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SrI:

Dear Sri RaamAnuja SampradhAyins :

Last week, Srimath Azhagiya Singar blessed us with 
the introduction to SaraNAgathy Gadhyam .

190 Aasthikaas form USA , Singapore , Europe took part in 
the UpanyAsam that reached them by the global Telebridge .

********************************************************************************
The second UpanuyAsam is scheduled for Saturday , July 22 
at 7 AM Eastern Standard Time , USA instead of the usual 9.30 AM
due to PradhOsha AarAdhanam that Srimath Azhagiya Singar has 
to perform  .
*************************************************************************************

Please register TODAY for the July 22 UpanyAsam by getting 
the Bridge Telephone number and the Code to join in :

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/upan/signin01.asp

************************************************************************************
The First UpanyAsam by Srimath Azhagiya Singar
*************************************************************
This morning , adiyEn was blessed by Srimath Azhagiya Singar
to go ahead and summarize the UpanyAsams for the benefit of 
aasthikAs ,who could not attend . adiyEn is grateful . Please 
bear with me in this Kaimakryam since listening to the unique
style of Srimath Azahgiya Singar to come down to our levels of
awareness of sampradhAyic matters is some thing very special.

HH is using PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai's (PVP's)and Sudarsana Soori's
Commnetaries for SaraNAgathy Gadhyam as a reference . HH 
plans to introduce complimentary ideas from Swamy Desikan's
VyAkhyAanam for SaraNAgathi Gadhyam as he progresses.

Sri  PVP's Commentary is terse like Soothrams(aphorisms) and
one needs an explanatory text to understand each sentence ,
which has layers of meanings. HH helps us here immensely 
to comprehend the deeper meanings of the MaNi PravALam text .

The Commentary Text on PVP's Gadhya Thraya VyAkyaanams can be obtained 
from : Sri VaishNava Sri , 214 East Utthara Veethi , Srirangam , Trichy 6.
It is priced at 60 Indian Rupees . This book also contains Sudarsana 
Soory's short commentary in Sanskrit . Having this book to follow 
Srimath Azhagiya Singar will be a great help for you .

There are 137 pages devoted to the SaraNAgathy Gadhyam commentaries of
the two AchAryAs . HH covered 5 of these 137 pages during the last week's 
UpanyAsam , which adiyEn will summarize now :

The Taniyan for PVP is :

Srimath KrishNa samAahvaaya NamO Yaamuna SoonavE
Yath KaDaakshaika LakshyANAm sulabha: SrIdhara: sadhaa

PRAVESAM /INTRODUCTION
*************************************
Original MaNi PravALam Text of PVPis given below to show the complexity
of the long sentences and the deep meanings of PVP's VyAkhyAnams, 
which will be difficult to understand without a SadAchAryan's help . 
Once again , we are indebted to Srimath Azhagiya Singar's mahOpakAram 
here .

The typical First Paragraph consisting just two sentences are : 

Sri BhAshyatthil "Tathtvamasi" ithyAdhi vaakya janma jn~AnamE 
MokshA saadhanam yenRum , Karma Jn~Ana samucchayamE
Moksha Saadhanam yenRum  solluhira kudhrushtikaLai 
nirasikkaihA karmAngamAi , vEdhana -dhyAnOpasanAdhi Sabdha 
vaachyamAi , bhakthi roopApannamAna upaasanAthmaka Jn~AnamE 
VedAntha prathipAdhyamAna Moksha Saadhanam yenRu ivar 
niscchayitthu aruLic-cheykaiyAlE , ivar Moksha saadhanamAha 
aRuthiyitta artham ithuvE yenRu koNDu tammuduya ruchi-
parigruheethamAna arthatthayE viSvasitthirukkum sAthvikar 
itthayE visvasithirukka-koodum yenRu pArttharuLi ,AchArya-
parigruheethamumAi m tamakku tanjamAha thAmm aRuthi ittirikkum
artham prapatthi yennum idatthai iggadhya roopENa veLiyittu
aruLihirAr.

The above is just One (First) sentence .

Comments on the First Sentence :
******************************************
Swamy PVP starts along the lines established by 
AchArya RaamAnuja in His Sri BhAshyam's PravEsam .

AchArya RaamAnuja wanted to defeat the Para Matham 
that held the view that this world is false (illusory) and that 
even Iswaran has nesciece ( ajn~Anam) , which are inconsistent 
with the purport of VedAs. Such view holders believe that 
Brahmam is nirvisEsham ( attributeless) ; they divide Brahman 
into SaguNa Brahman and NirguNa Brahman and that the former 
(SaguNa Brahman ) is not a mukhya vasthu and it is only an
UpalakshaNam for NirguNa Brahman , the mukhya vasthu .

AchArya RaamAnuja rejected all these views as unsustainable 
from a Vedic pramANam point of view . He held on to the view 
that Adhvaithin's point of view that that the tatthva  Jn~Anam 
arising from the study of Mahaa Vaakyams like Tathvamasi 
is not the cause for Moksham . In Sri BhAshyam , AchArya 
proved that UpAsanam conencted to one or the other of 
the Brahma VidhyAs elaborated by the Upanishads alone
can lead to Moksham .This is " the VedAntha PrathipAdhya 
Moksha Saadhanam". The Bhakthi roopa prapannamAna 
UpaasanayE Moksha Saadhanam . The Jn~Anam assembled from 
KarmAs like Yaagam are not again the Moksha hEthu( KaaraNam) 
but only Bhakthi yOgam realized thru UpAsanam ( ceaseless
Bhakthi thru meditation ). One of the Brahma VidhyAs is NyAsa
Vidhyai ( SaraNAgathy Yogam or Prapatthi Yogam). AchArya 
RaamAnuja wanted to make sure that all righteous ones do not
get deluded by the views held other Para Mathams ( Adhavitham ,
BhEdhAbhEdham , 

AchArya  RaamAnuja elucidated the Brahma SutrAs in 
athesitic style , " asserting the metaphysical eminence of 
Brahman, without supplementary thesis of world denial
(Jagan MithyA) and the denial of the individuality of
the finite Selves ( opposite of Brahma Jeeva Eikyam) and 
promulgating knowledge of Brahman as arising from 
Karma -YogA and maturing into Bhakthi " through the practise
of one or other Brahma VidhyAs.Here is a Monism without
illusionism (VisishtAdhvaitham) put on a rigorous basis by 
AchArya RaamAnuja followign the path of His poorvAchAryAs .

The central theme of the first sentence of PVP's Commentary is :
" Knowledge ( Tatthva jn~Anam) which is enjoined is not the means
for release but only UpAsana linked to Brhama VidhyAs.He went on
to establish the other means , which are not the route to Moksham:

(1) Yagams are not the means of VividiSaa ( desire to know
Brahman) but of Vedanaa ( Knoeledge of Brahman) .    

(2) Verbal testimony is not by itself the means of immediate
knowledge about Brahman.

(3) Nithyaa-anithya vasthu viveka and the other three means
are not a necessary pre-requisite of inquiry about Brahman.

His central point is UpAsanA thru Bhakthi yOgam or Prapatthi 
Yogam are the only successful means for Moksham .

AchArya performed his own SaraNAgathy at Srirangam on a Panguni
Uthiram day to set an example to His sishyAs about the absolute
soundness of SaraNAgathy as the unfailing means and the birth of
the  three gadhyams in a spontaneous manner is the testimony to 
the efficacy of that SaraNAgathy. That then is the purpose of these
Gadhyams for posterity .        

The second sentence is :

AanAl , ipprapatthi tannayE koNDu , kudhrushti nirasanam 
paNNaathozhuzhivAn yEnn innil : BrAhManan chaNDALanukku 
Vedatthai upadEsitthArppOlE dhUrastharAna varhaLUkku 
Parama RahasyamAna ivvartthatthai veLida oNNAthu yenRu 
pArtthu , avarkaL izhintha Saasthra mukhatthAlE avarkaLai
nirasitthu, Saasthra TaathparyamAna SvasiddhAntthatthai
immuhatthAlE veLiyiduhirAr.

(Meaning): He demolished the arguments of Advaitham
and other Mathams intrepreting Vedam in a distorted manner
( Kudhrushti Mathams) . He did not want to reveal the secret 
(rahasyam) for the non-believers thru Sri BhAshyam , where 
He dwelled on the other route : Bhakthi yOgam thru upAsanaa. 
In Sri BhAshyam  , he chose the weapons desired by Advaithins
( Saasthrams) and defeated them . He showed the invalidity of 
their views there. He did not want to elaborate on the top most 
rahasyam of Prapatthi yOgam there , since it would be like teaching
Vedams to ChaNDaLans ( Unfit adhikAris) . He reserved the Gadhyams as 
the right place to establish the essence of Saasthrams( Saasthra
thAthpayamaana) Sva-SiddhanthAm  ( his darsanam).

Third Para : Page 2: VedAnthAs recognize the supermacy of 
the means  of Prapatthi yOgam over Bhakthi yOgam for Moksham.
Prapatthi is considered as Mahaa PaTam( Raaja Margam).It is practisable
by any one ( without the limitation by Sex or caste ) , easy to practise 
compared to the demanding Bhakthi yOgam , fast to yield the great
phalan of Moksham . Prapatthi is for any one (SarvAdhikAram) , where as
Bhakthi yOgam is for only the first three VarNams.Prapatthi is easy to do
( Sukaram) , where as Bhakthi yOgam is difficult to practise (dushkaram) .
Prapatthi yield results fast ( aviLambha Phala pratham) compared to 
Bhakthi Yogam , which may take more than one life. It is siddham and 
SvaroopAnurUpam for gaining the PurushArTam of Moksham.

Prapatthi(SaraNAgathy) is VedAntha siddham ( sanctioned by the VedAs).
Upanishath declares that it is the highest in status compared to  Sathyam ,
Tapas ( body hurting penance), dhamam ( indhriya Nigraham/control 
over senses) , Samam . dhAnam , dharmam , PrajOthpatthi , Agnis , 
agnihOthram,Yaj~nam ( Mental meditation) ,Maanasam ( Bhakthi). 
Therefore the Upanishad asserts that SaraNAgathy ( NyAsam) is 
the top most UpAyam for Moksham : " tasmAn nyAsamEshaam 
tapasAm athiriktham aahu: ". SaraNAgathy is also AchArya Ruchi
parigruheetham ( adopted by AchAryAs as their preferred/chosen
means): It is Vaidheeka Parigruheetha tatthvam ( sanctioned by
the Veda PramAnams).This route of SaraNAgathy is VedAntha 
siddham. It is SaraNya Hrudhaya anusaari ( follows the upadEsam 
of SaraNyan /Charama slOkams) .

AchArya RaamAnuja wanted to make sure that the righteous ones 
do not get deluded by Para Matha Vadhins and through His parama
krupA instructed us through the three gadhyams and practising
what he advocated right in front of the SaraNya dampathis at Srirangam.

The question may arise as to whether AchArya RaamAnuja was violating 
SaasthrAs by performing SaraNAgathy more than once . SaraNAgathy is
required to be done only once for Moksha Saadhanam . Doubts may arise 
whether AchArya RaamAnuja might already have performed Prapatthi
at the sacred feet of his own AchArya , Periya Nambi . Here PVP quotes 
Swamy NammAzhwAr's AarAvamudhan Paasurams , ThiruvAimozhi
5.8.3 and 5.8.8. In the first one , AzhwAr says : " Oh Lord ! I do not need 
any technique or any one except You to reach You . Til the last moment of 
my life here , I must go about  and do things , at all times , only clinging
to Your feet as a prop". In the second Paasuram , Azhwar declares:
" Oh My Lord of Thirukkudanthai! I should mention that I have no other 
helper, now I feel that my body yields gradullay. A day will come whem my
life will be out....My only request to You is that with the present 
steadfastness,
my clinging to Your feet must remain fast even then (during my last moments)".

AchArya RaamAnujA follows the route of the AzhwArs . PVP says : 
"SamsAra Bhayamum , PrApya ruchiyum ganakka ganakka , oru kaal SaraNam 
pukkAppOlE , onpathin kaal SaraNam puhuhirAr.Aaha, SamsAra nivrutthi 
poorvamAha , Kaimkarya siddhikku Periya perumAL ThiruvadihaLilE 
SaraNam puhuhirAr". 

AzhwAr's fear about samsAram grew along with the taste for Moksham 
and therefore he performed SaraNAgathy nine times instead of once.
The other explanation is that AchArya RaamAnuja performed SaraNAgathy
for Moksham once and performed the other SaraNAgathy for Kaimkarya 
Siddhi. It is absolutely correct to beseech the Lord thru additional SaraNAgathy
for serving Him . The SaraNAgathy for Mopksham is however done only once.

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan ,    Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan          



   






   

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