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SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya/
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava:/
SrI RanganAthO jayathu SrI Ranga SrIs cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI
Volume I / Issue 4 dated 7th November 2000
==============================================================
In this Issue:
Editorial and Srimukham from T.C.Srinivasan Swami,
Editor, Hayagriva Priya Journal of Sri ParakAla Matam.
1. ?Sriranga Vijayam ?2 SrivaikunTam?: Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami.
2. ?Sri BAshyAmrutham- 2?. : Introduction by Sri T.S. Rajagopalan Swami.
3. ?AchArya Vamsa Vriksham? ? Part 31 B ? Anbil Ramaswamy.
4. ?Learn our Sampradayam the easy way? ?Lesson 9: The Right path?
5. ?Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam- 2? ? Sri D. Soundararajan Swami.
EDITORIAL
Today, your journal is completing its first month after inauguration on the Tirunakshatram day of Swami Desikan on 8th October 2000. We are glad to inform that our membership has crossed 200 mark within this one month.
We are pleased to publish the Srimukham from Sri T.C.Srinivasan Swami, Advocate and Editor of ?Sri Hayagriva Priya? journal of Sri ParakAla mutt, Mysore, just received through E.Mail.
Among the articles-,
1. ?SRI RANGA VIJAYAM? Part 2 by AchArya Purisai Krishnamachar Swami, Editor, ?Nrisimhapriya? journal of Ahobila Mutt. Following the footsteps of Bhagavad RamAnuja in his ?Sri VaikunTa Gadhyam?, Sri Purisai Swami literally takes us on a guided tour to give us a sneak peek glimpse of Srivaikuntam, to let us understand how glorious is this veritable ?El dorado? and the one who presides over it and to give us a foretaste of what we can ?taste it again for the first time? when we reach there. Also, this gives us an idea as to how this ultimate and supreme Lord descends to earth taking His abode at Srirangam for emancipating such lowly creatures like us and taking us unto His Kingdom.
2. ?SRIBASHYAMRUTAM- Part 2?: Since the first of the five commands of Bhagavad RamAnuja is the duty to study and explain his magnum opus ?Sri Bashyam?, we are presenting another article by Kaviratna GanTeerava, Abhinava VidyA bhAskara, VidyArathna Sri T.S. Rajagopalan Swami, (formerly Headmaster Hindu High School Triplicane)
3. ?ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM?- PART 31 B : gives some details about AchAryas in Branch I of the 3 branches mentioned in Part 31 A.
4. ?SAMPRADAYA LESSON 9 Right path? Learn our Sampradayam the easy way (Course for Kids) Grade 1 for Beginners (based on the Tamil original of Sri Seva Swami, Editor of ?Sri Desika Seva?.
5. ?Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam- 2? ? Sri D. Soundararajan Swami.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy, Editor and Publisher, ?Sri Ranga Sri?
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SRIMUKHAM FROM SRI T.C.SRINIVASAN SWAMI, EDITOR,
?SRI HAYAGRIVA PRIYA? JOURNAL OF SRI ParakAla MUTT
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I consider it an honor to send a message of good wishes to the newly started electronic journal ?SRIRANGASRI?. The name has been aptly chosen by His Holiness, which itself shows that the magazine has a bright future.


All our Poorvacharyas from Sri Nathamuni to Sri Desika have taken their birth, all gravitated towards Lord Ranganatha and His consort Ranganayaki Thayar and spread the Visishtadvaita philosophy from that holy place overcoming all odds even at great personal risk to their lives. Our greatest Acharya of all times Sri Vedanta Desika, who stayed for long years at Srirangam has composed several works, each of which is a masterpiece by itself.

There is a resurgence of interest in his works these days, thanks to the growing awareness of the younger generation in our system of philosophy. The Holy Pontiffs of our various Maths, our elderly preceptors, Upanyasakas have contributed not a little to this awareness through their constant interaction with the laity of all age groups and all levels of understanding.

Scholars like Sri Anbil Ramaswamy who have served long years in secular positions and have now taken up this goal in life, have a heavy but satisfying responsibility. They are the conduits of knowledge and our traditions from the shores of India to far-off America and Canada where the cream of our intellectual youth are present today. They are keeping in touch with their respective Acharyas and frequently correspond with other learned pundits in India; they have to disseminate their rich expertise through accurate English translations to the residents of America.

Hence, journals like "Srirangasri" should present a harmonious and wholesome picture of our system in such a manner as to attract all. Separate sections of interest to children, women, elders, persons with literary bent of mind, may find place in their journals. Mere emphasis on philosophy and religion alone may not suffice to hold attention.

To come back to Swamy Desika, his works are full of poesy, humor, social references, the necessity of proper food, recipes for a contented life, etc. These may be highlighted in appropriate manners.

I conclude with seeking the blessings of Lord Ranganatha, Lord Varadaraja and Lord Venkatesa and the glances of our Acharyas for a successful run of "Srirangasri", like the popular magazines Sri Nrusimhapriya, Sri Ranganatha Paduka, Sri Desika Seva and others.

T.C.Srinivasan Editor, 'Hayagreevapriya'
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1. ?SRI RANGA VIJAYAM? Part 2; ?SrivaikunTam?- AchArya Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami, Editor, Nrisimhapriya Journal.
(Translated by Anbil Ramaswamy)
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The world of SrivaikunTam (hereafter referred as SV) is far far higher than all the other worlds. There is none above or superior to it. It lies above the various other lOkas like Bhoo, Bhuvar, Suvar, Mahar, Jana and Satya LOkas. Bhuvar lOkam is 10 times vaster than Bhoolokam. Each of the other lokas is 10 times bigger than those lying immediately below. It is not possible to figure out the extent or describe the wonder that is SV. All we can say is that its glory is unsurpassed and beyond the comprehension of Devas and Asuras. The extent, wealth and nature of SV cannot be described by such great souls (mahAtmas) like Brahma, Siva, Sanaka and others.


While all other lOkas are ?prAkrita lOkas? (created worlds) SV is made of what is called ?aprAkritam? (sui generis) and shines with brilliance infinitely brighter than the combined luminosity of the Sun, the moon, fire etc. Just as during the daytime, we find the fading away of the starlight, Sunshine verily fades away before the brilliance of SV.

Compared with the enjoyment of SV what with its lush gardens, rivers and rivulets gushing forth pure waters incessantly and massive buildings and palaces etc, thousands and thousands of massive ramparts (madhilgaL) surrounding mansions of gold, tall towers and steeples, groves, courtyards and play places etc even the high heavens (svarga) popularly deemed the ultimate in enjoyment would appear like another hell (naraka)!

The fragrance of flowers of Karpaga, PArijAtha and other trees spread far and wide without ever fading. This combined with the fragrance of Sandal paste (chandanam) eaglewood paste (akhil), camphor (Karpooram) and musk (Kasturi) mix gently with the wind (mandamArutham) and create a pleasant atmosphere. Honeybees that suck honey from these flowers and varieties of bees and beetles roam about humming their tunes and add to the sounds of several celebrations that go on continuously. Cuckoos, Peacocks, parrots and other exotic birds sing and dance to the tunes suitably.

Besides separate play grounds for PerumAL and PirATTi, there are common grounds for them to play together. There are numerous bodies of water like rivers, lakes, tanks, wells, natatoria etc in which waters pure and unsullied flow perennially.

The Capital of SV is filled with innumerable multistoried buildings, maNDapams, gem studded palaces, high rise ramparts (prAkArams) decorated with flags and festoons (thOraNam). The most important of all these is the ?ThirumAmaNi maNDapam? (the great Durbar court) with a throne supported by lion figures (simhAsanam) on which sits in all His majesty Sri ParavAsudEva with Periya PirATTi surrounded by devotees ? some singing melodious sAmagAnam, some rendering service with fans (visiri), some with royal insignia made of yak tail hair (sAmaram), some with colored umbrellas(kuDai). All of the above are made of ?Suddha Satvam?(sui generis) and never get destroyed.
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To Continue: Glory of the Lord of SrivaikunTam
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2. ?SRI BASHYAMRUTAM? ? Article by Sri T.S. Rajagoplan Swami
(Translated by Anbil Ramaswamy)
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If we carefully ponder over the nature of life on earth, we would find it not wholly happy. What little pleasure we seem to enjoy is insignificant and impermanent, mixed with displeasure and resulting in disappointment. The only way to attain absolute bliss and unalloyed happiness is to reach Sriman Narayana?s feet and serve Him in SrivaikunTam. Several means are prescribed in the Vedas on how to attain this like Karma, jnAna and Bhakti.


The earlier part of the Vedas a.k.a. Poorva or Karma khANDam detail the methodology in adopting the above means. The later part a.k.a. Uttara or jnAna khANDam let us know the Lord whom we desire to attain. This is also called ?Upanishad part?

To clear doubts and explain the correct position in this regard, Sage VyAsa wrote ?Brahma Sutram? also called ?Sareeraka mImAmsa? because it establishes that all sentient beings (chEtanas) and non-sentient things (achEtanas) constitute the body (Sareera) of the All ?sentient Lord who is their soul ?Sareeri?.

Since ?Brahma Sutram? was in the form of aphorisms, AchAryas belonging to different streams of philosophy wrote commentaries according to their own lights. Thus, arose a BAshya for ?Advaita?; another for ?Dvaita? and yet another for ?VisishTAdvaita?. The last one written by Sri Bhagavad RamAnuja (hereafter referred to as Sri BR) brings out the purport of "SAreeraka SAstram"

How Sri BR came to write this is as follows: When Sri BR came to Srirangam to meet with AalavandAr, Sri BR found that the latter had already left for his permanent abode and groups of his disciples had gathered to perform his last rites. Sri BR noticed that 3 of the fingers of AalavandAr were in a folded mode and understood that he had left 3 unfulfilled wishes and promised to fulfill them. One of them was to write a commentary on the lines of VisishTAdvaitam for ?Brahma Sutram?. Sri BR traveled all the way to Kashmir to procure the ?Vritti? a commentary on ?Brahma Sutram? by Sage BodhAyana. Mysteriously, the Vritti obtained with great effort was lost. But, KoorathAzhwAn, who accompanied Sri BR consoled him by reproducing verbatim the text of the Vritti from memory gained through a single cursory glance at it in one night before it was found missing. Assisted by KoorathAzhwAn, Sri BR wrote his Bashyam- a majestic work that was true to the Vritti repudiating the faulty interpretations of other schools that Goddess Saraswati herself named it ?Sri Bashyam? and called Sri BR as ?BhAshyakArar?.

?Sri BAshyam? consists of 4 Chapters (adhyAyams). Simply stated ? the first 2 Chapters deal with the Supreme soul (ParamAtma). The last 2 Chapters deal with individual souls (jeevAtmas) and the non-sentient things.

In the first 2 Chapters, he establishes how ParamAtma is the cause of all evolution, sustenance and dissolution of the other two entities, how ParamAtma has all auspicious qualities but has none of the defects and deficiencies associated with the other two. The 3rd Chapter details the various means that can lead the JeevAtma to ParamAtma. While the 4th Chapter describes the ultimate happiness (ParamAnandam) which the JeevAtma secures on attaining Paramapadam.
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To Continue: Summary of the 4 Chapters and their Sections (PAdams)
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3. ?ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM- Part 31 B
Period - K : Between the branching off of ParakAla Mutt
and that of Ahobila Mutt ? (Anbil Ramaswamy)
The Guru-Sishya Parampara from the time of branching off of
Parakala Mutt and that of Ahobila Mutt may be understood as follows:
(Authority: AVV Chart, VED and PPM).
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Branch I. 1: NAINARACHARIAR* (Already dealt with in AVV Part 29)


Branch I. 2: GATIKAA SATHAM AMMAAL (Vaatsya varada guru)
We give below the Familial genealogy of this Acharya:
BhAshyakArar?s Sister is Kamala Devi.
Her son is NaDAdur AazwAn. His grandson is NaDAdur AmmAL.
HIS GRANDSON IS GATIKA SATHAM AMMAL (a.k.a. Varada Vishnu and Sudarsanachar).
His son is Mahadayadeesar.
His son and disciple is VAtsya Varadha Desikan (a.k.a Varadha VishnuvAryA).
His son and disciple is MahadayAdeesar (has the same name as his grandfather).
His disciple is AhobilAchariAr (brother?s son of the above Mahadayadeesar).
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Branch I. 2: GATIKA SATHAM AMMAL had the capacity to compose a hundred verses in a ghatika (24 minutes). Hence, he was known as Gatika Satham AmmAL. He was in-charge of the KAnchi school after the first Brahma Thantra Swathantra Jeeyar. Among his Sishyas was one Srinivasan, son of KidAmbi KesavAchArya of ThirunArAyaNapuram, who later became famous as Sri Adi Vann Satakopa Jeeyar, the 1st pontiff of Sri Ahobila Mutt.


GatikaSatham AmmAL was succeeded in the Kanchi school by his son Varada Vishnu and after him we come across 3 Acharyas namely, MahadayAdeesa, AhobilAchAryA and VAtsya VaradAchArya.
(At that time, there was a scholar named Sri VedAntachArya who
learnt SribhAshyam from VAtsya VaradAchArya and Bhagavad Vishayam
from one Triteeya Paraankusa Swami. Sri VedAntAchArya later became famous as " Shasta Paraankusa", the 6th Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt, who was instrumental in placing Ahobila Mutt on firm foundation.)


Gatikasatham Ammal wrote Yathiraja Vijayam, Vasantha Tilaka Bhaanam,
Geethaa sAram, PramAnaswam and AmmAL SuprabAtham.
His Tanian reads as follows:
Namo Varada Vishnu vaaryaaya Nayanaananda Daayine /
Vaatsyaaya Varadaaryaaya Vadhineeha Bhaaswate //
Meaning:
? I bow to VAtsya Varada, a Guru who has a charming personality and who shines like a beacon light to the lineage of Vishnuvaarya?


Branch I.3: VARADA VISHNU VAARYA:
He was the grandson of Gatika Satham Ammaal. and son of
Mahaadayaadeesar. He learned from his grandfather Rahasya Traya
Saara, and from Adivan Satakopa Sribhasyam and 6,000padi of Bhagavad
Vishayam.
His Tanian is as follows :
Mahaa Dayaadeesa Guror Thanayam Natva Vidwaram /
Vande Vishnuvaaryam Vaatsalyaadhi Gunaarnavam //
Meaning:
? I bow to the erudite Varada Vishnu Vaarya, son of MahAdayAdeesa Guru and whose qualities like mercy are vast and deep like the very ocean?


Branch I.4: MAHAA DAYAA DEESAR:
He was the son and disciple of Sri Varada Vishnu Maha Desikan. He
bore the name of his grandfather as Mahadayaadeesar. He had his
MantrOpadesam and Grantha Kalakshepam (except Bhagavad Vishayam)
from his father.
His Tanian reads as follows:-
Mahaa Dayaa Deesitur Ambujaaksha Nidhyaana
Nityaabhi Nivishta Buddeh /
Agjnaana Nigrahakamunjasaaham Asmad Guror
Angri Yugalam Prapadhye //
Meaning:
? I surrender at the feet of our Guru, MahAdayAdeesar whose eyes are like lotus, who constantly meditates on the Lord and who is ignorant of punishing us for our faults due to his forgiving nature?


Branch I.5: AHOBILAACHAARIAR:
He was the son of one AnantAchAriar of Sirangattur, and brother of Mahaa Dayaa Deesar. He had his MantrOpadesam and Pancha Samskaaram from his grandfather Varada Vishnu Vaarya. He did his Kalakshepam of
Granthas (except Bhagavad Vishayam)from Mahaa Dayaa Deesar.
His Tanian reads as follows:
Srimad Varada Vishnu Vaaraya Pada Pankaja Shat Padam /
Ahobila Gurum Vande Vatsa Vamsaika Mouktikam //
Meaning:
? I salute the pearl of the lineage of Vatsa who was like a bee at the lotus feet of Varada VishnuvArya?


Branch I.6: SHASHTA PARAANKUSA SWAMI
This Swami later became the 6th pontiff of the Ahobila Mutt. His
name in Poorvaasramam was Venkataachaariar. He had his
Kalakshepam of Bhagavad Vishayam from the 3rd Pontiff of Ahobila
Mutt who himself had his training under the first pontiff, Adi Vann
Satakopar. He learned other Granthas from AhObilAchAriar and
VaradAchAriar who, however, had connections only in respect of
Gita BhAshyam and Sri BhAshyam (and not in Rahasya and Bhagavad
Vishayam) as per the Srimad Andavan Sampradayam. He established
the Agraharam and is believed to have merged in the Tirumeni of
Azhagiya Singhar at AhObilam. He wrote SiddhAnta MaNi Deepam and
Pancha Kaala Deepikai
His Tanian reads as follows:
Srimad Sataari Muni Paada Saroja Hamsam
Srimad Paraankusa Tapodhana Labda bodham /
Sriman Nrisimha Varadaarya Dyaava Labdam
Srimad Paaraankusa Munim Pranathosmi Nityam //
Meaning:
? I bow constantly at the feet of ParAnkusamuni, who was like a swan at the lotus feet of ParAnkusa (NammazhwAr) who got enlightenment from the great Tapasvi, ParAnkusa (also NammazhwAr) and who got initiated into Dvayam by Nrisimha VaradArya?
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4. Learn our Sampradayam the easy way
(Course for Kids) Grade 1 for Beginners
Lesson 9: Right Path
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
(Based on the Tamil original by Sri Seva Swami)
======================================================================
A person who wants to travel from one place to another has to take the road that will lead to the destination. There may be more than one road starting from the starting point. Some may be good; some others may be bad. In the former, there will be no cause for fear of any kind, no needless meandering, and no anxiety whether it is the proper route etc
The bad ones may have one or more of these in varying degrees.


It is always to take a brightly-lit path avoiding those that are poorly lit and steeped in darkness. In a well-lit road, a person can travel alone; Dark ones may pose danger even for a group moving gregariously. A royal road will be a Broadway whereas a bye lane may have potholes, thorns, stones and even glass pieces besides danger of thieves lurking in the dark. Short cuts, side lanes and bye lanes may appear attractive but they are usually unreliable. The same may be the case with a new path one might discover.

Similarly, to lead our lives peacefully, Saastras have shown us some beaten paths; paths tread by Maharishis and wise old forefathers. People who have followed these have been found to reach their destinations safe and sound and have set precedents for others to follow.

Rivers swollen with flash floods may appear to create newer paths but we can never be sure where they will lead us. When there is high tide, waters might submerge all paths known and unknown. When dried up, they may show up new roadmaps with numerous new paths most of that may only be illusory. Newer paths are invented by evanescent Godmen who appear and disappear like these flash floods and present them as the real ones and they will also quote from scriptures to substantiate their arguments like ?devil quoting the scriptures?. We should not fall for these gimmicks, if we are to reach our true destination.

The path tread by our AzhwArs, AchAryas and our forefathers is truly safe and will surely lead us to our ultimate spiritual destination of Moksha. Swami Desika confirms this by saying ?Thol Vazhiye Nal Vazhi?. This is the path shown to us by Geethaachaaryan, Lord Krishna himself, by AzhwArs, by our AchAryas, by our elders. This is the path Swami Desikan recommends. Let us follow this path and attain salvation.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the difference between good and bad paths?
2. Which path is free from fear?
3. What benefit can be gained by following the path shown by the Saastras?
4. Who said ?Thol Vazhiye Nal Vazhi??
5. Can we follow paths created by flash floods?
6. Who taught us the good path to salvation?
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5. ?Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam- 2? ? Sri D. Soundararajan Swami, Editor,
?Sri Kanchi Perarulalan? of ?Sri Hayagriva Vidya PeeTam?
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6. What are Vaideeka Mathams?
Those philosophies which accept the authority of the Vedas are called Vaideeka mathams. These are
(1) Advaitam (2) Dvaitam and (3) VisishTAdvaitam.
(1) Advaitam: This is based on the interpretations of Aadhi Sankara. Those who follow this are called ?Advaitins? and their philosophy is ?SmArta SampradAyam?.
(2) Dvaitam: This is based on the interpretations of Sri Aanandatheertha, the founder of ?MAdva matham?. His followers are called ?Dvaitins?
(3) VisishTAdvaitam: These rare based on the interpretations of Bhagavad RamAnuja faithfully based on Sage BOdhAyana?s ?Vritti? on Sage VyAsa?s ?Brahma Sutram?. His followers are called ?VisishTADvaitins? and their philosophy is called ?Srivaishnava SampradAyam?.


It is this Vaideeka matham that was flourishing from the days of the Vedas as can be seen from the commonality of Gotrams and Pravarams among these three. It is also seen that before the advent of Adhi Sankara, this Vaideeka matham was a wholesome whole without any differences.

Due to the emergence of other faiths started in the names of individuals like Christianity after Christ, Islam after Mohammed Nabi, Budddhism after Gautama Buddha, Jainam after MahAveera etc., the foreigners (who came to trade but remained to rule us) had to find a term to denote our Vaideeka matham. As our land was known as India (named after River Sind), it was convenient for them to call our Vaideeka matham as ?Hinduism? and those who followed its philosophy the ?Hindus?. Thus, in effect, Hinduism is not the name of a religion but of a region who followed a way of life according to their holy Scriptures called the Vedas.

Sri Sudarsana Soori (a disciple of NaDAdur vAtsya varadAchArya SwAmi) wrote an explanatory work called ?SrutaprakAsika?. Swami Desika wrote another called ?TattvaTeekA? and the Tiruvoimozhi of Sri NammAzhwAr representing the 3rd thousand of the 4000 holy collects is the essence of the meaning of Vedanta for which ?TirukkurugaippiLLAn? wrote his ?Thiru AarAyirappaDI?
(To Continue)
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