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//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.08 / ISSUE # 26 dated 26th May 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 22 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 3
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 253 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
26 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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12. POWER OF FATE ? LEPER CURED! (SIDE STORY)
That fate is all powerful is depicted in a story in Mahabharata told
by Sage Bheeshma. After intense penance, a Bhakta got from
Mahaalakshmi a silver bowl filled with nectar. He was heading home
wanting to share it with his family members. On the way, he had to
attend to nature's call. He entrusted the bowl to a leper who was
sitting under a tree. When asked what it contained, the man told him
that it was poison and that he was taking it for a medicine. As soon
as the man moved out of sight, the leper who was already fed up with
his life wished to end his life and drank the entire contents of the
bowl. Not only was he cured of his ailment but also his very form
changed into a beautiful young lad. The man returned and inquired
him about the leper. The erstwhile leper replied that he might have
died drinking the poison.
The adage "Man proposes and God disposes" proved true!
13. RAMA INFORMS KOUSALYA
When Rama went to his mother to convey how he came to be exiled,
Kousalya was beside with grief. She cursed herself by wishing that
she would have been happy if she had not had a son and remained
issueless (malaDi). She was scared that KaikEyi and other wives of
Dasaratha would ill treat her and pleaded to go with Rama to the
forest. Rama replied that
- When the Maharaja was very much alive, it was not proper for
the queen to leave him.
- He even went to the extent of saying that if only Bharata
had expressed a desire to marry Sita at the time of the breaking of
the bow, he would have gladly yielded.
- Further, if he were to delay his departure, it might be
construed as his buying time in the expectation (nappaasai) that on
his return, Bharata might offer the kingdom back to him.
- More than anything else it was of paramount importance for
him to save his father from the ignominy of flouting his promise.
14. RAMA PACIFIES LAKSHMANA
LakshmaNa who was reticent all through was ablaze with rage and even
suggested that -
- Accepting the words of the ill advised father was not
correct
- Such a father deserved to be punished, nay, even killed, if
need be.
But, Rama replied that -
- Even if the mother had asked him to stay back, he had an
obligation to honor his father's commitment because it came
chronologically much earlier.
- Also, Dasaratha was not only his father but also Guru, King
and an aged person.
- Even if LakshmaNa were to retrieve his right of
primogeniture, he was determined not to accept the offer.
- Vanavaasam was much easier than the burden of administering
a Kingdom.
LakshmaNa argued that fate can be set at naught by one's
intelligence: Rama would not agree.
15. KOUSALYA'S BLESSINGS
As one should not shed tears when someone was leaving on a journey,
Kousalya controlled herself. This is another lesson we learn from
this incident. Convinced that nothing could convince Rama to take
away from his resolve, Kousalya gave him permission. She actually
conferred her blessings by going around Rama.
H.H. humorously remarks that modern boys might draw a lesson from
this and tell their mothers to circumambulate them (including their
wives) as Kousalya did! This practice of blessing thus is something
special as in the case of elderly ladies going round the newly weds
pouring turmeric waters and holding lamps and cooked rice balls
(piDI Sutruvadu). This cannot be resorted to as a matter of routine.
16. SITA-RAMA SAMVADAM
Conveying the news, Rama asked Sita to stay back and advised her how
she should conduct herself in AyOdhya in his absence and described
the extraordinary difficulties she would have to encounter in the
midst of dense forests infested with wild animals. Sita was not sad
at Rama's going to the forest but she could not bear his suggestion
to leave her behind. Tears rolling from her eyes, she put a piercing
barrage of questions that compelled Rama to "think again"!
- If Kousalya cannot leave her husband, does not the same
logic apply to me?
- As wife is considered the "better half" of the husband, does
she not have a right and duty to follow the husband in obeying the
command of the father?
- Did not my father tell you that I am your life-partner in
carrying out your Dharma? ("sahadharma charee tava")
- Did not my father say that I would follow you as a shadow?
(ChaayEva anugataa). Only if you can get rid of your shadow can you
leave me behind.
- If my father comes to know of this, will he not think that
he had given his daughter in marriage to one who only appears to be
a man while actually is a woman?
"Raama jaamaataram praapya striyam purusha vigraham"
- Will he not think you to be a coward who is not competent to
protect your wife?
- Can the predictions of famous Astrologers in my father's
court that I am destined to live in forest become false?
- Is it not said that for a woman the father protects her in
childhood, the husband in her youth and son in her old age?
- Did you not promise very often to take me to the Asramams of
Maharishis?
Has not the time come now for you to do this?
- Are you jealous that if I come with you, people would praise
me as virtuous wife?
- May be, you have concubines in the forest that you wish to
leave me behind?
- Are you not ashamed that your advice looks like a low class
fellow pledging his wife to another and thereby eking out his own
existence?
- Instead of advising me to serve Bharata, would it not be
proper for you to serve him while I serve you?
- Does your preferring not to fight with your father for your
right show that you lack "pourusham"?
Rama was practically grounded by her pertinent questions and had to
yield to her request.
17. RAMA LAKSHMANA SAMVADAM
If Sita herself had to argue so much, LakshmaNa thought that he had
no chance. The only course open to him was to surrender at the feet
of Rama knowing that Rama would never forsake one who surrendered to
him. But, SaraNaagati can be effective only with the recommendation
of one whose words carry weight. He held tight to the feet of Rama
and looking at Sita pleaded for his accompanying them.
Sa braatrus CharaNam gaaDam nipeedya raghu nandana:
Seetaam uvaacha atiyasaa: raaghavam cha mahaa vratam//
He further promised that he would do all kinds of service at all
times, under all circumstances in any place, time or condition,
while Rama and Sita were awake or asleep.
Agratas tE gamishyaami panthaanam anu darsayan
Aaharishyaami tE nityam moolaani phalaani cha
Vanyaani yaani cha anyaani sva AahaaraaNi tapasvinaam
Bhavaams tu saha vaidehyaa giri saanushu ramsyatE
Aham sarvam karishyaami jaagrata: svapatas cha tE// (VR-2.31)
DID HE REALLY DO THIS? ASK NAMMAZHWAR!
LakshmaNa reminded Rama that when advising Sita to treat Bharata and
Satrughna as her elder brothers in his absence, Rama did not include
him in the list and therefore, it was Rama's intention to take him
along! Finally, Rama relented and agreed to his accompanying..
18. RAMA TAKES LEAVE OF DASARATHA
When Rama approached again to take leave of Dasaratha, the latter
was so grief stricken as to suggest that Rama might arrest and
incarcerate him and take over the kingdom. Rama consoled him saying
that the 14 years would fly off like 14 days and that he would be
back. KaikEyi who was standing nearby got scared and prompted Rama
to leave without any further delay, lest there should be a reversal
of her plans!
19. SUMANTRA SPEAKS
Sumantra, the Minister and Charioteer of Dasaratha and for that
reason, the king's confidant, was irked by her nudging, had some
harsh words for KaikEyi. He cited how Kaikeyi's mother was driven
out of the KeKaya kingdom when she insisted on her husband revealing
the purport of the language of some ants that the King could
understand and was laughing about. "You are behaving like your
mother and you deserve similar treatment". Your action is like
cutting off a fruit yielding tree replacing it with a bitter neem
tree"
20. SIDDAHARTA SPEAKS
KaikEyi mentioned that there was a precedent when Asamanjan of
Ikshvaagu dynasty was driven out of the kingdom; Siddhartar
explained that it was because Asamanjan indulged in drowning
children in River Sarayu and was banished for that reason and that
Rama cannot be accused of any such heinous behavior. When Dasaratha
ordered that an entire entourage should go with Rama with ample
provisions to last for their entire stay in the forest, KaikEyi
intervene to protest. He reminded that her boon did not include a
clause for not sending an entourage with Rama.
21. VASISHTA SPEAKS
When KaikEyi brought the tree barks as dress for the trio, VasishTa
was very much annoyed and said that in the absence of Rama, Sita
could take over the administration on behalf of her husband and if
she insisted on going with Rama, she could do so but adorned with
all the ornaments and jewels because the boon that KaikEyi got - did
not contain a provision for Sita going to the forest.
22. A MOTHER-IN-LAW AND HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (SIDE STORY)
H.H. narrates a funny story as to how a modern woman would behave in
similar circumstances. A man was living with his wife and his aged
mother. The wife was ill treating her mother-in-law. He told
her: "My mother is about 80 years old and may not live long. Why
don't you treat her with a little consideration?" When the wife was
away, he asked his mother not to argue with his wife who was of bad
temper. When the wife returned, he advised her not to fight with the
old lady. "You loved me and married me. Why not act as per my
advice?" The wife answered "If this were so, why did YOU marry me?
You could have married your mother and enjoyed all her nagging!"
23. SUMITRA `S REACTION
When LakshmaNa conveyed the news to his mother Sumitra, unlike
Kousalya, she unlike Kousalya did not feel forlorn. Why did
Kousalya and Sumitra react so differently? Sumitra was more a
philosopher who had a dispassionate look at life listening to her
intellect than Kousalya who was carried away by emotion and
sentiment listening to her heart!
STORY OF THREE GRAND DAUGHTERS!-
The reaction of different persons to the same piece of information
differs according to their GuNas; Age also plays a role in their
reaction. For example, the author had three grand daughters aged 20,
10 and 5 respectively. When a conversation turned up about the
author's forthcoming "SathabhishEkam", the eldest one said "Grandpa!
You should live long until at least after my wedding and beget my
child"; the middle one said "Grandpa! You are becoming very old. It
is high time that you used a walking stick"; the youngest one threw
literally a bombshell when she said "Grandpa! You are 80 plus! You
should be dead by now!"
24. SUMITRA'S ADVICE
Sumitra advised that
- LakshmaNa should return only with Rama.
- Before anything befalls to Rama, he should offer to
sacrifice himself to protect Rama.
Pinnum pagarvaaL maganE ivan pin sel / tambi ennum paDi anru /
aDiyaarin yEval seidi Mannum nagarkkE ivan vandiDil vaa/adu anrEl /
munnam muDi /enranaL(nagar neegu-439)
- Treat Rama as his own father and Sita as mother like
herself.
- She added a rider: "When I say you should treat Sita as my
self and obey her, do not leave her alone even if she orders you to
do so". May be, she had a premonition that Sita would one day ask
him to leave her alone to go after Rama!
25. DID RAMA ASK SUMANTRA TO TELL A LIE?
Sumantra was driving the chariot out of town with the trio on it.
Dasaratha longed to have a final look at them and came to the street
and actually was crying "Rama! Rama"! But, Rama instructed Sumantra
to speed up. Sumantra now had two masters. Whom should he obey? Rama
told him that if, later, a question arose as to why he did not stop
the chariot, he could explain it away saying that he did not hear
which obviously was not true! Rama meant that in the din and melee,
he could not stop the steeds and had to go ahead and did not mean to
disregard Dasaratha's call.
26. THE GRIEF OF THE CITIZENS
- Asking why Kousalya did not stop Rama, sons lost confidence
in their mothers.
- Asking why KaikEyi behaved as she did, husbands lost their
trust in their wives.
- Asking why Dasaratha should feel helpless, wives suspected
their husbands.
- Suspecting the complicity of Bharata, brothers lost the
credibility of brothers.
27. DASARATHA'S GRIEF
Dasaratha asked the attendants to carry him to Kousalya's place. He
told Kousalya that his eyes that went behind Rama never returned and
he could see no more. He asked her to gently touch him to see if his
sense of touch had also left him to go after Rama. Further, if the
Mother of Rama were to touch him, he would feel relief as if Rama
himself was touching! It was indeed a touching scene for sheer
pathos. Unable to see anything other than the cloud of dust arising
from the wheels of the rolling chariot, Dasaratha was cursing fate
that cannot be conquered even by the celestials.
28. NAARADA AND YAMA (SIDE STORY)
H.H. narrates the story of the "Power of fate" in which Yama and
Naarada were involved. Naarada had a young musician as his student
whom he used to take with him to various music performances,
explaining the intricacies of the renderings. At one such concert,
he noticed Yama laughing at him frequently. He interpreted Yama's
laughter as suggesting the impending demise of his dear Sishya. He
hid the Sishya in a far off cave away from Yama's sight and returned
to his seat as if nothing had happened. Now, he noticed Yama still
smiling at him. He demanded an explanation and told Yama that he had
hidden his Sishya and that Yama could not play any dirty tricks with
the Sishya. On hearing this, Yama laughed louder still and answered
that the Sishya was about to die by a falling rock when he was taken
to the cave and Naarada himself had facilitated this. As they were
talking, a huge rock in the cave suddenly dropped crushing the
Sishya to instant death. Naarada agreed that it was indeed
impossible to ward off the machinations of fate.
29. SUMANTRA TURNS THE CHARIOT TOWARDS AYODHYA
To avoid the citizens following him, Rama asked Sumantra to drive
the chariot back to AyOdhya, while he himself moved out of the place
towards the boundary of KOsala Kingdom on the banks of River
Syantika,, all without the knowledge of the citizens who were still
sleeping. As they woke up, they did not see the trio nor Sumantra
but only the wheel-prints of the chariot pointing towards the north.
Thinking that Rama had changed his mind and returned to AyOdhya,
they trekked back on the way to the city.
30. SRINGAVERAPURA
Crossing the Uttara kOsala's Southern boundary, the Rivers VEdasruti
and GOmati they headed arrived at Sringaverapura, the capital of the
boatman-hunter king, Guha. Guha had earlier met with Rama when the
latter visited the place as a prince. Guha welcomed the trio with
all due honors and requested them to stay with him for a "sleep
over". When Rama and Sita were sleeping, both LakshmaNa and Guha
spent the night without a wink of sleep. Do you know why? LakshmaNa
was concerned about Guha being in the payroll of Bharata and Guha
suspected LakshmaNa as one who could harm Rama in the forest much
like Bharata who, he thought, had harmed Rama in the city! They were
thus keeping a watchful eye on each other!
(To Continue)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 22 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 3
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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-
SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 22 - Slokam 13 Part 3,
tiruvAimozhi 1.3 contd.
? pASuram 1.3.5:
piNakkaRa aRu-vagaic-camayamum neRi uLLi uraitta
kaNakkaRu nalattanan antam-il Adi am-bhagavan
vaNakkuDait-tava neRi vazhi ninRu puRa neRi kaLai kaTTu
uNakkumin paSai aRa avanuDai uNarvu koNDu uNarndE (1.3.5).
antam-il Adi em-bhagavan, aRu vagaic-camayamum neRi uLLi, piNakku
aRa uraitta kaNakkaRu nalattanan. AvanuDai uNarvu koNDu uNarndu,
vaNakkuDai tava neRi vazhi ninRu, puRam neRi kaLai kaTTu, paSai aRa
uNakkumin ? In order to resolve this dispute once and for all,
empermAn who is the Creator of all and who is endowed with infinite
auspicious qualities, and who narurally possesses infinite knowledge
etc., analysed the six non-vedic faiths compared to the path shown
by the veda-s, and showed us through His own words (through the
gItA) that the path of devotion to Him to the exclusion of all other
paths, is the correct path to follow. Realize this truth shown by
Him very clearly, and completely detach yourself from all other
attachment.
svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the
phrase "sva-prabodha pradatvAt" ? Because He gives us the true
knowledge about Himself through SAstra-s such as the gItA ?
piNakkaRa aRu vagaic-camayamum neRi uLiLi uraitta kaNakkaRu
nalattanan. (Even though He is the same One who created the diverse
faiths) He has revealed the true knowledge about Himself through His
own words in the form of the gItA, the pA'ncarAtra, etc. He is a
sulabhan (recall the guNam at the daSakam level) because He has made
this information available to us through these easy means, so that
we can be free of confusion, and attain Him through the path He has
shown us. The gItA makes it crystal clear that we should not follow
the tAmasic and rAjasic grantha-s, but should follow the sAttvic
texts, that we should do all our actions by dedicating any benefit
to Him alone, and that worship of anya devatA-s is for those with
inferior intellect.
? pASuram 1.3.6:
uNarndu uNarndu izhindu aganRu uyarndu uruviyanda in-nilaimai
uNarndu uNarndu uNarilum iRai nilai uNarvadu aridu uyirgAL !
uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu ari ayan aran ennum ivarai
uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu iRai'njumin manappaTTadu onRE.
uyirgAL! uNarndu uNarndu izhindu aganRu uyarndu uru viyanda in-
nilaimai uNarndu uNarndu uNarilum, iRai nilai uNarvadu aridu;
uNarndu uNarndu ari, ayan, aran ennum ivarai uraittu uraittu, manap
paTTadu onRu uNarndu uNarndu uraittu uraittu iRai`njumin ? Oh you
jIva-s! The tattvam (true nature) of the Supreme Lord is not easy to
grasp, even though it may be possible to grasp the subtle nature of
your soul as different from the body through acquisition of
knowledge, your own different experiences, intense analysis
involving both depth and breadth, etc. Therefore, using all the
available scriptural evidence, thoroughly analyse the tri-mUrti-s ?
brahmA, vishNu and Siva, with an unbiased mind, analyze, discuss, re-
analyze and discuss over nd over again their complete personality,
traits, attributes, etc., and then come to a firm conclusion over
who is Supreme among the three, and then surrender to this one
Supreme Deity unconditionally.
svAmi deSikan identifies the main guNa reflected in this pASuram by
the phrase :khyAta abhikhyA Adi cihnAt (uNarndu uNarndu etc.) ?
Because He stands out through His well-known actions and the
associated fame. (khyAta ? well-known, renowned; abhikhyA ?
splendor, beauty, luster). His name ? nArAyaNa, His infinite kalyANa
guNa-s, His wondrous acts of protecting the other gods at their
times of trouble, His infinite Mercy towards His devotees, etc., are
all well-known, and clearly show Him to be the Supreme Deity over
and above all the other gods. However, for the non-discerining
souls, the arguments such as the tri-mUrti sAmyam ? equality between
the tri-mUrti-s etc., are presented to confuse their mind.
AzhvAr advises us to make an effort to understand the significance
behind bhagavAn's nAma-s, His actions, etc., based on a thorough,
sincere, unbiased, and serious effort to understand these based on
pramANa-s, and realize who the Supreme Deity is, and then surrender
to Him.
Note that AzhvAr is not coming out and declaring the parttvam of
SrIman nArAyaNan in this pASuram explicitly; instead, he gives us a
clear direction on how we should be able to find out the answer to
who among the tri-mUrti-s is the Supreme Deity, if only we take the
time to look at the existing pramANa-s, and think about it in an
unbiased way. He does not want to ask us to just accept his word on
this. In future pASuram-s, he will make it clear what his conclusive
position is on who the Supreme Deity is.
There are eight occurrences of the word uNanrndu in this pASuram.
The detailed interpretation of these different instances is
presented in detail in the write-up for this pASuram under the
title `tri-mUrti-s in tiruvAimozhi'.
-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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