4

DESIKAMRUTAM ?SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM?
?THE THREE TENETS?-4
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? Swami of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
( ?The Three Tenets- Part- 3? was featured in Vol.5/20 dated 06/01/04)
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Going slightly backwards, readers would remember that we were expanding on
the Sharanagati Gadya vAkya, "svAdheeena trividha chEtana achEtana svarUpa
stitthi pravritti bhEdam", which tells us that the essential nature
("SvarUpam"), the continued well-being ("Sttithi") and activity
("Pravritti") of the JeevAs, in all their variety, depend on the Iswara. Of
the three states, we have already seen how the Jeevas' SvarUpam and Stitthi
are entirely dependent on the Lord. Swami Desikan proceeds next to show how
their activity ("Pravritti") too is so.

The activity of Jeevas consists in-

1. their being the doers of a particular activity ("Kartrutvam"), and

2. their being the enjoyers or experiencing entities ("BhOktrutvam"),
deriving pleasure or pain from the activity.

The first aspect, viz., the Jeeva's Doership, is entirely subject to
Emperuman's will ("ParAdheenam"). This has been conclusively laid down in
the Vedas, with the Upanishad telling us that it is the ParamAtma who
inspires us from within to engage or refrain from a particular activity-"yam
AtmA anatarO yamayati". The Brahma SutrAs too confirm this-"ParAt tu tat
ShrutE:"

The second aspect indicated above, viz., the Jeeva being the experiencing
agent or enjoyer, is also for the Emperuman's purpose, and not our own.

The Lord induces such experiences in us, for His own sport and enjoyment. It
is through our enjoyment of pleasures and sufferings due to pain, that
constitute "leelA rasam" or sport for the Lord.

We thus see that both the Doership and the state of experiencing pleasure
and pain are solely dependent on and for the purposes of the Lord.

We have already been told that there are three classes of Jeevas-

1. the BaddhAs or the souls bound by SamsAric shackles, subject to the
vicious cycle of births and deaths

2. the MuktAs, who were originally BaddhAs, but have been liberated through
the adoption of an appropriate strategy for liberation like Bhakti or
Prapatti, and

3. the NityAs, who are permanent residents of Sri Vaikunttam, having never
been subject or exposed to samsAric travails any time, having been blessed
with eternal wisdom and service to the Lord.

Swami Desikan now deals with the activity ("Pravritti") of each of the
aforesaid three categories of Jeevas.

What distinguishes the Baddha Jeevas from the other two classes?

Five aspects of difference are listed here-

1. avidyA or ignorance-this takes two forms, viz.,

a) the illusion that the body itself is the Atma, without the realisation of
the latter being distinct and different from the former, and

b) the illusion that the Atma is independent and unaccountable.

These are respectively known as "DEhAtma Bhramam" and "Svatantra Atma
Bhramam")

2. Karma-these are the twin shackles of PApa or bad deeds and PuNya or
meritorious ones. These bind the Jeeva hand and foot, immobilising him from
undertaking any effort for liberation.

3. VAsanA-this is the indelible imprint left by the innumerable acts, good
and bad, done through the countless births we have gone through.

4. Ruchi-refers to the insatiable taste for enjoyment of mundane pleasures,
resulting from "VAsanA". It is because of the impressions resulting from
previous acts, done during previous births, that people develop an
attachment to similar acts in their succeeding births too.

5. Prakriti Sambandham-indicates the disadvantages resulting from the
Jeeva's association with matter, in the form of the body.

It is these five factors, which show the bound JeevAtma to be distinct and
different from the liberated souls.

The Baddha Jeevas or bound souls are different not only from the Muktas and
Nityas, but are characterized by differences among themselves too. Though
sharing the common appellation of Bound Souls, due to differences in wisdom,
enjoyment, etc., they can be as different from one another as chalk from
cheese. We thus find that the exalted deity, the four-headed BrahmA,
responsible for Creation is also a Baddha Jeeva, as is a lowly pillar
standing stationary in a deserted courtyard.

When both the mighty BrahmA and the insignificant pillar belong to the same
class of bound souls, what could the ocean of difference between them be due
to?

In accordance with the deeds of merit and demerit performed by different
Jeevas, they acquire bodies differing in social and economic status and in
other criteria of physical, physcological and other distinctions. We are
told by the Shruti that those who perform meritorious acts are born to
Kings, scholarly Brahmins or rich merchants, while those who are guilty of
heinous crimes take birth as the progeny of dogs, pigs etc.-

"RamaNIya charaNA: ramaNIyAm yOnim ApadyEran
BrAhmaNa yOnim kshatriya yOnim vaisya yOnim vA
Apooya charaNA: apooyAm yOnim ApadyEran
Sva yOnim sookara yOnim chandAla yOnim vA"

Thus, what we are is really a factor of what we have done.




DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS- 4.
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
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Of the five crucial concepts which everyone aspiring for emancipation must
grasp, we have so far been looking at the first and foremost, viz., the
Paramatma, His always being accompanied by His inseparable Consort, the
total absence of any blemishes in Him, His being the sole repository of all
auspicious attributes which defy enumeration, etc.

All these make the Paramapurusha eminently adorable, worthy of being
attained and served with love and affection. However, to form the object of
our adoration and kainkaryam, He must have a form. It is extremely
difficult, if not impossible, to adore and perform kainkaryam to an abstract
Parabrahmam which has no form, figure or shape. Try as we might, we would
find it unfeasible even to concentrate on a formless entity, however exalted
it be, leave alone indulge in our aspirations for performing loving service.
Hence the Lord, in His infinite mercy, presents Himself in the most
magnificent of forms, to enable our worship and adulation.

If we accept that the Lord too has a body like us, with hands, feet, face
etc., would we not be laying Him open to the gradual degeneration and decay
that all bodies and forms are subject to? Does He too, then, look young and
bewitching in youth, mature and moderate in middle age, senile and
unappealing in old age etc.? Does His skin shine with the glow of youth and
later turn dry, scaly and shrunken in tune with the passing of seasons? Do
His faculties too gradually lose their efficacy with the advance of age,
making Him as susceptible to deafness, myopia and arthritis as we are?

The Scripture tells us that though the Lord does sport a form, it is an
unimaginably divine one, not subject to growth or decay as in human beings.
It is always the same, unimaginably splendorous, brilliant, beautiful beyond
conception and capable of enthralling anyone who can even casually think of
it for a second. That Emperuman's divya mangala vigraham is unchanging and
forever gorgeous is brought out by the prelude to the Vishnu Sahasranama
Stotram-"sadA Eka roopa roopAya VishNavE sarva jishNavE".

This tirumEni is eternal and imperishable, unlike its human counterparts,
says the PAncharatra-
"nitya siddhE tat AkArE tat paratvE cha Poushkara!?

Though He might sport body parts just like we mortals, there is an ocean of
difference between His magnificent form and our own frail ones, with
absolutely no comparison between the two. His tiurmEni is magnificent, while
ours can hardly qualify for the description. Even the most handsome of men
and the most beautiful of women loses his or her good looks after some time,
with the advance of age, whereas the Lord's bewitching beauty is permanent,
unchanging and beyond the grasp of Time's tentacles. His form and ours are
as different as chalk and cheese. Emperuman's tirumeni is huge beyond
imagination, compared to our own puny statures. All this is brought out by
the Vishnu Purana sloka - "tat visvaroopa vairoopyam roopam anyat HarE:
mahat".

Another important difference between our form and the Lord's relates to the
matter of choice in assuming a particular body and the causative factors
therefor. It is well known that we have absolutely no choice as to what
birth we take, whether as an ant, an elephant, a dog, a tree or an inanimate
object or as a human being, as our births are totally dictated by our
crushing baggage of good and bad deeds collectively known as Karma. We have
no say in what we are born as, as our Karma decides the same for us. The
Lord, on the other hand, is born at will as what He wants to, of His own
free volition. Be it a fish, a boar, a turtle, a man-lion, a dwarf or the
most perfect of monarchs, the tiurmEni the Lord assumes is out of His own
free choice, untainted by any constraints -"icchA griheeta abhimatOru dEha:"
says the Vishnu Purana, highlighting the vast difference between our
Karma-caused bodies and the divine ones of Emperuman.

Acharyas opt for another endearing interpretation of this beautiful sloka,
taking it to mean that the Lord takes whatever form His devotees wish for
Him - here the word "icchA" is interpreted not as the Lord's own desire, but
that of His devotees. This reading is based on the Azhwar's assertion,
"tamar ugandadu evvuruvam, avvuruvam tAnE", underlining the Lord's penchant
for assuming forms that please His votaries. The word "abhimata" denotes
that whatever form the devotees would like to see Him in, is extremely dear
to Him. Alternatively, "abhimata" may also be taken to denote the ardent
wish of the votary to see the Lord in a particular form. All this boils down
to the fact that while the Lord indeed possesses a tiurmEni, it is assumed
of His own volition or to fulfill the wishes of bhaktAs, and not out of any
compulsion caused by the KArmic bondage.

If it is indeed true that the Lord has a body, then how does one reconcile
this with the assertion in the Shruti that He has no hands or legs, no
avayavAs- ("apANi pAda:? "na tasya kAryam karaNam cha vidyatE" etc.)? When
the ultimate in scriptures denies Him a form, how can we assert otherwise?
And what about the JitantA sloka, "na tE roopam na cha AkArO nAyudhAni na
cha Aspadam", which emphatically tells us that He has no form, no defining
physical characteristics, no weapons like the Shankha, Chakra etc.-in short,
negating the very notion of a Lord with a physique and with all attendant
paraphernalia?

Swami Desikan answers this with a quote from the Shanti Parva of
Mahabharata, an epic which serves us well in the correct interpretation of
Veda vAkyAs-

"tadEva KrishnO dAsArha: SrImAn SrIvatsa lakshaNa:
na bhoota sangha samstthAna: dEhOsya ParamAtmana:"

What this tells us is - The Lord's tirumEni, unlike ours, is not made up of
the five basic physical elements (earth, air, fire, water and the
atmosphere). It is divine in its composition and unsusceptible to the normal
changes every human body undergoes. Thus, when the Shruti denies the
existence of hands or legs in the Parabrahmam, what it really rules out is
the existence of a frail and fragile physique, comprised of the aforesaid
elements and subject to decay and decline. The Varaha Purana too confirms
that the Lord's tirumEni is comprised not of flesh, blood and bones, but of
a material of His own fashioning, undying, un-decaying, unchanging and
utterly and unimaginably beautiful-

"na tasya prAkritA moorti: mAmsa mEdOsti sambhavA".
Here too, what is ruled out is not the possibility of the ParamAtma having a
sharIram, only that of His possessing one that is mundane and mortal.

Having established the existence of the Divine form, Swami Desikan proceeds
to catalogue its characteristics.

Emperuman's divya mangala vigraham is endowed with four handsome hands. Any
numbers of pramANAs are there for the Lord possessing four hands. In fact,
the Taittiriyopanisad tells us that during the Varahavatara, the Lord
sported a hundred hands - "uddhrutAsi VarAhENa krishNEna sata bAhunA".
However, whether it is the epics, purANAs or the Tamizh Marai, all of them
are unanimous about the Lord having four hands. Here is a sloka from
Mahabharata, attesting to this and to the Lord's form being extremely
special and entirely different from our own-

"bhujai: chaturbhi: samupEtam Etat roopam visishtam divi samstthitam cha"

The Lord's tirumEni is something beyond the mundane confines and the
darkness of ignorance and evil, and is adorned with the Divine Discus, the
Cosmic Conch and the Magnificent Mace. This is how MandOdari, Ravana's
enlightened wife, perceives Sri Rama-

"Tamasa: paramO dhAtA Shankha Chakra GadAdhara:"

>From all the above, it would be abundantly clear that Emperuman's divya
mangala vigraham is delightfully divine, with none of the frailties or
fragility of mortal coils. It is bewitchingly beautiful, totally devoid of
blemish and assumed at will, not out of any compulsion. Ipso facto, this
divine form forms the object of universal adulation and adoration. It is
thus that we should think of the Paramapurusha, whenever we do think of Him,
which, alas, is not often.

However, we come across vividly varied descriptions of the Lord's tirumEni,
in various parts of the Scripture. At one place, He is reported to sport
four arms and at others, two, sometimes, eight. He is to be found standing,
sitting, reclining and in a variety of other postures. Apart from the discus
and the conch, some of His forms are adorned with the Mace, while some
others hold a lotus or bow and arrow. How do we account for such divergence,
if Emperuman is one and the same?

The answer to this query is to be found in the PAncharAtra SamhitAs like Sri
LakshmI Tantram, Sri SAtvata SamhitA etc. These works, carrying the full
authority of the Shruti, tell us that the Lord is to be found in five forms.

The first and foremost is the Para vAsudEva, the Lord as He reigns
resplendently at Sri Vaikuntam, under the canopy of and seated on the nAga
paryankam or the snake-bed, with His Divine Consorts, with four beautiful
arms - two holding the Discus and the Conch, one on His knee and the other
placed on AdisEsha, with one leg slightly bent in an endearing posture,
dazzling like a thousand Suns shining simultaneously and lending his
brilliance to His innumerable adornments like the Kireetam, Makara Kundalam,
VaijayantI HAram, the Koustubha MaNi et al. This is the Lord's form that the
Celestials can't prise their eyes from and drink in without blinking, for
fear of losing that second of blissful experience - "sadA pasyanti sooraya:?
The beauty of this divya mangala vigraham is beyond description, with Sri
Alavandar and Sri Ramanuja attempting vivid portrayals, but giving up
midway, in their Stotra Ratnam and Sri Vaikunta Gadyam respectively.

The second of the Lord's forms is the VyUha vigraha, where He divides
Himself functionally into VyUha VAsudEva, in apparent slumber ("uranguvAn
pOl yOgu puNarnda oLi maNi vaNNan") on the snake bed amidst the Milky Ocean
("pArkadal sErnda Paraman"), PradyumnA, aniruddhA and SankarshaNa.

The Lord is born time and again in this mundane world of ours, for
protecting the good, destroying the evil and for reestablishing Dharma on a
firm footing, whenever it is endangered-
"yadA yadA hi dharmasya glAni: bhavati BhArata!
AbhyuttAnam adharmasya tadAtmAnam srijAmyaham".

These visits of the Lord to the earth, for emancipating mankind, are
popularly known as "avatArAs" and represent the play of His infinite mercy,
concerned at the plight of suffering humanity. Sri Nammazhwar is moved
beyond measure by the Lord's soulabhyam in being born as one among the
mortals, in assuming varied forms, as warranted by the occasion, as a lowly
fish, boar or turtle - "uyiraLippAn ennindra yOniyumAi pirandAi imayOr
talaivA!?

Though Emperuman's avataras are innumerable, ten are highlighted as the
principal ones - "dasadhA nirvartayan bhoomikAm". This is not to undermine
the importance of the other forms the Lord has chosen to assume, such as
HayagrIva, Hamsa etc. In the Rama and Krishna avataras, Emperuman underwent
the ultimate indignity that the Supreme Being can be put to - that of Garbha
vAsam or the ten-month sojourn in a mother's womb - all for our sake. While
the Para and VyUha forms of the Lord are totally inaccessible to us, we are
still able to talk about, identify with and draw inspiration from His
avatarAs, despite their having taken place in other YugAs, millions of years
ago. Till this moment, the tales of Nrisimha, Rama and Krishna continue to
enthrall us and will to do so for generations to come.

The fourth of Emperuman's forms is that of the antaryAmi, the one in which
He resides in all our hearts, no larger than one's thumb, privy to all our
thoughts and deeds, however clandestine they be. "ManatthuLLAn mAkadal neer
uLLAn" says Azhwar, wondering at the Lord's soulabhyam in residing in this
mortal coil of ours, full of blood, filth and refuse. It is the Lord who
resides in the exalted Srivaikuntam, the one who has the sprawling
TiruppArkadal as His abode, who also resides willingly in our bodies, as the
"HArda". "uLLatthE urayum MAlai uLLuvAn uNarvu ondru illA kaLLatthEn" says
Sri Tondaradippodi, telling us that this form of the Lord, though it is
within us and perhaps nearer to us than all other forms of His, is difficult
to discern, but for the most accomplished of YOgIs.

The fifth and the most accessible to us mortals is the arcchAvatAra, the
form in which the Lord resides in various divyadEsams and other sannidhIs,
contracting His form to make His abode in vigrahAs made of metal, clay, wood
and any other material His devotee lovingly fashions for Him. It is only
this tirumEni of the Lord that can be the object of adulation, veneration,
admiration and worship for us, for He waits patiently for us at these
temples, happy to see us whenever we go. He even saves us the trouble of
visiting Him at the sannidhi, through His frequent outings on the flimsiest
of pretexts like the Pancha parvAs, tirunakshatrams of Azhwars and Acharyas
and so on, when He comes right down to our doorstep, as part of the
"tiruveedi purappAdu". The Lord's penchant for going in search of His
devotees, even in the arcchAvatAra, has earned Him the sobriquet "VeediyAra
varuvAn" from Sri Andal.

It is this form of the Lord that has evoked feelings of great depth and
resulted in inspired outpourings by Azhwars and Acharyas. Sri Tirumangai
Mannan considers the arcchAvatAra so superior to the other forms of
Emperuman that he prefers the same to so-called emancipation and serving the
Paramapurusha in person- "ErAr muyal vittu kakkai pin pOvadE". Comparing the
arcchavatAra to readily available and delicious flesh of a rabbit and the
ParavAsudEva at Srivaikuntam to the flesh of a yet-to-be-caught crow, which
is anyway of mediocre taste, Sri Kalian wonders why anyone would prefer the
latter to the former.

The same partiality for the arcchAmUrthy is voiced by Swami Desikan, when he
prefers an eyeful of the endearing and enthralling form of Sri Varadaraja,
to permanent residence in Srivaikuntam, with its unimaginably glorious
benefits: he is so firm on this point, that he is prepared to swear to it-
"Saytam shapE VAraNa saila nAtha! Vaikunata vAsEpi na mE abhilAsha:" No one
in our great Bharata Varsha can say truthfully that a divyadesam or a
Bhagavat sannidhi is too far for him to visit - such is the affinity
Emperuman has for us, that He ensures that He is always accessible,
geographically and in other senses, to seeking devotees. The 106 divyadesams
on this earth which the Azhwars have sanctified with their nectarine verses
and the innumerable other abodes the Lord has chosen for permanent
residence, reflect His anxiety that none should fail to find the right path,
merely for want of His proximity.

We can thus conclude that of all divine forms, the arcchAvatara is perhaps
the best, the most accessible to common people like us, the most amenable to
adulation and adornment with the choicest of flowers, dresses and ornaments
which we may select for Him and, for all this, none the less effective or
powerful than His other forms, be they the Paramapurusha, the VyUha
MUrthies, the Vibhava avatArAs or the antaryAmI.



SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
THE CRITICAL CONCEPT- 4
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
?SRIKAARYAM? OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS
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Having established the Distinctive Doctrine of our Sampradaayam to be the SharIra-SharIri bhAvam, and expounded on the derived relationships of the Lord being our Sole Support, the Magnificent Master and the Controller of all our actions, Swami Desikan proceeds to identify the specific locations in the Rahasya Trayam (the three esoteric mantras), where the aforesaid associations are outlined.
In the process, the Acharya also provides a sneak preview of the bewitching panorama that lies ahead in his magnum opus.

Though they deal with essentially the same subject matter, the functions of the three magnificent mantras are distinct and different. The Charamasloka, enunciated by the Gitacharya, tells us that the Lord Himself is the ever-available strategy for attaining Him. He is ever ready to liberate us and to bestow on us bliss equal to His own. For availing His munificence, we have to surrender ourselves to Him, heart and soul. Thus, while Emperuman is the sole strategy for liberation and is the existing and established means therefor (SiddhOpAyam), we have to proffer a willing hand to grasp His extended one. For this, the Lord prescribes an absolute surrender (Prapatti, forming the SAdhyOpAyam) unto Himself. Thus the Charamasloka enjoins upon us to perform Sharanagati to the Lord.

The Dvayam, extolled to be a gem among mantras (?Mantra Ratnam?), consisting of two significant sentences, lays down the procedure for performing Prapatti, as ordained by the Charama sloka.

The observance of Sharanagati, as prescribed in the Charama Sloka and practiced through the utterance of the Dvaya Mantra, presupposes the knowledge of several significant and enabling concepts, all of which are to be found embedded in the extremely valuable eight-lettered formulation, the Ashtakshara. Though tiny in its form, this mantra is capable of throwing up a wealth of meaning, just as a small mirror reflects huge images, notwithstanding its physical diminutiveness.

Taking the Ashtakshara first, Swami Desikan points out that the relationship of the Support and the Supported, subsisting between the Lord and us, is outlined in the ?Narayana? padam, which is the third word of the magnificent mantra.

It is not without significance that despite the thousands of beautiful names the Lord has, the Upanishad prefers to identify the Paramapurusha as ?Narayana? (?Narayana Param Brahma?). Dissatisfied with a single utterance, the Narayana anuvaka engages in a blissful repetition of the blessed name, much in the fashion of a child with a beloved toy, loathe to letting go of it. Thus the Narayana nama has the stamp of approval of Vedanta and of seers like Sri Tirumangai Mannan, who extols its praise at the very beginning of his Periya Tirumozhi (?nalam tarum sollai nAn kaNdu koNdEn, Narayana ennum nAmam?). We don?t have to delve deep into his work to discover the invaluable pearl of the Narayana nama, as the work begins with the same. It is perhaps for this reason that the Azhwar?s work is praised as ?arivu tarum Peria Tirumozhi?.

And what does this name Narayana indicate? Etymologically, the compound word can be split into two independent syllables-?nArA:? meaning individual souls, and ?ayanam?, referring to residence or resting place.

In the first formulation, the Narayana padam is construed thus-?NArA: yasya ayanam, sa Narayana:?, defining the Lord as One to whom all the sentient souls and non-sentient matter form a resting place, or in whom / which He resides. When we say that the Jivas form the residence for the Lord, we say in other words that He is ever-present in all matter, sentient and otherwise, pervades everyone and everything, (?antar bahis cha tath sarvam vyApya Narayana sthitha:?) as their inseparable Inner Dweller, as the antaryAmI who resides in their hearts and controls all their actions. The all-pervading nature of the Lord (?VyApakatvam?) is thus derived from this interpretation, as is that of the Universal Controller (?niyantA?). This is but a condensation from the Shruti dictum (?anta: pravishta: SAstA janAnAm sarvAtmA?)

The second interpretation of the Narayana padam portrays His role as the physical support of all beings. ?nArANAm ayanam ya:? is the alternate version, meaning that He is the residence, refuge and abode of all souls and matter. He is thus the support of all Jivas, who form His sharIram, shoring them up both physically and through His divine will or Sankalpam, as seen earlier.

Thus, the Narayana padam indicates the following?that the Lord is our inseparable and sole support, as also that He is all-pervading and controls each and every soul, all the time. In other words, the Jivas have no other support and are pervaded by none other than Narayana.

Similarly, the Pranava, which is a word consisting of three letters, indicates that the individual soul exists solely for the purposes of the Lord. Though in our ignorance we might imagine the purpose of our existence to be for the gratification of ourselves and those near and dear to us, the inalienable fact remains that all of us subsist solely for the function of affording some form of satisfaction to the Lord. It should not be construed here that the Lord is dependent upon us for gratification, as He doesn?t want anything, being an ?avApta samasta kAma:? one all of whose desires are fulfilled. As SEshAs of the Lord, it behooves us to provide Him satisfaction or delight in some form or the other. ?tanakkE Aga enai koLLum IdE? says Sri Nammazhwar, praying for an existence solely for the Lord?s purposes, as behooves the blessed soul, representing the concept of PArArthyam.

The intermediate word of the Ashtakshara, viz., and ?nama:? explicitly negates the notion of independence of the individual soul and, by implication, confirms its absolute dependence on the Lord, underlining the Jiva?s ?PAratantryam?. When we are solely dependent on the Lord, it follows that we have no refuge other than Emperuman, which represents the characteristic of ?ananya sharanatvam?.

To summarize, the first of the three great mantras, the Ashtaksharam, consisting of three distinct words, themselves compound ones indicating a plethora of purport, indicates the following relationships flowing out of the Critical Concept: -
1. Emperuman being our sole Support, physically and through His divine will (ananya AdhAratvam)
2. Our being pervaded solely by the Lord (ananya vyApyatvam)
3. Our being controlled solely by Emperuman, as our antaryAmI (ananya prEryatvam)
(These are the truisms that the Narayana padam specifies)
4. Our existing solely for the pleasure and purpose of the Lord (ananya prayOjanatvam)
5. Emperuman being our sole sanctuary, abode and asylum and the lack of need for us to even consider alternate sources of support and succor (ananya sharanatvam).

The same arcane concepts, made much simpler for our benefit, are portrayed by the Dvaya mantra too. As we know, this mantra derives its name from its being comprised of two sentences of considerable significance, bearing the stamp of authenticity of the Shruti. The first of these sentences consists of a declaration of the surrendering soul that it is seeking refuge in the lotus feet of the Lord and His Divine Consort. Ipso facto, this rules out the quest for succor elsewhere, and thus incorporates the concept of ananya sharanatvam described above. The second sentence forms the Prapanna?s avowal that he exists solely for the purposes and pleasure of Sria: Pati, and none other, in a statement of ananya prayOjanatvam.

These very same concepts are there for all to find in the Charamaslokam too, which is the third of the esoteric triad.





DESIKAMRUTHAM II:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
PART: THE QUINTESSENCE 4
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
?SRIKAARYAM? OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ?SRI RANGA SRI?
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?amayA ivai ennum AsaiyinAl aru moondru ulagil
sumayAna kalvigaL soozha vandAlum togai ivai endru
imayA imayavar Etthiya ettirandu eNNiya nam
samaya Asiriyar sadirkkum tani nilai tandanarE?

We saw that the eighteen vidyAstthAnAs or systems of knowledge are, at best, wisdom of a lower order, inviting the sobriquet, ?SumayAna kalvigaL?. Swami Desikan tells us that the degrees and diplomas we acquire insatiably in our quest for knowledge and profit therefrom (?amayA ivai ennum AsaiyinAl?) would at best add a few letters after our names, but would not help in attaining the ultimate object of Moksha. These are just incapable of bestowing the priceless treasure of liberation.

Having discarded the recognized modes of wisdom as inadequate, what should we aspire for, to reach the desired goal? And is there wide acceptance for the proposed alternate path? And if indeed there be such a path, by its very nature, wouldn?t it be a closely guarded secret, beyond the contemplation of ordinary mortals like us? If so, who would impart to us the wonderful wisdom, which would free us forever from these mundane shackles?

The beauty of Swami Desikan?s works is that (unlike some learned authors who only destroy existing foundations without proposing alternate structures) identified alternatives are displayed along with the scriptural authority for their acceptance and also the precedents therefor. None of the concepts emerging from Thooppul Pillai?s works is unsubstantiated by pramANAs or Acharya sreesooktis. All the questions posed above are answered in the pasuram.

What is the vidyA that bestows liberation? ?EttiraNdu? replies Swami Desikan. ?ettu? refers to the eight-lettered ashtAksharam and ?iraNdu? to the Dvaya Mantra consisting of two sentences. The reference to the Dvayam includes the Charamasloka by inference. ?irandu? may also be taken to mean the other two components of the Rahasyatrayam, namely the Dvayam and the Charamaslokam. The AshtAksharam, the Dvaya Mantram and the Charamaslokam together represent a wealth of knowledge relating to the nature of the Lord and the self, the relationship persisting between them, the upAya the self has to adopt to regain its lost glory and true splendor of the eternal life that awaits the self, if it succeeds in getting over the hurdles to adoption of appropriate strategy.

Thus these three mantras, though short in form, are colossal in stature, capable of bringing before us the Lord Himself.
We are convinced about the genuineness of an article only when we know that the same has been used by people considered superior to us and has been proved effective- hence our blind acceptance of anything ?foreign?. Swami Desikan therefore tells us that these two mantras are constantly on the lips of no less than the permanent residents of Sri Vaikunatam, establishing their credentials-?imayA imayavar Etthiya?. The nitya sUrIs of Paramapadam not only stare unblinkingly at the glorious form of the Lord (?sadA pasyanti sooraya:?), apprehensive of blinking, lest it cause a moment?s loss of the immeasurably blissful experience, their lips too are in constant motion, engaged in the pleasure of reciting the ashtAksharam and Dvayam. The Lord?s constant servitors recite these formulations, not as a matter of ritualistic compulsion, but for the deep delight they afford, especially when recited with the majestic purport playing in the mind?s screen. That our Acharyas too are constantly engaged in arttha anusandhAnam of these esoteric formulations, is brought out by the words

?ettirandu eNNiya nam samayAsiriar?. This is not mere imagination, but based on Sri Rangaraja?s dictum to Sri Ramanuja, ?Dvayam arttha anusandAnEna saha sadA Evam vaktA yAvat sareera pAtam atraiva SrirangE sukhamAsva?.

The Lord tells Sri Bhashyakara to reside at Srirangam till release from mortal coils, engaged constantly in reciting and contemplating the pleasurable purport of the Dvaya mantra. Such recitation and contemplation has thus been an heirloom to us prapannAs, bequeathed by no less a person than the Bhashyakara himself. This is narrated to bring out the acceptance of the mantras by the best of Acharyas- ?nam samaya Asiriyar?, bestowing the mantras with the important qualification of ?sishta parigraham?. The magnificence of the Ramanuja Darsanam, as handed down by Sri Nadadur Azhwan, Sri Kidambi AcchAn, Sri Nadadur Ammal, Sri Atreya Ramanuja, etc., is portrayed in the proud words ?nam samayam?. The glory of the ?Bhashyakara panthA? is forever in Swami Desikan?s thoughts and finds frequent expression in his works, wherever the context permits.

?nam samayAsiriyar sadirkkum tani nilai tandanarE?- Our merciful Acharyas have, through their upadEsam, made us competent to recognise and espouse the two magnificent mantras, putting us on a lofty pedestal vis-à-vis the vast majority of humanity still laboring under the crushing weight of the inconsequential schools of thought, described earlier as ?sumayAna kalvi?.

Swami Desikan winds up the SAra nishkarsha adhikAram with the following kArikA in Sanskrit-
?ShAkhAnAm upari stthitEna manunA moolEna labdha Atmaka:
sattA hEtu sakrit japEna sakalam kAlam dvayEna kshipan
VEdOttamsa vihAra sArathitayA gumbhEna visrambhita:
SAragyO yadi kaschit asti bhuvanE nAtha: sa yoothyasya na:?
This sloka expands the respective roles of the three mantras, their impeccable origins and the immeasurable glory of one who masters their purport.

The Moola Mantra or the ashtAksharam is to be found in the Atharva ShikOpanishad and endows us with SEshatva gnAnam (reminding us of our true credentials as eternal servitors of the Lord). This wisdom makes us ?Born Again? VaishnavAs, aware of our true stature and role. Sri Tirumazhisai Piran says that one is really born only when one understands and appreciates the true purport of the ashtAsksharam- ?andru nAn pirandilEn, pirandapin marandilEn?.

The Dvaya Mantra, having its origin in the Upanishad of the Katha ShAkha, is to be uttered, with full appreciation of the purport, just once during the performance of Prapatti. Thereafter, it is to be recited constantly to ensure that the significant truths gained through the imbibing of these mantras stays with us constantly, preventing any slip back to the bad old days, when we as good as didn?t exist-?asannEva sa bhavati?. This mantra and meditation on its purport should form our way of spending time-?kAlam dvayEna kshipan?. This is in tune with the Lord?s dictum to Sri Ramanuja in the Saranagati Gadyam, mentioned above.

The third Rahasyam, the Charama SlOkam, is enunciated by the Lord Himself and incorporates the entire wisdom of the Vedanta Shastra, which forms the favourite place of residence for the Lord who displayed His souseelyam by accepting the lowly position of a charioteer for Arjuna. The Charama Sloka imparts the cast-iron assurance of the Lord to protect all those who surrender to Him, wiping off the tears of devotees with one hand, simultaneously extending them an uplifting hand to raise them from the mundane morass and onto the terra firma of Paramapadam. Though, coming from the Lord?s mouth, the Charama sloka should be gospel truth for us, the Lord assures us that what He has said is indeed the truth and not some insincere promise-?anritam na uktam poorvam mE, na cha vakshyE kadAchana?.

The glory of a person who masters the true purport of the three esoteric mantras indicated above is indeed beyond measure and he is counted as the Master of the entire clan of PrapannAs.




DESIKAMRUTHAM II:
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SAARAM
UPODGATHA ADHIKAARAM ? PART 4
SRI SADAGOPA IYENGAR SWAMIN (OF COIMBATORE),
SRIKAARYAM OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ?SRI RANGA SRI?
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The Beginning - 4

Having established that it is the birthright of the Jeevatma to perform kainkaryam to the Lord, Swami Desikan proceeds to clarify that it is the Paramapadanatan, the presiding deity of Sri Vaikuntam, who is the goal to be reached and it is kainkaryam to this distinguished Emperuman that we should long for. This doesn't mean that the Lord in His VyUha, Vibhava antaryAmi and arcchA states is any the less entitled to our service. However, ultimately, the final abode of all emancipated Jeevatmas is Sri Vaikuntam-"Vaikuntam puguvadu maNnavar vidhiyE" (Sri Nammazhwar), and it is the Vaikuntanathan who is the permanent recipient of our kainkaryam.

Additionally, kainkaryam is to be performed to the Divya Dampati, and not merely to the Lord, as already stated.

In order to give us an idea of the Lord's magnificence and to increase our kainkarya ruchi, Swami Desikan furnishes an elaborate description of the Lord, His Consort and His retinue, as they are in Sri Vaikuntam.


The Lainga Purana describes the Lord in His divine abode-
"VaikuntE tu parE lOkE SriyA sArdham Jagatpati:
AstE Vishnu: achintyAtmA bhaktai: bhAgavatai: saha"

Sri Vaikuntam or Paramapadam is the eternal residence of the Lord, and befitting Him, it is the loftiest of all worlds, beyond the reach of ignorance, inequity and inauspiciousness of all types- "Tamasa: parastAt".

A detailed description of this paradise is to be found in the Vaikunta Gadyam of Sri Ramanuja. The word "tu" in the aforesaid sloka is intended to differentiate Paramapadam from other worlds, which fall within this Prakrithi Mandalam, or worlds inhabited by mundane mortals or devatas who are only slightly superior to them. While the residents of Sri Vaikuntam are not subject to reincarnation and have been relieved from the vicious cycle of births and deaths, the inhabitants of other worlds, however distinguished they are, are still in the grip of the samsAric vortex. This sloka is quoted to refute arguments that Sri Vaikuntam is an imaginary world and that man undergoes his pain or pleasure in this very world and in his very own mind. These arguments are based on an erroneous interpretation of the Purusha SUkta vAkyA "tamEvam vidvAn amrita iha bhavati".

"Sa EkAkI na ramEta" says the Upanishad. The Lord never wishes to be alone. Accordingly, even in Sri Vaikuntam, He is to be found in the enchanting company of His Consort, Tirumagal. What Sri Nammazhwar says about the inseparability of Sri from the Lord ("agalakillEn irayum endru alarmEl mangai urai mArba"), is confirmed by the aforesaid sloka-"SriyA sArdham".

The juxtaposition of the sobriquet "Jagatpati:? after the Sri sabdam, is significant and indicates that the Lord is the Master of all the worlds because of His association with Piratti.

And who is this "Jagatpati"? Sri Mahavishnu, of course, says the Lainga Purana, confirming the identity between Vishnu and Sriman Narayana, which has been laid down by the Narayana anuvAka-
"NArAyaNAya vidmahE VAsudEvAya dheemahi. TannO VishNu: prachOdayAt".

This Vishnu is an "achintyAtma", His greatness unfathomable even by the most erudite and even by the omniscient Lord Himself. "TAnum tan perumai arivariyAnai" says Sri Nammazhwar , affirming that the Lord's magnificence is beyond even His own comprehension. The Lord, as stated above, reigns in all splendors in Sri Vaikuntam, with His Divine Consorts, muktAs and nityAs all singing His praise and performing pleasing kainkarya.

Is this Sri Vaikuntam a mere figment of poets' fertile imagination or does it really exist? If so, what is the scriptural support therefore? Anticipating such questions, Swami Desikan quotes Sri Bhattar-
"YA AyOdhyA iti aparAjitA iti viditA nAkam parENa stitthA"

Sri Bhattar says that this Vaikuntam is described in the Shruti variously as "Ayodhya", Aparajita" "NAkam" etc. The following are the Veda vakyAs Sri Bhattar has in mind
" DevAnAm poo: ayOdhyA"
"tat ashvatta:sOma savanam tat aparAjitA poo:"
"parENa nAkam nihitam guhAyAm" etc.

Swami Desikan translates "Ayodhya" beautifully as "KalangA Perunagar" and "TeLi visumbu" (Worlds characterized by Suddha Satvam and free of the contamination of Rajas and Thamas), again using Azhwar's words to telling effect.

And in this magnificent world, where exactly is the Lord to be found? He reigns supreme, surrounded by His devotees, in a splendorous gem-studded mantapam with thousands of pillars. Is this again a case of somebody's imagination running riot? No, says Swami Desikan, quoting the TalavakAra Upanishad
"SahasrastthooNE vimatE drida ugrE yatra dEvAnAm adhidEva AstE?

The Upanishad describes the Lord of All deities holding court in a huge, solid and glittering hall of thousand pillars.

Going into further detail, Swami Desikan says that the Lord is ensconced on His Snake-bed. This Strange Snake has appropriated to itself the choicest of all kainkaryams and wants to be associated with the Lord's tirumEni in some fashion or the other, all the time and irrespective of the type of activity the Lord is engaged in. The ubiquitous snake's functions are summarized in the following Mudal Tiruvandadi pAsuram-


"ChendrAl kudayAm irundAl singAtanamAm
nindrAl maravadiyAm neetkadaluL endrum
puNayAm maNi viLakkAm poompattAm pulgum
aNayAm TirumArku aravu"

Sri Adisesha performs multiple functions - as the Lord's soft sandals when He stands, His umbrella protecting Him from sun and rain (as if He needs such protection!) when He travels, His throne when He seats Himself, a beautiful boat in the Milky Ocean or TiruppArkadal, a gem-studded lamp brightening the Lord's way and finally, a soft and supple bed which Emperuman is loathe to leave. SEshA's very name indicates his penchant for kainkaryam, and he desires to engage himself in the Lord's service at all times, at all places, on all occasions
" sarvadEsa, sarvakAla, sarva avastthOchita kainkaryamkaLayum
sarva vidha sareerangaLAlE anubhavitthu"
eulogises Swami Desikan.

It is this posture of the Lord, resplendent on His snake-bed, which is described by the KoushItakI Upanishad and is known as the "Paryanka VidyA"-
"Tasya ha vA Etasya BrahmalOkasya amitoujA:
paryankasya Agacchati, amitoujasam paryankam tasmin Brahma AstE"

The KoushItakI BrAhmanam vividly describes the Paramatma as being seated on a magnificent bed, lustrous and matchless. Thus Sesha is kainkaryam personified and serves as private valet to the Lord, irrespective of the time, place or occasion.