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Proceedings of the 8th Sri Vaishnava Satsangham in the Bay Area

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Sudarsan.Parthasarathy • June 27, 2000 


Sri Raamajayam

Dear Bhagavathaas,
		  The Bay Area Sri Vaishnavas congregated at the home of Smt.Sumati
& Sri.Ramanujam on 18 June 2000, to celebrate Swamy Nammazhvaar TN. 
We started earlier than normal, thanks to the suggestion from
Sri.Arun(and completed on time too), with recitation of Thaniyangal to
our Acharya Parampara.  This was followed by Thirupallaandhu,
Thirupalliezhuchi and Thirupaavai.

Adiyen talked about Swamy Nammazhvaar Avataaram and promptly followed
by an enthusiastic and nice discussion from other Bhagavathaas.  All
the rich qualities of Swamy Nammazhvaar were brought out by
Madhurakavi Azhvaar and we embarked on discovering it again by
reciting "Kanninun Siruthaambu".

It is not enough knowing Swamy Nammazhvaar, when we do not share his
Bhakthi and his Anubhavam of the Divya Dhampatis(Unnum Sorum, Parugum
Neerum, Thinnum Vetrilaiyum ellam Kannan.  The food he ate, the water
he drank and the betel leaves he chewed were all done in thoughts of
Sri Krishna).  So we started reciting Thiruvaimozhi together, and
continued to talk about Swamy Nammazhvaar as Sadagopa Nayaki pining
for the Lord.

Then Smt.Sumati and family treated the lord with Thaligai Samarpanam
followed by Sattumurai.

The second part of the session, was a great group event lead by
Smt.Sridharan(Arun's mother) and Smt.Sumati's sister(in-law)  who were
leading us in Hari Naama Sankirthanam(Bhajans).   

This was followed by Adiyen's continuation on "Ethiraaja
Sapthathi"(Slokas 14-20, Slokas 1-13 explanation were started in our
our last Satsangham) and we concluded the day with Mangala Aarathi to
Swamy Nammazhvaar/Divya Dhampatis & partaking the nice prasaadham.

Adiyen Sri Raamanuja Daasan,


Sudarsana Dasosmi

ETHIRAAJA SAPTHATHI SLOKAS 14-20, in brief(please pardon errors, and
do feel free to correct Adiyen)..... 

For Adiyen it was a great way to learn and share the greatness of
Swamy Ramanuja, as explained by Swamy Desikan.  Adiyen would suggest
we could focus on every Satsangham having a talk on
Emperumaanar(Bhashyakaarar, Sri.Ramanujar, Udaiyavar,
Ethiraajar....)who has nurtured the Vedas from the onslaught of
mis-interpretations and slander(Sloka 14) and glittered as a Nayaka
Ratnam(Sloka 15) in our Guru Parampara.  Swamy Ramanuja's explanations
on Vedas/Sastras were un-clipped due to his divine qualities &
presence of mind, unlike other interpretations which were clipped with
lack of basis, as proved by Emperumaanar(Sloka 16. an analogy to Swamy
Ramanuja's interpretation of Vedas is to compare it to the Mainaaka
Parvatham, which was the only mountain whose wings were not clipped by
Indra, as other mountains then  were causing damage by their constant
relocation).  

Such is our great Acharya, blemishless(Sloka 17.  Even the moon which
is blemishless on full-moon is diminishing on other days) and his
feet is like a city with glittering flags(sloka 18) which is even
greater than that of the Lord himself(Sloka 20 - since he even saved
the lord from slander and mis-interpretations), so we should take
refuge in him as Swamy Desikan demonstrated.  In Sloka 19, Swamy
Desikan says, by delivering his slokas on Ethiraaja, even the dirt
associated with the necessity of speaking against other philosophies
which mis-interpret or slanders the Vedas, is nullified(IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR A SRIVAISHNAVITE TO HOLD THIS THOUGHT, NOT TO HURT IN
WORDS, ACTION OR THOUGHT ANOTHER JEEVA, IT IS GREAT TO SEE THIS
EXPRESSED BY SWAMY DESIKAN IN ALL HUMILITY), and we benefit from it
like Panagam(Water Sweetened with Gur and Spiced up) or Sandal-wood
paste which are all murky, yet dear to us.  Adiyen choose to interpret
this Sloka, as "any act dedicated to our Lord and Acharya alike, done
for the benefit of humanity..in short Satvika Tyaagam, can only be
pleasing to everyone and should be free of sins".

Swamy Desikan, Emperumaanar Thiruvadigalae Charanam.
SrimathE GopAla DEsika MahA DEsikAya Namaha

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