Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Seventh dip in the enjoyment of Emperumaanaar!

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • April 18, 1999 


Sri:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

Swami Desikan continues to allure me with his YathirAja Sapthathi to keep immersing ourselves in the greatness of Sri Ramanuja! 

Sloka 56 says:

In this world, there was no luster of the jnAna viLakku- jnAna deepam (the lamp of Knowledge). It was not lit and the whole place was filled and engulfed by darkness. People, were terribly down with the darkness of aj~nAnam. In order to show them the way, there shall be light. Sri Ramanuja was the Deepam. What is the oil for this lamp? The Bhakti- the intense devotion of YathirAjar on Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan was the unadulterated, faultless, Oil to keep the flame alive for ages. Was the bhakti expecting anything return? Absolutely Not. This bhakti, by nature was not expecting any thing in return.

What would have happened to the world, had there been no lamp in this world? The good, virtuous saadhus and Srivaishnavas, who are now blessed with Sri Ramanuja, would have been wandering in the dark, and would have fallen into the traps and pitfalls, laid by other Non vedic religions. There would have been the ahnkaaram of other religions filled everywhere, engulfing the whole world with darkness. These Srivaishnavas would have been bitten and eaten by the cruel "janthus" (animals and insects ) living there (the vidhaNdaavaatham- the wrong arguments of other religions are these janthus).

These people would not have been saved, bout for that lustrous lamp (Sri Ramanuja) Thus Srivaishnavas have been saved!

In the immediate next slOka (57) Swami Desikan says beautifully: People (of other religions) claim that Sri Ramanuja Siddhaantham is latter developed one! Our religions are earlier; So we are better. HowÂ’s that possible? So what if it is new and latter established? One should judge more by its philosophy and its relevance and interpretation to Vedas and sruthis; and not with regard to its age. ThatÂ’s the way to judge a philosophy. So it is Ramnuja Siddhaantham that is a correct and the most accurate interpretation of Vedas and hence is THE Philospohy.

On the other hand, Sri Ramanuja Siddhanantham is simply a re-establishment of what Dunkar, Dramidar, Guha Devar, Vyasar, et al, had earlier established with their commentaries. Also, it was later followed by NammAzhwAr, Sri Nathamuni, Sri Yamunacharya (Alavandhar), Periya Nambhi and then Sri Ramanuja. It was Sri Ramanuja who firmly established this ancient philosophy in his Sri Bhashyam and is hence, called Ramanuja Siddhaantham. Hence, it is NOT EVEN LATTER DEVELOPED ONE!

Look at Swami DesikanÂ’s arguments and his firm declaration of the greatness of Ramanuja Siddhaantham!    

Swami desikan, Emperumaanaar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Narayana Narayana

Narayana dAsan

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com