Vol 02.005 2 August 1999
In this Issue:
1. Editorial
2. Acharya Vamsa Vriksham - Part 29 - Anbil Ramaswamy
3. PradhAna Sathakam - Part 10 - V. Sadagopan
4. Upakara Sangraham part 3 - U.Ve.Anantha Narasimhachar, Srirangam
5. Learn our tradition (sampradhAya) the easy way
A course for Kids/Beginners: Grade 1 "Lesson 6" -"Koil" - Anbil Ramaswamy
1. EditorialDear BhakthAs:
Thanks very much for your patience during the past few weeks, when the release of the new issues was not possible due to number of other pressing matters that required the attention of the Board Members. Sri Anbil Swamy, Srimans Sampath Rengarajan, Venkatesh Elayavalli and adiyEn sincerely appreciate your continued interest in the SaraNAgathi Journal. We have heard from some of you about the relevance of our effort and its usefulness to You. Please share your views with us to serve you better.
Few timely items that took time away from our well-intentioned efforts to release the SaraNAgathi issues earlier are:
(1) The enormous effort that went into the design and production of the first of its kind CD ROM on AchArya RAmunujA's Life and Sri Sookthis. With the AchAryA's blessings, the project has been completed and the CD ROM is ready for release on Swami Desikan's Thirunakshathram day (PurattAsi SravaNam). This kaimkaryam fits well with the central objectives of Swami Desika Darsana sathsangham, whose electronic journal is " SaraNAgathi ".
(2) The time needed by V.S to help the creators of the Audio CD ROM version of Swamy Deasikan's SthOthra MaalA. The 28 SthOthrams have been recorded by Sri.Nadadur Madhavan of Sri RAmAnuja Kootam of Virginia with sampradhAya Suddham and high degree of audio fidelity. There are 6 volumes of audio CD ROM cassettes recorded by 2 ardent Desika BhakthAs from New Jersey. The first 3 volumes of these Sri Sookthis were earlier released in April 1999 and the remaining 3 including the Achyutha sathakam in Praakrith language are being released on September 19, 1999 at Sri RanganAthA temple at Pomona, NJ. Please contact any one of us regarding details on these interactive, audio and Multimedia cassettes on the Sri Sookthis and lives of AchArya RaamAnujA and Swami Sri Desikan.
(3) Sri Sampath Rengarajan has been extremely tied up with fund raising efforts for the Once-in-a-lifetime Kaimkaryam of Sri KomaLavalli SamEtha Sri AarAvamudhan's SamprOkshaNam at Thiruk kudanthai. He raised a substantive amount of funds from fellow BhagavathAs from all over the world for this SamprOkshaNam. The most satisfying part is the allocation of the majority of these funds for a SvarNa kavacham for Sri AarAvamudhan. Sri Rengarajan was blessed to take part in this MahA Uthsavam at Thirukkudanthai and he used the occasion to visit number of Divya desams. He just returned from his trip.
Let me stop here and state that we are very happy to restart this Kaimkaryam of publication of SaraNAgathi issues and seek your inputs, recommendations to serve you better in the months ahead.
Swami Desikan ThruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
AdiyEN,
V.Sadagopan for the Editorial Board
2. AchArya Vamsa Vruksham - part 29
Anbil Ramaswamy
Period I : SwAmi dEsikA & His times - 9 III. Juior Contemporaries of SwAmi dEsikA (Contd)SwAmi DEsikAS Son and Successor
10. NainAchAryAr (aka) Kumara VaradachAryA. He was the illustrious son of Swami Desika. He was born in 1317 AD (Pingala). VED: "Swami Desika was succeeded by his son and disciple, KumAra VaradAchAryA also known as NainArachAryA". A scholar, like his illustrious father, NainAr AchAryA was an able exponent of Sri VisihtAdvaita VEdhAntA. In a philosophical debate, he defeated the Sakalya MallA, the author of UdhAra RAghavA and an expert in black magic. NainAr AchAryA toured extensively in Kerala country and helped many to follow SriVaishnavism. In Andhra, one Sarvagna Singappa of Nayak family of Rajahmundry became a key supporter of him and became his disciple.
NainAr Acharyas chief objective in life was to apotheosize his father and propagate his doctrines and writings. At the Srirangam temple, he set up an idol of his famous father. He vanquished many Advaitins in debates held in TirukkOshtiyur, Thiru mAl irum chOlai, and Madurai. During his stay at VennAr bank, Thanjavur, he installed an image of his father in the temple of NeelamEgha PerumaL. (Later, he installed the images of dEsika for worship at KAnchi, Tiruvaheendrapuram, MadurAnthakam, Thooppul, Sriperumpudur and other Divya Desas.) NainAr AchAryA is said to have authorized the recitation of the Thanians of NAlAyira divya Prabhandam and dEsika Prabhandam during the Anadhyayana period when the recitation of Divya Prabhandam remains suspended.
He classified the 120+ works of his father under 6 heads. He composed Pillai AnthAdhi - a poetic tribute to his father in 20 stanzas. He has 8 works to his credit, namely Tattva Surukkam, Rahasya Surukkam, Adhikarana ChinthAmani, Rahasya Thraya SArArtha SangrahA, Pillai AnthAdhi, Abheda Khandanam, AvidyA Khandanam and Prapancha Mityathva. He composed the famous Tanian "Srimaan Venkata Naathaarya" which is always recited today prior to the Sanskrit hymns of Swami Desika.
11. Other Contemporaries: There were many other contemporaries who learned at the feet of Swami Desika. To mention a few:- 1. PrathivAdi Bhayankaram Annan
2. VardAryar
3. Vennai Koottha Jeeyar
4. Kunjambur RamanujAchAryAr
5. KandhAdai EmbAr
6. Prabhakara Jeeyar
7. Tirumalai SrinivasAchAryAr
8. Tirumalai NallAn
9. Theerthap Pillai
10. KidAmbi Pillai
11. Komandur Pillai
Of these, Vennaikoottha Jeeyar, and PrabhAkara Jeeyar were SannyAsis besides Brahma Tantra Swatantrar.
3. PradhAna sadhakam - part 10
V. Sadagopan
(Based on originals from Sri U. Ve. Sri Rama desikAchAr, "RahasyArttha vivaraNam - Sillarai RahasyangaL - part 3, in tamil)The Important meanings of Charama SlOkam (45-47)
45/100 : The charama slOkam is made up of three constituent parts: (1) sarva dharmAn parithyajya mAmEkam saraNam vraja (2) aham thvA sarva pApEpyO mOkshayishyAmi (3) mA sucha :
The first portion instructs one to perform SaraNAgathi. The second portion focuses on the phalan arising from such a performance. The third portion describes the status of being care-free and blissful as a result of the performance of SaraNAgathi. The second and third portions of the Charama slOkam arose as a response to the question, "why should we perform SaraNAgathi" as commanded by the First portion of the charama slOkam. Hence, THE FIRST PORTION OF THE CHARAMA SLOKAM IS PRADHAANAM. The first portion is recognized as pUrva vAkyam since the second and the third portions are responses to the first portion and hence are known as utthara vAkhyams. Swami Desikan points out that the Purva vAkhyam is pradhAnam over the utthara vAkhyams.
46/100 : The second portion of the charama slOkam focuses on the phalan resulting from performing SaraNAgathi. It houses our Lord's promise to free us from all karmAs that stand in the way of mOksham as obstacles (prathibhandhaka nivrutthi). When these obstacles are chased away, it is but natural to gain mOksham (svatha: prAptham), which is nothing but gaining Sri VaikuntanAthan (Swami laabham). Hence, the fruit (phalan) of the realization of the Lord of Srivaikuntam as a result of the removal of obstacles is pradhAnam (svatha : prAptha Swami lAbham).
47/100 :In GithOpanishad, Our Lord has spoken thrice to remove the sorrow of Sri ArjunA. His sOkha - nivrthaka vaakhyams aimed at comforting His friend and Sishyan, ArjunA, are found in the second, sixteenth and the eighteenth chapters of GithA.
47.1: Second Chapter: Arjuna is ovewhelmed with the sorrow over the thought of killing his AchAryAs and relatives in the battle field to gain the kingdom. This type of sorrow does not belong to a Kshathriyan and his dharmam. Our Lord explained to ArjunA that his sorrow was totally inappropriate and instructed ArjunA about the nature of the body and the self. Our Lord pointed out that the Self is eternal and is not dependent on the body for its existence, nor is it subjected to destruction on the death of the insentient body. The Lord said "You grieve for those, who should not be grieved for. Yet, you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the dead or for the living (nAnu sOchanthi panDithA:)". Swami Desikan comments that Lord removed the "asthAna snEhAdhi nibhandhana sOkham" (sorrow arising from misplaced affection) of ArjunA in the second chapter.
47.2: Sixteenth Chapter (anadhikArathva sankhA nibhandhana sOkha Nivarthanam): In the fifth slOkam of the 16th chapter, our Lord comforted ArjunA by explaining the differences between the divine and the demonical destinies (sura and asura sampath and points out that Arjuna is born to divine destiny and as such he has nothing to grieve:
dhaivU sampadh vimOkshAya nibhandhayAsuri mathA mA sucha: sampadham dhaivIm abhijAthOsi pANdava
When Arjuna was sorrow stricken over the fear that he possessed Asuri sampath, our Lord removed his sorrow by pointing out that he (Arjunaa) had a divine destiny and is fit to gain mOksham and thus removed his anAdhikArathva sankhA (sorrow over unfitness as a qualified one).
47.3: Eighteenth Chapter (viLamBhitha -phala-kruchra-nivartthanam) (sAdhya-upAya-upadEsa janitha sOkha Nivarthanam): "The instruction about the supermacy of Prapatthi Yogam":
Our Lord instructed Sri ArjunA on the Bhakthi yOgam that yields its phalan after a long and arduous practise. Sri ArjunA was sorrow-stricken over the thought of his incapacity to undertake this difficult Bhakthi yOgam. When the Lord recognized the dejection of ArjunA, out of His limitless compassion blessed Sri ArjunA with the easy-to-perform Prapatthi yOgam and wiped away Sri ArjunA's sOkham once and for all.
Swami Desikan takes into account the three instances, where Our Lord came to the rescue of the sorrowing Arjuna to remove his dukkham. Swami Desikan concludes that, AMOMG THE THREE UPADESAMS FOR SORROW REMOVAL, THE ONE HOUSED IN THE 18th CHAPTER IS PRADHANAM. He explains that the first two upadEsams housed in the 2nd and the 16th chapters are not of much use to the suffering samsAris and the third upadEsam is the most useful for all chEthanAs and hence attains the status of PrAdhAnyam.
4. Upakara Sangraham - Part 2
U.Ve. Ananthanarasimhachar, Srirangam (typed by Sri VijayaRagavan)(20) Seeing that the Nasthika thought does not enter into the mind of an individual by anybody. (Nasthika means an atheist (one who says there is no God).
(21) Making us to develop an unshakable desire to attain mOksha and making us to get detached from the worldly desires and from the desire to attain heaven which are all shortlived attainments.
(22) Making us not becoming devoted towards any other god other than Lord Sriman Narayanan.
(23) Granting the will to an individual to do Saranagathi at his feet to attract His grace.
(24) Making an indivdual to become ready for doing Saranagathi, making an individual free from four types of mental and physical disorders as mentioned in Sri VarAha Charama SlOka and making him to do SaranAgathi at the Lord's Feet after observing the five ingredients prescribed for the Saranagathi.
(25) When an individual becomes a Prapanna by doing Saranagathi the Lord helps him in the following manner. The sins committed by the individual during his previous births have piled up like a mountain. Out of this a portion of the sins have commenced giving fruits. This portion is known as 'prarabdham'. The remaining is known as 'Sanchitham'. The Prapanna gets rid of Sanchitham by the will of the Lord. Out of Prarabdham the portion whose fruits are to be enjoyed in subsequent births is known as Anabhyugatha PrArabdham. This also disappears by the will of the Lord. The remaining prarabdham is known as Abhyugatha prArabdham whose fruits have to be enjoyed during the lifetime of the Prapanna. If after doing Prapathi or SaranAgathi, the Prapanna does sins inadvertently, these sins will have no effect on the Prapanna. The deliberate acts of sins done after SaranAgathi can be got rid of by doing the prescribed atonements or an other special SaranAgathi for getting rid of these sins. If he is a hard core element not agreeing to do either of the above he will be made to undergo some simple punishments. Finally making the Prapanna sinless, the Lord grants him Moksha. Here the word sin means both PuNNya and pApa.
(26) After doing SaranAgathi, the Prapanna should be ever thinking of the Lord and doing his service always. Such a Prapanna is known as Parama EkAnthi. Lord makes him not to have any fear or illusion.
(27) Making the soul of the Prapanna who is Mumukshu as he has the desire to attain the mOksha depart from his mortal body without any restriction of place and time.
(28) For the individual who has adopted the means of the Bhakthi yOgA for attaining mOksha, Making him to get the last thought of the lord by his own effort. This last thought just before the departure of the soul (JivA) is known as 'Anthima Smruthi'. For Prapanna this Anthima Smruthi comes by Lord's Grace.
(29) In the heart of any human being there are 101 nAdis. nAdi is a tubular organ of the body. The 101st nAdi is known as Sushumna nAdi, Moordhanya nAdi or Brahma nAdi. If the soul departs from the body through this Sushumna nAdi he will go to Moksha. If the soul departs from the body through any other nAdi he may go to hell or heaven.
5. SampradhAya pAda thittam
Learn our SampradhAyam the easy way (Course for Kids) Grade 1 for Beginners Lesson 6 - KOyil
Anbil Ramaswamy
(Based on originals from Sri U.Ve. Seva Swamy, "Sampradya pAda thittam" in tamil)The word kOyil is made up of two components. "kO" refers to the Lord and "yil" means the home or place. Therefore, the place where the idol of the Lord is installed and consecrated is called "kOyil". It is a place where on viewing the eye filling beauty of the Lord, our mind attains Layam (coalescence) with the Lord. Hence, it is also called "Aa-Layam". Our Lord is a Nidhi (Treasure) that is "Sam" (eternal). Hence the place where this eternal treasure is treasured is called "Sannidhi".
The idols in the temples can be made of stone, Gold, Silver, Copper or any other material as suits us. But, their "Prathishtai" (installation and consecration) has to be done with appropriate "MantrAs" before they are deemed to acquire "SAniddhyam" (this quality of being eternal treasurer's Divine presence). Worshipping these idols so consecrated according to "AagamAs" (traditions) is known as "Aa-Laya VazhipAdu" (Temple worship).
The form of the Lord in such consecrated idols is no different from the form of the Lord in His supreme station called "Paramapadam" (Highest Heavens). The AagamAs show us through these idols how exactly our Lord would appear in Paramapadam. Worshipping the Lord in temples is said to cleanse us of all our sins. Therefore, we are advised to resort to temple worship. Ancient temples that have stood the test of time are known as "PuNya KshEthrams" (Holy places). One should have acquired "PuNyam" (Spiritual merit) even to get an opportunity to live in these PuNya KshEthrams. Conversely, the very fact of our living in these PuNya KshEthrams is said to augment our stock of Punyam. There is a proverb that prohibits staying in a place that has no temples -"Koyil IllA Ooril Kudi Irukka Vendaam".
The posture of the idol in the temple is called "Thiruk kOlam". Elders used to refer to the standing, sitting and reclining postures as "Ninra Thiruk kOlam", "VeeRRu irundha Thiruk kOlam" & "Sayana Thiruk kOlam" respectively. In every temple, there are two forms called "Moolavar" and "uRsavar". "Moolavar" is stationed permanently in His abode called the "Garbha Graham" (Sanctum Sanctorum) or "AasthAnam". Except the"ArchakAs" (Priests) no one can go into this place. The other form viz. "uRsavar' is so called because, though is generally seen with the Moolavar, in this form, He moves out of the Sanctum Sanctorum during festive occasions. During festival occasions, this idol form is taken out of the Garbha Graham, when the Lord gives His Darshan (shows Himself) and blesses even those who could not visit the temple. This 'outing' of the "uRsavar" is called "PuRappAdu".
During "PuRappAdu", several "UpachArAs "(reverential submissions) are offered to the Lord like "Venn Kudai" (White regal umbrella), "Venn sAmaram" (White Yak tail fans), Group recitation of vEdha ManthrAs (in vEdha pArAyanA gOshtis), blowing of trumpets and other musical instruments (vAdhya gOsham) and beating of drums et al. The temples have been classified according to their genesis. Temples where the Lord had manifested on His own are called "Swayam Vyaktham". Those that have been brought to light by Rishis (Sages) and SiddhAs (Realized ones) are called "Aarsham" and "Saittham" respectively. Others constructed by other humans are called "mAnusham". Temples consecrated by AzhwArs (the immersed ones) are called Divya dEsams (Holiest of Holy places) or "pAdal PeRRa Kshetrams" (places glorified by the songs of the AzhwArs). Our elders have identified these to be 108 in number. Besides, there are several "AbhimAna Sthalams" (favorite places) and "PurAna Sthalams" (places glorified in the purAnas). The "Aagama vAsthu SashtrAs" (Traditional Architectural Manuals) lay down how the form of either "Garuda" (the bird vehicle of the Lord) or "Simham" (lion) should be displayed on the ramparts of the surrounding compound walls of PerumAL Koyils. On seeing these, even an illiterate person can easily identify the temple as "PerumAL Koyils".
Only if the rites and rituals are performed properly according to SashtrAs, there can be peace all around, prosperity for the country, amity among the people and stability for the Government. That is why the proverb declares "Aalayam Thozhuvadhu sAlavum NanRu" meaning, "it is very good to worship the Lord in the temples".
In PerumAL kOyils, there is no place for worship of the "Nava-grahAs" (the nine planets) or of "Vinayaka" (Ganesa) or other deities (Anya dEvathAs). The only other Sannidhis permitted are those of "ChakrathAzhwAr" (Lord's disc) and "GarudAzhwAr" (the bird vehicle of the Lord). In some cases, Sannidhis for "AnjanEyA" (Hanuman) can be seen separately. Elders used to refer to GarudAzhwAr as "Periya Thiruvadi" (Big foot) and AnjanEya as "Siriya Thiruvadi" (Small foot). There is no Aagama sanction for the construction of mixed temples with Sannidhis for BhagavAn and Anya dEevathAs now in vogue in the name of egalitarianism. There can be "sAnnidhyam" (Divine presence of the Lord) only in Sannidhis constructed strictly in accordance with Aagama ShAstrAs.
QUESTIONS
- What is meant by the term "Koyil"?
- What is the meaning of the words "Sannidhi" and "Aa-Layam"?
- How does divine presence manifest in the idols in the temple?
- Why should "Prathishtai" be done?
- What benefits can we derive by worshipping the Lord in the temple?
- What are the advantages in residing in places with temples?
- In what postures can we see the Lord in the temple?
- What is the specialty in "Purappaadu" of the Lord?
- What are the various forms in which the Lord is installed in the temples?
- What does "Divya dEsam" mean?
- How many Divya dEsams have been identified?
- How can you identify a temple as belonging to PerumAL?
- What are the benefits in performing regular Poojas etc in the temples?
- Can there be separate Sannidhis in temples? Which are allowed and which does Aagama sAshtrAs not allow?
- Can there be divine presence of the Lord in a temple constructed in violation of the dictates of Aagama sAshtrAs?