Re: PramAnas for Brahman as being different from its Body
From the Bhakti List Archives
• May 3, 2000
SrI: SrI Lakshminrusimha ParabrahmaNE namaha SrI Lakshminrusimha divya pAdukA sEvaka SrIvaN SatakOpa- SrI nArAyaNa yateendra mahAdESIkAya namaha Dear SrI Mani, namO nArAyaNa. SrI Mani Varadarajan wrote: > Sri Anand cited the JitantE Stotram and added a translation: > > > " na tE rUpam na ca aakArO na-aayudhAni na ca-aaspadam | > > tathApi purusha-AkArO bhaktAnAm tvam prakASasE || " > > > > " Youdonot have any physical qualities such as white or > > black (rUpa) ; You do not possess any physical organs > > such as head or legs (aakAra) ; nor are there any weapons or > > ornaments on You < in ds> (aayudha) ; nor do You have an > > abode > by which Brahman's presence is limited>; Neverthless out of > > Your infinite compassion towards devotees > comprehend and reciprocate with You as ds>, You manifest > > Yourself with a lusturous bodily form bedecked with ornaments > > and weapons in an abode of Yours < Be it arcAvatAra, vibhava > > avatAra etc>". > > While the provided meaning is not inappropriate, > Sri Periyavaaccaan Pillai gives a very different interpretation, > which I feel in some ways is more in line with the text. He > takes "na tE" as meaning "not for you", rather than "you do > not have". This is perfectly valid according to Sanskrit > usage and grammar. Furthermore, he takes "rUpa" not to mean > "form" but "svarUpa" or "essence", with the idea that otherwise > there would be a redundancy in the usage "AkAra" immediately > after, which very clearly means a defined form. > > Given this, a translation according to Sri PVP's commentary > would be: > > Your divine essence if not for you, nor is your form, > nor are your weapons, nor is your divine abode; rather > they are manifested by you for the sake of your > beloved devotees. > > This avoids the problem of first saying that the Lord does > not have a form, etc., and then saying that he manifests it. > > I find this interpretation a notch more appropriate -- and > what more should we expect from Swami PVP? SwAmi PVP certainly gives excellent interpretation for this verse. But, adiyEn would like to add few points on the merits of an equally good interpretation by SrI PuttankOttakam SwAmi(PS). The context is that, in verse 2, it occurs "...sarvadA caraNadvandvam vrajAmi SaraNam tava" implying performing SaraNAgathi unto the Lord's feet. The next two verses also glorifying Lord etc. In the intro to this verse, SrI PS writes that this verse dispells various doubts occuring in one's mind due to the mention of Lord with a form viz. vEdAs say Brahman to be "apANipAdO javanaha" ; Upanishads also say starting with "yattadadrESyam" that Brahman does not have colours like white,yellow,black etc. Then, how come Brahman is glorified with having colour, feet etc and we perform SaraNAgathi (as expressed in previvous verses)? The verse thus answers these philosophical questions as to how Lord certainly has form etc. Also, adiyEn posted certain portions from SrI BhAshyam on this issue and when seen in that light, this interpretation brings out all those tattvas established in vEdAnta. There is no "problem" in this interpretation as one may think. Moreover, "rUpam" referring to "colour" is accepted as an adravya in vEdAnta / ViSishtAdvaita and other systems of thought like NyAya etc. Hence, that term is used by SrI PS here as referring to colour. aakAra ofcourse refers to "form". Thus, this interpretation is also as excellent as that of SrI PVP's. Please refer to the originals which is quite more detailed. ------------------------ Additional note : By reading SrI PVP's interpretation one may have doubts as to whether Brahman doesn't enjoy its ownself (swaroopa), rUpa and other vibhUtis, and as to whether they are present only for the enjoyment of devotees. This is because, by the definition of "sAyujyam", the mukta and Brahman have common objects of enjoyment viz. Swaroopa, rUpa ... and other vibhUtis of Brahman. Thus, PerumAL does certainly enjoy Himself etc and thus, the swaroopa, rUpa etc are for His enjoyment too. He enjoys bhOga rasa from nitya vibhUti ( SrI VaikuNTham ) and lIlA rasa from leelA vibhUti (material world). Since He is the SEshi, everything exits for His purpose. One has to understand that, SrI PVP by his interpretation only magnifies the great kalyANa guNa of PerumAL in making even a jIvAtma (who has no comparison with the glories of ParamAtma) enjoy Himself, His rUpa etc. adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan, anantapadmanAbhan. krishNArpaNam. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get your money connected @ OnMoney.com - the first Web site that lets you see and manage all of your finances all in one place. http://click.egroups.com/1/3012/2/_/716111/_/957374361/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------- - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list@eGroups.com Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information
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