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The First Thiru Adhyayana Uthsavm at Lord RanganAtha Temple at Pomona , NY : Dec 22-31, 2001---PART IV, Swamy Desikan's Taathparya RathnAvaLi

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Sadagopan • December 16, 2001 


Vishu Samvathsara Dhanur Maasa PiRappu Dinam

ANDAL ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
                 
SrI:

AzhwAr AchAryan Udayavar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam 

Sri RanganAtha ParabrahmaNE Nama:

Dear RasikAs of Swamy NammAzhwAr's dhivya prabhandhams:

AdiyEn will start with the DhramidOpanishad Taathparya
RathnAvaLi (DTR) of Swamy Desikan on this first day of
sacred Margazhi Maasam. 

Structure and Metre of DTR
***************************
As indicated in the previous posting , the first 
ten of the 130 slokam of this sacred work are 
introduction to the Vaibhavam of Swamy NammAzhwAr 
and His sacred work, ThiruvAimozhi. These ten 
are Bhavath GuNa niroopaNa SampradhAya avathArikai.

The next 113 slOkams address the inner meanings of 
the 100 dasakams (decads) of ThiruvAimozhi.The remaining 
six slOkams are considered as Nigamana SlOkams 
that provide the "synoptic content " of the Sri Sookthi, 
DhramidOpanishad Taatparya RathnAvaLi .

Because of the loftiness and divinty of the subject
matter , Swamy Deikan picked a "big" metre (SragdharA )
for the slOkams of DTR. For the subsequent smaller grantham ,
which is a condensation of the thoughts of DTR at 
a macro level, Swamy Desikan chose a smaller-sized metre
(SikhariNI) for DhramiDOpanishad Saaram (DS) . If DTR
foucses at a minute (micro) level the Taathparyam of 
each of the Pasasurams of ThiruvAimozhi , DS summarizes 
at the higher (macro) level the Dhivya GuNams of 
ThirumAl as elaborated in the ten Patthus (Sathakams)
of ThiruvAimozhi.

ThiruvAimozhi as Tamizh MaRai RathnAvaLi
*****************************************
DhramidOpanishad is the Tamizh MaRai . "Vedam Tamizh 
seytha Maaran " is the salutation to Swamy NammAzhwAr.
He captured the essence of Sanskritic Upanishads 
and Brahma Soothrams ,which are not easy to understand 
by every one and out of his compassion for us rendered 
them in Agasthya Bhaashai (Tamizh) for easy comprehension 
by one and all. He covered the Taathparyam or
the deep meanings of the Upanishads in Tamil and assembled
them (the individual gems ) in to a RathnAvaLi
( gem necklace). Swamy Desikan created this RathnAvaLi 
by stringing together the multi-hued rathnams ( Taathparyams )
of DhramidOpanishad ( ThiruvAimozhi) and realized 
the DhramidOpanishad Taathparya RathnAvaLi for
arpaNam to Lord RanganAtha . In his Sri RanganAtha
PaadhukA Sahasram's Rathna SaamAnya and VisEsha 
Rathna Paaddhathis  , Swamy Desikan pays special
tribute to the creator of thei DhramidOpanishad 
RathnAvaLi , Swamy NammAzhwAr , the SaThAri Soori.

Relationship between Tamizh MaRai & Sanskritic Vedams
******************************************************
The relationship between the Tamizh MaRai of Swamy
NammAzhwAr and the sahasra saakhOpanishads ( 1000 plus
upanishads associated with the 1000 plus saakhais of 
the four Vedams ) is saluted in Swamy NaaTamuni's Taniyan
for ThiruvAimozhi :

BhakthAmrutham Visva-janAnumOdhanam 
SarvArTadham SrI SaThakOpa Vaangmayam
Sahsara SaakhOpanishath-samAgamam
namAmyaham DHRAAVIDA VEDA SAAGARAM 

(Meaning ): adiyEn salutes the ocean of Tamizh
Vedam , which is of the form of Sri SaThakOpan's
vaak (speech/aruLiccheyalkaL). These are linked to 
the thousand upanishads and includes in them 
all the deep meanings (Taathparyams)of Tatthva-
Hitha-PurushArthams and artha Panchakam. They are nectar 
to the minds of the devotees of Sriman NaarAyaNan 
and they enjoy it with relish as aparyAthAmrutham .

The First SlOkam of DhramidOpanishad Taathparya RathnAvaLi
***********************************************************
Saara: SaarasvathAnAm SaDaripu paNithi: Saanthi SuddhAntha seemA
MaayAmAyaminIbhi: svaguNa-vithathibhir-bhandhayanthIm dhayanthI
Paaram paaramparIthO bhava-jaladhi-bhavan-majjanAnAm JanAnAm 
prathyak prathyakshayEnna: prathiniyataramA sannidhAnam nidhAnam 

(Meaning): Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi starting from
the first decad of the first Patthu ( UyarvaRauyar nalamudayavan)
to the last decad of the tenth patthu ( MuniyE NaanmukhanE 
MukkaNNappA)is involved with Sri SaThakOpan's anubhavam of 
the anantha KalyANa GuNams ( limitless auspicious attributes )
of Sriman NaarAyaNan . These Saarasvathams ( Combination of
words arising from the Sarasvathi/Vaak of Sri SaThakOpan )
and their Saaram (distilled essence ) saves us from chasing
perishable matters and engaging in useless pursuits and
brings the Lord Sriman NaarAyaNan in front of us as
Prathyaksha PramANam .

Commnets based on UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam:
*********************************************
Swamy Desikan points out that Sri SaThakOpan's 
ThiruvAimozhi is the inner chamber (antha:puram )
of Saanthi Devi. It will produce absolute tranquility
and bliss. It will carry the people inclined to sink
more and more( PaaramparItha)  into the ocean of samsAram 
across to the other shore (paaram ) of paripoorNa BrahmAnamdham 
(paaramparItha Bhava Jaladhi bhavan-majjanAnAm
JanAnAm ). After safely transporting them to the other shore 
of SamsAram , ThiruvAimozhi's power brings the Lord 
(Sri VaikuntanATan ) along with His divine Consort in front of
them as Prathyaksha PramANam ( Prathyak prathiniyataramA 
sannidhAnam nidhAnam prathyakshayEth). Swamy Desikan
states that ThiruvAimozhi will bless us all with the nidhi 
(wealth) of the Lord forever united with SrI Devi
and bring that supreme and auspicious nidhi right 
in front of us (nidhAnam na: PrathyakshayEth). 
NidhAnam means nidhi or wealth . That nidhi is the one ,
which has nithya sambhandham (ahalahillEn --) of PirAtti 
( prathiniyataramA SannidhAnam nidhAnam ). 

UtthamUr Swamy elaborates beautifully on the significance
of the word " Prathyak" in his commentary. He points out
that Sriman NaarAyaNan is the PRATHYAK , who is the antharyAmi
( the indweller ) of all Jeevans. The liberated Jeevan
remembers always that it is the Nithya Seshan (eternal
liege ) to the Lord and recognizes its status as 
asvathanthran (Totally dependent one on the Dhivya Dampathis)). 
Once one is blessed with this Seshathva Jn~Anam through 
AchArya KatAksham and Sambhnadham , the Jeevan  understands
the full power of the Taathparyam of Swamy NammAzhwAr's
Saaratama Saarasvathams ( Quintessence of ThiruvAimozhi)
like : "Udanmisai Uyirenak karenthengum paranthauLan " 
and "YenathAviyAvium Nee" . The Lord with His Divine
consort appears in the "aham buddhi " of the devotee 
and takes his place in the "ahankAra dEsam " as stated by 
the Upanishad ( aTAthOhahankAra dEsa:). Therefore Kaimkaryam
to the Dhivya Dampathis and Their BhagavathAs are most
important (Saara Tamam as pointed in PrdhAna sathakam). 

The Key messages of the First SlOkam of DTR
*******************************************
The key message of Swamy Desikan's first slOkam of DTR
is that Swamt NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi (SaDaripu 
PaNithi:) has the unfailing power of bringing Sriya: Pathi 
in front of one ( Prathyaksham). Swamy NammAzhwAr's 
ThiruvAimozhi has the power of being present at all
places in all times ( AayAminIbhi). The Sri Sookthi has 
the capability to tie the Jeevan firmly to the Thiruvadi of
SravalOka saraNyan ( svaguNa vithathibhi: BhandhayanthIm ).
It consumes the marvellous creation of Moola Prakruthi
(MaayAm dayanthI) and produces Vishaya vairAgyam 
( nonattachment to worldly and evanescent matters) .
A SadAchAryan unites then this Mumukshu Jeevan to ThirumAl
and returns His property(Jeevan) to Him ( Sriya: Pathi).

>From the shade of Sriranga VimAnam on the banks of Hudson River,
adiyen appeals to all BhakthAs and rasikAs of AzhwAr's
AruLiccheyalkaL to help celebrate the forthcoming 
Thiruadhyayana Uthsavam at Sri RanganAthA temple ,
Pomona , NY and join the celebrations (Dec 22- 31,2001).

Sri RanganAyaki SamEtha Sri RanganAtha ParabrahmaNE Nama: 
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VardAchAri SatakOpan 



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