re DP Commentaries

From the Bhakti List Archives

• June 1, 2000


Dear BhAgavatOttamas
Having read Sri Sadagopan's masterly essay on the AzhwArs and
the aruLichheyyals,aDiyen felt the impulse say something about
a statement therin which might be a little misleading-


".Swamy Desikan salutes this (PillAn's) commentary
as the most authentic one to comprehend the mind
and message of Swamy NammazhwAr."

ADiyEn has not come across any  such categorical statement of Swami DESikan 
in his reading.If there is one in SwAmi's own words (and not in those of his
later interpreters) aDiyEn would like to see it.For,if such were the
case,the onus
would fall on SwAmi himself to justify why then at so many places in his
DraviDOpanishat TAtparya RatnAvali he has prefered the interpretation of
SwAmi NambiLLai over that of Sri PiLLAn!

For ex:

1. In "ODum PuLLEri" (1.7)- Sri PiLLAn says,this TiruvAymozhi describes
   EmberumAn's Divya AiSwaryam consisting of GarutmAn etc.

   Sri NambiLLai and others say,this Tir. extolls EmberumAn's "Arjava GuNa"
  i.e., His tendency to bring Himself down to the level of the ASritas like
  GarutmAn etc so that He could mix with them on a one to one basis.Like
  Sri Rama did on his trip to Lanka.
  
  SwAmi DeSikan says AzhwAr spoke here about EmberumAn's Arjava GuNa,- <
Nirupadhim
  RjutAm NIravrNE jagAda>

2. In 2.2  Sri PiLLan says that the words "Azhiam paLLiyArE" refers to
; But SwAmi NambiLLai says it refers to  at the end
of
the Kalpa. SwAmi DESikan agrees with the latter- 

There are many such instances throughout Bhagavadvishayam for all to see.

All this means is that SwAmi DESikan was not bigoted towards any particular
commentary and chose each time the interpretation he found most reasonable.

Secondly,a more general point is also involved here: Unlike tattva-granthas
like SrI BhAshyam,which brook no second interpretation,AzhwAr's outpourings
are Anubhava-Granthas.SrIman NArAyaNa showed to the AzhwArs His Divya Roopa
GuNa and Cheshtitas in diverse manners and they enjoyed them in various
ways.
Our AchAryas enjoyed" AzhwArs' enjoyment of the Lord "in their own ways.What
has come down to us is a collection of all those experiences.Unless a
diamond
has many facets who would call it a diamond ? A five course meal is before
us
and if we restrict ourselves to only one course,the  large hearted purveyors

of the feast would only express their infinite pity.Who would be the
ultimate
losers?

Sri EmberumAnAr TiruvaDigaLE SaraNam!



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get 2 FREE books at eHarlequin.com.Indulge in our romantic books, 
recipes and getaway ideas. Take your romantic escape today to
http://click.egroups.com/1/4778/4/_/716111/_/959871352/
------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information