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Re:Sarasvati Puja Question

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Anand K Karalapakkam • August 13, 1998 


                                  Sri :
             Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha
             Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
         Srivan  Shatagopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      

     Dear  Sri Mani & other bhaktAs,
     Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams. 

     As far as adiyen understands , Goddess Saraswati is a jIvAtmA 
     given the status of "Goddess of Learning" by Sriman NArAyanA.
     Ofcourse it  is  well known that she is the consort of Lord 
     BrahmA . But , pirAtti is also obviously goddess of Learning for 
     she can benedict anything .

     adiyen still has doubts with regard to the position of
     Goddess Saraswati being the consort of NArAyanA . Sri Ram quoted
     from  "Brahma SamhitA" (BS) which is not the famous "Brahma SamhitA"
     of pAncarAtrA . So , that quote cannot be taken as an authoritative
     text . " BS" whose authorship is unknown ( ofcourse it is not
     apaurusheyA) eulogizes Sriman NArAyanA & in that light can be
     relished . But those portions which are against the teachings of
     vedAs has to be discarded . Ofcourse Sri Ram also explained his good  
     intentions behind that post .

     Is Goddess Saraswati none other than pirAtti ? As far as adiyen knows
     , it is not so . If it is so , then How can pirAtti as Saraswati be a
     consort of  Lord BrahmA ?  
------------------
     Regarding the photo : 

     PirAtti can ofcourse take the form of Goddess Saraswati similar to
     how NArAyanA takes various forms . Probably pirAtti might have taken
     the form of Goddess Saraswati & sat on the lap of Lord HayagrIvA . 

     The other possibility is that the jIvAtmA with the position of
     Goddess Saraswati can be blessed by Lord HayagrIvA by allowing her to
     sit on His lap. So , we should be highly respectful to Goddess 
     Saraswati who has such a previlege from Lord HayagrIvA . Probably
     this was intended by Srimad RangapriyA swAmi ( Sri Mani : Please
     correct if adiyen is wrong ). 

 --------------------

     Goddess Saraswati became pratyaksham to Bhagavad RAmAnuJA  &  
     gave the title of "Sri BhAshyakArar" for blessing the baddha 
    jIvAtmAs  with the proper interpretation of Brahma SootrAs . The
    bAshyam was  named as "Sri BAshyam" by Goddess Saraswati & also 
    gave BAshyakArar the archA mUrthy of the unparalleled Supremely 
    Merciful Lord of Knowledge - Lord HayagrIvA . The same PerumAL is
    still worshipped by ParakAla Matam  AchAryAs as their ArAdhana 
    mUrthy .  So, Goddess Saraswathi is indeed dear to us .

     Ofcourse all demigods  are  also  dear to us . Lord ShivA is 
     also unquestionably  a bhAgavathA . 

     But, adiyen would like to discuss about the paramaikAntitvam as 
     observed by many prapannAs .   

     Prapatti is  the  wedding  of  jIvAtmA with the paramAtmA Sriman
      NArAyanA .A prapannA is in the bhAvA of a chaste wife with NArAyanA.

      In materialistic world , a chaste wife will  be dedicated in serving
     her husband . The man in the next house  may  be  very  good having
     exceptional  character , knowledge  etc.  But  a  chaste  wife  won't
     be bothered  about his  presence . She  won't  keep  that man's
     photo in her  room . She  doesn't  go  to  his  house either . 

    Similarly, a prapannA  doesn't  worship  demigods &  doesn't  enter  
    demigod  temple  because  of his (jIvAtmA)  relationship with NArAyanA
    after prapatti. This doesn't  mean  that the prapanna disrespects
    demigods.  They respect them  very much . But their  relationship with
    NArAyanA doesn't  allow them to  do such things as stated above. This
    is similar to how  a chaste  wife  respects other men , but doesn't
    equate  them to the status of her husband . 

   But a chaste  wife moves with the relatives of her  husband (
   his  father , mother , sister etc ) . Similarly , a prapanna has no
   problems in entering the sannidhi of Nitya soorIs like Peria Thiruvadi
   (GarudAzhvAr) , SudarsanAzhvAr . 

   The other reason for not entering the temple of demigods is the usage
   of AgamA procedure . In a temple for Lord ShivA, the prathishtA might
   be as if he is the Supreme Lord . So , prapannAs don't enter such
   temples since it is against the teachings of vedAs.

   But , if prathistA for Lord ShivA is performed as a bhAgavathA ( as 
   in Thiru Anantha puram , receiving the blessings of Lord Anantha
   PadmanAban in the garba gruham ) , a prapannA has no problems. This
   has been pointed out by Sri Sampath swAmi some months back & many
   discussions on this topic has taken place in the past .

   Coming to Goddess Saraswati : Sri U.Ve. Vankhipurm GopAladesikAchAryA 
   swAmi might have felt that  a paramaikAnti / prapannA being in the
   bhAvA of pati vratA strI towards NArAyanA, shouldn't observe a special
   function for Goddess Saraswati , a demigod . adiyen doesn't know the 
   practise of Sri Ahobila Mutt & other AchArya paramparAs . Ofcourse , if
   they observe Saraswati PoojA , they will have proper reason ( without
   affecting the paramaikAntitvam , as in the case of worship of Peria 
   Thiruvadi & the like  ) . 

   Namo NArAyanA
   Adiyen
   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  
                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu