Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra
Mahadesikaya nama:
Three is a Crowd!---Part V
(revised)
Dear Bhagavatas,
some of you have pointed out a mix-up in numbering the items in Part V,
which appears to be on account of some wrong cutting and pasting on my
part. here is the revised Part V with correct numbering, for your
perusal.
29. Three sources of diseases: Vaadam, Pittam
and Sleshmam are three items, which generate diseases if the fine balance
among them is disturbed. These are known as ?Traya Aamayaa:?
30. Trisstthaanam: The three parts of the
body from which sounds of the alphabet originate, are collectively called
?Trisstthaanam? and they consist of the heart, the throat and the mouth.
31.
Trividha Paapam: The huge baggage of sin we have
accumulated over our innumerable births is classified into-Praarabdham,
Sanchitam and Aagaami. Performance of Prapatti washes off all sins other than a
portion of those which have started yielding their poisonous fruit.
32.
Three Types of Prapatti: When we talk of sins, we should talk
also of the universal remedy therefor, viz., Prapatti or Saranagati. This simple
but effective strategy is of three kinds, depending on the procedure adopted
therefor.
a.
A person of impeccable wisdom and conduct directly
surrendering his soul to the Lord is known as ?Sva Nishtta?. Sri Ramanuja?s
saranagati at the lotus feet of the Divya Dampathi on Panguni Uttaram at
Srirangam is a fitting example of this type of Prapatti.
b.
The second kind is ?Ukti Nishttaa?, that adopted by
persons with no clear knowledge of tattvam, but with an overwhelming faith in
the Lord?s qualities as a saviour, uttering the Prapatti mantram after the
Acharya, much like parrots.
c.
The third procedure, ?Acharya Nishttaa?, consists of
one being included in the Saranaagati performed by the Acharya??Aachaaryanudaya aatma aatmeeya bhara
samarppanatthile taanum antarbhootan?.
33. Creation is possible only if three factors come together.
These three items are known respectively as Nimitta Kaaranam (The Efficient
Cause), Upaadaana Kaaranam (the Material Cause) and Sahakaari Kaaranam (The
Accessorial Cause). The oft-quoted example is that of the process of pot-making,
with the Potter being the Nimitta Kaaranam, clay being the Upaadaana Kaaranam
and the wheel and shaping stick being Sahakaari Kaaranam. In other words, the
raw material from which things are created is known as Upaadaana Kaaranam, the
accessories required therefor are the Sahakaari Kaaranam and the entity which
puts both the material and implements to good use for producing the desired
product is known as the Nimitta Kaaranam. In our Visishtaadvaita Sampradaayam,
Brahmam is both the Nimitta Kaaranam and Upaadaana Kaaranam for creation.
Addressing Sri Devanatha of Tiruvaheendrapuram, Swami Desikan wonders at His
astonishing powers for performing amazing acts, beyond even the contemplation of
the most exalted of deities, powers which have been neither heard of or
witnessed earlier-:adhbuta shakti:?. It is this Shakti which enables Him to
create the various worlds with Himself as both the material and efficient cause.
Having accommodated all matter and beings in a sublime form in His capacious
stomach during Pralayam, He uses the same as the material cause for bringing
forth Creation as and when occasion arises. It is His divine will to transform
Himself from a Supreme Being with sentient beings and non-sentient objects in
their subtle form, forming an inseparable part of Himself, into the Universal
Ruler with a full complement of adoring acolytes, manifesting themselves into a
gross form. When He wills to become many (?bahu:syaam prajaayeyeti?), He creates
the innumerable varieties of beings and objects, all forming His own
shareeram.
34. The Three Reasons: If you were asked why you should worship
the Lord, His Consort and your Acharya, what would be your reply? To save you
the trouble of deep thought, let me quote from the Vaartthaamaalai (158) which
furnishes a real reasoning for the aforesaid: We worship Emperuman because a) He
generates in us the inclination for liberation and kainkaryam, b) He makes us
adopt a suitable strategy like Bhakti or Prapatti for attainment of Moksham and
c) He Himself forms the readily-available strategy or Siddhopaayam, with Bhakti
or Prapatti forming secondary upaayas. We worship the Universal Mother because
a) She intercedes with Emperuman on behalf sinning mortals like us, b) It is She
who forms, along with the Lord, the Divine Duo to be attained and to whom all
kainkaryam is to be performed and c) It is She who allots us the specific
service to perform at Paramapadam, taking into account our desires in this
regard, thereby affording us the bliss of eternal service??tat tat paricharyaayaam aagyaapayantyaa?. The Acharya is to be
adored because a) He imparts to us indispensable wisdom regarding the
Tattvatrayam, Arttha Panchakam, etc., b) He instructs us in ideal modes of
conduct towards the Lord and His devotees and c) He initiates us into Bhakti or
Prapatti and thereby ensures for us a berth at Paramapadam.
35. Three Types of
Sri Vaishnavas: Aatkonda Villi Jeeyar is reported to have classified Vaishnavas
into three categories:
i.
Satkaara Yogyar:
Those entitled to honour?these are Bhaagavatas who have just stepped on to the
first step of Sri Vaishnavism. They adopt all the outward signs being a
Vaishnava and are extremely proud of belonging to the Sampradaayam, but lack the
wisdom or conduct as ordained by Acharyas.
ii.
Sahavaasa Yogyar:
Those in whose company we should make our living: These Sri Vaishnavas are
blessed with Gnaanam and Anushttaanam and the tutelage of a great
Acharya.
iii.
Sadaanubhava Yogyar:
Those whose every action and word are to be enjoyed and emulated by us: These
are parama Bhaagavataas whose eyes fill with tears and whose hairs stand up at
the very mention of the Lord?s name or attributes and who are distressed beyond
measure by separation from the Lord and His devotees.
36.
Eeshanaa Trayam:
Every person is plagued by attachment to three factors, which is cumulatively known as Eeshanaa Trayam. Every person, on
entering the Sanyaasa Aashramam, is expected to renounce these benumbing triad.
These are Putreshanaa (attachment to one?s progeny), Daareshanaa (attachment to
the wife) and Vitteshana (attachment to Wealth and other worldly possessions.
37.
The Yagyopaveetam, which confers on the wearer the eligibility for
exploring the rarified corridors of the Shruti/ Vedanta, consists of three
separate threads and is known as the ?Muppuri Nool?. It is the practice of many
Bhaagavataas rich in anushttaanam to wear three Yagyopaveetams (instead of the
two usually worn by house-holders). In the case of ladies, the Mangala Sootram
which takes the place of Yagyopaveetam, is tied with three knots.
38.
Mukkani: The tastiest fruits are
three?Maa, Palaa and Vaazhai?mango, jack fruit and banana, known collectively as
Mukkani.
39.
Normally, prizes for any competition or
event are awarded in sets of three?first, second and third prizes.
40.
The Mudal Azhwaars, forerunners of the
twelve apostles of devotion, are three?Poigai Azhwar, Peyaazhwar and
Bhootattaazhwar.
41.
The confluence of the three rivers
42.
The ancient Tamizh language is often
called ?Muttamizh? as it consists of literature in prosaic, poetic and dramatic
forms. Swami Desikan?s prabandams are indeed an adornment to the three types of
Tamizh??Cheppa sevikku amudenna tigazhum
chezhum gunatthu?.muppatthu irandivai mutthamizh sernda mozhi tiruve?.
43.
Granting that Sanskrit is older than
English, the commonness of words in the two languages (Tri: and Three) denoting
the number under discussion, indicates that English has indeed borrowed from
Sanskrit.
44.
Three is a Prime Number, not divisible by
any other.
45.
My son tells me of the Doberenier?s Triads
about which he has just read in Chemistry. This principle lays down that when
elements are arranged in the order of increasing atomic masses in a triad, the
atomic mass of the middle element is equal to the average of the atomic masses
of the other two elements.
46.
The ancient dynasties which ruled Tamizh
Nadu were again three in number?Cheras, Chozhas and Pandyas. These lines of
rulers are so ancient that the Pandya Raja finds a mention in Srimad Ramayanam.
47.
And in recent times, all music lovers pay
obeisance to a Musical Trinity, viz., Sri Tyaagaraja Swamy, Sri Muthuswamy
Deekshitar and Sri Syaama Shastri.
48.
All our troubles stem from three types of
sources?Aadyaatmikam (resulting from the body) , Aadibhoutikam (caused by other
persons) and Aadidaivikam (resulting from divine forces like rain, sun, etc).
49. Avastthaa
Trayam: The Varaahopanishad classifies states of
wakefulness into Jaagrat or the fully-awake state, Swapnam or the dreaming stage
and Sushupti, which is deep, dreamless sleep.
50.
There are three modes of worshipping
Emperuman, according to the Uddhava Gita?Vaidikam (as is used in most of the
sannidhis in Tamilnadu, Taantrikam (in vogue in Keralite temples) and Misram (a
mixture of the first two).
? Vaidika:
Taantrika: Misra: iti me trividho makha:
Trayaanaam eepsitena eva vidhinaa maam
samarchayet?
51.
Three years was the time taken by Vyasa
Maharshi to compose the Mahabharatam?three years of continuous composition,
without sleep?
?Tribhi:
varshai: sadaa utthaayee
Mahaabhaaratam aakhyaanam kritavaan idam
uttamam?
52.
The Manusmriti tells us never to offend
three types of beings: Kings, Serpents and a wise Brahmin, even if they have
fallen on lean times.
?Kshatriyam chaiva Sarpam cha Braahmanam cha
bahushrutam
Na
avamanyeta vai bhooshnu: krisaan api kadaachana?.
53. Three are the sources
of Dharma. The first and foremost is the Shruti, next
are the Smritis (Dharma Shaastras) and the third, the conduct of good men, says
the Mahabharata?
?Veda:
paramo dharma: Dharma Shaastreshu cha apara:
Sishtaacheernascha sishtaanaam trividham Dharma
lakshanam?
54.
If we regard Dharmam as a great tree,
three are its principal branches-Yagyam, Adhyayanam and Daanam, says the
Chaandogyopanishad??Trayo dharma:
skandhaa: yagyo adhyayanam daanam iti?
55. Three
Fathers: Apart from one?s actual father, two others too
are to be revered and regarded as equal to the parent: these are one?s elder
brother and teacher/Guru. There are thus three fathers one is blessed with,
according to Srimad Ramayanam?
? Jyeshtto
bhraataa pitaa chaiva yascha vidyaam prayacchati
Triaste pitaro gyeyaa dharma cha
pathi vartina:?
56. The Three
Sons: Apart from one?s actual son, one?s younger brother
and disciple are to be regarded as sons?
?Yaveeyaan sodara: putra:
sishyaschaapi gunodita:
Putravat te traya: chintyaa:
dharmaschet atra kaaranam?
57. Three again are the
great sins that arise from a wrong mind-set, according
to Sita Devi?they are a. Uttering Untruth, b. coveting another man?s wife and c.
fighting with someone with absolutely no reason?
?Treenyeva
vyasanaani atra kaamajaani bhavantyuta
Mithyaa
vaakyam gurutaram tasmaat gurutarou ubhou
Three sins are said to lead to one?s
downfall?hankering after others? belongings, coveting others? wives and doubting
the sincerity of one?s close friends?
?Parassvaanaam cha haranam para daara
abhimarsanam
Suhridamm ati sankaam cha trayo doshaa:
kshayaavahaa:?
58.
Depending upon Her location vis-à-vis the
Lord at temples, Sri Mahalakshmi is classified into three types by the Isvara
Samhita-
a.
Yoga Lakshmi, resting in the Srivatsa on
the Lord?s chest (?Srivatsagaa?)
b.
Bhoga Lakshmi, standing by the Lord?s side
(?Paarsvagaa?) and
c.
Vira Lakshmi, installed at a separate
sannidhi as a ?tanikkoil Naacchiaar? and worshipped
independently, while the first two forms receive worship along with
Emperuman.
59. Veda vaakyaas are of
three types?
a.
Vidhi: These sentences of the Shruti prescribe a particular Karma or
course of action: e.g. Svargakaamo yajeta, ( those desiring to attain
Swargam, perform this yagyam) etc.
b.
Arttha Vaadam is the portion of the Vedas which praises the Karma
ordained by the Vidhi
vaakyaas, to induce the performer to perform
karma.
c. Mantram: These sentences
prescribe the procedure for the
performance of the karma ordained by the Vidhi vaakyaas.
60.
Sri Ramanuja might have composed no less
than 9 great works, most of them mighty tomes, weighty both in the physical and
spiritual sense. However, three among them stand out?the Gadyatrayam?as they
display his deep devotion and for highlighting the strategy of Prapatti, of
which he doesn?t deal in detail elsewhere in his writings, except as an aid to
Bhakti. Thus, the Saranaagati Gadyam, the Sri Ranga Gadyam and the Vaikuntta
Gadyam are unparalleled paeans in prose addressed to the Paramatma, which are
majestic in composition, mighty in purport and a pleasure to listen and
recite.
61. Three
Genders: Nature creates people in three moulds?Male,
Female and Neuter, each category serving its own intended purpose. However, the
Lord cannot be classified into any of these three categories, says Sri
Nammazhwar??Aan allan, Pen allan, allaa Aliyum allan?. The use of the male
word-ending (?allan?) by Azhwar here is quite significant, about which we shall
see in detail some other time.
62.
The complete family unit consists of a
minimum of three members. The Shruti doesn?t favour an existence as a single,
whether it be male or female. ?Ardho vaa esha aatmana:, yat patnee:? say the
Vedas, in an original enunciation of the concept of the ?better half?. However,
it is no use staying as mere husband and wife and a couple should necessarily
graduate to the status of parents, without which their lives are not
complete??Prajayaa hi manushya:
poorna:?. Thus for a family to be complete, we must necessarily have a
minimum of a man, his wife and a child.
63.
We know that the basic necessities of
life are three?Food, Clothing and Shelter. In the Sampradaayam too, we have
three similar concepts?Dhaarakam (life-support), Poshakam (that which helps us
to sustain and flourish) and Bhogyam (which affords immense pleasure). This is
brought out by Sri Nammazhwar?s words, describing Kanna Piraan as ?Unnum soru, parugum neer, tinnum vettrilai
ellaam Kannan Emperuman?.
64.
Shastras tell us that the sources of cure
for any malady are three in number?Mani, Mantram and Oushadham. This is brought
out by Sri Kulasekhara Perumal in his Mukunda Mala, with three slokas describing
Emperuman as all the aforesaid three. In slokas beginning with ?Bhaktaapaaya
bhujanga Gaaruda Mani:? ? Shatrucchetaika Mantram? and ?Vyaamoha
prasamoushadham?, Azhwar tells us that the Lord is indeed Mani, Mantram and
Oushadham, and is the sole solution for all our problems.
65. Three Schools of
Vedanta: Major schools of Philosophy which accept the
authority of the Shruti are again three. Advaitam advocates the identity of the
supreme soul and the individual soul, declaring only the Parabrahmam to be real
and all the rest to be illusory. Dvaitam, on the other hand, argues that the
Ultimate and the Jeevaatma can never be one and are indeed two distinctly
separate entities. Visishtaavaitam toes the middle and more logical path,
accepting the existence of both the Paramatma and other beings, with the
qualification that the latter form the former?s body. The beauty of this
formulation is that unlike the other two schools of thought, it doesn?t discard
inconvenient and contradictory passages of the Shruti, but reconciles them to
show the essential harmony of all Veda vaakyaas.
66.
Prastthaana Trayam: As we know only too
well, it is difficult for philosophers to agree on anything. However, if all the
aforesaid schools of thought are unanimous about something, it is that the
Upanishads, Bhagavat Gita and Brahma Sootras form the basis of all philosophical
thought and are acceptable praamaanas.
67.
Last, but by no conceivable means the
least, we have the glorious Sampradayam that is famed as the Munitraya
Sampradayam, tracing its origins to and owing allegiance to the tenets of three
great souls?Sri Nathamuni, Sri Yamuna Muni and Sri Ramanuja Muni and which has
been blessed by Mahans like Sri Upanishad Bhaashyakara, Sri Saakshaat Swami, Sri
Tirukkudandai Desikan and a glorious lineage of later Acharyas.
Well, true to the title of this essay, the number
three has indeed resulted in a crowd--of words, information and quotes--and it
is perhaps time to end this rather long saga, which has run to no less than 25
pages. Let me end in style with a beautiful paasuram of Sri Periyaazhwar, in
which he quotes quite a few triads
? Moondru ezhuttu adanai moondru ezhuttinaal
moondru ezhuttaakki
Endru kondu iruppaarkku
irakka nan kudayaam Purushotthaman irukkai
Moondradi nimirndu
moondrinil tondri moondrinil moondru uru aanaan
Kaan tadam pozhil soozh
Gangaiyin karai mel Kandam ennum kadi nagare?
Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri
Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
dasan, sadagopan
Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan http://www.sadagopan.org
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