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Re: Lakshmi

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Anand K Karalapakkam • August 31, 1998 


                                  Sri :
             Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha
             Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
         Srivan  Shatagopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      

     Dear  Sri Raghu,Mani & other devotees,
     Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyen's pranAmams. 

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998, Sri Mani Varadarajan wrote:

> Sri Raghu Mudumba wrote:
> > Elders say Lakshmi is Concept and not a figure.
> > Raghu RD
> 
> Dear Raghu,
> 
> If this were the case, then all problems are solved
> in the philosophical interpretation of Lakshmi and Narayana.
> I may be wrong -- I will have to go check -- but I am pretty
> sure that Vedanta Desika argues against the idea that Lakshmi
> and Narayana are "aspects" or "concepts" of one another.
> The reference here is Desika's catuh-SlokI-bhAshya.
> 
> He does not reduce Lakshmi to God perceived in female
> form.  For Desika, Narayana is God, and Lakshmi is God's
> "patni" or eternal consort, representing two distinct
> but inseparable realities. Desika quotes the vAkya from
> the purusha-sUkta "hrIS ca te lakshmIS ca patnyau" in
> support of his argument.
> 

  The "problem" which may be in Sri Mani's mind is that , if there
  are two persons (Sri & nArAyaNA) who are the Ultimate Realities , 
  equal in every respect, then the "ekatvam" ie. Single Ultimate 
  Reality" portrayed in the vedAs gets contradicted . Since the theory 
  or speculation (ie.has no basis from scriptures whatsoever ) that 
  "Sri" is a mere "concept" etc & not an actual "reality" removes the 
  above contradiction , it helps one to remove that "problem". Still ,
  since this is only a speculation , one cannot be sure of it =>
  results in confusion .
     
  Over the last 10 issues of "Sri Nrusimha PriyA" , "Sri" tattvam is 
  explained in an excellent way by both Srimad AzhagiyaSingar & Sri
  Purusai KrishnamAchArya swAmi . The answers to this "confusion" & 
  other allied confusions are beautifully illustrated with apt pramAnams
  by these parama bhAgavathOthamAs .

  adiyen would just list the essential points now & by bhagavad sankalpam 
  in the future would write little elaborately using pramAnams (ofcourse
  every inch of it from "Sri Nrusimha PriyA" only ).

   Based on "Sri Nrusimha PriyA"  : 

   "pirAtti" is also a "vishesanA" for nArAyaNA ie. perumAL is the sarIrI
    & pirAtti is sarIrA for Him. aprudhak siddha viseshanA exists between
    the two. Since perumAL is present as visEshyA & pirAtti as His
    aprudhak siddha visEshanA , both of them can be referred by a single
    word . This resolves all the "confusions" . "ekatvam" is not lost.

    But , pirAtti is also Brahman ( Jagad kAranatvam) & belongs to
    category of IswarA ie. she is neither a jIvAtmA nor prakruti, but
    Controller of all jIvAtmAs & achit . She is also "upAyA" & "upEyA".
    for baddha jIvAtmAs . 

    From the point of view of baddha jIvAtmAs , PerumAL & pirAtti together
    constitute "God" , they together act as "upAyA" , they together are
    the "upEyA" as well. They together are cause for the world & are both 
    vibhu . Neverthless , pirAtti is paratantrA with respect to perumAL. 
     
    Hope that this helps for now  . 

   Namo NArAyanA
   Adiyen
   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  
                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu