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AchArya anugraha BhAshanams(Tele-UpanyAsams)

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Sadagopan • February 24, 2001 


Sri:
Namo NaarAyaNaaya

Dear BhakthAs:

In the past few months we have been blessed to be
in touch with number of our Sacred AchAryAs thru the tele-bridges.
Inspite of the enormous demands on their times , all of
our AchAryAs have devoted significant chunks of their
time to educate us , answer our questions and remove our doubts. 
Their compassion for us is limitless. They enjoy the opportunity 
to be with us and mitigate some what our sorrow in not being
near them and serve them. We are also grateful for other 
deeply -informed Scholars of our sampradhAyam for their
informative upanyAsams . Thanks to all the sishyAs , who serve 
as moderators for us to enjoy this flow of Tamizh and Sanskrit
Vedams and AchArya Sri Sookthis .

At the very end of Sama Vedam , we come across a revealing
passage:" DhanE sarvam prathishtitham".This echos the other Vedic
utterance :" DharmE sarvam Prathishtitham". The DhAnam is
vidhyA dhAnam in general and Brahma VidhyA dhAnam in particular.
Brahma VidhyA dhAnam dealing with AdhyAthma Saasthrams 
is the greatest of the greatest of UpakArams of AchAryans ,
to us , who clear our many doubts and establish us (mumukshus)
frimly in our path and bless us with praapttthi.

The Veda paramparai unto our today's AchAryAs is celebrated
by Rg Veda manthram X.71.3:

Yaj~Ena vaacha: padhaveeyamAyan
thAmanvavindhan nrushishu pravishtAm 
thAmAbhruthya vyadhadhu: puruthrA
thaamm saptha rEbhA abhi sam navanthE

(meaning): The First (primordial) Speech was blessed 
by the Lord Himself , the One called as Yaj~nA ( VishNu/
PrajApathi/Creator) in the hearts (minds) of Rshis the Masters
chosen especially by Him. Having acquired the Veda Vaak ,
the Rshis dispersed it to many places . The seven singers 
(notes , tones and metres ) meet togehter in consonance .
They make Her tones resound in a concertized mode. These
wise sages follow the path of knowing these secrets of 
the First Speech by the spirit of sacrifice (Yaj~nam).

The rishis here are antha: dhrushtA:and the First Speech
and enlightenment are centered in them . This First speech 
is revealed through the seven birds (chandhas/metres) 
bearing the name of gayAthri, UshNik , Anushtup , Bruhath ,
Pankthi ,Thrishtup and Jagathi .They raise the Veda GhOsham 
(First Speech) in concert.

>From that Yj~nA ( VishNu), Rks , Sammans were born;
from the same were born Chandas or the hymns of Atharva VedA;
the Yajuh had its origin from it( TasmAth Yaj~nAth Sarva 
Hutha , Rucha: SaamAni jagnirE--Rig vedam : X.90.9).

Our AchAryAs have treasured the First Speech through
Rishi Paramparai by means of SvAdhyAam and taught 
it through Pravachanam .All the Limbs of VedAs
(VedAngAs: SeekshA , VyAkaraNA et al) , UpaangAs
( Six Systems of Indian Philosophies) and UpavEdAs
( AAyur Vedam , Dhanur Vedam  et al) explore 
further the mystries of VedAs to expand on the knowledge
imparted by the Lord to the Chosen Rishis through
Vedic Revelation.      

This morning , we had the good fortune to listen to
one Such Rishi , HH Sri RangapriyA Swamy of AshtAnga Yoga Mandir.
HH had a question and answer session on his previous upanyAsam
on VedAs . He addressed the questions from the participants.
This Q&A session on the eternally relevant VedAs was a wonderfully 
illuminating session .Please participate in this and other upanyAsams 
by our AchAryAs to the extent that your other commitments permit.
It is a great BhAgyam to have access to such authoritative and 
yet compassionate source of AchAryAs like HH Sri RangapriyA
MahA Desikan .

Some of the Questions addressed to the AchAryan were:

1. Are VedAs three or Four in count? What is
   the difference between the Three (ThrayI) and 
   Atharva vedam ?(Swamy explained that they are 
   Four and yet they are three in count from a special
   perspective and dwelled on the unique role
   of Atharva Vedam ).

2. Are animal sacrificed permitted by vedAs?
  ( Swamy explained the sacrifice is of the animals
    inside like Kaama , KrOdham etal: manyu: Pasu:)

3. What is the significance of DevathAs like 
   Agni, IndhrA et al,to whom Vedic prayers are
   addressed ?(the connotations ,denotations
   and suggestions about the DevathAs like Agni
   and the gradations among the dEvathAs
   and their relation to the ParamAthmA were covered).

4. Is there a contradiction  between the ultimate 
   fruits of Yogic path( kaivalyam ) and VedAnthic
   path ( Moksham )? 

5. Veda Vaak is described at three levels : ILAA,
   BhArathi and Sarasvathi. What do they represent 
   and how do they come together? (Swamy linked
   these three kinds of speeches to the three  
   Naadis ( idA , PingaLA and SushumnA) and
   their sangamam in the samAdhi state by Yogis
   to experience amruthathvam).

6. What are the tattvams behind the PanchAyudhams of
   the Lord ?

7. Are women permitted to recite Veda manthrams
   and engage in vedic Studies ? How has it evolved
   over time? How did this access to VedAs over
   YugAs evolve?( Swamy developed the theme of
   SadhyO VadhUs and Braqhma Vaadhinis in this 
   context and accounted for the transformations
   over ages ).

8. Why are some manthrams from the VedAs selected
   over the others in our Manthra Pushpam section
   of Bhagavath AaarAdhanam ?Why them and not others?

The answers presented by HH Sri Ranga priyA Swamy
were excellent and insightful. I could only refer to
an extremely abbreviated summary on the themes covered.
HH Swamy went into details with pramANams to answer 
the questions .

On behalf of all particpants ,it is my pleasure to thank 
the SVSS officials , who have made it possible for us
at this distance to receive such anugraha BhAshaNams.

AdiyEn would like to conclude this note with a prayer
to Vedam ( as Mother) :

SthuthA mayA VedamAthA prachOdhayanthAm 
paavamAni dhvijAnAm I
aayu: prANam pasum keerthim dhraviNam 
Brahma-varchasam I
Mahyam dhathvA vrajatha BrahmalOkam II
--Atharva vedam : XIX.70.1

Saluted by me is the boon-granting Veda MaathA.
-- May I attain therby the full life span (Veda
prAyam of one hundred years), the vitality ,
children , cattle , fame , property and
the shining splendor of (Vedic)Knowledge;
May Thou proceed to the world of Knowledge!

asmath AchAryA: anugruNanthu
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan  
   

 
   


  


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