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SrI:
SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:
SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |
vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the 
lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

Dearest Srivaishnavas,
Let us continue to enjoy Sanskrit granthas of Swamy Desikan in summary form:

Swamy Desikan wrote 12 works in Sanskrit which can be grouped under three 
heads. Under the first group, are included seven independent works, all on 
philosophy of VisistAdvaita. Among these, the Tattvamuktakalapa, with his 
own commentary Sarvaartthasiddhi, bears the impress of the original thinker 
and untiring indicator of the system of Sri Ramanujcharya. The text contains 
five hundred stanzas in five chapters called rightly sara (strand) as they 
from part of the necklace of tattvas.

Of the philosophical treatises of Vedantha Desika, this Tattvamuktakalapa 
stands out as the most important work. This work, consisting of saras 
(strands) of five major topics, namely dravya (substance), jIva (individual 
self), Iswara (Gold), Buddhi (knowledge), and adravya (non substance), is 
compared to pearl necklace with all these strands (saras) combined, 
beautifully and coherently. This is an ornament (kalapa) of pearls (mutthu- 
muktha) of tattvas (philosophy). What a name chosen by Desikan, so apt and 
deep!

According to tradition (writes Sri SMS Chari in his book on Fundamentals of 
Visishtadvaita Vedantha -a study based on vedantha Desikan?s Tattvamuktha 
kalapa), this work was written and dedicated by Vedantha Desikan to Lord 
Ranganathan in the same way as an ornament is offered to God in devotion.
This book is therefore referred to and described as a special ornament 
(bhUshaNam), comprising pearls in the form of Tattvas or metaphysical 
doctrines of the VisishtAdvaita Vedantha.

In Vishnu purana, the different tattvas such as individual soul, Prakriti, 
mahat, buddhi, mind, indriyas, etc., are described as different ornaments of 
Iswara (God). It is therefore justified to treat this book
(Tattvamuktakalapam) as a SPECIAL ornament of God ? says Sri SMS Chari 
quoting from Introduction to Tattvamuktakalapam by Sri U Ve Uttamur 
Veeraraghabvchariar Swamy.

The main objective of Tattvamuktakalapa, as stated in one of the opening 
verses, is to establish the doctrines of Visistadvaita Vedantha on a sound 
basis through a critical evaluation of the corresponding doctrines advocated 
by rival schools of thought. It covers all the important philosophical,
epistemological, cosmological and religious doctrines of the Visistadvaita 
Vedantha system. As Vedantha Desikan claims (says Sri SMS Chari in his book) 
there is no topic in philosophy which is not discussed in this work. What is 
not considered here can not be found elsewhere (yannaasmin kvapi naitat).
This reflects the statement made by Sage Vyasa in Mahaabharatha: yad ihaasti 
tad anyatra; yan nehaasti na tat kvachit..

In the concluding potion of work, Swamy Desikan says: I have examined in 
this work, very carefully almost all topics relating to both pramaaNams and 
pramEyams at some place or the other. Until this day, the only source of 
authority for deciding any controversial philosophical and epistemological
issue in Visistadvaita Vedantha is the views of Vedantha Desika as expressed 
in Tattvamukta kalapam and Sarvaartha siddhi. Truly Tattvamuktakalapam, is 
an important compendium of all topics in Visishtadvaita.

The schools of thought which come up for critical evaluation in 
tattvamuktakalapam are:
NyAya and VaishEshika, Saankhya and Yoga, Poorva mImAmsa of both Prabhaakara 
and Kumaarila, Vedantha as presented by Bhaskara, Yaadava and Sankara, 
Buddhism covering the four schools of Vaibhashika, Sautraantika, Yogaachaara 
and Maadhyamika, Jainism and Chaarvaakam.

Only such of the theories of these schools as stand opposed to those upheld 
by the Visishtadvaitn are taken up for critical examination. The main 
objective of the criticism is to expand the doctrines of Visishtadvaita and 
reaffirm their soundness by exposing the defective nature of the 
corresponding theories held by the rival school of thought. The theories are 
subjected to critical analysis in a very systematic manner and their 
soundness is evaluated with reference to three accepted pramaaNaas ?
perception, inference and revealed scripture. What is evident to perceptual 
experience is not rejected as invalid. In matters, which are outside the 
purview of perceptual experience, scriptural evidence is accorded greater 
importance than perception as well as logic while determining the validity 
of a theory.

As for inference, it is acknowledged that it has a limited role since logic 
cannot establish conclusively the supersensuous realities. However, logic is 
adopted to support the theories established by scripture.

NOWHERE in this work, does Vedantha Desikan adopt dialectical arguments to 
condemn a theory of the rival schools in a dogmatic manner, but rather he 
uses them to elucidate and establish the soundness of Sri Ramanuja Darsanam 
(the unparalleled VisishtAdvaita Vedantha) by pointing out the defects in
the views of the opponents. (Readers are highly recommended to buy this book 
of Sri SMS Chari?s on Fundamentals of Visishtadvaita based on Swamy 
Desikan?s Tattvamuktakalapa.- This is an excellent book and is lucidly 
written. )

Swamy Desikan Himself has written a commentary on Tattvamuktakalapam called 
Sarvaarthasiddhi?. As the title signifies, it contains all that is to be 
known by a student of philosophy. It is a very scholarly and comprehensive 
commentary, exhibiting author?s encyclopaedic knowledge of all systems of
Indian philosophy. This is very much evident from the way he has stated 
succinctly the views of the other schools of thought by quoting the relevant 
statements from their original worksJ According to tradition, Swamy Desikan 
was conferred the title Sarvagnan- as one possessing comprehensive knowledge 
par excellence ? on the basis of his masterly work, Tattvamuktakalapa and
Sarvaarthasiddhi.

The second work is AdhikaraNasaaraavaLi in 562 stanzas. As the title 
indicates, this work gives the gist of the 454 sections (adhikaranas) into 
which the BrahmasUthras are classified. These sUthras contain the exposition 
of the knowledge of Brahman as contained in the Upanishads. Each stanza 
offers in remarkably crisp manner the contents of each section. 
AdhikaraNadarpaNa is a smaller work on this topic and is not extant.

SathadUshaNi is the Third work which is incomplete containing 66 sections 
only. There is no evidence to find out why Acharya did not write further. 
Each section is called Vaada. Sri SMS Chari writes in his book on Advaita 
and Visishtadvaita- ?The SatadUshaNi is an important classic of 
Visishtadvaita Vedantha in which as the title suggests, one hundred 
philosophical issues have been chosen for systematic criticism directed 
against the school of Advaita. The text as available at present contains 
only 66 topics (Vaadas). These are mainly based on the arguments advanced by 
Sri Ramanuja in the early portion of his
monumental work Sri Bhashyam. The arguments are elaborated by Swamy Desikan 
with his metaphysical profundity and mastery over the art of disputation.

The topics developed in the SatadUshaNi each one of which is devoted to a 
discussion of an independent controversial doctrine of Advaita, refer to 
various issues bearing on epistemological, metaphysical, cosmological, 
religious, and ethical problems.

It appears from the order in which the Vaadas are presented give us an 
impression that the work must have been based mainly on the arguments 
advanced in the debate. Though there is no logical sequence in the 
arrangement of the topics, (Sri SMS Chari says), the work is complete and
highly comprehensive so far as the criticism of Advaita doctrines is 
concerned. It exhibits fully Swamy Desikan?s mastery of the art of 
disputation.

The sixty six vaadas though each of them deals with a specific controversial 
issue, may be grouped under the following eight broad headings:

1.      PramaaNaas
2.      Perception and Difference
3.      The nature of Consciousness (anubhUthi)
4.      The individual Self and the Absolute
5.      The NirguNa Brahman
6.      Universe
7.      The doctrine of Avidyaa
8.      Saadhana amd mukti

A cursory glance at the titles of each Vaada and its bearing on its contents 
would reveal the Acharya?s zeal in defending the system of Ramanuja from the 
attacks of the Advaitins and also in launching arguments abounding in 
incisive logic, the like of which is hardly found in the field of saasthras.
The Acharya was conferred the title of ?Vedanthacharya?, by the Lord of 
Srirangam in appreciation of this work.

Chakrasamarthana is a work which is lost and which indicated the use of the 
particle ?cha? which was sought to be shown by VidyaraNyar as superfluous.

The fourth work is Nyaayaparisuddhi. The Acharya establishes that the nyAya 
system as it is based on the sUthras of Gautama and maintained as a system 
by the commentators, is opposed to the Vedantha doctrines. The logical and 
epistemological aspects of the Nyaya systemare subjected to a very rigorous
scrutiny and criticized whenever they run counter to the vedathic 
disciplines. The art of ddebate which was developed by Gautama and his 
followers, is assailed using their own weapons. This work contains two 
parts, one on pramaaNaas, means of valid knowledge and pramEyam, the objects
of knowledge.

The fifth work NyaayasiddhAnjanam is a master piece containing six sections 
on Jadadravya, Jiva, NithyavibhUthi, Buddhi, and Adravya. In the main, the 
Acharya takes up the VaishEshika system for study. According to the title, 
this work offers the magical ointment (siddhAnjanam) in the form of good
logical arguments to know the Reality accurately. Hence, the Acharya takes 
up the treatment of Soul, God, and mOksham in separate chapters, which are 
clubbed.

VaaditrayakaNdana is held to be the work of the Acharya refuting the views 
of Sankara, Bhaskara and yaadavaprakasa. The authorship of this for the 
Acharya is doubtful.

The sixth work is SeswaramImAmsa which intends to prove that the 
PoorvamImAmsa system is part of Vedantha system. Jaimini is stated to have 
treated in his sutras the deeds (karma) in order that people could attend to 
their duties without leaving them altogether. It is further shown that 
Jaimini was not against admitting Brahman as the Ultimate Reality. This 
independent work, containing criticisms and elaborate expositions of the 
system of Jaimini, though, it appears, on the face of it, to be a commentary 
on the adhikaraNAs 1 and 2 of the first chapter; beyond which the work was
not written.

MImAmsapAdukA is the seventh work in 173 stanzas giving a summary of the 
tenets of the mImAmsa system as acceptable in the light of those of the 
Vedanta system.

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
dAsan
kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |
Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the 
teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

_________________________________________________________________
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