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Re:ThiruvahIndhrtapuram RathnAngi Series: Sub-vyUham

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Sadagopan • April 4, 2003 


At 03:28 PM 4/3/03 +0530, you wrote:
>"Lakshminatha samarambham Nada yamuna madyamam
>asmadhaachaarya paryantham vande guruparamparam"
>
>Dear Bhakthas,
>
>I have few interesting(May be) questions to ask. 
>What are sub divisions in the four Vyuha Murthys - VaasudEva , 
>SamkarshNa ,PradhyumnA and Aniruddha?
>
>Could any one explain these to all who read the mail??
>
>Narasimha Raghavan

SrI: 

Dear SrI Raghavan: 

I will attempt to answer the above question based on
the knowledge gained from reflections on HH SrImad NaarAyana
YathIndhra MahA Desikan's ( the Current  Jeeyar of AhObila matam ) 
upadesams . All the credit goes to this revered AchAryan of adiyEn
and the deficencies in conveying His noble thoughts are mine.

In view of the complexity of the subject dealing with Upanishadic
passages and the cross references , I will be brief and highlight
the information points revealed in detail by SrImad Azhagiya
Singarin His own inimitable way.These are the thoughts 
based on Vedic and Upanishadic pasages by PoorvAchAryAs
from Swamy  NaaTa Muni, Swamy  AlavanthAr, AchArya RaamAnujA,
Kuresar , Swamy ParAsara Bhattar and the subsequent AchArya
Paramparai. 

The Five unique GuNams of SarvEsvaran
***************************************
1. For a clear understanding of Isvara Tatthvam ,
five of His guNams need to be grasped. These 5 GuNams of
SrIman NaarAyaNan are:(a) Sathyathvam (b) Jn~Anathvam 
(c)Ananthathvam (d)Aanandhathvam and (e) Amalathvam. 

Upanishad Vaakyams as well as Sruthi manthrams back up
as attestations for these 5 GuNams that characterize
the Brahman/SrIman NaarAyaNan .These guNmas distinguish Him 
from all others(gods) and these are proof positive to delineate 
His svaroopam as being uniquely  different than anyone else 
and hence are recognized as Svaroopa Niroopaka Dharmams
(LakshaNams). 

(a)He is thus Sathya Svaroopan ( no shrinking or expansion 
in Svaropam and always stays with out change or vikAram). 

(b)He is Jn~Ana Svaroopan (He is Svayam prakAsan . He does not need 
Dharma BhUtha Jn~Anam to illumine Him) .  

(c)He is Anantha Svaroopan ( He can not be limited by Desam ,
Kaalam or Vasthu. He is nithyan/eternal and therefore not
limited by Time ; He is everywhere and is Vibhu and therefore
is not restricted or confined to this place (dEsam) or the other;
He is the indweller of all the sentients and the insentients and 
hence He is not restricted to this vasthu or that vasthu.

(d)He is Aanandha Svaroopan and is of the form of bliss Supreme.

(e)He is Amala Svaroopn and is totally  free from any blemishes
whatsoever.

These then are the five GuNams that are used for
the Niroopanam/proof of Isvara Tatthvam (Svaroopa NirUpaka 
dharmam ).This then is the ParamAthma Svaroopam
that is uniquely  different than all others. 

Other GuNams (Niroopitha Svaroopa ViseshaNams)
***********************************************
In addition to the above 5 lakshaNams/guNams , there are
other GuNams associated with the Isvaran to describe Him:
Jn~Anam , Balam , Sakthi, Isvaryam , Souseelyam , 
Vaathsalyam , His divine body ( dhivya ThirumEni/
dhivya MangaLa Vigraham ) , His two vibhUthis 
(possessions/wealth): Leela and Nithya VibhUthis.
These serve as VisEshaNams for Him . These are recognized 
as Niroopitha Svaroopa VisEshaNams ( the atributes that
qulaify or define the five Svaroopa Niroopka Dharmams 
(Sathyathvam , Jn~Anathvam , Ananaththvam ,Aanandthvam 
and Amalathvam).

The Categories of GuNams
*************************
All of His limitless guNams and their visEshaNams
can be linked to two major groups :

(1) Those linked to His Parathvam /Supermacy 
with out equal or Superior

(2)Those linked to His Soulabhyam or easy  accessibility by 
one and  all independent of their rank or level of education 
or wealth .

Links of the GuNams with Parathvam and Soulabhyam
**************************************************
The six guNams that  are relevant for His Supermacy 
(Parathvam) are: Jn~Anam , Balam , Isvaryam,Veeryam ,
Sakthi and Tejas .

The GuNams that come in to play to reveal His Soulabhyam
are Souseelyam , Vaathsalyam and others that AchArya 
RaamAnujA saluted in his saraNAgathi Gadhyam.As Souseelyam ,
the Supreme and the Mighty Lord mingles readily even with 
the lowly ones. Vaathsalya GuNam lets Him overlook the blemishes
and permits Him to extend His affection. 

All these GuNAs linked with His parathvam and Soulabhyam 
never disassociate themselves from the Lord .They become 
"SvaroopAsritham" . They stay attached to Him in a steadfast
manner. 

GuNams coming to the fore based on His status
**********************************************
Although all these guNams are linked with His Svaroopam
at all times, He illumines for His UpasakAs , selected guNams 
in different states such as Param , VyUham , Vibhavam ,
Archai and AntharyAmi. 

In the state of Param , He shines as Para VaasudEvan
with all the Six guNams (Jn~Anam , Balam, Isvaryam ,
Veeryam , Sakthi and Tejas) that are relevant to display
His Parathvam.

In the state of VyUham , the Lord has four  states 
Known as VaasudEvan, SankarshaNan , Pradhyumnan and 
Aniruddhan. These are known as Chathur VyUhams or
Four states unique to VyUham ( structure, assemblage ).

As VyUha VaasudEvan , the Lord has all the six GuNams that
Para VaasudEvan has and is identical to latter. In view of
this , some AchAryAs reduce the VyUha states from four 
to three. For instance , KurEsar sticks to the Chathur VyUham
concept that includes VyUha VaasudEvan among the four states.
KurEsar's son , Swamy ParAsara Bhattar prefers the three 
VyUham view consisting of three ( SankarshaNa-Pradhyumna-
Aniruddhan) Moorthys only. The three vyUham view fold think that 
VyUha VaasudEvan is indistinguishable from Para VaasudEvan
and hence reduce the count  from four to three. 

Now comes the division of the dominant Six guNams 
for each of the three VyUha Moorthys. A distinct pair of 
GuNams are linked to each of the three VyUha Moorthys.

Bhagavan as SankarshaNa VyUha Moorthy has the pair of
GuNmas, Jn~Anam and Balam as predominant ones. Pradhyumna
Moorthy has Isvaryam and Veeryam and Aniruddhan displays
Sakthi and Tejas. 

With Jn~Anam and balam , SankarshaNa Moorthy performs 
the duties of SamhAram (Dissolution) and creates Saasthrams
for the world.

With Isvaryam and Veeryam , Pradhyumna Moorthy performs 
the duties of Creation and spreads the Dharmam among 
the sentients of the Universe.   

With the display of Tejas and Sakthi, Aniruddha Moorthy 
engages in Protective duties and instructs the world about
the Tatthvam . Bhagavan HayagrIvan , the VidhyA Moorthy
is therefore linked to Aniruddha VyUha Moorthy.

One thing that needs to be emphasized is that the Lord 
incarnating as the three VyUha Moorthys still has all 
the six GuNmas although they illumine their pair of 
GuNams for the benefit of their UpAsakAs. 

The aarAdhana kramam for the individual VyUha Moorthys
be they three or four is provided by PaancharAthra Aagamam.

Four Types of UpAsakars
************************
The Upasakars of the four VyUha Moorthys are grouped 
under four categories depending on their state of
proficiency. These four UpAsakars are recognized as
Jaagrath , Svapnavath, adhyalasa and ThurIya PrAyars.

The Jaagrath prAyarsare at the early stages of UpAsanai.
They are like the ones , who are wide awake and are more
involved with the anubhavam of external objects .Their dhyAnam
or MaanasIka VyApAram will be less compared to outside vyApArams.

The Svapnavath prAyar are like the one , who is in a dreaming
state. Their external indhriyams/sensory organs have limited
activities as in dream state , when the mind alone is reflecting 
on external anubhavam . Maanasa anubhavam dominates for 
this type of UpAsakAs.

The Adhyalasa PrAyar experiences the state similar to
Sushupthi or dramless sleep. Their external awareness/
involvement and the Maanasa anubhavam of  those external 
Jn~Anam is absent in this Adhyalasa state. During their 
VyUha DhyAnam , the advanced status of their Yogic 
capabilities comes to the fore and they engage in 
DhyAnam without the help of Indhriyams/sensory organs . 
Only the involuntary activities like breathing take
place in this state of UpAsanai.

The Fourth category of the VyUha UpAsakar is ThurIya
or Moorchitha PrAyar. They are the most advanced Yogis,
who has no distracting expeience from KarmEndhriyams or
Jn~AnEndhriyams. Their DhyAnam is the most ripe and
perfect. This UpAsakan becomes Bhagavan Mayan .

These four orders of states/Kramams of UpAsanai are similar 
to the four kramams described by GeethAchAryan in the chapter on 
Jn~Ana Yogam: YathamAna , VyathirEka , yEkEndhriya and VaseekAra 
dasais/Stages.

Each of these FOUR VyUha Moorthys have Four subdivisions.
Thus 4X4 becomes 16 VyUha Moorthys in detail.Each of the 16 
VyUha Moorthys have their own colors , weapons .They are 
defined to be present in SrI Vaikuntam in the Suddha Sathtva Form 
as the body of the Lord. This form of the Lord is seen like 
the trunk of a tree with four branches at four levels from
ground. The four branches at the lowest level is that of
Jaagrath state for UpAsakAs and the highest level (ThurIya
State) is for fully matured/accomplished UpAsakAs. Four 
hierarchical branches  of the VisAka Yoopam/SthamBham
with four branches of their own constitutes 4X4=16 sub-
VyUhams.The branches of this VisAka SthamBam has been
described in SrI VaradarAja PanchAsath as :" SthamBAnukAri 
pariNAma VisEsha BhAja:" . This VisAka SthamBham in the humans
is invoked in the heart lotus like the trunk of a plant 
growing out of there with 4 branches at differing heights.
The MahAns (Yogis) blessed with abundant satthva guNam 
visualize this trunk of a plant with four branches and
progress in their dhyAna yOgam .

There are also another set of VyUhams arising from 
the Chathur VyUha Moorthys . These are the set of
Twelve known as VyUhAntharams: Kesavan , NaarAyaNan ,
Maadhavan, Govindhan, VishNu ,Madhusoodhanan, Thrivikraman ,
Vaamanan, SrIdharan , HrushIkEsan and DaamOdharan.
All these Twelve VyUhAnthara  Moorthys have their own colors , 
directions , weapons that are unique to Them. We invoke
them in the 12 PuNDra SthAnams on the body , when we
as VaishNavAs adorn the 12 Urdhva PuNDrams. 

SrImad  Azhagiya Singar TiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan 



 


    
 
    






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