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- Subject: SRS Vol.4.20 d/ 04/24/03
- From: "Ram Anbil" <Ramanbil@xxxx>
- Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 16:52:27 +0000
- Bcc:
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//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.04 / ISSUE # 20 dated 24th April 2003
===========================================================
N THIS ISSUE:
1. DESIKAMRUTHAM I:
?HAMSA SANDESA OF SRI VEDANTA DESIKA? Part 1
Prof. Narasimhacharya, Retd. Professor, Madras University (now a visiting
Professor in the Oxford University) EXCLUSIVELY for publication in ?Sri
Ranga Sri?. The learned Professor delivered this ?The Sripad Endowment
Lecture? on 5th February 2003.
(Text of the lecture received from Dr. Miss M.S.Ramesh, IAS)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. DESIKAMRUTHAM II:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
PART: THE QUINTESSENCE 4
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
?SRIKAARYAM? OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ?SRI RANGA SRI?
IS ON VACATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. DESIKAMRUTAM III
SWAMI DESIKA?S SIMILES ?UPAMA? Part 30 (116to 124) (CONCLUDED)
ADHIKARAM 32: NIGAMANA ADHIKARAM With this posting, we CONCLUDE this series
on ?Swami Desika?s Similes?
By Sri Anbil Ramaswamy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. ?SAPTA SARGA PARAYANAM OF SUNDARA KHANDAM? ?
PART 7: SOME SRIVAISHNAVA SIDDHANTA LESSONS
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
A few Srivaishnava Siddhanta lessons gleaned from ?Sundara KhaNDam?
highlighted in a short speech on the occasion of PaTTa abhishEkam of Sri
?Sita-Rama? on the conclusion of ?Sapta Sarga ParayaNam?
-------------------------------------------------------
5. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?
PART 7
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now
Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry
And ?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa
Kovida, Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S.
Devanathachariar (referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)
(Could not be accommodated in this issue due to space constraints)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. FROM MAHABHARATA:
YAKSHA PRASNAM? Part 22: Prasnams 64 and 65
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami, Senior Officer of Govt. of India
-----------------------------------------------------------
103 Regular issues have been released, so far (besides several Special
Issues) -
- 27 Issues of Vol. 1
- 15 Issues of Vol. 2
- 42 Issues of Vol. 3 &
- 19 Issues of Vol. 4
These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri.
Sri Diwakar Kannan who is archiving these in the files section is leaving
for India. He is busy relocating. He is requested to update this as soon as
he finds time.
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 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.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
Editor & Publisher
?Sri Ranga Sri?
===========================================================
IMPORTANT:
The ?Files? Section also contains
- The full text of ?Art of Living?? (a write up on the Life and works of
Swami Desika) by Sri M.K.Sudarshan of Kuwait.
- Important days in the year Subhaanu, with text of Sankalpams for different
occasions like Amavasya etc. by Sri K.P.Narasimhan Swami.
Kindly also peruse the following files at the sites indicated:
http://members.tripod.com/~sriramanujar
(Maintained by Sri Madhava Kannan from Singapore) ? for
- Biography of Bhagavad Ramanuja ?
- Biography of Swami Desika ?
- Acharya Vamsa Vriksham ?
- Srimad Rahasya Traya Saram
- and other links.
http://www.srivaishnava.org/sgati/
(Maintained by Sri Venkatesh Elayavalli from California)
SDDS Volume 1 / Issues 1 to 33
SDDS Volume 2 / Issues 1 to 26
SDDS Volume 3 / Issue 1
SaraNAgati Vol. 1 / Issues 1 - 24
SaraNAgati Vol. 2 / Issues 1 - 04
For ?Hinduism Rediscovered?
and other links
http://www.srivaishnavam.com
(Maintained by Sri R.M. Venkat from Bahrain) for -
- Dasavatara Stotram meanings
-?Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram? and other links
in the ?Philosophy? section
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1. DESIKAMRUTHAM I:
?HAMSA SANDESA OF SRI VEDANTA DESIKA? Part 1- An Introduction
Prof. Narasimhacharya, Retd. Professor, Madras University (now a visiting
Professor in the Oxford University) EXCLUSIVELY for publication in ?Sri
Ranga Sri?. The learned Professor delivered this ?The Sripad Endowment
Lecture? on 5th February 2003.
(Text of the lecture received from Dr. Miss M.S.Ramesh, IAS)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sri Venkatanatha, more popularly Known as Vedanta Desika was a Post- Ramanuja
writer (1268-1369AD), whose multifaceted contribution to the SrivaishNava
religion and philosophy deserves to be written in letters of gold and
studded in the choicest clusters of precious stones. He was a polymath with
about 139 works to his credit. These works are in Sanskrit, pure Tamil,
Prakrit and the Manipravala. He strode like a colossus among the
contemporary scholars. He bore lightly titles like Vedanta Desika, Sarva
tantra Svatantra, Kavi Taarkika Simha and GhaNTaavataara. His rare
scholarship and poetic talents drew unqualified encomia from no less a
scholar than Sri Appayaa Dikshita, whose contributions to Advaita, Saivism
and Alankaara Sastra are of a very high order. Dikshita wrote an unbiased
commentary on Desika?s Yadhavaabhyudhaya. In Canto 1, we have the following
verse:
?Kridaatu likayaa Svasmin krupaarusitaya svayam /
ekO visvam idam chitram vibhuh sreemaan ajijaanat // (9)
Roughly translated, it means ? Lord VishNu, the inseparable consort of Sree
produced the picture of the universe Himself, all by Himself, with the brush
of sport, dipping it in the paint of mercy?
The verse brings out in a nutshell, the VisishTadvaita theory of creation of
the universe. After writing a ten-page commentary on it, Appayaa Dikshita,
makes the following observation:
?ittham vichintya sarvatra bhaavah santi padE padE /
Kavi taarkika Simhasya kaavyEshu lalitEshvapi //
?In this manner, there are highly significant ideas in even the simplest
verses of the lion among poets and logicians?
Swami Desika received the sacred Hayagriva mantra from Sri GaruDa and had a
direct vision of Lord Hayagriva. He was precocious genius, an authority in
all branches of knowledge ? both orthodox and heterodox, and could demolish
all the existent philosophical systems and recreate them on his own terms.
He was an uncompromising critic of the rival schools of thought. He was an
embodiment of ?vairaaghya? (seeking alms on a day to day basis). In his own
words, he did not become the target of arrows of cupid.
Cf: ete mahyam apOdha-manmathasaarOnmaathaaya naathaadayah /
Trayyanta-pratinandaneeya vividhOdaantaah svadantaam iha?
(SRTS Ch. 1: Guru Paramparaa saaram V.2)
He devoted his fresh youth to the repeated study of the works of Sri
Ramanuja and dedicated himself for the propagation of the SrivaishNava
religion and VisishTaadvaita philosophy. Thus, Sri Vedanta Desika was a
phenomenon of a very rare kind by any standards.
I deem it a rare honor and privilege top be invited to deliver the ?Sripad
Endowment Lecture? this year, under the auspices of the Department of
VaishNavism which has been, is and will be, my first home. I thank Dr.
Raghavan and Dr. Venkatakrishnan for this rare distinction conferred upon
me. I wish to place on record my immense sense of appreciation and gratitude
to all the members of the illustrious Sripad family viz., Dr.
M.S.Lakshmikumari, Dr. M.S.Ramesh, Dr. Revati and Dr. Rajajee who created
this endowment with the Department in the name of their beloved parents,
late lamented Sriman Prof. Srirama Iyengar and Smt. Padmavathi.
I have chosen to speak on the ?Hamsa Sandesa? of Sri Vedanta Desika on this
occasion. My admiration for adoration of Desika began to take shape when I
was doing my B.A. Degree Course in the Government Arts College, Rajahmundry
during the years 1956-58. I took Talugu as the main subject. I had to write
one paper in Sanskrit also. The ?Hamsa Sandesa? was one of the prescribed
texts for study. So, my love and admiration grew over the years and now, not
a day passes for me without reading at least a verse or a section of a work
of this Acharya Saarvabhouma par excellence.
The ?Hamsa Sandesa? has appeared in print several times with commentaries in
Sanskrit, Tamil and English. Some commentators give three different meanings
for every verse. One is the direct meaning. The second is the philosophical
meaning. And, the third is the esoteric meaning. The word ?Hamsa? means not
only a swan but also the spiritual teacher who by his vision and timely
counsel, makes the Jiva come out of the bondage and enables him to receive
the grace of the Supreme Lord. The story of the RamayaNa is also interpreted
by some critics too yield such a meaning. Thus ? Rama is the Supreme Being.
Sita is the jiva imprisoned in the body called lanka, which is ruled over by
the ten-headed RavaNa i.e. by the ten senses. Hanuman who crosses the ocean
is the Acharya who informs Sita, the Jiva about her real nature and gives
her encouraging counsel that the grace of the Lord is sure top come at the
earliest. Ultimately, the Lord Himself will come and set the Jiva free from
bondage and takes him to His service. Commentators on the ?Hamsa Sandesa?
like Uttamur Viraraghavacharya harness their scholarship in giving more than
one meaning for every verse.
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2. DESIKAMRUTHAM II:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
PART: THE QUINTESSENCE 4
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
?SRIKAARYAM? OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ?SRI RANGA SRI?
IS ON VACATION
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3. DESIKAMRUTAM III
SWAMI DESIKA?S SIMILES ?UPAMA? Part 30 (125 to 128) (CONCLUDED)
ADHIKARAM 32: NIGAMANA ADHIKARAM With this posting,
we CONCLUDE this series on ?Swami Desika?s Similes?
By Sri Anbil Ramaswamy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
125
? panchaagni Vidhaiyir sonnapaDiyE paruthip paTTa panniranDum paTTu?
Meaning:
?Unlike cotton cleaned of its seeds, that are combed and carded before being
spun, for the one who follows the track of great men, there would be no
painful paths nor will they be tossed about?
NOTE:
Swami Desika refers to the various processes that cotton is subjected to
before the threads are taken out for spinning as described in ?Saara
swaadini? like:
- Bhheja utpaaTanam: forcibly plucking from the seeds,
- UtkarshaNam: Dragging upward,
- ApakarshaNam: Dragging downward,
- Aakunchanam: Folding
- PrasaaraNam: Spreading,
- Granthi slathanam: Unwinding the knots,
- Punjee bhavanam: rolling,
- Vikaasanam: Expanding,
- Vimalee karaNam: Removing the dirt,
- Chatush kONa karaNam: Beating, making them into square shape and spreading
again.
Swami Desika likens the plight of one who does not follow the right track
shown by great Acharyas to this and how by following the Acharyas one could
avoid being subjected to endless births and deaths much in the manner of
cotton as described above.
Swami Desika alludes to ?Saara Prakaasikai? which quotes ?GarbhOpanishad?
on how a fetus experiences untold travails and trauma in the womb before
delivery. He advises how by following the track shown by our great Acharyas,
we can avert such trauma involved in our repeated births due to our karma.
The Upanishad gives a graphic account of these travails experienced by the
fetus till delivery:
- YekaraatrOshitam kalilam bhavati,
- Sapta raatrOshitam budbudam,
- ardha-maasaabhyantarENa piNDa:
- maasaabhyantarE kaTinO bhavati,
- maasadvayEna sira: kurutE,
- maasa trayENa paada pradEsa:
- ChaturtE gulphajaTara kaTina pradEsaa:
- panchamE prushTavamsa:
- shashtE mukha-naasikaa-akshi-srOtraaNi,
- saptamE chaitanyam,
- ashTamE sarva sampoorNO bhavati,
- navamE sarva lakshaNa jnaanakaraNa sampanna:/?
Meaning:
- At firs- Kalilam: Staying in the womb for a night
- Around 7th day: Attaining a round bubble-like shape
- Around 15th day: Becoming an embryo
- Around 1 month: Becoming solidified
- Around 2nd month: Head part emerging in the fetus
- Around 3rd month: Formation of legs
- Around 4th month: Formation of tummy and shin
- Around 5th month: Formation of backbone
- Around 6th month: Appearance of nose, eyes and ears
- Around 7th month: Developing cognitive faculty
- Around 8th month: all limbs developing to their full status
- Around 9th month: Attaining the complete human form
Swami draws attention to the trauma involved in the process to instill in
our minds distaste for further births as a first step in turning our
attention to things spiritual and attaining eternal bliss in the kingdom of
God.(P. 996 of SRTS edited by Sri Ramadesikachrya Swami and published by
Srimad Andavan, Sri Poundarikapuram Swami Ashramam, Srirangam)
127
?pooTTaik kuNdikaip pOlE yEruvadu izhivadaaga dhoomaadi maargathilE
paribhramikkavum vENDaa?
Meaning:
?Like a bucket in a picotta, that is again and again dropped down into a
well and drawn up for fetching water, those who do not follow the right
track shown by our Acharyas would be born and be dead repeatedly, as
described in Panchaagni Vidya in the sixth Chapter of ChaandOgya Upanishad.
128
?kalakhaNTa- gaNaasvaadhyE kaamasyaastrE nijaangurE /
nimbavrittibhir udgeerNE na choota: paritapyatE //
Meaning:
? Like a mango tree the sprouts of which is relished by quails (as if
smitten by the arrows of cupid) will not feel aggrieved when animals used to
consume only bitter margoasa leaves do not relish its own sprouts. So also,
ignore those who cannot learn their lessons and appreciate the excellence of
the fragrant odors streaming forth from the kitchen of the prince of
Sannyaasis (Sri Ramanuja) that is fit to be enjoyed by the assembly of
learned men and Gods ? Let them do what they like. We do not regret their
indifference. Our advice is only for those who desire to get rid of Samsaara
and attain the lotus feet of the divine couple and do eternal service in Sri
VaikunTam?
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4. ?SAPTA SARGA PARAYANAM OF SUNDARA KHANDAM? ?
PART 7: SOME SRIVAISHNAVA SIDDHANTA LESSONS
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
A few Srivaishnava Siddhanta lessons gleaned from ?Sundara KhaNDam?
highlighted in a short speech on the occasion of PaTTa abhishEkam of Sri
?Sita-Rama? on the conclusion of ?Sapta Sarga ParayaNam?
1. Meaning of the word ?Aikhyam? as per the three streams of Vedanta
THE SCENE:
Sri Sita asks Hanuman: how an alliance got forged between the simian and the
homo-sapien species?
?VaanaraaNaam NaraanNaam cha katham aseeth samaagama??
Hanuman after describing the events leading up to this alliance, concludes:
?This is how the ?coming together? between Rama and Sugreeva came about?
?Raama SugreevayOr aikhyam Devi yEvam samajaayayta?
PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Our Poorvacharyas quote this conversation to demolish on the one hand, the
Advaitic interpretation of ?aikhyam? in the ultimate state of liberation
(Moksha) as the complete and indistinguishable merging of Jivatama with
Paramatma and the Dvaita interpretation seeking to establish Jivaatama from
Paramaatma being totally and eternally separate and mutually exclusive
entities.
The ?merger theory? projected by Advaitins as ?Saayujyam? is not supported
by Srutis explicitly. It is repugnant to the much too numerous ?differential
statements? (BEda Srutis) that abound all over the Vedas and therefore is
faulty. ?Aikhyam? means merely ?Coming together?, ?an alliance? and
definitely not ?merger?.
The ?eternal difference theory? of Dvaitins, at the other extreme, is
equally faulty. ?ParipoorNa Brahmaanubhavam? as explained in Adhikaram 22 of
Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram of Swami Desika, reconciles these two opposing
theories by interpreting the concept as ?Saamyam? which means ?alliance?,
?likeness? etc. - which do not lead either to a complete merger nor eternal
separation. But a ?coming together?.(sam+ aagamaJ and happening together
(Sam+ajaayataa)
Swami further explains this coming together known as ?Saayujyam? as ?Samaana
yOgam + KshEmam? i.e. ?Sharing the enjoyment together in all happiness? -
except those that are the exclusive domain of Bhagavaan like
i. Being the cause of all creations in the world (jagat kaaraNatvam)
ii. Having the Power to grant Moksham (mOksha pradatvam)
iii. Being the Support of everything (Sarva aadhaaratvam)
iv. Being the Controller of the universe (Sarva niyantutvam)
v. Being the Master of the universe (Sarva Seshitvam)
vi. Being the body of sentient beings and insentient things (Sarva
Sareeratvam)
vii. Being the object of all subjects (Sarva Sabda vaachyatvam)
viii. Being glorified in all the Vedas (Sarva Veda vEdhyatvam)
ix. Being the ultimate refuge of all (Sarva lOka saraNyatvam)
x. Being the only means for all who desire liberation (Sarva mumukshu
upaayatvam)
xi. Having the ability to grant all desires (Sarva phala pradatvam)
xii. Being omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent and the very personification
of absolute joy (Sarva Vyaapta jnaana aananda svaroopatvam) and
xiii. Being the Spouse of Sri Lakshmi (Lakshmee sahaayatvam)
Swami further explains that there is no difference in enjoyment as between
the different Jeevas while attaining Paramapadam nor any gradations as
between SaalOkhyam, Saaroopyam, Saameepyam and Saayujyam as projected by
Dvaitins and says that ? like a hundred being inherent in a thousand?, all
other stages mentioned above are included in ?Saayujyam?.
-------------------------------------------------------
2. BRAHMAASTRAM AND SARANAGATHI:
THE SCENE
Indrajit binds Hanuman with Brahmaastra, the most potent ?weapon of
destruction? (WMD?) after failing to vanquish him with other astras. And,
for a while, it rendered Hanuman powerless. Hanuman willingly submitted
himself to it in deference to the Great teacher of the worlds, the
four-faced Brahma. He himself had secured a boon that even Brahmaastra can
have a binding power on him only for one muhoortha. He feigned
unconsciousness and great fear.
Now, the other Raakshasas rushed to the side of helpless Hanuman and started
binding him with cords, ropes, barks of trees, jute, torn old cloths etc. No
sooner had they bound him thus with such despicable materials than
Brahmaastra gave up its hold.
Babhandhu: saNavalkalais cha drumachherais cha samhatai: /
Sa badddhas tEna valkEna vimuktO astrENa veeryavaan /
Astra bandha: sa cha anyam hi na bandhanam anuvartatE//
(Sargam 48 ? 46 & 48)
Indrajit exclaimed with impotent grief and anger:
?Alas! These fools are blissfully ignorant of the fact that the Brahmaastra
will give up its grip when associated with any other of a lower kind. They
have sadly undone my work. They have cruelly deprived me of my mightiest
weapon. And, most unfortunate of all, I am prevented from using any other
weapon against the enemy, once I have shot at him with the astra of Brahma
and I cannot discharge Brahmaastra twice?. And, he sank into a fit of gloom
and anxiety.
THE PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
- Like Brahmaastram that can be used only once, Prapatti can and need be
done only once for securing Moksham. However, a subsequent Prapatti can be
made for expiation of sins incurred in the Post- Prapatti period but NOT for
the purpose of securing Moksham.
Such a Prapatti is called ?Praayschitha Prapatti?
- Like Brahmaastram that does not permit its being trivialized by astras of
a lower kind, Prapatti done once will become futile, if the Prapanna resorts
to other means thereafter for the purpose of securing Moksham.
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5. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?
PART 7
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now
Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry
And ?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa
Kovida, Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S.
Devanathachariar (referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)
(Could not be accommodated in this issue due to space constraints)
=====================================================================
6. FROM MAHABHARATA:
YAKSHA PRASNAM? Part 22: Prasnams 64 and 65
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami, Senior Officer of Govt. of India
------------------------------------------------------------
PRASNAM 64:
YAKSHA:
?KIM NU HITVAA ARTHAVAAN BHAVATI??
? BY SURRENDERING WHICH A PERSON BECOMES WEALTHY??
YUDISHTIRA:
KAAMAM HITVAA ARTHAVAAN BHAVATI?
?IT IS BY ABANDONING DESIRE THAT A PERSON BECOMES WEALTHY?
NOTES:
Desire can cause a considerable amount of internal burning. It is therefore
like a raging fever. Fever weakens. It can never increase strength. It
affects the body and then affects the spirit as well.
?Dhaninaanas krisatari? ? The desire for wealth debilitates a personality
like a deep-seated wasting disease. Thus, desire can cause extreme weakness
and make an invulnerable person vulnerable. The thing desired then becomes
even more beyond reach.
?krisatvam na samam raajanaasaaya vidhyatE nrupa?
(Santhi Parva Ch 126.35)
There is none more vulnerable and weaker than a person who is consumed by
desire.
Desire by itself does not equip a person with extraordinary strength or
ability to accomplish what is desired. Yudishtira?s life itself is a telling
illustration of this truth. YudishTira had everything imaginable in
Indraprasta. His palace and magnificent life that he led was the envy f the
Gods. Yet, what did he want to achieve by agreeing to play a game of dice,
in which incidentally, he was not at all proficient? It seems at the back of
his mind, he had an idea to get even with DuryOdhana, by depriving him of
his kingdom and wealth and he thought of playing a dice game in which there
may be many occasions for offering wages, would be a subtle and unobtrusive
method to gain that objective! His desire got the better of good sense and
he could neither perceive nor accept that he was no match to the guiles and
wiles of Sakuni in rolling the dice.
Aham hi akshaananvapadhyam jiheershan raajyam
Sa raashTram dhritaraashTrasya putraath /
(Vana Parva Ch 35.2)
?Desirous of appropriating DuryOdhana?s domain and wealth of the sons of
DhritaraashTra, I agreed to the game of dice. But, that wily Sakuni ever
keen to advance DuryOdhana?s interests tricked me with his skills?
The moral that emerges is that in order to stay wealthy, desire need to be
conquered. Contentment prevails. A contented man is also a wealthy person.
The latter has everything which money can buy and fees full. The latter has
no need for anything and also feels full. Richness cannot be measured in
terms of materialistic possessions. True richness belongs to him who has no
wants.
PRASNAM 65
YAKSHA:
?KIM NU HITVAA SUKHEE BHAVET??
?BY ABANDONING WHICH A PERSON BECOMES HAPPY??
YUDISHTIRA:
?LOBHAM HITVAA SUKHEE BHAVET?
? A PERSON BECOMES HAPPY WHEN HE STOPS BEING GREEDY?
NOTES
When desire becomes a deep-seated canker, it turns into greed. When the mind
covets, there is probably no limit to which it would stoop. When one
aspires, it is ordinarily for something that may legitimately belong to
one?s rightful share. But, when one covets, one is usually aiming to make
one?s own what does not belong to oneself. It is, therefore, essential that
if the mind has to remain peaceful and serene, covetousness and greed should
be eschewed completely.
There is a common thread in Yaksha?s questions 62 to 65. All these questions
relate to the act of giving up or abandoning. Normally, a loss is an
occasion for grief and distress. But, abandonment of four vices paves the
way for popularity, mental calmness, contentment and a sense of bliss based
on quietitude. The four vices identified by YudishTira to the satisfaction
of Yaksha are Conceit, Anger, Desire and Greed.
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