Srimath Azhagiya Singar's approaching 75th Birthday completion celebration (Nov 26): Vedic Reflections NavAham (Nine days of salutation based on the Seventh canto Manthrams ): First Day of salutation to the Vaibhavam of HH Sri NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA Desikan .... Part I

From the Bhakti List Archives

• November 2, 2001


Dear BhakthAs:

There are 10 Mandalams (cantos) in Rg Vedam .
There are 1,028 hymns (Sookthams) in these ten
mandalams , which in turn house all the 10,589
Rks or Manthrams .

The seventh mandalam has 104 of these 1,028 hymns .
Each of The 104 hymns contain 3 ,5, 10 or 21 Rks
(manthrams) . adiyEn will select individaul Rks
and specific words and passages from them to relate
to the Vaibhavam of a great Achaaryan such as 
HH Srimath NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA Desikan ,
who has the specific title of Vedha Maarga 
PrathishtApanAchAryan.

The Rishi for the Seventh mandalam
***********************************
Sage Vasishta , the Raaja Guru for the Soorya
Kulam of Lord Raamachandraa is the Rishi or seer
for all the 104 hymns of  the Seventh Book of Rg 
Vedam. The etymology of the word "Vasishta" has been
provided by Sri Dayananda .The five references by
him in this context are:

(1)athisayEna vasO -- The supreme among Vasus

(2)athisayEna dhanADya: = " exceedingly rich or opulent "

(3)athisayEna Vasu: = extraordinarily wealthy 
   or abundantly rich 

(4)athisayEna VidhyAsu krutha-vaasa: = rich abode of 
   true Jn~Anam /learning

(5)athisayEna VasumAn--rich possesor of wealth.

Allthese definitions apply brilliantly to
HH Sri NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA Desikan ,
who is a Parama Hamsa ParivrAjaka SanyAsi ,
whose immense wealth  of SadAchAram , 
rigorous anushtAnam and dhivya Jn~Anam 
of a rare kind. It is fair to salute Him
as the Vasishtar .

Who is Mithra, varuNa  and Maithra-VaruNi ?
********************************************
The Rishi of all the Hymns of the Sapthama
Mandalam is not just Vasishta Rishi , but He
is qualified as "MaithrA-varuNi VASISHTA Rishi .

Mithra-VaruNa Twin is often invoked in Veda manthrams.
Let us take each of the Naamams for the Lord  
(Mithra, VaruNa) and then study them together.

Sri Dayaananda derives the meaning of VaruNa as :
"Ya: SarvAn SishtAn MumukshUn dharmathmanO vruNOthi
Sa VaruNa:" . He thus intreprets VaruNa and His 
role as " the One , who selects out, chooses and
thus favors them only , who are virtuous and deserving to
follow the path leading to freedom from bondage (Moksham)
is VaruNa".In many sections of the Vedam , VaruNa is
addressed as "Rajaa VaruNaa" to suggest that He is 
the most venerable .  

Sri DayAnanda derives the meaning of the word "MithrA"
as the One who shows love and affection (snEham )as a dear
friend to us. Lord is the Supreme friend of ours and
therefore He is considered as MithrA .

Maithra-VaruNi Dyad
*********************
When the combined word , "Maithra-Varuna " is used 
in the context of Vasishta , the commentators of
Rg Vedam ( Swamy S.P.Sarasvathi and S.VidyAlankar),
have pointed out that " VaruNa is assoicated
with all that is vast and pure (infinity  and purity)
and Mithra is assoicated with all that is shining (light)
and harmony). Together , they create in a sishya ,
a force full of divine knowledge and guard him from going 
astray . In this context , MithrA has been intrepreted as 
"PrANavath Suhruth  " ( dear as life) and VaruNa as 
"Vara: SrEshta:" or the Superb and pure. 

Thesis of the NavAham Postings
*******************************

All AchAryAs , who have opened our spirtual eyes
and guide us through the Vedic path are worthy of
adoration by their sishyAs with gratitude every 
moment of their lives. 

For adiyEn that Supreme AchAryA is HH MalOla 
PaadhukA Sevaka Sri NaarAyaNa YathIdhra MahA 
Desikan of Ahobila Matam . He is the Maithra-VaruNi 
Vasishta Rishi of Sapthama mandalam for adiyEn. 

During the occasion of His completion of the 75th
Thirunakshathram , it is adiyEn's humble and 
respectful effort to salute Him as the Raaja Rishi
and MaalOla Paadhukaa Sevakar perorming AarAdhanam
and PourOhithyam to that Nava-Vidha Roopan ,
Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan . From His sacred seat 
at the Thiruvadi of MalOlan, this illustrious 
Raaja Rishi instructs us about the eight Vedic 
Virtues extolled by an Atharva veda Manthram:

Sathyam Bruhath ruthamugram dhIkshA
TapO Brahama Yaj~na: pruthivIm dhArayanthi
-- Atharva Vedam : XII.1.1

Sathyam (Truth), Bruhath ( vast infinity) ,
Rutam ( the right and sustainable way ),
ugram ( formidability ), DhIkshA ( the right 
consecration ), Tapas ( austerity/penance) , 
Brahma (In one intrepretation , the aptitude 
for acquiring the true knowledge leading to
Mokasham ) and Yaj~na ( dedicated service and
selfless sacrifice) ar ethe eight virtues that 
sustain this world. Each of these words have vast 
connotations and we shall not get in to those 
elaborate and transcendental meanings here. 

In Vedic usage , there are two dhvandhvAs :
Dhuritha and Bhadra . Dhruitha represents 
all that leads to sorrow and pain and Bahdra
stands for  the polar opposite of Dhuritha,
(Viz)., virtue and good causing lasting
auspiciousness .

It was adiyEn's aachAryan that added the Rg
Vedic prayer in the daily list of prayers
offered in front of Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan :

Bhadram karNEbhi: sruNuyAma dEvaa
Bhadram pasyEmaakshibhiryajathrA:
--Rg Vedam I.89.8

(meaning): Let us (always) hear , Oh Lord and
learned people , with our ears , what is Bhadra 
(auspicious ); let us see with our eyes ,what is 
bhadra ( good and auspicious).   

In the Sri Matam sampradhAyam , Bhadran is 
Sri Nrusimha BhagavAn and BhadrA is MahA Lakshmi 
seated on His left thigh .Together , they offer 
SaraNAgatha Rakshakathvam as celebrated by  
the "Sarvaj~nan " , Ahirbudhnyan in His
sacred manthra Raaja Padha SthOthram . 

The observance of SaraNAgathi along the lines taught by 
GeethAchAryan in His Charama SlOkam is very important to 
us all. Total self-surrender at the sacred feet of
MalOlan done for us by this Maithra-VaruNi Raaja 
Rishi as MalOla PaadhukA Sevakar is the height of 
one's bliss in this world .

AdiyEn requests you to participate in the forthcoming
75th Thirunakshathram of this great AchAryan and 
support the nithyArAdhanam at the Sri Sannidhi, 
, KaalakshEpams , Veda paatasAlai and TadhiyArdahanams 
at Sri Sannidhi for the benefit of the world. 

Please contact Sriman ParthasArathy Dileepan regarding 
Your support .He is serving as a focus person for this
magnificent effort.

Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 

  

 




 



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