Vol 01.021 25 September, 1998
In this Issue:
1. Note from the Publisher
2. Acharya Vamsa Vriksham - Part 21 - Anbil Ramaswamy
3. PradhAna Sathakam - Part 2 - V. Sadagopan
4. Saranagathi - part 15 - S.Rengarajan
5. Godha sthuthi part 2 - Sri M.K.Sudarshan
6. An Announcement from Sri Poundrika puram Andavan Ashramam, NA
7. An appeal for 600th Anniversary of Sri Ahobila muth
Dear bAgawathAs,
The release of our journal is delayed from july due to conferences and unavailability of one of our member in the last 2 months due to sickness and other busy schedules. While we apologise for the enormous delay, we will attempt to present the journal in its regular frequency in the days to come.Your feedback is very essential in our sathsangam. We received many feed back so far and are addressing the suggestions provided by some of the readers. in the meantime we urge each one of you to sends in your feedback to us however minor it may be. If you cannot login to the web, please send us by an email to srengara@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Our web site is:
http://www.SriVaishnava.org/sgati/Regards
Editorial Committee
2. AchArya Vamsa Vriksham - part 21
PERIOD I : SWAMI DESIKA AND HIS TIMES - ( 1 )
Anbil RamaswamyBefore proceeding to read this post you may want to read again (if you have not already done so) our earlier posting in Saranagathi Vol.01.001 where we have given a short eulogy of the master and Vol.01.002 in which we have given the staggering bibliography of his works.
THE FAMILIAL GENEOLOGY AND THE ACHARYA PARAMPARA OF SWAMI
PATERNAL SIDE MATERNAL SIDE Anantha Somayaajee Kidaambi Aachaan (One of the 74 Simhasana Adhpathis) His daughter His son His son Kidaambi His son, Kidaambi Raamaanujap Pillaaan Pundareeka Yajvaa Anantha Suri --married - Totaramba Kidaambi Appullaar Their son Swami Vedanta Desika[NOTE : Since our great Acharyas were forever immersed exclusively in Bhagavad Anubhavam, without any thought of mundane considerations, no historical records or evidence had been left behind for us to construct how long each lived, what miracles they performed, where, what and in what sequence they composed their works etc.But, most of them are believed to have lived at least a century, if not more, true to our daily prayer " Pasyema Sarathah Satham" etc. due to divine grace and, perhaps, due to the strict selfdiscipline they imposed on themselves
Their only concentration was Paramatma; their only concern was how to emancipate humanity and not writing any autobiography. The only references to themselves can be gleaned when they relate their pilgrimage to the holy places, or when they pay obeisance to their Acharayas.
Though most of the Acharyas were householders, no mention is made of their families , their spouses etc. They are seen to have resorted to Naichya Anusanthaanam by referring themselves as being born low, with neither remarkable knowledge nor commendable character etc. and pray to the Lord to save them by His sheer mercy. It is not that they are really so. We should understand that, thereby, they were pleading our case before the Lord and to give us the assurance that even we with all our foibles can still be saved.]
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF SWAMI DESIKA
In the case Swami Vedanta Desika, certain oblique biographical references are available internally in his works e.g. in the Prologue to his Sankalpa Suryodayam . Prathivadi Bhayankaram Annan (1300-1400 AD), a junior contemporary of Swami Desika and a disciple of Kumara Varada gives some details about Swamis parentage, education etc in his " Sapta Ratna Maalika".
BLESSED PARENTS OF SWAMI DESIKA
In the Perumal Koil, there was on Anantha Somayaji of Viswamitra Gotram, who was one of the 74 Simhasana Adhipathis nominated by Bhagavad Ramanuja. His son was Pundareeka Yajvaa. His son was Ananthasuri.
Pundarika Yajvaa approached Appullaar (belonging to the Vamsam of Atreya Ramanuja Kidaambi Aachaan) and requested to give the latters sister Totaramba in marriage to his son, Ananthasuri. That night, Lord Devaraja appeared in a dream of Appullaar and seconded the proposal saying that by this marriage will be born one who would be the prime torch-bearer of Ramanuja Darsanam. The very next day, the marriage of Ananthasuri and Totaramba was celebrated and they lived a happy and devout couple.
As ordered by the Lord of Tiruvenkatam and Padmavati Thayar, the couple went on a pilgrimage to Tirumalai. The Lord appeared in their dreams in the garb of a Srivaishnava youth and handed over a small golden bell which Totaramba swallowed. Next morning, when they compared notes, they were astonished to find how both of them had the same dream which concurred in every detail. As the Archaka opened the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum, he found the bell missing. During an investigation ordered into the loss of the bell, the Lord appeared by Avesa (spiritual trance) on Tirumalai Nambi and told that He had himself presented the bell to the Ananthasuri couple and thenceforward, the small hand- bell need not be used in the Tiruvaradhana in the temple. Even today. when the Naivedyam is offered to the lord, IT IS ONLY THE HUGE BELL suspended in the front hall that is being rung.
SWAMI DESIKA'S AVATARA
12 years after this incident, the Ganta of the Lord was born as Gantaavataara Aazhwar. The Avatara of Thooppul Kulamani was in the Kali yuga year 4370 which corresponds to 1268 AD 9I,e)Year Vibhava, month Purattaasi, on the Dasami day of Sukla Paksha, a Wednesday, in the constellation of Sravanam ( the same as that of Lord of Tirumalai). PPM observes that, perhaps, he had Guru Udhara Vaasam for 12 years instead of 12 years of Guru Kula Vaasam, since he was destined to be the Vedanta Acharya. He was born in Thooppul, near Tiruttangaa (Himavanam) adjacent to the temple of Deepa Prakaasar in Kanchipuram, the birthplace of Poigai Alwar.
Anbil Ramaswami
3. PradhAna Sathakam - Part 2 - V. Sadagopan
From here on , we will list and comment on the 100 Pradhaanams that Swami Sri Desikan instructed us on .
The Most Prominent among Pramaanams revealing Bhagavaan.1/100: There are four pramaanams for gaining the correct knowledge about the fruits of Moksham and the means to realize the blessings of Moksham . These four pramaanams for gaining the correct knowledge on the above two subjects are : (1) Prathyaksham (2) Anumaanam and (3) Saasthram (4) Vedham .
Prathyaksham method is to see , touch and hear about things and get convinced about their reality or otherwise .
Anumaanam is the method by which the reasoning power is used to arrive at conclusions about subjects that do not permit the deductions based exclusively on prathyaksham based on sensory perceptions
Saasthram is that pramaanam that instructs us on the fruits of Moksham and the means to attain it , when the routes of Prathyaksham and anumaanam are not useful or competent . Thus Saasthram is superior to both Prathyaksham and anumaanam .
Far superior (pradhaanam ) to all of the above three is Vedam since it describes exactly the fruits gained by the jeevan in parama padham and shows the correct means to attain moksha siddhi . There is no saasthram that is superior to Vedam (vEdaath saasthram param naasthi na dhaivam kesavaath param --Naaradheeya Puraanam 8.32) .Sage Naaradhaa as a Naaraayana Paaraayana raises his hands and swears about Vedam being the pradhanam among all the saasthraas ( Sathyam sathyam puna: sathyam uddhdhruthya bhujam uchyathe : Vedaath saasthram param naasthi na dhaivam kesavaath param ) .
Swami Sri Desikan sums it up this way : paara-loukikapurushaartha -tadhupaayangalai yatha-vasthithamaaha kaatuhira Vedam pradhaanam . He says that VEDAM IS THE PRADHAANAM among the PRAMAANAMS since it alone precisely describes the fruits of Moksham and the means to attain that supreme blessing ( param apurushaartham ) .
What is pradhaanma among Vedaas ?2/100: VEDHAANTHAM IS PRADHAANAM TO VEDAM. Sriman Naarayanan is the superior Tatthvam . The lower tatthvams are chethanan and achethanm . The means shown by Vedam are Bhakthi and Prapatthi. The fruit resulting from these means is Moksham .
Many pramaanams confuse one by mixing up the above true means to attain moksham and the superiority of Sriman Naarayanaa as the supreme most tatthvam . We can always dismiss these false pramaanams by proving that they are wrong through tarkam or by not paying attention to them . One is ofcourse confused by the prolific nature of these incorrect pramaanams . When one is confused about Pramaanams and their correctness, the entity that resolves all doubts is the siras of Vedam revered as Vedaantham . THUS VEDAANTHAM IS THE PRADHAANAM AMONG THE PRAMAANAM OF VEDAM .
Swami Sri Desikan declares the superiority of Vedaantham ,the Upanishadic part of the Vedams , as " para-apara-tatthva -hitha -purushaarthangalil anyathaa siddha pramaanaantharangalaal varum kalakkangalai yellaam theerkka valla VEDHAANTHAM PRADHAANAM " .
In the above passage quoted , " para -apara-tatthva-hithapurushaartham " refers to the four items: superior tatthuvam , the not so superior tatthuvams , the means for the fruit of Moksahm and the fruit of Moksham itself ." Anyathaa siddha pramaanaantharams " refer to the other pramaanams that deal with fruits other than moksham and the irrelevant means to attain the most sought after palan(fruit )of Moksham . Purusha Sooktham is pradhaanam among Vedaanthaas.
3/100 : There are four Vedas . Purusha Sooktham is enshrined in every one of these four Vedaas . Purusha Sooktham salutes Sriya: pathi Purushotthaman as the root cause of this Universe and as the means for Moksham , the liberation from the cycles of births and deaths . THEREFORE PURUSHA SOOKTHAM IS THE PRADHAANAM AND IS SUPERIOR (PRADHAANAM ) EVEN among VEDAANTHAMS . Prominent among the Bhagavaan's Manthraas
4/100 : Mathraas have been recommended for the proper aaradhanam (worship ) of this Purushotthaman celebrated by the Purusha Sooktham . Among the sets of manthraas , THE SET OF VYAAPAKA MANTHRAAS IS PRADHAANAM to perform aaraadhanam to our Lord .
Vyaapaka Manhtraas are Ashtaakshari , Dhvaadasaakshari and Sahadakshari dealing with Sriman Naaraayana , Vaasudevaa and Vishhnu . The Best among the Vyaapaka Manthraas.
5/100 : AMONG THE SET OF VYAAPAKA MANTHRAMS , ASHTAAKSHARAM IS PRADHAANAM . All Achaaryaas are agreed upon its pradhaanyam (sarva aachaarya parigraha adhisayam ) with relish .Its praadhaanyam is also asserted by the fact that it is the only manthram that unambiguously establishes sesha-seshi relationship between the Sarva seshi , the Purushotthaman and the seshis , chethanams and achethanams .That is why the following slokam from Ashtaakshara Brahma Vidhyai salutes it as the pradhaana manthram this way :
yathaa sarveshu deveshu naasthi Naarayanaath para: tathaa sarveshu manthreshu na manthro Ashtaaksharaath Para:
The Best among different kinds of births(piravis)
There are many kinds of births . One is birth asociated with the residence in the Mother's womb . The other is the birth resulting from manthropadesam from one's father recognized as dhvija Janmam .PRAHDAANAM AMONG DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRTHS IS THE ONE WHERE THIRUMANTHIRAM (ASHTAAKSHARAM ) STANDS AS THE MOTHER AND ACHAARYAN TAKES ON THE ROLE OF THE FATHER .That is the Jn~anap piravi , which is the pradhaanam among the different kinds of births.
Varadachari Sadagopan
4. Saranagathi - Part 15
AzhwAr's dialogue with Arangan as an Akinchanyan
Sampath RengarajanThe following dialogue that periya perumAL had with thoNdar adip podi Azhwar provides an insight as to how Akinchanya anusanthAnam is observed.
Periya perumAL Sri Arangan said to ThoNdar adip podi AzhwAr "pERRukku udalAga Azhweer ! Neer, nir abEkshar anRO ?" in reply to AzhwAr's akinchanya anusanthAnam. ie., "Azhweer ! It is very rare one to vest their "emptiness" or "veRumai" (through realization of akinchanyam i.e., through realization of "kai muthal illAmai" or realization of having no capital credit or yOgyathai). This is an act of a very learned one. (meaning "Only those who knows the shAstram thoroughly and deeply well know that they are themselves Akinchanyan). You have done such Akinchanya anusanthAnam which is by itself a merit or "uRuppu" (component) for my "aruL". [And one know that such aruL is the only "sAthanam" (siddhO upAyam) for obtaining "pERu" or mOksham]. Since you have that angam of Akinchanya anusanthAnam you don't lack anything for obtaining the "pERu" or mOksham. This dialogue between perumAL Sri Arangan and thoNdar adip podi AzhwAr, described in his vyAkyAnam by Sri peria vAcchAn pillai serves for the "pramAnam" that certain angA of prapatthi is considered as a yOgyathai or merit or qualification for perumAL's "aruL" for "pERu" of mOksham.
The rest of the vyAkyAnam serves as a basis as to how "Akinchanya ansanthAnam" is observed by the AzhwAr. AzhwAr replied to perumAL "kaLippathu en kONdu ?".i.e. I don't have the yOgyathai is fine. But now I feel that I don't even have an "anuthAbam" or pity of not having karma nyAna bhakti yOga palan. If I altlest may have such pity then you may see me as one who has relinquished all the means or "sAdhanams" such as karmna nyAna bhakthi yogams ("sarva dharmAn pArithyajaya"). You may then bless and console me (mA sucha) due to the pity. So you see, I am an Akinchanyan who donot even have the pity ie., "anuthAbamum aRRa Akinchanyan".
Lord replies "if you donot even have the pity then I may have tom forego you." AzhwAr continued "nambi! (paripooranA, i.e. one who doesn't lack anything in HIM as a "guNa pooraNan") just as similar to me being a pari poorAnan in "veRumai" or emptiness (due to lack of anushtAnam to do any yOgam) you are a paripooraNan in all your kalyANa gunAs. ie., We both are pooranAs in certain aspects. With those kalyANa gunAs you may bless me with the "aruL" for "pERu". "Kadal vaNNa" (the one who has the hue of the great ocean) ie., AzhwAr implies that "as a "saraNyan" Lord has all the guNam and are so beautiful in HIS thirumEni azhagu in "Arangak kidappu" (the "sayanam" in Srirangam). You are an ocean of wealth filled with all kalyAna gunAs and mercy. Hence you will not loose anything by blessing me with the "aruL" for mOksham. ie., perumAL is said to possess "kadalai ottha niRam". In Kamba RamAyanam a similar reference is presented as "karunaiyan kadal kidanthanan karun kadal nOkki". It is referred to perumAL as an ocean of "karuNai" of mercy and that such ocean is lying down in front of the ocean (sethu samuthram) as Sri Rama was observing his own vratham or nOnbu seeking samudhra rAjan's help. This means that perumAL's possessions of "karuNai" are precious and enormous that such "kadal vaNNan" doesn't have to loose anything due to blessing AzhwAr for "pERu".
I cried out to you such that everyone now knows that you are so cruel to one "anuthAbamaRRa" akinchanyan. ie."nizhal kooda illAtha oru jivan" (one who does not even have his shadow), "AthAram aRRavan un peyarai mattumE solli vAzzhum Or jeevan" [Sometimes it is referred in a 'physical sense' only to understand this "veRumai" or emptiness of "Akinchanyam" which is mainly a sipiritual realization for Athman or jIva. i.e., as one person or (an object) who is physically drifting in deep dark black hole [annyAnam] without any light and as one who doesn't have any support but only feeling emptiness [i.e. not having any yOgyathai to back up]. A life without such bagwath nyAnam and "yOgayathai" or "madi" is similar to a physical floating in deep space. In such a dire situation, I live my life merely by chanting your name alone. [i.e., Your name alone will substitute for all the nyAnam and yOgyathai and serve as a vehicle to reach your holy feet]. AzhwAr proceed further to say that "I was not only lacking all these but also was a reason for kula izhukku or bad name. I brought a bad name or "izhukku" to you such as "you are so cruel to a jivan like me" that you won't even listen to the outcries of an Akinchanyan like me".
The Lord said, "If you don't have anything, what do you want me to do ?". AzhwAr replied, "aranga mA nagur uLAnE !" Oh Sri RanganAtha, if you are to protect only those who don't lack of support or "yOgyathai" and "nyAnam" you may have stayed there in Srivaikundam as well and blessed those nitya mukthars who are pooranas. Your purpose of coming here to Srirangam is mainly to show your beauty or "vadivazhagu" and provide "arcchaga vAkku" (prophecy through your own arcchagas) and lure samsAris who are who are living (drifting from the main purpose of life) without any "yOgyathai" ('madi') or support and nyAnam as an Akinchnayan "niRaivonRum illA neesan" as similar to me. [Such jivans are similar to "alai mEL adum padagu" ie., the boats that are rocking swiftly due to huge tidal waves and may be swallowed anytime by the same ocean due to their instability]. You are thus required to protect jIvans such as adiyEn. Oh lord of Sri Arangam please protect me!
thoNdar adi podi AzhwAr thiruvadikaLE saraNam Sampath Rengarajan
Swami Desikan thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan
5. "Godha-stuthi" - part 2 - An Ode to the 'Mystic Bride'
M.K.SudarshanPart 2
The hagiography of Sri.Andal further recounts how in spite of initial misgivings about his daughter's profession of love for the Lord of SriRangam, PeriyAlwAr eventually understood and accepted the real nature of the girl's spiritual aspirations. He saw that the "bridal yearning" of 'gOdA' was an intensely spiritual endeavour superior in many ways perhaps to those of his own or of his illustrious forbears. "gOdA's" form of 'bhakti' or "God-love" or "God-besotedness" added a wholly new and unique dimension to the mystical traditions of the "AlwAr-s"!Not surprisingly, the deep and turbulent feelings of "bridal mysticism", echoing in the outpourings of Andal's "nAcchiyAr tirumozhi" or the "tiruppAvai", struck a deep and definite chord of sympathy in the mainstream of SriVaishnava thought that prevailed in her father's times. For she lived in an age that preceded the great epoch of "bhakti"-resurgence in the history of Indian religion; a time when godly souls first began to express deep dissatisfaction with the notion that the Reality of the world was simply one big, cold and impersonal Abstraction; it was a time when PeriAlwAr and those of his ilk began to believe that the world was, instead, the gift, the celebration of a Supreme One, a Personal Deity who essence was plenary Grace, Compassion and Bliss.
In the mood of those times perhaps Sri.AndAl's brand of "bridal-mysticism" --- with its many endearing themes and variants of love i.e. the pangs of passion, the pains and joys brought on by little "games of the heart" played out by a bridal couple such as imagining their union, separation or re-union, or of whispering to or sending each other furtive messages of endearments, the stealing of glances, the jealousies, the endless waiting for a secret rendezvous etc. all of which profusely characterize and feature in Sri.AndAl's limpid Tamil poetry --- that special brand of "bridal-mysticism" became indeed a powerful and joyous affirmation of SriVaishnava deism. This is exactly what one gathers from Verse 8 of the "gOdA-stuthi" where Swami Desikan marvels at how the "elders" of the Vedic Faith, like her own father even, abandoned their hidebound traditional ways and took to "pranaya bhAvanaya-ha" i.e. imitating Sri.AndAl's modes of "bridal worship" in their own spiritual quests ! :
bhOktUm tava priyatamam BhavatIva gOdE haktim nijAm praNaya-BhAvanayA gRiNanta-ha | ucchAvachair-virahasangamair-udantai-hi sringArayanti hridayam guravastvadiyA-ha ||"gOdA" the little girl, Swami Desikan would have us believe, thus actually taught great and venerable preceptors, SriVaishnava 'AchAryA-s' like her own father, a unique and intuitive route to God-realization. She showed them all that the way humanity relates to divinity, the temporal relates to the eternal, the individual to the Universal or the "jIva" to the "para-brahmham" really ought to be no different from the way a forlorn and betrothed bride relates to the moment of climactic union with her groom.The legends of SriRangam further recount how Sri.Vishnuchittan himself took his 'gOdA' in a splendid bridal procession through the streets of SriVilliputtur, all the way to the great walled city of SriRangam and there, in the holy precincts of Lord Ranganatha, solemnized the wedding of his dear daughter with the deity. The SriVaishnava Faith celebrates to this day that glorious occasion of 'gOdA's marriage to Ranganatha, re-enacting and re-living that symbolic moment of bliss experienced by the individual soul on attaining its true "svarUpa" i.e. Self-realization.
It is that profoundly majestic moment of "spiritual matrimony" which forms the central theme of Swami Desikan's celebrated 29-stanza ode, the "gOdA-stuthi".
Swami Desikan fully exhibits indeed in this Sanskrit hymn his unique skills as a "poetic-cinematographer" as distinct from those of a mere poet. In stanza after stanza are created not merely word-portraits; what is captured in the "gOdA-stuthi" transcends the limits of verbal depiction and conveys instead the reader into the realms of "virtual" experience. What is sought to be created in the reader's mind by the poet are not only impressions but the "real-time" experience of witnessing a wedding. The difference in experience is indeed akin to that which one surely senses between thumb-nailing through an old album of wedding photographs and watching the same event unfold instead on a first-class video-clip. The reader indeed can follow the focus of Swami Desikan's poetic-lens skillfully "shift", "sweep", "zoom", "weave" and "freeze" on one "frame" after another as verse after verse in the "gOdA-stuthi" captures the atmosphere, the sights, the people, the sounds and smells, th! e mirth, fan-fare and the poignant occasion of Sri.Andal's wedding with the Lord of SriRangam!
M.K.Sudarshan
6. An Announcement
From Sri Poundrika puram Andavan Ashramam, NADear Bhagavatas, On this auspicious day of Sravanam, I have great pleasure in announcing the introduction of the Home Page for the Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram Ashramam, Srirangam. You are invited to view it at-
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9878/ or at http://www.srivaishnava.org
This has been jointly designed by the undersigned and Sri Sampath Rengarajan But for the untiring efforts of Sri Rengarajan in construction, this would not have become possible. The Home Page is still under construction. Continuous upgrading, additions and improvements will be made in the course of the next few weeks.
I wish to thank Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy, and his wife, Srimati Shaalini of Boston, Sri Madhava Kannan of Singapore, Sri Ramesh Sarangapani, Sri Lakshmanan and other Sishyas and wellwishers of the Ashramam for their valuable suggestions and help in constructing the Home Page.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
7. An appeal for 600th Anniversary of Sri Ahobila muth
Dear Bhagavatas,
You know that the 600th Anniversary of Sri Ahobila Matam founded by Sri AdhiVann Satakopar is to be celebrated on a grand scale at Ahobilam from 21st to 25th October 1998. The Prakritam Azhagiya Singhar has issued an appeal for funds from us. We request you to contribute liberally for this once in a lifetime mega event and receive the blessings of Sri Malolan and Azhagiyasinghar.Donations in USA and outside India may draw their checks in favor of "Sri Ahobila Mutt" and send to "Sri P.Dileepan, Treasurer, Ahobila Mutt, 1908, Preswood Drive, Hixson, TN-37343." These are subject to Tax exemption in USA.
Donations within India entitled to 80G exemption under the Income Tax Act may be drawn in favor of "Sri Ahobila Mutt Seva Samithi" and sent direct to their address at 66, Dr. Rangachari Road, Alwarpet, Chennai-600 018"
Necessary certificates will be issued by the Mutt for claiming exemptions.
Please do not forget to mention in the memo portion of the check and in the covering letter that-
"(i) the donation is for 600 th Anniversary of Ahobila Mutt, India and
(ii) the donation is sent as per the request of Swami Desika Darsana Satsangam"Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
President, Swami Desika Darsana Satsangam, USA