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 # 15 dated 06th January 2008
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. YUDDHA KHAANDAM PART - 5 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
3. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 45- SLOKAM 18 -PART 2
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 278 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
15 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)
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1. "YUDDHA KHAANDAM" PART - 5 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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21. WHAT IS COMMON BETWEEN MAN, MONKEY AND SQUIRREL?
Answer: Their nexus with woods is common to all of them.
Vide "Parijaata taru moola vasasinam". Squirrel is also
called: "Vriksha-saayika, Vriksha-marakaTaka, parNa-mriga:" All of
them eat with their hands.
22. WHY DID RAMA'S SARANAAGATI PROVE INEFFECTIVE?
Rama being omnipotent did not have to surrender to the Ocean king in
the first place. However, he did this in deference to the wishes of
his devotee (VibheeshaNa) who suggested this course. Because,
VibheeshaNa found that his own surrender had yielded positive
results, he perhaps thought that Rama would secure similar benefits
by surrendering to the Ocean king!
Rama resorted this to show to the world that (1) he would abide by
his devotees and also that (2) a surrender to be effective should be
by a weak person to a willing and capable person. In this case, Rama
was capable and the Ocean king was not.
23. OMENS
Several omens appeared signaling victory to Rama and defeat to
Ravana. (23)
24. SUKHA REPORTS TO RAVANA
Sukha was sent by Ravana to spy for him. But, the Vaanaras caught
hold of him and he literally ran away helter-skelter to barely save
his life from the Vaanaras. He came, fell at the feet of Ravana and
told him of the mighty force that stood behind Rama that decimated
Kara, DhooshaNa Viraada, Kabanda and others in a trice and suggested
that it would be safer for Ravana to return Sita to Rama. (24)
25. SUKHA AND SAARANA'S RECONNAISANCE
Ravana sent two of his confidants Sukha (this was a different Sukha)
and SaaraNa to go masquerading as monkeys to find out the strength
of Rama's army. But, the moment they entered, VibheeshaNa identified
them and brought them before Rama. When they admitted about their
mission, Rama excused them and sent them away. They also reported to
Ravana that it was prudent for him to make peace with Rama. As
usual, Ravana turned a deaf ear to their advice. (25)
26. RAVANA GETS A CLOSER LOOK AT RAMA'S ARMY
Ravana climbed on top of his castle with them to have a closer look
at Rama's army. As the two had seen with their own eyes the strength
of the opponents' army, he asked them to identify the leaders in
that camp. SaaraNan described in glowing terms as he pointed to each
one of the various warriors on Rama's side - Neela, Angada, NaLa,
SvEtana, Kumuda, Rambha, Sarabha, Panasa, Vinata, KrOda, Sugreeva,
Hara, (the bear king), Dhoonmran, (his brother), Jaambhavaan,
Dambha, San-naadana, KrOdana, Pramaathi, KEsari, Gava-aksha,
Sathavali.
And, Sukha continued pointing to Mainda, Dvivida, Hanumaan and then
Rama, LakshmaNa, VibheeshaNa and Sugreeva. Ravana was put out when
they extolled the powers and the strength of the armies each one of
them headed, chided the two spies and drove them out. They promptly
left Ravana. (26 to 30)
27. RAVANA'S DIRTY TRICK
Ravana hit on a plan that if Sita were to be duped that Rama and
LakshmaNa were no more, she might consent to his advances. He called
Vidyut-jjihvan, a sorcerer and asked him to create by black magic
the likeness of Rama's head dripping with blood and his bow,
kOdaNDam. Taking them with him, he went to Sita saying: "You were
reluctant to accept me because you hoped that one day Rama would
come and rescue you. But, alas! You see how I have successfully cut
off his head and snatched his bow. Now that he is dead and gone, you
have no alternative to yield to my desire" (31). The illusion was so
perfectly crafted that Sita was made to believe it to be true. Her
sorrow knew no bounds. She lamented her fate saying that she had
become instrumental in Rama's demise. At that time, a guard came on
the scene and informed Ravana that his commander-in-chief, Prahastan
was waiting with some urgent matter that needed his immediate
attention. Ravana left the place in a hurry. The illusory head and
the bow were made in such a way that they needed Ravana's presence
and once he turned his back they also vanished (32, 33). Sarama,
wife of VibheeshaNa consoled Sita calling off the bluff of Ravana.
She assured Sita that Rama was safe. (34)
She clandestinely observed how RavaNa was deliberating with
Prahastan and others on future course of action and reported her
findings to Sita. She also told her how Maalyavaan, grandfather of
Ravana also advised him to restore Sita to Rama. Maalyavaan also
reminded him that in his boon of seeking deathlessness, he had not
included humans, monkeys, bears and apes, that he noticed several
bad omens that foreboded misfortune for him. (35). Ravana would have
none of this advice (36).
28. RAMA ORGANISES THE FORMATION OF HIS ARMY
Ascertaining the arrangements in Ravana's camp through Analan,
Saraba, Pragasa and Sampaati who reconnoitered enemy camp taking the
form of birds, Rama ordered formation of his regiments. On the east
fort entrance, he stationed Neelan to face Prahastan; on the south
entrance, he put Angada to handle MahOdra and Mahaa-paarsva; on the
western front, were in readiness Hanumaan to fight Indra-jit; Rama
and LakshmaNa were to guard at the North gate (37). They rested on
top of the first peak called "SuvEla" Mountain for the night (38).
Next morning, they saw the second peak called "TrikooTa" on which
the city of Lanka was built by Viswakarma. They were amazed to
witness the beauty of the constructions and the plentitude of the
region. They were sorry that because of the sinful act of their
king, the entire place was fated to be devastated (39).
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 45 - SLOKAM 18 -PART 2
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 45, Slokam 18 Part 2,
tiruvAimozhi 1.7, pASuram 1.7.3, 1.7.4.
pASuram 1.7.3:
Ayar kozhundAi avarAl puDai uNNum
mAyap pirAnai en mANikkac cOdiyai
tUya amudaip parugip parugi en
mAyap piRavi mayarvaruttEnE.
Being a child of the cowherds clan, He got beaten up by those
cowherds for stealing butter; He provides wonderful help and support
to everyone (He is full of wonderful leelA-s); He is my Shining
Light, and one who has a wonderful brilliant form; He is the
unblemished and insatiable Nectar; By enjoying Him constantly, I
have got rid of all the ignorance accumulated over all my countless
births.
In this pASuram, AzhvAr declares that the continuous thought of
emperumAn automatically removes the sorrows resulting from samsAra.
SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan comments that this Nectar is something
that can be enjoyed without any niyamam ? there are no constraints
or requirements of any kind to enjoy Him and think of Him and His
leelA-s. There is no kAla niyamam, deSa niyamam or daSA niyamam
(no constraint of time, place, state, or any other constraint). The
sorrow that is removed is the ignorance about the body-soul
relationship, the desire for materialistic benefits, the ignorance
of our eternal relationship with Him as that of the Seshan to the
SeshI or the servant to the Lord, etc.; the benefit is the
realization of the true nature of our eternal subservience to Him,
and the realization that He is both the means and the end to be
attained.
svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the
phrase "nitya bhogya amRtasya" ? Because He is the eternal and
insatiable Nectar to be enjoyed (recall `sevanam svAdu' at the
tiruvAimozhi level) ? tUya amudaip parugip parugi en mAyap piRavi
mayarvu aruttEnE. He is not just the Nectar that gives long life to
the deva-s, but also the Nectar that destroys the ignorance of the
jIva-s and their bondage to samsAra in this world.
SrI UV points out that AzhvAr is singing bhagavAn'ss sarva-rasatvam
(enjoyable in all aspects) in this pASuram ? kozhundu (saundaryam or
beauty), puDai uNDu (sauSIlyam or His ability to mix with everyone
at their level), pirAn (vAtsalyam or His attachment to His children ?
the jIva-s like that of the mother cow to its calves), en mANikkac
cOdi (aujvalyam ? His eternal effulgence), etc. SrI PBA adds
saulabhyam and ASrita pAratantRyam ? His ease of attainability and
His becoming subservient to His devotees (avarAl puDai uNNum mAyap
pirAn). Every word of every pASuram ? not just this pASuram, is
full of Nectar.
pASuram 1.7.4:
mayarvaRa en manattE manninAn tannai
uyarvinaiyE tarum oN SuDark kaRRaiyai
ayarvil amarargaL Adik kozhundai en
iSaivinai en Solli yAn viDuvEnO.
What fault can one find with my sweet Lord who permanently stays in
my mind and removes all ignorance, who only keeps on elevating me
higher and higher in my knowledge and devotion with His supreme
brilliance, and who is the eternal sustenance and the Lord for all
the deva-s? (There is no fault of any kind that can be found in Him
that can justify my leaving Him.)
svAmi deSikan captures the gist of this pASuram through the
words "tyAge hetu ujjhitasya" ? He who is devoid of any reason
whatsoever that can justify someone leaving Him - en Solli yAn
viDuvenO? (tyAga ? to leave, to abandon; hetu- reason; ujjhita ? to
abandon, leave, quit; to avoid, escape from). AzhvAr points out why
it is impossible to move away from Him, even if he wanted to.
BhagavAn has entered his mind of His own accord, and has removed his
ignorance and filled it with true knowledge (mayarvaRa manattE
manninAn); bhagavAn only keeps elevating the enjoyment of Him by
AzhvAr (uyarvinaiyE tarum); He keeps illuminating AzhvAr's mind ever
more by His unexcelled brilliance, and in fact He shines brilliantly
as if He has derived immense benefit by occupying AzhvAr's mind (oN
SuDark kaRRai); the joy He gives is equal to the joy that the deva-s
derive from worshipping Him (ayarvu il amarar Adik kozhundu); and,
bhagavAn is occupying AzhvAr's heart and mind exactly as AzhvAr
desires (en iSaivinai).
Thus, there is no cause or ground on which AzhvAr sees that one can
even consider not worshiping Him. AzhvAr can't see a justification
for anyone leaving Him by saying that their aj~nAnam continues, or
that He is too far away to attain, or that He is really interested
in someone else, or that He is not helping us, or that His Supremacy
is not adequate enough and there is someone else who is truly more
supreme, or that He is looking for some help in return from us.
There is absolutely no cause for not worshiping Him - He is a
delight to worship ? sevanam svAdu
dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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