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 # 18 dated 15th March 2007
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Dear Bhaagavatas:
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. PANGUNI MAASA PANCHAANGAM DETAILS ?
2. "BALA KHAANDAM" PART -3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
3.TATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 15 - SLOKAM 11 -PART 3.
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 243 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
18 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. Panguni Maasa Panchangam:
15 March 2007- Thursday ? Panguni month begins ? Sarva Ekadasi,
SravaNam
16 March 2007 ? Friday- SravaNa dwAdasi (upavasam also) [next day ?
Sat morning paaraNai]
18 March 2007- Sunday - Sarva Amaavaasyai
19 March 2007- Monday ? Solar Eclipse
20 March 2007- Tuesday ? Yugaadi
24 March 2007- Saturday- Srimad ParavaakkOttai Andavan
Thirunakshathram (Panguni Rohini)
27 March 2007- Tuesday ? Sri Ramanavami
28 March 2007- Wednesday- Thirukkudanthai Andavan Thirunakshathram-
centenary year
29 March 2007- Thursday- Sarva Ekadasi
1- April 2007- Sunday - Panguni Utthiram- [sEtthi sEvai at Srirangam)
4- April 2007- Wednesday- anusham- Sri ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan
Thirunakshathram
12- April 2007- Thursday ? SravaNa vratham
13- April 2007- Friday- Ekadasi
2. "BALA KHAANDAM" PART -3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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10. PUTRAKAAMESHTI
When Dasaratha expressed his anguish on not getting children,
Rishyasringha advised him to perform a special Yaagam specifically
prescribed in AtharvaNa vEda for the purpose. Immediately after the
AswamEda Yaaga, Dasaratha commenced this Yaaga in which was also,
Rishyasringa took part as officiating priest. At the conclusion of
this Yaaga, there arose from the "aahavaagni" a divine being shining
brilliantly. He was holding in his hands a golden bowl with a silver
lid containing porridge.
Srimad Andavan comments that the gold and silver represented RajO
and TamO guNas, with the Paayasam inside representing Bhagavaan of
Suddha Sattva guNa, having to carry out both "dEva kaaryam"
and "pitru kaaryam" - true to the saying "dEvaanaam hiraNyam
pitruNaam rajatam" uttered while offering to Brahmins during
Sraaddha ceremonies. He also observes that the Divya purusha was
none other than Bhagavaan himself holding the vessel close to his
chest lest Ravana should try to snatch it, like the Asuras who tried
to snatch the pot of nectar (amruta kalasam) during the churning of
the milky ocean!
KaaLidaasa also alludes to this saying that the Lord who holds the
entire universe was in the form of Paayasam and that he held the
vessel with both his hands!
hEma paatra gatam dOrbhyaam aadadaanaH payas charum/
anupravEsaat aadhyasya pumsas tEnaapi durvaham// (Raghu Vamsam)
Kamban, however, describes the contents not as porridge but
as "piNDam"- a ball of cooked rice. (KR- Bala-266)
aayiDai kamalin ninru am pon taTTinil, tooya nal kadai
nigar "piNDam" onru soozh
thee erip pangi yum sivanda kaNNum aay, yEi ena bhootam onru
ezhundadu yEndiyE
11. DISTRIBUTION OF PAAYASAM
The Butham addressed Dasaratha to receive it and distribute the
contents to his wives which he did. Even here, we find that the
manner of distribution among the three queens is differently
portrayed by Valmiki, Tilakar, KaaLidaasa and Kamban. Valmiki says
that Dasaratha gave ½ of it to Kousalya, 1/4th to Sumitra, 1/4th to
KaikEyi and gave the balance of 1//8th again to Sumitra.
Tilakar in his commentary holds that Dasaratha first gave ½ to
Kousalya and asked her give ½ of her share to Sumitra. Similarly, he
gave the other half to KaikEyi and asked her to give ½ of her share
to Sumitra.
KaaLidaasa concurs in this by saying that the first ½ was given to
Kousalya being the senior most Queen and the second half to KaikEyi
being his most beloved queen and bade both of them to give of their
respective shares to Sumitra.
architaa tasya kousalyaa priyaa kEkaya vamsajaa/
atah sambhaavitaam taabhyaam sumitraam eichad eeswara: //
Naaradeeyam and SirOMaNi also give different versions on the manner
of distribution but they are all agreed on the birth of Rama to
Kousalya, Bharata to KaikEyi and LakshmaNa and Satrugna to Sumitra
in that order.
12. AVATAARAM AND SAMSKARAS
Rama was born in the 12th month (not the usual 10 months for
ordinary humans) in the month of Chitrai, Navami Thithi, Punarvasu
Nakshatra in Kataka Raasi when the five planets of Surya, Angaaraka,
Guru, Sukra and Sani were in their "Uchcha' grihas (Houses).
Nrisimha Avataara was in Swaati and Rama's was in Punarvasu. You
will find that on whatever days these Nakshatrams fall, there will
be no "MaraNa yOgam"
Bharata was born in Pushya Nakshatra and LakhmaNa and Satrugna in
AaslEsha Nakshatra. The joy of the citizens knew no bounds. Every
family felt as if the births were in their own households. Sage
VasishTa, the Royal Guru conducted the 13th day "Naming" ceremony
for the children. The other rites like Anna-praasanam, ChouLam Upa-
nayanam etc were also done in due course as per the Saastras.
NARAYANA PANDITACHAR gives 6 reasons for naming him "Rama".
1. This baby was so cute like an ocean of sheer beauty
2. Normally, babies cry on birth. If they do not, the mother
will cry!
But, this baby was smiling because he was born as promised to dEvas.
3. The word "rama" also means "black". This baby was of the
color of the sky
4. "ramaa" means "PiraaTTi" who is never separated from
PerumaaL.
Sita herself vouches for this fact.
"ananyaa raaghavENa aham bhaaskarasya prabhaa yathaa"
5. The letter "Ra" is from the root `raa-daanE" (one who
secured as daanam) and "ma" refers to Lakshmi. Rama was to secure
Sita in "kanyaa-daanam"
6. "raamaa" also means a beautiful girl. Rama was to be the
treasure house of beauty. "pumsaam drishTi chitta apahaariNam" The
Rishis of DanDaka-araNya would wish to have been born as females on
seeing this "Parama purusha"
Did not Kamban also say "aaDavar peNmaiyai avaavum thOLinaai"
13. THE BOUND BROTHERS
Rama and LakshmaNa were always together as did Bharata and Satrugna
"aiyanum iLavalum ? nei kuzhal urum izhai ena nilai terivaar" (KR-
Bala-307)
Rama and LakshmaNa were always together like the warp and woof of a
fabric.
"bharatanum iLavalum oru noDi pagiradu? tani pozhudinum ozhigilar"
ibid-308)
Once, Rama as a baby did not get sleep and was incessantly crying.
The attendants tried all their tricks but the baby would not stop
crying. Finally, VasishTa who came asked where baby LakshmaNa was.
The attendants pointed to another room where LakshmaNa was laid in a
cradle and was also crying. VasishTa suggested that both the babies
should be put together in the same cradle, instantly, both stopped
crying and started smiling!
Similarly, Bharata and Satrugna were never separated even for a
moment
The boys were trained in all arts and in military exercises and
became experts in every discipline. More than anything else, they
were meticulous about doing their nitya and naimittika karmas like
Sandhyaa Vandanam. They knew that "One who does not perform Sandyaa
is unfit to do any other religious Karma. For the one who does not
perform Sandhya, any other karma done becomes fruitless.
"Sandhyaa vandana heenOyam anarha: sarva karmasu /
yad anyath kurutE karma na tasya phalabhaag bhavEth //
(To Continue)
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3. TATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 15 - SLOKAM 11 -PART 3.
(Sri N. Krishnamacharaiar Swami of Chicago)
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SrI:
SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deASikAya namaH.
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 15 ? Slokam 11 ? Part 3.
pASuram 1.1.7: pASuram starting with "tiDa viSumbu eri vaLi" ?
vaiSva rUpyAt ? One who has the whole Universe as His body. viSvam
refers to `world', and rUpam means `body'. In this pASuram, AzhvAr
points out that the relationship between bhagavAn and everything
else is that of SarIri-SarIra bhAvam ? the Soul-body relationship,
with Him being the Controller. It is not one of aikyatvam or
identity between the Lord and the rest, as the ku-dRshTi-s would
like us to believe.
Some people try to interpret AzhvAr's words in the previous three
pASuram-s as declaring identity between Him and the jIva-s. For
instance, pASuram 1.1.4 states: "nAm avan ivan uvan? Ay ninRa
avarE" ? All the things in this Universe are none but Him". Even
though antaryAmitvam is what is indicated here, some ill-informed
people argue that the world and bhagavAn are identical. AzhvAr
clarifies in the current pASuram that all things have a body-soul
relationship to Him, with bhagavAn being the soul of everything, and
everything being part of His body ? avai avai toRum uDal miSai uyir
enak karandu e'ngum paranduLan ? He is hidden as the soul in the
bodies of everything, and exists everywhere inside and out. Just as
the jIva-s have their own bodies, bhagavAn has everything as His
body, and He is the Soul of everything.
The soul controls the body, and the body is purely at the command
and service of the soul. Thus, the guNa of His being viSva-rUpan and
everything else being His body, goes to support His paratvam over
everything.
tirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn in his ARAyirappaDi vyAkhyAnam gives
close to 60 supports from the Sruti, smRti-s, purANa-s, itihAsa-s
etc., that echo the thought conveyed in this pASuram.
? pASuram 1.1.8: pASuram starting with "Surar aRivaru nilai viN
mudal muzhuvadum" ? tryaksha brahmAtma bhAvAt. tryaksha ? one wth
three eyes, a reference to rudra; brahmA ? refers to the four-faced
brahmA. Atma bhAvAt ? because He is the AtmA or antaryAmi for rudra
and brahmA.
Since there are those who incorrectly argue that brahmA is the
Supreme Deity because he has the function of creation, or those who
incorrectly argue that rudra is the Supreme Deity because he
controls samhAra, nammAzhvAr clarifies in this pASuram that brahmA
and rudra get their power purely because of bhagavAn, and the true
Creator, Destroyer and Protector is only BhagavAn. This is the guNa
that svAmi deSikan captures as the gist of this pASuram - "tri-aksha
brahmA Atma bhAvAt".
A more detailed explanation for this pASuram is given in the write-
up under the series `tri-mUrti in tiruvAimozhi' that has been posted
separately.
Recall the guNa of parattvam at the daSakam level, the guNa of
sevyatvam at the Satakam level, and the gUna of bhagavAn being the
only One worthy of worship and attainment at the grantham level. The
guNa of His being the antaryAmi and controller of everything
including the likes of brahmA and rudra, that is identified by svAmi
deSikan as the key guNa sung in this pASuram, explains and supports
all the above guNa-s at the different levels.
? pASuram 1.1.9 ? pASuram starting with "uLan enil uLan": sat-asat-
avagateh ? He Who stands irrefutably established by pramANa-s
whether He is considered `sat' or `asat'; He Who is covered by the
terms sat as well as a-sat. BhagavAn has as His possession all the
cetana-s and acetana-s at all times ? both at the times when they
have bodies to enjoy the effects of their karma (in their sthUla
form), and at the time of pralaya when they have only their sUkshma
form, and He protects them in His stomach. `sat' and `a-sat' refer
to these two forms of His respectively.
The following Sruti declarations, when correctly interpreted,
clearly establish that He always exists, and is the Owner and
Protector of all that ever existed and exist, either in their
sUkshma form at the time of pralaya (referred to as a-sat), or as
objects with names and forms (sat).
o "asad vA idam agra AsIt | tato vai sat ajAyata | tad AtmAnam
svayam akuruta | tasmAt tat sukRtam ucyata iti |" (taitt. Ananda.
7.1) ? All this was in the beginning unmanifested Brahman (without
articulation of names and forms). From that the manifested came into
existence. That Brahman created Itself by Itself. So Brahman is
called the one of good deed".
o asad eva idam agra AsIt | idam vA agre naiva ki'ncana AsIt | tat
sadAsIt | tat samabhavat | " ? (chAnd. 3.19.1) - Prior to creation,
all this universe was without differentiation of names and forms,
the avyAkRta. That was the `sat' tending towards the division of
names and forms. That assumed a gross form. That became manifested".
SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya's vyAkhyAnam is: "evam bhUtanAna
ISvaranai `illai' enRu SUnya vAdikaLAlE Solli muDikka oNNAda paDi
avasthA bhedattAlE sat asat vAcyanAi aRiyap paDuvadAlum". Even
though the SunyavAdi-s (a branch of Buddhists called mAdhyamika-s)
claim that ISvaran does not exist, they are clearly proven wrong by
pramANa-s. The words sat and asat both refer to bhagavAn's existence
according to pramANa-s. When we say bhavAn exists (sat), we mean
that He has as His belonging everything that exists in sthUla form ?
with names and forms, after creation. They all form His body. Whe He
is referred to as asat, it means that He has as His possession all
the things that are in sUkshma form, at the time of pralaya, when
they do not have any names or forms; but He still exists, and has
all these in their sUkshma form as His belonging, and protects them
in His stomach. He exists with all the things that don't exist in
their sthUla form, with their own bodies etc. This is what is meant
by His a-sat form.
? pASuram 1.1.10 ? pASuram starting with "paranda taN paravaiyuL" ?
sarva tattveshu pUrteh ? He who is present integrally in all the
tattva-s without exception, with His full power. He Who is present
in everything without exception, including all the cetana-s and
acetana-s in all the worlds, at all times, with His full Sakti
(Powers). The One who destroyed this world, is in every minute part
of the waters after the Great Deluge - pralaya, in the minutest part
comprising every drop of the ocean. And He is in them hidden without
being recognizable. Ther is no place where He does not exist, good
or bad. There is no body in which He is not present, tiny or huge.
In fact, the presence of a body is not a requirement for Him to be
present in it ( e.g., the jIva etc.).
There is no world in which He is not present in everything, whether
it is this world or the upper worlds or the lower worlds. He is
present in every cetana and acetana in all of these worlds in the
past, present or future, without exception. In fact, existence is
defined by His being present in them and giving them the ability to
exist. The term pUrNam sigifies that He is integrally present in
even the minutest thing with all His Sakti, without the minutest
diminution of any kind, without the slightest discomfort or
inconvenience.
There are three tattva-s (Reals) that describe everything that
exists in all the worlds, including SrI vaikunTham. These three are
ISvara, cetana (sentient, those endowed with the ability to think
etc.), and acetana-s (non-sentient or those that do not possess
independent thinking capability). The cetana-s are categorized into
three ? the baddha jIva-s or bound souls (including the deva-s,
human beings, the animals, and the trees and plants), the mukta jIva-
s or liberated souls, and the nitya jIva-s or the eternally
liberated souls. The acetana-s are of three categories: matter or
prakRti subject to the three guNa-s of sattva, rajas and tamas, time
or kAla, and Suddha sattva which is of pure sattva nature. BhagavAn
is present as their Contorller in all these cetana-s and acetana-s
in their entirety, without exception. The use of the word pUrNa
(filled, complete) is signicant. The requirement of a body for the
purpose of pervasion, the relative size (for instance, the atomic-
sized jIva vs. Brahman - implying `big') etc., are not concerns in
His being present as an integral part of the existence of
everything. He exists with His full Sakti in everything ? pUrNatvam.
The last line of Slokam 11 of svAmi deSikan: param paSyan yogI ?
nammAzhvAr who has thus seen emperumAn as sarvasmAt paran ? Supreme
above all; tat-pada kamala natau Atma cittau anvaSAt ? is ordering
his mind to prostrate at emperumAn's feet.
This concludes the ten guNa-s of the first tiruvAimozhi 1.1, and
these ten guNa-s go to support and illustrate His parattvam or
Supremacy, that is the guNa sung in this first tiruvAimozhi
(To Continue)
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