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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// 
==========================================================
SRI RANGA SRI VOL. I / 012 DATED 25th DECEMBER 2000 
==========================================================
EDITORIAL:
Dear Bhagavatas:
In this issue, in addition to our regular features in 
Section I viz., "Sriranga Vijayam", "AchArya Vamsa Vriksham" 
and "SampradAya lessons" We present the following in 
Section II: Gitamrutham ?An Introduction
=========================================================
Section I. Regular features:
1. "Sriranga Vijayam ? 
Part 10 A: The meaning of "IkshvAghu kula dhanam"
Part 10 B: A clarification on the timing of the grant of the above.
Part 10 C: Sri Ranga VimAnam in PAnchrAtra
- Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami. (Translation by Anbil Ramaswamy)
2. "AchArya Vamsa Vriksham" ? "Part 38:
The line of Muni Traya Parampara continues ?6 VeLiyanallur Aandavan
(common to Poundarikapuram Asramam and Periyaasramam)
3. "Learn our Sampradayam the easy way" 
Grade I- Lesson 16: "AvatAras"
(Based on the original in Tamil "sampradAya pADa thiTTam" by 
Sri Seva Swamigal, Founder, maNi manDapam and Editor, Sri Desika 
Seva. (Translation by Anbil Ramaswamy).
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
Editor & Publisher, "Sri Ranga Sri"
=====================================================================
Section I: Regular Features
1. "Sriranga Vijayam ? 
Part 10 A: The meaning of "IkshvAghu kula dhanam"
Part 10 B: A clarification on the timing of the grant of the above.
Part 10 C: The "Kuladhanam" in "PAnchrAtra"
- Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami. (Translation by Anbil Ramaswamy)
==================================================================
Part 10 A: The meaning of "IkshvAghu kula dhanam"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The word "Kuladhanam" means "the wealth of the lineage of IkshvAghu" -
says GOvindarAjar. Before and after the killing of RAvaNa, 
VibheeshaNa was promised and actually crowned as King of Lanka. So, 
it cannot refer to Lanka.

In Uttara RAmAyaNa, we see that when the Lord was about to ascend to 
his Nitya Vibhoothi (permanent abode), Sugriva, HanumAn, VibheeshaNa 
and others offered their obeisance. When Sugriva prayed to accompany, 
the Lord readily accepted saying that he would not go leaving him 
behind. When VibheeshaNa pleaded to accompany, the Lord asked him to 
stay back and perform his duties as King till such time as the Sun 
and moon existed and so long as Srimad RAmAyaNa was being told and 
retold. He added that VibheeshaNa should continue to offer 
TiruvArAdhana to "IkshvAghu kula dhanam"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 10 B: A clarification on the timing of the grant of the above.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It is not correct to hold, as some do, that Sri Rama handed over the 
ArchA vigraha of Sri RanganAtha at the time of his coronation 
(paTTAbishEkam) because after this he ruled for over 11,000 years. 
Did not the GitAchAryan say that He continued to do Nityakarma 
anushTAna because if He abandoned doing it, others would follow His 
example and incur sin? Therefore, we cannot presume that Sri RAma 
failed to perform TiruvArAdhana by handing over the Vigraha at the 
time of coronation till His ascent to Paramapadam.

Like his forefathers in the IkshvAghu line, he also must have 
continued his daily worship during all these 11,000 + years. It is 
only appropriate to conclude that the grant of the Vigraha at the 
time of coronation was a promise offered and kept up the promise by 
actually handing over after the 11,000 + years when he ascended to 
Nityavibhuthi. This is like the preliminary coronation done on the 
Seashore even before the war commenced and was followed by the final 
coronation after the war.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 10 C: The Kula dhanam in PAnchrAtra
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The 10th Chapter of kriyA khANDam of ParamEswara Samhitha in 
pAncharAtra confirms that Sri RAma handed over the VimAnam with 
the "IkshvAghu Kuladhanam" to his dear friend VibheeshaNa and the 
latter accepted and bore it on his head and headed towards his 
Capital in Lanka. 
Dadou VibheeshaNAya Asou priyAya priyakAriNE
SastrOpadEsa poorvam thu VimAnam divya lakshaNam /
Sopi thath sirasA gruhya yayou dEsam svayam prathi //
=====================================================================
2. ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM - Part 38
THE LINE OF MUNI TRAYA PARAMPARA CONTINUES - 6
SRIMAD POUNDARIKAPURAM ASHRAMA ANDAVANS
(who were common to Poundarikapuram Asramam and Periyaasramam)
M. 34. SRI VELIYANALLUR ANDAVAN
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
=====================================================================
M. 34. SRI VELIYANALLUR ANDAVAN 
( Purattasi / Tiruvaadirai)(1825 - 1900 AD)
(VED): " Among the distinguished disciples of Periya Andavan was one 
VedAnta Tatachariar of Sankarapuram. The Tatachariars who belong to 
ShadamarshaNa GOtram are descendants of Sri NAthamuni. Down their 
lineage we find such celebrated Savants as Periya Tirumalai Nambi, 
grandson of Sri YAmunAchArya. The Tatachariars distinguished 
themselves by devoted service to the temple notably the Tirumalai 
temple. They settled in five different places viz., Sankarapuram, 
Bukkapattinam, Satyamangalam and Surapuram. It was from the 
Sankarapuram branch that Sri VedAnta Tatachariar Swami came and 
sought the feet of Periya Andavan and studied the Vedanta SAstras 
under him.

Sri Krishna TAtAchAr Swami alias Tirup Putkuzhi Swami expressed his 
inability to assume SannyAsa Asrama on account of his hereditary 
trusteeship of Lord VaradarAja temple at kAnchi. VedAntAchAriar SwAmi 
was considered. He was a NaishTika BrahmachAri (Confirmed bachelor), 
who knew no other God than his Acharya. He prayed for admission to 
the ascetic order, so that the remaining part of his life could be 
fully placed at the service of his Acharya. Periya Andavan acceded to 
his prayer and took him into the holy order. He was named "Sri 
Narayana Maha Desikan". Soon afterwards, Sri Narayana Maha Desikan 
left on a tour of Divyadesas and reached Attiyur where he remained 
discoursing on Ubhaya Vedanta SAstras and administering Pancha 
SamskAram, Bharanyasam to those who sought his feet.

On hearing that Periya Andavan had attained the lotus feet of his 
Acharya, he returned to Srirangam and prayed in his BrindAvanam. He 
learnt that his cousin and co-disciple under Periya Andavan succeeded 
him as Acharya as "Chinna Andavan" in Periyasramam but had also 
passed away. He was greatly upset at the passing away of two yathis 
and desired to stay at Periyasramam to continue the work of Periya 
Andavan. But, as he faced many obstacles, he moved to Singar Koil 
where he stayed for a few days. Then, he proceeded to VenNNAr bank, 
ThanjAvur where he stayed till the end of his life. Here he organized 
the annual festivals to Swami Desika whose image had been installed 
in Thanjai Neelameghap PerumAL Koil by NainArAcharya. He passed away 
in his Asrama on the bank of VenNNAr and lies interred there. Since 
VeLiyanallur Andavan was a cousin of Chinna Andavan (1825-1895 AD) 
and slightly his elder and outlived him by a few years, we may place 
him between 1825- 1900 AD.

His Tanian reads as follows: 
Sri VAsa Yogeendra KripAthabotham Sri Saila RAmAnuja Labda Chinham /
VairAghya BhaktyAdhi GunaikadhAnAm NArAyaNAkhyam Munim AasrayAmah //
"Let us take refuge in Narayana Muni who was a great Yogi full of 
mercy, a hall mark acquired at the feet of Sri Srisaila RamAnuja and 
who was full of auspicious qualities like detachment and dedication"
=====================================================================
3. Learn our Sampradayam the easy way
(Course for Kids) Grade 1 for Beginners
(Based on the originals in Tamil "sampradAya pADa thiTTam" 
by Sri Seva Swamigal)
Lesson 16: AvatAras (Incarnations)
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
=================================================================
The word "AvatAra" means "Descent". The Lord is said to have five 
abodes. 
1. SrivaikunTam. This is His "Para" abode and He is 
called "ParavAsudEva". 
2. Vyuham: This is the famed milky ocean (KsheerAbdi). The Lord is 
seen here as Vyuha VAsudEva, SamkarshaNa, Pradhyumna and Aniruddha 
forms.
3. Vibhavam: The Lord descends to earth in various forms and names 
like fish, tortoise, boar, Lion-Man, Dwarf, ParasurAma, SriRAma, 
BalarAma, KrishNa and Kalki to protect the virtuous, to destroy evil 
and to reestablish Dharma. The Lord declared this in Bhagavad 
Gita "ParitrANAya sAdhoonAm, vinAsAya cha DushkrithAm, Dharma 
SamsthApanArthAya sambhavAmi yugE yugE"
4. Hardham: The Lord dwells in the hearts of all living beings
5. ArchA: his abode in the temples. Hearths and homes of His devotees.

We deal in this lesson with the Vibhavam incarnations. Though He has 
taken several incarnations, the following 10 are considered the main 
ones:
1. MATSYA AVATARAM: (Fish) when Madhu and KaiTaba (the twin Asuras) 
stole the Vedas from Brahma (the creator), the Lord took the form of 
a huge fish. Killed them, retrieved and restored the Vedas to Brahma.
2. KOORMA AVATARAM (Tortoise) Vanquished by asuras, the Devas 
approached the Lord, who suggested to make a temporary truce with 
asuras and engage in the churning of the milky ocean for bringing out 
nectar that would give them protection against death and defeat. The 
mountain Mantara was to be the churning rod and the snake VAsuki the 
rope. When the mountain toppled, the Lord took the form of a huge 
tortoise and held the mountain securely on His back. When the nectar 
emerged, He had distributed to the Devas and saved them.
3. VARAHA AVATARAM ( Wild Boar- NOT Pig as popularly believed). When 
HiranyAksha (lit. golden eyed) abducted Bhoodevi (mother Earth), the 
Lord took the form of a wild boar killed the asura, and retrieved 
mother earth. He is also known as Aadhi varAhan, SvEtha varAhan, KOla 
varAhan and Yajna varAhan. It is in this AvatAram that He revealed to 
Bhoodevi the easiest means for the inhabitants of earth to attain Him.
4. NARASIMHA AVATARAM: (half lion- Half Man) HiraNyakasipu was 
another Asura who claimed to be God, having secured several boons of 
invincibility. His own son, Prahlada was, however, an ardent devotee 
of the Lord. The father tortured the son to reject Narayana and 
acknowledge himself as God. But, when Prahlada insisted on his 
conviction, the father asked the son to show him his God in a pillar 
and kicked it. Out came the Lord a unique half-lion half-man form to 
make the words of His devotee ring true, killed the asura by tearing 
his chest with His bare fingernails and saved Prahlada.
5. VAMANA AVATARAM: (Dwarf) MahAbali, a grandson of Prahlada acquired 
enormous powers, drove away Indra and annexed his kingdom. The Lord 
appeared before him as a BrahmachAri dwarf begged MahAbali 3 
footlength steps of earth by his own feet. When MahAbali plighted his 
word to grant His request, the Lord grew so much in size that He 
could measure the entire earth with one step, the whole wide heavens 
with another. Aghast at this feat, MahAbali offered his own head. The 
Lord sent him down to the nether world to rule over there. This 
AvatAra is also known as "Trivikrama AvatAra"- an "AvatAra within an 
AvatAra" as it were.
6. PARASURAMA AVATARAM: (Rama with the Axe). Born as the son of 
Jamadagni, ParasurAma's weapon was the battle-axe. To avenge the 
death of his father killed by a Kshatriya king, he went round the 
world 21 times decimating all belonging to the Kshatriya clan.
7. SRIRAMA AVATARAM: (Rama, the Compassionate). RAvaNa, a RAkshasa, 
like the earlier Asuras acquired enormous powers by severe penance 
especially invincibility from all beings (except humans, whom he 
regarded as despicable). The Lord was born as Rama, son of Dasaratha 
of AyOdhya. RAvaNa abducted Sita, wife of Rama and held her hostage 
in his capital Lanka beyond the seas. With the help of a monkey 
battalion headed by Sugriva and HanumAn, RAma crossed the sea over to 
Lanka and in a terrific fight killed RAvaNa and retrieved Sita. In 
this AvatAram, the Lord revealed his compassion saying that if anyone 
surrendered to Him, it was his vow to protect them, come what may. 
Thus, He enunciated the efficacy of "SaraNAgathi"- Total and 
unconditional surrender to the Lord
8. BALARAMA AVATARAM: (Rama with the plough) born, as the elder 
brother of KrishNa, BalarAma was another incarnation of the Lord. His 
weapon was the plough. He performed several exploits along with 
KrishNa.
9. KRISHNA AVATARAM: This is considered to be a "PoorNa 
AvatAram"(Complete incarnation). He was born to DEvaki and VasudEva 
but was brought up by YasOda and NandagOpa, in the cowherd family. It 
is in this AvatAram that the Lord revealed that He was indeed 
BhagavAn and reassured humanity with the last verse (CharamaslOka of 
the Bhagavad Gita- the Song Celestial) that He would grant Moksha to 
anyone who surrendered to Him.
10. KALKI AVATAR: (The apocalyptic incarnation yet to be) The Lord is 
expected to be born to a Brahmin by name Vishnuyasas in the village 
SambaLam, at the close of Kaliyuga and riding on a horse with a sword 
in His hand would reestablish the golden age (Kritayugam) once again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTIONS
1. What is meant by the term "AvatAram"?
2. Bring out the purpose of the first 3 AvatAras?
3. What difference do you notice between Sri Rama AvatAram and Sri 
KrishNa AvatAram?
=====================================================================
SECTION II: GITAMRUTHAM ? An Introduction
Anbil Ramaswamy
=====================================================================
You will remember that we proposed to present excerpts from "Gita 
sAram" by (VaikunTavAsi) sAra sArajna mahAvidwAn Tirukallam SwAmi 
*AasthAna VidwAn of AhObila Matam and formerly Editor of Nrisimha 
priya journal)as a homage to the memory of the MahAn whose Platinum 
jubilee we celebrated recently.

His book was published by Hindu DurairAja Iyengar Memorial Charitable 
trust, Chennai 600018 during the period 1982 to 1984. This is in 
Tamil and in 3 volumes running to about 1500 pages. Due to space 
constraints and my own incapacity to bring out the full import of 
this monumental work, it is proposed to present only very briefly 
selected excerpts bringing out some salient points mentioned by the 
author.

The work by the SwAmi is perhaps the most authentic one faithfully 
reflecting the interpretations of our Poorva AchAryas as vouched in 
the Srimukhams granted by H.H. Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram 
Asramam, H.H. Srimad Srirangam Andavan of PeriyAsramam and H.H 44th 
Pattam Azhagiyasinghar of AhObila Matam.

Any number of translations and commentaries on Bhagavad Gita have 
mushroomed and it has almost become fashionable for anyone with a 
smattering to write on the "Song Celestial". It is believed that 
there are more than 20,000 translations and commentaries of Bhagavad 
Gita in almost all the languages in the World, each presented 
according to their own lights by the respective authors but none 
reflecting our Poorva AchAryas' interpretations truly. 

H.H. Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram Ashramam has observed in his 
Srimukham that he directed the SwAmi to compile his work (then 
appearing in Nrisimhapriya) and publish it for the benefit of all, 
especially because many of our own people were being misled by the 
misinterpretations projected by all and sundry. Accordingly, the 
SwAmi completed his work but unfortunately did not live to see his 
work when published.

During the first few years on arriving in the U.S.A in 1987. I had 
the opportunity to read various books on our religion by both Western 
and Indian authors. This convinced me of the veracity of the 
apprehensions voiced by Asmad AchAryan. 

Some of the books on "Bhagavad Gita" in English, which I happened to 
peruse are given below:
ARNOLD, Edwin: Bhagavad Gita-The Song Celestial, 
The Heritage Press N.Y. 
BARRETT, L.D.: Bhagavad Gita (tr), 
McNichol's Hindu Scriptures, London, 1938
BOLLE, Kees W: Bhagavad Gita- a new tr., 
Uty.of California Press, Berkeley, 1979
DANIELSON, H: The essence of Supreme truth, 
Religious Texts translation Series, Leiden, Brill, 1980
EDGERTON, Franklin: Baghavad Gita (tr), 
Harper & Row, N.Y and Evanston, 1944
HAWLEY.J.S: 'Krishna- the Butter thief', 
Princeton Uty. Press, Princeton, 1983
HILL, W.D.P: (tr) The Bhagavad Gita, Oxford, Repr.1967
ISHERWOOD, Christopher: Vedanta for Modern man & Baghavad Gita, 
Collier Books, 1962
LAMOTTE, Etienne: Notes on Bhagavat Gita, Paris, 1929
LARSON, G.J: The Bhagavad Gita, Pub. JAAR, 43 (651-669), 1975
MASCARO, Juan: The Bhagavad Gita, 
Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1966
MINOR, R: Modern Indian interpreters of the BhagavadGita, 
State Uty. of NY Press, Albany.1986
STOLER, Miller: Love song of the Dark Lord, 
Columbia Uty. Press, NY, 1977
TELANG: The Bhagavad Gita, Pub. Sacred Bools of the East, Vol.8
ZEHNER, R.C: The Baghavad Gita, Oxford Uty Press, NY, 1973

(Note: There is another book "The Gita BAshya of RamAnuja" by Sri 
M.R. Sampathkumaran published by Anantacharya Indological Research 
Institute, Bombay in 1985. This also gives a comparison of the views 
held by other branches of our religion and establishing the 
correctness of those of Bhagavad Ramanuja)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What the Gita is all about?
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bhagavad Gita considered as the very essence of Upanishads (Upanishad 
sAram) has 18 Chapters, divided into 3 shadgams. (A shadgam consists 
of 6 Chapters). 

The first shadgam deals with the Individual soul (JeevAtma tattvam) 
and the yOgas connected therewith for the proper understanding of the 
role of the individual soul. 

The second shadgam deals with the Supreme Soul (ParamAtma tattvam) 
explaining that the goal of the individual souls is to attain the 
Supreme soul, which is also the means to do so. Like the middle part 
of sugarcane is the sweetest, this middle shadgam is the sweetest 
part in Bhagavad Gita. 

The last shadgam clarifies in detail what is contained in the earlier 
2 shadgams.

All the three intra-religious heads have written BhAshyams 
(commentaries)including Sri Aanandagiri, Sridharar, Sri Raghvendra 
Swamigal, Sri Jayatheerthar and others.

VisishTadvaita AchArya, Sri AaLavandAr has written in verse 
form "GitArtha Sangraham" (referred hereafter as A-GS) following 
which Bhagavad Ramanuja wrote "GitAbhAshyam"(R-GB). Swami Desika has 
written a Sanskrit vyAkhyAnam (explanation) for AaLavandAr's 
work "TAtparya Chandrikai" (D-TC) and one on Bhagavad RamAnuja's 
work, called "GitArtha Sangraha Rakshai (D-GSR) and a Tamil 
Prabandham called "GitArtha Sangraham".(D-GSP)

We give in this posting a Synopsis of the whole Gita stated by A-GS 
and D-GSP as presented by Tirukallam SwAmi. 

The summary of the 3 shadgams as also the "ParamasAram" etc of the 18 
Chapters will follow.

A-GS:
Sarva Dharma jnAna ? vairAghya - sAdhyabhaktyEka gOchara: /
NaarAyaNa: param Brahma gitA sAstrE sameeritha: //
Meaning
The one who sang the Gita is NaarAyaNan. The one who is sung about is 
also NaarAyaNan.It is only through karmayOga and JnAnayOga that one 
can acquire BhaktiyOga. For all these, however, the sin-qua-non is 
detachment from worldly desires (vairAghyam) though it is not a 
direct means to any but is their integral part. It is mentioned as an 
independent means only to emphasize its relevance and importance. 

The nature and state (swaroopam) of karma, jnAna and Bhakti will be 
explained in detail in the relevant contexts. 

Bhagavad Gita avers that all the Vedas unequivocally declare 
NaarAyaNan as the goal and the means to attain Him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-GSP:
Karumamum jnAnamum koNDezhum kAdhalum kore ilakkenru
Arumarai uchchiyuL AadharithOdhum arum biramam
ThirumagaLoDu varum ThirumAl enru thAn uraithAn
Dharumam ugantha Dhananjayanukku avan sArathiyE
Meaning
First, one should control one's mind by practicing action(karmayOga). 
Then one should concentrate on realizing the nature of the self 
through Knowledge (jnAnayOga ) 
Then only one can acquire devotion (BhaktiyOga) 
Only through BhaktiyOga, one can attain Sriman NaarAyaNan,who is the 
goal. 
Lord KrishNa instructed this secret to Arjuna who surrendered to Him 
for getting a clarification of "that which sustains" (Dharma)

AaLavandAr called the one referred in Bhagavad Gita as "NaarAyaNan". 
Swami Desika goes one step further and says that it is "NaarAyaNa who 
is the Consort of SrI" (SrIman NaarAyaNan)
===================================================================
To Continue
==================================================================



 
 



























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