SrI: 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.08 / ISSUE # 18 dated 15th March 2007 ===================================================================== Dear Bhaagavatas: IN THIS ISSUE: 1. PANGUNI MAASA PANCHAANGAM DETAILS ? 2. "BALA KHAANDAM" PART -3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA. (SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI) 3.TATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 15 - SLOKAM 11 -PART 3. (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) ===================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED With this issue, about 243 Regular issues of SRS have been released so far, apart from numerous "Special Issues" as indicated below: 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 30 Issues of Vol. 6 50 Issues of Vol. 7 and 18 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this) --------------------------------------------------------------------- You may view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained By Sri Srinivasan Sriram 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 Moderator "Sri Ranga Sri" ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 1. Panguni Maasa Panchangam: 15 March 2007- Thursday ? Panguni month begins ? Sarva Ekadasi, SravaNam 16 March 2007 ? Friday- SravaNa dwAdasi (upavasam also) [next day ? Sat morning paaraNai] 18 March 2007- Sunday - Sarva Amaavaasyai 19 March 2007- Monday ? Solar Eclipse 20 March 2007- Tuesday ? Yugaadi 24 March 2007- Saturday- Srimad ParavaakkOttai Andavan Thirunakshathram (Panguni Rohini) 27 March 2007- Tuesday ? Sri Ramanavami 28 March 2007- Wednesday- Thirukkudanthai Andavan Thirunakshathram- centenary year 29 March 2007- Thursday- Sarva Ekadasi 1- April 2007- Sunday - Panguni Utthiram- [sEtthi sEvai at Srirangam) 4- April 2007- Wednesday- anusham- Sri ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan Thirunakshathram 12- April 2007- Thursday ? SravaNa vratham 13- April 2007- Friday- Ekadasi 2. "BALA KHAANDAM" PART -3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA. (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. PUTRAKAAMESHTI When Dasaratha expressed his anguish on not getting children, Rishyasringha advised him to perform a special Yaagam specifically prescribed in AtharvaNa vEda for the purpose. Immediately after the AswamEda Yaaga, Dasaratha commenced this Yaaga in which was also, Rishyasringa took part as officiating priest. At the conclusion of this Yaaga, there arose from the "aahavaagni" a divine being shining brilliantly. He was holding in his hands a golden bowl with a silver lid containing porridge. Srimad Andavan comments that the gold and silver represented RajO and TamO guNas, with the Paayasam inside representing Bhagavaan of Suddha Sattva guNa, having to carry out both "dEva kaaryam" and "pitru kaaryam" - true to the saying "dEvaanaam hiraNyam pitruNaam rajatam" uttered while offering to Brahmins during Sraaddha ceremonies. He also observes that the Divya purusha was none other than Bhagavaan himself holding the vessel close to his chest lest Ravana should try to snatch it, like the Asuras who tried to snatch the pot of nectar (amruta kalasam) during the churning of the milky ocean! KaaLidaasa also alludes to this saying that the Lord who holds the entire universe was in the form of Paayasam and that he held the vessel with both his hands! hEma paatra gatam dOrbhyaam aadadaanaH payas charum/ anupravEsaat aadhyasya pumsas tEnaapi durvaham// (Raghu Vamsam) Kamban, however, describes the contents not as porridge but as "piNDam"- a ball of cooked rice. (KR- Bala-266) aayiDai kamalin ninru am pon taTTinil, tooya nal kadai nigar "piNDam" onru soozh thee erip pangi yum sivanda kaNNum aay, yEi ena bhootam onru ezhundadu yEndiyE 11. DISTRIBUTION OF PAAYASAM The Butham addressed Dasaratha to receive it and distribute the contents to his wives which he did. Even here, we find that the manner of distribution among the three queens is differently portrayed by Valmiki, Tilakar, KaaLidaasa and Kamban. Valmiki says that Dasaratha gave ½ of it to Kousalya, 1/4th to Sumitra, 1/4th to KaikEyi and gave the balance of 1//8th again to Sumitra. Tilakar in his commentary holds that Dasaratha first gave ½ to Kousalya and asked her give ½ of her share to Sumitra. Similarly, he gave the other half to KaikEyi and asked her to give ½ of her share to Sumitra. KaaLidaasa concurs in this by saying that the first ½ was given to Kousalya being the senior most Queen and the second half to KaikEyi being his most beloved queen and bade both of them to give of their respective shares to Sumitra. architaa tasya kousalyaa priyaa kEkaya vamsajaa/ atah sambhaavitaam taabhyaam sumitraam eichad eeswara: // Naaradeeyam and SirOMaNi also give different versions on the manner of distribution but they are all agreed on the birth of Rama to Kousalya, Bharata to KaikEyi and LakshmaNa and Satrugna to Sumitra in that order. 12. AVATAARAM AND SAMSKARAS Rama was born in the 12th month (not the usual 10 months for ordinary humans) in the month of Chitrai, Navami Thithi, Punarvasu Nakshatra in Kataka Raasi when the five planets of Surya, Angaaraka, Guru, Sukra and Sani were in their "Uchcha' grihas (Houses). Nrisimha Avataara was in Swaati and Rama's was in Punarvasu. You will find that on whatever days these Nakshatrams fall, there will be no "MaraNa yOgam" Bharata was born in Pushya Nakshatra and LakhmaNa and Satrugna in AaslEsha Nakshatra. The joy of the citizens knew no bounds. Every family felt as if the births were in their own households. Sage VasishTa, the Royal Guru conducted the 13th day "Naming" ceremony for the children. The other rites like Anna-praasanam, ChouLam Upa- nayanam etc were also done in due course as per the Saastras. NARAYANA PANDITACHAR gives 6 reasons for naming him "Rama". 1. This baby was so cute like an ocean of sheer beauty 2. Normally, babies cry on birth. If they do not, the mother will cry! But, this baby was smiling because he was born as promised to dEvas. 3. The word "rama" also means "black". This baby was of the color of the sky 4. "ramaa" means "PiraaTTi" who is never separated from PerumaaL. Sita herself vouches for this fact. "ananyaa raaghavENa aham bhaaskarasya prabhaa yathaa" 5. The letter "Ra" is from the root `raa-daanE" (one who secured as daanam) and "ma" refers to Lakshmi. Rama was to secure Sita in "kanyaa-daanam" 6. "raamaa" also means a beautiful girl. Rama was to be the treasure house of beauty. "pumsaam drishTi chitta apahaariNam" The Rishis of DanDaka-araNya would wish to have been born as females on seeing this "Parama purusha" Did not Kamban also say "aaDavar peNmaiyai avaavum thOLinaai" 13. THE BOUND BROTHERS Rama and LakshmaNa were always together as did Bharata and Satrugna "aiyanum iLavalum ? nei kuzhal urum izhai ena nilai terivaar" (KR- Bala-307) Rama and LakshmaNa were always together like the warp and woof of a fabric. "bharatanum iLavalum oru noDi pagiradu? tani pozhudinum ozhigilar" ibid-308) Once, Rama as a baby did not get sleep and was incessantly crying. The attendants tried all their tricks but the baby would not stop crying. Finally, VasishTa who came asked where baby LakshmaNa was. The attendants pointed to another room where LakshmaNa was laid in a cradle and was also crying. VasishTa suggested that both the babies should be put together in the same cradle, instantly, both stopped crying and started smiling! Similarly, Bharata and Satrugna were never separated even for a moment The boys were trained in all arts and in military exercises and became experts in every discipline. More than anything else, they were meticulous about doing their nitya and naimittika karmas like Sandhyaa Vandanam. They knew that "One who does not perform Sandyaa is unfit to do any other religious Karma. For the one who does not perform Sandhya, any other karma done becomes fruitless. "Sandhyaa vandana heenOyam anarha: sarva karmasu / yad anyath kurutE karma na tasya phalabhaag bhavEth // (To Continue) ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 3. TATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 15 - SLOKAM 11 -PART 3. (Sri N. Krishnamacharaiar Swami of Chicago) --------------------------------------------------------------------- SrI: SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deASikAya namaH. tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 15 ? Slokam 11 ? Part 3. pASuram 1.1.7: pASuram starting with "tiDa viSumbu eri vaLi" ? vaiSva rUpyAt ? One who has the whole Universe as His body. viSvam refers to `world', and rUpam means `body'. In this pASuram, AzhvAr points out that the relationship between bhagavAn and everything else is that of SarIri-SarIra bhAvam ? the Soul-body relationship, with Him being the Controller. It is not one of aikyatvam or identity between the Lord and the rest, as the ku-dRshTi-s would like us to believe. Some people try to interpret AzhvAr's words in the previous three pASuram-s as declaring identity between Him and the jIva-s. For instance, pASuram 1.1.4 states: "nAm avan ivan uvan? Ay ninRa avarE" ? All the things in this Universe are none but Him". Even though antaryAmitvam is what is indicated here, some ill-informed people argue that the world and bhagavAn are identical. AzhvAr clarifies in the current pASuram that all things have a body-soul relationship to Him, with bhagavAn being the soul of everything, and everything being part of His body ? avai avai toRum uDal miSai uyir enak karandu e'ngum paranduLan ? He is hidden as the soul in the bodies of everything, and exists everywhere inside and out. Just as the jIva-s have their own bodies, bhagavAn has everything as His body, and He is the Soul of everything. The soul controls the body, and the body is purely at the command and service of the soul. Thus, the guNa of His being viSva-rUpan and everything else being His body, goes to support His paratvam over everything. tirukkurugaip pirAn piLLAn in his ARAyirappaDi vyAkhyAnam gives close to 60 supports from the Sruti, smRti-s, purANa-s, itihAsa-s etc., that echo the thought conveyed in this pASuram. ? pASuram 1.1.8: pASuram starting with "Surar aRivaru nilai viN mudal muzhuvadum" ? tryaksha brahmAtma bhAvAt. tryaksha ? one wth three eyes, a reference to rudra; brahmA ? refers to the four-faced brahmA. Atma bhAvAt ? because He is the AtmA or antaryAmi for rudra and brahmA. Since there are those who incorrectly argue that brahmA is the Supreme Deity because he has the function of creation, or those who incorrectly argue that rudra is the Supreme Deity because he controls samhAra, nammAzhvAr clarifies in this pASuram that brahmA and rudra get their power purely because of bhagavAn, and the true Creator, Destroyer and Protector is only BhagavAn. This is the guNa that svAmi deSikan captures as the gist of this pASuram - "tri-aksha brahmA Atma bhAvAt". A more detailed explanation for this pASuram is given in the write- up under the series `tri-mUrti in tiruvAimozhi' that has been posted separately. Recall the guNa of parattvam at the daSakam level, the guNa of sevyatvam at the Satakam level, and the gUna of bhagavAn being the only One worthy of worship and attainment at the grantham level. The guNa of His being the antaryAmi and controller of everything including the likes of brahmA and rudra, that is identified by svAmi deSikan as the key guNa sung in this pASuram, explains and supports all the above guNa-s at the different levels. ? pASuram 1.1.9 ? pASuram starting with "uLan enil uLan": sat-asat- avagateh ? He Who stands irrefutably established by pramANa-s whether He is considered `sat' or `asat'; He Who is covered by the terms sat as well as a-sat. BhagavAn has as His possession all the cetana-s and acetana-s at all times ? both at the times when they have bodies to enjoy the effects of their karma (in their sthUla form), and at the time of pralaya when they have only their sUkshma form, and He protects them in His stomach. `sat' and `a-sat' refer to these two forms of His respectively. The following Sruti declarations, when correctly interpreted, clearly establish that He always exists, and is the Owner and Protector of all that ever existed and exist, either in their sUkshma form at the time of pralaya (referred to as a-sat), or as objects with names and forms (sat). o "asad vA idam agra AsIt | tato vai sat ajAyata | tad AtmAnam svayam akuruta | tasmAt tat sukRtam ucyata iti |" (taitt. Ananda. 7.1) ? All this was in the beginning unmanifested Brahman (without articulation of names and forms). From that the manifested came into existence. That Brahman created Itself by Itself. So Brahman is called the one of good deed". o asad eva idam agra AsIt | idam vA agre naiva ki'ncana AsIt | tat sadAsIt | tat samabhavat | " ? (chAnd. 3.19.1) - Prior to creation, all this universe was without differentiation of names and forms, the avyAkRta. That was the `sat' tending towards the division of names and forms. That assumed a gross form. That became manifested". SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya's vyAkhyAnam is: "evam bhUtanAna ISvaranai `illai' enRu SUnya vAdikaLAlE Solli muDikka oNNAda paDi avasthA bhedattAlE sat asat vAcyanAi aRiyap paDuvadAlum". Even though the SunyavAdi-s (a branch of Buddhists called mAdhyamika-s) claim that ISvaran does not exist, they are clearly proven wrong by pramANa-s. The words sat and asat both refer to bhagavAn's existence according to pramANa-s. When we say bhavAn exists (sat), we mean that He has as His belonging everything that exists in sthUla form ? with names and forms, after creation. They all form His body. Whe He is referred to as asat, it means that He has as His possession all the things that are in sUkshma form, at the time of pralaya, when they do not have any names or forms; but He still exists, and has all these in their sUkshma form as His belonging, and protects them in His stomach. He exists with all the things that don't exist in their sthUla form, with their own bodies etc. This is what is meant by His a-sat form. ? pASuram 1.1.10 ? pASuram starting with "paranda taN paravaiyuL" ? sarva tattveshu pUrteh ? He who is present integrally in all the tattva-s without exception, with His full power. He Who is present in everything without exception, including all the cetana-s and acetana-s in all the worlds, at all times, with His full Sakti (Powers). The One who destroyed this world, is in every minute part of the waters after the Great Deluge - pralaya, in the minutest part comprising every drop of the ocean. And He is in them hidden without being recognizable. Ther is no place where He does not exist, good or bad. There is no body in which He is not present, tiny or huge. In fact, the presence of a body is not a requirement for Him to be present in it ( e.g., the jIva etc.). There is no world in which He is not present in everything, whether it is this world or the upper worlds or the lower worlds. He is present in every cetana and acetana in all of these worlds in the past, present or future, without exception. In fact, existence is defined by His being present in them and giving them the ability to exist. The term pUrNam sigifies that He is integrally present in even the minutest thing with all His Sakti, without the minutest diminution of any kind, without the slightest discomfort or inconvenience. There are three tattva-s (Reals) that describe everything that exists in all the worlds, including SrI vaikunTham. These three are ISvara, cetana (sentient, those endowed with the ability to think etc.), and acetana-s (non-sentient or those that do not possess independent thinking capability). The cetana-s are categorized into three ? the baddha jIva-s or bound souls (including the deva-s, human beings, the animals, and the trees and plants), the mukta jIva- s or liberated souls, and the nitya jIva-s or the eternally liberated souls. The acetana-s are of three categories: matter or prakRti subject to the three guNa-s of sattva, rajas and tamas, time or kAla, and Suddha sattva which is of pure sattva nature. BhagavAn is present as their Contorller in all these cetana-s and acetana-s in their entirety, without exception. The use of the word pUrNa (filled, complete) is signicant. The requirement of a body for the purpose of pervasion, the relative size (for instance, the atomic- sized jIva vs. Brahman - implying `big') etc., are not concerns in His being present as an integral part of the existence of everything. He exists with His full Sakti in everything ? pUrNatvam. The last line of Slokam 11 of svAmi deSikan: param paSyan yogI ? nammAzhvAr who has thus seen emperumAn as sarvasmAt paran ? Supreme above all; tat-pada kamala natau Atma cittau anvaSAt ? is ordering his mind to prostrate at emperumAn's feet. This concludes the ten guNa-s of the first tiruvAimozhi 1.1, and these ten guNa-s go to support and illustrate His parattvam or Supremacy, that is the guNa sung in this first tiruvAimozhi (To Continue) ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =================================================================== ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/4It09A/fOaOAA/yQLSAA/VkWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:SriRangaSri-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:SriRangaSri-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> 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/
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |