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.09 / ISSUE # 04 dated 14th October 2007 ===================================================================== IN THIS ISSUE: 1. SARVAJIT - AIPPASI MAASA PANCHANGAM DETAILS ? SRI V MADHAVAKKANNAN 2. SUNDARA KHAANDAM PART - 2 (SRIMAD RAMAYANAM DISCOURSES IN THE HINDU TEMPLE OF ATLANTA by SRI ANBIL RAMASWAMY SWAMI) 3. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) ===================================================================== ISSUES RELEASED With this issue, about 267 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 36 Issues of Vol. 8 04 Issues of Vol. 9(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" ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 1. Sarvajit varsha aippasi maasa Panchangam: October 18, 2007- Thursday ? Aippasi month begins October 20, 2007 ? Saturday ? Hayagreeva Aradhanai (Sarasvati puja) October 21, 2007 ? Sunday ? Vijayadasami October 21, 2007 - Sunday ? avittam ? BhoothatthAzhwAr Thirunakshathram October 22, 2007 ? Monday ? sadhayam ? pEyAzhwAr Thirunakshathram November 8, 2007 ? Thursday ? Deepavali November 9 2007 ? Friday ? Amaavaasyai November 14, 2007 ? Wednesday ? moolam- Sri Manavala maamuni Thirunakshathram November 16 2007 ? Friday ? ThiruvONam - Poygai AzhwAr Thirunakshathram ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 2. "KISHKINDHAA KHAANDAM" PART - 2 OF SRIMAD RAMAYANAM (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. LANKINI WORSTED: LankiNi was the Guardian deity of the impregnable and impenetrable city. She intercepted Hanumaan and prevented him from entering the city without first vanquishing her. Hanumaan punched her forcefully with his the fist of his left hand (because it was beneath his dignity to strike a woman with the right hand) and this punctured her ego. She fell to the ground and told him that Brahma once told her that when a monkey hit her there would be a great catastrophe for the race of the Raakshasas (VR-3) 9. NO ENTRY PLEASE! Hanuman had overcome all the obstacles in jumping over the ocean and reaching Lanka. He waited outside long till dusk before entering Lanka city at night. He did not enter through the main gate but through a location that could well be considered a "No entry" zone (like a No fly zone). AdvaarENa mahaa baahoo praakaaram abhi pupluvE / Nisi lankaam mahaa sathvO vivEsa kapi kunjara: // (Sargam 4.2) This is one of the strategies to be adopted by warriors seeking victory over their enemies. They are supposed to make a backdoor entry, at an hour when none from the enemy camp could notice anything out of the way. Also, it is said that AnjanEya took a tiny form to outwit the enemy camp. Perhaps it was a case of saying "Honey! I shrunk myself"! The point is that for one desirous of victory, entry into the enemy fortress should be under cover of darkness of night, in full disguise and by jumping over a protective wall avoiding the regular gateway 10. LANKA BY NIGHT The moon was shining in full bloom and made "Lanka by moon" more beautiful than "Lanka by noon" (VR 5). Hanumaan searched in the mansions of the great heroes of Ravana's Court like: Prahasthan, Mahaa-paarsvan, Kumba-karNan, VibheeshaNan, MahOdaran, Viroopa- akshan, Vidhyuj-jihvan, Vidyun-maali, Vajra-dhamshtran, Sukan, SaaraNan, Indra-jit, Jambu-maali, Sumaali, Rasmi-kEtu, Soorya-Satru, Vajra-kaayan, Dhoomra-akshan, Sampaadi, Vidhyut-roopan, Ganan, Viganan, Sukha-naasan, Vakran, SaTan, Hrasva-KarNan, DhamshTran, ROmasan, YuddhOnmattan, Mathan, Dvaja-greevan, Naadhi, Indra-jihvan, Hasti-mukhan, KaraaLan, Pisaachan, SONita-akshan and Ravana himself and was amazed by the kind of luxurious life they were enjoying.(VR 6) Though Viswakarma and Mayaa took credit for constructing these mansions, they were built actually under the personal direction and supervision of Ravana himself. (VR7) 11. PUSHPAKA VIMAANAM: The flying mansion (an RV?) called "Pushpakam" was built by Viswakarma with all the comforts and luxuries "built-in". As it was a divine vehicle, it did not land on land but had its own runway and hangar and other appurtenances right on the skies. It could fly to any place as per the mere wish of its owner and could accommodate as many as he wished. With the powers gained by penance of over 10,000 years, Ravana fought with his brother, KubEra who himself got it from Brahma after intense Tapas and snatched it from him. BrahmaNa artE kritam divyam divi yad Viswa karmaNa / Vimaanam pushpakam naama sarva ratna ParENa tapasaa lEbhE yat kubEra: pita mahaath / KubEram Ojasaa jitvaa lEbhE Tad Raakshas Eswara: // (VR 8 and 9.11-12) 12. DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A REASON WHY RAVANA DID NOT SUBDUE SRI SITA BY FORCE? It is said that though he was physically strong, he developed a weakness for women. He tried to sexually molest NalaKubara's wife. She spelled a curse saying that if ever he tried to force any woman, his head would smash to smithereens. This is said to be the reason why he desisted from touching Sri Sita. Ravana himself admits to Sri Sita that he would not touch her without her consent. 13. RAVANA'S HAREM: The young ladies in Ravana's harem lay in deep unconsciousness with their necklaces and waistbands broken and garments loose. This looked like mares who having gone through a very long course, rolled over and over on the ground to throw off their weariness and fatigue! As AnjanEya traversed the inner apartments of Ravana, he saw the burning lamps standing steady and motionless. This looked like gamblers who lost everything having been fleeced bare by veterans deeply planning about wreaking vengeance and recovering their losses! The gem studded lamps glowed with a steady radiance as if they were lovers stealthily gazing on with un-winking eyes at the ladies of Ravana's harem which they could not ever dream of doing when Ravana was awake!. Only some of the ladies in the harem were brought by Ravana through his might or entranced by his opulence but most of them came to him on their own volition enchanted by his charm and glamour. (VR 9) Ravana was lying in the midst of these ladies on a special bed on a cot embedded with precious gems and flowers of various hues and fragrances like saffron, musk, athar, aloes, sandal, civet and other rare perfumes. Hanumaan was sorry that while he could not see Sita, he had to see the one who abducted her. He saw a woman of exceptional beauty lying on a similar ambience and for a moment doubted if it was Sita (VR 10). 14. THE LIQUOR BAR Soon, he decided that Sita could not sleep especially when she was desolate on her separation from Rama. He passed through the liquor parlor with attendant appearances of wine glasses, some "full", some "half-full" and some others "half-empty" with the revelers, some were half-asleep and some others in deep-sleep but all in different stages of intoxication with their dresses not covering parts of bodies that ought to be covered and others even without any dress at all! As Hanumaan, (the confirmed bachelor who had perfect control over his senses) goes through the harem of Ravana in search of Sri Sita, he happens to see ladies lying there in voluptuous postures and rues over his having had to look at them in the course of his search for Sri Sita. Hanumaan was even sorry for a moment whether he had been a "fool to rush where others feared" to attempt. But, he finds that this scene did not distract his mind. He concludes saying that ? "It is indeed the mind that is responsible for senses getting attached to sense objects". Since his mind was under perfect control, no opprobrium attached to his going through the harem. Further, if a woman were to be searched for, where else can one hope to find her than where ladies congregate? Na hi manasa: kimchit vaikrityam upa padhyatE ManO hi hEtu: sarvEshaam indriyaaNaam pravrtanE StriyO hi Streeshu drisyantE savathaa pari maargaNE (Sargam 11.42-44) The moral conveyed is that one should strive to keep one's mind under full control even at provocative situations. 15. WHY ONE SHOULD CONQUER SORROW? When he gets exasperated on not being able to find Sri Sita in spite of an intensive search everywhere, Hanumaan becomes despondent. But, soon he regains composure and tells himself how sorrow would spoil one's efforts in any pursuit and therefore one should pursue one's objectives without being overwhelmed by sorrow AnirvEda: sriyO: moolam anirvEda: param sukham / AnirvEdO hi satatam sarva arthEshu pravartaka: // karOti saphalam jantO: karma yathntatha karOti sa: / tasmaat anirvEda karam yatnam chEshTE aham uthamam // (Sargam 12 - 10-11) dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy (To be continued) ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 3.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SUBMISSION 34 - SLOKAM 15 -PART 5 (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) --------------------------------------------------------------------- SrImate ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH. svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4 continued. svApadeSam for pASuram 1.4.9 ? "nADAda malar nADi" pASuram: AzhvAr invokes the "UDADu pani vADAi" ? the cool breeze that is moving back and forth between him and perumAL, as his messenger in this pASuram. svAmi deSikan captures the AcArya guNam conveyed as the inner meaning in this pASuram through the words "abhigata SiSirAn" ? AcArya-s act like a cool soothing breeze to anyone who approaches them and seeks their guidance. This is conveyed through the words "ASrayitta pErgaLukku atyanta SIta svabhAvarAna AcAryagaL" by SrI ve'nkaTeSAcArya, and through the words "kuLircci porundiya vADaik kARRu pOlE aDiyAr tirattil kuLirnda (irakkam pUNDa) cintai uDaiyAr" by SrI PBA. SrI UV captures the significance of the words "UDADu' in "UDADu pani vADAi" by pointting out that the AcAryan graces the disciples by `coming to them' ? "SishyarkaLik kuRittu ezhundaruLiyavarAi", or, alternately, `having been approached by the Sishya-s' ? `SishyarkaLAl ASrayikkap paTTavar'. Or, the word can be enjoyed as referring to the AcAryan coming back and forth to greet the many Sishya-s repeatedly. SrI UV gives another interpretation also ? AcArya-s interact with perumAL through their offering of worship beautifully ? uDADi. svApadSeSam for pASuram 1.4.10 ? "uDal Azhip piRappu" pASuram: In this pASuram, AzhvAr addresses his mind which is the most intimate thing he can communicate with ? "Azhi maDa ne'njE!", unlike in the previous pASuram-s where external entities were being asked to convey messages to emperumAn. svAmi deSikan identifies the AcArya guNam conveyed in this pASuram as "antara'nga ukti yogyAn" ? AcArya- s with whom intimate rahasya-s can be shared very freely. As for the words `UDADi' in the previous pASuram, this aspect of sharing of intimatcy applies to both the relationship between perumAL and AcAryan, and the relationship between AcAryan and the Sishyan. SrImad tirukkuDandai ANDavan summarises the AcArya guNam in this pASuram by noting that the AcAryan is one with whom intimate thoughts can be shared ? antara'ngamAna Sollukku ucitarAna AcAryargaL. This covers the relation between perumAL and AcAryan, and also between AcAryan and disciple. Just as our mind is intimate to us, AcAryan is intimate both to bhagavAn and to the disciple. AcAryan communicated to tirukkacci nimbi the answers to the six questions raised by bhagavad rAmAnuja because of this intimacy. AcAryan instructs the disciple on rahasya-s (secret meanings of SAstra-s), and shows the path to surrender to emperumAn to the disciple. The disciple also feels free to share his intimate questions, doubts, issues, etc., with the AcAryan because the AcAryan is a sulabhan. Azhi means `deep', and maDam refers to innocence, tenderness etc. Just as the mind keeps information without letting out indiscriminately, AcAryan also will not divulge the faults (dosham) of his disciple to others ? Azhi maDa ne'nju ? antara'nga ukti yogyan. Thus, the following ten guNa-s of AcArya-s have been conveyed as svApadeSam in tiruvAimozhi 1.4. The AcAryan: - is easily accessible to the disciple ?(maDa nArai) - is endowed with sweet and kind words to instruct the disciple ? (kuyil) - clearly distinguishes between way of life that follows SAstra-s and that does not, and leads a way of life consistent with the SAstra-s ? (annam) - resembles Lord kRshNa Himself in guNa-s such as infinite mercy etc.(kRshNa sArUpa saumyam) - considers kaNNan as his sustenance in all ways (uNNum SORu, parugum nIr, tinnum veRRilai ellAm kaNNan) ? those who are pure in what they eat for sustenance - has the marks of SrIman nArAyaNan on his tirumEni (Sa'nkha, cakra etc.) ? Azhi vari vaNDu - displays the innocence of a child by hiding his greatness (iLam kiLi) - becomes subservient to the will of his disciples (pUvai bird, SarikA) - have a cool and comforting nature ? pani vADai - has the disposition that makes him suited for intimate exchange of thoughts (Azhi maDa ne'nju). Having thus described 10 guNa-s of AcAryan that make him ideally suited to convey our message of surrender to bhagavAn and to make Him accept our surrender, svAmi deSikan summarizes the glory of the AcAryan in the last line of the Slokam ? AcAryAn kRshNa labdha avavRNuta SaThajit preyasI dUta nItyA ? SaThakopa muni who is deeply intoxicated in love with Lord kRshNa is approaching the AcAryan to serve as the messenger to facilitate his surrender to emperumAn, just as the nAyaki in deep love with her separated nAyakan will send all the birds around her as her messenger to him ? avarkaLai SaraNam pukku dUtyattilE niyOgittu aruLinAr -dAsan kRshNamAcAryan (To be continued) ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 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! 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