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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 # 28 dated 9th June 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART -4 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI)
2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 255 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
28 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)
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1. "AYODHYA KHAANDAM" PART - 3 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE
HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA.
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
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43. THE KING CREMATED
The King's body wad duly cremated.  While Valmiki says that Bharata 
performed the funereal rites (anthima kriyais) and after-death 
rituals (Apara-uttara- kriyais) , Kamban says that since Dasaratha 
had declared Bharata as not qualified to do these, Satrughna 
performed them.
 "enru koori nondu iDarin moozhgum,  attunru taaar avarkku ILAYA 
THONRALAAL
Anru nERk kaDan amaivadu aakkinaan,  Ninru naan marai neri sei 
neermaiyaan" 

44. BHARATA DECLINES THE OFFER
The subjects requested Bharata to take the reins. VasishTa also 
advised him to accede to the request of the subjects. But, he flatly 
refused saying that as per the law of primogeniture, only Rama was 
entitled to rule after Dasaratha and that he would not agree to 
their request. Saying that both he and the Kingdom were equally the 
properties of Rama he asked whether one property could ever hold 
sway over another property. He ordered that arrangements should be 
made for the entire citizenry to go with him to the forest to 
persuade him to return and accept the kingdom.

45. BHARATA MEETS WITH GUHA
Guha saw the huge battalions of Bharata's entourage and suspected 
that not satisfied with banishing Rama, Bharata was coming to the 
forest to exterminate Rama there. However, as he was not sure of 
Bharata's intentions, he was getting ready for both a peaceful 
détente if possible and a fierce fight if need be. He ordered his 
armies to keep themselves in readiness. He gazed at Bharata wearing 
no royal insignia but was in the garb of an ascetic. He changed his 
mind and approached Bharata with fruits etc. as a mark of respect to 
a guest. Guha was so moved when Bharata narrated his side of the 
events that he exclaimed that his greatness was more than even a 
thousand Ramas. 

"taay urai koNDu/ taadai udhaviya / dharaNi tannai
Tee vinai enna neethu /  chintanai mugattil tEkki
Poyinai enra pOzhdu /  pugazhinOi/  tanmai kaNDaal
Aayiram Raamar nin kEzh aavarO, teriyin ammaa! (Gangai kaaNN-1019)

Guha then described to Bharata how Rama, LakshmaNa and Sita spent 
their time in his company. Strange that Guha, who had spent just one 
day with Rama and LakshmaNa, was lecturing to Bharata about those 
with whom he was born and had lived for so long!

46. BHARATA MEETS WITH BHARADWAJA
Crossing Ganga with the help of Guha, Bharata proceeded to the 
hermitage of Sage Bharadwaaja who incidentally was of the same age 
as VasishTa. Since a king should not approach the hermitage of a 
Rishi with a crowd and especially with an army, he ordered them to 
stay at a distance and proceeded with Satrughna to pay their 
respects to the Sage. Bharadwaaja invited the entire entourage and 
gave a grand feast to all of them. Ascertaining the route to 
ChitrakooTam, Bharata searched for "Raamaasramam". They spotted the 
Asramam from the smoke emanating from the roof evidencing some 
cooking there.

47. LAKSHMANA'S ANGER ON SEEING BHARATA
Rama and LakshmaNa heard the din of an approaching crowd. LakshmaNa 
climbed up a tree to find out what it was. He saw Bharata coming 
with a huge army. He climbed down to tell Rama that Bharata was a 
traitor and that he was coming to kill them. He vowed to smash and 
burn up his army. Rama counseled patience telling that he had 
mistaken Bharata who was a real Saatvic. 

He told LakshmaNa: 
-       "If you kill him, people would say that because he had 
deprived me of my dues, I arranged for you to kill him. 
-       In AyOdhya, you swore to kill our father. Here, you are 
vowing to kill Bharata. 
-       Can you not think anything positive? 
-       Let Bharata come. 
-       If you want to rule AyOdhya, I will ask him to give it up in 
your favor. 
-       Will you be satisfied?"
On hearing this, LakshmaNa felt ashamed and kept quiet.

48. RAMA GITA 
The moment Bharata arrived, Rama hugged him and enquired about the 
welfare of the King. Even before Bharata could answer, Rama started 
putting to Bharata a volley of 60 questions bearing on as many as 83 
aspects of Statecraft (Raaja-neethi) and asked him whether he was 
following these rules in his governance. 
Do you know why?

It is because, if he were to come to know about Dasaratha's death 
first, there would be no occasion for him to put those questions and 
advise Bharata. Also, he knew that Bharata would need this advice 
later on when he would have to rule the kingdom (albeit by proxy). 
This peroration of Rama is known as "Rama Gita".
 
The points advised by Rama are as relevant to today's administrators 
as they were at the time when they were delivered to Bharata!
Bharata, however, replied that he had no use for these aspects 
because he was determined not to go back to rule but had come to 
request Rama to return to AyOdhya for the purpose.

49. RAMA-BHARATA SAMVAADAM
Bharata advanced several arguments as to why Rama should return:
While revealing the news of the death of the King Bharata said "The 
King died thinking of you and you only; He desired to see you and 
you only; He never ever had any thoughts other than you; It was 
separation from you that immersed him in such grief; Till the last 
breath, he was remembering you and only you" (101-9)

sOchams TAVA darsanEpsu: TVAYYA va saktaam/ anivarthya buddhim/
TVAYAA viheena:/ TAVA sOka rugNas /TVAAM sam smaran/ astamita: pita/ 
TE//

On hearing the news, Rama was struck with grief. Addressing 
LakshmaNa he said "Your father has passed away" Addressing Sita he 
said "Sita! Your father-in law has passed away! Even if I were angry 
with you at any time, you would seek his advice. Who will advise you 
now?" Then Rama and LakshmaNa did the "PiNDa pradaanam" to the 
departed soul as per the Saastras.
Bharata again and again pleaded with Rama to return. 
-       "Even if one person were to shed tears, you cannot bear it. 
How can you bear when the entire citizenry of KOsala with tears in 
their eyes beg of you to return?"
-       "I will stay in the forest for 14 years if you agree to rule 
AyOdhya"
Rama was not moved. He replied: 
-       All that had happened was as per the will of destiny 
-       It is natural for a fruit to fall off the branch when it 
becomes over ripe.                            
So, do not grieve for the demise of the King.
-       Will the waters of a river flowing into the ocean ever 
return?
-       Man delights at Sunrise thinking that he would earn his 
livelihood; At Sunset, he delights on the opportunity to enjoy what 
he had earned. He does not realize that every passing day, ticks off 
one day from the length of his life.
Nandanti udita aadityE nandanti astamitE ravou/
aatmanO na avabudhyantE manushyaa jeevita kshayam// (VR 105-24)
-       Like two logs of wood in sea are brought together by a wave 
and cast asunder by another wave, there is no cause to grieve over 
the demise of father.
-       Like drops of rain waters falling into a flowing river and 
are not seen anymore life on earth is ticking away without our 
notice.
-       More than anything else, you should know that our father has 
ascended to Svargam and will "live happily ever after". Why do you 
feel guilty?
-       Finally, Rama comes out with the big truth he had learned 
that at the time of Dasaratha's marriage with KaikEyi, Dasaratha had 
made a solemn promise that the son born to her only will succeed him 
to the throne.
Sage Jaabaali seized upon the thread of Rama's advice on the 
impermanence of mortal relationships and tried to convince Rama by 
taking up the stand of Chaaru-vaaka philosophy that negates all 
relationships in the world saying -
-       A wayfarer would never care for what happens to the choultry 
where he was staying once his work was finished
-       If departed souls could be fed by offering Sraaddha piNdam, 
the same logic could be applied to relatives who go to far off 
places and piNdam given to a person here should sate the hunger of 
the traveler there!
-       The very mother who sent you to the forest now pleads for 
your return. Why not obey her now also?
Rama took umbrage at Jaabaali's arguments as atheistic (Naastika 
vaadam) saying that he would never ever forsake the path of Dharma 
of obeying the order of his father.

50. PINDAMUM PANDAMUM- A MONEY ORDER (STORY) 
It may be questioned whether the "piNDa" (Balls of cooked rice) and 
sesame seed offerings directly reach them. The three generation of 
ancestors consisting of parents, grandparents and great grandparents 
(Pitu; Pitaamaha: and Pra-pitaamaha) are believed to live in the 
regions of Vasus, Rudras and Adityas. 

Supposing you offer a soiled currency to the Post Office near your 
home for sending a Money Order to someone in another place, the 
delivery Post office does not deliver the same soiled currency to 
the payee. May be, a fresh currency note in the Treasury branch of 
that Post office is actually delivered. Likewise, the piNDam etc 
offered here are converted into forms acceptable to them and their 
blessings returned to the Karta (doer) in a form acceptable to him. 
In other words, this would return in the form of welfare of the doer 
and his progenies.  In a sense, this is very much like "Foreign 
Exchange"

But, one thing is believed to be certain. While performing these 
rites may or may not confer any blessings but Non-performance is 
believed to lead to displeasure of ancestors translating into sin.

51. BHARATA SARANAGATI
When Bharata surrendered to him, Rama replied -
"Since you say that I am your master, I hereby order you to go back 
and rule the kingdom as per the wishes of our father and your 
mother" Bharata was flabbergasted by the firm resolve of Rama and 
had no alternative to accepting his command. But, he put one 
condition that if at the end of 14 years, if Rama did not turn up at 
AyOdhya, he would commit suicide by falling into fire. Rama agreed. 
As a pawn, Rama stood on his footwear (Paadukas) and offered it to 
Bharata. It is common practice that the value of the pawned article 
would always be more than the amount pawned. By this logic, says 
Swami Desika in "Sri Paadukaa Sahasram", Rama's Paadukas were more 
valuable than Rama himself!

52. WHY BHARATA'S SARANAGATI BECAME INEFFECTIVE?
1.      There was a lack of confidence (Mahaaviswaasam)  on the part 
of Bharata when he said "IF RAMA DOES NOT RETURN, I will also stay 
back in the forest"
2.      Bharata spoke ill of Kula guru in the open assembly, when 
VasishTa suggested his ascending the throne "sabhaa madhyE jagarhE 
cha purOhitam"
3.      Rama had earlier promised to the Devas and later to the 
Rishis that he would destroy the Rakshasas (including Ravana). He 
had to execute his prior promise before acceding to the subsequent 
request of Bharata.
4.      He had first to keep up the word given to his father (pitru 
vaakhya paripaalanam), keep the Dharma to which he had committed 
himself (Svadharma paripaalanam)

53. PADUKA PATTABHISHEKAM
Holding the Paadukais on his head, Bharata returned to AyOdhya. He 
did the coronation to the Paadukais (Paadukaa PaTTabhishEkam) by 
placing them on a throne in Nandigramam, a village on the outskirts 
of AyOdhya from where he ruled in the name of the "Rama Paadukais"..

(To Continue with AraNya khaaNdam)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 24 - SLOKAM 13 -PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSIkAya namaH. 
tAtparya ratnAvaLi - Submission 24, Slokam 13 Part 5, 
tiruvAimozhi 1.3 concluded. 
? pASuram 1.3.9: 
valattanan tiri-puram erittavan iDam peRat tundit- 
talattanan ezhu tiSai-mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum 
pulappaDap pinnum tan ulagattil agattanan tAnE 
Solap pugil ivai pinnum vayiRRuLa ivai avan tuyakkE. 
tundit-talattu ezhu tiSai mukan paDaitta nal ulagamum tAnum tundit 
talattu iDam peRa, tiri-puram erittavan valattanan; pinnum tan 
ulagattil pulappaDa tAnE agattanan; Solap pugil, pinnum ivai 
vayiRRuLa; ivai avan tuyakkE. ? 

The four-faced brahmA who was born from the navel of bhagavAn has a 
place of sustenance at that same lotus navel, along with the worlds 
that he created; rudran who is credited with destroying the three 
cities in the form of the three asura-s, has a place of protection 
on the right side of emperumAn. While He is thus Supreme above all 
else, still He takes incarnations and presents Himself in that same 
world for all of us to see. If we are to list His kalyANa guNa-s, 
there are infinte such guNa-s that we don't even realize. Our 
inability to realize Him fully is just another of His mAyA-s. 
svAmi deSikan captures the essence of this pASuram through the 
words "SarvAdeh svA'nga dAnAt" - Because He has offered a place of 
protection for rudra etc. in His body. SrImad tirukkuDanthai ANDavan 
refers us to the following from moksha dharma, which converys the 
same message: paSya ekAdaSa me rudrAn dakshiNam pArSvam ASritAn 
(moksha dharma 36.11). 

Even when bhagavAn shows His extreme saulabhyam by offering places 
of protection to rudra and brahmA in His own tirumEni, and even 
though He has given them the same treatment as He has given tio 
pirATTi by offering a place in His tirumeni to them (refer to 
nammAzhvAr's pASuram ERALum iRaiyOnum tiSai muganum tirumagaLum 
kURALum tiru uDamban ? tiruvAi. 4.8.1), and even when He has 
revelaed His superiority over all through His incarnations, still 
there are those who are confused about who the Supreme Deity is 
(ivai avan tuyakkE). The fact that bhagavAn is a sulabhan in not 
only revealed by His offering a place of protection to brahmA and 
rudra in His body, but also by His taking incarnations in the world 
in which even the likes of brahmA and rudra don't set foot, just to 
be accessible to His devotees. 
? pASuram 1.3.10: 
tuyakkaRu madi-il nal j~nAnattuL amararait tuyakkum 
mayakkuDai mAyaigaL vAnilim periyana vallan 
puyal karu niRattanan peru nilam kaDanda nal aDip pOdu 
ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan, vaNa'nguvan amarndE. 
tuyakkaRu madi il nal j~nAnattuL amararai tuyakkum mayakkuDai 
vAnilim periyana mAyaigaL vallan , puyal karu niRattanan, peru nilam 
kaDanda nallaDip pOdu amarndu, ayarppilan, alaRRuvan, tazhuvuvan, 
vaNa'nguvan. ? I will stay put at the Lotus Feet of that dark-hued 
emperumAn who measured the three worlds, and who can control the 
minds of even the likes of rudra and brahmA who are endowed with 
superior knowledge and with clear minds beyond confusion, through 
His leelA-s that are more huge even than the sky itself, and I will 
not be distracted from my enjoyment of the greatness of those Lotus 
Feet, I will brag about their greatness incessantly, I will embrace 
them, and I will prostrate to them. 

svAmi deSikan captures the most noteworthy guNa of bhagavAn from 
this pASuram through the words "prahita padatayA" ? Because He gave 
the shelter of His extended Feet to all (during His trivikrama 
incarnation) - peru nilam kaDanda nal aDi. The word `prahita' 
means `Placed, extended, stretched out, dispatched, directed'. One 
derivation given by SrI UV for the word prahita is `prakRshTam hitam 
pra-hitam', stressing tht it is for the hitam or good of all. It is 
not just those who are not devoted to Him that have difficulty 
realizing His true nature; even the likes of brahmA and rudra, who 
know that He is the Supreme Deity, get distracted by their desires, 
and get confused about His true nature. If this is the case with the 
likes of brahmA and rudra, there is nothing to wonder about the 
state of confusion in which ordinary people find themselves in, when 
it comes to realizing who the Supreme Deity is, and in following the 
sure and correct path to redeem themselves from the bondage of 
samsAra. To redeem these countless jIva-s, bhagavAn in His Infinite 
Mercy, decided to take the tri-vikrama incarnation, decided to 
extend His Feet to reach all these jIva-s and became accessible to 
them without any effort on their part. Those Lotus Feet are the 
resort that nammAzhvAr reveals to us in this pASuram. Through this 
act, bhagavAn who is the utmost sulabhan (recall the guNa at the 
daSakam level) shows His deep attachment to all the jIva-s who are 
His possession. 

As noted earlier, svAmi deSikan concludes the Sloka 13, identifying 
the 10 key guNa-s of the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3, with the 
summary for this tiruvAimozhi ? ananta saulabhyam Aha ? AzhvAr is 
revealing the infinite saulabhyam (infinite ease of access to the 
true devotee), through the ten pASuram-s of tiruvAimozhi 1.3 
(pattuDai aDiyavarkku eLiyavan). 
This concludes Slokam 13. 
-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan 
(To be continued)
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