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Re: The release of the ChathuslOki, SthOthra Rathnam & Gadhyam Tape

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Nadadur Mathavan • May 31, 1998 


Dear Sri Sadagopan:

Thanks for your in-depth review and words of encouragement.  This tape is
bound to enlighten every Sri Vaishnava as it is one of the earliest works of
our acharayas -- Sri Alavandar and Sri Ramanuja.  Sri Saranatha Bhattar's
dedication and hard work during recordings, which took up four days of his
valuable time, is truly reflected in the tape.  Sri U.Ve. Kannan Iyyangar
provided invaluable guidance during recordings and in preparing the
introductory commentary.  Moreover, an authentic review from a most revered
Bhaktha like yourself has definitely added value to this work.

The encouragement received from Sri Ahobilla  Muth and Sri Ramanuja Mission.
Inc. and by Bhagavathas like you makes such kainkeryams possible.

I humbly surrender this work at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Ranganatha.

Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamasthu

Dasan








-----Original Message-----
From: Sadagopan +ADw-sgopan+AEA-computer.net+AD4-
To: bhakti+AEA-lists.best.com +ADw-bhakti+AEA-lists.best.com+AD4-
Date: Sunday, May 31, 1998 3:54 PM
Subject: The release of the ChathuslOki, SthOthra Rathnam +ACY- Gadhyam Tape


+AD4-Dear BhakthAs :
+AD4-
+AD4-Last week at Pittsburgh , I had the good fortune
+AD4-to acquire a copy of the above tape produced by Sriman
+AD4-Nadadur Madhava DAsan . I want to share with you
+AD4-the blissful experience of listening to this high
+AD4-quality tape released jointly by Sri Ramanuja Mission , Inc
+AD4-and Sri Ahobila Muth of North America , Inc .
+AD4-
+AD4-The subject matters of these five works associated
+AD4-with Sri Alavandar and Sri Ramanuja ( Sri ChathuslOki ,
+AD4-Sri SthOthra Rathnam , Sri Saranagathi , Sriranga
+AD4-and Sri Vaikunta gadhyams ) are the core of our
+AD4-Sri Vaishnava sampradhAyam . The doctrines covered
+AD4-by these two AchAryAs are profound in scope and supremely
+AD4-relevant to our every day life .I have no doubt in my mind
+AD4-for the need for every Sri Vaishnava to acquire a copy of
+AD4-this tape produced with a high degree of devotion and
+AD4-professionalism and listen to them and recite along with them .
+AD4-
+AD4-The sampradhAyic way in which Sri SaranAtha Bhattar of
+AD4-the Pittsburgh Sri VenkatEswarA temple recites the slokams and
+AD4-the Gadhyams is a testament to his depth of Sanskrit scholarship
+AD4-and Bhakthi . The padacchEtham ( splitting of the sandhis and
+AD4-word groups ) as well as the breath control behind this blissful
+AD4-delivery is remarkable .
+AD4-
+AD4-The professional and skillful recording with high
+AD4-calibre recording facilities by Sriman Madhavan is the complimentary
+AD4-adjunct in the realization of this auspicious tape housing
+AD4-the AchAryA's paramAnubhavams .I thank Sri Madhavan for
+AD4-his pursuit of excellence in making available to us the great
+AD4-works of our AchAryAs with his deeply researched introductions
+AD4-and commentaries to gain the right perspective on these
+AD4-extraordinary granthams for our own salvation .His commentaries
+AD4-are crisp and pertinent and prepare us to enjoy the recitations.
+AD4-I wish him continued success in this mahath Kaimkaryam to
+AD4-capture and make available additional treasures .
+AD4-
+AD4-My hope +ACY- prayer is that every Sri Vaishnava household
+AD4-will acquire this and other tapes produced by
+AD4-him as a labor of love to our tradition and learn
+AD4-from them and train the children to recite them and make them
+AD4-their own . Competitions at the Hindu Temples for children
+AD4-to recite these sthOthrAs are worth the while to challenge
+AD4-the children to get acquainted with these kula dhanams .
+AD4-
+AD4-The fact that Swami Desikan has written commentary in Sanskrit
+AD4-for Sri ChathuslOki and Sthothra Rathanam as well as for
+AD4-the three gadhyams indicate the reverence with which
+AD4-he viewed them . PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai has blessed us
+AD4-with  commentaries in Tamil . The subject is Sarvatha:
+AD4-Saaram ,( the quintessence of VedAntham)(i-e)., Prapatthi .
+AD4-
+AD4-Following his AchAryAs , Sri Ramanuja housed his
+AD4-reverence to AchArya paramparA ruchi parigruhitha prapatthi
+AD4-( SaraNAgathi doctrine assembled by the discriminating
+AD4-and exquisite taste of the Successive AchAryAs )
+AD4-in his SaraNAgathi gadhyam and extended its coverage to the
+AD4-other two gadhyams . He did not want to cover Prapatthi in
+AD4-Sri Bhaashyam , since it was intended for fulfilling another
+AD4-mission (viz)., kantanam ( crtical rejection of other
+AD4-Vedanthic approaches , which he found wanting in perfection ).
+AD4-He severely criticized the views that that held aloft
+AD4-the beliefs , +ACI- TattvamaseethyAthi Vaakya janya Jn+AH4-nam is
+AD4-Moksha Saadhanam and Karma jn+AH4-Ana samucchayam is Moksha-
+AD4-saadhanam +ACI- and established with precision that
+AD4AIg- bhakthi rUpApannamAna Jn+AH4-Ana VisEsham alone is
+AD4-VedAnthAbhimadhamAna Moksha Saadhanam +ACI- . After
+AD4-completeing the mission of creating Sri Bhaashyam  ,
+AD4-he turned his attention to the doctrine dear to his heart
+AD4-as an AchAryA and celebrated personally prapatthi at
+AD4-the lotus feet of the auspicious dampathis at Srirangam
+AD4-on the historic Panguni Uttharam day .
+AD4-
+AD4-The comparison between Bhakthi and Prapatthi has been
+AD4-made by celebrated AchAryAs time and again .The salient
+AD4-points for us to remember as taught by our AchAryAs are :
+AD4-
+AD4AKgAq- AchArya Mukha Prapatthi is more appropriate for people
+AD4-   like us than Bhakthi.
+AD4-
+AD4AKgAq- The reasons are : Bhakthi is adhikruthAthikAram
+AD4-   (limited to chosen adhikAris /practioners ) ,whereas
+AD4-   Prapatthi is SarvAdhikAram ( Can be performed
+AD4-   by anyone )+ADs- Bhakthi is hard to practise ( Dushkaram ),
+AD4-   where as Prapatthi is sukaram ( easy to perform , KshaNa
+AD4-   karthavyam +ADs- can be completed in a second ) +ADs- Bhakthi
+AD4-   gives delayed results .Prapatthi gives immediate
+AD4-   results unfailingly for one who has MahA viswAsam .
+AD4-
+AD4-Sri P.B.ANNangarAcchAr Swamy quotes the tenth slokam of
+AD4-Swami Desikan+ACI-s NyAsa Tilakm dealing with his prapatthi at
+AD4-the Lotus feet of the Lord of Srirangam to relate to the above
+AD4-points .Swami Desikan describes this preference of SaraNAgathi
+AD4-over Bhakthi thru his choice words in theis slokam :
+AD4-
+AD4-AarthEshu AasupalA +AD0- This SaraNAgathi gives immediate
+AD4-fruits for those , who are eager to cut asunder
+AD4-the samsaric links quickly .
+AD4-
+AD4-tadh anya vishayE api ucchinna dEhAntharA +AD0- Even in the cases
+AD4-of those , who are not in a hurry to destroy the cycles of
+AD4-births and deaths( like the AarhtAs ) , this Prapatthi yields
+AD4-fruits equally effectively .
+AD4-
+AD4-vahni aadhE : anapEkshaNAth +AD0- This SaraNAgathi does not
+AD4-require Agni kaaryam (i-e) not limited to a restricted few +ADs-
+AD4-it is open for any one .
+AD4-
+AD4-yaavath aathma niyatha tvath paaratanthr+ACo-ya uchithA +AD0-
+AD4-This Prapatthi act fits well with the practise of being
+AD4-subservient to You until the end of one' life on earth .
+AD4-This is appropriate to the ChEthanA's svarUpam , which
+AD4-is subordinate to the Lord at all times.
+AD4-
+AD4-tvayi yEva tvadh upAya dhee: +AD0- In this SaraNAgathi , You
+AD4-become the means and the fruit of that act .SaraNAgathi is
+AD4-a sincere prayer for You to stand in the sthAnam of Bhakthi
+AD4-Yogam to yield the fruits of Moksahm .
+AD4-
+AD4-abhihitha sva upAya bhAvA +AD0- SaraNAgathi is the realization
+AD4-that it is not equal in importance as a means in comparison
+AD4-to You as the most important means (upAyam ) and
+AD4-it is THE MEANS to secure Your blessing for Moksham .
+AD4-
+AD4-Thus Bhakthi and Prapatthi are two different means +ADs-
+AD4-for those without the resources to practise Bhakthi Yogam ,
+AD4-it is the readily practisable and secure menas of cutting
+AD4-the cycles of births and deaths and serve the Lord in
+AD4-His paramapadham .
+AD4-
+AD4-AlavandAr and RaamAnujA performed their Prapatthis and
+AD4-showed us this way as the most efficacious way to secure
+AD4-the Moksha Siddhi . Their prapatthis are enshrined in
+AD4-these five works covered in this auspicious tape
+AD4-produced by Sri Madhava Daasan .
+AD4-
+AD4-Each of the words of these five superb kula dhanams
+AD4-are worthy of life long reflections . For Example ,
+AD4-in the 45th slOkam of SthOthra rathnam , AlavandAr
+AD4-salutes the Bahgavath svarUpam as :
+AD4-
+AD4-Sriya+ADs- Sriyam +AD0- the Lord of Sri Devi, Sriya: pathi
+AD4-
+AD4-Bhaktha Janaika Jeevitham +AD0-mukhya prANan of bhakthAs
+AD4-
+AD4-Samartham +AD0- One who is all powerful to rescue us from
+AD4-the terrors of SamsAram
+AD4-
+AD4-aapathsakham +AD0- aapath bhandhavan , who rushes to us
+AD4-in times of danger as in the case of GajEndran,
+AD4-VibhishaNan and Droupathi .
+AD4-
+AD4-arthi kalpakam +AD0- One who is like a kalpaka tree
+AD4-and grants all the boons desired by his bhakthAs
+AD4-as VaradarAjan .
+AD4-
+AD4-To that Bhagavath SvarUpam , Alavandhaar and Sri RaamAnuja
+AD4-performed their SaraNAgathis . The 60th slOkam of sthOthra
+AD4-rathnam , which is echoed by RaamAnujA in his SaraNAgathi
+AD4-gadhyam is a fitting one to conclude this note relating to
+AD4-this tape housing their auspicious works :
+AD4-
+AD4-pithA tvam , maathA tvam
+AD4-dayitha tanayastvam , priya suhr+ACo-uth
+AD4-tvamEva tvam bhandhu : gururasi
+AD4-gathiscchAsi jagathAm
+AD4-tvadheeyas tvath bhruthya:
+AD4-tava parijana: tvath gathiraham
+AD4-prapannaccha yEvam sathyahamapi
+AD4-tavaivAsmi hi Para:
+AD4-
+AD4-(MEANING): Thou art the Father of all these universes +ADs-
+AD4-Thou art also the Mother +ADs- dear son +ADs- desirable friend +ADs-
+AD4-the dear relative +ADs- Thou art the AchAryan , who banishes
+AD4-the darkness of ajn+AH4-Anam +ADs- Thou art the end result +ADs-
+AD4-I am Your sEshan +ADs- I am the One to be raised by You .
+AD4-I am Your humble servant +ADs- I am the one , who seek You as
+AD4-my goal +ADs- I am also the one , who has performed Prapatthi
+AD4-at Your sacred feet .You are the saraNya Bhandhu for this
+AD4-erring Janthu .Myself with all these dhOshams have become
+AD4-your Bharam thru the performance of SaraNAgathi/Bara SamarpaNam .
+AD4-
+AD4-agathim saraNAgatham HarE
+AD4-krupayA kEvalam aathmasAthkuru
+AD4-
+AD4-DaasOham , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan
+AD4-
+AD4-
+AD4-
+AD4-
+AD4-