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 # 28 dated 9th June 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -4 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 255 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
28 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART - 3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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43. THE KING CREMATED
The King's body wad duly cremated. While Valmiki says that Bharata
performed the funereal rites (anthima kriyais) and after-death
rituals (Apara-uttara- kriyais) , Kamban says that since Dasaratha
had declared Bharata as not qualified to do these, Satrughna
performed them.
"enru koori nondu iDarin moozhgum, attunru taaar avarkku ILAYA
THONRALAAL
Anru nERk kaDan amaivadu aakkinaan, Ninru naan marai neri sei
neermaiyaan"
44. BHARATA DECLINES THE OFFER
The subjects requested Bharata to take the reins. VasishTa also
advised him to accede to the request of the subjects. But, he flatly
refused saying that as per the law of primogeniture, only Rama was
entitled to rule after Dasaratha and that he would not agree to
their request. Saying that both he and the Kingdom were equally the
properties of Rama he asked whether one property could ever hold
sway over another property. He ordered that arrangements should be
made for the entire citizenry to go with him to the forest to
persuade him to return and accept the kingdom.
45. BHARATA MEETS WITH GUHA
Guha saw the huge battalions of Bharata's entourage and suspected
that not satisfied with banishing Rama, Bharata was coming to the
forest to exterminate Rama there. However, as he was not sure of
Bharata's intentions, he was getting ready for both a peaceful
détente if possible and a fierce fight if need be. He ordered his
armies to keep themselves in readiness. He gazed at Bharata wearing
no royal insignia but was in the garb of an ascetic. He changed his
mind and approached Bharata with fruits etc. as a mark of respect to
a guest. Guha was so moved when Bharata narrated his side of the
events that he exclaimed that his greatness was more than even a
thousand Ramas.
"taay urai koNDu/ taadai udhaviya / dharaNi tannai
Tee vinai enna neethu / chintanai mugattil tEkki
Poyinai enra pOzhdu / pugazhinOi/ tanmai kaNDaal
Aayiram Raamar nin kEzh aavarO, teriyin ammaa! (Gangai kaaNN-1019)
Guha then described to Bharata how Rama, LakshmaNa and Sita spent
their time in his company. Strange that Guha, who had spent just one
day with Rama and LakshmaNa, was lecturing to Bharata about those
with whom he was born and had lived for so long!
46. BHARATA MEETS WITH BHARADWAJA
Crossing Ganga with the help of Guha, Bharata proceeded to the
hermitage of Sage Bharadwaaja who incidentally was of the same age
as VasishTa. Since a king should not approach the hermitage of a
Rishi with a crowd and especially with an army, he ordered them to
stay at a distance and proceeded with Satrughna to pay their
respects to the Sage. Bharadwaaja invited the entire entourage and
gave a grand feast to all of them. Ascertaining the route to
ChitrakooTam, Bharata searched for "Raamaasramam". They spotted the
Asramam from the smoke emanating from the roof evidencing some
cooking there.
47. LAKSHMANA'S ANGER ON SEEING BHARATA
Rama and LakshmaNa heard the din of an approaching crowd. LakshmaNa
climbed up a tree to find out what it was. He saw Bharata coming
with a huge army. He climbed down to tell Rama that Bharata was a
traitor and that he was coming to kill them. He vowed to smash and
burn up his army. Rama counseled patience telling that he had
mistaken Bharata who was a real Saatvic.
He told LakshmaNa:
- "If you kill him, people would say that because he had
deprived me of my dues, I arranged for you to kill him.
- In AyOdhya, you swore to kill our father. Here, you are
vowing to kill Bharata.
- Can you not think anything positive?
- Let Bharata come.
- If you want to rule AyOdhya, I will ask him to give it up in
your favor.
- Will you be satisfied?"
On hearing this, LakshmaNa felt ashamed and kept quiet.
48. RAMA GITA
The moment Bharata arrived, Rama hugged him and enquired about the
welfare of the King. Even before Bharata could answer, Rama started
putting to Bharata a volley of 60 questions bearing on as many as 83
aspects of Statecraft (Raaja-neethi) and asked him whether he was
following these rules in his governance.
Do you know why?
It is because, if he were to come to know about Dasaratha's death
first, there would be no occasion for him to put those questions and
advise Bharata. Also, he knew that Bharata would need this advice
later on when he would have to rule the kingdom (albeit by proxy).
This peroration of Rama is known as "Rama Gita".
The points advised by Rama are as relevant to today's administrators
as they were at the time when they were delivered to Bharata!
Bharata, however, replied that he had no use for these aspects
because he was determined not to go back to rule but had come to
request Rama to return to AyOdhya for the purpose.
49. RAMA-BHARATA SAMVAADAM
Bharata advanced several arguments as to why Rama should return:
While revealing the news of the death of the King Bharata said "The
King died thinking of you and you only; He desired to see you and
you only; He never ever had any thoughts other than you; It was
separation from you that immersed him in such grief; Till the last
breath, he was remembering you and only you" (101-9)
sOchams TAVA darsanEpsu: TVAYYA va saktaam/ anivarthya buddhim/
TVAYAA viheena:/ TAVA sOka rugNas /TVAAM sam smaran/ astamita: pita/
TE//
On hearing the news, Rama was struck with grief. Addressing
LakshmaNa he said "Your father has passed away" Addressing Sita he
said "Sita! Your father-in law has passed away! Even if I were angry
with you at any time, you would seek his advice. Who will advise you
now?" Then Rama and LakshmaNa did the "PiNDa pradaanam" to the
departed soul as per the Saastras.
Bharata again and again pleaded with Rama to return.
- "Even if one person were to shed tears, you cannot bear it.
How can you bear when the entire citizenry of KOsala with tears in
their eyes beg of you to return?"
- "I will stay in the forest for 14 years if you agree to rule
AyOdhya"
Rama was not moved. He replied:
- All that had happened was as per the will of destiny
- It is natural for a fruit to fall off the branch when it
becomes over ripe.
So, do not grieve for the demise of the King.
- Will the waters of a river flowing into the ocean ever
return?
- Man delights at Sunrise thinking that he would earn his
livelihood; At Sunset, he delights on the opportunity to enjoy what
he had earned. He does not realize that every passing day, ticks off
one day from the length of his life.
Nandanti udita aadityE nandanti astamitE ravou/
aatmanO na avabudhyantE manushyaa jeevita kshayam// (VR 105-24)
- Like two logs of wood in sea are brought together by a wave
and cast asunder by another wave, there is no cause to grieve over
the demise of father.
- Like drops of rain waters falling into a flowing river and
are not seen anymore life on earth is ticking away without our
notice.
- More than anything else, you should know that our father has
ascended to Svargam and will "live happily ever after". Why do you
feel guilty?
- Finally, Rama comes out with the big truth he had learned
that at the time of Dasaratha's marriage with KaikEyi, Dasaratha had
made a solemn promise that the son born to her only will succeed him
to the throne.
Sage Jaabaali seized upon the thread of Rama's advice on the
impermanence of mortal relationships and tried to convince Rama by
taking up the stand of Chaaru-vaaka philosophy that negates all
relationships in the world saying -
- A wayfarer would never care for what happens to the choultry
where he was staying once his work was finished
- If departed souls could be fed by offering Sraaddha piNdam,
the same logic could be applied to relatives who go to far off
places and piNdam given to a person here should sate the hunger of
the traveler there!
- The very mother who sent you to the forest now pleads for
your return. Why not obey her now also?
Rama took umbrage at Jaabaali's arguments as atheistic (Naastika
vaadam) saying that he would never ever forsake the path of Dharma
of obeying the order of his father.
50. PINDAMUM PANDAMUM- A MONEY ORDER (STORY)
It may be questioned whether the "piNDa" (Balls of cooked rice) and
sesame seed offerings directly reach them. The three generation of
ancestors consisting of parents, grandparents and great grandparents
(Pitu; Pitaamaha: and Pra-pitaamaha) are believed to live in the
regions of Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.
Supposing you offer a soiled currency to the Post Office near your
home for sending a Money Order to someone in another place, the
delivery Post office does not deliver the same soiled currency to
the payee. May be, a fresh currency note in the Treasury branch of
that Post office is actually delivered. Likewise, the piNDam etc
offered here are converted into forms acceptable to them and their
blessings returned to the Karta (doer) in a form acceptable to him.
In other words, this would return in the form of welfare of the doer
and his progenies. In a sense, this is very much like "Foreign
Exchange"
But, one thing is believed to be certain. While performing these
rites may or may not confer any blessings but Non-performance is
believed to lead to displeasure of ancestors translating into sin.
51. BHARATA SARANAGATI
When Bharata surrendered to him, Rama replied -
"Since you say that I am your master, I hereby order you to go back
and rule the kingdom as per the wishes of our father and your
mother" Bharata was flabbergasted by the firm resolve of Rama and
had no alternative to accepting his command. But, he put one
condition that if at the end of 14 years, if Rama did not turn up at
AyOdhya, he would commit suicide by falling into fire. Rama agreed.
As a pawn, Rama stood on his footwear (Paadukas) and offered it to
Bharata. It is common practice that the value of the pawned article
would always be more than the amount pawned. By this logic, says
Swami Desika in "Sri Paadukaa Sahasram", Rama's Paadukas were more
valuable than Rama himself!
52. WHY BHARATA'S SARANAGATI BECAME INEFFECTIVE?
1. There was a lack of confidence (Mahaaviswaasam) on the part
of Bharata when he said "IF RAMA DOES NOT RETURN, I will also stay
back in the forest"
2. Bharata spoke ill of Kula guru in the open assembly, when
VasishTa suggested his ascending the throne "sabhaa madhyE jagarhE
cha purOhitam"
3. Rama had earlier promised to the Devas and later to the
Rishis that he would destroy the Rakshasas (including Ravana). He
had to execute his prior promise before acceding to the subsequent
request of Bharata.
4. He had first to keep up the word given to his father (pitru
vaakhya paripaalanam), keep the Dharma to which he had committed
himself (Svadharma paripaalanam)
53. PADUKA PATTABHISHEKAM
Holding the Paadukais on his head, Bharata returned to AyOdhya. He
did the coronation to the Paadukais (Paadukaa PaTTabhishEkam) by
placing them on a throne in Nandigramam, a village on the outskirts
of AyOdhya from where he ruled in the name of the "Rama Paadukais"..
(To Continue with AraNya khaaNdam)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSIkAya namaH.
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 24, Slokam 13 Part 5,
tiruvAimozhi 1.3 concluded.
? pASuram 1.3.9:
valattanan tiri-puram erittavan iDam peRat tundit-
talattanan ezhu tiSai-mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum
pulappaDap pinnum tan ulagattil agattanan tAnE
Solap pugil ivai pinnum vayiRRuLa ivai avan tuyakkE.
tundit-talattu ezhu tiSai mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum tundit
talattu iDam peRa, tiri-puram erittavan valattanan; pinnum tan
ulagattil pulappaDa tAnE agattanan; Solap pugil, pinnum ivai
vayiRRuLa; ivai avan tuyakkE. ?
The four-faced brahmA who was born from the navel of bhagavAn has a
place of sustenance at that same lotus navel, along with the worlds
that he created; rudran who is credited with destroying the three
cities in the form of the three asura-s, has a place of protection
on the right side of emperumAn. While He is thus Supreme above all
else, still He takes incarnations and presents Himself in that same
world for all of us to see. If we are to list His kalyANa guNa-s,
there are infinte such guNa-s that we don't even realize. Our
inability to realize Him fully is just another of His mAyA-s.
svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the
words "SarvAdeh svA'nga dAnAt" - Because He has offered a place of
protection for rudra etc. in His body. SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan
refers us to the following from moksha dharma, which converys the
same message: paSya ekAdaSa me rudrAn dakshiNam pArSvam ASritAn
(moksha dharma 36.11).
Even when bhagavAn shows His extreme saulabhyam by offering places
of protection to rudra and brahmA in His own tirumEni, and even
though He has given them the same treatment as He has given tio
pirATTi by offering a place in His tirumeni to them (refer to
nammAzhvAr's pASuram ERALum iRaiyOnum tiSai muganum tirumagaLum
kURALum tiru uDamban ? tiruvAi. 4.8.1), and even when He has
revelaed His superiority over all through His incarnations, still
there are those who are confused about who the Supreme Deity is
(ivai avan tuyakkE). The fact that bhagavAn is a sulabhan in not
only revealed by His offering a place of protection to brahmA and
rudra in His body, but also by His taking incarnations in the world
in which even the likes of brahmA and rudra don't set foot, just to
be accessible to His devotees.
? pASuram 1.3.10:
tuyakkaRu madi-il nal j~nAnattuL amararait tuyakkum
mayakkuDai mAyaigaL vAnilim periyana vallan
puyal karu niRattanan peru nilam kaDanda nal aDip pOdu
ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan, vaNa'nguvan amarndE.
tuyakkaRu madi il nal j~nAnattuL amararai tuyakkum mayakkuDai
vAnilim periyana mAyaigaL vallan , puyal karu niRattanan, peru nilam
kaDanda nallaDip pOdu amarndu, ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan,
vaNa'nguvan. ? I will stay put at the Lotus Feet of that dark-hued
emperumAn who measured the three worlds, and who can control the
minds of even the likes of rudra and brahmA who are endowed with
superior knowledge and with clear minds beyond confusion, through
His leelA-s that are more huge even than the sky itself, and I will
not be distracted from my enjoyment of the greatness of those Lotus
Feet, I will brag about their greatness incessantly, I will embrace
them, and I will prostrate to them.
svAmi deSikan captures the most noteworthy guNa of bhagavAn from
this pASuram through the words "prahita padatayA" ? Because He gave
the shelter of His extended Feet to all (during His trivikrama
incarnation) - peru nilam kaDanda nal aDi. The word `prahita'
means `Placed, extended, stretched out, dispatched, directed'. One
derivation given by SrI UV for the word prahita is `prakRshTam hitam
pra-hitam', stressing tht it is for the hitam or good of all. It is
not just those who are not devoted to Him that have difficulty
realizing His true nature; even the likes of brahmA and rudra, who
know that He is the Supreme Deity, get distracted by their desires,
and get confused about His true nature. If this is the case with the
likes of brahmA and rudra, there is nothing to wonder about the
state of confusion in which ordinary people find themselves in, when
it comes to realizing who the Supreme Deity is, and in following the
sure and correct path to redeem themselves from the bondage of
samsAra. To redeem these countless jIva-s, bhagavAn in His Infinite
Mercy, decided to take the tri-vikrama incarnation, decided to
extend His Feet to reach all these jIva-s and became accessible to
them without any effort on their part. Those Lotus Feet are the
resort that nammAzhvAr reveals to us in this pASuram. Through this
act, bhagavAn who is the utmost sulabhan (recall the guNa at the
daSakam level) shows His deep attachment to all the jIva-s who are
His possession.
As noted earlier, svAmi deSikan concludes the Sloka 13, identifying
the 10 key guNa-s of the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3, with the
summary for this tiruvAimozhi ? ananta saulabhyam Aha ? AzhvAr is
revealing the infinite saulabhyam (infinite ease of access to the
true devotee), through the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3
(pattuDai aDiyavarkku eLiyavan).
This concludes Slokam 13.
-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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