa dheepam with the jewels on his hoods. He receives the blessings and permission of AdisEshan to climb over him and approach the Lord seated on him . The Jeevan becomes the object of attention of the two thousand eyes of AdisEshan . which shower nectar on him and thereafter reaches the proximate space next to the Lord .Sri Paramapadha sOpAnE ashtamam divya dEsa prApthi parvam SampUrNam .
Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan
4. thirup pAvai - part 1 - Contents of mArgazhi thingaL
Sampath Rengarajan"thiru pAvai" means thiru's nOnbu or thiru's vratham to attain the Lord. ie. thiru or pirAtti's nOnbu to attain the parama purushan the Lord. There is only one "purushan" in the entire universe and such is Lord Krishna. Thus ANDAL who is the amsam of piraati (boomi devi) did a nonbu to attain her purushan and showed "us all" the way or mArgam for attaining this "parama purushan".
Another reason for the name thirup pAvai is derived as follows. Any sincere effort a woman would take to seek the blessings of the lord to reunite with her purushan is known as nOnbu or pAvai nOnbu or pAvai. pArvathi performed this sincere effort and sought the blessings of the eternal God Lord Vamanan, to reunite with her purushan and named this effort as pAvai nOnbu. While pirAtti (gOtha pirAtti) performed this nOnbu (effort) and sought the blessings of the eternal God Sri Krishna to reunite with her eternal purushan the Lord Krishna HIMself. Thus this nOnbu or effort became the most special nOnbu of all and came to be known as "thiru nOnbu" or "thiru pAvai" or the "holiest and most special effort". Since this generic thiru nOnbu is a mArgam for all jivAtmAs to follow the path shown by Sri ANDAL and attain unity with the parama purushan. The nool itself got this name as the act perfomed in this nool is nOnbu. Thus this nool (as similar to thirup paLLi ezhuchchi - means awakening the Lord) obtained its name from the very act being performed in these verses. This act nOnbu to attain unity with the parama purushan is performed through the little effort of this jivAtma known as saranAgathi.
Without Lord Sri Krishna's desire nothing happens. He chooses those who must surrender in this birth. HE HIMself gives them the "pakkuvam" (mArgazhi thingaL). HE sets the stage HIMself (mathi niRaintha nan nAL). HE comes to our mind and invite us to do this nOnbu or "little effort" known as prapatti or self surrender. jIvAtma has nothing in its control. Everything is done by HIM and this is symbolised here by Sri ANDAL, by going herself to each jiVAtmA's (agam) house and awaken them (AWAKEN THE SOUL) and bring them to the main stream to perform the "nOnbu" (prapatti).
The word "nEridaiyAR", in the first pasuram of thirup pAvai, here can mean the chOsen one's. ie., She is inviting those who are the chOsen ones with some specific charecteristic and mindset. Such are also rich in their realisation of the nature of their jiVatma swaroopam. The word "nEr" means straight but here it is the short form of "nErththiyAna" ie.,, "vilai uyarntha" ie., "athika mathippuLLa" ie., very extraordinary and precious priceless and the word "izhai" is addressed for their "anikalan" known as jewellery.
ie., This pAsuram has several different concepts (*).
The main few of them are
[1] pakkuvam of jivatma (knowledge on swaroopam) and
[2] Emperuman's parApOkAram ie., the *FOREWORD* that HE HIMself initiates all these into the minds of chEthanan by using the word "pOthuminO". It is an invitation to all the jivAtmAs to surrender and such invitation is presented by none other than pirAtti HERself.
[3] acharya thatthuvam,
[4] manthra upadEsam, and the
[5] prAbhAvam (upAyam) and
[6] prabyam (upEyam) andThe sequence itself clearly states the ladder that the jivAtma will climb in its ascendance to path for seeking eternal union with Lord.
(gOthai) pirAtti not only invites but also demonstrates HERself as to how one may surrender observing this nOnbu known as prapatti. It is customary also to invite "suRRam" or friends and realtives to one's nOnbu (here the nOnbu is itself the marriage or eternal union through "saranAgathi"). Speaking of invitation, it is to be noted that, this pAsuram itself is also resembling a traditional marriage invitation.
In Tamil the follwing "format" is somewhat a replica of a marriage invitation
ie., "nigazhum mArgazhith thingaL powrnami nAL, seer izhai aayar sirmiyarrukkum erArntha iLam kanni maRRum koorvEl kodunthizhilan nantha gOpan thiruk kumArAN kANNan (Sri Krishnan) engiRa narAyananukkum avan thiruvaruLaLE nichchaiyikkappattu, nArAyanana avnAlEyE saranAgathi ennum thiruk kalyANa nONnbu (saranagathi or surrender or prapatti termed here as paRai tharuvaan) nammOdu nadaththtap padukiRathu. pArRor anaivarum pugazhnthuEl or empAvAi".
ie., We welcome you the folks of this earth, to "JOIN" the (marriage) nOnbu (paRai) of (the most beautiful) aaychchiyars of aayarpAdi and the son of Sri Nanda gopan (koor vEl kulaththOn) and Smt yasodha, Sri Krishnan alias Sri nArAyanan On the coming mArgazhi month,powrnami day.
saraNagathi performed as "baranyAsam" is also considered as an eternal wedlock with the Lord and jivAtma. Certain aspects of baranyAsam symbolise this. These are only to be told by the achAryAL at the time of baranyAsam and hence it is refrained here from discussing such.
[1] pakkuvam of jivatma (knowledge on swaroopam):
The month mArgazhi is a tamil word that is adopted by sanskrit as claimed by some tamil scholars. maar in tamil means maarik kaalam, i.e., the mazhaik kaalam i.e., the rainy seasons. kazhi (not kali or kaLi) means that which is past. Together it is "that month that is past the rainy season". The rainy season for south India is in October November. And the month of December (mArgazhi) starts right after that. The rain dampens the mother earth and hence the earth is most desirable (ready - or pakkuvam) for (yielding) the crops (end result) that is to be traditionally harvested in "thai" month.
This is the month when the earth is tender and soft (as ANDAL herself as Sri Booma Devi) and is considered as the most pleasant month for many in particular with respect to the soils. That it is easy to cultivate the same. The month is also indicating the "patham" or pakkuvam that the mother earth has reached a tender state to yield the results (upEyam) in the following "thai" month. i.e., This word maargazhi also means the pakkuvam of the jivAtmA such that this is the month when the torrential rainy season (rain is compared to samsaaram in many cases) is already over, (i.e., prior to this state) and that this jivAtmA is ready or have the pakkuvam that this is the apt time to surrender to the Lord.
[2] Emperuman's parApOkAram :
pOthumiNo nEr izhiayeer - perumAL's thiru uLLam
In Tamil :
"vArunGaL nAm nOnbu nooRkalAm, melliyathum azahgiya abArNangaLai thariththathum aAga uLLa siRu idaiyai uLLa thOzhiyar gaLE vArungAL".
In English:
"Come and join us folks, Let us perform the nOnbu, Ye, folks of aayarpAdi those who are with the tender hip and wearing the most precious jewelleries".
The nOnbu here is addressed as saraNAgathi (prapatti) and this "pOthu minO" is the key word here in some ways. It is perumaL Lord Krishna's thiru uLLam that some are made to surrender and undertake prapatti (saraNAgathi - observed in these pAsurams as a nOnbu). It is Lord Krishna's thiru uLLam that some are made to follow the other mArgams.
ie., the chOsen ones for the easier mArgam are made to be incarnated as aaycchiyars and attain Sri KrishnA anubavam through bagwath kAmA and self surrender. This is the precedence for the srivaishnavaLs who are chOsen due to Lord's thiru uLLam to be incarnated in Sri Sampradhayam (ie., following piratti Sri ANDAL's foot steps) as aaycchiyar (gOpika sthrees) and immerse in our love with Sri Krishna (Sri Krishna anubavam) and undertake saraNagathi (or prapatti) as similar to aaycchiyar.
This effort can be conceived as both mental realisation and as well as performing externally the ritual otherwise chracterised as a little effort known as "nOnbu" addressed here for prapatti at the feet of acharyAL. prapatti or sarangathi is accepted by the Lord when performed both mentally and by doing this nOnbu. (even the mental work is an effort though there is insignificant "physical energy" exhausted in doing it). The word "neerAda pothuveer" has two meanings to support both these ways of performing prapatti. The outer most meaning is to take an early morning bath and perform this "nOnbu" known as prapatti or bara nyAsam. The inner meaning is to have the Sri KrishnA anubavam by mentally surrendering to the lord and observing the five angams of prapatti. This is conceived by some as performing this "nOnbu" or prapatti mentally without any ritual in realising the Sri KrishnA anubavam.
It is important to note that both these conceptions are valid as they both are involving little effort either mentally or physically. Though it is sometimes argued that the physical ritual never took part, it is evident from the vaibavam of Sri ANDAL that she did take bath every day early morning and offered her prayers to the Lord. It is also evident from the following episode from her vaibavam that she did perform the "nOnbu" by which she "physically" surrendered to Lord Sri Krishna and was accepted by Lord Sri Krishna in Sri Arangam.
Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan