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ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam:Part 41/SrI Raama Navami: Abhaya PradhAna Saaram postings: Part 6

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Sadagopan • April 11, 2003 


SRI RAAMA NAVAMI SUBHA DINAM
*****************************

SrI:

Dear SrI Raama BhakthAs:

On this auspicious day , it will be useful to recap 
the scope of the ten individual chapters of Swamy
Desikan's masterly upadesams on SaraNAgathy Saasthram 
housed in his SrI Sookthi of "Abahya PradhAna Saaram "(APS). 
So many gems relating to the SaraNAgathy Dharmam 
are embedded here from the SaraNAgathy Vedam of 
SrImad  RaamAyaNam .
 
The references to the doctrines of SaraNAgathy 
in this SrI Sookthi are so many that it will take years 
to cover them all with justice ; hence , adiyEn will be 
only choosing illustrative  examples from Swamy Desikan's
marvellous SrI Sookthi of APS. adiyEn will return to
the coverage of the third chapter and references 
therein to Sundara and Yuddha KaaNDam episodes 
relating to SaraNAgathy Saasthram later . 

NamO NamO RaaghavAya anisam ! NamO NamO Raghukula TilakAyA!

The extraordinary details that  Swamy  Desikan provided
to explain the perfection of VibhIshaNa SaraNAgathy 
forms the heart of this SrI Sookthi of APS. let us start 
with a overall architecture of this SrI Sookthi of APS .
There are TEN Chapters in APS .

Chapter 1: Prabhandha AvathAram
********************************
During TrEthA Yugam , SrIman NaarAyaNan incarnated 
as the son of the King of AyOdhyA , DasaraTan. Once Brahma's 
son , Sage Naaradha told the story of Raama"s avathAram 
succinctly to VaalmIki. Brahma blessed VaalmIki thereafter
to have the power of flow of the divine nectar of poetry 
to channel the flood of Bhakthi in the form of SrImad  
RaamAyaNam. With the anugraham of Brahma Devan , VaalmIki 
acquired the divine power of seeing the past in minute detail 
and related to all the happenings during the Lord's 
avathAram and described them clearly as if describing
a fruit resting in one's one's palm . Knowledge about 
Lord Raamachandran's avathAra rahasyams are essential
to one, who seeks the fruits of Moksham.VaalmIki wanted 
to reveal these rahasyams to the people of the world out of
his compassion for them. Thus arose SrImad RaamAyaNam.

This sacred history of the Lord is for helping people 
to comprehend clearly the inner meanings of VedAs. 
Those who have limited knowledge of VedAs are inclined 
to miscomprehend and misintrepret the messages of 
the eternal VedAs and the VedAs are afraid of these 
people. Sage VaalmIki composed SrImad RaamAyaNam 
to remove the fears of VedAs since a study of RaamAyaNa 
will help them understand the true meanings of the VedAs. 
It is said that when RaamAyaNam is placed in one scale of 
a balance and the four VedAs in the other scale , 
the scale with RaamAyaNam stayed down indicating 
the loftiness of RaamAyaNam over the VedAs.

VaalmIki needed capable students to learn RaamAyaNa
and its meanings from him . The children of Raama ,
Kusa and Lavaa , arrived at the hermitage of Vaalmiki 
at that time and became the most fititng students 
to learn and propagate the messages (avathAra rahasyams)
of this dhivya Charithram about their Divine Parents.

Chapter 2: Para Tatthva NirNayam
*********************************
This chapter settles cleary that SrIman NaarAyaNan ,
who incarnated as Raamachandran is the Supreme God.
SvEthasvatara Upanishad reveals two truths: (1)SrIman
NaarAyaNan is the Para Devathai and (2) SaraNAgathy performed
at His sacred feet leads to Moksham and freedom from
all fears.SrImad RaamAyaNam also establishes these
two important points. 

Chapter 3: SaraNAgathy Taathparya Prapancham
******************************************** 
This chapter explains the inner meanings of 
SaraNAgathy or aathma nivEdhanam or self-surrender.
VedAs prescribe the performance of SaraNAgathy at
the sacred feet of the Supreme Being and RaamAyaNam
from beginning to end points out the importance of
SaraNAgathy by a jeevan.All the seven cantos of
SrImad  RaamAyaNam house episodes of individual
SaraNAgathys and the inestimable benefits obtained by
the one , who used this upAyam (means )to gain 
the rakshaNam(protection) by the Lord through
His blessings of Abahya PradhAnam (Freedom from
any kind of fear). 

4. PrakaraNa Taathparya NirNayam
*********************************
The establishment of the inner meanings of
VibhIshaNa SaraNAgathy and the sigificance of
the five angAs (parts) of his SaraNAgathy are
explained in this chapter. PrakaraNam means 
the constituting Division of a whole object or
entity.Taathparyam refers to the meanings . 
NirNayam means the establishment of the veracity .
Therefore PrakaraNa Taathparya nirNayam means 
the establishment of the true meanings of
the various parts (angAs) of SaraNAgathy ,
the central subject of SrImad RaamAyaNam .
The true fruits (Phalan ) that VibhIshaNa 
sought thru his SaraNAgathy is explained as
Raama Kaimkaryam and not the gaining of 
the kingdom of his brother. 

5.SaraNya Seela prakAsam
*************************
This chapter salutes the unparalleled auspicious
attributes of the SaraNAgatha Rakshakan , Raamachandran.  
These guNams shine more in Vibhava SaraNAgathy than even in
the Para Satate at SrI Vaikuntam.Incidents from VibhIshaNa 
SaraNagathy are used to illustrate the Lord's matchless guNams
in the context of His abhaya pradhAnam to this brother of RaavaNA. 

6. SaraNya Vaibhava prakAsam
*****************************
The superiority and glory of Raamachandran
as SaraNAgatha Rakshakan is celebrated in
this chapter. The unfailing power of the Lord
to grant abhaya pradhAnam and offer protection to
the SaraNAgathan is covered here once again in 
the context of VibhIshaNa SaraNAgathy.

7.Parama Dharma NirNayam
*************************
This chapter establishes as to what is the Supreme
Dharmam to be observed.In the previous two chapters ,
the Lord's SvabhAvam (intrinsic nature)and Vaibhavam 
(Glories) were celebrated. Here, it is established that 
SaraNAgatha RakshaNam is the Supreme most important 
Dharmam.

8.SaraNya Vratha Visesha PrakAsam
***********************************
This chapter focuses on the superior vow undertaken 
by the Rakshakan to protect the one , who sought his
refuge .VibhIshaNa SaraNAgathy incidents are chosen
again to illustrate this important  aspect of the vow 
taken by the Rakshakan(Lord RaamA) as SaraNAgatha Vrathee
( One who has taken the vow to grant abhaya pradhAnam 
to a SaraNAgathan). 

9.SaraNya-SaraNAgatha Sangama laabham
***************************************
This chapter explains the phalans (fruits)resulting from
the union of the One who seeks protection (SaraNAgathan)
with the One who offers that protection as SaraNyan.  
The glories of both are covered  using VibhIshaNa 
saraNAgathy episodes once again .

10.PrApthi PrakAra Prapancham
****************************** 
The way in which VibhIshaNan united with 
Raamachandran(Sarva LOka SaraNyan)as 
SaraNAgathan is celebrated here. The special
welcome of the Lord in His role as SaraNyan and 
the reaction of the SaraNAgathan to that exhilirating
svAgatham(welcome)  and VibhIshaNan's declaration 
of his own sense of unfitness for such an honor 
are covered furhter.The fruits of gaining 
the blemishless nithya Kaimkaryam to the Lord 
as a direct result of VibhIshaNA's SaraNAgathy 
forms the concluding note of this SrI Sookthi , 
Abahya PradhAna Saaram .This is the Saaram of
the Lord grantign abhaya pradhAnam .This then 
is the principal fruit arising from VibhIshaNa 
SaraNAgathy.

adiyEn will take up the details covered in
the individual chapters later.       
     
SrI SithA SamEtha Raamachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Swamy  Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan 



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