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 # 36 dated 1st September 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. KISHKINDHAA KHAANDAM PART - 3 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2. .TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 31 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 2
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 263 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
36 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. "KISHKINDHAA KHAANDAM" PART - 2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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16. SOME SPECIAL POINTS
(An important point to note is that while Vaali himself and more so,
Tara herself felt that the killing of Vaali was quite justified,
even to this day, some people gleefully criticize Rama for "Vaali
Vadam"
It is Kamban who mentions about Vaali deriving half of the strength
of his opponent who may face him because he was in the habit of
prostrating before Lord Siva (called ATTamoorthi). This implied that
it was the reason why Rama did not face him but hid himself behind a
tree to kill him thus giving a handle for critics to find fault with
Rama. Let us see what Kamban says
kiTTuvaar porak kiDaikkin annavar/ paTTa nall valam baagam eithuvaan
eTTu maa tirathu irudi naaLum utru / aTTa moorthi taaL paNiyum
aatralaan
(Natpup kOt paDalam-117)
Again, Kamban attributes this to Tara when she prevents Vaali from
going to fight for the second time:
pEdaiyar edikkuvar eninum petruDai/ oodiya varangaLum uramum uLLadil
Paadiyum ennadaal pagaippadu enganam/ nee thuyar ozhiga ena ninru
koorinaan" (Vaali Vadai PaDalam ? 255)
{This is not mentioned in Valmiki Ramayanam because Rama was not
bound by all these and could worst any enemy at any time in any
manner he liked}
17. H.H. observes that besides the above, there are some more of
reasons that have a bearing on the "Avataara Rahasyam" of Rama:
1. We already saw that during the AswamEha Yaagam done by Dasaratha,
the various DEvas came in person to receive their havirbaagam and
they promised to take births as monkeys, bears etc to help Rama in
his mission. One of the most important DEva was the Son of DEvEndra
who took the form of Vaali. He was to be Rama's Commander-in-Chief.
Even when an ordinary sepoy turns a traitor, he is severely
punished. If the Commander-in- Chief himself turns traitor, Raja
Neethi stipulates nothing short of Death penalty. As Vaali
befriended Ravana, the arch enemy of Rama, he deserved capital
punishment.
2. If Rama appeared before Vaali, Vaali might surrender. The earlier
promise to Sugreeva that he would kill Vaali would become futile.
3. Also, if Vaali surrendered to Rama, Ravana who was weaker than
Vaali might also have no alternative to surrendering to Rama. In
this case, the very purpose of the Avatara, namely, Ravana Samhaaram
will be nullified}
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18. SUGREEVA PATTABHISHEKAM
Rama asked LakshmaNa to install Sugreeva as King of Kishkinda since
he could not enter the city in terms of the vow he had undertaken.
(Kamban Arasiyar PaDalam 408)
LakshmaNa duly installed Sugreeva as the King of Kishkinda. Rama
declined the invitation of Sugreeva to come into the city because he
was committed to stay in the forest for 14 years. As during the
rainy season, none would venture out, he told Sugreeva to take rest
but to come prepared to begin the search in the month of Kaartigai
(VR26)
19. PRASRAVANA GIRI
Rama and LakshmaNa then retired to a cave in "PrasravaNa Giri" to
spend the winter season, waiting for the dawn of "Sarat Ritu" (VR-27)
20. SUGREEVA, THE DRUNKARD
Sugreeva was in an intoxicated and inebriated mood having drunk
heavily. He was in his own world of fantasy being immersed in
enjoying the company of Rumai, Tara and other females of the species
and became quite oblivious of everything including his promise to
Rama. AnjanEya was very much upset to see the King in this
condition. In due course, when Sugreeva was in a mood to listen,
AnjanEya politely reminded him of the promise, warning him that Rama
was waiting for him to do the needful. (VR29)
21. RAMA GETS ANGRY
The stipulated period was over but there was no trace of Sugreeva
and no inkling whether and if so what efforts he had taken in terms
of his promise. Rama felt that having got what he wanted, Sugreeva
had become indifferent to him and took it as an insult. He sent word
through LakshmaNa. "Tell him" he said "The path through which Vaali
was dispatched is still open and I would not hesitate to dispatch
Sugreeva also there, if he delayed any further" (VR 30).
Na cha sam kuchita: panthaa yEna vaalee hathO gata: /
samayE tishTa Sugreeva maa vaali patham anva gaa:// (Sargam 30-71)
yEka yEva raNE vaalee sarENa nihatO mayaa/
tvaam thu sathyaad ati kraantam hanishyaami sa baandhavam// (30- 72)
{This statement of Rama does not find a place in Kamba Ramayanam}
22. LAKSHMANA IS ALSO ANGRY
An angry LakshmaNa set out towards Kishkinda. Rama cautioned him not
to kill Sugreeva because he was a friend by pact but to counsel him
patiently and politely. Angada saw LakshmaNa heading towards
Kishkinda and was terrified because precisely at that time Sugreeva
had totally lost control and was not in a fit condition to meet with
LakshmaNa (VR 31).
Sugreeva learned about the anger of LakshmaNa who was advancing and
got jittery. AnjanEya comforted him saying that there was no way to
pacify LakshmaNa than by praying to him with folded palms seeking
pardon. (VR 32)
LakshmaNa almost neared the harem (anthah-puram). Sugreeva requested
Tara to go forward to appease LakshmaNa. She hurried to LakshmaNa
with disheveled hairs and without adjusting her dress properly.
LakshmaNa bowed his head down not willing to view a woman especially
in that condition. With folded palms, she spoke to LakshmaNa in a
soft and soothing voice praying him to excuse Sugreeva's
indiscretion in overlooking his duty due to his being under
influence of liquor.
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 31 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 2
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahaA deSikAya namah.
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 31 - Slokam 15 Part 2,
svApadeSam for tiruvAimozhi 1.4 contd.
svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.2 ? "en Seyya tAmaraika kaN
permAnArkku..". In this pASuram, AzhvAr sends the sweet-voiced
cuckoo as his messenger to emperumAn. svAmi deSikan describes the
AcArya guNam reflected in this pASuram as "su-vAcah" ? kuyilgAL -
those who always instruct their disciples through sweet words. SrI
UV refers us to the SrImad rAmAyaNa dhyAna Slokam "kUjantam rAma
rAmeti madhuram madhurAksharam | Aruhya kavitA sAkhAm vande vAlmIki
kokilam ||" , where vAlmIki is compared to the kokilam bird for his
sweet words through SrImad rAmAyaNam. SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya
comments: "'samSrave madhuram vAkyam' enkiRa paDi SobhanaiyAna SrI
sUktikaLai uDaiya AcAryarkaLai madhura vacassukkaLana kikila'ngaLaga
nirdeSittAr" ? where reference is given to Hanuman's sweet words
spoken to sItA pirATTi, and AcAryan's SrI sUkti's are compared to
the sweet words of kokilam and to Hanuman's words to sItA ?
extremely comforting, revealing truth, conferring benefit to the
listener.
In the previous pASuram, the j~nAnam was praised, and in the current
pASuram, AcAryan's skill in communicating that j~nAnam in a way that
appeals to the disciple is being brought out.
SrI UV comments that AcArya-s are re-incarnations of Lord hayagrIva,
and resemble vAlmIki in their skills of expression. He points out
that in one onpadAyirappaDi vyAkhyAnam, the pAThanm given for thie
guNa is sad-AptAn. One meaning for the word Aptan is "received,
accomplished, abundant, full. Sad-Aptan would mean those who are
abundant in the necessary good attributes. The attributes of
relevance here are: the realization of the dharma-s as laid down in
the SAstra-s, the magnanimity and compassion to share these
truthfully as they have realized them, and the propagation of these
accordingly.
SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan points out that in the first pASuram
of this yiruvAimozhi, AzhvAr in his nAyikA bhAvam only asked the
crane to go to Him as a messenger, but in this pASuram he is giving
his message ? mun Seida muzhu vinaiyAl etc. (See the previous write-
up for this pASuram). Enjoy the thread ? the connectivity in the
pASuram-s, which is also the purpose of tAtparya ratnAvaLi.
svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.3: "vidiyinAl peDai maNakkum.."
pASuram. In this pASuram, AzhvAr calls on `men-naDaiya anna'ngAL" ?
the swans with their gentle gait, to be the messenger to
emperumAn. svAmi deSikan characterizes the AcArya guNam expounded
in this pASuram through the words "su-carita subhagAn" ? explained
by SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan as "sAra asAra vivekamuLLa
naDattaiyai uLLavargaL" ? those whose conduct is based on a careful
analysis of the desirable and undesirable aspects in everything they
undertake". SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya explains svAmi deSikan's words as
follows: sAra asAra vivekam paNNi sAra-taramAna naDavaDiyai
uDaiyarAi irukkiRa AcAryarkaLai nIra kshIra vibhAga kshama'nkaLAi
manohara'nkaLAi sa'ncariA ninRa hamsa'nkaLAga aruLic ceidAr
(ve'nkaTeSAcArya) ? those who analyse the aspects of interest and
those not of interest in everything, and implement those that are
worthy of implementing, those who can separate the good from the bad
like the hamsa birds that can separate the milk from a mixture of
milk and water, and that lead a dharmic way of life that resembles
the beautiful gait that thrills the mind of the observer.
SrI UV comments that in their intellect, the AcArya-s are like the
hamsa bird that is able to separate milk from a mixture of milk and
water - they can separate the good from a mixture of good and bad,
they are pure like the pure while color of the hamsa pakshi, and
they conduct their life with sadAcAram ? exemplary conduct according
to dharma and SAstra-s, by treading their path carefully like the
gentle walk of the swan. Careful treading of the path followed is
stressed in the following quote attributed to mahAbhArata ? vastra
pUtam jalam pibet dRshTi pUtam padam nyaset.
svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.4: - `en nIrmai kaNDu ira'ngi' pASuram:
In this pASuram, AzhvAr is sending the blue-colored krau'nca bird as
the messenger. In the pASuram, nammAzhvAr describes bhagavAn with
the words "en nIla mugil vaNNarkku" ? My Lord whose hue is that of
the dark-blue water-laden clouds, a reference to His guNa of
showering His Mercy on all without distinction; AzhvAr is sending as
the messenger the "nan-nIla maganRilkAL" ? the dark-blue hued
krau'nca birds. As in previous pASuram-s, the messenger here is a
reference to AcAryan, and the dark-blue hue of the krau'nca bird is
to bring out the resemblance of the AcAryan to the dark-hued
emperumAn. It is this aspect that svAmi deSikan chooses to bring
out as the svApadeSam in this pASuram, and the AcArya guNam he
describes is "kRshNa sArUpya saumayAn" ? AcAryan who resembles
emperumAn in all respects, and who is gentle, pleasing, agreeable
(saumya ? handsome, pleasing, agreeable, gentle, soft, mild).
svAmi deSikan reveals to us in his nyAsa vimSati Slokam 2, that
AcAryan should be worshipped the same way as we worship bhagavAn,
and he gives the reasons for this:
aj~nAna-dhvAnta-rodhAt agha-pariharaNAt Atma-sAmya-AvahatvAt
janma-pradhvamsi-janma-prada-garimatayA divya-dRshTi-prabhAvAt |
nishpratyUha-AnRSamsyAt niyata-rasatayA nitya-Seshitva-yogAt
AcAryah sadbhiha-pratyupakAraNa-dhiyA deva-vat syAt-upAsyah || (nyAsa
vimSati 2)
- The AcArya removes the darkness of ignorance in us,
- leads us in the right path and thus removes our sins,
- helps us lead a life like him by helping us adopt the life that is
conducive to realize Him,
- gives us a new birth that will lead us to moksham by imparting the
right kind of knowledge,
- bestows his kaTaksham on us no matter how sinful a life we have
led before and redeems us,
- is unlimited in bestowing his kindness to his Sishya-s no matter
how undeserving they may be for this,
- is the non-satiating sweet nectar for those who surrender to him,
and has the natural relation to the Sishya as Seshi to a Sesha.
All these are no different from the role of emperumAn with respect
to His devotee. BhagavAn Himself has taken the form of AcAryan, and
thus he is `kRshNa sA-rUpya saumyan', and should be respected and
surrendered to as such. This point is repeatedly stressed by SrImad
nammANDavan (AcAryan of SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan) in his pAdukA
sahasram commentary also.
The commentaries for the AcArya guNam described by svAmi deSikan
through the words `kRshNa sA-rUpamya saumayam' emphasize this
resemblance between bhagavAn and AcAryan. As an example, SrI UV's
description is: avan mugil pOlE tApa'nkaLaip pOkkukiRavan;
AcAryarkaLum tApam nI'nga dayaiyinAlE nanmaiyai varshippar (UV) ?
emperumAn removes our sorrows by drenching us with His unbounded
mercy, and the AcAryan also removes our sorrows by soaking us with
his mercy.
dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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