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Re: Sri Ramanujacharya's Nava RathnangaL

From the Bhakti List Archives

Narendran Thaiyar • April 8, 1998 


Dear Members of the Bhakti List,

I received the following message a few days ago from Sri Sadagopan.  I'm 
forwarding this message to the list as per his request.  Thanks.

Narendran

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 10:12:42 -0400 (EDT)
From: Sadagopan 
To: Narendran Thaiyar 
Subject: Re: Introduction and more...

Dear Sri Narendran :
Welcome to the Bhakthi Group !

Here is the brief summary of Acharya Ramanuja"s 
nine granthams :

1. Sri Bhaashyam :Magnum Opus of Our AchAryA 
*********************************************
This is a voluminous work critiquing the interpretaions
on the BrahmasUtrAs of Sage BadaraayaNA ( VyAsA ) by
Adhi Sankara"s advaithA , BhaskarA's BhedAbhEdhA and
other schools of VedanthA .The lengthy commentary on 
the first sUtrA lays the foundation for 
the Sri VisishtAdvaitha darsanam firmly and clearly .

2. Sri GitA BhAshyam : This is a Substantive commentary on 
the Bhagavad Gita based on the shorter grantham ( GithArtha
Sangraham ) by his AchAryA's AchAryA ( ALavanthAr/Yaamuna Muni).
Bhakthi Archives has postings on AlavanthAr's work .

3. VedArtha SangrahA : A detailed Critique of the rival schools 
and the exposition of the tenets of Sri VisishtAdvaitham with
special attention to Tattva , HithA and PurushArtham .It also
repudiates the views of MimAmsakAs .

4. VedAntha DeepA : A brief commentary on the purport of 
each of the Brahma sUtrAs . It is shorter than Sri Bhasyam 
because it does not include the criticisms of the rival systems .

5. VedAntha SaarA : This grantham is for those , who might
find Sri Bhaashyam and VedAntha DeepA too terse and tough .
It brings out the essence of Brahma sUtrAs and the AdhikaraNAs .
Our AchAryA did not want to frighten away those , who might 
have difficulty scaling the intellectual heights of Sri BhAshyam .

6.Gadya Trayam (1) : SaraNAgathi Gadhyam-- This deals with 
the most important SaraNAgathi ( Prapatthi )doctrine , which
is cardinal to Sri VisishtAdvaitham .

7.Gadhya trayam (2) : Sriranga Gadhyam-- This grantham is
in the form of a soul-stirring prayer to Sri RanganAthA .

8.Gadhya Trayam (3) :Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam --A glowing 
description of the celestial abode ( Sri Vaikuntam ) 
of Sriman NaarAyaNA and the supreme bliss ( MokshAnubhavam )
of the Muktha and Nitya Jeevans .

9. Nithya Grantham or Bhagavdh AarAdhana PrayOgA :Following
the instructions given by GeethAchAryA in the twelfth chapter
of GitA , AchArya RaamAnuja insists on the need for a VishNu
BhakthA to engage in the religious observances enjoined in
the VedAs , Smrithis and PurANAs . A summary of the three 
Gadhyams is available in the archives of SaraNAgathi Journal ,
courtesy Sri MadhavakkaNNan .

Through these nine granthAs in Sanskrit , AchArya RaamAnuja 
built on the foundations laid by his predecessors ( natha Muni 
and ALavanthAr ) and built the citadel of Sri VaishNavam .
His successors (74 SimhaasanAdhipathis) intrepreted 
the above nine granthams and created the Vast Sri VaishNavite
literature that we are blessed to possess as our Kula Dhanams 
today .

Sri Mani VaradarAjan's excellent introduction to Sri Vaishnavam 
in the Sri VaishNavA home page and the Archives of AchAryAL's
work maintained by Sri Ilayavalli will provide you more details
on the tenets of our system of VedAnthA known as Sri Bhagavdh
RaamAnuja SiddhAntham .

Since you are not too far  from Denver , You might have an
opportunity to learn from Sri Tridandi Jeeyar about our
Darsanam during the end of May . Sri Mohan Sagar can provide you
more details on that opportunity .  

With best wishes ,
V.Sadagopan