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Re: April-June Archives of Bhakthi List

From the Bhakti List Archives

M K Sudarshan • July 20, 1997 


Dear Sri.Sadagopan,
At 08:21 AM 7/20/97 EDT, you wrote:
 
>The Sri Sookthis have their own " intoxicating "
>effect on any one , who comes close to them . If one gets
>carried away by their Ruchi , it is understandable."
                    --------------------------------


How true indeed !
I was just comparing what you have said above with what I had myself written
about the "bhishma-stuthi" in Post #2 on 4 JUNE 1997 (from Mani's archives) when
                              ---------------------------------------------
I first commenced the series and had no idea of which way it would all go !

Forgive me my immodesty and please permit me to quote myself verbatim from
the archives :

   QUOTE :

  ".....The reason, however, why "bhishma-stuthi" has traditionally been held in
extremely high esteem by SriVaishnava "AchAryA-s" --- as highly as the
"sahasranAmama", in fact --- is because it contains, within its deep kernel,
the very quintessence of many 'vEdAntic' themes with a distinctly
VisishtAdvaitic flavour. Every phrase in the "bhishma-stuthi", scholars have
commented, seems to be shorthand for the vast saga of lofty wisdom that
Vyasa's "Mahabharatha", verily, is."

  ".....A unique feature of the 10 verses of this "stUthi" is the way they
sound to one's ears. Vowel and consonant, rhyme and syntax in this Sanskrit
poem are
sweetly evocative of the distant echoes of many subtle themes, scenes and
plots in the Mahabharatha."

  "....The "stuthi" when recited, therefore, creates a mood of grave
reflection and repose in the mind of the reader/reciter even if he/she were
to possess only
a smattering of the Sanskrit language and/or the skimpiest acquaintance with
the great message of the Mahabharatha."

  "....Listening to the soft sounds of this "stuthi" is, indeed, like
listening to a philharmonic representation of a simple folk tune. It sounds
like a
simple, uncomplicated refrain but you sense, as you read or recite it
repeatedly, that many grand operas lie latent between its lines."

  "....The 42nd Azhagiyasingar set such great store by this rare "stUthi"
that he was known to readily recommend it for deep study and reflection to
anyone
who came to him inquiring about the possiblities of "bhagavad-guNAnubhavam"
during the twilight hours of one's life ..... the "antima-prayANa-kAlE"
Swami Desikan speaks of .... or the "antima-smriti" the ancient Upanishad
describes as a great "brahmha-vidyA"."  

  UNQUOTE

What more can I say, Sir, except that since June 4th, 1997 --- and Posts #2
through to Post # 20 --- the Lord Himself seems to have ensured that every
single one of the above statements of mine, about BhishmAchAryar's great
"stuthi", should ring true !!

adiyEn/dAsan,
sudarshan