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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.05 / ISSUE # 02 dated 14th October 2003
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IMPORTANT POLICY STATEMENT:
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN SUBANU AIPPASI (TULAM)
(OCT 2003- NOV.2003)
We have been chronicling the important days (not exactly Panchaanga Sangraham) at the beginning of every month of the Indian Calendar. In this issue, we present the important days in AIPPASI (TULAM) for the general information of members.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information because these are based on the available Panchaangams and the monthly religious Journals received from India that very often differ in details. Some dates are from Swami Desika?s 7th Centenary Commemoration Volume and Nityanu santaanam book of Lifco. Readers are requested to check and verify and bring to our notice any corrections quoting appropriate authority.
IMPORTANT REQUEST
We do not have the details of Tirunakshatram days of all the Achaaryas of Parakaala MaTam. We will be grateful for anyone who could provide this information about ALL the Achaaryas of this MaTam
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2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?PART 12
THE GLORY OF GOUTAMA GOTRAM ? 4
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
(Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry and ?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa Kovida, Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S. Devanathachariar (referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)
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3. FROM MAHABHARATA: YAKSHA PRASNAM?
Part 29: Prasnams 82 and 83
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Senior Officer of Govt. of India.
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4. DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS- 4.
by Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
This could not be accommodated in this Issue)
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120 Regular issues have been released, so far (besides several Special Issues) -
- 27 Issues of Vol. 1
- 15 Issues of Vol. 2
- 42 Issues of Vol. 3
- 35 Issues of Vol. 4 &
- 01 Issue of Vol. 5
These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri by Sri Diwakar Kannan.
We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived in the ?Files? Section and view the Contents at ?srsindex.html? (Not the individual postings allowed encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that you
will be convinced of the quality of the contents.


IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of
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Tell your friends to join by sending an email to ?
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Dasoham
Anbil Ramasway
Editor & Publisher
"Sri Ranga Sri"
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1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN SUBANU AIPPASI (TULAM)
(OCT 2003- NOV.2003)
We have been chronicling the important days (not exactly Panchaanga Sangraham) at the beginning of every month of the Indian Calendar. In this issue, we present the important days in AIPPASI (TULAM) for the general information of members.


IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information because these are based on the available Panchaangams and the monthly religious Journals received from India that very often differ in details. Some dates are from Swami Desika?s 7th Centenary Commemoration Volume and Nityanu santaanam book of Lifco. Readers are requested to check and verify and bring to our notice any corrections quoting appropriate authority.


IMPORTANT REQUEST
We do not have the details of Tirunakshatram days of all the Achaaryas of Parakaala MaTam. We will be grateful for anyone who could provide this information about ALL the Achaaryas of this MaTam


(Abbreviations: 28#P: Paambu Panchangam, AM: Ahobila Matam,
ATA: Aniyarangan Tirumutrathu Adiyaargal book published by Sri Visishtadvaita Research Center, AVA: Acharya Vaibhavam Anubandam of Ahobila Mutt, AVV: Acharya Vamsa Vriksham Series, BVP: Bhagavad Vishaya Guru Paramparai, KP: KethaanDipatti, KPA: Kaanchi Per AruLaaLan Journal, Lifco: Nityanusantanam book, MD: Maha Desikan, NP: Navalpakkam, p: Page number in the Swami Desika 7th Centenary Commemoration Volume,
RP: Rangapriya Yathi Guru Papampara Taniyan book, PA: Periya Ashramam, PM: Parakaala Matam, PP: Poundarika puram Ashramam, SD: Sri Desika Darsana Diary of Sri Seva Swamy, SrgmP: Srirangam Koil Panchangam, YMD: Yatindra Maha Desikan)
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NAKSHATRAM/PANCHANGAM DATE, ENGLISH DATE & DAY/ TIRU NAKSHATRAM OF-
Ayilyam 30/Nov16/Sunday LK-KKKrishna Tata Desikan (p.390)
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Moolam 13/Oct 30/Thursday MaNavaaLa MaamunigaL(28#P)Utthama NambigaL(28#P & SrgmP)Vaatsya Vardachariar(p.341)BVP22. Vangeepuram Srinivasachar(p.343) AM11.SadagopaSrinivasa YMD (AVA p.244)KPI, II and III:Ranga Ramanuja MD (P.160 & 368) Lifco pp.196, 198 & 202) (Seva Diary)Misc: Desika Darsana Vijayadwajam Setlur Narasimhachariar Swami (p. 439)Misc:Araavamuda Tatachariar Swami (p. 467)
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Pooradam 14/Oct 31/Friday 3.Vishwaksenar(Senai Mudaliar) (p326) (28#P) (PA site)11.Tirukkurugai Piraan Pillai(Kurgesar) (p.328)RP21. &AVV 15 in Sgati Vol.01/15(28#P & SrgmP) & Seva DiaryKidambi Ramanuja Pillaan AVVPart 19 in Sgati Vol.01/19
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Tiruvonam 15/Nov. 01 Saturday(SravaNam) POIGAI AZHWAAR (Seva Diary) Pillai Lokachariar (28#P)
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Avittam 16/Nov. 02 Sunday BHOODATH AZHWAAR(Seva Diary)
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Sadayam 17/Nov.03 Monday PEY AZHWAAR (Seva Diary)
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Uthrattadi 19/Nov. 05/Wednesday Tirutturai poondi Srinivasa RamanujaMD(PA 10) (PA Site) & (AVV Part 36 in SRS Vol. 01/10 & Rangapriya Tanian BookNP: Valayapettai Sri Swami- Srinivas Tatataarya MD (p.464) and(Lifco p.193)
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OTHER IMPORTANT DAYS IN AIPPASI
Tulaa Snaanam / 01/Oct18/Sat (Seva Diary) #28
KrishNa Paksha Ekadasi/ 04/Oct21/Tues (Seva Diary) & RP
Naraka Chaturdasi Snaanam (NIGHT of) 06/Oct23/Thurs (RP) #28
DeepaavaLI/ 07/Oct24/Fri (Seva Diary), NP, RP & #28
Sarva Amavasya/ 08/Oct25/Sat (Seva Diary) #28
Sukla Paksha Ekadasi /18/Nov04/Tues (Seva Diary) #28
CHANDRA GRAHANAM / 22/Nov08/Sat (Seva Diary) #28
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2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?PART 12
THE GLORY OF GOUTAMA GOTRAM ? 4
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
(Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry and ?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa Kovida, Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S. Devanathachariar (referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)
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NACHIKETAS


NachikEtas belongs to ?Goutama Gotra? and like others of this lineage; he was also one of those who acquired Brahmajnaanam even as a kid. The family tree of Nachiketas reveals this.

There was a great personality in the Goutama Gotra called AARUNI. His son was UDDALAKAR and Uddalakar?s son was SvEtakEtu.

Another son of Uddalakar was ?VAAJA SRAVAS? and his son was ?VAAJA SRAVASAR?. Nachiketas was the son of this Vaaja Sravasar. All of them carry the family name of ?Goutama? only.

Once, Vaaja Sravasar performed a Yaaga called ?Viswajit?. The inexorable condition attaching to this Yaaga is that the performer should give away their entire possessions as gifts (DakshiNa). Cattle were the greatest wealth in those days. So, the Rishi gave away his entire stock of livestock. Nachiketas was closely watching. He thought within himself:

? All these cows are pretty old, infirm and decrepit, so much so that they could not even consume grass or drink water, let alone yielding milk. Of what use would they be to the recipient?? So thinking, he took bold to ask his father:
? To whom are you going to give me away as gift??


Vaaja Sravasar did not take his query seriously and ignored. But, Nachikatas was not to be put off like that. He repeated the question again and again. The father became mad at him. In a fit of anger, he screamed:
?I am giving you away to the Lord of death?


Immediately Vaaja Sravasar realized the enormity of his words because in such a Yaaga when the yajamaana declares his intent to give away something, there can be no looking back. He was beside with grief. The boy pacified his father and his words of solace are remarkable.

?Oh! Father! You don?t have to feel sorry. I am not alone in my march to the kingdom of death. A veritable crowd goes before me and another big crowd will be following me?. ?bhaoonaamEmi prathamO bahoonaamEmi madhyamah? (kaTopanishad 1.1.5.)

Though he pacified his father, it was now his turn to feel desolate, not that he was afraid of death. But, his concern now was what better use he could be to the Lord of death that these crowds were not capable of providing.
?thaih ha smOthitam vaag abhi vadati / Goutama kumaaram iti/? (KaTakam 2.8)


The Goutama-the father, advised Goutama-the son, of a suitable strategy. The son was equally smart to do exactly as advised, with the result that he came back alive to his father, having secured a threesome of boons from Yama, the last and most important of which related to the esoteric truth about the ?after-life scenario?. This truth that he got from Yama with utmost perseverance is now easily available to the world today. Thus, all the great personages belonging to the Goutama vamsa are greatly responsible for the enlightenment of the ?ways and means? of liberation that lie open for us to adopt and benefit.
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CHIRAKAARI


We have heard the adage ?Procrastination is the thief of time?. This thief, however, is not always bad. And, we have also heard ?Haste makes for waste?. Here is an occasion when the miracle of procrastination saved a descendent of Goutama vamsa from the agony and consequences of bad decisions taken in haste leading to waste.

Another Goutama called ?Medhatithi ? is spoken of highly in the PuraNas. He had a son named (appropriately) as ?CHIRAKAREE?. He used to be sluggish in whatever he did. The word ?urgent? was not in his dictionary. So, the name meaning ?One in slow motion? seemed to fit his demeanor. Though everyone made fun of him, he was not in the least bothered about it. ?Slow, and steady?, he won ultimately. Let us see how:

MEdaatithi once suspected the chastity of his wife and ordered Chirakaaree to behead her. Dutiful son that he was, Chirakaaree went with a knife in hand to the riverside where he found his mother. He was ?hamletting? within his mind whether ?To kill or not to kill?. It was truly a ?Dharma SankaTam? situation for him. If he killed her, it would result in the sin of matricide though he was only carrying out his father?s orders; if he did not, he would be guilty of transgressing the command of his father. True to his name, he was greatly perplexed and went on debating the issue within his mind for hours on end.

It was not very difficult for him to find a solution to this dilemma. After all, ?Goutama Dharma Sutra? has clearly spelled a way out in such tricky situations.
Aachaaryah srEshTO gurooNaam / maatEtyEkE/ maatEtyEkE?
(Goutama Dharma Sutra 1.2.56)


This lists and provides a protocol for grading various persons who should be deemed superior inter se among them. It says that of all those who should be revered, the following gradation has to be observed viz Mother, Father, Acharya, Maternal uncle, Ritviks who lead Yaagas, and in that order.

Should a doubt arise, the Sutram declares that the mother is the one deserving utmost reverence and precedence over the rest. After all, was it not the author of this Goutama sutra, who obeyed his mother in resorting to homicide by letting his father drift into the fast flowing waters of the river? Finally, Chirakaaree came to a conclusion not to kill his mother.

Meanwhile, DevEndra appeared before Medaatithi in the garb of a Brahmin. He was muttering a proverb to the effect ?one should not act in haste and repent in leisure?. Medaatithi realized his mistake. He rushed to the riverside. To his great astonishment and greater sense of relief, he saw the mother and son sitting side by side. He called his son aside and told him that he had changed his mind and that Chirakaaree had no need to execute his order. His regret (SOKam) issued forth in the form of a couple of beautiful verses (slOkams). These have been incorporated in Kumaarikaa KhaaNDam 6.25.29 of Skaandam.

rOgE darpE cha mane cha drOhE paapE cha karmaNI /
apriyE chaiva kartavyE Chirakaaree prasasyatE //
dharmE satrou satruhastE paatrE cha nikaTa stithE/
bhayE cha Saadhupoojaayaam Chirakkaree na sasyatE//
Meaning
?It is desirable to wait patiently in the case of disease, violence, pride wicked acts, and undesirable efforts.
It is not good to procrastinate in doing Dharma, in facing enemies, in offering gifts to the deserving, in facing threats and in paying obeisance to the pious souls?


The father heaped praise on the son for his patience. All this is the norm of Krita yuga. People were not afraid of acknowledging their faults and readily accepting responsibility, unlike now when we see some people indulging in worst abominable crimes without qualms of conscience and yet acting as if they are the paragons of virtue on earth! We need not condemn for these lapses because they know and do what is necessary to expiate.
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To Continue: GLORY of GOUTAMA GOTRAM ? Part 5
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3. FROM MAHABHARATA: YAKSHA PRASNAM?
Part 29: Prasnams 80 and 81
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Senior Officer of Govt. of India.
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PRASNAM 80
YAKSHA:
?KIM ANNAM??
?WHAT IS FOOD??
YUDISHTIRA:
? GOUR ANNAM?
?THE MILCH COW (WHAT IT YIELD) IS THE NOURISHING, SUSTAINING FOOD?
NOTES:
YudishTira has no trace of doubt in his mind that nourishing juicy fruits, nutrient effervescent juices, sweet rice and puddings and condiments or meat cooked tender with rice do not constitute food. He does not even relate food to the needs of an ever-hungry poor person, who, in fact, may make do with a morsel and manage to survive.


He says that what the holy cow yields is the only source of all that is essential, edible and wholesome.

A better insight into what made YudishTira give such a reply can be gathered by recalling the exposition given by Bhishma in the Anusasana Parva of the Mahabharata.

It appears that Sri, the Goddess presiding over wealth and prosperity was once nettled that while every living thing on earth was bent on pleasing Her and receiving Her favors, the cows as a rule, did not pay any attention to Her. So, she went out and confronted the cows. The cows looked at Her calmly and said ? Praise be to you! Oh! Goddess! We do not have the remotest intention of slighting you. But, you see, we find you very fickle and restless. Whimsically you favor some and even more whimsically you withdraw your favors suddenly. Therefore, we would like to be as we are. where we are, without getting close to you?

It seems that Sri was crestfallen and then importuned that she would lose face totally when others come to know that she had been spurned by the cows and that nothing would please her more than to live inside their bodies, whichever part it might be.
Maananaam tvaam aham ichchaami bhavatyah satatam subhaah
(Anusasana Parva Ch 81.19)
?You are auspicious to everyone. I would like to enjoy the honor of being with you?


puNyaah pavitraah subhagaamaamaadEsam prayachchata /
vasEyam yatra cha angE iha tan mE vyaakhyaatum arhatha //
(Ibid 21)
?You are sacred. You are sinless and blessed. Please grant my prayer. I shall live in whichever part of your body you may indicate?


After narrating the above conversation between Sri, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity and the cows, Bhishma recounted what Brahma, the creator told Indra, the chief of the celestials about the glory of the cow.

Yagnjnyaangam kathitaa gaavO yagjnas yEva cha vaasava /
YEtaabhih cha anryatE yagjnO na pravartEt kathanchan //

?Oh! Vaasava! Indra! The cows represent sacrifice itself. Without them, there can be no sacrifice. (Sacrifices properly conducted help the Vedic word to spread. Seasons change at the appropriate times and rains pour copiously during the rainy season, creating food in the form of grains and grass)
Dhaarayanti prajaas chaiva payasaa havishaa tathaa /
YEtaasaam tanayaas chaapi krishi yOgam upaasatE //
(Ibid Ch.82.17)


With their milk and ghee and butter, they sustain all beings. Their male offspring, that is, the bulls get the process of cultivation going.

Although it was much later that YudishTIra came to know in greater detail from Bhishma as to how the milch cow should be regarded as the sustainer of the world, there was no occasion when he was not in touch with the essence of this truth. He was, therefore, in a position to give a reply, which Yaksha wanted to hear. His reply to Yaksha is to be seen in this light.
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PRASNAM 81
YAKSHA:
?KIM CHA VAI VISHAM??
?WHICH IS POISON??
YUDISHTIRA:
?PRAARTHANAA VISHAM?
?BEGGING IS POISON?
NOTES:
A poison is a substance that kills. It prevents the different systems (of the body) from performing their respective functions and causes life to be extinguished and the body to perish. But, poison that is more virulent and corrosive but not so evident is the act of begging. While begging, the person loses all sense of propriety or shame. While begging, he becomes completely de-humanized. Be it for appeasing hunger or thirst or the senses, he who begs loses all his poise and balance and also all of his self worth.


Scholars also interpret the word ?Praarthanaa? as ?desire?.
Now, desire is like a forest fire. It?s only desire is to burn on. Thirst can be quenched, hunger can be satiated. Forest fires can also be put down by torrential rain. But, desire once lit, keeps burning. When it does not burn, it keeps smoldering.


What does desire do when it takes possession of a person? It robs him of his sense of discrimination and leads him to destruction.
Kaamaat krOdhO abhijaayatE
KrOdaat bhavati sammOhah
SamOhaat smriti vibhramah
Smrit bramsaat buddhi naasah
Buddhinaasaat praNasyati
(Bhagavad Gita Ch 2.62 and 63)
Anger is the closest attendant or follower of desire. It steps in as large as life as soon as there is the slightest obstruction to desire. Having come, it does not quit the scene. It stays behind and works internally on the mind. It makes the mind lose its focus and sharpness. In that state, the mind loses its ability to recall either the words contained in the scriptures or the words kindly spoken by the foreseeing preceptor. Thereafter, the wisdom, the inner torch gets extinguished. What can remain of the human being are only the remains!


So much so, even if ?Praartanaa? is read as desire, then also, it acts like a deadly poison bringing about destruction and ruin.
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To Continue
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4. DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS- 4.
by Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
could not be featured in this Issue.
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