Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Experiencing Swami Desika - 35

From the Bhakti List Archives

Praveena • August 22, 1999 


SrI:
Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:
Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:
Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

Lets see Swami Desika's description on the greatness
of Shri emberumAnAr's tiruvadi. Swami Desika's
explanation makes all of us long for the touch
of Shri rAmAnujA's tiruvadi!

"lipse lakshmanayOgina: padayugam ratyAparAgacchatA-
 rakshArOpaNadanyasooriparishatsImantasImAntikam !
BhikshAparyatanakshaNeshu bibharAm chakrae galatkilbisha
 yadvinyAsamisheNa patramakarImudrAm samudrAmbarA !!"

-- yatirAja Saptati (64)

Shri rAmAnujA was a sanyAsi. As part of his
daily routine he used to walk along the streets
and get the Maadhokaram (biksha) from paramaukAntins,
(as a sanyasi ought to do) and prepare amudhu(food).

At that time Shri rAmAnujA's feet used to touch
the ground. Alas, all the impurities of that place
would disappear by the very touch and the whole
place would become pure!

mahA purushAs have some symbols viz. kOdi, Meen,
kudai, tAmarai, etc. We see these symbols in the
inner part of the feet of Shri rAmAnujA in the form
of lines. So, when Shri rAmAnujA's feet touches the
earth all these symbols also get imprinted!

Swami Desika says  that Shri yatirAjar places his
feet on the ground as a matter of fact. In reality,
it is Bhoomi devi (mother earth) who utilises this
opportunity. Swami Desika beautifully explains that
by the touch of yatirAjar's tiruvadi, Bhoomi devi
gets purified. And in addition to that Bhoomi devi
receives these symbols and thus gets her work done!

The vidvAns come in drove's to collect the dust in the
streets which was touched by Shri EmberumAnar. These
vidvAns realise this dust to be a rakshA (protection),
and place it on their heads. Their head is blessed
with such a bAgyam! This is not all, after this the
vidvAns come in person and have Shri yatirAjars feet
itself placed on their head!!!

Swami Desika says that he also wants to bear
Shri yatirAjar's thiruvadi on his head and
get purified!

Swami Desika tells us about Shri yatirAjar's philosophy.
Swami gives us the reply to the question "Is VisishtAdvaita
of Shri rAmAnujA an evolved philosophy ? " Swami Desika
establishes that Shri rAmAnujA's philosophy is ancient.

"yatishmAbruddrushtam matamiha navInam tadapi kim
tata: prAgavAnyadooda tadapi kim varNanikape !
nishAmyantAm yadvA nijamatatiraskAravigamAt
nirAtangAshtangadramidakuhadevaprabrutaya: !!"

-- yatirAja Saptati (57)

Some people say that Shri Visistadvaita Vedanta has been
found by Shri rAmAnujA and hence the philosophy is new!
They say that the other matam's existed before this and
hence are ancient.

Swami Desika says that even if we take their words to be
true, we have nothing to lose. Swami says -
What is it we lose if our philosophy is new, and what do
the other philosophies gain because it is old?

Swami emphatically states that Superiority of the
Philosophy is not based on its advent. Vedas have
to be wholly considered and interpreted appropriately.
The philosophy which succeeds in this is the superior
philosophy. And it is obviously our philosophy
which is the MOST SUPERIOR.

If we analyse it further, we realise that our
VisistAvaita Vedanta has not been found out by
Shri rAmAnujA! Our sampradAyam is also anAthy
like the Vedas. Tanka, Dramida, guhadEva, nammalvar,
nAthamunigal, alvar's ... all those who lived long
before Shri RAmAnujA have been teaching this philosophy.
Nobody could come forward and refute their doctrines.
So without any interruptions they could spread the
philosophy. They have not established the philosophy
based on the just swArasyam of vakyAs and padams
of the Vedas and Brahma sutras. It is explicit that
they have considered swArasyam, aksharA by aksharA
and have written the vEdanta grantA.
Shri bhasyakArar, in the beginning of Sri bAshyam
itself says that it is based on PoorvAcharyas
principles the akshara's of Brahma sootra's are
being translated. In reality, Shri bhasyakArar
gave a new shape to the philosophy which came
through this lineage, in a way that all learned
people could understand. Shri rAmAnujA by systematising
these in his srI sookti's did an extraordinary help
and that is the reason for our philosophy to be called
as Ramanuja siddantam.

Swami Desika determinedly states that the arguments
which state that this philosophy is new is baseless.

......to be continued!

yatirAjar tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi
22nd Aug 1999