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GeethA Jayanthi/Kaisika EkAdasi : Announcement of the Web page for SaraNAgathi

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • December 10, 1997 


Dear Members Of the Bhakthi Group :

Today is a day very dear to the hearts of all 
mumukshus and Prapannaas . Today is the day 
when the most merciful Lord sitting in the front of 
PaarthA's chariot as Sarathy in the middle of the battle field 
of KurukshEthrA revealed the doctrine of SaraNAgathi to a 
downcast ArjunA , who was stricken with sorrow over
the realization of his incompetency to practise Bhakthi YogA .
He understood the insurmountable obstacles to him as a
practioner of Bhakthi YogA to attain the goal of Moksham . 

The DayA Saagaran , PaarthasArathy was moved by the 
sincere sorrow of his friend and disciple and taught him
the doctrine of SaraNAgathi or the doctrine of Self-Surrender .
Our Compassionate Lord gave us the Carama Sloka 
in the context of instructing His dear disciple . 

Many AchAryAs have dwelled on the various aspects of 
SaraNAgathi , its auxillaries , methods of  performance
and fruits of such a performance . SaraNAgathi is 
declared by SasthrAs as an alternative to Bhakthi Yoga in 
attaining the supreme fruit of Moksham . Other AchAryAs
have interpreted that SaraNAgathi can  give Bhakthi YogA
itself and through it MokshA . 

Swami Desikan is one of the most prolific writers on 
SaraNAgathi Taattvam as a student of the student of
Vaatsya VaradAchAr ( NadAthUr AmmAL ), who gave us the
authoritative grantham on SaraNAgathi revered as 
Prapanna Paarijaatham  . To understand and appreciate 
the many works of Swami Desikan on the most
important doctrine of SaraNAgathi taught by the Lord Himself 
through His charama SlOkA , we started a journal nine weeks back .

Sriman Anbil Ramaswamy , Sri Sampath Rengarajan 
and myself have accepted responsibilities to publish this 
electronic journal , which is released every Saturday . 
It appears that there are some two hundred members ,
number of whom happen to be members of the Bhakthi group 
itself , who receive this journal via internet . I have posted
a note earlier in the Bhakthi list about the reasons 
for a special journal on saraNAgathi and the scope
of such a publication .  

After  releasing a few issues , It was our desire to archive 
the issues for ease of access to current and future readers . 
Sriman Venakatesh Elayavalli , the owner of the home page on
Sri VaishNava AchAryALs  generously volunteered his expertise 
and time to create the archives and a home page for SaraNAgathi 
journal .
 
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THE URL FOR 
THIS WEB SITE ON THIS GEETHA JAYANTHI DAY :

URL -- http://www.geocities.com/~elayavalli/sgati 

Please look it up . It is beautifully put together 
by Sriman VenkatEsh Elayavalli . Today , it has 
two issues (7& 9) there . The rest of the issues are 
being formatted  to add to the web page to bring it 
upto speed and to add weekly issues thereafter. 

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS 
JOURNAL DEVOTED TO SARANAGATHI BY 
SENDING E-MAIL TO SRI RENGARAJAN AT
SRENGARA@HOTMAIL.COM 

I conclude this posting on announcement with a
slOkam from Swami Desikan"s Rahasya traya Saaram 
( UpAya VibhAga AdhikAram ) :

karam-jnAnam upAsanam ca
   saraNa-vrajyeti ca avasthitAn 
san-margaan apavarga-sAdhana-vidhou 
   sadvaarka-advarkAn ,
eka-dvyaakrti -yoga-sambharutha-prathag-
    bhaavAnubhAvAn imAn
samyak prekshya saraNya-Sarathi-girAm
    anthE ramanthE budhA : 

( Meaning ) : The four auspicious routes precribed 
for Moksham are : Karma Yogam, JnAna Yogam ,
Bhakthi( UpaasanA ) yogam and SaraNAgathi . 
Of these , the Karma and JnAna yogams are indirect 
means to attain Moksham , whereas Bhakthi and 
saranaagathi(Prapatti ) yogams are direct means . 
Wise men know well that two of these four means
have a single nature and the other two have a twofolfd nature 
derive delight from the last words (Carama SlOkam ) of
the divine charioteer , who is the SAVUIOUR OF ALL .

AlavandhAr summarizes the meaning of the 18th chapter 
housing the charama  SlOkam this way :

IsvarE karthruthA buddhi: 
satthvOpAdhEyathAnthimE I
savkarma pariNaamasccha 
SAASTHRA SAARAARTHA  UchyathE II

May the GeethAchAryan's Charama SlOkam
be the beacon of light to illuminate our path , 

Sri RukmiNee Sametha Sri ParthasArayE Nama: 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan