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Vol 02.006
14 October 1999

In this Issue:
1. Editorial
2. AchArya Vamsa Vriksham - Part 30 - Anbil Ramaswamy
3. PradhAna Sathakam - Part 11 - V. Sadagopan
4. Upakara Sangraham part 4 - U.Ve.Anantha Narasimhachar, Srirangam
5. Learn our tradition (sampradhAya) the easy way
   A course for Kids/Beginners: Grade 1 "Lesson 7" - "Who is great?" - Anbil Ramaswamy

1. Editorial

HAPPY DIPAAWALI GREETINGS TO MEMBERS

Dear BhakthAs,

On behalf of the Editorial Board, it is my pleasure to extend to you all a Happy DipAwaLi Celebrations .

There are a number of web pages on Sri Vaishnavam has been created recently .These may be of interest to you:
1.Sri Ranganatha PaadhukhA Sahasram ( http://padhuka.homepage.com)
2.AchArya RaamAnujA: ( http://members.tripod.com/~SriRamanujar)
3.Swamy Desikan I ( http://swamydesika.homepage.com)
4.Swamy DesikanII ( http://desikan.homepage.com)

A pioneering Interactive Multimedia CD ROM with the blessings Of Prakrutham Ahobila Matam Jeeyar, has also been released since the issue of the last SharaNAgathi Journal. Bhagavath AarAdhanam, the Nine Sri Sookthis of AchArya RaamAnujA, Video of Thirumanjanam for the ArchA moorthy of AchArya RaamAnujA at ThirunArAyaNapuram, and number of other information items have been included in this CD-ROM. Please contact me for further details on how to acquire this educational CD ROM that would be valuable to the Whole Family.

We look forward to hearing from you on your comments/suggestions on the items included in this issue.

Daasan ,
V.Sadagopan
Editor-in-Chief


2. AchArya Vamsa Vriksham - part 30

PERIOD - J : Branching Off of parakAla mutt - Anbil Ramaswamy

We have already mentioned how Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami, the junior contemporary of Swami Desika became the disciple of NainArAchAriAr. While NainArAchAriAr continued the tradition of Swami Desika without establishing a separate line of ParamparA, Brahma Thanthra started one by establishing the ParakAla Mutt, also following Swami Desika Darsanam and worshipping the ArchA Murthi of Sri Lakshmi Hayageevar granted to him by Swami Desikan himself. The Swami moved to Mysore and the Royal family became ardent devotees of the New Mutt and continued to make huge grants for the sustenance of the Mutt for over several centuries until the monarchy was displaced by the Constitution.

We furnish below the names of the Yathis who adorned the Peetam of the ParakAla Mutt from the AchArya Vamsa Vriksha Chart (**)

  1. Sri Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  2. Sri Dviteeya Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  3. Sri Triteeya Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Srinivasa Swami
  4. Sri ParakAla Swami
  5. Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Swami
  6. Srinivasa Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  7. Sri Narayana Swami
  8. Sri Rangaraja Swami
  9. Sri Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  10. Sri Yathiraja Swami
  11. Sri Varada Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  12. Sri ParAnkusa Swami
  13. Sri Kavi ThArkika Simha Swami
  14. Sri Vedantha Yathivarya Swami
  15. Sri GnAnAbdi Brahma Thanthra Swathanthra Swami
  16. Sri Veera Raghava Swami
  17. Sri Varada VedAntha Swami
  18. Sri VarAha Swami
  19. Sri VedAntha Lakshmana Swami
  20. Sri Varada VedAntha Yogeendra Swami
  21. Sri Periya ParakAla Swami (Chatus Sahasra Divya Prabhanda VyAkhyAthA)
  22. Srinivasa ParakAla Swami
  23. Sri VedhAnta ParakAla Swami
  24. Sri Abhinava Srinivasa ParakAla Swami
  25. Sri Ramanuja ParakAla Swami
  26. Sri Brahma Tanthra GanthAvathAra ParakAla Swami
  27. Sri VedhAntha Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  28. Srinivasa Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  29. Srinivasa Desikendra Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  30. Sri RanganAtha Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  31. Sri Krishna Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  32. Sri VAgheesa Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  33. Srimad Abhinava RanganAtha Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  34. Srimad Abhinava Srinivasa Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  35. Srimad Abhinava Ramanuja Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami
  36. Srimad Abhinava vAgheesa Brahma Thanthra ParakAla Swami (The Prakritam Swami- The present Pontiff of the Mutt)

3. PradhAna sadhakam - part 11

V. Sadagopan

(Based on originals from Sri U.Ve.SriRamadesikAchAr,"RahasyArttha vivaraNam - Sillarai RahasyangaL - part 3, in tamil)

The Principals among the PrapannAs (48-49)

48/100 : We should perform prapathi at the sacred feet of Sriman NArAyaNA after being initiated into the meanings of Thirumanthiram, Dhvayam and Charama SlOkam. Those, who have performed such Prapatthi are known as PrapannAs. They can be classified in to the two categories of dhruptha prapannas and Aartha PrapannAs.

Dhruptha PrapannAs are those, who want to eliminate the causes for future births so that they can attain the bliss of Moksham at the end of their allotted earthly life. Aartha prapannAs are those, who develop a distaste for spending additional time on earth and long intensely to attain moksha siddhi without delay and be a resident of Sriman NArAyaNA's Vaikuntam quickly. They wish to be rid of the rest of their karmas that stand between them immediately and thereby attain Moksha Siddhi rightaway to enjoy Sri Vaikunta VAsam as muktha prapannAs. Among the dhruptha and Aartha prapannAs, the latter is pradhAnam.

49/100 : Among Aartha prapannAs, there are those, who want to leave this worldly life at once to perform nithya Kaimkaryam to Sri Vaikuntanathan without "additional" time. They do not want to tarry in this earth even for a moment. They have unquenchable ardour to be at the side of the Lord's feet immediately . Other Aartha prapannAs pray to Lord to shrink their time on earth by weeks, months or years and put up with their allotted life span, even if they are sorrowful over the time delay in enjoying the fruits of Moksham. Among the Aartha prapannAs, those, who would like to have their lives shrunk on earth to the minimum and have the greatest sense of urgency to enjoy the MokshAnugraham are the most important.

Gathi Chinthanam and Anthima Prathyayam (50-51) 50/100 : Among the dhruptha prapannAs, there are two categories. The first one spends his or her time on this earth thinking about the blessings of travel by archirAdhi mArgam. Though this type of thinking is not helpful for Moksham, it would be a pleasant way to spend one's remaining time on this earth. The other category of dhruptha prapannan will focus one's thoughts on the time, when the Lord will bless one with Moksham. The very thought (Chinthanai Nilai) of the Archiradhi margam and the expectation of getting the Moksham would be important.

Swami Desikan quotes in this context, the pAsuram of NammAzhwAr (Thiruvaimozhi : 9.3.7), where he prays to Lord Narasimhan :

"--Vaikuntham kANpathaRkku, yen manam yEkam yeNNUm irAp pahalinRiyE ".

(Meaning): My mind will think unceasingly during night and day about the enjoyment of Lord Narasimha at His abode of Sri vaikuntam.

51/100 : Here, Swami Desikan comments on the topic that he covered at length in the NirNayAdhikAram chapter of Srimath Rahasya Thraya SAram (Twentieth Chapter). The topic is anthima prathyayam or thoughts during the last moments of one's life on this earth. For a prapanna, the thoughts about the Lord during anthima prayANam would be the most desirable. The prapanna need not however take a special effort in this context.Our Lord out of His infinite daya would bless the prapanna with thoughts about Him. It is important to pray for this anthima chinthanai about Him at the time of the performance of Prapatthi itself performed by a sadhAchAryan. One should not seek thereafter for the boon of anthima chinthana from the Lord as a fruit of one's prapatthi. That kind of prarthanai is a svayam prayOjana prArthanai.

Swami Desikan cites the 21st chUrNikai of SaraNAgathi gadhyam of Sri RAmAnujA in this context :

"SarIrapatha samayE thu kEvala madhIyayaiva dhayayA athiprabhuddha:mAmEva avalOkayan --"

(meaning): May the illustrious dayA of Sri RanganAthA envelop me at the time of my last, moments on His earth (leelA VibhUthi) that I am blessed with unceasing thoughts about Him due to the blossoming of Bhagavath- Thatthva jn~Anam!

Swami Desikan's references to the slOkam passage from VarAha PurANam,"nashta smruthirapi, partithyajyan dEham", VarAha Charama slOkam passage (sthithE mansi susvathE..) and PeriyAzhwAr's prayer to Sri RanganAthA "appOthaikku ippOthE solli vaitthEn.." (PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi:4.10.1) on anthima smruthi are important ones for a svathanthra prapatthi nishtan. For such a prapannan, the last thoughts on BhagavAn will arise due to the Lord's sankalpam. This was also one of the six messages sent by Sri VaradarAjan of KAnchi to Sri RAmAnujA through Sri Thirukkacchi Nambi.


4. UpakAra Sangraham - Part 3

U.Ve. Anantha narasimhachar, Srirangam.

(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 short-lived 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 individual 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.

If after doing Prapathi or Saranagathi, the Prapanna does sins inadvertently. This is called 'pramadhikam'. 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 Punya 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. SampradAya pAda thittam

Anbil Ramaswamy

Learn our Sampradayam the easy way (Course for Kids) Grade 1 for Beginners Lesson 7 - Who is Great?
(Based on originals from Sri U.Ve. Seva Swamy, "Sampradya pAda thittam" in tamil)

We are asked to respect the great and address them reverentially. But, then, who is great? Greatness implies that the person has numerous traits of eminence. One may be great in terms of age. But, growing old by itself does not invest a person with any greatness because we know that we have no control over the aging process. Another may be great in terms of knowledge. But, knowledge of what? Knowledge of things that one need not know cannot be called real knowledge. Swami Desika says that only the knowledge of the three Great MahAmantras is Real knowledge. Yet another may have impeccable character. Indeed, this is most desirable. But, the one who has all these is really great. That the blessings of such a one results in great benefit to the recipient is a fact of life experienced by many.

A Pundit (learned person) is greater than an unlettered one; A person who has learned the Vedas through Adhyayanam (Study) is called "VedhAnthin" and is greater than the Pundit; One who has not only the above but also observes the prescribed "AnushtAnam" (Rites and Rituals befitting his Varna and Asrama) is called "AnushthAthA." The "VedhAnthin" who is also an "AnushtAthA" would develop a detachment to the vanishing pleasures of worldly life and would lead an exemplary character. He will always strive selflessly for universal welfare. Such realized souls will be firm in their conviction that Sriman Narayana is the "ParamAtmA" (Supreme Lord). The thought of worshipping any Anya Devatas (demigods) would never cross their mind.

Among the Brahmins, the one who recites Gayatri Mantra times without number is considered great; Among the ruling class, the one who is victorious in just war is hailed to be great; The tradesman who accumulates huge profits through ethical business is recognized as great; Among servitors, the one who renders efficient and devoted service to the master is deemed great. Ultimately, however, true greatness lies in performing one's duties as a dedication to the Lord, without expectation of any awards or rewards (Nish KAmya Karma). It is this kind of great ones that deserve the utmost respect. By following them, we ourselves can also try to imbibe their qualities of greatness.

QUESTIONS

  1. State the various categories of greatness? 2. Between a "Vedanathin" and an "AnushtAthA," who is greater?
  2. What achievements are considered in general to be indices of greatness?
  3. Whom do you consider as great at home and in the Country and why?
  4. State some of the characteristics of true greatness?
  5. Who is considered great in Knowledge, in valor, in wealth and in service?
  6. If you desire to become really great, what should you do and what would you do?

  7. (**)
    We don't have the details of the Vamsa Parampara of Sri parakAla Mutt. We will be grateful for anyone (either the Sishyas of the Mutt or anyone else) to make available any details about these for incorporation in this series. The details as to their other Names, gOthram, Nakshatram, Place, Date of birth, Date of SannyAsa Sweekaranam, Date of ascent to Srivaikuntam, Names of Sishyas other than the successors mentioned hereunder, their works, Thanians and important and interesting events in their lifes will be most welcome.