1

DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE THREE TENETS--1
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
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The Three Tenets?1
As already narrated elsewhere, Swami Desikan?s strong point as an author is
his ability to anticipate and address questions that might arise in readers?
minds. At the very beginning of this chapter too, he provides a Sanskrit
verse, which voices the objection regarding the need for a detailed
discussion on The Three Tenets or the Tattva Trayam, while the subject has
already been dealt with comprehensively in the previous chapter, viz.,
?arttha Panchaka adhikAram?.

Why should the characteristics of the Isvara, the Jeeva and inanimate matter
be studied afresh?

For a seeker after Liberation, the most important delusions to be avoided
are three-fold: -

1) DEhAtma Bhramam?the misconception that the soul is nothing but the body
and senses. Once one falls prey to this, one never recognizes the existence
of the Jeevatma or the Paramatma, with the result that one never makes any
effort at emancipation.

2) Svatantra Atma Bhramam?the delusion that the Jeevatma is an autonomous
entity, independent of the Lord, whose existence itself is disputed. This
delusion prevents us from the recognizing Emperuman as our Lord and Master
and ourselves as His eternal slaves. Once this happens, there is no question
of our learning about or aspiring for ?kainkaryam?, which is the ultimate
fruit of liberation.

3)The proclivity for ?anIsvara vAdam? ?the tendency to delude oneself that
God is a figment of man?s imagination or a non-existent super power created
by man himself to enforce social discipline and personal morality and that
He couldn?t be superior to oneself.

The last-mentioned misconception is the root cause of the first two and is
perhaps the worst affliction that a person could contract, if one were to go
by what happened to Hiranyakasipu, who considered himself to be the
undisputed leader of all the worlds, materially and otherwise. This delusion
of grandeur in turn prompted in him the conviction that he was indeed the
super power beyond anybody?s control or influence, least of all that of Sri
Hari, with predictable results.

Together, these three types of delusion effectively prevent any progress
towards the Promised Land.

It is to ensure complete and comprehensive relief from these three crippling
maladies that an intensive study of the Tattva Trayam is prescribed by our
merciful Acharyas, who are adept at diagnosing and treating spiritual
afflictions, however deep-rooted they are. They tell us of the existence of
these three realities, which the ShAstras classify as

1) The Experiencing Subject??BhOktA??viz., the JeevAtmA, who is constantly
besieged by experiences, good and bad, and is the constant consumer of
fruits, sweet and sour, of his deeds, meritorious and otherwise.
2) The object of experience and gratification??BhOgyam?, consisting of the
innumerable varieties of inanimate objects which provide the Jeevatma the
aforesaid experiences, and
3) The Lord, who rules over and controls both the BhOkta and the
BhOgyam?the
Isvara, who is the Lord of both sentient beings and non-sentient objects.

This, then, is the rationale for the study of the Tattva Trayam, which,
along with the Sambandha GnAnam?(the relationship of body and soul
subsisting between ourselves and the Lord, as detailed in the PradhAna
Pratitantra adhikAram) and the ?arttha Panchakam? (The Five Fundamental
Factors dealing with the nature of the Lord, the individual soul, the
strategy for Liberation, the hurdles thereto and what glorious fruit awaits
the Atma at journey?s end), ensures a complete cure from the crippling
maladies listed above. Swami Desikan considers these misconceptions to be so
grave as to call them ?MahA VirOdhi?.

It is notable that the concept of ?Tattva Trayam? is rooted in the Shruti,
in the SvEtAsvatarOpanishad, which lays down that the knowledge of these
Three Tenets is indispensable to a seeker after liberation?

?Etat gyEyam nityam Eva Atma samsttham na ata: param vEditavyam kinchit/
BhOktA BhOgyam PrEritAram cha matvA sarvam prOktam trividham Brahmam Etat?//

If we take the ?BhOgyam? or the inanimate matter (which is known as
?achEtanam?) first, it is of three kinds?

1) Prakriti or Non-sentient Matter?has the following
characteristics:-

A) It is absolutely without the spark of knowledge, non-sentient. If we
take an earthern pot, for example, it has no power of cognizance or
knowledge.

B) It exists solely for the purpose of others, to be used as per their
whims, fancies and requirements- (?achEtanA parArtthA cha nityA satata
vikriyA??Parama SamhitA). The Pot, again, doesn?t serve any purpose of its
own, but is utilized exclusively by its owner to fetch and store water, etc.

C) Though it is essentially eternal and permanent, it is subject to
constant change and modification, in form and attributes. The Pot was first
mud, then turned to clay with the addition of water, was then made into a
Pot. When it breaks, it becomes bits and pieces, which, when they undergo
further destruction, become mud again. Thus, though in its essential form of
mud, it is permanent, it undergoes transformation into other forms
constantly.

D) It is the abode of the three guNAs, Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas.

E) It is this Prakriti that is the field of action for the Jeevatmas,
affording them appropriate experiences in tune with their accumulated
baggage of merit and demerit. For instance, this physical body (PrAkrita
shareeram) that all of us possess, has been given to us so that we may
experience pleasure and pain in accordance with our Karma. The disembodied
soul would not be able to experience anything without a physical shell
composed of Prakriti.

2) The second type of Non-sentient matter or ?achEtanam? is Time. Time, we
are told, has neither a beginning nor an end (?anAdi: BhagavAn KAla: na
antOsya dvija vidaytE??Sri Vishnu Puranam), but only divisions like seconds,
minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, centenaries, millennia etc. The
advance of Time is inexorable and is what is responsible for changes in
Prakriti, as for instance the physical changes our body undergoes with
advancement of age.

3) The third component of the class of ?achEtanam? is ?Suddha Satvam?,
representing the transcendental worlds of Sri Vaikunttam, beyond the reach
of either Prakriti or Time. In these exalted worlds, though Time does exist,
in the sense of providing a sequence to events, it is incapable of causing
the sort of inexorable and irreversible changes, as it does in the mundane
lands down below. The world of Suddha Sattvam is filled with immeasurable
Wisdom and Bliss??GnAnAnanda mayA lOkA:?). These are the worlds inhabited by
the Lord and His celestial courtiers.

Having seen the three types of Non-sentient matter, we go on to the three
types of ?BhOktA? or the Jeevatmas, who constitute the second important
component of Tattva Trayam.

The individual soul is neither God nor Man, as all these nomenclatures are
caused by and apply to only the physical shell in which it resides for the
time. When the soul is inside a cow?s body, we call it a cow and another
soul residing in BrahmA?s shareeram is known as ?PrajApati?. There is,
however, absolutely no difference between one soul and another, all the
differences being caused by the material enclosures they occupy due to their
Karma.

These Jeevatmas fall into three categories:-

1) ?BaddhAs? are souls like us, suffering constant imprisonment in physical
shells. Due to their association with the perishable bodies, they are
themselves termed perishable, in the Gita sloka, ?Kshara: sarvANi bhootAni?.
This class of beings comprises of all those subject to the unending cycle of
births and deaths, right from the exalted BrahmA, the Creator, down to the
most insignificant insect inhabiting the sewers of a city.

2) ?MuktAs? are those who were originally ?BaddhAs?, but graduated to
liberation through the adoption of an appropriate strategy like Bhakti or
Prapatti, for emancipation. All those occupants of Sri Vaikunttam who were
originally inhabitants of the mundane morass, but were wise enough to
recognize its despicable nature and to adopt an ?upAya?, fall into this
category, having acquired citizenship rights to Sri Vaikunttam through
assiduous effort.

3) ?nityAs? are the permanent inhabitants of Paramapadam, with absolutely no
stigma of earlier residence in the inauspicious worlds down below. These are
exalted souls who have always been in Sri Vaikunttam as its natural
citizens, performing eternal service to Emperuman without even a second?s
interruption, drinking in His boundless beauty with their unblinking eyes.
?Tat VishNO; Paramam padam sadA pasyanti sooraya:?

The third and most important component of Tattva Trayam is the Isvara or the
Parabrahmam, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, the repository of all
auspicious attributes, the antithesis of all that is evil or bad,
unassociated with any of the baser traits common to mankind, like fear,
greed, anger etc.

To sum up, Tattva Trayam or the Three Tenets comprise of the Non-sentient
matter achEtanam, the sentient individual souls or Jeevatmas and the Lord
and Master, the Isvara, who controls and directs the first two. AchEtanam is
classified into three categories?Prakriti, KAlam and Suddha Sattvam, while
Jeevatmas fall into three similar types, viz., BaddhAs, MuktAs and NityAs.



2. DESIKAMRUTHAM II
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
"SRIKAARYAM" OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF "SRI RANGA SRI"
The Five Fundamentals-1
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Srimad Rahasyatraya Saram could be termed a work of devotion.
However, unlike other such works which are based on the premise of
axiomatic and unquestioning acceptance, Swami Desikan's magnum opus
is a veritable citadel of logic and reason, built patiently brick by
brick, an invincible structure that has stood the test of time and
critique, informed and otherwise, for seven hundred and odd years.
The progression from one topic to another is logical, with the
previous chapter laying a firm foundation for what follows. The
Master Logician that he is, Swami Desikan puts forth reasoned
arguments for each and every concept propounded in this great work,
himself raising possible objections to a particular tenet and
furnishing a convincing explanation too. And, all of this, with the
constant undercurrent of matchless devotion. If we look up to this
work even today for education and enlightenment, after seven long
centuries populated with disbelievers, nihilists, pseudo-philosophers
and the like, it is due to the irrefutable logic and rigorous
reasoning which form the concrete core of the magnificent structure,
keeping it standing tall, proud and invincible amidst the ruins of
weak and worthless philosophies which have perished with their
inventors.

We saw in the last chapter, the PradhAna Pratitantra adhikAram, the
several significant and extremely special relationships of Supporter
and Supported, Controller and Controlled, AtmA and SharIram etc.,
subsisting between Emperuman, who is the Lord and Master and
ourselves who are His natural slaves and servants. A clear
conceptualization of these exquisite relationships, the "Sambandha
gnAnam", bestows on us the all-important knowledge about the Five
Fundamental Factors that form the subject matter of all Scripture, be
it the vast and venerated Shruti, the glorious itihAsAs Srimad
Ramayana and Sri Mahabharata, the eighteen PurANAs or the emotional
outpourings of Azhwars. Any Scripture worth its name must cover these
five concepts, the knowledge of which is an essential prerequisite
for enlightenment.

Can mere familiarity with the SEsha-SEshI (Master-Slave) relationship
the Lord has with us afford us comprehensive information? No, for, we
have to delve deep into the nature of the Master, that of the Slave,
the strategy the latter has to adopt to rid oneself of bondage, what
awaits the free soul at journey's end and the hurdles in the path of
the Pilgrim's Progress. An incisive insight into these five elements
is needed, if at all we are to aim at freedom from this apparently
eternal cycle of births and deaths resembling an unending merry-go-
round, without any merriment in it. Since these five fundamental
concepts are essential to the comprehension of the matters that lie
ahead, Swami Desikan deals with this chapter in some detail, adducing
scriptural authority at each and every stage to buttress his
formulations.

The following couplet from the HArIta SamhitA summarizes the arttha
Panchakam (i.e) the five essential truths.

"PrApyasya BrahmaNO roopam, PrAptuscha pratyak Atmana:
PrAptyupAyam phalam chaiva tathA PrApti virOdhi cha
Vadanti sakalA VEdA: sEtihAsa PurANakA:"

The ultimate object of all sections of the Shruti, of the itihAsAs
and PurANas is to clarify the true nature of the following five
concepts-
1) the nature and attributes of the glorious Lord,
2) the characteristics and qualities of the individual soul,
3) the nature of the strategy the soul has to adopt, if it is to
attain liberation from its mundane shackles,
4) the nature of the bliss that awaits the Jeevatma upon its
deliverance and
5) the apparently insurmountable hurdles that trip up the
individual soul at every step towards emancipation.

First and foremost, we should have a clear comprehension of the
nature of the Lord, who is held out as the loftiest of all goals to
be attained by all, irrespective of their stage or status in this
world. Such knowledge is essential, so that we know what we are
aiming at. Though religions may differ on the identity of the
Godhead, they are unanimous in recognizing the attainment of the Lord
as the "Parama PurushArttham" (the ultimate aspiration).

Other intermediate, secular goals would always be there like building
a palatial house, owning a paradise on wheels, achieving name and
fame in one's chosen avocation, etc., but when a person is in the
twilight of his life, he thinks not of all that he has amassed but
only of avoiding somehow the sorrowful experiences life has put his
way. And such thought leads him straight to the Scripture, which in
turn shows up the Lord in all His glory and makes the weary traveler
on life's thorny path crave for seeing, feeling, adulating and
adoring the Ultimate Being in person.

Given this objective of reaching the Lord, we would attempt it only
if we knew fully, or at least as much as possible, of Emperuman's
grandeur. Who is He? What does He look like? What are His attributes,
if He indeed has any? Is He alone or does He have a Consort? Is He a
mixture of good and bad, as we are, or is He beyond all this, a mere
inert being, devoid of qualifying characteristics?

Incidentally, is it really a "He" or a "She" or, as some say, only
an "It"? What are the specific spots in the Rahasya Trayam where the
Lord is portrayed in all His magnificence? These and other questions
find an answer in this chapter.

The very first letter of the AshtAkshara mantra (and indeed of the
entire alphabet), in particular the first akshara of the PraNavam,
the letter A (akAram), though short in syllable, is extremely
eloquent in purport, conclusively identifying the Godhead to be
Sriman Narayana-"akArArtthO VishNu:"

Similarly, the Narayana padam (the unqualified tirunAmam in the
Ashtakshara and the qualified ones in the Dvaya mantrA) too sets out
many an attribute of the glorious Lord.

The Charama sloka too amplifies Emperuman's nature and stature in the
words "MAm" and "aham". While detailed coverage on these aspects of
the three mantras would be attempted later, it would suffice to say
now that the Brahmam's nature is alluded to in the aforesaid parts of
these exalted mantras.

Before embarking on the thumbnail sketch Swami Desikan furnishes of
the Ultimate, it is essential, however basic it may sound, to
differentiate between Brahmam and BrahmA. While Brahmam refers to the
Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana, who has none equal or superior to Him,
BrahmA refers to the much lower deity with four heads, who performs
the job of Creation entrusted to him by Sriman Narayana. BrahmA is
one among the three deities, looking after creation, protection and
destruction respectively and is as much susceptible to the en-
shackling bonds of Karma as we mortals are, the only difference being
that he has attained the exalted worlds through exceptional merit:
but once the effect of this accumulated merit exhausts itself, BrahmA
comes crashing down from his lofty perch in SatyalOkam to the mundane
worlds below, to be born again.

Swami Desikan reveals an extremely significant concept here. We have
seen that the Lord, in all His glory, is to be contemplated upon at
the specific spots in the three mantras, as indicated above. While
engaging in this pleasurable exercise of reflection on the Lord,
Swami Desikan tells us that Emperuman is always to be thought of as
accompanied by His Divine Consort, Sri, who is His inalienable and
constant companion. This is so because Sri Mahalakshmi is the most
significant and defining attribute of the Lord ("svarUpa nirUpaka
dharmam"), without knowledge of whom it would be impossible to know
the Lord Himself. The Defining Attribute is an inseparable
characteristic, which distinguishes the object it qualifies from
others, conclusively establishing its identity and nature, as
distinct from other objects. By this definition, PirATTi is the
principal defining attribute of the Lord, helping us establish His
identity as the Supreme Master of the Universe. It is She whose
presence confirms the supremacy of the Lord beyond question, as the
Para-Brahmam.

Sri Alavandar, while listing out the distinguishing characteristics
of the Ultimate, mentions association with Sri as the first and
foremost-"ka: Sri: Sriya:" Just as Her presence in Sriman Narayana
proves Him beyond doubt to be the Parabrahmam, conversely, the
absence of Her association with other deities like BrahmA and Shiva
delineates their infinitely lower status on the totem pole of
divinity and makes them ineligible for adulation, says Azhwar-"Thiru
illA dEvarai tErElmin dEvu".

The plethora of pramANAs Swami Desikan quotes at this juncture may
appear to be overkill, the adducing of no less than 26 texts from a
wide-ranging selection of the Scripture. However, each of these
quotations has a particular point to prove and aspect to elaborate,
with regard to the inseparability of the Lord and His Consort. It is
one of the glories of Srimad Rahasya Traya Saram there is absolutely
no tautology: nor are there superfluous statements. Words or
concepts, when repeated, are only for the purpose of conveying
aspects and purports different from those already indicated.

It is in the company of this glorious PirATTi that the Lord is always
to be contemplated, in all His states. Swami Desikan adduces pramANAs
for PirATTi accompanying Emperuman in all His states. That She forms
His inseparable companion in Paramapadam is brought out by the Lainga
Purana sloka,

"VaikuntE tu parE lOkE SriyA sArdham Jagatpati:
AstE Vishnu: achintyAtmA bhakati: bhAgavatai: saha".

The words "SriyA sArdham" indicate that the liberated soul finds the
Lord only in the company of Sri Mahalakshmi.

Piratti's inseparability in the VyUha avastthA is proved by the Hari
Vamsa couplet

"Esha Narayana: SrimAn ksheerArNava nikEtana:
nAga paryankam utsrijya hi AgatO MathurAm pureem"

The VyUha Emperuman too is to be seen only with His Consort in the
Milky Ocean, according to this vachanam.

Next, Swami Desikan quotes the beautiful words of BrahmA from Srimad
Ramayanam to prove that even during His numerous avatArAs, PiraaTTi
is never separated from the Lord

"BhavAn NarayanO dEva: SrImAn chakra dharO vibhu:
Eka shrungO VarAha: tvam bhoota bhavya sapatna jit"

Coming from BrahmA, the first-ever created deity who inhabits the
lotus rising from the Lord's own navel, these are indeed credible
words about the inseparability of PirATTi.

It is not only exalted deities like BrahmA who see the Lord as always
accompanied by His Consort-even MandOdari, the Rakshasa queen, is
aware of this fact and instantly identifies Rama as Sria: Pati-

"Tamasa: paramO dhAtA shankha chakra gadAdhara:
SrIvatsa vakshA nitya Sri:ajayya: shAsvatO dhruva:"

The beautiful words "nitya Sri:" indicate PirATTi being the Lord's
constant companion.

For good measure, Swami Desikan quotes from that gem among Puranas,
the Sri Vishnu Puranam, to confirm the inseparability of the Divine
Consort-

"nityA Eva Esha JaganmAtA VishnO: Sri: anapAyinI
yatA sarvagatO Vishnu: tathaivEyam dvijOttama".




DESIKAMRUTHAM II:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE CRITICAL CONCEPT-1
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
(SRKARYAM SWAMI OF BOARD OF ADVISORS OF "SRI RANGA SRI")
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Swami Desikan detailed in the second chapter (the SAranishkarsha adhikAram) the knowledge which is of the absolute essence, the acquisition of only which could lead us on to Liberation, all other sources of wisdom being only incidental or inessential.

The next chapter, the PradhAna Pratitantra adhikAram, tells us about the tenets unique to our VisishtAdvaita siddhAntam. The Pratitantram or Unique Selling Point, by definition, is that which is enthusiastically espoused by us and, by the same token, is not acceptable to other schools of thought. It is thus a doctrine exclusive to our Sampradaya, over which nobody else can or wishes to lay a claim. It is the lifeline of our philosophy, on which is built the entire citadel of VisishtAdvaita. Remove this, and the entire structure becomes hollow and unstable. Thus an unclouded understanding of this Critical Concept is essential for the comprehension of the forthcoming matters.

As stated above, we are concerned here about the Primary Principle unique to our philosophy. In our SiddhAnta, the Brahmam is a Prime Concept. However, since it is accepted by other schools of Vedanta like Dwaita and Advaita, it is not Critical to us-it might be "PradhAnam" or primary, but it is not "Pratitantram" or unique to us. There are other minor matters, which are unique to our Sampradaya, which may not be critical enough to merit the definition, as for instance the concept of "Kainkaryam". It is no doubt a "Pratitantram" or unique concept, but not "PradhAnam" or of primacy. What we must look for is something, which is both Unique to our school of thought, as well as Critical to the very basis of the same-some tenet, which is both "PradhAnam" and "Pratitantram".

Outlining the Critical Concept of our philosophy, Swami Desikan declares it to be the relationship of Body and Owner of the Body, subsisting between all souls, sentient and non-sentient, on the one hand, and the Lord on the other-the "SharIra-Atma sambandham". In other words, the Lord is the Universal Atma or Paramatma, while all Jeevatmas, occupying bodies sentient and otherwise, form His body. It is this SharIra-SharIri bhAvam, which is referred to by Swami Nammazhwar in the very first decad of Tiruvaimozhi. Striving to clarify the prime principle of our Sampradaya at the very beginning of his work, Azhwar says that the Lord is present in every being and object as its antaryAmi or inner-dweller, akin to the life-spirit in all beings-"udal misai uyir ena karandu engum paranduLan:? Just as it is difficult for us to see our life spirit or soul, so too the Lord remains invisible-"Karandu uLan"-though very much an integral part of ourselves.

Thus the entire system of life consists of three concepts:
- The inert physical body, made up of the basic elements, which has no spark of life on its own, is the first of these.
- The second is the Jeevatma or individual soul that inhabits the body, as a result of its accumulated baggage of good and bad deeds done over countless previous janmas. It is this Jeevatma who is the owner of the body, directing the body as per its own (Jeevatma's) wishes to walk, run, lie down, bend etc. That the Jeevatma is different from the body can be understood from the fact that when the life spirit ebbs from the body and the Jeevatma leaves its mortal coils to acquire another (much in the fashion of a man discarding dirty or worn out clothes in favor of new ones) the body, hitherto a vibrant and dynamic mechanism, is reduced to an inert carcass, lifeless, unmoving and subject to quick decay and destruction. The body can thus never survive without the enlivening spark of the Jeevatma inhabiting it. The departure of the Jeevatma spells the end of the body. Thus while the Jeevatma or individual soul is eternal in nature, hopping from one body to another depending upon its Karma, the physical body is made of natural elements and is perishable in character.
- Just as the body has an inner dweller in the form of the Jeevatma, the Jeevatma too has an antaryAmi -the Lord. It is the Lord who enters all souls and directs them from within -"anta: pravishta: shAstA janAnAm sarvAtmA" says the Aranyaka, clarifying the nature of the third component of the system of life mentioned above. It would appear that the exact place of residence of the Paramatma is inside the heart. Considering that the Lord dwells within the Jeevatma, it follows that the Jeevatma too resides in the heart of the physical body. The Gita confirms this location of the Lord in the heart of all beings-"Iswara: sarva bhootAnAm hrit dEsE Arjuna! Tishthati"

To summarize, the physical body is the sharIram or outer cover for the Jeevatma, but for whom the body has no separate existence. Similarly, the Paramatma resides within the Jeevatma and the latter forms the sharIram for the former. We thus have the Jeevatma with the physical body as its outer cover and Paramatma, for whom both the Jeevatma and its body are the outer cover. Thus both the Jeevatma and the physical body form the sharIram for the Paramatma. This, in a nutshell, is our PradhAna Pratitantram or Critical Concept, which forms the subject matter of this Chapter.

How do we define a body or sharIram and the sharIri or the owner of the body?

Whatever is supported, whatever is controlled and made to act according to another's wishes, and whatever is made use of by another for the latter's pleasure, forms the sharIram. The entity which supports the other, controls and directs its action or inaction and uses the other for its own purposes, is the sharIri or inhabitant of the body

What are the three types of association obtained from this relationship of SharIri (owner of the body) and SharIra (the body) subsisting between the Lord and us respectively?

These are as follows: -
1) DhArakatvam-
Emperuman forms the source of support for all of us. He is the universal support, without whom no being, sentient or otherwise, would continue to have an existence. It is the individual soul which supports the physical body, as is evident from the fact that the latter turns into decaying matter once the former leaves. Similarly, the Paramatma too is the sole source of support for all Jeevas, inhabiting sentient and non-sentient objects. Since He constitutes the inner dweller and the rest of this world His body, just as the body falls down inert when the Jeevatma leaves it, so too this world of chEtana (sentient) and achEtana (non-sentient) matter would exist no more, but for the Lord inhabiting it as the SharIri. Thus the SharIra Atma sambandham or the SharIra-SharIri bhavam results in the relationship of DhArakam (support) and DhAryam (the supported) between the Lord and the Jeevas respectively.

Conversely, does it follow that whatever is supported would automatically form the SharIram for the source of support? For instance, the ground on which a pot stands obviously forms the support for the vessel. Does it mean that the pot, as the supported item, forms the SharIra or body of the earth, which is the supporter? Not so, for the pot may stand on the ground or on the shelf or may be held in a hand, which would mean differing sources of support at different times, all of which cannot form the body of the pot. Thus for an object to form the sharIram of a supporting entity, the supporting source must be of a permanent nature, offering constant sustenance and not merely occasionally. Also, mere DhArakatvam would not presuppose the SharIra-Atma bhavam: Swami Desikan points out that two additional criteria are required to be satisfied.

2). NiyAmyatvam-
The in-dwelling Paramatma is the controller of the chEtana and achEtana objects. If we have to move our little finger, it would be possible only if He wills it. "avan indri Or aNuvum asayAdu" might be a common man's saying, but it has a wealth of meaning and truth in it. The Lord is the "sUtradhAri" or puppeteer who makes us dance as mere dolls on strings, to movements carefully choreographed by Him. He is thus the "niyantA" or controller, while we form the "niyAmyam" or the controlled.

While the first function of DhArakatvam is done through the physical support provided by the Lord to the entire world which forms His body, which He supports and sustains, the second one of NiyAmyatvam or Controllership is done through His divine will or Sankalpam. He wills that such an event happens, with the aid of such and such people using such and such objects, and it happens as He willed.

3). SEshitvam-
Defining a "SEsha", Sri Bhashyakara says "paragata atisaya AdhAna icchayA upAdEyatvam Eva yasya svaroopam, sa SEsha: para: SEshI"

Thus one who exists solely for the purpose of somebody's pleasure and whose role is to bring some sort of distinction to the other person is a "SEsha" and the masterly counterpart, for whose purpose the former exists, is the "SEshi". All of us exist and act for the sole use and pleasure of the Lord. Just as it is a servant's duty to do all that is required for the master and to be of use to the latter in all ways, we too, as the eternal servants of the Lord, are bound to be of service to Him in all ways, always-"sarva kAla, sarva vidha, sarvAvasthOchita kinkara:"

This Seshatvam is sometimes caused by ephemeral relationships ?
We obey our parents and do whatever they tell us to do. An employee does the work allotted to him by his master, for remuneration. The wife ministers to the needs of her husband and children, while the husband too works hard to keep his family well cared for. While there is an element of Seshatvam in all this, these are but temporary relationships, which would be brought to an end by the passing away of a parent or a child or a husband. Further, even in the aforesaid relationships, the wife is not a permanent sEshi or servitor of her husband and family, because familial roles keep changing. Once she becomes an elderly parent, her sons and daughters - in- law care for her welfare, in a reversal of roles.

However, there is only one person to whom we are eternal servitors, irrespective of the body we sport and our social, economic or academic status. We are "bonded laborers" (albeit bound by a bond of love and devotion), blessed with the opportunity of eternal servitude to the Lord, who is the permanent, unchanging ("nirupAdhika") "SEshI". Since the Master is eternal and the servant too a timeless entity, their relationship too is permanent and unchanging. While the head of a family could at most claim his wife and children as his sEshAs, to the Lord everyone, without exception, is a SEsha. He is thus the "nirupAdhika sarva sEshi".



DESIKAMRUTHAM I:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SAARAM
UPODGATHA ADHIKAARAM ?
The Quintessence-1
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
?SRIKAARYAM? OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ?SRI RANGA SRI?
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The Quintessence-1

The first two chapters of Swami Desikan's magnum opus Srimad Rahasyatrayasaram, viz., Sri Guruparamparasaram and UpOdhghAtAdhikAram, deal respectively with the matchless contribution of the Acharya in the upliftment of the individual soul and the Jeevatma's inalienable right to eternal bliss in Sri Vaikuntam in the service of the Lord. These were dealt with in the 17 instalments of "The Peerless Preceptor" and ten of "The Beginning". The second chapter concludes with a hint of the concepts, which are indispensable for a soul aspiring for liberation. It is these concepts that form the subject of the ensuing chapter titled "SAra nishkarshAdhikAram".

There is a story in the KAtaka Prasna of the Yajur Veda, recounting the heroic efforts of Sage BharadvAja to master all there is of Vedic knowledge. When his time on this earth came to an end, finding that he had not completed his studies, he prayed to Indra for another lifetime. The second life also was spent in adhyayanam and so was a third one obtained for the same purpose from Indra. When he repeated the request to Indra for a fourth lifespan, Indra smiled at BharadvAja and showed him the dimensions of the Vedic knowledge acquired by him in the three lifetimes- they amounted to just three pitiful handfuls of sand. In contrast, the amount of Vedas yet to be mastered were shown to be three huge mountains, towering over the sage and reminding him of how little he had really absorbed, despite the passage of three full lives.

Indra, smiling at BharadvAja's naivette, tells the Rishi that Knowledge is infinite-"anantA vai VEdA:" and that however many lifetimes one might devote to its acquisition; Vedas can never be mastered fully.

This is the story of a reputed Rishi, who was engaged fulltime in the study of Vedas, to the exclusion of all other activity. He had nothing else to distract him from his chosen mission and was blessed with phenomenal powers of concentration, absorption and retention, which helped him acquire all that wisdom. He also had the benefit of three full lifetimes to imbibe the knowledge that matters.

When we compare ourselves to Sri BharadvAja, we find that we have neither the time nor the inclination nor even the powers of concentration to enable us imbibe the wisdom of the ages. For the most part of our lives, we are engaged in a protracted struggle to earn our living, to better our standards etc., and spend the rest of our lives in trying to retain what we have saved. We thus have very little time for acquisition of knowledge. "Padiyum urangi pOgum, nindra ippadinaiyAndu pEdai bAlakan adAgum, piNi pasi, mooppu, thunbam" says Sri Tondaradippodi Azhwar, graphically describing how more than 99% of our lifespan is unavailable for any productive effort towards self-emancipation. We are a people in hurry, running hard to stay in the same place, and often running backward without realizing it.

Given this scenario of the vastness of the body of knowledge to be mastered and the little time we can spare for its acquisition, it becomes a question of choice for us- we have to choose carefully what is really of the essence, by knowing which everything else is known. We have absolutely no time to spare for a comprehensive study, much like the indolent student who wakes up only at the eleventh hour, desperately scanning the pages of textbooks when the exams are looming large. And unlike Sage BharadvAja, we have nobody to offer us additional life spans for imbibing wisdom at our convenience, and even if such were to be made available to us, it is doubtful whether we would devote the same to the intended purpose.

The reality, however, is that the wisdom that matters, viz., that relating to the Lord, liberation from this mundane morass, etc. is available only through the medium of the Scripture. The other sources of knowledge, viz., "Pratyaksham" or the evidence of our faculties like eyes, ears, etc. and "anumAnam" or what we can deduce from available data, are of no help when it comes to the question of understanding the nature of the Self and that of the Supreme Being. The Scripture is thus the sole source of such wisdom, as Sanjaya tells DhritarAshtrA-
"Shuddha bhAvam gatO bhaktyA ShAstrAt vEdmi JanArdanam".

In our quest for the right conduct and right learning, only the Scripture can guide us, says the Gitacharya -
"tasmAt ShAstram pramANam tE kArya akArya vyavastthitou".
The Mahabharata too lays down that we can know the Ultimate only by mastering the Vedas-
"Shabda brahmaNi nishNAta: param Brahma adhigacchati"
Thus practically all those who matter are categorical that only the mastery of the vast and endless body of Scripture is the sole source of acquiring wisdom of the real kind.

The Utthara GitA puts our predicament in perspective by highlighting the incredible expanse of Scriptural knowledge to be absorbed, the extremely limited time at our disposal for doing it and the innumerable hurdles posed in the process by mundane distractions, all of which make it impossible for us to undertake a comprehensive study. Like the legendary bird Hamsa, which is capable of separating and absorbing milk out of a mixture of milk and water, we too must separate the wheat from the adhering chaff and imbibe only what is of the absolute essence, if we are to make something out of our lives, says the Utthara Gita-
" ananta pAram bahu vEditavyam, alpascha kAla: bahavascha vighnA:
yat sArabhootam tad upAdadIta, HamsO yatA ksheeram iva ambu mishram"

With his inimitable penchant for the succinct statement, Swami Desikan summarizes what is to be done in the aforesaid scenario, in the following sloka-
"asAram alpa sAramcha SAram SArataram tyajEt
bhajEt SAratamam ShAstrE ratnAkara iva amrutam"




DESIKAMRUTHAM II
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SAARAM ?
?UpOdgatha Adhikaram? ? Part 1
By Sri Sadagopan Iyengar Swami from Coimbatore
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THE BEGINNING
Though ?Sri Guruparamparasaram? (covered so far by ?the Peerless Preceptor?) forms the prelude to ?Srimad Rahasyatraya saram?, the work proper begins with the introductory chapter, titled ?UpOdghAta adhikAram?. This chapter outlines our true stature as servants of the Lord, the magnificent existence we are entitled to, the factors that prevent us from realising ourselves, the catalytic role of an Acharya in making us aware of ourselves, what we are losing every moment of our ignorant lives, the strategy for redeeming ourselves from the endless cycle of births and deaths, and enjoying bliss which is our birthright.

At the very beginning, Swami Desikan , apparently unsatisfied with the elaborate tributes paid to the venerated Acharyas in ?Sri Guruparamparasaram?, broaches the topic once again, with a fresh tribute to the distinguished lineage, much in the fashion of a child unwilling to let go of its favourite doll, even after being gifted a new one
?Abhagavatta: pratithAm anaghAm Acharya santatim vandE
manasi mama yat prasAdAt vasati Rahasya trayasya sArOyam

Swami Desikan, about to embark on a major voyage on the tricky and unfathomable (to us) waters of esoteric concepts, prays to the lineage of distinguished Acharyas, and acknowledges their anugraham which has irretrievably imprinted the magnificent purport of the three sacred mantras in his mind. He also proclaims his qualification for discoursing on the sacred triad, by declaring that mantras and their significance reside indelibly in him. To dispel any misunderstanding, he declares that such knowledge has been acquired through the lineage of Acharyas, and is not the result of his own whimsical invention.

The term ?vasati? employed in the sloka denotes that the mantras and the purport permanently reside in Swami Desikan?s mind. The Guruparampara is glorified with the sobriquet ?anaghAm?. This indicates that all the Poorvacharyas, who have handed down the treasure trove of secrets, are blemish less, in the sense that their teachings were motivated by pure kripA, without any motives of material gain or glory.

Having paid a general eulogy to all the Acharyas in the Guruparampara, Swami Desikan now pays a special tribute to his immediate Acharya, from whom he imbibed all the Shastras, including the RahasyAs.
?Karma BrahmAtmakE shAstrE koutaskuta nivartakAn
vande Hastigireesa veethi shOdhaka kinkarAn?

Sri KidAmbi Ramanujacharya belonging to AtrEya GOtram, popularly known as AppuLLAr, was Swami Desikan?s maternal uncle. Sri Desika Mangalam confirms that Sri Tooppul Pillai absorbed all that is to be known from Sri AtrEya Ramanuja or Appullar, in less than two score years-
?RamanujAryAt AtrEyAt mAtulAt sakalA:kalA:
avApa vimsatyabde yas tasmai yOgyAya mangalam?.

In this sloka, the words ?sakalA:kalA:? indicate that Sri Appullar was himself a ?Sarva tantra svatantra?, for he could have made Swami Desikan a Master of Arts, only because he himself knew them in the first place. The greatness of Sri Appullar can be realised from the fact that he was one of the principal disciples of Sri NadAdur AmmAl (Sri Vatsya Varadacharya), known for his extreme devotion and maternal love for Sri Varadaraja of Kanchi.

It is very rarely that a person is able to imbibe Vedas, Shastras, itihAsAs, SAtvika PurAnAs, Rahasya granthAs,Divya Prabandas and their commentary, etc., from a single Acharya. Even Sri Ramanuja had to learn different aspects of the Sampradaya from five different Gurus. It is to Sri Appullar?s credit that he was singly able to instruct his gifted nephew in all the aforesaid diverse fields. Sri Appullar inherited the SriBhashya and Bhagavat Vishaya through the lineage of Sri Tirukkurugai PirAnPiLLAn and the Rahasyas through that of Sri Kidambi AcchAn, the erudite and loving disciple put in charge of Sri Ramanuja?s kitchen, after an attempt was made to poison him.

Sri AppuLLAr was a terror to prativAdis or debaters, who normally do not accept anything, however unimpeachable be the source, and keep questioning everything (saying ?kuta: kuta:?-hence the epithet ?koutaskuta:?).

By silencing even confirmed critics, Sri Appullar ensured the resurgence of the Sampradaya and its propagation through Swami Desikan. He is thus credited with keeping the path of Sri Varadaraja clean of garbage (?Hastigireesa veethi shOdhaka kinkarAn?). Here, the Ramanuja Sampradaya, owing close allegiance to Sri DEvAdirAja or Hastigireesa, is referred to as Sri Varadaraja?s path and the Doubting Thomases questioning everything, as the garbage littering the path and impeding progress. All this earned Sri Appullar the sobriquet?VadihamsAmbuvAhar? (terror to his opponents in debate).

Incidentally, this sloka also lays down that it is as much a kainkaryam as any other to argue with critics and establish the supremacy of the Sampradaya. In fact, it is impossible to establish or propagate the tenets of one?s tradition without critically evaluating those of other schools. Poorvacharyas right from Sri Nathamuni, Sri Alavandar, Sri Ramanuja and his disciples have demolished critics for establishing the Sampradaya on a sound edifice. In fact, Sri Nadadur Ammal?s blessing to Swami Desikan envisaged a stellar role for the disciple in refuting other impaired views (?PratishttApita Vedanta: Pratishipta bahirmata:?).

Likening himself to a parrot and Sri Appullar to a trainer, Swami Desikan unreservedly acknowledges the signal contribution of his Acharya in the following words:
?Acharyan pakkalile tAm kEttu aruLinapadiyE KidAmbi Appullar adiyEnai kiLiyai pazhakkumA pole pazhakki vaikka?.

If we have been fortunate enough to have a preceptor of the calibre of Swami Desikan and to be bequeathed a Manual of Prapatti in the form of Srimad Rahasyatrasaram, it is to Sri Kidambi Appullar that our gratitude should go, for his magnificent role as Sri Venkatanatha?s Acharya. We only have to look at the Sishya to have an idea of the Guru?s calibre: (of course, this doesn?t apply to sishyas like adiyen)

By this token, we can well appreciate Sri Appullar?s greatness when we look at Sri VEdAnta Guru?s feats. It was again from this fine Acharya that Sri Desikan obtained upadesam of the Garuda Mantra, which in turn enabled him to attain sAkshAtkAra of Sri VainatEya and of Sri HayagrIva, all of which made him what he was. And, if Swami Desikan could master all the scriptures before he was twenty, surely as much credit goes to his Acharya for expeditious and extensive instruction, as does to Sri Desikan himself