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 # 18 dated 27th January 2008
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. YUDDHA KHAANDAM PART - 8 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 48- SLOKAM 19 -PART 1
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 281 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
18 Issues of Vol. 9(including this)
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1. "YUDDHA KHAANDAM" PART - 8 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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38. RAMA BREAKS RAVANA'S CROWN
When all his warriors were killed one by one, Ravana himself came on
the scene accompanied by some of his chiefs. He looked like Rudra.
{MaitraayaNi Upanishad says that the Taamasa guNa of Rudra took its
shape in the form of Ravana. This confirms the fact that Rudra is
the presiding God of Asuras}
Rama wanted VibheeshaNa to identify them. He did so pointing to
Indra-jit, Athi-kaaya, Pisaacha, Tri-siras, Nara-antaka, and finally
LankEswaran narrating in the kinds of warfare in which each one of
them had expertise.
Ravana was an adept in appearing as if he was going to use one kind
of weapon, aim another and shoot with yet another. Hanumaan saw
Ravana heading towards LakshmaNa and pounced on him and hit him hard
with his fist. Anyone in that position would have fallen dead by
that hit. Hanumaan expressed his shame on seeing Ravana being still
alive after receiving his hit. A short while after, he saw Ravana
giving a fight to Neela. Hanumaan told that due to the rules of
warfare one should not attack a person while fighting with another
person. So, Hanumaan told Ravana that he spared him. Ravana
shot "AgnEya Astra" against Neela. Neela fell unconscious. Ravana
now aimed at LakshmaNa. LakshmaNa broke his bow. Ravana used all his
20 hands and hit LakshmaNa with "Sakti" weapon. Now, LakshmaNa fell
unconscious. He tried to lift LakshmaNa with his 20 hands but he
could not even move a muscle. But, Hanumaan was able to lift
LakshmaNa and he took him to the side of Rama. Rama was terribly
angry, got on the back of Hanumaan and struck Ravana with Rama-
baaNa. The bow slipped from Ravana's hand. Rama cut off the crown of
Ravana. Ravana was totally exhausted having lost all his weapons.
Rama took pity on him and told him to go back to Lanka and come the
next day fully armed. (59) Says Kamban:
Inru pOi pOrkku naaLai vaa ena nalginan (Mudar pOr-puri paTalam 1212)
39. RAVANA RETURNS EMPTY HANDED
Ravana returned to Lanka crestfallen and with empty hands humbled
beyond recognition by Rama's prowess as much as by Rama's
magnanimity. Ravana lost in the battlefield everything- the chest
bearing the signs of goring sustained from the tusks of elephants,
the hands that shook the Kailaasa Mountain, the tongues that spoke
to Sage Naarada, the ten heads, the sword granted by Lord Sankara
along with his proverbial valor. Kamban says:
vaaraNam poruda maarbum varaiyinai eDutha thOLum
naarada muniovarkku yErppa nayam paTa uraitha naavum
Taar aNi mouLi pathum sankaran koDutha vaaLum
Veeramum kaLathE pOTTu verum kaiyODu meeNDu pOnaan
(Kmbhakarna vadaip PaTalam 1213)
40. RAVANA REMINISCES
Ravana literally trembled with fear scared of "Rama-baaNam" chasing
him. He felt ashamed at his defeat at the hands of a mere human
being. He remembered -
- Brahma's words at the time of grant of boons that he would
have no fears from anyone except human beings.
- When he killed an Ikshvaaku king, AnaraNaya, he gave a dying
declaration that Ravana would be destroyed by one of Ikshvaaku
descendents and Rama was one such.
- When he tried to rape vEdavati, she cursed that she would be
responsible for his death. "Could it be that this vEdavati had now
come in the form of Sita?" he wondered.
- When Ravana lifted Kailasa Mountain, Paarvati (who was with
Lord Siva) suddenly was seized with fear and cursed that because he
disturbed their privacy, he would meet with his fate through a woman.
- VaruNa's daughter "Punjiskalai" an apsaras, had also cursed
him once that he would meet with his fate at the hands of a woman
(Teertheeyam)
Most of these are chronicled in Uttara khaaNDam of Vaalmiki
Ramayanam.
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 48 - SLOKAM 19 -PART 1
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 48, Slokam 19 Part 1,
tiruvAimozhi 1.8 - pASurams 1.8.1, 1.8.2.
Slokam 19 (gist of tiruvAimozhi 1.8):
sUrINAm svaira sevye (1.8.1) svayam avatarati (1.8.2)
kshudra divyaika netre (1.8.3)
gopAdyartham dhRtAdrau (1.8.4) Srita-tanu-rasike (1.8.5)
vAmanI-bhAva-dRSye (1.8.6) |
sat-citta-ananya-vRttau (1.8.7) vibhava-sama-tanau (1.8.8)
svAyudhArUDha-haste (1.8.9)
nIcocca grAhya-pAde (1.8.10) nirupadhimRjutAm (1.8) nIra varNe
jagAda ||
svAmi deSikan captures the message of this tiruvAimozhi ODum puL
through the words nirupadhimRjutAm One who is sincere in his
associations with His devotees (nirupadhi means without any
conceit; Rju one who is honest in his dealings, straightforward.
Favorable.). Another term that has been used by svAmi deSikan to
describe the gist of this tiruvAimozhi is Arjavam, which is also the
term that has been used almost unanimously by all pUrvAcArya-s.
svAmi deSikan has used this word in dramiDopanishad sAram -
suSIlam svArAdham sarasabhajanam svArjava guNam to indicate the gist
of this tiruvAimozhi. Arjavam means consistency of behavior between
thought, word and deed. When applied to bhagavAn, an example given
is that when He moves with His devotee at the devotees' level
(sauSIlyam), He does this not only at the external level, but He
also simultaneously does not even have the feeling that He is moving
with a person at a very low level. SrI PBA gives the example of
Lord rAma's response to SUrpaNakhA when she asks Him who He is.
rAma could have just given her a brief reply without wasting time to
explain to her who He is, but instead, He gives her a detailed and
honest reply about who He is etc. vAlmIki uses the word Rju
buddhitayA with honesty, truthfulness, to describe how rAma responds
to her: Rju buddhitayA sarvam AkhyAtum upacakrame.
The word Rju has been used by AlavandAr in stotra ratnam (18) as one
of the guNa-s of bhagavAn. svAmi deSikan explains the term Rjuh in
stotra ratna vyAkhyAnam as ASriteshu mano-vAk-kAya vRttInAm eka
rUpatayA kautilya rahitah | etena viSvasanIyatvam vyajyate -
bhagAavAn's disposition in thought, word and deed are consistent
with each other in His disposition towards His devotees. This shows
that He can be completely relied on in whatgever He says. These are
illustrated by bhagavAn's life in His incarnations. svAmi deSikan
gives references to SrImad rAmAyaNam: apyaham jIvitam jahyAm tvAm
vA sIte sa-lakshmaNAm| na tu pratij~nAm samSrutya brAhmaNebhyo
viSeshatah (AraNya. 10.19) I can bring Myself to live without you,
my beloved SitA, and without laksmaNan as well; but I cannot live
with a broken promise; dyauh patet pRthivI SIryet himavAn SakalI
bhavet | Sushyet toya nidhih kRshNe! na me mogham vaco bhavet | - Oh
draupadI! The Earth may fall from its orbit; The land may shatter;
the himAlayA mountain may break into pieces; the seas may become dry
without water; but My words will not be untrue.
A lot of discussion and research are presented by vyAkhyAna-kartA-s
on the meaning of the word Arjavam as used here, and SrI UV has
given a very detailed discussion on this topic in his tiruvAimozhi
vyAkhyAnam. A brief list of the different interpretations of the
message of this tiruvAimozhi by different AcArya-s is given below,
without discussion:
- ARAyirap paDi ASrita vAtsalyamAgiRa mahA guNattai uLLa
paDiyE pESiRRu it-tiruvAimozhi Extreme affection towards the devotee
truly as bhagavAn displays it, is revealed in this tiruvAimozhi.
- SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan ippattu guNangaLAl avanuDaiya
Arjava guNam (aiSvaryam) Sollap paTTadu Through the ten guNa-s sung
in the 10 pASuram-s of this tiruvAimozhi, bhagavAn's Arjava guNam
(aiSvaryam Supreme Lordship) is sung in this tiruvAimozhi.
- 36-Ayirap paDi trividha cetanarODum parimARum iDattil
avargaL tan ninaivilE varum paDi paNNugai anRikkE, tannai avrgaLukku
IDAga amaittup parimARum ennum av-vazhiyAlE ivanuDaiya Arjava guNam
SollugiRAr. BhagavAn's Arjava guNam is revealed in this
tiruvAimozhi, by His bringing Himself to the level of the devotee
rather than trying to get the devotee to His level.
- periyavAccAn piLLai RjuvAnavan (Rju one who is honest in
his dealings, straightforward. Favorable.)
- VenkaTeSAcArya emperumAniDattilE nirupAdhikamAna
Arjavattai upapAdittu aruLinAr BhagavAn's disposition to the devotee
is one of utmost sincere association with the devotee at the level
of the devotee (utmost sauSIlyam not only in deed, but in thought as
well.)
- PBA Arjavam RjuvAi irukkum tanmai. Mano vAk kAyam
(thought, word and deed) all in unison.
- R. Rangachari - He is ever truthful, this His gracious
nature undeviating.
pASuram 1.8.1:
ODum puL ERic cUDum taN tuzhAi,
nIDu ninRavai, ADum ammAnE.
ammAn puL ERi ODum; taN tuzhAi SUDum; nIDu ninRa avai ADum - My
Lord will climb on His GaruDan and hurry to different places; He
will decorate Himself with the tender and fragrant tulasI garlands;
He will move intimately with the nitya sUri-s as they wish.
garuDan and tulasI are referred to in this pASuram as examples of
nitya sUri-s with whom bgagavAn moves freely as they wish. If
garuDan wants to perform kainkaryam by carrying bhagavAn, He
immediately gets on garuDan and goes somewhere or the other. He
creates some excuse to ride on garuDan, and fulfils his wish to
perform kainkaryam as he wishes. Similarly, when tulasI wishes to
decorate bhagavAn's tirumEni, He immediately wears the tulaSi
garlands on Himself. nIDu ninRa avai refers to the eternal nitya
sUri-s. BhagavAn dances to the tunes of the nitya sUri-s, to make
each one of them them happy as they wish (ADum ammAn).
svAmi deSikan conveys the gist of this pASuram through the words
sUrINAm svaira sevye He who makes Himself available for worship as
desired by each nitya sUri without any constraint (svaira following
one's own wish or fancy; unrestrained). SrI venkaTeSAcArya explains
this as vainateyar mudalAna nitya sUrikaLAlE yatheshTa sevyanumAi He
makes Himself available for kainkaryam by nitya sUri-s such as
garuDan as they wish.
pASuram 1.8.2:
ammAnAip pinnum em mANbum AnAn
vem mA vAi kINDa SemmA kaNNanE.
ammAnAi vem mA vAi kINDa SemmA kaNNan, pinnum em mANbum AnAn This
Lord of mine not only intermingles with nitya sUri-s without
distinction, but also takes incarnations in leelA vibhUti in such
forms as the beautiful broad lotus-colored red-eyed kaNNan, to
destroy the likes of the evil keSi who came in the form of a horse,
and at the same time to move intimately and without distinction with
the people of this world (another demonstration of His Arjavam).
His aiSvaryam expressed in His many incarnations is sung here.
svAmi deSikan conveys the gist of this pASuram through the words
svayam avatarati. He takes incarnations Himself, in which He is not
born like us who are born because of karma, but with His aiSvaryam
completely undiminished, and through His own free will, for the
protection of dharma and for the destruction of evil. In these
incarnations, He moves with the devotees of this world with Arjavam,
at their level without distinction.
SrI PBA comments that through incarnations such as the kRshNa
incarnation where He destroyed the asura in the form of a horse by
tearing open his mouth, bhagavAn reveals His Rjutvam in His
incarnations. SrI tirukuDandai ANDavan notes that His beauty in
His incarnations in more notable than in His nitya vibhUti sa u
SreyAn bhavati jAyamAnah
Regards
dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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