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Vol 03.003 
29 April 2000

In this Issue:
1.  Editorial
2.  An Outline of PramEyA in VisistAdhvaitA - M S Hari
3.  The vEdhic tradition of Revelation - Sri Anantha RangAchAr
4.  PradhAna Sathakam - Part 14 - V. Sadagopan
5.  What is in this week?  List of festivals and events, this week
 

1.Editorial

Dear BhakthAs:

We  place  in your hands the third issue of  the third volume. Our best wishes to you for a wonderful celebration of AchArya RAmAnujA's Jayanthi during this week. Please  note  that  we have added a new section : "What is in this week?" for the benefit of  the readers.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

adiyEn,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan
Editor-in-Chief
http://www.srivaishnava.org/sgati/


2. An Outline of "PramEyA" in VisistAdhvaitA
S M Hari

From the summary of the Brahma SutrAs as revealed to us  by  Swami dEsikan in "Adhikarana SArAvaLi", the purport of Brahma SutrAs and the  organization  of  the  SutrAs into pAdAs and adhikaranams are outlined. Each adhikaranam  has 5 components: Vishayam  (subject), Samsayam  (doubt),  Poorvapaksham (opponent's  views), SiddhAntham (Established truth with proof) & PrayOjanam (Benefit of establishing the truth with proof).

The 1st chapter (samanvaya) deals with establishing SrimannArAyaNA as the one & only cause of the universe (all sentient & insentient beings), having  that  universe  as His body and being the soul of that  universe. The 2nd chapter (avirOdhA), establishes  that  the Brahman thus understood in the  earlier,  cannot  be  refuted,  or rejected by any system. The 3rd chapter (sAdhanA), deals with  the means to attain the Brahman's lotus feet. The 4th chapter (phala), deals with the goal, which is eternal bliss & service to the lotus feet of Lord Sriman NArAyaNA in the Paramapada VaikuntA, which  is the transcendental eternal & ultimate place.

The conclusions of Swami Desikan  are: Sriman NArAyaNA is the Para Brahma Buthan known from the SAreeraka SAstrA (the Brahma sutra  - the purport of the entire VedhAs). It  is  pointed   out that  the entire contents of upanishads are to be understood  in  this  way. Thus  the Brahman who is the Supreme Self Sriman NArAyaNA, who has all  the Chith and Achith entities as His body is the pramEyA.

Tatvam refers to "Reality" or "Truth". As described  earlier,  our siddhAntham is based on prasthAna thrayam. The  concepts in  tatva thrayam  are  summarized  from  the  pramAnams  as  follows. Tatva Thrayam deals with 3 distinct elements. Chith (ChEtana Vastu)- The sentient soul, the JIvAtmA; achith (AchEtana Vastu, the insentient material or the  non-living things; IswarA, Para Brahman, the  God Sriman NArAyaNan. Each entity is described by 2 concepts. They are

Swaroopa NirupakaVishEsanam is the basic essential characteristics (key) of the entity  without which its nature cannot be identified, understood & comprehended as distinguished. Nirupita Swaroopa Vish -Esanam is identifying the entity by its swroopa nirupaka vishesan -am, and understanding its other attributes/charecteristics   that further makes us to get educated regarding it.

The  achith  is  otherwise  called achEthana Vastu. It is real. It changes with time. It is insentient &thus has no knowledge & knows nothing &it exists for the JIvAtman. It is the insentient material or the non living thing. It is also called prakruti or  pradhAnam. It is  generally the combination of the Satva, Rajas & Tamas gunAs in various proportions. achit  is  classified  into  the following categories. Thrigunya MAyA (Which  is  real (mAyA   is  not  to be understood as falsehood/unreality - it is real &  is  the creation of Lord)). It is otherwise called  misra satvam orsatva guna mixed with rajas, tamas in variety of proportions. We live in this misra satva  prakruti. The  leela  vibhuti of Sri Vishnu is composed  of this  with  samsAra baddha jIvAs living in it starting from Chatur -muka Brahma to micro organisms.

Sudha  SatvA  is Pure SatvA-based achit without the mix of rajas & tamas. It is divine & has svayam prakAsa even though it is  achit. It is present only in the  divine SriVaikunta Parama Pada & shines only for nityAs & muktAs as per the wish of ParamAtmA Sriman NArAy -anan.  The  nitya  vibhuti of Sri Vishnu is composed of this with nityAs and mukthAs eternally serving the Lord in it. Satva Soonyam is the Time or KAlam. Under its control, trigunya  mAya  undergoes changes constantly. It has no control in  Parama  Pada.  Time  has divisions as kAlA, nimisham, muhUrtham, ayaNam etc. It always runs in forward direction. During final  destruction, "kAlam"  is  also destroyed.

The chith is the chetana vastu. It is sentient soul, the jIvAthman. Our body is achit. Inside it (heart) is located the jIvAthman.  It has nyAna maya - knowledge self & also has knowledge as its guNA - attribute/charecteristic. This is called its Dharma BhUta  nyAnam. It has svyam prakAsatvam  ie.,  it knows itself as "I"  "Myself" & knows other things also. It is finite - anu (minutest)  Swaroopa. It has AnandhA (bliss) &is Anandha mAyA. There are countless souls present in the universe. The nyAna of each soul varies  from  that of another because of the individual karma it has from time immemo -rial. The soul is immortal and cannot be killed, burnt, soaked or treated in any materialistic manner. The identity of  JIvAtman  is sEshathvam & Nitya DAsa of Sriman NArAyaNA. Sriman NArAyaNA is its only sEshi & Prabhu. As per this real identity of itself, the  JIv- -AthamA has to do eternal service to Sriman  NArAyanan alone.  The jIvAthmAs are further classified as Baddha JIvAtmAs, those in  the grips of samsAra and are bound by eternal (anAdi)  karma  bandham. They are materialistic, under the influence of rajas, tamas &satva & their condition  is  full  of  misery and  sorrow in the name of worldly pleasures which are in fact ordeals and agonies.

Mukta JeevAthmAs were actually gripped by samsAra &  by the divine grace of AchArya and Bhagawadh BhAgawathAs, got enlightened by the study of sAsthrAs and upadEsAs & had  adopted  bhakti  or prapatti (saranAgathi) as per the sAsthrAs & got liberated  by the grace of Sriman NArAyaNA. They reach Paramapada Sri Vaikuntam and eternally serve the lotus feet of Sriman NArAyaNA there  and never return to this material world.  Nitya JeevAtmAs are souls who  are eternally free from karma and are always present with Sriman NArAyaNA in Sri Vaikunta Paramapada eternally serving His lotus  feet. Sri Garuda, Sri Vishvaksena, Sri Ananta Adhi sEsha are NityAs.  They are  also referred to as nitya sUris.

IswarA  is the Parabrahman Sriman NArAyaNA ParamAtmA. He is called Sri VAsudEvA, SriVishnu. All names identify him  as HE is the soul of everything. He is infinite,  unchanging  truth,  infinite bliss (AnandA) self, infinite knowledge self knowing everything, creator, sustaining everything and destroyer of everything, pure -untouched by all impurities, has infinite divine qualities unique to Himself, Lord Of Sri Lakshmi, Bhoomi &Neela Devi, Supreme soul of all chith & achith tatvAs, having all chith & achith  tatvAs  as  his  body, controlling everything, owning nitya &  leela vibhuthies, immortal& the only material &  instrumental cause of the universe, present inside & outside everything. HE is beyond the comprehension of all vEdhAs, our mind &senses. HE is the only supreme self worshiped by all vEdhAs, sAshtrAs, yagnAs, all karmAs, ArAdhanAs, & tapas etc.; HE has infinite mercy. HE is the upAya (means) & upEya  (goal). HE teaches vEdhAs to chathurmuka brahmA & makes  the  sAstrAs  to  be established in the world. He grants  mOkshA  to  those  who  adopt bhakti or prapatti (saranaagati). His body is divine suddha  satva maya subhAsraya.  HE exhibits himself in 5 forms such as ParaRoopA (At Sri Vaikunta Paramapadam), Vyuha Roopam  (In  the Cosmic Milky Ocean), Vibhava Roopam (VarAha, Nrusimha, RAma KrishnAdi AvatAras), AntaryAmi, HArdhA & ViswaroopA (Present inside  everything, inside the jIvAtman (heart) with a divine form, & having  the universe as his form and outside everything), ArchA Roopam  (Worshiped in  106 (of this world) divya desams as praised by AzhwArs and AchAryAs) & in the form of SAligrAmA & in the form that we like to worship him in our houses also. NArAyanan is always accompanied by Sri Lakshmi & whatever applicable to HIM is also applicable to Sri Lakshmi. So this divine couple is the Iswara tatva. Lakshmi even though is HIS wife, is actually inseparable from HIM and  participates with  HIM equally in all his divine forms & plays. HER divinity  gives glory to Vishnu and Vishnu is the divinity of Sri.

Artha Panchakam
This deals with the 5 important things that one must get to  know. These are JIvAtma Swapoopam (Reality of Individual Self) ParamAtmA (Brahman/IswarA) Swaroopam (Reality of God), UpAya Swaroopam (Knowledge of "means for salvation", Phala (UpEyA) Swaroopam(Knowledge of salvation as result), VirOdhi Swaroopam (Knowledge of obstacles in attaining salvation)

This is the conceptualization of PramAnA & PramEyam as accepted in VisistAdvaitha Sri Vaishnavam. Swami  DEsikan has very elaborately dealt with the concept of "PramAnam" in his celebrated work called "NyAya Parisuddhi". He has dealt with "PramEyam" in "NyAya SiddhAnjanam .

(Editor's Note): In NyAyaParisuddhi, SwamiDesikan intreprets NyAya sutrAs in a manner consistent with the doctirines of VisishtAdhvaitham.  Swami Desikan provides the critical anlaysis of NyAyaSutrA in accordance with  the system  of  Brahma  SutrAs  of  BAdarAyaNA, though NyAya philosophy has been refuted in Brahma  SutrAs.  Swamy Desikan discards the commentaries  of  UdayanA and  VatsyAyanA  on NyAya  SutrAs  in his brilliant Sri Sookthi,  NyAya Parisuddhi. In his Prakarana grantham, NyAya SiddhAnjanam,  Swami Desikan  covers in 6 paricchEdAs (chapters) the following  topics  : (1)  Thriguna -dhravyA (Substance of 3 qualities ), (2) Soul/JIvan , (3) Isvaran/ Supreme Reality , (4) The eternal abode of Isvaran  (Parama Padham/ nithya vibhoothi), (5) Buddhi (Knowledge) & (6) non-substance (adr -avyam). Swami Desikan quotes profusely from great  AchAryAs,  who went before him .Some of the poorvAchAryA's works referred  to  by Swami Desikan are: Agama PrAmAnyam of AlavandhAr, AchArya rAmAnujA's GithA  BhAshyam , ParAsara  Bhattar's Tatthva rathnAkaram , vatsya VaradAryA's TAtvasAram ,NArAyanAryA's NithimAlA , VaradanAraayanAs' Praj~nA ParitantrA and RAmamisrAs' SadArtha SankshepA.


3. The vEdhic tradition of Revelation
Sri Anantha RangachAr

The  vEdhAs  are declared to expound non-temporal means leading to the attainment of supreme good(Ishta praptya nishta parihArAya ala -ukikam upAyam yO grantha: vedayathi sa Vedha:).

Knowledge that we gain in this world is riddled with contradiction and the scriptures are free from self-contradiction  from the rest of  assured  knowledge.   The  nature  of  observation  &  reason, Pratyaksha & anumAna is such that they cannot furnish satisfactory & conclusive  answers  to  certain  fundamental   questions.   The scriptures play their role, as they reveal what is not revealed by perception and inference. This is explained as "the scripture does not  merely  reiterate  other  modes of thought. If it  did so, it would be superflous". If it is in conflict with  the  deliverences of perception &  inference, when the latter are valid, it would be false. The scriptures are neither reiterative nor in opposition to the other sources of knowledge.

This is the characterestic feature of the scripture. If there is a conflict  between scripture and reason or scripture and perception, then the scripture is not always to be preferred. Let us now focus on the role of vEdhAs in the revelation of the Supreme. The vEdhAs are impersonal and eternal. They were intuited, no doubt,  by  the ancient  seers.  But, the seers intuited  pre-existent truths. The knowledge that they acquired was there eternally and the seers re- discovered this ancient treasure. In this context,  the definition of a Rishi is: "The Rishi is a seer,  who has immediate perception of the truth. The eternity is attributed not only to the knowledge, but also to the actual words & the  order of words  consisting  of vEdhic composition.

The  grammarians are of the opinion that the knowledge is eternal, where as the order  of the words is not  eternal.  Omniscience  is there  at  the  heart of existence and so the knowledge of reality is there from all  eternity. The lingusitic  vehicle is also taken as eternal as this ever-existent knowledge must have an ideal mode of expression under the guidance of that Supreme  One. In case  of ordinary people like ourselves, there will be fluctuation in self- expression. This does not happen in the  case of  the  scriptures. vEdhAs therefore constitute eternal  knowledge as embodied  in  an eternal form. Thus, the  form  &  the  thoughts of vEdhAs are  co- terminus with the Supreme Reality that they  reveal. There  is  an unbroken continuity of Vedhic tradition & there is no memory of or reference to its author or authors. The speech of the scripture is primeval & original, whereas ordinary discourse is  derivative and secondary.

The scriptures have this non-temporal character in both its form & substance. The school of VedhAnthA does not take  the scripture as springing from God, whereas the NyAyA school takes  the  scripture as originating from God. This is possible for nyAyA school as they claim to establish the existence of God on speculative grounds. On the other hand, the Schools of vEdhAnthA base their  idea  of  the supreme on the vEdhAs. vEdhAnthA can not admit that vEdhAs are rev -elations from God because there would  be a  logical  seesaw. God exists because that is the verdict of the  scriptures.  Scriptures are to be admitted because they form revelations from God.

So it is important to insist that the validity of the vEdhAs rests on  its  impersonality  or  eternality  from the theory of swatha: prAmANya (not requiring any other proofs). This assures their free -dom from the defects of human composition. When we  consider  the inadequacy  of  empirical  thought & when  we consider  that it is very unreasonable  to  reject knowledge  that transcends empirical knowledge &is free form contradiction, their validity is supported.

For the MimAmsakA, who is a realist, but an atheist, the VedhA has an impersonal &un-originated existence; but this supreme knowledge expressed in the supreme form can be  spoken of  as  ever-existing properly in  theistic school. To the MeemAmsakA, the vEdhA teaches what is "kAryA " or some thing to be done or accomplished. This is not action. It is  duty  or obligation  commanding performance. To MimAmsakA, the Upanishads  are  of little significance. For  these thinkers , VedhA is a source of positive knowledge about  reality. This view point is critically examined by  the vEdAnthins and  the decision  that  the  vEdhA  can  reveal or inform about reality is arrived at.

The VedhA conveys knowledge transcending empirical knowledge &  is free from inconsistencies of all kinds. The  earlier part  teaches modes of worship whereas the latter part embodies  knowledge aboutthe Supreme.  Sruthi  or  Revelation is strictly applicable to the vEdhic lore and it is said that it is forever in such a pure form. The lore that substanstiates and adumbrates this is called Smrithi & forms the personal expressions of those, who realized the truth. In effect, all spiritual apprehensions is a revelation or communic -ation. Divine knowledge reveals  itself  to  the  chosen one. The idea of AntarvANi (inner voice) or Bhagavadh-dhvani signifies this:

"yO antha: pravisya mama vaachamimAm prasuptAm sanjeevayathi ".
As  YakshA  says:  the  truth  that  is  realized  by  one becomes revelation in a secondary sense to posterity.

The  import of  the vEdhAs is to be understood in this proper way. There  is a wealth of symbols here & a  secret wisdom is enshrined behind these symbols and that is to be searched and known. The onenon-second cosmic principle is posited through  all the wealth  of these symbols.

It is wholly devoted to the intuiting of the Supreme &  it becomes a sealed beek,  if  we search for grammar, history, description of nature or poetry in it. The adhyAthmArthA  is  the Supreme & it is to be known by a constant & devoted effort.The vEdhA  itself says: "what is the use of Rks, if one has not known their meanings."


4. PradhAna  sadhakam -  part 14
Translated by Sri V. Sadagopan
(Original in Tamil by Oppiliappan SAnnithi Vangipuram  nava neetham Sri U.V.SrirAmadEsikAcchAr,  "RahasyArttha vivaraNam  -   Sillarai  RahasyangaL - part 3, in tamil)

Bhagavath-BhAgavatha-AchArya Kaimkaryams
64/100:  The  kaimkaryam performed for a BhAgavathA, who is  one's AchAryan is pradhAnam over kaimkaryam to the sAdhArana BhAgavathAs, who are not one's AchAryans.

65/100: There are in general 3  kinds of  kaimkaryams. The  1st is Bhagavath kaimkaryam; in the middle is BhAgavatha kaimkaryam & the last one is the AchArya kaimkaryam. Latter  is  one  of  the  most important kaimkaryams. When that gets united  with the  BhAgavatha kaimkaryam that type of kaimkaryam becomes pradhAnam over the rest In other words, it is important to combine AchArya kaimkaryam with BhAgavatha kaimkaryam. This combined  kaimkaryam is  pradhAnataram.

66/100:  When it  would be  possible for one to  perform Bhagavath, BhAgavatha & AchArya kaimkaryms, then that would be the the highest in hierarchy of kaimkaryams (pradhAnatamam /superlative category.

67/100: There are many kind of kaimkaryams that one can perform to BhagavAn,  His  BhagavathAs and one's AchAryan. It may not however be possible to perform all of these kaimkaryams  to the  above set of three. Hence, one should follow the guidance of the SAsthrAs to decide on the appropriate kaimkaryams. The  pradhAnam  among  such kaimkaryams recommended by the SaasthrAs should  however  be those that please the mind of the One for whom kaimkaryam is intended.

68/100: When one engages in the peformance of   these  kaimkaryams, the bhAva visEsham is pradhAnam. Those kaimkaryams done with since -rity and relish are thus  pradhAnam over those done without  such attitude.

69/100: It is common  knowledge that whatever  a chEthanan does is for the fulfilment of a personal need and goal (sva-prayOjanArtham). One gets elated, when  performing a kaimkaryam in this fashion. In reality , when one has developed the wisdom (Jn~Anam )that  such a personal  elation  is under the control of the Lord (para sEsham), then that kind of kaimkaryam pleasing the  Lord is  pradhAnam over that devoid of such Jn~Anam.

PradhAnam among Bhagavath Roopams
70/100: Sriman NArAyaNA has 5 forms. These are: Param, VyUham, Vib-havam, AntharyAmi & Archai. The JIvans can select any one of  the 5 forms  to  direct  their kaimkaryams. Among this set of 5 forms, the  ascending  order  of  prAdhAnyam is Param, VyUham,  Vibhavam, AntharyAmi & Archai. In other words, kaimkaryam to Archai is pradh -Anam over AntharyAmi & the kaimkaryam to VibhavAtharams is pradhA -nam over the kaimkaryam to the Lord in the AntharyAmi form.  Thus the kaimkaryam to ArchA manifestation is PradhAnatamam (the higest order).

71/100 : For one, who has the firmness of belief & clarity of mind that the Supreme Reality (Parabrahmam) is the indweller of all the 5 forms, he or she can select an incarnation  that is dear to them for worship. That incarnation becomes PradhAnam over the others.

PradhAnam among the various YugAs
72/100: There are 4 Yugams, when one classifies  passage  of Time. These 4 are : Krutha,ThrEthA, DhvAparam and Kali yugams.  In  Kali yugam,  the  rajO & tamO guNams dominate over Satthva guNam, which is almost nonexistent. In DhvApara Yugam, Sattva guNam  becomes  a little more prominent compared to Kali yugam. In the ThrEthA yugam, the rajO and the tamO guNam decrease in proportion to  the satthva guNam; the latter becomes even more prominent than in the DhvApara Yugam. In the Krutha yugam, the Satthva guNam is the most dominant & the other 2 guNAs are  almost nonexistent. Kaimkaryams performed in the Krutha yugam dominated by the Satthva guNam are thus pradhA -natamam over kaimkaryams performed in any other yugam.

73/100: Kali yugam is however pradhAnam over  the other  3 yugams, since,  it is the yugam in which a small kaimkaryam to the Lord is rewarded by a large measure of auspicious  response from HIM.  For instance, VishNu purANam points out that the Lord is pleased  with DhyAnam of Him in Krutha yugam, performance of Yaj~nams in ThrEthA yugam, ArAdhanam in DhvApara yugam and mere nAma-sankeerthanam  in the Kali yugam. Equal measure of phalan is said  to be obtained by the singing of the Lord's  names in Kali yugam as one would obtain by the rigorous practise of DhyAnam over the  Lord's  savrUpam  in the Krutha yugam. Thus Kali yugam  with its least arduous route of gaining the Lord's krupA is pradhAnam over the other yugams.


5. What is in this week?
April 30 - ekAdasi vrtham, SriAhobilamuth 32nd Jeer thirunakshatram
May 2 -    thiruth thEr in Srirangam
May 3 -   Agni  nakshatra  pravEsam,  sapthAvarana  sARRumuRai in  Sri
                rangam, Sri Vaduga nambi thiru  nakshatram,  Srimushnam  Sri
                VarAha jayanthi
May 4 -   AmAvAsyai,  "ALum  pallakku"  in  Srirangam,  Sriperumputhur
                udayavar koorEsa vijayam
May 5 -   Chandra Darsanam in Srirangam, Uyyak koNdAr thiru nakshatram
May 6 -   Akshaya  thrithiyai,  Sri Balarama Jayanthi,  Sri   RAmAnuja
                jayanthi celebrations in Pomona, Newyork, engaL AzhwAn thiru
                nakshatram, Sriperumputhur Udayavar thiru manthrArttham
May 7 -   Sri RAmAnuja jayanthi celebrations in Pomona,  Newyork,  Sri
                perum puthir thiru thEr
May 8 -   Sri  RAmAnuja  Jayanthi,  sOmyAji AndAn thiru nakshatthiram,
                Sri perum puthur sARRu muRai