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.05 / ISSUE # 24 dated 24th July 2004
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. SWAMI NAMMAZHWAR ?Snippets -Part 5
>From Tiruvoimozhi (Anbil Ramaswamy)
2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ? PART 27
THE GLORY OF AANGIRASA GOTRAM ? PART 11 (Anbil Ramaswamy)
3. FROM MAHABHARATA: ?YAKSHA PRASNAM?
PART 45: PRASNAM 111 and 112
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Senior Officer of Government of India.
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1. SWAMI NAMMAZHWAR ?Snippets -Part 5
>From Tiruvoimozhi (Anbil Ramaswamy)
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Pasuram 1.2.10
eNN perukku aNN nalathu ? oNN poruL eerilaa
vaNN pugazh naaraNan- thiNN kazhal sErE
eNN perukku aNN nalathu oNN poruLeerila: By reciting the 8 lettered
AshTaakshara Mantra, every syllable of which contains innumerable meanings
and can confer immeasurable benefits, you can attain His feet.
ThaNN kazhal sErE: What kind of feet?
Take refuge at the strong unfailing bulwark of the Lord?s feet. This
indicates Paramapadam cf Dyaana slOkam of AsTaaksharam.
Enn eerilaa:: Infinite and endless can be applied to Jivas who have am+nalam
innumerable in number and qualities like Jnaana, Aananda, Svayam prakaasa
etc.
Eerilaa vaNN pugazh naaraNan: Whose feet?
It is the feet of Lord Narayana of incomparable and unsullied fame.
These are not mere juggling of words but are derived etymologically and the
words eNN, oNN, vaNN, and thiNN are not mere alliterations. Each is
surcharged with a battery of meanings that have to be learned by the
initiate ONLY at the feet of an Achaarya and cannot and should not be fully
explained in a short write up like this.
Even Koorathaazhwaan while explaining Tiruvoimozhi to BhaTTar and sreeramap
piLLai is reported to have told them to learn them at the feet of their
Achaarya, since they deal with the most esoteric Tirumantra and can never be
comprehended by mere book knowledge.
All we need to know, for now, is that this verse and indeed the whole of
Tiruvoimozhi is considered to be the exposition of the significance of
AshTaakshara.
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Pasuram 1.3.1
pathuDai aDiyavarkku eLiyavan ? pirargaluKKu ariya
vithakan malar magaL virumbum namm perra al aDigal
maththuru kaDai veNNaik kaLvinil uraliDai yaappuNdu
ethiram, uralinODu iNaindu iruntha yEngiya yeLivE
The Lord is easily accessible to His humble devotees and totally
unapproachable to others. He is the darling of the damsel on the lotus
(Mahaalakshmi); one who is beyond comprehension. Such a one was also the one
who was tied to a rolling stone 9ural) having been caught red handed in the
act of stealing butter with his hands deeply into the butter container and
pleaded pathetically to his mother as if he was afraid of her!
What a Paratvam! What a Soulabhyam!
The Azhwaar who was reciting this Pasuram is reported to have lost
consciousness for six months exclaiming ?Ethiram? Ethiram?? referring to the
Lord?s simplicity and wondered why on earth the Lord of unsurpassed grandeur
allowed himself to be so tied and appeared threatened concealing His
Paratvam.
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Pasuram 2.3.4
enadu aaviyuL kalanda peru nall uthavik kaimaaru
Enathu aavi tanduozhindEn ini meeLvathu uNDE
Enathu aaviyum yaavaiyumnee pozhilEzhuNDA vEnthaai
Enathu aavi aariyanaar tanthu nee koNdu aakkinayE
The Azhwar asks the Lord: ?How can I thank you for all the help you have
rendered to me? Shall I give my life to you? How stupid it is to say that it
is ?my life? and that I would offer it to you? My life, my soul, the soul of
my soul ? everything is already yours. Are you not the one who devoured the
whole universe and released everything giving life and soul to everyone
including me? Considering what belongs to you as ?mine? is already a theft.
Offering it to you as if I am the donor and you the recipient is absurd. So,
it boils down to your taking what is yours?
Uthavi: Help.
Nall uthavi: help without expecting gratitude
Peru nall uhavi: Taking pride in doing this as if it were a great privilege.
This sentiment is found echoed in ALavandaar?s StOtram Slokas 52-53
cf: ?vipuraadheeshu? mama naathah?
Periyavaachaan PiLLai says that this ?Offering and recognizing the absurdity
of the offer? though contrary have to be gone through constantly till one
reaches Moksha.
EeDu Sri Sookti explains this dilemma thus:
?If you do not offer and expect Moksha, it is tantamount to saying that
Moksha is attainable by everyone whether offered or not and this cannot be
correct. If you offer, it is tantamount to your considering as yours what
did not belong to you and hence a theft and treating yourself as a donor and
the Lord as the donee ? both are ?apacharas?. The only way of solving this
Dharma SankaTam situation is to offer in the first place and then repent
next! This is called ?nivEdam?- an expiatory exercise sure to absolve one of
all taints.
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Pasuram 2.9.1
yemmA veeTTu thiramum seppam, ninn
semmaa paathaparputh thalai sEr thollai
kaimmaa tunpam kaDinda piraanE
ammaa aDiyEn vENDuvatu eedE
When the Lord offers Moksha to the Azhwar, the Azhwar declines saying that
he would like to do service like LakshmaNa and Bharata. He did not desire
anything for himself and says ?unakkE aagi irukkum iruppE yenakku vENDuvatE?
?Oh! Lord! Who relieved GajEndra from his misery. I do not even desire
Moksha. All that I need is to serve you at your feet?
The reference to GajEndra is significant. It should be remembered that the
Lord sent His Chakra which like a professional surgeon cut the mouth of the
crocodile all around without damaging the leg of the elephant that was deep
into the throat of the crocodile.
The hint is ?You can cut off my sins in the same manner without damage to my
Svarupa?.
Another inference is that in the case of GajEndra, there was only one
crocodile but in the case of Azhwar, he was caught up in the clutches of
five cruel crocodiles in the form of the five senses.
Also, unlike GajEndra who was only in a tank, the Azhwar was drowning in the
ocean of Samsara. ?So? says the Azhwar ?I am entitled to your E.R Care?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Pasuram 3.7.1
Payilum suDaroLi moorthiyai pangayak kaNNanai
Payila iniya namm paarkaDal sErntha paramanai
Payilum TiruvuDaiyaaar yaavarElum avar kaNDeer
Payilum pirappidai thOrru emmai aaLum paramarE
After establishing that service to the Lord is Parama Purushaartham in
?emmaa veeDU?, the Azhwar proceeds to explain the ?Last post? (i.e.)
purushaartha kaashTRa Adhikara? of this service. He says that this is
service to the ?Bhaagavatas?. The ?aanya sEshatvam? implied in ?u? in the
PraNava mantram ? ?I am NOT sEshan to anyone? EXCLUDES ONLY all other
deities and one?s own self but INCLUDES ?Bhaagavata sEshatvam? (i.e) Service
to servants of the Lord.
Emperumaanaar is said to have exemplified Satrugnaazhwar as the role model
of this ?Bhaagavata sEshatvam?. How? He would cite ?
Gachchataam maatula kulam BharatEna tathaa anaghah / SatrugnO nitya
Satrugnah preeti puraskritah //
(V.R. Ayodhya KhaaNda 1.1.)
Satrugna was TAKEN by Bharata to his uncle?s house almost as if he were a
piece of luggage or personal effects. Satrugna had no choice nor did he
desire any. In serving Bharata, the Bhaagavata Satrugna excelled even
LakshmaNa who went with Sri Rama to the forest as ?Bhagavat sEsha? but is
seen on occasions to have exhibited his individuality and personal opinions.
Satrugna was ?Anagha?- Blemishless (i.e0 ?Vazhuvillaaa? cf also ?kesavaa,
purushOTtamaa, kiLar jothiyaai, kuraLaa ebru pEsuvaar aDiyaargaL enthammai
virkavum peruvaarkaLE? (4.4.10)
Who is a ?Bhaagavata??
Anyone whose thought, word and deed are directed solely and exclusively
towards Lord VishNu ? They are ?SrivaishNava Bhaagavataas?. Azhwar says that
such Bhaagavatas are our masters who are empowered even to sell us!
Cf also Tirup PaaN Azhwar?s ?aDiyaaarkku ennai aaT paDuthiya vimalan?
The Azhwar says ?I am also a slave to the slaves of Bhagavaan ?
?charamaavati daasa daasan?
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2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ? PART 27
THE GLORY OF AANGIRASA GOTRAM ? PART 11 (Anbil Ramaswamy)
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PRANAYAMAM
Due to various reasons, the concept of ?PraNaayaamam? has become very
popular these days. ?PraaNa? means lifebreath. ?Aayaamam? means controlling.
In other words, it refers to the discipline of ?Breath control?.
What is not understood, however, by the modern day practitioners, is that it
is not a routine exercise like what they do in physical training classes.
There are certain conditions to be observed as laid by the ancient sages,
who were well versed in the disciplines.
Savyaahritikaam sapraNavaam gaayatree sirasaa saha /
Trih paTEdaayata praaNah praaNaayaamasya uchyatE //
?It has to be practiced three times along with ?Omkaaram? prefixed to the
seven vyaahritis, Gaayatree, Siras etc. while potting up breath. And, only
this is PraaNaayaamam says the sloka. Before doing this it is necessary to
meditate on the Rishi, Chandas, Devata etc. This is the common code for all
mantras and this is how those who perform Sandhyavandana are doing daily.
What has this to do with Aangeerasa?
The seven Vyaahritis are Bhooh, Bhuvah, Suvah, Mahah, Janah, Tapah, and
Satyam. Each one of these has its own reference to its Rishi, Chandas and
Devata. The Rishi presiding over the 7th, viz, Satyam is our Aamgeerasa.
?PraaNaayaamam? done without meditating upon these Vyaahritis with their
Rishis etc render the exercise futile. Thus, when any Vaidika Karmas are
done, the reverence to Aangeeras Maharishi who majestically presides over
the ultimate vyaahriti becomes sin-qua-non.
THE SEVEN TONGUES
All beings have a single tongue. Only serpent varieties have two tongues. Do
you know how many tongues this Fire- deity (Agni Deva) has? He has not one,
not two but seven tongues
A vEDa mantram describes this:
Sapta tE agnE samidhas sapta jihvaa: saptarishaya: sapta dhaama priyaaNi /
Sapta hOTraas saptadhaa tvaa yajanti sapta yOneeraa pruNasvaa gritEna //
Taittriya Samhia 4.6.5.5
?Oh! Agni! How come everything connected with you are seven in number! Your
samiths are seven; you have seven tongues; you reside in seven places; The
?HOtaas? who engage in your worship are seven in number; and, the manner of
worship and even your birth places are seven?
Do you know who first found out that anything concerning Agni is numerically
reckoned in terms of seven?
It is those who recite Atahrva Veda who found out this. They characterized
the seven tongues as seven jewels
dame dame sapta ratna dadhaanOgni: /
(Taittriya Samhita 4.1.3)
They even named the seven tongues as follows:
kaaLee karaaLEe cha manOJavaaa cha
sulOhitaa yaa cha sudhoomravarNaa /
spulinginee viswaruchee cha dEvee
lOlaayamaanaa iti sapta jihvaa: //
(MuNDakOPanishad 1.2.4)
The exact location of these seven tongues of Agni and the specialties of
hOmams(Offerings) to be offered to each have all been clearly defined by
Aangeeras who revealed them to the world.
The mother knows the nature of her child. So also, Aangeeras who first found
fire knew its nature and its characteristics. All rituals are based on Agni
and all offerings made in the manner laid down by Aangeerasa become
fruitful. Aangeeras was scrupulous in not only observing the Agni kaaryams
but also in ensuring that others follow the proper procedures. That is why;
he had laid down the procedures so meticulously.
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3. FROM MAHABHARATA: ?YAKSHA PRASNAM?
PART 45: PRASNAM 111 and 112
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Senior Officer of Government of India.
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PRASNAM 111
YAKSHA:
?KIM THATH PAISUNAM UCHCHYATE??
?WHAT IS SLANDER??
YUDISHTIRA:
?PAISUNYAM PARA DOOSHANAM?
?ONE COMMITS SLANDER WHEN ONE TALKS ILL OF OTHERS?
NOTES:
After the questions about Ahamkaara- ego Q108, Dambha-arrogance (Q109),
YudishTira must have anticipated this question about the practice of mud
slinging.
A person full of egoism is generally one who is lacking in substance. His
king sized ego makes him blind and even more arrogant. A self conceited
egotist has enormous pride; he has some substance but has exaggerated
notions about his superiority. He is also generally very convinced about his
notions of self grandeur.
>From egoism to egotism and then on to recrimination it is only a short step.
Such persons invariably ridicule and deride others constantly in order to
maintain their own façade of superiority.
KarNa, DuryOdhana?s closest friend and ally was full of Dambha- vain
arrogance over his skill as an archer and did not let go of any opportunity
to berate the PaaNDavas.
YudishTira is implying that he who talks ill of others will either be
ignorant yet boastful egotist or an arrogant, vainglorious egotist or both.
In order to understand the full import of YudishTira?s reply, it will be apt
to recall the following paragraphs from Psalm 15
?Lord! Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
?He that backbiteth not with his tongue or doeth evil to his neighbor nor
taketh up a reproach against his neighbor?
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PRASNAM 112:
YAKSHA:
?DHARMASCHA ARTHASCHA KAAMASCHA PARASPARA VIRODINA: /
YESHAAM NITYA VIRUDDHAANAAM KATHAM EKATRA SANGAMA:??
?CAN MORALITY OR RIGHTEOUSNESS, MATERIALISM OR ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY,
WEALTH AND RICHES AND THROUGH PASSIONATE DESIRE CRYING OUT FOR FULFILLMENT
WHICH ARE IN AN UNENDING STATE OF CONFLICT, MERGE AND COEXIST FRUITFULLY??
YUDISHTIRA:
?YADAA DHARMASCHA BHAARYAA CHA PARASPARAE VASAANUGOU
TADAA DHARMAARTHA KAAMAANAAM TRAYAANAAMAPI SANGAMA://
?WHEN A VIRTUOUS WIFE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS JOIN HANDS, MORALITY, MATERIALISM
AND PASSION BLEND TOGETHER AND REMAIN IN PERFECT BALANCE IN HER?
NOTES:
YudishTira has paid a very high tribute to the woman who proves to be an
excellent wife.
Though there may be a widely prevalent notion that the Hindu Dharma treats
woman as an object without any self respect or commendable identity, there
is no Vedic basis for that notion. The Atharva Veda puts these words in the
mouth of the husband, who after his marriage, addresses his wife:
?saamaaham asmi ruk tvamdyour aham pritveetva?
(Atharva Veda KhaaNDa 14, Sukta 2, Mantra 71)
?I am the song (the saaman); thou art the hymn. I am Heaven; thou art the
earth?
As part of the marriage vows, the husband chants this Rg Vedic RK:
grihNaami tE soubhaaghyatvaaya hastam
mayaa pathyaa jaradashTir yathaa sa: //
(RG Veda MaNDala 10, Sukta 85, Mantra 36)
?I take thy hand in mine for good fortune as well as that thou may live to
an old age with me, your husband?
In fact, the Vedic hymns make no secret of the fact that man and woman are
equal.
Atharva Veda mantra says very clearly that divinity is present alike in a
man and in a woman or in ayoung boy or a girl?
Tvam stree tvam pumaan asi /
Tvam kumara uta vaa kumaaree //
(Atharva Veda, KhaaNDa 10, Sukta 8, Mantra 27)
?Thou art (Oh! God!) woman
Thou art man
Thou art boy, thou maiden?
How does the wife manage to reconcile the irreconcilable, as solemnly
asserted by YudishTira?
She is not the symbol of desire alone as short sightedly understood. In
reality,
?Bhaaryaa moola Trivargasya? (Aadi Parva Ch.86.40)
She is the embodiment of the three virtues o f Dharma (Morality), Artha
(Materialism) and Kaama (Desire).
How does she emerge so?
In times of stress or when the husband is in a dilemma, she softly and
patiently counsels him even as a father would, by pointing out the righteous
path) (PitaO Dharma kaaryasu)- like a father uttering words of Dharma.
She husbands the resources in the household expertly and enables the husband
to fulfill the daily five fold duties of worship of the Gods, remembering
the ancestors, study of the Vedas tending to the guests and caring for every
living being. It is she who literally carries him through the difficult
period of family life which is the householder?s lot ? the (
(Grihastaasrama)
She sticks to the husband throughout the worldly sojourn, keeping his self
confidence well primed. She believes in him. Then, he starts believing in
himself firmly.
Asahaayasya lOKEsmin lOKa yaatraa sahaayini
Santi Parva Ch. 142.8)
She satisfies every whim of the husband and remains inseparable from him
till death.
Naasti bhaaryaa samO bandhu: naasti Bhaaryaa samaaagathih /
Naasti Bhaaryaa samO lOkE sahaayO dharma saadhana: //
(Santi Parva Ch.142.10)
There is no better wellwisher than the wife. There is no safer refuge than
her. There is no greater help than her in upholding Dharma.
In short, such is the versatile greatness that she is not only the root as
well as the confluence of the triunes of Dharma, Artha and Kaama but
remaining with the husband in that mode of life called Grihataasrama, she
also helps her husband too to support and sustain, as best as they could,
others in the three other modes of life namely, Brahmacharya, Vaanaprastha
and Sannyaasa. Brahmacharis are those who are in the student days and
committed to learn as much as possible about the Vedas and Saastras.
Sannyaasis are those who have renounced the world in order progress in the
realization of the Supreme. Neither of them spends anytime to gather food
required for their sustenance. But, they seek alms from those that have the
capacity to give and are willing. The wife makes it a point to offer alms or
food to such persons. Those who have taken to Vaanaprastha are the elders of
the family who retire to the forest in order to lead a simple desire less
life, in perfect communion with nature. The wife respects their memories and
their ways by adhering to their practices and eschewing what they had
eschewed during their stint as householders.
In short, everything connected with religion, pleasure, wealth, careful
nursing of the offspring for perpetuating the race are all dependent on the
wife.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that YudishTira should have asserted
that in the wife is seen the confluence of the three irreconcilables of
Dharma, Artha and Kaama.
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