You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Mar 2005

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00165 Mar 2005

Mar 2005 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]



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//
=================================================
SRI RANGA SRI VOL.06 / ISSUE # 12 dated 03/06/05
=================================================
EDITORIAL:
?SRS_SATSANGAM? SITE.
Your kind attention is invited to the Editorial of Vol. 6.11 dated 02/19/05. 
As requested therein, all queries and doubts and responses thereto may be 
addressed to "SRS_Satsangam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" only and NOT to the Journal.

The Guidelines for the Journal referred to above will apply mutatis mutandis 
to this site as well. A minimal monitoring will be made to keep up the 
quality of postings. This means that postings to this site also will require 
prior approval by the Moderator.

But, as only members can post to this site, those who wish to avail of the 
facility should, in the first place, send an email to -
"SRS_Satsangam-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx".

It may be noted that membership is open to all.

Moderator
"Sri Ranga Sri Journal" and
"SRS_Satsngam" group
=================================================
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. DESIKAMRUTAM ? SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
(SRI SADAGOPAN IYENGAR SWAMI
SRIKARYAM SWAMI OF SDDS & SRS (FROM COIMBATORE)
2. ?TRIMURTI? - IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 8
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
3. FROM MAHBHARATA
?YAKSHA PRASNAM? PRASNAM #
(M.K.RAMASWAMY IYENGAR ReTIRED SENIOR OFFICER, GOVT> OF INDIA)
=================================================
158 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
- 28 Issues of Vol. 5 &
- 11 Issues of Vol. 6
These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri
by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxx)
You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained
by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxx)
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 for 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 ?Sri Ranga Sri?-
Tell your friends to join by sending an email to
Srirangasri-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve.
Ever at your service
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy,
Editor & Publisher,
?Sri Ranga Sri?
==============================================
1. DESIKAMRUTAM ? SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
(SRI SADAGOPAN IYENGAR SWAMI
SRIKARYAM SWAMI OF SDDS & SRS (FROM COIMBATORE)
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Three Tenets?11

Thus far, we have seen a detailed exposition of the Gadya phrase, 
?Svaadheena trividha chetana achetana svaroopa stithi pravritti bhedam?, 
outlining as to  how the existence, activity and essential nature, of all the 
three types of  sentient beings and non-sentient objects, are subject to the 
will of Emperuman. Swami Desikan takes up next an enthralling description of 
the nature and attributes of the Paramatma, whose all-encompassing glory was 
revealed, as aforesaid.

Because He is Truth, Wisdom, Limitless, Blissful and ever-pure, Isvara?s
essential nature is defined to be Satyam, Gnaanam, Anantam, Aanandam and 
Amalam. This is borne out by the Upanishadic text, ?Satyam, Gnaanam, Anantam 
Brahma?.

Azhwars too highlight these attributes of the Lord thus??Nandaa Vilakke!
Alattharkku ariyaai!?

Each word of this line is significant, with ?Nandaa? denoting immutable 
Truth,
?Vilakke? signifying Wisdom that eliminates darkness and ignorance, 
?Alattharkku ariyaai? portraying the infiniteness or Anantatvam of the Lord. 
Sri  Nammazhwar pays a further tribute with ?Unar muzhu nalam?, telling us that 
Emperuman is the repository of endless wisdom and bliss.

At the fag end of Tiruvaimozi too, Azhwar is unable to refrain from 
cataloguing the Lord?s attributes, with 
?soozhndu adanil periya sudar gnaana inbameyo!?.
Physically and by attributes, He is the biggest (?periya?) and greatest. He 
is the embodiment of glowing wisdom??Sudar gnaanam?. He is limitless bliss
personified??inbameyo?.

Sri Tiruppanazhwar is so taken up with the unblemished purity of the Lord, 
that he recounts it ahead of all other divine virtues and begins his prabandam 
with ?Amalan, Adi Piraan?. ?Amalan engo? says Sri Nammazhwar too, placing 
Emperuman?s Blemish-less-ness on a high pedestal.

Thus, Satyatvam, Gnaanatvam, Anantatvam, Aanandatvam and Amalatvam 
(respectivelyTruth, Wisdom, Infiniteness, Bliss and Purity) are the defining 
attributes of the Lord. Other characteristics, (whether they are other 
auspicious traits or His enchanting form), are characteristics brought to 
light by the aforesaid five defining attributes.

Of the subsidiary attributes thus highlighted, six are associated with His 
status as the Supreme Being, the exalted Parabrahmam. These are Gnaanam, 
Balam (Strength), Ishvaryam (Bountifulness), Veeryam (Valour), Shakti 
(indefatigable energy) and Tejas (Splendour).

These attributes contribute to the Supremacy of the Lord in various 
respects?
* His Wisdom enables Him to know everything?
?Yo vetti yugapat sarvam, pratyakshena sadaa svata:?, as Sri Nathamuni says.
* Balam refers to the unflinching capability, the undying fount of strength, 
of bearing the two worlds, the ones below and Sri Vaikunttam above, with His 
mere will.
* Ishvaryam indicates His over-lordship of the entire Cosmos and of
Paramapadam.
* His remaining unchanged and immutable, despite blossoming into the
entire world and its beings, at the time of Creation, is referred to as
?Veeryam?.
* Making the impossible happen, like making the day dark or the night
awash with light, is Shakti.
* And it is His Splendour or Tejas, which annihilates opponents, without His 
having to lift even His little finger. It is to the destructive potential of 
this Tejas that Sita Piratti refers, when She says that She could very well 
reduce Ravana to a heap of ashes??na tvaa kurmi Dasagreeva! Bhasma 
bhasmaarha Tejasa?.

There might be any number of auspicious attributes the Lord sports, but the
aforesaid six are the principal ones, contributing to His pre-eminence as 
the Parabrahmam.

What is the use of a Supreme Being, who is inaccessible? He would at best be 
a brilliant Sun in the distant sky, whom you can ogle at but not relate to in 
any fashion. The glory of the Lord is such, that despite being the Lord of all, 
He lowers Himself to our level, to move with us as one amongst us. These 
traits--of Souseelyam and the Kindness and overwhelming Love (Vaatsalyam) that 
He exhibits towards all beings, disregarding their innumerable 
shortcomings--are the ones that make Him accessible to all, irrespective of 
caste, creed, colour or social or economic status.

All the auspicious qualities enumerated above are at all times associated 
with the Lord?s essential nature or Svaroopam. However, we find some scriptural
texts, associating specific traits with specific Vyooha moorthies. If this 
be so, can we say that all traits, at all times, are related to the Isvara
Svaroopam? Yes, we can, says Swami Desikan.

These texts just mean that the Lord reveals these specific qualities to 
those who worship Him in any of these manifestations. It does not negate the 
presence of the other traits in Him, inany of His  forms.

The Upanishads prescribe 32 Brahma Vidyas or paths to
Paradise, in each of which a particular aspect or auspicious attribute of
Emperuman is given prominence and meditated upon. Similarly, in 
Paancharaatra texts too, specific traits are ascribed to each form of the Lord, 
whether it  is Vyooha Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha or Sankarshana.

We know that the forms of the Lord are five-fold ? Param, Vyooham, Vibhavam,
Arccha and Antaryaami. Of these, if we take the Lord at Sri Vaikunttam, (the
Para Vasudeva roopam), He is meditated upon as possessing all the six 
principal qualities enumerated above, viz., Gnaanam, Balam, Ishvaryam, Veeryam, 
Shakti and Tejas.

As far as the Vyooha Moorties are concerned, some mention them as four 
(Vyooha Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarshana), while some say they 
are  just three (on account of there being no essential difference in 
characteristics between the Para Vasudeva and the Vyooha Vasudeva). Sri 
Koorattazhwan, in  Sri Varadaraja Stavam, tells us that the Lord?s Vyooha forms 
are indeed three,  with each displaying two traits each, of the total six that 
adorn the Supreme Being.

The respective traits and functions of the Vyooha Moorties are catalogued by 
Sri Bhattar, in Sri Rangaraja Stavam?Uttara Shatakam. The Para Vasudeva of Sri
Vaikunttam is credited with all the six principal attributes enumerated 
above and is engaged in affording infinite bliss to all emancipated souls. 
Sankarshana displays inimitable Strength and Wisdom. His functions are 
destruction of  the universe at appropriate times and the authorship of 
Shastras as guiding lamps for humanity. Pradyumna is endowed with Ishvaryam and 
Veeryam and His  activities are Creation and ensuring prevalence of Dharma. 
Shakti and Tejas are the preserve of Aniruddha, who looks after Protection and 
Preservation of all created beings and propagates the eternal truth.
---------------------------------------------------
To Continue
=======================================================================
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=======================================================================
2. ?TRIMURTI?- IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 8
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
-----------------------------------------------------
2.2.9: (13)

              kAkkum iyalvinan kaNNa perumAn
              SErkkai Seidu tan undi uLLE
              vAitta tiSai-mugan indiran vAnavar
              AkkinAn deiva ulagugaLE.

This pASuram states that kaNNan pirAn has, as His inherent nature, the 
function of protection.   Traditionally, it is believed that brahmA is the 
creator, vishNu is the Protector, and rudra is the destroyer.  In this 
pASuram, AzhvAr clarifies that a) bhagavAn is the true Creator, Protector, 
and Destroyer all in one, and b) bhagvAn performs the functions of creation 
and destruction only as a prelude to protection, or a means to protection of 
the jIva-s as His aim, and so He is by nature One Who is dedicated to 
protection of the jIva-s in all His acts.

AzhvAr points out how bhagavAn is responsible for all three major functions, 
namely, protection, destruction and creation.  Since it is well accepted 
that bhagavAn is responsible for the function of protection, AzhvAr does not 
address this specifically.  But he deals with the functions of destruction 
and creation in this pASuram, and points out that bhagavAn is responsible 
for these functions as well, and that He undertakes these other functions 
also only for the purpose of the ultimate protection of the jIva-s, and thus 
all His functions are directed towards protection, and so He is ?kAkkum 
iyalvinan?.

We all know that bhagavAn is credited with the greatest of all samhaAra-s - 
the total destruction of everything at the time of pralaya.  Thus, it is 
clear that He is responsible for samhAram in its ultimate limit.  What some 
of us have not realized is that this is really protection in truth, because 
He protects all the jIva-s in His stomach at the time of pralaya.  It is a 
prelude to the next cycle of creation that is in the welfare of the jIva-s, 
by giving them another opportunity to attain Him by giving them another body 
and all the comforts to enjoy in His next cycle of creation.

Now, if we look at the day-to-day instances of the ?death? of creatures, 
again the traditional view is that rudra or Siva is responsible for this 
?destruction? on a smaller scale than the pralaya.  In truth, again it is 
bhagavAn who is responsible for this act of ?destruction? as well, since He 
is the One Who created rudra and then gave Him the power and responsibility 
for this function of ?destruction?.   In other words, rudra performs his 
function of destruction at this level, because bhagavAn is acting through 
rudra by being His antaryAmi.  And the ?death? that is considered 
destruction by some, is really an act of protection by bhagavAn, since He is 
causing this ?destruction? so that the jIva will discard the old and 
worn-out body, and get another body that is new and fresh, and will get yet 
another opportunity to perform kainkaryam to Him and attain Him in this new 
birth.  This level of destruction is also undertaken by Him, only as a means 
of the ultimate protection of the jIva.

A similar situation is true with respect to creation.  BhagavAn is the One 
who creates brahmA first from the brahmANDam that emanates from His navel, 
and then gives him the power to create all other things, and thus He is the 
true Creator through brahmA also.  Thus, it is kaNNan who is responsible for 
the creation, protection, and destruction, and no one else.  In the four 
short lines of this pASuram, nammAzhvAr has packed a lot of deep concepts, 
which will be discussed in more detail below.

kAkkum iyalvinan ? It is bhagavAn?s nature to protect the jIva-s.  This is 
what He considers more important than the functions of samhAram and 
creation.  These other two functions are done only to facilitate the 
protection of the jIva-s, so that ultimately the jIva-s will attain moksham, 
and join Him in SrI vaikunTham for ever.

kaNNa perumAn ? kaNNan who is sarveSvaran.  The term ?perumAn? is used along 
with ?kaNNan? to clarify that bhagavAn takes different incarnations such as 
kaNNan, but in all these incarnations, He is full of all His Supreme 
qualities without any diminution.

kAkkum iyalvinan kaNNa perumAn ? The Supreme Deity (perumAn) takes 
incarnations for the primary purpose of protection, because this is His very 
nature (kAkkum iyalvinan).  Note Lord kRshNa?s declaration ? paritrANAya 
sAdhUnAm, vinASAya ca dushkRtAm ? For the protection of the good, and the 
destruction of the evil.  Protection is mentioned first, and destruction 
only follows as the next function in importance.   Like removing the weeds 
so that the intended grains can grow, destruction of the evil is only for 
the protection of the good.

SErkkai Seidu  - ?SErttuk koLLudal? - By making everything merge into Him at 
the time of pralaya.

kAkkum iyalvinan ? SErkkai Seidu ?. AkkinAn:

-          The first set of words ? kAkkum iyalvinan, refers to the function 
of protection, which is His nature.
-           Serkkai Seidu ? The second set of words refers to the function 
of destruction.  This is subservient to the function of protection.  It is 
for the purpose of protecting the jIva-s from being destroyed during the 
pralaya, that He saves everything in His stomach at the time of pralaya, 
even ensuring that they do not bump into each other and suffer any damage.
-          AkkinAn ? The third function in this sequence, namely creation, 
is dependent on the previous step, that of samhAram, which again was meant 
for protection.

In order of importance, protection is the most important.  By saying ?kAkkum 
iyalvinan AkkinAn?, AzhvAr emphasizes that the main purpose is protection, 
and creation is only a means of protection ? giving a body to the jIva-s so 
that they can expend their karma-s and attain Him.  By saying ?SErkkai Seidu 
AkkinAn?, AzhvAr clarifies that Serikkai Seidal or destruction is again a 
prelude to ?Akkal? or creation.

undi uLLE ? in His navel.

vAitta tiSai mugan, indiran, vAnavar AkkinAn ? He created brahmA, indra, and 
all the other deva-s, out of the jIva-s that had accumulated enough good 
deeds to deserve these positions (vAitta).

daiva ulagugaLE AkkinAn - He also created the divine worlds for brahmA, 
indra, etc. to live and rule.  Note that even the worlds in which the likes 
of brahmA and indra live, are all created by bhagavAn, and thus, He is the 
Creator of everything, including everything that existed before these 
deva-s, and everything after these deva-s, in addition to the deva-s 
themselves.

All the beings originated in the brahmANDam, which appeared out of the navel 
of Lord vishNu.  At the time that the brahmANDa gets destroyed, Siva also 
gets destroyed, since he is one of the beings in the brahmANDa.  It is 
bhagavAn SrIman nArAyaNa who starts the function of creation all over, and 
He maintains and controls the cycle of creation, protection and destruction.

Thus, in this pASuram, AzhvAr declares that all the three functions ? 
Protection, destruction and creation, are performed by bhagavAn, and He is 
the same One who takes Divine incarnations in the forms of kRshNa, rAma, 
varAha, matsya, etc.

People can rationally ask:  ?Protection and destruction are opposites of 
each other, and conflicting when the same Deity ? Lord vishNu, is declared 
to be responsible for both. In addition, Lord vishNu is primarily associated 
with the function of protection.  So how do we explain this pASuram, which 
declares that He is the One who is responsible for all the three functions.  
AzhvAr clarifies that bhagavAn is ?kAkkum iyalvinan?, and the other 
functions, those of destruction and creation, are undertaken because they 
are aids to the function of protection of the jIva.  He protects the jIva-s 
at the time of pralaya by merging them with Him in His stomach ? which we 
call ?samhAram? or destruction.  He protects the jIva when the body the jIva 
has becomes old, by giving them a new body ? which we call the function of 
creation.  Neither brahmA nor rudra are concerned about the protection of 
the jIva ? they just do their assigned functions.  Only bhagavAn has the 
sole objective of protecting the jIva-s in all His actions.

To recaptitulate, among the concepts conveyed in this pASuram are:  1. The 
incarnations such as kaNNan, rAman, etc., are all those of emperumAn;  He 
retains all His kalyANa guNa-s in full in these incarnations; 2. It is 
bhagavAn?s inherent and essential Nature to protect the jIva-s, and whatever 
He does is for the protection of the jIva-s;  3. He is the One who is 
responsible for the functions of creation and destruction in addition to 
protection, and the first two are undertaken by Him for the purpose of 
protection as the principal goal;  4. He is the One who created the likes of 
brahmA, Siva. etc.,and the worlds which they rule over, and thus, He is the 
One and Only Supreme Deity.

svAmi deSikan captures the gist of this pASuram as ?rakshNAya avatIrNam? ? 
BhagavAn takes incarnations solely for the purpose of protection.  The 
destruction of rAvaNa, hiraNyakaSipu etc., really result in their attaining 
moksham ? the ultimate protection, even though we only see them as ?killing 
of rAvaNa or hiraNyakaSipu?.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2.10: (14)

                kaLvA! emmaiyum Ezhulagum nin
                uLLE tORRiya iRaiva! enRu
                veL ERan nAn-mugan indiran vAnavar
                puL Urdi kazhal paNindu EttuvarE.

Through this pASuram, nammAzhvAr is appealing to those who still consider 
rudra, brahmA etc., as supreme deities, and advising them that they should 
at least follow the lead of brahmA, rudra, etc., who themselves worship the 
Lotus Feet of the One Who has garuDa as His vehicle, and praise Him as their 
Creator.

iRaiva!- Our Lord and Master!

emmaiyum Ezh ulagum nin uLLE tORRiya ? You Who created us and everything 
else in all the seven worlds in You.

-          nin uLLE ? Inside You.  This signifies that He is the upAdAna 
kAraNa, and there was no other Material Cause other than Him.
-          tORRiya ? He who thus created.  This signifies that He is the 
nimitta kAraNa also (analogous to the pot maker ? see write-up for pASuram 
1.5.4).

enRu ? so declaring

veL Eran, nAnmugan, indiran, vAnavar  ? Siva - who has the while bull as his 
vAhana or vehicle, brahmA - the four-faced one, indra the king of all 
deva-s, and all the other deva-s

puL Urdi kazhal paNindu EttuvarE ? They all worship the Lotus Feet of the 
One who has garuDa as His vehicle or vAhana (Lord vishNu).

kaLva! - We have not so far covered the first word of this pASuram ? 
?kaLvA!?  Rudra, brahmA, and all the deva-s worship Him by calling to Him as 
?iRaiva? ? The Lord and Master of all.  In addition, or even before that, 
they call Him ?kaLva!?:  This term means ?One who steals?, or ?One Who hides 
the facts?, or ?One Who pretends to be someone different from what he is?.   
  In the current context, the reference is to His hiding His svAtantRyam or 
absolute independence in His incarnations, and instead, making it appear 
that He is dependent on others.  When the deva-s point out to rAma that He 
is none other the Supreme Deity, He insists that He is just another human, 
the son of daSartha (AtmAnam mAnusham manye). In other words, during His 
incarnations, on the one hand, He has all the kalyANa guNa-s as the Supreme 
deity in full and intact, but He does not reveal them externally, and 
instead, behaves consistent with whatever form He has chosen to take in that 
incarnation.

The simplest examples of this are His kRshNa incarnation and rAma 
incarnation.  In His kRshNa incarnation, He takes ?birth? in a yAdava 
family, and gets beaten up by yaSodA, gets tied to a mortar, and cries as if 
He is totally helpless.  In His rAma incarnation, He gets driven to the 
forest because of the actions of a hunch-backed woman.  And all along, He 
has all the powers of the Supreme Deity, even though He does not reveal it 
to most around him.  The short-sighted duryodhana tries to make Him fall 
into a pit so that He could tie Him up and ?arrest? Him.

Interestingly, it is not these instances of bhagavAn hiding His parattvam 
from the ordinary folks around Him during His incarnations that rudra and 
brahmA are referring to here. Instead, they are referring to bhagavAn hiding 
His parattvam from themselves, and their falling for it most of the time.  
In His incarnations, bhagavAn makes them believe that He is not the Supreme 
Deity.  They get tricked to the point that they start believing that they 
indeed are the supreme deities.  When gajendra called out ?AdimUlamE!? ? 
?Hey My Supreme Lord! Come and protect me?, all these deities tried to go 
and help, each one thinking that he was the supreme deity that was called to 
help.  This transient loss of understanding on their part is because, in His 
incarnations, bhagavAn goes to rudra, brahmA, indra etc., and stands before 
them and asks them for ?boons?, just as an ordinary human being.

An example is the ?kailAsa yAtra? undertaken by Lord kRshNa to seek rudra?s 
?blessing for a child for rukmiNi?.  He goes in front of Siva, and with 
folded hands, stands before Siva and chants ?namo ghanTAya karNAya namaH;  
kaTa kaTAya ca?, and asks for a boon that ?rukmiNi be blessed with a child?. 
A by-stander brAhmin watches this, and noting that the stotram did not sound 
normal or natural, and indeed totally awkward and artificial, remarks that 
kRshNa?s tongue is not used to praising anyone else, and so it is throbbing 
incoherently like a fish out of water.  While His tongue is thus not used to 
singing the praise of the other deities, the story with the other deities is 
just the opposite, as revealed in tiruma?ngai AzhvAr?s pASuram ? nAt 
tazhumba nAnmuganum ISanumAi muRaiyAl Etta ? The tongues of brahmA and rudra 
are developing scars because of their repeated chanting of the praise of 
Lord narasimha (periya tirumozhi 1.7.8).

When bhagavAn hides His Supremacy thus, and goes and stands in front of 
these other deities and prays, sometimes the other deities start thinking 
that they indeed are the Supreme deities, and become unaware that they are 
His Sesha-s and that He is their Master.  Thus, they lose their Seshattvam ? 
in other words, He has temporarily stolen their positions as His Sesha-s, or 
sub-servients to Him, and this is what rudra and brahmA mean by addressing 
Him as ?kaLvA!?

svAmi deSikan captures the rasam in this pASuram through the words ?rudrAdi 
stutya leelam? ? He who has among His leelA-s,  the leelA of praising the 
likes of rudra as supreme.
--------------------------------------------------------------
To Continue
===============================================================
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx
================================================================
3. FROM MAHBHARATA
?YAKSHA PRASNAM? PRASNAM # 121
(M.K.RAMASWAMY IYENGAR, RETD. SENIOR OFFICER OF GOVT. OF INDIA)
=================================================
PRASNAM 121
YAKSHA:
?KAH PANTHAAH??
?WHICH IS THE TRUE PATH??
YUDHISHTIRA:
? TARKO APRATISHTAH SRUTAYO VIBHINNAH
NAIKO RISHIH YASYA MATAM PRAMAANAM /
DHARMASYA TATTVAM NIHITAM GUHAAYAAM
MAHAAJANO YENA GATAH SA PANTHAAH?

?Logic does not contain the final word and for everything. The vEdic truths 
are capable of being interpreted differently. There is no one sage whose 
teaching may be said to contain the ultimate substance. Dharma is highly 
subtle. In such a bewildering context, there is nothing better than for a 
man than to follow the path traversed by noble souls?

NOTES:

YudhishTira evidently believes that the value of logic has been over rated. 
It is not difficult to see why he believes so.

Logic, like the surgeon?s scalpel parts the surface and makes probing 
easier. Selectively dissecting or vivisecting, it neatly lays bare the inner 
core. Thus, through logic, it is possible to reach up to the foundations of 
a concept, to know what holds that concept together and also, through 
understanding gained, to devalue it here and there.
So, it is said:
Agjnaana jnaana hEtutvaa vachanam saadu manyatE /
anapaahatamEvEdam nEdam saastrama apparthakam //
(Santi Parva Ch. 141.21)

Some people hold logic to be valuable because it helps the unknown to be 
better known. But, it is all a mistake. The same logic is used to water down 
religious texts or hold them as not worthwhile. YudhishTira, therefore, 
holds logic to be unreliable indicator of true path.

What about the Vedas?

They contain the quintessence of knowledge. Yet, the language is cryptic. 
The words have an apparent simplicity and a cadence; but, they are mystic. 
It is knotted, yet it is virile. The vEDic utterances sometimes seem 
contradictory or baffling. As Aurobindo would say ? The secret of the vEda, 
even when it has been  unveiled remains still a secret!? Such a veiled truth 
cannot serve as a signpost.

What about the Sages?

If we turn to the sages, the situation hardly becomes better. Every vEdic 
seer has left profound teachings. It is not easy to see them all strung 
together in a growing and evolving harmony similar to the strings or beads 
in a musical instrument. At the same time, it is perilous to discard any 
teaching as superfluous without the attendant risk of the quest for perfect 
knowledge and consciousness tending to get curtailed and severely limited 
and, therefore, becoming infirm. Therefore, no single vEdic seer may be said 
to have propounded that whole truth to render the teachings of other seers 
redundant.

If the hope filed face is raised to Dharma, one fares no better. Dharma is 
very subtle, lives in the minutest particle and seems cached in a secret 
recess. If identifying is difficult, understanding it or interpreting it is 
even more difficult.

When Draupadi was dragged to the hall where the dice game was being played 
as if she was an object or a thing, she summoned her wits and courage and 
looked steadily at all the elders in that hall. Then, she pointedly asked 
the question whether YudhishTira had offered her as the wager after staking 
and losing himself. None replied. There was an embarrassing and a stifling 
silence. Then, Bheeshma cleared his throat and told in a small vice and in a 
gentle manner:
?Na dharma soukshmyaat subhagE vivEktum saknOmi tE prasnam imam yathaavat?

?Oh! Honorable lady! Dharma is subtle. It is not easy to interpret it. 
Therefore, I am unable to reply to your question this way or that?

If logic has a limitation, vEdas are inscrutable, the sayings of vEdic seers 
are complex and Dharma is of magnitude but not easily understood or applied, 
what alternative is there except to strengthen one?s faith and tread the 
path trodden by the ancestors?

Actually, this step commends itself on its own merit as well and is not a 
solution emerging through a process of elimination.

The path taken by our ancestors, if it was good enough for them that they 
chose it would be good enough for us. It will be safe. It will be secure. It 
will be familiar too.

Further, our ancestors who have caused our existence are like celestials to 
us. We shall be invoking protection and securing purification by following 
their footsteps.

Our ancestors must have led a life of great piety and devotion. There is a 
great probability that they continued their earthly existence after 
surrendering themselves to the Supreme. Even the dust on their feet has 
magical and divine powers.

When Sri Rama and Sri Sita were residing in the ChitrakooTa forests, Sri 
Rama invited Sita for a holy bath in the river, Mandaakini. He said:
?Vidhoota kalmashaih siddhaih tapOdama samanvitah
Nitya vikshObhita jalam?
(VR II. 95.13)
?Pious souls who have controlled the senses, whose mind is always in poise 
and to whom penance is a way of life bathe in this  river. The river has 
collected the sediment of purifying dust by washing the feet of such 
spiritual masters?

Sri Rama also said that life in the forest is indeed a blessing in disguise. 
?Many of my ancestors had adopted for the way of life in the forest because 
it conferred profound blessings for a rich life in this and in the next 
world?
idamEva amrutam praahuh raajni raajarishayah pare/
vanavaasam bhavaarthaaya prEtya mE prapitaamahaah //

Sri Rama was making it clear that he was not considering himself in exile 
and feeling sad and deprived on that count. On the contrary, he was toeing 
the line of many of his ancestors who were King-Saints and who had 
deliberately retired to lead a life in the forest.

Dharmavyaada, the enlightened soul, but butcher by profession, told Kousika, 
the Brahmin who sought instructions from him about righteousness- that he 
was not ashamed or prone to look down on his profession because it was the 
profession of his ancestors too.
?Puraa kritam iti jnaatvaa jeevaami yEtEna karmaNaa?
?I am making a living out of this profession taking comfort from the fact 
that this was the profession of my ancestors too?

In other words, the true path need not be the one sanctioned by the vEdas or 
selected by the vEdic seers or indicated by the Saastras. That which has 
been adopted by our noble precursors is without doubt, the true path.

---------------------------------------------
To Continue
================================================================
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
================================================================







------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers.
At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/hjtSRD/3MnJAA/i1hLAA/VkWolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 




[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list