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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//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.08 / ISSUE # 26 dated 26th May 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 22 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 3
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 253 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
26 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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12. POWER OF FATE ? LEPER CURED! (SIDE STORY)

That fate is all powerful is depicted in a story in Mahabharata told 
by Sage Bheeshma. After intense penance, a Bhakta got from 
Mahaalakshmi a silver bowl filled with nectar. He was heading home 
wanting to share it with his family members. On the way, he had to 
attend to nature's call. He entrusted the bowl to a leper who was 
sitting under a tree. When asked what it contained, the man told him 
that it was poison and that he was taking it for a medicine. As soon 
as the man moved out of sight, the leper who was already fed up with 
his life wished to end his life and drank the entire contents of the 
bowl. Not only was he cured of his ailment but also his very form 
changed into a beautiful young lad. The man returned and inquired 
him about the leper. The erstwhile leper replied that he might have 
died drinking the poison. 
The adage "Man proposes and God disposes" proved true!

13. RAMA INFORMS KOUSALYA
When Rama went to his mother to convey how he came to be exiled, 
Kousalya was beside with grief. She cursed herself by wishing that 
she would have been happy if she had not had a son and remained 
issueless (malaDi). She was scared that KaikEyi and other wives of 
Dasaratha would ill treat her and pleaded to go with Rama to the 
forest. Rama replied that 

-       When the Maharaja was very much alive, it was not proper for 
the queen to leave him. 
-       He even went to the extent of saying that if only Bharata 
had expressed a desire to marry Sita at the time of the breaking of 
the bow, he would have gladly yielded. 
-       Further, if he were to delay his departure, it might be 
construed as his buying time in the expectation (nappaasai) that on 
his return, Bharata might offer the kingdom back to him. 
-       More than anything else it was of paramount importance for 
him to save his father from the ignominy of flouting his promise.

14. RAMA PACIFIES LAKSHMANA
LakshmaNa who was reticent all through was ablaze with rage and even 
suggested that -
-       Accepting the words of the ill advised father was not 
correct 
-       Such a father deserved to be punished, nay, even killed, if 
need be.
But, Rama replied that -
-       Even if the mother had asked him to stay back, he had an 
obligation to honor his father's commitment because it came 
chronologically much earlier. 
-       Also, Dasaratha was not only his father but also Guru, King 
and an aged person. 
-       Even if LakshmaNa were to retrieve his right of 
primogeniture, he was determined not to accept the offer.
-       Vanavaasam was much easier than the burden of administering 
a Kingdom. 

LakshmaNa argued that fate can be set at naught by one's 
intelligence: Rama would not agree.



15. KOUSALYA'S BLESSINGS
As one should not shed tears when someone was leaving on a journey, 
Kousalya controlled herself. This is another lesson we learn from 
this incident. Convinced that nothing could convince Rama to take 
away from his resolve, Kousalya gave him permission. She actually 
conferred her blessings by going around Rama. 

H.H. humorously remarks that modern boys might draw a lesson from 
this and tell their mothers to circumambulate them (including their 
wives) as Kousalya did! This practice of blessing  thus is something 
special as in the case of elderly ladies going round the newly weds 
pouring turmeric waters and holding lamps and cooked rice balls 
(piDI Sutruvadu). This cannot be resorted to as a matter of routine. 

16. SITA-RAMA SAMVADAM
Conveying the news, Rama asked Sita to stay back and advised her how 
she should conduct herself in AyOdhya in his absence and described 
the extraordinary difficulties she would have to encounter in the 
midst of dense forests infested with wild animals. Sita was not sad 
at Rama's going to the forest but she could not bear his suggestion 
to leave her behind. Tears rolling from her eyes, she put a piercing 
barrage of questions that compelled Rama to "think again"!

-       If Kousalya cannot leave her husband, does not the same 
logic apply to me?
-       As wife is considered the "better half" of the husband, does 
she not have a right and duty to follow the husband in obeying the 
command of the father?
-       Did not my father tell you that I am your life-partner in 
carrying out your Dharma? ("sahadharma charee tava")
-       Did not my father say that I would follow you as a shadow? 
(ChaayEva anugataa). Only if you can get rid of your shadow can you 
leave me behind.
-       If my father comes to know of this, will he not think that 
he had given his daughter in marriage to one who only appears to be 
a man while actually is a woman?            
 "Raama jaamaataram praapya striyam purusha vigraham"
-       Will he not think you to be a coward who is not competent to 
protect your wife?
-       Can the predictions of famous Astrologers in my father's 
court that I am destined to live in forest become false?
-       Is it not said that for a woman the father protects her in 
childhood, the husband in her youth and son in her old age?
-       Did you not promise very often to take me to the Asramams of 
Maharishis?                  
Has not the time come now for you to do this?
-       Are you jealous that if I come with you, people would praise 
me as virtuous wife?
-       May be, you have concubines in the forest that you wish to 
leave me behind?
-       Are you not ashamed that your advice looks like a low class 
fellow pledging his wife to another and thereby eking out his own 
existence?
-       Instead of advising me to serve Bharata, would it not be 
proper for you to serve him while I serve you?
-       Does your preferring not to fight with your father for your 
right show that you lack "pourusham"?
Rama was practically grounded by her pertinent questions and had to 
yield to her request.

17. RAMA LAKSHMANA SAMVADAM
If Sita herself had to argue so much, LakshmaNa thought that he had 
no chance. The only course open to him was to surrender at the feet 
of Rama knowing that Rama would never forsake one who surrendered to 
him. But, SaraNaagati can be effective only with the recommendation 
of one whose words carry weight. He held tight to the feet of Rama 
and looking at Sita pleaded for his accompanying them.
Sa braatrus CharaNam gaaDam nipeedya raghu nandana:
Seetaam uvaacha atiyasaa: raaghavam cha mahaa vratam//
He further promised that he would do all kinds of service at all 
times, under all circumstances in any place, time or condition, 
while Rama and Sita were awake or asleep.
Agratas tE gamishyaami panthaanam anu darsayan
Aaharishyaami tE nityam moolaani phalaani cha
Vanyaani yaani cha anyaani sva AahaaraaNi tapasvinaam
Bhavaams tu saha vaidehyaa giri saanushu ramsyatE 
Aham sarvam karishyaami jaagrata: svapatas cha tE// (VR-2.31)

DID HE REALLY DO THIS? ASK NAMMAZHWAR!
LakshmaNa reminded Rama that when advising Sita to treat Bharata and 
Satrughna as her elder brothers in his absence, Rama did not include 
him in the list and therefore, it was Rama's intention to take him 
along! Finally, Rama relented and agreed to his accompanying..

18. RAMA TAKES LEAVE OF DASARATHA
When Rama approached again to take leave of Dasaratha, the latter 
was so grief stricken as to suggest that Rama might arrest and 
incarcerate him and take over the kingdom. Rama consoled him saying 
that the 14 years would fly off like 14 days and that he would be 
back. KaikEyi who was standing nearby got scared and prompted Rama 
to leave without any further delay, lest there should be a reversal 
of her plans!

19. SUMANTRA SPEAKS
Sumantra, the Minister and Charioteer of Dasaratha and for that 
reason, the king's confidant, was irked by her nudging, had some 
harsh words for KaikEyi. He cited how Kaikeyi's mother was driven 
out of the KeKaya kingdom when she insisted on her husband revealing 
the purport of the language of some ants that the King could 
understand and was laughing about. "You are behaving like your 
mother and you deserve similar treatment".  Your action is like 
cutting off a fruit yielding tree replacing it with a bitter neem 
tree"

20. SIDDAHARTA SPEAKS
KaikEyi mentioned that there was a precedent when Asamanjan of 
Ikshvaagu dynasty was driven out of the kingdom; Siddhartar 
explained that it was because Asamanjan indulged in drowning 
children in River Sarayu and was banished for that reason and that 
Rama cannot be accused of any such heinous behavior. When Dasaratha 
ordered that an entire entourage should go with Rama with ample 
provisions to last for their entire stay in the forest, KaikEyi 
intervene to protest. He reminded that her boon did not include a 
clause for not sending an entourage with Rama.

21. VASISHTA SPEAKS
When KaikEyi brought the tree barks as dress for the trio, VasishTa 
was very much annoyed and said that in the absence of Rama, Sita 
could take over the administration on behalf of her husband and if 
she insisted on going with Rama, she could do so but adorned with 
all the ornaments and jewels because the boon that KaikEyi got - did 
not contain a provision for Sita going to the forest.

22. A MOTHER-IN-LAW AND HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (SIDE STORY)
H.H. narrates a funny story as to how a modern woman would behave in 
similar circumstances. A man was living with his wife and his aged 
mother. The wife was ill treating her mother-in-law. He told 
her: "My mother is about 80 years old and may not live long. Why 
don't you treat her with a little consideration?" When the wife was 
away, he asked his mother not to argue with his wife who was of bad 
temper. When the wife returned, he advised her not to fight with the 
old lady. "You loved me and married me. Why not act as per my 
advice?" The wife answered "If this were so, why did YOU marry me? 
You could have married your mother and enjoyed all her nagging!"

23. SUMITRA `S REACTION
When LakshmaNa conveyed the news to his mother Sumitra, unlike 
Kousalya, she unlike Kousalya did not feel forlorn.  Why did 
Kousalya and Sumitra react so differently? Sumitra was more a 
philosopher who had a dispassionate look at life listening to her 
intellect than Kousalya who was carried away by emotion and 
sentiment listening to her heart!

STORY OF THREE GRAND DAUGHTERS!-

The reaction of different persons to the same piece of information 
differs according to their GuNas; Age also plays a role in their 
reaction. For example, the author had three grand daughters aged 20, 
10 and 5 respectively. When a conversation turned up about the 
author's forthcoming "SathabhishEkam", the eldest one said "Grandpa! 
You should live long until at least after my wedding and beget my 
child"; the middle one said "Grandpa! You are becoming very old. It 
is high time that you used a walking stick"; the youngest one threw 
literally a bombshell when she said "Grandpa! You are 80 plus! You 
should be dead by now!" 

24. SUMITRA'S ADVICE
Sumitra advised that 
-       LakshmaNa should return only with Rama. 
-       Before anything befalls to Rama, he should offer to 
sacrifice himself to protect Rama.
Pinnum pagarvaaL maganE ivan pin sel / tambi  ennum paDi anru /  
aDiyaarin yEval seidi Mannum nagarkkE ivan vandiDil vaa/adu anrEl / 
munnam muDi /enranaL(nagar neegu-439)

-       Treat Rama as his own father and Sita as mother like 
herself. 
-       She added a rider: "When I say you should treat Sita as my 
self and obey her, do not leave her alone even if she orders you to 
do so". May be, she had a premonition that Sita would one day ask 
him to leave her alone to go after Rama!

25. DID RAMA ASK SUMANTRA TO TELL A LIE?
Sumantra was driving the chariot out of town with the trio on it. 
Dasaratha longed to have a final look at them and came to the street 
and actually was crying "Rama! Rama"! But, Rama instructed Sumantra 
to speed up. Sumantra now had two masters. Whom should he obey? Rama 
told him that if, later, a question arose as to why he did not stop 
the chariot, he could explain it away saying that he did not hear 
which obviously was not true! Rama meant that in the din and melee, 
he could not stop the steeds and had to go ahead and did not mean to 
disregard Dasaratha's call.

26. THE GRIEF OF THE CITIZENS
-       Asking why Kousalya did not stop Rama, sons lost confidence 
in their mothers.
-       Asking why KaikEyi behaved as she did, husbands lost their 
trust in their wives.
-       Asking why Dasaratha should feel helpless, wives suspected 
their husbands.
-       Suspecting the complicity of Bharata, brothers lost the 
credibility of brothers.

27. DASARATHA'S GRIEF
Dasaratha asked the attendants to carry him to Kousalya's place. He 
told Kousalya that his eyes that went behind Rama never returned and 
he could see no more. He asked her to gently touch him to see if his 
sense of touch had also left him to go after Rama. Further, if the 
Mother of Rama were to touch him, he would feel relief as if Rama 
himself was touching! It was indeed a touching scene for sheer 
pathos. Unable to see anything other than the cloud of dust arising 
from the wheels of the rolling chariot, Dasaratha was cursing fate 
that cannot be conquered even by the celestials.

28. NAARADA AND YAMA (SIDE STORY) 
H.H. narrates the story of the "Power of fate" in which Yama and 
Naarada were involved. Naarada had a young musician as his student 
whom he used to take with him to various music performances, 
explaining the intricacies of the renderings. At one such concert, 
he noticed Yama laughing at him frequently. He interpreted Yama's 
laughter as suggesting the impending demise of his dear Sishya. He 
hid the Sishya in a far off cave away from Yama's sight and returned 
to his seat as if nothing had happened. Now, he noticed Yama still 
smiling at him. He demanded an explanation and told Yama that he had 
hidden his Sishya and that Yama could not play any dirty tricks with 
the Sishya. On hearing this, Yama laughed louder still and answered 
that the Sishya was about to die by a falling rock when he was taken 
to the cave and Naarada himself had facilitated this. As they were 
talking, a huge rock in the cave suddenly dropped crushing the 
Sishya to instant death. Naarada agreed that it was indeed 
impossible to ward off the machinations of fate.

29. SUMANTRA TURNS THE CHARIOT TOWARDS AYODHYA
To avoid the citizens following him, Rama asked Sumantra to drive 
the chariot back to AyOdhya, while he himself moved out of the place 
towards the boundary of KOsala Kingdom on the banks of River 
Syantika,, all without the knowledge of the citizens who were still 
sleeping. As they woke up, they did not see the trio nor Sumantra 
but only the wheel-prints of the chariot pointing towards the north. 
Thinking that Rama had changed his mind and returned to AyOdhya, 
they trekked back on the way to the city. 

30. SRINGAVERAPURA
Crossing the Uttara kOsala's Southern boundary, the Rivers VEdasruti 
and GOmati they headed arrived at Sringaverapura, the capital of the 
boatman-hunter king, Guha. Guha had earlier met with Rama when the 
latter visited the place as a prince. Guha welcomed the trio with 
all due honors and requested them to stay with him for a "sleep 
over". When Rama and Sita were sleeping, both LakshmaNa and Guha 
spent the night without a wink of sleep. Do you know why? LakshmaNa 
was concerned about Guha being in the payroll of Bharata and Guha 
suspected LakshmaNa as one who could harm Rama in the forest much 
like Bharata who, he thought, had harmed Rama in the city! They were 
thus keeping a watchful eye on each other!


(To Continue)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 22 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 3
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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-
SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH. 
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 22 - Slokam 13 Part 3, 
tiruvAimozhi 1.3 contd. 

? pASuram 1.3.5: 

piNakkaRa aRu-vagaic-camayamum neRi uLLi uraitta 
kaNakkaRu nalattanan antam-il Adi am-bhagavan 
vaNakkuDait-tava neRi vazhi ninRu puRa neRi kaLai kaTTu 
uNakkumin paSai aRa avanuDai uNarvu koNDu uNarndE (1.3.5). 
antam-il Adi em-bhagavan, aRu vagaic-camayamum neRi uLLi, piNakku 
aRa uraitta kaNakkaRu nalattanan. AvanuDai uNarvu koNDu uNarndu, 
vaNakkuDai tava neRi vazhi ninRu, puRam neRi kaLai kaTTu, paSai aRa 
uNakkumin ? In order to resolve this dispute once and for all, 
empermAn who is the Creator of all and who is endowed with infinite 
auspicious qualities, and who narurally possesses infinite knowledge 
etc., analysed the six non-vedic faiths compared to the path shown 
by the veda-s, and showed us through His own words (through the 
gItA) that the path of devotion to Him to the exclusion of all other 
paths, is the correct path to follow. Realize this truth shown by 
Him very clearly, and completely detach yourself from all other 
attachment. 

svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the 
phrase "sva-prabodha pradatvAt" ? Because He gives us the true 
knowledge about Himself through SAstra-s such as the gItA ? 
piNakkaRa aRu vagaic-camayamum neRi uLiLi uraitta kaNakkaRu 
nalattanan. (Even though He is the same One who created the diverse 
faiths) He has revealed the true knowledge about Himself through His 
own words in the form of the gItA, the pA'ncarAtra, etc. He is a 
sulabhan (recall the guNam at the daSakam level) because He has made 
this information available to us through these easy means, so that 
we can be free of confusion, and attain Him through the path He has 
shown us. The gItA makes it crystal clear that we should not follow 
the tAmasic and rAjasic grantha-s, but should follow the sAttvic 
texts, that we should do all our actions by dedicating any benefit 
to Him alone, and that worship of anya devatA-s is for those with 
inferior intellect. 
? pASuram 1.3.6:
 
uNarndu uNarndu izhindu aganRu uyarndu uruviyanda in-nilaimai 
uNarndu uNarndu uNarilum iRai nilai uNarvadu aridu uyirgAL ! 
uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu ari ayan aran ennum ivarai 
uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu iRai'njumin manappaTTadu onRE. 
uyirgAL! uNarndu uNarndu izhindu aganRu uyarndu uru viyanda in-
nilaimai uNarndu uNarndu uNarilum, iRai nilai uNarvadu aridu; 
uNarndu uNarndu ari, ayan, aran ennum ivarai uraittu uraittu, manap 
paTTadu onRu uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu iRai`njumin ? Oh you 
jIva-s! The tattvam (true nature) of the Supreme Lord is not easy to 
grasp, even though it may be possible to grasp the subtle nature of 
your soul as different from the body through acquisition of 
knowledge, your own different experiences, intense analysis 
involving both depth and breadth, etc. Therefore, using all the 
available scriptural evidence, thoroughly analyse the tri-mUrti-s ? 
brahmA, vishNu and Siva, with an unbiased mind, analyze, discuss, re-
analyze and discuss over nd over again their complete personality, 
traits, attributes, etc., and then come to a firm conclusion over 
who is Supreme among the three, and then surrender to this one 
Supreme Deity unconditionally. 

svAmi deSikan identifies the main guNa reflected in this pASuram by 
the phrase :khyAta abhikhyA Adi cihnAt (uNarndu uNarndu etc.) ? 
Because He stands out through His well-known actions and the 
associated fame. (khyAta ? well-known, renowned; abhikhyA ? 
splendor, beauty, luster). His name ? nArAyaNa, His infinite kalyANa 
guNa-s, His wondrous acts of protecting the other gods at their 
times of trouble, His infinite Mercy towards His devotees, etc., are 
all well-known, and clearly show Him to be the Supreme Deity over 
and above all the other gods. However, for the non-discerining 
souls, the arguments such as the tri-mUrti sAmyam ? equality between 
the tri-mUrti-s etc., are presented to confuse their mind. 

AzhvAr advises us to make an effort to understand the significance 
behind bhagavAn's nAma-s, His actions, etc., based on a thorough, 
sincere, unbiased, and serious effort to understand these based on 
pramANa-s, and realize who the Supreme Deity is, and then surrender 
to Him. 

Note that AzhvAr is not coming out and declaring the parttvam of 
SrIman nArAyaNan in this pASuram explicitly; instead, he gives us a 
clear direction on how we should be able to find out the answer to 
who among the tri-mUrti-s is the Supreme Deity, if only we take the 
time to look at the existing pramANa-s, and think about it in an 
unbiased way. He does not want to ask us to just accept his word on 
this. In future pASuram-s, he will make it clear what his conclusive 
position is on who the Supreme Deity is. 

There are eight occurrences of the word uNanrndu in this pASuram. 
The detailed interpretation of these different instances is 
presented in detail in the write-up for this pASuram under the 
title `tri-mUrti-s in tiruvAimozhi'. 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan 
(To be continued)
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