SrI: SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha // SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha // SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/ SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya// KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: / SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm// ========================================================= SRI RANGA SRI VOL.08 / ISSUE # 11 dated 23rd January 2007 ========================================================== EDITORIAL Dear Bhaagavatas: I am glad to inform you that I am now back in Atlanta. I wish to place on record my heartfelt thanks to Sri Madhava Kannan Swami for his excellent work of looking after the journal in my absence. He will continue to approve articles posted for moderation. Hitherto, our membership was hovering around 5000. Now, as you can see, it has crossed this mark. This is in spite of the fact that we have been removing several members who were posting for moderation messages repeatedly which were not in conformity with our "Guidelines" for example, on political issues, glorifying "Non- Vedic" religions, cults etc. This again is a proof of the popularity of your favorite e - journal's high standards and your continued co- operation. I have been mandated by asmad Achaaryan His Holiness Srimad Andavan, ParavaakkoTtai Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan of Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam, Srirangam to give talks on Srimad Ramayanam. Besides the original of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam in Sanskrit which I have gone through several times in Saptaaham, Navaaham etc Paaraayanams over the years), I have made use of the brilliant presentation by asmad Achaaryan in his books entitled "Ramapiraanai karpOm" (on Bala and AyOdhyaa khaaNdams) as also his series of articles on AaraNya khaaNDam that appeared in "Sri Kanchi PeraruLaalan" monthly journal. I am extremely grateful to His Holiness for his kind permission to use them. I have also drawn inspiration from the 3 volumes of translations of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam in Tamil (plus 1 Volume of "Notes") and 2 volumes in English by Sangeeta Bheeshma, Sangeeta Vimarsakaachaarya, Abhinava Thyaagabrahma, Keertnana Aachaarya Sri C.R. Srinivasa Iyengar (published by Lifco in 1984) and also what I have heard during Kaalakshepams at the feet of great Achaaryas while I was in India. Comparative references and quotations have also been included from Kamba Ramayanam, TuLasi Dasa's `Rama Charita Maanas", BhOja Champu etc. Most of the materials are based on the above sources. I have also consulted 2 Volumes of "Sri Ramayana Tani slOkam" Vyaakhyaanams of Vyaakhyaana Chakravarthi Periyavaachaan PiLlai (published by Puttur Krishnaswami Iyengar between 1992 and 1996) as well as Ramayana in English by Sri C. Rajagopalachari (published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in1990) and by the same author in Tamil (12th edition published by Vaanathi Pathippagam, Chennai 17 in 1996) Bhaagavatas who arranged for my talks in The Hindu Temple of Atlanta have provided for Free Tele- Conference facility to help those who could not attend in person to listen from the comfort of their homes. They are also video-taping all the lectures and are intending to bring them out in DVD format. Some Bhaagavatas suggested that the lectures should also be serialized in "Sri Ranga Sri" Journal. Accordingly, it is proposed to feature them. The first part is included in this issue. Hope you will enjoy reading. Kindly favor me with your feedback for helping me in improving the quality and content. Thanking you Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy =================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED With this issue, about 238 Regular issues of SRS have been released so far, apart from numerous "Special Issues" as indicated below: 27 Issues of Vol. 1 15 Issues of Vol. 2 42 Issues of Vol. 3 35 Issues of Vol. 4 28 Issues of Vol. 5 30 Issues of Vol. 6 50 Issues of Vol. 7 and 11 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this) --------------------------------------------------------------------- You may view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained By Sri Srinivasan Sriram We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived in the Files Section and view the Contents at srsindex.html (Not the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that you will be convinced of the quality of the contents. IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of "Sri Ranga Sri" - Tell your friends to join by sending an email to Srirangasri-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve. Ever at your service Moderator "Sri Ranga Sri" ========================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================================== IN THIS ISSUE 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN VYAYA-MAKARA- (THAI) MONTH 2. RAMAYANAM ? AN INTRODUCTION- Part 1 (Sri Anbil Ramaswamy) 3. MAAL UGANDHA AASIRIYAR- SRI MADHURAKAVI AAZHWAAR {V. Madhavakkannan =================================================================== 1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN VYAYA ?MAKARA - (THAI) MONTH January 2007 Thai Day 15 01 Monday Uttarayana Punya Kaalam 18 04 Thursday Amavasya 19 05 Friday 42nd Azhagiya Singhar 20 06 Saturday Sravana vratam 29 15 Monday Ekadasi 31 17 Wednesday Embaar TN February 2007 02 19 Friday Pournami 03 20 Saturday TIRUMAZHISAI AZHWAR TN 07 24 Wednesday KOORATHAAZHWAAN TN 09 26 Friday UTTAMUR SWAMI TN 10 27 Saturday AshTakaa 11 28 Sunday AnvashTakaa =================================================================== 2. SRIMAD RAMAYANAM ? AN INTRODUCTION ? Part 1 1. INTRODUCTION At the outset, let me beg you to pardon my temerity in seeking to talk on the insatiable nectar of an immortal epic, Srimad Ramayana - which numerous great poets and scholars have dealt with. When I went to Srirangam in connection with Tiru Anbil Dwajasthamaba Kainkaryam, H.H. enquired me about the Tiruppavai lectures that I gave last year and directed me to talk on Ramayanam. Though my attempt is akin to attempting to drink the waters of the ocean with a teaspoon, it is the command and blessings of Srimad Andavan, Poundarika Puram Swami Asramam, Srirangam (Asmad Acharyan) that has emboldened me to undertake this effort. In fact, most of the materials are based on the two volumes of his invaluable work "Ramapiraanai KarpOm My heartfelt gratitude is due to Swami for permitting me to use their contents. I am sure that he will guide me successfully through this effort. For everything presented correctly, the credit goes to Asmad Acharyan. I claim monopoly for all errors of commissions and omissions and I seek your forgiving me for the same. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy 2. ANARGHA RAGHAVAM When the poet by name Muraari wanted to write his "Anargha Raaghavam", his friends asked him why he should write on the same subject on which several poets have already written a lot and suggested that he write on some other hero. He replied that though a lot had been written about Sri Rama, his auspicious qualities were infinite and none could do justice and therefore there was nothing wrong in his choosing Sri Rama's story and challenged them whether they could point out any other work that portrayed the ethical way of life as effectively as Srimad Ramayana. 3. VALMIKI AND KAMBAN Valmiki depicted his Rama not as God but as a "human being"- a prince, a warrior, with impeccable track record of moral character, though the poet indicated here and there the divinity of his hero. Sri Rama himself has said "aatmaanam maanusham manyE" (I consider myself as a mere human being, a son of King Dasaratha) But, even during Valmiki's time, people had realized that Rama was no ordinary human but was an incarnation (Avatara) of the Lord. Several centuries later, when poets like Kambar, TuLasidas and others came on the scene, this belief had already crystallized into an unshakeable faith. Naturally, Kambar and TuLasidas could not venture to depict Sri Rama as a mere human being but verily as God and narrated their story with a deep devotional love. It is said that Kamban heard Valmiki Ramayanam and composed his version in Tamil. naaraNan viLayaaTTu ellaam Naarada munivan koora aaraNak kavitai seidaan arinda vaalmiki enbaan seer aNi chOzha naaTTu TiruvazhunduruL vaazhvOn kaar aNi koDaiyaan kamban Tamizhinaal kavitai seidaan. (kaappum Kamban pugazhum) 4. A TRIBUTE TO HIS MENTOR Kamban started the epic after giving glorious tributes to his mentor mETTerumai vaavi puga muTTu varaal kanru enru veeTTaLavum paal soriyum veNNaiyE naaTTil aDaiyaa neDum kadavum anjal enra sollum uDaiyaan VeNNai nallur saDaiyappan oor/ Buffaloes entering the ponds being tickled by fish imagine them to be their own calves and instantly start yielding milk non stop all the way till they reached home. The doors of the palace of the Lord of TituvENNai nallur were open ajar always and his offer of refuge to one and all became proverbial. Such was his munificence. We will see in this series some casual references to Kamba Ramayanam, TuLasi Dasa's "Rama Charita Maanas", Mahakavi KaLidaasa's "Raghu Vamsam", BhOja's "Champu Ramayanam", Swami Desika's "Mahaveera Vaibhavam" and many others that are generally faithful to the original without resorting to twists and misrepresentations abounding in certain other narrations. 5. VALMIKI AND BHOJA We have an interesting story of how BhOja's Champu RamayaNam came into being. And, here it is! A poor poet went to the Court of King BhOja of Dhaaraapuram for submitting a slOka that he had composed. But, he could complete only half of it. However hard he tried, he could not complete the other half. The first half read: Bhojanam dEhi raajEndra grita soopa samanvitam/ "Oh! King! Please provide me with meal mixed with ghee and dhal" On the way, he met Mahakavi KaaLidaasa to whom he explained his predicament. KaaLidaasa immediately completed the latter half with the following words: "Maahisham cha Sarat Chandra chandrikaa davaLam dadhi: //" "Please give the yogurt made of buffalo milk, which is as white as the shining full moon in the month of Saratkaalam (Aippasi- Kaartigai)" When the King came to know of the author of the second half so well crafted, he sought and met with KaaLidaasa and both became thick friends. One day the King was seized of a strange thought. If and when, in due course, he died many poets would compose odes in his memory and that the one that would be composed by KaaLIdaasa would be especially beautiful. And, because being dead, he wouldn't be alive to hear it, he requested KaaLidaasa to compose one in advance and submit it. KaaLidaasa was hesitant because, if he did so, the King was sure to die instantly as a result of a boon he had received from Goddess KaaLi. And, he did not want to lose his bosom friend. When he refused to compose one, the King banished him from his kingdom. KaaLidaasa went in exile and was a wandering minstrel begging for his food. The King soon realized his mistake in banishing his friend and could not bear separation from his friend. The kings of yore used to go out incognito and mix with common folk to know first hand what the subjects thought about the state of the State. BhOja also disguised himself and was roaming in the country side when he chanced to meet with a Bikshu and started a conversation in poetic language. The Bikshu answered him in the same language. The King asked whether it was proper for the mendicant to eat meat. The Bikshu answered what is the use of meat if it does not go with a peg of beer. Taken aback, the King asked whether he liked beer. The Bikshu replied that he ingested beer only in the company of a harlot. Shocked, the king asked how being so poor, how a Bikshu could afford the wherewithal to pay for the favors of the harlot. The Bikshu replied that he would somehow find money through gambling and thieving. The King enquired whether his conscience permitted him to indulge in such heinous acts. The Bikshu answered what else an orphan like him could do and the question of conscience became irrelevant. The King interpreted this to mean that for a person banished to exile there was no way to cling to his conscience and asked to which country the Bikshu belonged. The Bikshu replied that he hailed from Dhaaraapuram and expressed his desire to meet with the King. The King broke the news "How sad! The King died 6 days ago" On hearing this, the Bikshu swooned and when he gained consciousness immediately composed a slOka as follows: adhya dhaaraa niraadhaaraa niraalambaa saraswatee/ paNDitaa: khanditaa: sarvE bhOja raajE divam gate// "Today, the subjects of Dhaaraapuram have lost their support on the death of the King. Saraswati, the Goddess of learning finds herself bereft of art and the artists" The moment he uttered these words, the life of the King who was in disguise departed leaving his dead body in the hands of the Bikshu. KaaLidaasa was beside with grief and wondered as to why the King should have invited his own death by acting in disguise and conveying the false news of his own demise. He prayed to his IshTa dEvata, KaaLi who appeared before him and asked him to repeat his Slokam with slight alteration and said that the King would come back to life but for a brief 3 ¼ naazhigai (about 1 ½ hours) only. KaaLidaasa sang a slightly revised version: adhya dhaaraa sadaadhaaraa sadaalambaa saraswatee / paNDitaa: maNDitaa: sarvE bhOja raajE bhuvam gate// "Today, the citizens of Dhaaraapuram got back their good governing King BhOja, and Saraswati's again became filled with great poets and other artists who lived happily ever after" The King came back to life as if waking from a slumber and the duo became closer still. Time was short and they had to accomplish something before the 1 ½ hours of life granted to the King. Together, they decided to compose "RamayaNam" that we now know as "BhOja Champu" after the name of the renowned King. =========================================================== 3.MAAL UGANDHA AASIRIYAR- Madhurakavi AzhwAr V. Madhavakkannan SrI: SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama: Continuing on our AzhwAr life history and works ?series, we now enjoy Sri Madhurakavi AzhwAr's life and work. AzhwAr Madhurakavi is the one who helped us by compiling the outpourings of NammazhwAr; Not just that, he also sang 11 beautiful "andhadhi" style pAsurams starting with "kaNNinun siRutthAmbhu..." which do not have any parallel to any other pAsuram/slOka for Acharya Bhakti. He sang these pasurams only in praise of his Acharya "nammAzhwAr" and claimed, in the end, that one can attain mOkshA certainly and definitely after reciting just these 11 pAsurams. It is also told that Nathamuni, who compiled 4000 pAsurams of AzhwArs, was blessed with a darshan of nammAzhwAr and was given a set of all 12 AzhwArs' pAsurams (by NammAzhwAr himself) after he recited Madhurakavi's 11 bhakti-laden pAsurams on nammAzhwAr 12000 times. (Brothers, that is the dynamite packed power of Madhurakavi's pAsurams). Let us ber blessed by the biography of this mahan. Madhurakavi (meaning in sanskrit the sweet poet), a vainathEya (divine bird) incarnate, was born in the year Easwara, chitrai month and in chitrai nakshatram at ThirukkOLoor. He learnt Tamizh and sanskrit and became a great scholar in both the languages. He was a great BhaktA of Sriman Narayana and had an excellent conduct. He was on visits to the North India and obtained divya Darshans of Ayodhya, gaya, Badri, Dwaraka etc., and He chose to stay at Ayodhya as he could not resist being attracted by the Holiness of Sri RAMA's birth place. From there, he was dragged by an unconrolled desire to follow the new Southern BRIGHT Star/Light appeared in the sky (as seen only by his eyes at night) and found himself at the feet of the Greatest AzhwAr "NammAzhwAr". After a brief encounter (Please read the post on NammAzhwAr for details), he prayed to NammAzhwAr requesting him to protect and accept him as his disciple. From then on, he stayed with NammAzhwAr and complied all pAsurams of NammAzhwAr. Madhurakavi was so much devoted to NammAzhwAr, his Acharya, that he held him equal to (higher than) Lord Sri Narayana (You will agree that the Lord asks for that Bhagavatha Bhakti more than Bhagavadh Bhakti). After NammAzhwAr departed from this earthly world, he was blessed with a Golden vigraham of NammAzhwAr which he consecrated and performed ThiruvarAdhanA and uthsavams in his honour. He was impressed by nammAzhwAr's works so much that wanted to stage NammAzhwAr's works in front of other scholars. the sangam poets objected to such claims and praises NammazhwAr who had no connection with Sangam ( a big deal!). Madhurakavi, it seems was saddened by this protest and was weeping literally. NammAzhwar, appeared as an old Brahmin and consoled him saying " Do not woory about these petty issues, my child, You just place this pasuram of "Kannan kazhaliNai..." on a boat (sangap palagai) and watch the fun" and disappeared. Madhurakavi did the same and the boat, it is told capsized throwing out all the jealous, haughty poets while it retained only the leaf containing "Kannan kazhaliNai.." It is also told that each one of those poets struggled to reach the shore and composed a verse dedicating to NammAzhwAr. And when they were about to publish their verses, they were simply AMAZED to find that each one wrote the same verse in same words; (What a marvel! what a divine AzhwAr and Divine Disciple ! - simply made for each other) The sangam chief says " NammAzhwAr's works are superior and other poets are like flies compared to Garudan (that is NammAzhwAr); fire flies (minmini) in the presence of sun; dogs in front of the ferrocious tiger; wolf before the Lord Narasimha, ugly clumsy dwarfs dancing before the havenly beautiful Oorvasi- All their works are not equal to even one utterance of nammAzhwAr." Madhurakavi's eyes were full of tears for his (his Acharya's) success; The eleven pAsurams are counted as part of 4000 verses simply because the whole of 4000 pasurams is claimed to be Bhagavadh vishayam while Madhurakavi's is on his Acharya which is the central gem that sheds lustre on the other jems of the garland (so says Manavala mamunigal). It is the work that holds the key to the treasure of other pAsurams. Needless to say, Nathamuni's thaniyans (Thaniyan means dedicated verse) on this AzhwAr depict the glory of AzhwAr and it is necessary for us to be blessed by such Great Bhaktals; Before we conclude about this mahan who performed Acharya Nishtai and attained the feet of mOksham, let us get benefitted by the rich two thaniyans of Nathamuni (in sanskrit): Aviditha Vishaya Antharas / Sataarer Upanishadam Upagaana Matra Bogah / Abhi Saguna Vasaath Tad Eka Seshee / Madhura Kavir Hridhaye Mamaavirastu / " Here is one who knew none other than Nammalwar; the one who made it his mission in life to sing the Tamizh upanishadam of Nammalwar; The one being overwhelmed by Nammalwar held him as his very God; Let such Madhurakavi fill my heart" (our hearts, too) VERonRum Naan aRiyEn Vedam Tamizh Seitha / Maaran Sadakopan VaN Kurugur - YeRu EngaL / Vaazhvaam EnRu Ethum Madhura Kaviyaar Emmai / AaLwaar Avare SaraN / Madhurakavi said -" I do not know anything other than Nammalwar also known as Maaran(original name of NammAzhwAr) who rendered in Tamil the essence of the Vedas and who is the head of Tirukkurugur. This Madhurakavi is our master. He is the guardian of the group of Prapannaas. MadhurakaviAzhwAr thiruvadigaLE saraNam Swami Nathamuni ThiruvadigaLe saraNam Regards Namo narayana dasan ========================================================== To Continue ========================================================== Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:SriRangaSri-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:SriRangaSri-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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