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.09 / ISSUE # 04 dated 14th October 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. SARVAJIT - AIPPASI MAASA PANCHANGAM DETAILS ? SRI V
MADHAVAKKANNAN
2. SUNDARA KHAANDAM PART - 2 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
3. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 267 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
04 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)
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1. Sarvajit varsha aippasi maasa Panchangam:
October 18, 2007- Thursday ? Aippasi month begins
October 20, 2007 ? Saturday ? Hayagreeva Aradhanai (Sarasvati puja)
October 21, 2007 ? Sunday ? Vijayadasami
October 21, 2007 - Sunday ? avittam ? BhoothatthAzhwAr
Thirunakshathram
October 22, 2007 ? Monday ? sadhayam ? pEyAzhwAr Thirunakshathram
November 8, 2007 ? Thursday ? Deepavali
November 9 2007 ? Friday ? Amaavaasyai
November 14, 2007 ? Wednesday ? moolam- Sri Manavala maamuni
Thirunakshathram
November 16 2007 ? Friday ? ThiruvONam - Poygai AzhwAr
Thirunakshathram
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2. "KISHKINDHAA KHAANDAM" PART - 2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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8. LANKINI WORSTED:
LankiNi was the Guardian deity of the impregnable and impenetrable
city. She intercepted Hanumaan and prevented him from entering the
city without first vanquishing her. Hanumaan punched her forcefully
with his the fist of his left hand (because it was beneath his
dignity to strike a woman with the right hand) and this punctured
her ego. She fell to the ground and told him that Brahma once told
her that when a monkey hit her there would be a great catastrophe
for the race of the Raakshasas (VR-3)
9. NO ENTRY PLEASE!
Hanuman had overcome all the obstacles in jumping over the ocean and
reaching Lanka. He waited outside long till dusk before entering
Lanka city at night. He did not enter through the main gate but
through a location that could well be considered a "No entry" zone
(like a No fly zone).
AdvaarENa mahaa baahoo praakaaram abhi pupluvE /
Nisi lankaam mahaa sathvO vivEsa kapi kunjara: // (Sargam 4.2)
This is one of the strategies to be adopted by warriors seeking
victory over their enemies. They are supposed to make a backdoor
entry, at an hour when none from the enemy camp could notice
anything out of the way. Also, it is said that AnjanEya took a tiny
form to outwit the enemy camp. Perhaps it was a case of
saying "Honey! I shrunk myself"! The point is that for one desirous
of victory, entry into the enemy fortress should be under cover of
darkness of night, in full disguise and by jumping over a protective
wall avoiding the regular gateway
10. LANKA BY NIGHT
The moon was shining in full bloom and made "Lanka by moon" more
beautiful than "Lanka by noon" (VR 5). Hanumaan searched in the
mansions of the great heroes of Ravana's Court like: Prahasthan,
Mahaa-paarsvan, Kumba-karNan, VibheeshaNan, MahOdaran, Viroopa-
akshan, Vidhyuj-jihvan, Vidyun-maali, Vajra-dhamshtran, Sukan,
SaaraNan, Indra-jit, Jambu-maali, Sumaali, Rasmi-kEtu, Soorya-Satru,
Vajra-kaayan, Dhoomra-akshan, Sampaadi, Vidhyut-roopan, Ganan,
Viganan, Sukha-naasan, Vakran, SaTan, Hrasva-KarNan, DhamshTran,
ROmasan, YuddhOnmattan, Mathan, Dvaja-greevan, Naadhi, Indra-jihvan,
Hasti-mukhan, KaraaLan, Pisaachan, SONita-akshan and Ravana himself
and was amazed by the kind of luxurious life they were enjoying.(VR
6) Though Viswakarma and Mayaa took credit for constructing these
mansions, they were built actually under the personal direction and
supervision of Ravana himself. (VR7)
11. PUSHPAKA VIMAANAM:
The flying mansion (an RV?) called "Pushpakam" was built by
Viswakarma with all the comforts and luxuries "built-in". As it was
a divine vehicle, it did not land on land but had its own runway and
hangar and other appurtenances right on the skies. It could fly to
any place as per the mere wish of its owner and could accommodate as
many as he wished. With the powers gained by penance of over 10,000
years, Ravana fought with his brother, KubEra who himself got it
from Brahma after intense Tapas and snatched it from
him.
BrahmaNa artE kritam divyam divi yad Viswa karmaNa /
Vimaanam pushpakam naama sarva ratna ParENa tapasaa lEbhE yat
kubEra: pita mahaath /
KubEram Ojasaa jitvaa lEbhE Tad Raakshas Eswara: //
(VR 8 and 9.11-12)
12. DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A REASON WHY RAVANA DID NOT SUBDUE
SRI SITA BY FORCE?
It is said that though he was physically strong, he developed a
weakness for women. He tried to sexually molest NalaKubara's wife.
She spelled a curse saying that if ever he tried to force any woman,
his head would smash to smithereens. This is said to be the reason
why he desisted from touching Sri Sita. Ravana himself admits to Sri
Sita that he would not touch her without her consent.
13. RAVANA'S HAREM:
The young ladies in Ravana's harem lay in deep unconsciousness with
their necklaces and waistbands broken and garments loose. This
looked like mares who having gone through a very long course, rolled
over and over on the ground to throw off their weariness and
fatigue! As AnjanEya traversed the inner apartments of Ravana, he
saw the burning lamps standing steady and motionless. This looked
like gamblers who lost everything having been fleeced bare by
veterans deeply planning about wreaking vengeance and recovering
their losses!
The gem studded lamps glowed with a steady radiance as if they were
lovers stealthily gazing on with un-winking eyes at the ladies of
Ravana's harem which they could not ever dream of doing when Ravana
was awake!. Only some of the ladies in the harem were brought by
Ravana through his might or entranced by his opulence but most of
them came to him on their own volition enchanted by his charm and
glamour. (VR 9)
Ravana was lying in the midst of these ladies on a special bed on a
cot embedded with precious gems and flowers of various hues and
fragrances like saffron, musk, athar, aloes, sandal, civet and other
rare perfumes. Hanumaan was sorry that while he could not see Sita,
he had to see the one who abducted her. He saw a woman of
exceptional beauty lying on a similar ambience and for a moment
doubted if it was Sita (VR 10).
14. THE LIQUOR BAR
Soon, he decided that Sita could not sleep especially when she was
desolate on her separation from Rama. He passed through the liquor
parlor with attendant appearances of wine glasses, some "full",
some "half-full" and some others "half-empty" with the revelers,
some were half-asleep and some others in deep-sleep but all in
different stages of intoxication with their dresses not covering
parts of bodies that ought to be covered and others even without any
dress at all! As Hanumaan, (the confirmed bachelor who had perfect
control over his senses) goes through the harem of Ravana in search
of Sri Sita, he happens to see ladies lying there in voluptuous
postures and rues over his having had to look at them in the course
of his search for Sri Sita. Hanumaan was even sorry for a moment
whether he had been a "fool to rush where others feared" to attempt.
But, he finds that this scene did not distract his mind. He
concludes saying that ? "It is indeed the mind that is responsible
for senses getting attached to sense objects". Since his mind was
under perfect control, no opprobrium attached to his going through
the harem. Further, if a woman were to be searched for, where else
can one hope to find her than where ladies congregate?
Na hi manasa: kimchit vaikrityam upa padhyatE
ManO hi hEtu: sarvEshaam indriyaaNaam pravrtanE
StriyO hi Streeshu drisyantE savathaa pari maargaNE (Sargam 11.42-44)
The moral conveyed is that one should strive to keep one's mind
under full control even at provocative situations.
15. WHY ONE SHOULD CONQUER SORROW?
When he gets exasperated on not being able to find Sri Sita in spite
of an intensive search everywhere, Hanumaan becomes despondent. But,
soon he regains composure and tells himself how sorrow would spoil
one's efforts in any pursuit and therefore one should pursue one's
objectives without being overwhelmed by sorrow
AnirvEda: sriyO: moolam anirvEda: param sukham /
AnirvEdO hi satatam sarva arthEshu pravartaka: //
karOti saphalam jantO: karma yathntatha karOti sa: /
tasmaat anirvEda karam yatnam chEshTE aham uthamam // (Sargam 12 -
10-11)
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.
svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4 continued.
svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.9 ? "nADAda malar nADi" pASuram: AzhvAr
invokes the "UDADu pani vADAi" ? the cool breeze that is moving back
and forth between him and perumAL, as his messenger in this
pASuram. svAmi deSikan captures the AcArya guNam conveyed as the
inner meaning in this pASuram through the words "abhigata SiSirAn" ?
AcArya-s act like a cool soothing breeze to anyone who approaches
them and seeks their guidance. This is conveyed through the
words "ASrayitta pErgaLukku atyanta SIta svabhAvarAna AcAryagaL" by
SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya, and through the words "kuLircci porundiya
vADaik kARRu pOlE aDiyAr tirattil kuLirnda (irakkam pUNDa) cintai
uDaiyAr" by SrI PBA.
SrI UV captures the significance of the words "UDADu' in "UDADu pani
vADAi" by pointting out that the AcAryan graces the disciples
by `coming to them' ? "SishyarkaLik kuRittu ezhundaruLiyavarAi", or,
alternately, `having been approached by the Sishya-s' ?
`SishyarkaLAl ASrayikkap paTTavar'. Or, the word can be enjoyed as
referring to the AcAryan coming back and forth to greet the many
Sishya-s repeatedly. SrI UV gives another interpretation also ?
AcArya-s interact with perumAL through their offering of worship
beautifully ? uDADi.
svApadSeSam for pASuram 1.4.10 ? "uDal Azhip piRappu" pASuram: In
this pASuram, AzhvAr addresses his mind which is the most intimate
thing he can communicate with ? "Azhi maDa ne'njE!", unlike in the
previous pASuram-s where external entities were being asked to
convey messages to emperumAn. svAmi deSikan identifies the AcArya
guNam conveyed in this pASuram as "antara'nga ukti yogyAn" ? AcArya-
s with whom intimate rahasya-s can be shared very freely. As for
the words `UDADi' in the previous pASuram, this aspect of sharing of
intimatcy applies to both the relationship between perumAL and
AcAryan, and the relationship between AcAryan and the Sishyan.
SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan summarises the AcArya guNam in this
pASuram by noting that the AcAryan is one with whom intimate
thoughts can be shared ? antara'ngamAna Sollukku ucitarAna
AcAryargaL. This covers the relation between perumAL and AcAryan,
and also between AcAryan and disciple. Just as our mind is intimate
to us, AcAryan is intimate both to bhagavAn and to the disciple.
AcAryan communicated to tirukkacci nimbi the answers to the six
questions raised by bhagavad rAmAnuja because of this intimacy.
AcAryan instructs the disciple on rahasya-s (secret meanings of
SAstra-s), and shows the path to surrender to emperumAn to the
disciple. The disciple also feels free to share his intimate
questions, doubts, issues, etc., with the AcAryan because the
AcAryan is a sulabhan. Azhi means `deep', and maDam refers to
innocence, tenderness etc. Just as the mind keeps information
without letting out indiscriminately, AcAryan also will not divulge
the faults (dosham) of his disciple to others ? Azhi maDa ne'nju ?
antara'nga ukti yogyan.
Thus, the following ten guNa-s of AcArya-s have been conveyed as
svApadeSam in tiruvAimozhi 1.4. The AcAryan:
- is easily accessible to the disciple ?(maDa nArai)
- is endowed with sweet and kind words to instruct the
disciple ? (kuyil)
- clearly distinguishes between way of life that follows
SAstra-s and that does not, and leads a way of life consistent with
the SAstra-s ? (annam)
- resembles Lord kRshNa Himself in guNa-s such as infinite
mercy etc.(kRshNa sArUpa saumyam)
- considers kaNNan as his sustenance in all ways (uNNum
SORu, parugum nIr, tinnum veRRilai ellAm kaNNan) ? those who are
pure in what they eat for sustenance
- has the marks of SrIman nArAyaNan on his tirumEni
(Sa'nkha, cakra etc.) ? Azhi vari vaNDu
- displays the innocence of a child by hiding his greatness
(iLam kiLi)
- becomes subservient to the will of his disciples (pUvai
bird, SarikA)
- have a cool and comforting nature ? pani vADai
- has the disposition that makes him suited for intimate
exchange of thoughts (Azhi maDa ne'nju).
Having thus described 10 guNa-s of AcAryan that make him ideally
suited to convey our message of surrender to bhagavAn and to make
Him accept our surrender, svAmi deSikan summarizes the glory of the
AcAryan in the last line of the Slokam ? AcAryAn kRshNa labdha
avavRNuta SaThajit preyasI dUta nItyA ? SaThakopa muni who is deeply
intoxicated in love with Lord kRshNa is approaching the AcAryan to
serve as the messenger to facilitate his surrender to emperumAn,
just as the nAyaki in deep love with her separated nAyakan will send
all the birds around her as her messenger to him ? avarkaLai SaraNam
pukku dUtyattilE niyOgittu aruLinAr
-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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