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Mukkoor AzhagiyaSingar's RAmAnuja SiddhAntam - 1

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Anand K Karalapakkam • August 24, 1998 


                                  Sri :
             Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha
  Srimate Srivan Shatakopa Sri VedAntadesika Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha
             Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
         Srivan  Shatakopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      
             
     Dear  devotees,
     Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams. 

     Today (tuesday) being the thirunakshatram of 44th patta
     Azhagiyasingar ( Srivan Shatakopa Sri VedAntadesika Yateendra 
     MahAdesikan , well known as Mukkoor Azhagiyasingar )  is a  very
     auspicious day . Sriman JaganAth  Bharadwaj has asked adiyen to
     forward his translation of Srimad Mukkoor Azhagiyasingar's tamil
     article "Sri RAmAnuja SiddhAntam " that appeared as a AruLmozhi in 
     one of the Nrusimha PriyA issues. The same article is present in
     the excellent book "Sri AzhagiyaSingarin amudha mozhigaL"
     which is a collection of various aruLmozhIs of Mukkoor 
     Azhagiyasingar , published by Sri Nrusimha PriyA Trust.

     Let us all remember the great mahAn & follow the invaluable
     instructions left behind by Azhagiyasingar .
 
   Namo NArAyanA
   Adiyen
   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  
                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu  
----------------------------

                  SRI RAMANUJA SIDDHANTAM
              BY SRIMAD MUKKUR AZHAGIYA SINGAR

          < Translated by Sriman Jaganath Bharadwaj > 


Every doctrine stated in this philosophy is absolutely true.  The
philosophy and religious line established by NammAzhwAr,  NAthamuni,
ALavandAr, RAmAnujar, Desikan and other AchAryAs  is our philosophy . In
this philosophy, everything stated in the VedAs, VedAntA,  ItihAsAs,
PurAnAs, smrutis and related literature are the truths.  Read this over
and over again and understand the hidden doctrines as it is. Since I am
writing this in the form of indoctrination (doing Upadesam), the negative
consequences of making attempts to study SAstrAs by your own efforts will
not arise in your case.   Since some pious souls have appealed to me to
write this article, you do not have to worry that I will be affected by
the fault of volunteering information unsought by my disciples.
Therefore, in a mood free from anxieties, clearly understand all the
principles.

1.) 	Sriman naaraayaNA is the Para Brahman (God).  Equal in every
respect to Him is "Sri" (Lakshmi).  This means that Lakshmi is also full
of unlimited auspicious qualities and is omnipresent (i.e. exists
everywhere or vibhu).  These two are the ParamaatmAs.

2.) 	JIvAtmAs have knowledge (jn~Anam) and are eternal just
like God.  The living entity (jIvAtmA) is the smallest thing that exists.
It is therefore infinitesimal.  The number of jIvAtmAs is so large that it
is said that even the ParamaatmA cannot keep count of their number.

Scriptures have classified the jIvaatmAs into three types.  They are
called baddha jivaatmAs, mukta jIvaatmAs and nityasUris.

The number of jIvaatmAs in each category is also infinite to the extent,
it is stated that even God cannot count the number of jIvaatmas that
exist .

I will now explain who are baddha jIvaatmAs.  Listen carefully.  Those
who have committed acts of PunyA and PApA (pious deeds and sins), and
are experiencing the result of such activities in the form of limited
happiness and substantial sorrow; those who are unable to experience
either (being trapped in bodies like stones, furniture, etc,) and are
leading a frustrated existence; such living entities are called baddha
jIvaatmAs according to SaastrA.  BrahmadevA (chatur mukha brahmA), 
ShivA, IndrA, SUryA, ChandrA, the 330 million demigods,  asurAs 
(those in whom Rajo Guna dominate), raakshasAs (those in whom Tamo Guna
dominate), Maharshis, human beings, insects, plant life, countless micro
organisms; living entities occupying all such bodies are all baddha
jIvaatmAs.  

I shall now explain who mukta jIvaatmAs are.  Knowledge about them is
essential for us.  This is because we have to emulate their example and
put an end to all difficulties and eternally enjoy bliss.  Carefully
read and understand who mukta jIvaatmAs are.  There were baddha
jIvaatmAs that got fed up with the constant suffering they were
undergoing because of the twin ropes of punyA and pApA.  They squirmed
with agony about this miserable state of existence and thought about
ways to escape from this situation.  They inquired from great souls about
how to experience superior pleasure.  They clearly understood from these
people that only by getting rid off the shackles of karma and attaining
liberation (moksha) can one attain infinite happiness.  For all of us
who are the products of this kali YugA, we have very limited
intelligence and capacity.  "Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja.  Sarva Paapebhyo
Mokshayishyaami" ( Take Me as your refuge.  I will free you from all
sins.  I will give you liberation (moksha) ).  They understood with great
clarity, this statement of Sri Krishna in Srimad Bhagavad GeetA.  They
clearly understood reality from a SadaachAryA (bona fide spiritual
preceptor).  

They either learnt from the AchAryA as to how to take refuge (prapatti)
of Sriman NArAyanA, or they got refuge through the AchAryA . They
obtained His blessings and got rid of their karma, or in other words,
they successfully pacified His anger towards them.  They attained Sri
VaikuNTam as a result of His blessings and are now enjoying bliss.
These are called Mukta jIvaatmAs in our scriptures (Saastras).  So far
I have explained two out of the three categories of jIvaatmAs.  

I shall now explain the third category of jIvaatmAs called NityasUris.
As explained previously , baddhAs are those who have committed sins and
are, as a consequence, pushed by paramAtmA into the prison called birth
and death as per "PaSava: PaaSita: Poorvam ParamENa sva leelayA" .

The second category of jIvaatmAs called muktAs are the ones who seeked 
BhagavAn's forgiveness of their sins & got released from this jail called
death and went to their home Sri VaikuNTam wherein they stay forever
without separation from Bhagavaan (God) and experience infinite bliss.
NityasUris are those that have never committed any sin and  have not
experienced the prison of birth and death. As per "savayasa iva ye nitya
nirdoshagandhA" they are like friends of paramAtmA of same age ,form,
wealth ,qualities (gunA)&  enjoy all the opulence of Bhagavaan in an equal
measure with Him.  Only such souls are NityasurIs.

BhUmidevi, NILAdevi, Adi SeshA, GarudA, VishwaksenA, dwArapAlakAs or
gatekeepers, parichaarakAs, attendents, GanapAtIs in Vaikuntha, apsaras of
VaikuNTa, soldiers, swans and other birds, lions and other animals etc  
who are enjoying opulence at a level equal with God in Sri VaikuNTA 
forever (eternally) are nityasUrIs. For more details refer to Sri
VaikuNTa GadyA.  If one commits to memory the mantrAs for Adhaara Shakti
tarpanam, then it will stay in the mind.

3.) 	There are three more items that need to be described.  These are
Prakruti, KAlA and Suddha sattvA.  

First I shall talk about Prakruti.  Listen carefully.  The origin of
everything we see in this world that is made up of ether, air, fire,
water and earth is called Prakruti, just as grass and straw eaten by the
cow is the source of milk, cream, butter, ghee etc.  

 I am now giving you more details.  Listen carefully.  Give up lethargy
and grasp the truth.  SaastrAs confirm that a time will come when every
lokA from BrahmalokA downwards will be dissolved (praLayA) .  But even at
that time there will be countless jIvaatmAs that will not have attained
liberation.  These jIvaatmAs will be sticking to Prakruti at that time
just as powdered gold sticks to molten wax.  This combination of
Prakruti and jIvaatmAs is called tamas.  When not connected with
jIvaatmAs, tamas is called as Prakruti.  A portion of this Prakruti
is converted into a product called Mahat by Sriman NArAyanA.  From a
portion of this Mahat , ahamkaarA is made by Him.  A portion
of this ahamkaarA is used to make the eleven senses such as the
eyes, nose, ears etc. 

>From another portion of ahamkaara, arises a rudimentary form of ether.
>From this rudimentary ether develops the ether proper.  From this ether
proper develops first a rudimentary form of air and then air proper.
>From air develops first rudimentary fire and then fire proper.  From
fire develops an rudimentary form of water and from that, comes water
proper.  From water comes rudimentary earth and then earth proper.  In
this way Sriman NArAyanA has constituted 24 ingredients for material
nature (prakruti).  ParamaatmA uses these 24 ingredients to create all
bodies & according to the individual punya and papa karmas He confines
the jIvaatmA to a particular type of body . ParamaatmA also enters into
each and everybody and protects us.  

Now I shall explain about Suddha SattvA. Carefully ponder over this and
understand everything clearly.  The Prakruti that I have been talking
about earlier is composed of three elements viz. sattva, rajas and tamas.
There is another thing called "Suddha sattvA " constituting the sattva
guna alone (different from the "sattva" of prakruti) , without any
mixture of rajas and tamas.  That is why it is called Suddha sattvam.
This Suddha sattvA is the cause for the existence of all non living
substances within Sri VaikuNTA.  In other words, the bodies of
Bhagavaan , bodies of nitya sUris, bodies of mukta jIvaatmAs, gopurams,
towers, pillars etc in Sri VaikuNTam are all made up of Suddha sattvam.  

There is one more element called time.  It has many divisions such as
moment, seconds, minute, hour etc.  Moola Prakruti does not exist within
the realm of Sri VaikuNTam.  Suddha sattvam, the cause of Sri
Vaikuntham does not exist in the material world.  However time exists in
both realms.  Make sure that you have carefully read and digested
everything that has been written up till now.  We are going to touch
upon some additional subjects covered by Saastras.

 -- to be cont--
--------------