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dear shri sampatkumar,

it is indeed thrillin to note Srimad Azhagiasingar's tirunakshatram being 
celebrated on a global basis. let me  take this opportunity to appreciate 
your Acharya bhakti, which prompts you to  celebrate,despite being thousands 
of miles away from home.

thanks and regards,

sadagopan (coimbatore)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2005 2:08 PM
Subject: [SriRangaSri] Digest Number 1322



There are 3 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. RE: Purpose of creation
           From: "s hariharan" <subramaniam.hariharan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
      2. Kan Kodukkum Perumal
           From: sadagopaniyengar <sadagopaniyengar@xxxxxxxx>
      3. H H Srimath Azhagiyasingars Thirunakshatram celebrations near 
Geneva
           From: "Sampathkumar Raghunathan" <sampathkumarr7@xxxxxxxxx>


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Message: 1
   Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 00:02:33 +0530
   From: "s hariharan" <subramaniam.hariharan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Purpose of creation

Dear Suresh,

I would like to attempt to answer your concerns on the below mail.

Firstly it is incorrect to think that good people get punished alongwith
evil persons. Every individual soul gets the fruits of what he has done in
this or in his earlier births. So just by a few incidents like
Bhismacharya's death, one should not conclude that alongwith evil the good
also gets punished. All that looks like Dharma is not Dharma, one has to
look at the dharma sookshma. Where was Bhismacharya's dharma when his
duaghter-in-law was being ill treated in the court of Kauravas. Do not
forget that he was fighting the war on the side of evil (Duryodhana). This
applies to many of his illustrious collegues like Dhronacharya etc (all
great names no doubt). How can Dhronacharya being a Brahmin take ayudha
and go to war that too to protect the Evil? To say that Dhrona protected
Kauravas because he was being fed by them, fully knowing they were ion the
path to injustice, would be gauna dharma and not Dharmasookshma.

I rever Bhismacharya as a Bhagavatha, however you need to understand that
everyone is individually responsible for his actions and has to pay for
what he has done in this birth or in future births. This is Vyavaharika
Nyaya. The Lord who rules this world will not go against it. The Lord
showered his garce on Bhismacharya by appearing before him at the time of
his departure from this earth, as the Lord is Bhaktha vastal.He gave
Mukthi to Bhishma.

In today's context as well if some good persons die in a war (or
otherwise) or meet misfortune, it has to be put down as result of Karma.
You have to look at the actions of Avatara in totality and not by the
individual experiences of the souls however great they might be. However
when the asuric forces start ruling the earth, the Lord descends to
protect the Sadhus and bring back the equilibrium.

The latter part of your concern which talks about the entire world being
his body is basically a vedantic thought and not to do with Vyavarika. The
lord is in everything but he himself does not get affected by anything.
Just like the air does not get polluted by the smell of the places it
passes through. The reason why one needs to make a distinction between
evil and good is that while this may not affect the Lord, it definitely
affects the bonded Jiva, since he will have to bear the fruit of his evil
act. Even Tapasvis like Ravana/Hiranyakashyap had to meet their end.

Hence as long as one lives in this Mayaic world, one has to necessarily
obey the laws of good and bad. However, once you have attained a state of
equilibrium (called as Stithapragnya) because of having surrendered to
God, then he is not bound by Karma as he looks at everything as Vasudeva.
Prahlada had this state of mind. Such people will never do any evil since
they are absorbed in the Lord who is shuddha satva.

Hope I have been able to clarify. If you still have doubts I dont think I
will be able to clarify further, because I do not profess great knowledge
of scriptures either except that I believe in devotion to the Lotus feet
of Lord Krishna.

Radhekrishna

S Hariharan



-----Original Message-----
From: suresh iyengar [mailto:kp_suresh512@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: 02 December, 2005 5:41 PM
To: SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [SriRangaSri] Purpose of creation


Dear Bhagavathas

Adiyen knows nothing on Shastra Gnanam. As it occured
in adiyen's thought process wanted to share with all
to get my internal questions clarified.

When ever people talk about avatara and its purpose,
they quote many slokas and say that is to remove evil
and protect good. But many times the evil alone is not
removed along with that so call good is removed too.
Example in Mahabarata war great learned persons such
as Bhishmacharya etc were given death. Same way in any
wars between the nations in order to defend their
borders many good souls die. So if we consider the
good and bad attributed to persons then what is
happening should be called "aniyayam". On the other
hand I was going through some of the articles on Sri
Vaishnavam on other groups. What they described the SV
is "Sharira and Sharirik" Bhava. If that is the case
any thing and every thing should be part of "him".
Weather good or evil and hence there should be no
qualification for any act, since it is part of him and
why he should punish one part of his "body" and allow
another part to perish for his own action? is that
called his play his maya? Where from that good or bad
comes unless it is part of him? If it is part of him
why it is bad?

It will be great help if some one can answer these
doubts from Gnanasunyam.

Dasan

Suresh



__________________________________________
Yahoo! DSL - Something to write home about.
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Yahoo! Groups Links








[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






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Message: 2
   Date: Sat, 03 Dec 2005 09:43:11 +0530
   From: sadagopaniyengar <sadagopaniyengar@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: Kan Kodukkum Perumal

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:



"Kan Kodukkum Perumal"



"Vendittrellaam tarum vallal Manivannan" is how Sri Nammazhwar describes the 
Lord. Whatever we ask, the Lord is ready to give us the same and much more, 
however exalted be the boon we seek. He endows us with whatever we need 
during our mundane sojourn and once we perform Prapatti, He takes us to his 
own eternal abode, never to return to the quagmire of Samsara. And this, 
only Emperuman can do, say the Shastras-"Moksham icchet, Janaardanaat".



Though it is true that Emperuman is waiting in the wings to take us away to 
Paradise once we seek the same earnestly and adopt an appropriate strategy 
therefor, still, during our worldly life, we approach Him for so many 
baubles and trinkets, which appear important to us from time to time. It may 
be riches, social status, pass in an exam, good health or relief from 
disease-we ask for all these and more from the Lord, who obliges readily, 
but with a tinge of sadness that we seek from Him not the permanent but the 
puerile.



Of these, one of the major praartthanas that people make is freedom from 
crippling diseases that afflict them periodically. When they are unable to 
obtain relief from mundane physicians, they run to the Divine Doctor. While 
Emperumans at most of the divyadesams (like Vaidya Veeraraghavan of 
Tiruvallore) are General Physicians, to whom you can take any illness for 
cure, there are among them specialists in specific disciplines too, who are 
experts at ridding us of specific diseases. For instance, for curing mental 
disorders, worshipping Sri Nrisimha of Cholasimhapuram and Srinivasa of 
Gunaseelam is held out to be extremely effective.



Likewise, to whom can a person rush, in case of problems with his eyesight? 
Especially when the sight is totally lost, which specific Emperuman can we 
pin our hopes on, for regaining the same? People who are not conversant with 
the Sampradaya would advocate worshipping the Sun god, forgetting the fact 
that he himself derives his origin and power from the Lord's eyes ('Chaksho: 
Sooryo ajaayata'). However, those steeped in the Sampradaya would definitely 
prescribe a visit to Hastigiri, the exalted abode of Sri Varadaraja of 
Kanchi. It is He who is the most wonderful of ophthalmologists, capable of 
curing the most severe of eye-disorders, including blindness from birth. And 
many are those who have benefited from His ministrations, as is evident from 
the long list of satisfied patients. For those who need proof, let me 
recount the various instances catalogued by Sri Srivatsankachar Swamy, in 
his comprehensive and compelling commentary on Sri Varadaraja Stavam.



Students of Tamizh literature would definitely be conversant with the name 
of Andhaka Kavi Veeraraghava Mudaliar. As his sobriquet indicates, he was 
totally blind. Legend has it that it was only after he worshipped Sri 
Varadaraja at Hastigiri that he regained his eyesight in full and expressed 
his undying gratitude in the form of a literary tribute. This is a fairly 
recent instance of Sri Varadan displaying His expertise as a restorer of 
sight.



And within the last two hundred and fifty years, we have another case of 
blindness being cured miraculously by Devapperumal. There would be precious 
few in the Sampradaya who have not heard of Arasaanippaalai Sri 
Venkataadhvari Kavi-he is the renowned author of fourteen beautiful works, 
principal among which are the Visva Gunaadarsa Champoo, Lakshmi Sahasram and 
Raghava Yadaveeyam. Visva Gunaadarsam is a unique and imaginative work, 
recording the observations of two Gandharvas as they fly over the earth 
seeing places and people. Of the two, the Gandharva named Visvaavasu sees 
merit and goodness in almost all of the Lord's creations, while the other, 
Krisaanu, finds only shortcomings in all that falls in his sight. However 
good be the subject, Krisaanu has only cynical and caustic comments to 
offer. Because of such adverse comments about even sacred things and holy 
men, it is said that the author Sri Venkataadhavari lost his eyesight.



Repenting having incorporated such disparaging remarks even as a matter of 
fiction, Sri Venkataadhvari paid obeisance to Perundevi Tayaar and 
Perarulaala Perumal at Kanchi, composing a thousand verses known as Vishnu 
Sahasram (including 200 on Devapperumal alone) and another thousand verses 
on Sri Perundevi, known as Lakshmi Sahasram. These works display deep 
devotion, excellent poetic imagery and unparalleled ingenuity with wordplay. 
Pleased with the devotion, Tepperumal made the poet see again, living up to 
His reputation as a restorer of lost sight.



The rich and hoary lore and legends that abound on the subject of Sri 
Varadaraja's expertise in eye-care include one on how He bestowed eyesight 
on a famous proponent of Dharma Shastras, known as Likhita. Sankha and 
Likhita were twin brothers, who lived at Tirumukkoodal and made the 
propagation of Dharma Shastras their life's mission. The younger brother, 
Likhita, was blind from birth, though this did not affect his acquisition of 
scholarship, aided by his elder brother. However, Sankha did feel extremely 
bad about the handicap and advised the younger one to pray with devotion to 
Devaadiraja, supplementing the brother's supplications with his own. Placing 
implicit faith in the elder brother's prescription, Likhita prayed with all 
the sincerity he could muster, his mind's eye fixed on the fabulous form of 
the Lord, as described in the Scripture. And lo and behold! Likhita could 
suddenly see all the wonderful sights he had missed since childhood. Moved 
beyond measure by the Lord's mercy in restoring his eyesight, Likhita went 
immediately to Kanchi and feasted his eyes for long on the glorious form of 
Perarulalan, his newfound sight clouded by a film of tears.



By far, however, the most well-known instance of a person regaining his lost 
sight at Kanchi, is that of Sri Koorattazhwan. As we know, Kulottunga Chozha 
was a die-hard Saivite, totally intolerant of other faiths, who made it his 
pastime to harass and terrorise scholars of other beliefs, forcing them to 
accept the supremacy of Shiva. And when the call came to Sri Ramanuja to 
attend the royal court, Azhwan, who feared harm to his master from the 
barbaric ruler, spirited away Sri Ramanuja to Karnataka and went himself to 
Kulottunga's court, posing as Ramanuja and clothed in his ochre robes. When 
the king predictably asked the Acharya to sign on the dotted line, accepting 
Rudra's supremacy, Azhwan refused point-blank and, instead, put forth 
well-reasoned arguments based on the Shruti, Smritis, Itihaasas and Puranas, 
in favour of Sriman Narayana being the Parabrahmam. The enraged ruler, 
forever blind to the truth, ordered Azhwan's eyes to be gouged out: but 
before the sentence could be carried out, Azhwan himself tore his eyes out 
and flung them before the king, as he did not want to live on with eyes that 
had sighted the cruel bigot.



After the king's demise, when Sri Ramanuja returned from Tirunarayanapuram 
and Azhwan from Tirumalirumsolai and the two met at Srirangam, Ramanuja was 
extremely sad at Azhwan's loss of sight. He led the protesting Azhwan to the 
sannidhi of Sri Varadaraja at Kanchi and commanded him to compose a stotram 
on the Deity, seeking return of sight. Thus was born the beautiful 
Varadaraja Stavam, incorporating the essence of our Sampradayam and 
portraying the glories of Perarulalan in 101 scintillating slokas. The 
moment the 23rd sloka was uttered, Azhwan got his vision back and feasted 
his eyes for long on the magnificent form of his Acharya first and 
thereafter on that of Devapperumal. Azhwan accepted the return of eyesight 
with the proviso that it should serve him only when he looked at Sri 
Bhashyakara and Varadaraja and he would otherwise continue to be blind. It 
was also Azhwan's magnanimous wish that Naalooraan, Azhwan's erstwhile 
disciple, who betrayed his Acharya to the king, should also attain the same 
exalted state as Azhwan himself did due to the Lord's blessing.



Here is the beautiful sloka, on uttering which Azhwan is reputed to have 
been blessed with the faculty of sight-



'Neelamegha nibham anjana punja syaama kuntalam anantasayam tvaam

Abja paani padam ambuja netram netrasaat kuru Kareesa! sadaa me'



'O Lord of Karigiri! Please bless me with vision, so that I may feast my 
eyes constantly on your glorious form, which resembles a dark rain-bearing 
cloud, with jet-black curls on your majestic head, eyes, hands and feet 
similar to just-bloomed, beautiful red lotuses, reclining on the soft snaky 
bed provided by Adisehsa!' prays Azhwan.



The significance of this episode would not have been lost on readers. Azhwan 
and Sri Bhashyakara met at Srirangam. If Ramanuja wanted to get Azhwan his 
sight back, it would have been logical for him to have taken his disciple 
before Sri Ranganatha (who was available locally) and prayed to Peria 
Perumal for the same. Instead, we find the Acharya taking Azhwan all the way 
to Kanchi and Varadaraja. It is amply evident from this that it is the Lord 
of Kanchi who is to be applied to, for matters relating to sight. Perhaps 
Sri Ramanuja came to this conclusion after hearing Sri Alavandar's tribute, 
in which he attributes to Devapperumal a penchant for effecting miraculous 
cures, enabling those born blind to see, the congenitally deaf to hear, the 
lame to run and the infertile womb to yield infants-"Yasya prasaada kalayaa 
.andha: prapasyati, sutam labhate cha vandhyaa, tam Devadevam Varadam 
sharanam gatosmi"



One more instance of Sri Varadan curing congenital blindness is the case of 
Sri Harita vaarana Bhritya, reported to be the grandfather of Sri 
Tirukkacchi Nambi. This we come to know from Sri Koorattazhwan's account in 
his Sundarabaahu Stavam. Though the stotra as such is addressed to 
Kallazhagar of Tirumaalirumsolai, Azhwan recounts this episode of Sri 
Varadan blessing a person, born blind, with the light of sight. Here is the 
relevant slokam-



'Haritavaarana Bhritya samaahvayam Karigirou Varada: tvam apoorvikaam

 Drisam alambhaya eva hi Sundara! Sputamadaascha para: shatam eedrusam'



Crowning all these instances is the one recounted in Sri Mahabharatam, by 
the Lord Himself. Describing the glory of the Kesava naama to Arjuna, Sri 
Krishna narrates the story of a Maharshi, who lost his eyes while still in 
the mother's womb, due to a curse from Brihaspati. Due to the dark world he 
lived in without sight, he came to be known as "Deergha Tamas". After birth, 
the child developed deep devotion to Devaadi Raja of Kanchi and through 
constant utterance of the Kesava naama, eventually gained his eyesight, 
leading to his being renamed "Gothama". "Hence I am known as Varada and 
Kesava"("Evam hi Varadam naama Kesava iti mama Arjuna!") says the Lord in 
the Sriman Narayaneeyam of the Shanti Parva of Sri Mahabharatam.



These are only six of the several instances where Varadan has been 
responsible for various persons gaining/regaining their eyesight.



Is it any wonder then, that Swami Desikan adoringly calls Him "Kan kodukkum 
Perumal" ("Kacchi tanil kan kodukkum Perumal vandaar"--Tirucchinna Maalai")? 
In saying so, however, Swami Desikan would appear to have expanded the idea 
to include not only physical vision ("oona kan"), but also the vision of 
wisdom ("Gyaana kan").



Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan




















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





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Message: 3
   Date: Sat, 03 Dec 2005 09:23:05 -0000
   From: "Sampathkumar Raghunathan" <sampathkumarr7@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: H H Srimath Azhagiyasingars Thirunakshatram celebrations near 
Geneva

Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satagopa Sri
Narayana Yatheendra Maha Desikaya Nama:

Dear All:

As you are already aware, the 79th thirunakshatra mahotsavam of H H
Srimath Azhagiyasingar, the 45th Jeeyar of Sri Ahobila Mutt is going
to be held in Bangalore, India on December 10th, 2005 in a grand
manner.  Those fortunate bhagawathas in India can participate in the
celebrations and be recipients of the Krupa of Lord Malolan and the
Anugraham of H.H Srimath Azhagiyasingar. On 10th December 2005 on the
holy day of HHs Thirunakshatram, celebrations are planned in my
residence:

1032, La fayette 4
Rue LaFayette,
01630 St Genis Pouilly
France

This place is just on Swiss French border very near Geneva close to
CERN. Those around the place desirous of participating may kindly
contact me through email at the earliest so that necessary
arrangements can be made. My contact nos: 0041-22-7679721, 0041-22-
7671038.
dasan
Sampathkumar RAGHUNATHAN







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