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 # 13 dated 22nd December 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. YUDDHA KHAANDAM PART - 3 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 43- SLOKAM 17 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 276 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
13 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)
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1. "YUDDHA KHAANDAM" PART - 3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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14. COUNSELLING SESSION
- Sugreeva was the first to object the admission of
VibheeshaNa to their fold, saying that he had ditched his own
brother and cannot be relied upon. (He had obviously forgotten that
he himself had earlier ditched his brother, Vaali when he made
friendship with Rama!). He enlisted the support of LakshmaNa who was
none the less skeptical about VibheesahaNa's credentials. He
compared VibheeshaNa to an owl which knowing that the crows could
not see in the dark entered their nests at night and slew them all.
He cautioned that if they were allowed to spare him, he would play
his tricks again like Maareecha.
- It was now Angada's turn. He said that VibheeshaNa could be
accepted only after putting him to a strict test as to his
intentions.
- Sarabha suggested that one of their spies should be sent to
find out this.
- Jaambhavaan argued that VibheeshaNa had no need to come all
the way to their place. Therefore, it was not appropriate and this
aroused suspicions.
- Mainda suggested that using soft and pleasing words, they
should diplomatically ascertain the genuineness of his statement.
- Hanumaan, who had firm grasp of the Saastras and practical
knowledge of the ways of the world, without mentioning their names,
rejected their suggestions as impracticable. As VibheeshaNa was just
in front of them within their sight, there was no need to send a
spy; the place and time of his arrival and the manner of his
pleading clearly showed his sincerity; a test as suggested by them
was the surest means to make him hostile; his face was clear and
reflected his innocence; seeing Sugreeva securing the Kishkinda
after killing Vaali, VibheeshaNa might have come for securing Lanka
after the killing of Ravana; Even if this were so, there was nothing
wrong in it. (17)
15. RAMA'S DECISION
Rama finally declares his judgment: "I never forsake one who comes
to me as a friend. Even though he has faults, I shall accept him and
the wise ones will not denounce my action"
Mitra bhaavEna sam praaptam na thyajEyam katham chana/
doshO yad yapi tasya syaat sataam Etad agarhitam// (18.3)
- Rama seems to say that there was nothing special if he were
to favor one who is already friendly; it would give greater glory
for him if only he could extend protection to one who may be his
enemy but approached him as a friend! (mitra bhaavEna sampraaptam
and doshO yady api tasya syaat:)
- Rama says that if VibheeshaNa had asked for refuge while at
Lanka itself, he would have had to rush to Lanka to protect him.
VibheeshaNa coming to the place where he was to plead for protection
was like the waters of Ganga altering its course to flow near a lame
person! And utters in no uncertain terms his pledge: "Even if a man
just thinks for once:
"I am yours", that is enough for me. I will protect him from fear
from all beings and this is my inviolable vow. Oh! Sugreeva! the
foremost among the Vaanaras! Go bring him to me even if he were to
be Ravana himself"
sakrudEva prapannaaya tava asmi iti yaachatE//
abhayam sarva bhootEbhyO dadaami Etad vratam mama/
aanaaya yEnam hari srEshTa dattam asya abhayam mayaa//
vibheeshaNO vaa Sugreeva! Yadi vaa RaavaNa: svayam/ (18-33 to 35)
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is known as Rama Charama slOkam in which the
Lord gives his assurance that he would save anyone who befriends him
and conveys an important message to us all.
- I am waiting for someone to come forward to surrender to me
so that I could protect him. This being the case, would I give up
this rare chance when one has actually come forward to surrender to
me?
- Like the mother cow that prefers to shower its extraordinary
fondness to the newborn even ignoring those born to it earlier, my
heart goes out to receive VibheeshaNa with extraordinary affection.
- If as you say VibheeshaNa had come with a view to secure
Lanka, that is reason enough to conclude that he would endeavor to
please me and will not intend to harm me.
- Even if Ravana himself came forward to surrender despite his
being my sworn enemy, I would not hesitate to accept him. What
objection could be there for rejecting VibheeshaNa now?
- Narrating stories of how a pigeon gave up its life to save a
hunter who had earlier killed its spouse and
- how a bear saved the life of an ungrateful human who
ventured to sacrifice it in response to the prodding of a tiger,
Rama ordered Sugreeva to go and bring VibheeshaNa to his side. (18)
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 43 - SLOKAM 17 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahAS deSikAya namaH
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 43, Slokam 17 Part 5,
tiruvAimozhi 1.6 - pASuram-s 1.6.9, 1.6.10.
pASuram 1.6.9:
taruma arum payanAya tiru magaLAr tanik kELvan
perumai uDaiya pirAnAr irumai vinai kaDivArE.
BhagavAn is the Consort of mahA lakshmi and is the ultimate object
attained through all the righteous conduct (dharma arum payan); He
is One who is magnanimous enough to remove the effects of both types
of our karma (puNya as well as pApa).
svAmi deSikan describes the guNam revealed in this pASuram in
support of bhagavAn sukara bhajanatvam or ease of worship, through
the phrase dharma sausthyAt- dharuma arum payanAya. SrImad
tirkkuDanthai ANDAvan gives the meaning as dhaarmngaLuDaiya parama
(mElAna) phalanAi iruppavan - Because He is the ultimate and highest
benefit attained through dharma. SrI UV interprets svAmi
deSikan's phrase dharma sausthyAt as meaning bhagavAn and pirATTi
together are well established as the upAyam" dharmam" for moksha.
In other words, worshiping pirATTi and bhagavAn (tiru magaLAr tanik
kELvan) with single-minded devotion will lead to the ultimate
benefit of all (arum payan = moksham) therein lies the sukara
bhajanatvam, because pirATTi and perumAL together are both the means
and the end. One does not need to resort to any other upAyam or
means.
Based on a reading of the different interpretations for this
pASuram, it is clear that the emphasis in this pASuram is that
bhagavAn, because of His association with pirATTi, removes all our
blemishes both puNyam and pAvam, and bestows moksham as the ultimate
benefit, if we are firmly established in our devotion to them, and
realize that this is the sole upAyam or means to attain them. Of
particular emphasis is that bhagavAn has the magnanimity to forgive
the irumai vinai both the effects of our good deeds as well as bad
deeds, because of His being tirumAmagal tanik kELvan" the Consort of
the ever-compassionate mahA lakshmi.
A pramANam quoted in this context is:
lakshmyA saha hRshIkeSo devyA kAruNya rUpayA |
rakshakas sarva siddhAnte vedAntepi ca gIyate ||
If it is asked how it is possible that bhagavAn will give the
greatest of all benefits" moksham, by our just prostrating to this
Duality of pirATTi and perumAL, the answer is that the
Personification of Mercy " kAruNya rUpiNI" maha lakshmI, is
inseparably associated with Him. SrI UV indicates that AzhvAr
points to the importance of pirATTi in the function of moksha
pradatvam `tarum avvarun payanAya, by referring to pirATTi as tiru
magaLAr. in plural, with the added respect, while referring to
perumAL as tanik kELvan" in singular. In other words, perumAL's
mercy in bestowing moksham derives from His eternal association with
pirATTi" kAruNya rUpiNI. The greatest among all His gretnesseses is
Sriyah patitvam. Veda sings the same point "SraddhayA devo devatvam
aSnute" The Lord derives His divinity because of SraddhA SrI or
lakshmI.
There is an alternate pATham for this pASuram that starts with tarum
av-arum payanAya:
av-arum payanAya tarum; irumai vinai kaDivAr; tiru magaLAr tanik
kELvan, perumai uDaiya pirAnAr" emperumAn who is the Consort of mahA
lakshmi, will bestow on us that kind of great benefit (referred to
in the previous pASuram" azhivinRi Akkam" moksham), by removing the
two kinds of fetters" puNyam and pApam; He is One with such great
magnanimity.
However, based on svAmi deSikan characterization of the guNa sung in
this pASuram as dharma saushthyA, it seems that he has preferred the
pATham dharuma arum payanAya.
This pASuram can certainly benefit by kAlakshepam with our learned
AcArya-s.
pASuram 1.6.10:
kaDiyAr tIya vinaigaL noDi Arum aLavaikkaN
koDiyA vaDu puL uyartta vaDivAr madhavanArE.
aDu puL koDiyA uyartta vaDivAr mAdhavanAr, noDi Arum AlavaikkaN tIya
vinaigaL kaDivAr Sriyah pati mAdhavan who has garuDan - the
destroyer His devotees' enemies - as His flag, and who has a
beautiful tirumEni, will remove all the bad karma-s of His devotees
in a fraction of a moment.
svAmi deSikan captures the guNam sung in this pASuram through the
words kshipra kshipta ahitatvAt" He throws away or annihilates the
worst karma-s of His devotee before a tiny fraction of one moment
expires (kshipra" speedily, fast; kshipta discarded, thrown away,
ahitatva bad karma-s (tIya vinaigaL) - koDiya tI vinaigaL noDi Arum
aLavaikkaN kaDivAr.
The fact that bhagavAn will remove the effect of the worst sins of
His devotees when they surrender to Him has been mentioned in three
different pASuram-s in this tiruvAimozhivazhi: ninRa val vinai
mALvittu azhivinRi Akkam tarumE (1.6.8), tiru magaLAr tanik kELvan
irumai vinai kaDivArE (1.6.9), and kaDivAr tI vinaigaL noDi Arum
aLavaikkaN (1.6.10). SrI PBA notes that there is no redundancy here
the first one stresses that He removes the negative effects of karma-
s when one surrenders to Him; the next one stresses the role of
pirATTi in this act; the last one stresses the speed with which
this removal of the effects of karma-s takes place.
The reference to periya tiruvaDi garuDAzhvAn" in this pASuram is
interpreted in more than one way: a) bhagavAn bestows the same
level of kainkaryam to all the devotees who surrender to Him as He
has given to garuDAzhvAr; b) He will raise His devotees to the high
level to which He has raised periya tiruvaDi" a presence on His
flag, at a higher level than even Himself. Equality with nitya sUri-
s, and the speed with which He bestows this blessing on the true
devotee who surrenders to Him unconditionally, are both emphasized.
The aspect of sukara bhajanatvam is evident in that such a high
blessing the attainment of the utmost goal in life is available just
by the act of unconditional surrender to Him with no other benefit
in mind except Him.
Thus, the ten Sloka-s of this tiruvAimozhi point to the ease with
which He can be worshiped:
- There is no need to expend any money or other wealth on
acquiring materials to worship Him. He can be worshiped with mere
water, freely available flowers, etc. (1.6.1)
- Anyone can worship Him without distinction of varNa-s,
using the different ways available as prescribed in the SAstra-s
(1.6.2)
- He becomes pleased with any sincere offering, without
distinguishing between the level of the people who are making the
offering, or the value of the object that is offered (1.6.3)
- He becomes subservient to those who become subservient to
Him (1.6.4)
- To those who seek Him as their only goal, He makes Himself
available as insatiable Nectar to them (1.6.5)
- He is sweet as a result of the abundance of auspicious
qualities (1.6.6)
- Meditating on His divya caritram will help one cross the
ocean of this samsAra very easily (1.6.7)
- He will bestow moksham on anyone who surrenders at His
feet just once (1.6.8)
- He will remove the effect of all our karma-s because of
His association with mahA lakshmI who is karuNA incarnate, when we
surrender to Him (1.6.9).
- He will remove the effects of our karma-s in a fraction of a
moment when we surrender to Him unconditionally (1.6.10).
dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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