Dialog on Hinduism

8/14/2019 Dialog on Hinduism

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A Dialog on HinduismV. N. Gopala Desikan

Compiledbysaranagathi.org Itcanbealsofoundat:http://saranagathi.org/blogs/gopaladesikan


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TableofContents

CHAPTER1:VEDASANDSASTRAS ........................................................................................................................3CHAPTER2:AZHWARSANDACHARYAS............................................................................................................10CHAPTER3:DOCTRINESPECIALOFVISISHTADVAITA ...............................................................................15CHAPTER4:THEETERNALJIVATMA .................................................................................................................20CHAPTER5:MATTERANDCREATION ...............................................................................................................24CHAPTER6:ISWARAWHELORDANDTHEMASTER ..................................................................................28CHAPTER7:ADVAITHA,VISISHTADVAITAANDDVAITA ...............................................................................42CHAPTER8:KARMA,JNANA,BHAKTIYOGAS ..................................................................................................56CHAPTER9:JIVATMAANDPARAMATMA ..........................................................................................................67CHAPTER10:DEPARTUREOFTHESOUL..........................................................................................................80CHAPTER11:PRAPATTI ......................................................................................................................................86CHAPTER12:THETHREESECRETS .................................................................................................................92

CHAPTER

13:VADAKALAIAND

TENKALAI

.................................................................................................... 100CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................................... 104


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Chapter1:VedasandSastras

1. Whatisthebasicauthority(pramana)forHindureligionandphilosophy?

TheVedasarethebasic,fundamentalauthority.

2. WhatisthemeaningofthewordVeda?Veda,inSanskritmeansthatwhichgivesknowledge.

3. IsthereanyothernameforVeda?VedaisalsocalledSruti.

4. WhatisthemeaningofthewordSruti?Srutimeansthatwhichisheard(throughyouears).TheVedaswereoriginallytaughtby

LordNarayanatoBrahmaorally.FromthereontheVedascamedownfromtheGurutothe

studentsorallyonly.TheGuruteachestheVedastothestudents.ThusthestudenthearstheVedafromtheteacher.

5. AreVedasknownbyanyothernames,apartfromSruti?TheyarealsocalledNigamaandAmnaya.

6. WhatisthemeaningofthewordsNigamaandAmnaya?Nigamameansasettledtextorwork,whichishandeddownfromtheGurutothestudent

fromtimeimmemorial.Amnayameanswhatislearntbythestudent,byfrequentrepetition

ofthetext;andalsobyfrequentlythinkingoverthesame.

7. WhocomposedtheVedas?TheVedashavenotbeencomposedbyanybody,notevenbyGodHimself.TheVedasare

eternallyexistent.EvenGoddidnotcreateormaketheVedas.NarayanahasonlytaughttheVedastoBrahmaandthendowntheline.HenceVedasarecalledApaurusheyanot

authoredormadebyanyone,includingGod.

8. HowmanyVedasarethere?TherearefourVedas.Theyarecalled:RigVeda,YajurVeda,SamaVedaandAtharvaVeda.

9. HowdoyouexplainthattheVedashavenotbeenauthoredbyanybody;includingGod?

TheyareactuallythebreathofGod.Thatis,aftereachdeluge(pralaya),whentheworldis

created,GodNarayanarememberstheVedasandteachesthentoBrahmaandthenitcomes

downtheline.Thatiswhy,wesaytheyarenotmadebyanybodyincludingGod,butareself

existent.

10.WhodividedtheVedasintofour,asstatedabove?

VyasaeditedtheVedasanddividedthem.

11.OnwhatbasisdidVyasadividetheVedasintofour?TheVedasweredividedintofour,tosuittheVedicritualsorkarmas.Therearefourpersons

(Ritviks)whoareprominentintheperformanceofrituals.


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describedearllier.Aranyakasaretexts,whichwererecitedinhermitagesinforests.

Upanishadscontainphilosophicalthoughts,intheformofdiscussionsandexplanations.

22.WhyareUpanishadscalledJnanaKandaorBrahmaKanda?TheytalkaboutrealisationofGod,howtoattainsalvation.Sincetheyspeakaboutrealising

BrahmanortheultimaterealitytheUpanishadsarecalledBrahmaKanda.Sincetheygiveus

Knowledgeaboutattainingsalvation,theyarealsocalledJnanaKanda.TheUpanishadsarealsocalledVedaSiras,i.e.,theheadoftheVeda.Whenwesaythehead,wemeanthemost

importantpartoftheVeda.

23.WhatisthedifferencebetweenBrahmaandBrahman?Areboththesame?No.Brahmaisthefourfacedone,whocamefromthelotus,outofthenavelofLord

Narayana.BrahmanmeansonewhoisgreatandhencedenotestheSupremeBeingorthe

UltimateReality.

24.TalkingaboutUpanishads,howmanyUpanishadsarethere?PeoplesaythattherearemorethanahundredUpanishads,butonlysomeoftheUpanishads

areacceptedauthoritativelybyallsectionsoftheHindus.Theimportantonesarecalled

Dasopanishad,i.e.,thetenUpanishads.ThesetenUpanishadsareacceptedasauthorityand

quotedbyancientphilosopherslikeSankara,Ramanuja,andMadhva.

25.WhatarethetenUpanishads?ThetenUpanishadsare:IsavayaUpanishad,KenaUpanishad,KataUpanishad,Prasna

Upanishad,MundakaUpanishad,MandukyaUpanishad,TaittiriyaUpanishad,Aitareya

Upanishad,ChandogyaUpanishad,BrihadaranyakaUpanishad.

26.ArethereanyotherimportantandacceptedUpanishads?WehaveSvetasvataraUpanishad,KaushitakiUpanishad,SubalaUpanishad,andMaha

NarayanaUpanishadformspartofTaittiriyaUpanishad,AitareyaUpanishad,Chandogya

Upanishad,BrihadaranyakaUpanishad.

27.FromwhichoftheVedasdotheseUpanishadscome?AitareyaUpanishadisinRigVedaIsavasyaUpanishads,KataUpanishads,TaittiriyaUpanishadBridhadaranyakaUpanishadareinYajurVeda.KenaUpanishadandChandogya

UpanishadarefromSamaVeda.PrasnaUpanishad,MundakaUpanishadandMandukya

UpanishadareallinAtharvaVeda.

28.WhataretheAngasorsubsidiariesoftheVedas?TherearesixsuchAngas(partorlimbs)ofVedas.Theseare1)Siksha2)Vyakarana3)

Chandas4)Jyotisha5)Niruktaand6)Kalpa.

29.CanyoutellmewhatthesixVedaAngastalkabout?1)SikshaexplainstheproperpronunciationsoftheVedas.

2)VyakaranaexplainsthegrammaroftheVedicwords.

3)ChandasexplainsthemetresofthevariousRiks.

4)Jyotishahelpsindecidingthepropertimefortheperformanceofthevariousrituals.5)NiruktagivesthemeaningsofdifficultwordsintheVedas.

6)Kalpadescribesthepropermethodofperformingthevariousritualmentionedinthe

Vedas.ThesesixangasoftheVedashelpinaproperunderstandingoftheVedas.Theyalso

helpintheperformanceofthevariousritualsortheyagas(yagnas),prescribedbytheVedas.

30.HowarethesesixVedangasdivided?


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Theycanbedividedintotwogroups:1)Thosewhichareconnectedwiththetextofthe

Vedas:Siksha,Vyakarana,Chandas.2)Thosewhichareconnectedwiththemeaningof

Vedas:Jyotisha,Nirukta,Kalpa.

31.AftertheVedasandVedangas,whataretheimportanttextsorauthoritiesforus?NextcomesSmriti.Smritihelpsusinunderstandingthevariousinjunctionsandtruths

propoundedintheVedas.

32.HowmanySmritisarethere?TheSmritisaremanyinnumberandevenanexactdefinitionofSmritiisperhapsnot

available.ManyoftheSmritisarealsonotavailablenowandarelosttohumanity.Themore

importantSmritisare:ManuSmriti,ParasarraSmriti,YagnavalkyaSmriti,HaritaSmritians

SandilyaSmriti.Somesaythereare20Smritisandsomeotherssaythatthereare57Smritis.

33.WhatdothseSmritistalkabout?TheSmritisdescribethecodesofconductformankindindaytodaylife;howtheyshould

conductthemselves;andforanywrongdoings,whatarethepunishmentsoratonements

(prayaschitta)tobeundergone.TheSmritiscanbeconsideredaselaboratingorexplaining

theKarmaKandaoftheVedas.

34.WhatareItihasas?

RamayanaandMahabharataarecalledItihasas.

35.Aretheyconsideredverysacred?TheyareconsideredassacredastheVedasthemselves.TheMahabharataiscalledtheFifth

Veda.

36.HowmanyPuranasarethere?Thereare18Puranas.Thesearesubdividedintothreesetsorgroups.Thefirstsetofsix

Puranasareauthoritative,sacred.ThesearecalledSattvikaPuranas.Thesecondsetofsix

Puranasareofmediumquality,i.e.thewholethingcannotbeacceptedastrue.Theseare

calledRajasaPuranas.Thethirdsetofsixpuranascannotbetakenasperfectlyvalid.Only

someportionsofthem,whicharenotopposedtoVedas,canbetakenasauthoritative.ThesearecalledTamasaPuranas.

37.PleasetellmethePuranasthatfallinthesethreegroups.1.ThefirstsetofsixPuranaswhicharemostsacred(SattvikaPuranas)areasfollows:Vishnu

PuranaBhagavatamNaradaPuranaPadmaPuranaVarahaPuranaGarudaPurana

2.ThesecondsetofsixPuranas,whicharenotwhollyauthoritative,(RajasaPuranas)are:

VamanaPuranaBrahmaPuranaMarkandeyaPuranaBhaavishyaPuranaBrahmandaPurana

BrahmaVaivartaPurana

3.ThelastsetofsixPuranas,whicharenotveryauthoritative(TamasaPuranas)are:Matsya

PuranaKurmaPuranaAgniPuranaLingaPuranaSivaPuranaSkandaPurana.

38.HowdoyoraccepttheseasauthoritiesorPramana?ThebasicruleisthattheVedasaretheUltimateauthorityorPramana.So,inthePuranas,whicheverdoesnotconflictorcontradicttheVeda,canbetakenasauthority,

39.WhatareAgamas?TheAgamasaccepttheauthorityofVedas.TheAgamasprescribeidolworshipintheplaceof

ritualslikeYagas,mentionedintheVedas.Theyprescribedthemethodsofidolworship.

40.HowaretheAgamasdivided?


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TheAgamasarepredominantlydividedintoSaiva,SaktaandVaishnavaAgamas.Agamas

mainlytalkaboutconstructionoftemples;therulesforinstallationandconsecrationofthe

deitiesinthetemples;andthemethodsofperformingpujasinthetemples.TheVaishnava

AgamasidentifyBrahmanasVasudeva.Wewilldiscussthisfurtherlater.

41.WhataretheVaishnavaAgamas?TheVaishnavaAgamasare:PancharatraAgamaandVaikhanasaAgama

42.WhichAgamasdoourVaishnavitetemplesfollow?SometemplesfollowPancharatraAgamaandsometemplesfollowVaikhanasaAgama.This

isonlybytraditionandcustom.

43.WhyisVaikhanasaAgamasocalled?Itissocalled,becauseitwasfirsttaughtbyVikhanasrishitoagroupofdisciples.Sage

VikhanasisstatedtohavebeencreatedbyLordNarayanaHimself.Itisalsostatedthathe

wascreatedbyBrahma.

44.WhyisPancharatraAgamasocalled?LordNarayanataughtthisAgamaforfivenightstofiverishis.Hence,itiscalledPancharatra

Agama(Pancharatrameansfivenights)

45.HowarethesePancharatraAgamasdivided?ThesearedividedintoSamhitas.

46.WhataretheseSamhitas?Therearemorethan100Samhitas.SattvataSamhita,PaushkaraSamhita,JayakhyaSamhita.

Thesethreeareconsideredmoreimportantandarecalledthreegems(Ratnatraya).We

havealsoAhirbudhnyaSamhita,PadmaSamhita,ParameswaraSamhitaandLakshmitantra.

47.WhatisMimamsa?TheMimamsaconsistsoftwoparts.ThefirstpartiscalledPurvaMimamsaorKarma

Mimamsa.ThesecondpartiscalledUttaraMimamsaorBrahmaMimamsa.

48.WhatisKarmaMimamsa?

KarmaMimamsaisdealtwithbyJaiminiin16chaptersorAdhyayas.Theycontainshort

statementsoraphorisms.TheyclarifydoubtsregardingritualsmentionedintheVedasand

alsoclarifydoubtsaboutthegeneralconduct.TheyinterprettheVedictextsinKarmaKanda.

49.WhatisBrahmaMimamsa?BrahmaMimamsaisdealtwithinBrahmaSutras.ThisispropoundedbySageBadarayanaor

Vyasa.Thiscontainsshortstatementsoraphorisms,clarifyingdoubtsintheVedictext.

BrahmaMimamsainterpertstheVedictextofJnanaKandaorBrahmaKanda.

50.WhatistheimportanceofBrahmaSutra?BrahmaSutraisconsideredverysacredandimportant.Ithelpsinclarifyingandexplaining

difficultpassagesintheUpanishads.

51.WhohavewrittencommentariesonBrahmaSutra?Thisbeingoneofthemostimportanttexts,manyphilosophershavewrittendetailed

commentaries.WehavethecommentariesbySankara,Ramanuja,Madhva,besidesmany

otherslikeNimbarkaandVallabha.

52.HowmanychaptersarethereintheBrahmaSutra?


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WehavefourchaptersorAdhyayasintheBrahmaSutra.Eachofthefourchaptersconsists

offourpartsorpadas.Thereare545Sutrasoraphorisms.

53.Pleasetellme,broadly,thecontentsofthefourchaptersoftheBrahmaSutra.ThefirstchaptershowsthatBrahmanisthesolecauseof

1)creationofthisworld.

2)sustenanceofthisworldandalso3)destructionofthisworld.Thesecondchapterdiscussessomeoftheobjectionsinthis

regardputforthbyotherschoolsandprovesthatBrahmanisboththematerialcauseand

theinstrumentalcauseofthisworld.(Wewilldiscussthisindetaillater)Thethirdchapter

talksofsalvation:whatismeantbysalvationandthegloryofsalvation.

54.Whatarethemostimportanttextsorbookswhichexplainthevedantaphilosophy?TherearethreetextsorbookswhichexplaintheVedantaphilosophyandsotheyarecalled

PrasthanaTraya.Theyare:

1.Upanishads.2.BrahmaSutra3.BhagavadGita

Thesearethemostsacredtexts.Allphilosophershavewrittencommentariesonthese,

tryingtoprovethatthesethreebookssupporttheirtheory.

55.WhichisthemostimportantpotionintheVedas?ThePurushaSuktaisthemostimportant.

56.WhichisthemostimportantSmriti?ManuSmritiisconsideredthemostimportant.

57.WhataboutthePuranas?Whichisconsideredthemostimportant?TheVishnuPuranaisconsideredmostsacredandimportantofthePuranas.Itiscalled

Puranaratna

58.WhichisthemostimportantportionintheMahabharata?BhagavadGitaisthemostimportant.

59.Whatarethevarioussystemsofphilosophy?ThesystemsofphilosophyinIndiacanbebroadlydividedintoNastikaSchoolsandAstikaSchools.

60.WhatistheNastikaSchool?TheNastikaSchooldoesnotaccepttheauthorityofVedas.Theyonlyadoptlogicand

reasoning.

61.WhatistheAstikaSchool?TheAstikaschoolacceptstheauthorityofVedasprimarilyandalsousesreasoningandlogic.

62.WhatarethevarioussystemsofphilosophycomingundertheNastikaSchool?TheseareCharvakasystem,BuddhismandJainism.

63.WhatarethesystemscomingunderAstikaSchool?

WehaveSankhya,Yoga,Nyaya,Vaiseshika,Mimamsa,besidestheVedantasystem.

64.WhatistheVedanticsystemofphilosophy?ThereisnospecificsinglesystemofphilosophycalledtheVedanticsystem.Advaita,

Vishshtadvaitha,andDvaitaarethemostwellknownoftheVedanticsystems.

65.Whataretheothersystemsofphilosophy?


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Theseare:1.Charvakasystem2.Jainism3.Buddhism4.Sankhyasystem5.Yogasystem6.

Nyayasystem7.Vaiseshikasystem8.Mimamsasystem

66.Whopropoundedthesesystemsofphilosophy?BuddhismwaspropoundedbyGautamaBuddhaandJainismbyMahavirJain.TheVaiseshika

systemwaspropoundedbyKanadaandtheYogasystembyBrahma.However,modern

beliefisthattheyogasystemwasfoundedbyPatanjali.TheSankhyaSystemwaspropoundedbyKapila:theNyayasystembyGautamaorAkshapada.TheMimamsasystem

wasadvocatedbyJaimini.


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Chapter2:AzhwarsandAcharyas

1. WhatistheimportanceofGuruorAcharyainoursystemofphilosophy?TounderstandthepropermeaningofSastrasisverydifficult.Wehavetoproperlyinterpretsomeofthetexts,whichseemtobeconflictingwitheachother.Therearealsoinner

meaningsandsecretmeaningsofthevariousmantrasandslokas.

So,allthesethingscanbeproperlyunderstood,onlybylearningunderaGuruorAcharya.

So,theAcharyaismostimportant,forproperlyunderstandingourreligionandphilosophy.

2. WhatistheChronologyofourSampradaya(Guruparampara).WhoisourfirstGuru?LordNarayanaisourfirstGuru.HetaughtVedastoBrahmaandBrahmainturntaughtthe

Vedastoothers.HenceattheheadofourlineofGurusisLordNarayan

3. Whocomesnext?NextinthelineofGurusisnaturallyourGoddessMahalakshmiandthencomesVishvaksena

orSenaiMudaliyar.Thisisatermofrespect,traditionallyusedfordenotingVishwaksena).

HeisthecontrollerofVaikuntaorParamapada.

VishwaksenataughtNammalwarorSatakopathephilosophyofVishistadvaitam.

4. WhocomesnextafterVishvaksena?NammalwarorSatakopacomesnext.

5. HowmantheAlwarsarethere?TherearetenAlwars.SomepeopleincludeAndalandMadhurakaviandsaytherearetwelve

Alwars.

6. WhyweretheycalledAlwars?AlwarinTamilmeansonewhoisimmersed.Sincethesesaintswerealwaysimmersedin

theLordandHisqualities,theywerecalledAlwars.

7. Whenweretheyinthisworld?Whatwastheirperiod?WesaythattheywereinthisworldbeforeandnearthebeginningofKaliyuga.Thatismore

than5,000yearsago.ThemodernresearchscholarssaythattheAlwarswerebetweenthe

sixthandninthcenturyA.D.

8. CanyoubrieflytellmeabouttheAlwars?ThefirstthreeAlwarsarecalledPoigaiAlwars,BhutattalwarandPeyalwar.Allthethree

togetherarecalledthefirstalwars,becausethesesthreewerethefirstinthelineofAlwars

andtheylivedduringthesameperiod.

PoigaiAlwarwasborninthemonthofAippasiintheStarSravanam.Bhutattalwarwasborn

inthemonthofAippasiinthestarAvittamandthePeyalwarinthesamemonth,intheStar

Sathayaonthreesuccessivedays!

9. Whereweretheyborn?PoigaiAlwarwasbornatKanchipuram.Traditionhasitthathewasborninatankandhence

iscalledPoigaiAlwar.(Poigai=Tank).

BhutattalwarwasborninMahabalipuramandPeyalwarinMylapore,Madras.


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10.Whocamenext?ThenextAlwarwasTirumazhisaiAlwar.HewasborninTirumazhisainearMadras,inthe

monthofThaiinthestarMakha.

ThencameNammalwarorSatakopa.HewasbornatAlwartirunagariinthemonthofVaikasi

andstarVisakha.NammalwarisconsideredthechiefoftheAlwars.Heexpoundedthe

systemofVisishtadvaitaPhilosophyincleartermsinhisworks.HenceheisgiventhegreatestimportanceamongalltheAlwars.

Madhurakaviwashisdisciple.MadhurakaviwasborninThirukkolurinthemonthof

Chittirai,starChittiraialso.

NextcameKulasekharaAlwar.HewasborninthemonthofMasiandstarPunarvasu.His

birthplaceisVanjikkalam.Itisnotclearlyknownastowhereexactlythisplaceis.Some

peoplesaythatitisKarurandsomeotherssaythatitisinKerala.

11.Whocamenext?NextwasPerialwar,whowasborninSrivilliputturinthemonthofAniandstarSwati.Andal

wasfoundamongtheTulasiplantsinSrivilliputturinthemonthofAdiinthestarPuramand

wasbroughtupbyPerialwar.

12.WhatabouttheotherAlwars?ThondaradippodiAlwarwasborninTirumandangudinearKumbakonaminthemonthof

MargazhiandthestarKettai.TiruppanalwarwasborninWoriur,nearTiruchi,inthemonth

ofKarthikaiandthestarRohini.

ThelastamongtheAlwarswasTirumangaiAlwar,whowasborninthemonthofKarthikai

andstarKarthikaiinKuraiyalurorTirunagarinearSirkazhi.

13.CanyouindicatebrieflytheworksoftheAlwars?NammalwarwastheauthoroffourPrabandhaswhichformpartofthesacred4000verses,

calledDivyaPrabhandha.ThePrabhandhasofNammalwarare:Tiruvaomozhi,Tiruviruttam,

Tiruvasiriam,PeriaTiruvandaiThefourworksareequatedtothefourVedas.Tiruvaimozhi,inparticular,iscalledthe

essenceoftheSamaVeda.

PoigaiAlwaristheauthorofMudalTiruvandadi.BhutattalwarofSecondTiruvandadiand

thePeyalawarofThirdTiruvandadieachcomprising100verses.TirumazhisaiAlwar

authoredTiruchandaViruttamandNanmukhanTiruvandadi.Madhurakaviauthored

KanninunSiruthambu.KulasekharaAlwarauthoredPerumalTirumozhiandalsoMukunda

MalainSanskrit.(HisauthorshipofMukundamalaisdisputedbysomepeople.)

PerialwarauthoredPerialwarTirumozhi.AndalgavetotheworldTiruppavaiandNachiar

Tirumozhi.ThondaradippodiAlwarTirumalaiandTiruppalliezhucchi.Tiruppanalwar

Amalanadipiran.

ThelastinthelistofAlwarsisTirumangaiAlwarwhowrotesixPrabandhasandtheseare

equatedtothesixangasofthefourVedasofNammalwar.ThesixPrabandhasofTirumangaiAlwarare:PeriaTirumozhi,Tirukkurunthandakam,Tirunedunthandakam,

Tiruvezhukutrirukkai,SiriyaTirumadal,PeriaTirumadal

14.WhoisnextinthelineofGurus,afterNammalwar?AfterNammalwarcomeNathamuni,whowasborninKattumannarKoilnearChidambaram,

inthemonthofAniandstarAnusham.


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HisdisciplewasUyyakkondarwhowasborninthemonthofChittiraiandstarKarthikai,in

Tiruvellari.

HisdisciplewasManakkalNambiwhowasborninthevillageManakal,nearLalgudiinthe

monthofMasiandstarMakham.

ThenextinthelineofAcharyasisthegreatAlavandarofYamunacharya.Hewasthe

grandsonofNathamuniandwasthediscipleofManakkalNambi.Alavandarwasborninthe

monthofAdiandstarUttaradam,inKattumannarkoil

15.PleasetellmefurtherthelineofAcharyas.AlavandarsdisciplewasPeriaNambiwhowasborninSrirangaminthemonthofMargazhi

andstarKettai.

ThencomesthegreatRamanuja.

Afterwards,therearetwolines.ThereisonelineofAcharyasofwhomVedantaDesikawas

themostprominent.ThereisanotherlineofAcharyaswhichgoesontoManavala

Mamunigal.Ramanuja(10171137A.D.)wasborninSriperumpudurinthemonthofChitraiandstar

Tiruvadirai.

VedantaDesika(12681369A.D)wasborninThoopulnearKanchiinthemonthofPurattasi

andstarSravanam.

ManavalaMamunigal(13701443A.D.)wasbornatSikkilKidaram,inthemonthofAippasi

andstarMulam.ItisalsosaidthathewasborninAlwartirunagari.

16.ButIheardthatRamanujahadfiveAcharyas?Yes.1.PeriaNambiwasthechieforprincipalacharya.ThenRamanujalearntmeaningsof

secrets(rahasyas)form

2.TirukkottiurNambi.HestudiedTiruvaimozhiunder.3.TirumalaiAndan.Helearntstotras,under

4.AlavandarAlwarandstudiedRamayanaunder5.TirumalaiNambi,Thushehadfive

acharyas.

17.WhataretheothernamesofRamanuja?RamanujaisalsocalledBhashyakara,Yatiraja,Udayavar,EmberumanarandYatiswara

18.Canyouindicatebrieflytheworksofthesegreatacharyas?NathamunigaveustwoworksYogaRahasyaandNyayatattva.Alavandargavetothis

world8works.Theseare:AgamaPramanya,PurushaNirnaya.

ThreeSiddhiscalledSiddhiTrayam,namely,AtmaSiddhi,IswaraSiddhiandSamvitsiddhi.

ThenGitarthaSangraha,StotraRatnaandchatusSloki.ThenextgreatAcharyaRamanujagaveusnineworksorninegems.Theseare:SriBhashya,VedantaDipa,VedantaSara,

VedarthaSangraha,GitaBhashya,thethreeGadyas,namelySaranagatiGadya,Sriranga

GadyaandVaikuntaGadyaandthenNitya.

TheworksofVedantaDesikaaremorethan100innumber.

Theycoverdifferentfieldslikedevotionalstotras,kavya,drama,worksonphilosophy,and

commentariesongreatworks.


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Itisawonderhowapersoncouldwritesomanyworkswithinalifespan.Itisdifficultforus

eventoreadandunderstandallhisworksinalifetime.

Allworksareequallyimportant.Iwillgiveyouthenameofsomeoftheworks.

19.WhatarethemostimportantworksofSriDesika?Rahasyatrayasaraisabookwhichgivesindetailtheinnermeaningofthethreesecretsor

rahasyas.Intheprocess,itexpoundsourVaishnavitephilosophy.Italsodwellsatlengthon

theprapattiorsaranagaitasthemeansofattainingsalvation.

20.WhataresomeoftheotherworksofDesika?WehaveTaparyaChandrika.ThisisalucidcommentaryonthecommentaryofBhagavad

GitathatwaswrittenbyRamanuja.PadukaSahasradescribesthegreatnessandbeautyof

thepadukaofSriRanganathain1000verses.YadavabhyudayagivesthestoryofSriKrishna.

TheslokasofYadavabhyudayaarefullofsomethingsupreme.Itisbecauseofthegreatness

ofthisworkthatithasbeencommenteduponbyAppayyaDikshitar,thegreatAdvaita

scholar.

WehaveSankalpaSuryodaya.Thisisanallegoricaldrama,againexplainingtheVisishtadvaitaphilosophy.

WehavetheworkSataDushani.ThiscontainsargumentsagainstAdvaitaphilosophy.Asthe

nameindicates,perhaps,itwasintendedtohave100arguments.However,wenowhave

only66argumentsleft,allagainstAdvaitaPhilosophy.

Wethenhavethedevotionalversesorstotras.Someoftheseare:Hayagrivastotra,

Dasavatarastotra,BhagavadDhyanaSopana,GopalaVimsati.DayaSatakaonSri

VenkateswaraofTirupati,SriStutiandGarudaPanchasat.

Nyayaparisuddhi,NyayaSiddhanjana,AdhikaranaSaravaliandTattvamuktakalapaare

worksonourphilosophy.

21.WhataretheworksofManavalaMamunigai?

HewrotebeautifulcommentariesonPerialwarTirumozhiandRamanujaNutrandadi;on

Mumukshuppadi,TattvatrayaandSriVachanaBhushanaofPillaiLokacharya;onAcharya

HridayamofAlagiamanavalapperumalNayanar;andonJnanasaramandPrameyasaramof

Arulalapperumalemberumanar.

HealsowroteUpadesaratnamala,Arthiprabandha,YatirajaVimsatiandTiruvaimozhi

Nutrandadi,besidesotherworks.

22.WhataboutotherAcharyas?TherearenumberofotherAcharyaswhohavecontributedsignificantlytoVaishnavism.I

willmentionsomeoftheAcharyasnow.Youcanrefertootherbooksforfullerdetails.

KurattalwanwrotePanchastavas:SriVaikuntaStava,AtimanushaStava,SundarabahuStava,VaradarajaStava,SriStava

Tirukkurukaippiranpillanwrotecommentary(6000padi)onTiruvaimozhi.

KidambiAchan;Embar;

EngalazhvanwrotecommentaryonVishnuPurana.


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ParasaraBhattarwrotecommentaryonVishnuSahasraNama(Bhagavadgunadarpanam),

SriRangarajaStavaandSrigunaratnaKosa,besidesothers.

NanjiyarwrotecommentaryonTiruvaimozhi(9000padi);andSriSuktaBhashya.(Thisis

disputedbysomepeople.)

VatsyaVaradacharya(NadadurAmmal)wroteTattvaSara,PrapannaParijataamongothers.

SudarsanaBhattarwroteSrutaPrakasikaandSrutaPradipika,bothecommentariesonSri

Bhashya.

AppullarwroteNyayakulisa.

Nampillai;

PeriavachanPillaiwrotebeautifulcommentariesonDivyaPrabandha,besidesmanyother

works.

VadakkuThiruveethiPillaiwroteEduCommentaryonTiruvaimozhi(36000padi).

PillaiLokacharyawrote18RahasyasthemoreimportantbeingMamukshuppadi,

TattvatrayaandSriVachanaBhushana.

AlagiamanavalapperumalNayanarwroteAcharyaHridayam,besidescommentaryon

Tiruppavaiandotherworks.

(Pillaiisatermofrespect,andnottobeconfusedwiththepresentdayuseofthisword.)


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Chapter3:DoctrineSpecialofVisishtadvaita

1. Whatisanauthority(Pramana)?Anauthorityissomethingfromwhichwelearntruths.WeconsidertheVedas,asthebasic

authorityWealsouselogicandargumentstoarriveatthetruths,inadditiontolearningfromtheVedas.

Suchthingsfromwhichwelearnthetruthsorarriveatthetruths,arecalledauthority

(pramana).

2. Whataretheauthoritiesorsources(pramana)forunderstandingthings?Thesearethreeinnumber,andareasfollows:

1.Whatweunderstanddirectlybyoursenses,likewhatweseewithoureyesorwhatwe

hearwithourears.ThisiscalledPratyaksha.

2.Inferenceorlogic(Anumana)Thatis,byseeingorunderstandingathing,welogically

infersomethingelse,althoughitisnotactuallyseenbyus.Forexample,ifweseesmokecoming,weinferthereisfire.Sothisiscalledoneofthesourcesofknowledge(anumana).

3.Sabda(orsound).WeaccepttheVedas,Smritis,Itihasas,Puranasasauthority(Solongas

theydonotcontradicttheVedas).

Itisfromthesethatgenerallythevarioussystemsofphilosophyaredevelopedbylogical

deductionsandarguments.

3. Canyoudescribethisfurther?Adetaileddescriptionordiscussionofthesewillbedifficulttounderstand.Iwillonlybriefly

indicatethenatureofeachofthese.

Talkingofthefirstsource,i.e.perceptionbysenses,wehavetobecarefulthatourperceptioniscorrectanditisnotwrong.Forexample,seeingiscorrectanditisnotwrong.

Forexample,seeingaropefromadistance,wemaymistakeitforaserpent.Thisiswrong

perception.Similarly,inhotsummer,onatarroad,seeingfromadistance,youmaythink

thatthereiswater.Thisagainiswrongperception.Wehavetoguardagainstsuchwrong

perceptions.

4. Intalkingofperceptionbysenses,whatarethesenses?ThesensesorIndriyasareoftwokinds:thesensesofknowledge(JnanaIndriyas)andthe

sensesofAction(KarmaIndriyas).

5. Whatarethesensesofknowledge(JnanaIndriyas)?Thesesarefiveinnumber:1.Eye2.Ear3.Nose4.Mouthand5.Skin(onthebody)

6. WhatarethesecondsetofsensesorIndriyas?

ThesearecalledthefivesensesofactionorKarma(KarmaIndriyas)

7. Whatarethey?Theseare:1.Tongue2.Hand3.Leg4.Anusand5.TheOrganreproduction.

So,wehavetobecarefulthatwhatisunderstoodthroughthesensesofknowledgeiscorrect.


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Weshouldalsorememberatalatertimewhatwehadseenorheardearlier.Thisisalso

acceptedasanauthority,sinceitisonlyrememberingofanauthority,whichwasunderstood

throughoursensesearlier.

8. Whatisanillusionormaya?Weseearopeandwronglythinkitisaserpent.Weseeashellandwronglythinkitissilver.

Thisiscalledillusion.

9. WhatexactlyisSabda?Asyouknow,Sabdameanssound.Soundevolvesordevelopsintowords,andthen

sentences.TheVedasareaccptedasthebasicauthority.Alongwiththis,wealsoacceptthe

BrahmaSutraAndBhagavadGitaasauthorities.

WealsoaccepttheItihasas(RamayanaandMahabharata),thePurana,theSmritisandthe

VaishnavaAgamasasauthorities.

However,thereisoneimprotantconditionandthatis,thatanythingintheseworks,which

areNotintunewiththeVedasorwhichareconrtradictorytoVedas,arenotacceptedas

authority.

10.Whatistheultimateaimorabjectiveofthehumanbeing?

Theiltimateaimorobjectiveofthehumanbeingistoattainsalvationormoksha.

11.Whatissalvationormoksha?Wehumanbeingsarerepeatedlyborn,comeintothisworldandthendie.Thus,thereisa

cycleofbirthsanddeaths.Inthislife,wecommitsomanysins,weundergosomany

hardships.WedonotfollowthecodeofconductprescibedbySastrasandwegoon

committingsins.

Salvationmeans,releasefromthiscycleofbirthsanddeathsandattainmentofmokshaor

mukti.

12.Whatarethethingsweshouldknowtoachievesalvationinduecourse?Wehavetolearnfivethings(ArthPanchaka)andtheseareasfollows:1.TheobjectofattainmentisSrimanNarayana,whoispermanentlyassociatedwith

Lakshmi.So,ThenatureofGod.

2.ThenatureofourSoulorJivatma

3.Themeansorthemethodstobeadoptedbyus,forattainingMokshaattheendofthislife.

4.TheexactnatureofMokshaorParmapada.

5.ThehindrancesthatariseinattainingourgoalofMokshaattheendofthislife;andhowto

getoverthesehindrancesordifficulties.

13.WhatexactlyisTattva?Howmanytattvasarethere?Tattvameansthatwhichisreal.

Therearethreetattvasorreals.Theseare:

1.Jivatma.ItisalsocalledasChit,Soul,Self,AtmaandChetana.Itissentienti.e.,hasKnowledge.

2.Achetanaormatterorachit.Itisnonsentient.i.e.,dosenothaveknowledge.

3.IswaraortheSupremeLord.

14.Whatisthemostimportantprincipleordoctrineofoursampradaya?


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A.Themostimportantprinciple(pradhanapratitantra)isthebody/soulrelationship

(sarirasaririBhavaorsariraatmabhava)betweensentient(Chetana),nonsentient

(achetana);andIswara.

B.TheBrahmanorIswaraisthesoulandtheothertworeals(tattvas),chetanaandachetana,

formHisbody.

15.Pleaseexplainthisfurther.Howdoyoudefineabody?Youcansaythatthebodyhaslegsandhands.Thebodyofaserpentdoesnothaveany

hands.Similarly,theshapeandsizeofonebodyaredifferentfromthatofanother.Atreehas

adifferentbody.Ananimalhasadifferentbodyfromthatofabird.Thebodyofanelephant

isdifferentfromthebodyofamosquito.So,youcannotgivephysicalcharacteristicsto

defineabody.

Therearethreecharacteristicswhichdecidewhatthebodyis.

16.Whatarethesecharacteristics?Thefirstoneisthatthebodyissupportedbythesoul.Thebodyexistsfromthetimeofthe

soulenteringintoit,inthemotherswomb.Thebodycontinuesandperishesordies,only

whenthesoulleavesthebody.Inotherwords,thebodyissupportedbythesoul.Aslongasthesoulremainsinthebody,thesoulsupportsthebody.Thisisthefirstcharacteristicofthe

body.Eveninastateofdreamlesssleep,thebodycontinuestoexist.So,thesoulfully

supportsthebody.

17.Whatisthesecondcharacteristic?ThesecondcharacteristicisthattheSoulalsocontrolsorrulesoverthebody.Whenthe

bodyisawake,thebodyiscontrolledbythewillofthesoul.Thesoulthusrulesorcontrols

thebody.Thebodyactsasperthewillofthesoul.

18.Whatisthethirdone?Thethirdoneisthatthebodyexistsonlyforthefulfilmentofthedesireofthesoul.Thesoul,

throughthemind,desiressomethingandthenthebodyactsaccordingly.So,thebodyexists

onlyforthepurposeofthesoul.

Thesethreegoverntherelationshipbetweenthebodyandthesoul.

19.So,whatisthesignificanceofbody/soulrelationship?Thesoulperformsthefollowingthreefunctions,overthebody:

(1)Supporting(adharatva)

(2)Controlling(niyantrutva)

(3)Mastership(Seshitva).

So,thesoulis,inrelationtothebody,asfollows:

(1)Supporter(adhara)

(2)Controller(niyanta)

(3)Master(Seshi).

So,thebodyis(1)beingsupportedbythesoul;(adheyatva)

(2)beingcontrolledbythesoul;(niyamyatva)

(3)existingforthepleasureofthesoul(seshatva).

20.Cantheabovethreequalificationsbetakentodefinethebody/soulrelationship?Yes.


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21.Howdoyouthenconcludethatbylogic,BrahmanorIswaraisthesoulofallchetanaandachetana?

Youtakeallthethreefactors,whichhashavementionedaboveandapplytheprincipleto

Brahmanversusthechetanaandachetana:

(1)AllthesechetanaandachetanaaresupportedbyBrahman.

(2)Secondly,intheirwakingstate,theyarecontrolledorruledbyIswara.

(3)Thirdly,alltheseexistonlyforHispleasure.

Thus,allthethreecharacteristicsorfactorswhichdeterminetherelationshipbetweenthe

soulandthebody,arepresentinthecaseofBrahmanorIswaraversustheentirechetana

andachetana.HencethefundamentaldoctrineofourphilosophyisthatIswaraisthesoulof

allchetanasorJivatmas.Iswaraisalsothesoulofallachetanai.e.thefundamentalMatter

anditsevolutions.Inotherwords,alltheJivatmasarethebodyofIswara.Similarly,Matter

anditsevolutionsalsoarethebodyofIswara.Thisisthebasicdoctrineofourreligionand

philosophy.

22.CanyouprovetheSariraSariribhavabyquotingfromtheVedas?WehaveafullsectioncalledAntaryamiBrahmanaintheBrihadaranyakaUpanishadand

alsosimilarpassagesintheSubalaUpanishad.ThesespecificallyandclearlysaythatIswara

isthesoulandtheJivatmaandMatterareHisbody.Thefollowingaresomeofthepassages:Heisdwellingintheearth,iswithintheearth.

Hisbodyistheearth,

Hisbodyisthewater,

Hisbodyisthefire

Hisbodyistheair

Hisbodyisthesun

Hisbodyisthemoonandthestars

Hisbodyisether

Hisbodyisthelight

Hisbodyisspeech

Hisbodyistheeye

Hisbodyistheear

HisbodyisthemindHisbodyistheskin

HisbodyisthesoulorJivatma

Hisbodyistheintellect

Hisbodyismatter

Hisbodyisdeath

Heistheinternalsoulofallbeings

HeisthedivineLordNarayana.Heisthesoulofall.

23.So,amIcorrectinsayingthatthefundamentalbasisforourphilosophyisthe

body/soulrelationship?

Yes,Wehaveestablishedbody/soulrelationshipbetweentheParamatmaand

Jivatma/achetanaintwoways:

(1)Bylogicandargument,wehavesaidthatBrahmansupportsandcontrolstheJivatma/achetanaanditisforHispurposethatthe;Jivatma/achetanaisthere.So,the

Jivatma/achetanaisthebodyandBrahmanisthesoul.

(2)Secondly,wehavealsoquotedseveralpassagesfromtheVedas,whichclearlyand

explicitlystatethatBrahmanisthesoul;andtheJivatma,thematterandotherevolutionsare

allHisbody.


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24.YousaythatRamanujaperfectedoursystemofphilosophyandbody/soulrelationship.Thenwerethereearlieracharyaswhopropoundedthis?

Yes.TherewereearlieracharyaslikeBodhayana,DramidaandTanka.Butunfortunately

theirworkshavebeenlostandarenotavailablenow.

25.HavetheAlwarsmentionedaboutthebody/soulrelationship?Nammalwarhasexplicitlymentionedthis.HesaysthattheLordispresenteverywhere,asthesoulinthebody.


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Chapter4:TheEternalJivatma

1. Pleaseexplainhowyousaythatthesoulisdifferentfromthebody?WhenIsaythisismybook,Imeanthebookbelongstome.Thebookisobviously

somethingdifferentfrommyself.

Similarly,Isaythisismybody.So,thebodyisdifferentfrommyself.Here,theword

myselfreferstothesoul.Thus,wecanseethatthebodyisdifferentfromthesoul.

Otherwise,wewillnotsaythatthisismybody.

2. Whatistherelationshipbetweenthesoulandsenses,mind,knowledge?Hereagain,thesoulisdifferentfromallthese.WesayIseethroughmyeyes.HenceIorthe

soulisdifferentfromtheeyes.WesayIhearthroughmyears.SoIorsoulisdifferentfrom

theears.Wesaythatmylegispainingormyhandispaining.So,itisclearthatthelegis

differentfromtheIorsoul.Thus,thefivesensesofactionorkarma(KarmaIndriyas)and

thefivesensesofknowledge(JnanaIndriyas)arealldifferentfromthesoul.Similarly,we

saythatmymindisclear.Fromthisalso,itcanbeseenthatTorthesoulisdifferentfrom

themind.

3. Pleaseexplainthiswithananalogy?.Thechildwhichcomesoutofthemotherswombisverysmallinsize.Thenitbecomesaboy

oragirlandthenayoungmanorwomanandthenfinallyheorshebecomesoldandthen

passesaway.Thus,thebodyvariesinsize.Itstartsatthetimeofbirthasaverysmallbaby

andthengrowsup.Thebodybecomesill,thebodybecomeswellandisthussubjecttoso

manychanges,whereasthesoulisnotaffected.Thusthebodychangesinsize.Thebody

becomesold,weak.Thebodyshrinksinoldage.Thebodyisthatofamaleorfemaleor

animal.Thusthebodiesaredifferentfordifferentpersons.Butthesoulsareallsimilarand

arenotsubjecttoanychange.

4. Doesthesoulalsocometolivealongwiththebodyanddiealongwiththebody?No.ThesoulorJivatmaiseternalandPermanent.Thesoulhasnobeginningorend.orwhen

thebodydies,thesouldoesnotdie.

5. Howmanysoulsarethere?Thesoulsareinfiniteinnumber.Iwillgiveyouaverysimpleexample.Westayinonehouse

forsometime.Aftersometimeweshifttoanotherhouse.Again,wegotoanothertownor

placeandshifttoanotherhouse.Thus,wearegoingfromonehousetoanotherorfromone

placetoanother.Justlikethis,thesoulalsostaysinonebodyforsometime.Atthedeathof

theperson,thesoulleavesthebody;theniteitherattainssalvationandreaches

Paramapada;or,itgoestoSvarga(heaven);ordirectlytakesonanewbody.Wherethesoul

goestoSvarga,afterexperiencingpleasuresthesoulreturnstoearthandtakesonanother

body,asaman,orananimal,orabirdoranything.Thus,thesoulalsogoesfromonebodyto

another,justasweshiftfromonehousetoanother.

6. Canyougivemeafurtherexample?Forthesameperson,inthebody,firstthereischildhood;fromchildhood,youthcomesover

andthenoldagecomesover.Similarly,forthesoulalso,fromonebodyitchangesoverto

anotherbody.Wedonotfeelsorrywhenachildbecomesayoungmanorwhenayoungman

becomesold,becausethebodyremainsthesame.Butwhenthesoulgoesfromonebodyto

another,wecallitdeathandgrieveforthedeadperson.

7. Whatisthesizeofthesoul?Thesoulisatomicinsize.


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8. Howdoyouexplainthis?Thesoulentersanewbody,basedonthepreviouskarma.Thus,thesoulcantakeon

thebodyofanantoritcantakeonthebodyofanelephantoraman.Sothesoulhastobe

smallerthantheantforittoenterthebodyoftheant.Thusbylogic,thesoulhastobesmaller

thanthesmallestofthebodieslikeantormosquito.Thus,thesoulisatomicinsize.

9. Whynotsaythatthesoulalsochangesinsize,likethebody?Forexample,thebodyofanelephantismuchbiggerthanthebodyofanant.Canthesoulofanelephantbe

muchbiggerthanthesoulofanant?

ThisisactuallythephilosophyofJainismthatthesoulisasbigorassmallasthebodyofthe

person.However,wedonotacceptthistheoryandwehavetheproofoftheVedas.Inseveral

places,theVedasdeclarethatthesoulisatomicinsize.Infact,theVedassaythatthesoulis

ofthesizeof1/100thof1/100thofthetipofagrain.Thisisonlytoexplainthatthesoulis

atomicinsize.Further,Icangiveonemorereasonwhythesoulisatomic.Atthedeathofa

person,thesoulleavesthebodyandgoesout,accordingtosastras.Weaccepttheauthority

ofthesastras.Wearenotabletoseethesoulactuallyleavingthebody.Thus,thesoulis

smallerthanthesmallestobjectthatoureyescansee,andisatomic.

10.Canthesoulbedestroyed?Thesouliseternalandpermanent,i.e.,alwaysexisting.Sinceitisatomicinsize,itcannotbe

cutbyasword,itcannotbeburntbyfire,anditcannotbethrownaboutbyair.Itisso

minutelysmall.

11.Whatisthemeaningofsayingthatapersonisbornorapersonisdead?Whenthesoulhastakenonanewbody,wesaythechildisborn.Similarly,whenthesoul

leavesthebody,wesaythepersonisdead.

12.Whydopeoplegrievewhenapersondies?Areallyintelligentman,whoknowsphilosophy,doesnotgrieve.However,itisbecauseof

hisattachmentthatapersonreallyfeelsforhisnearanddearoneswhentheydie.Letme

giveyouanotherexample.Whentheclotheswearewearingaretorn,wenaturallythrow

themawayandweputonnewclothes.Similarly,thesoulalsothrowsofftheoldbodyandtakesonanewone,justaswetakeonnewclothes.

13.Yousaidthesoulsareinfiniteinnumber.Isthereanyvariationbetweenthesedifferentsouls?

Thereisnovariation.Theyareallatomicinsize.However,thesoulsaredividedintothree

categories.

14.Whatarethethreecategories?ThesoulsorJivatmas,whicharestillboundbysamsarapassthroughthecycleofbirthsand

deaths.Theyleaveonebodyafterdeath,butareagainbominthisworldinsomeotherbody

andgoonrotatinginthecycleofsamsara.Thus,thesesoulsarecalledBaddha,i.e.,Bound

(bysamsara).

15.WhoaretheseBaddhas?

TheystartrightfromthefourfacedBrahmaandincludethevariousdevas,gandharvasand

soon,viz.peopleintheotherworlds.Theyincludehumanbeings,animals,trees,insects,

birdsandthoseinwaterlikefish,antsandeverything.

16.Doyoumeantosaythattreesalsohavesouls?Yes.Thetreesalsohavesouls.Ithasbeenprovedbymodernbiologiststhatthetreesand

plantshavelifeinthem.


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17.Howmanysub-divisionsarethereinthefirstcategoryofBaddhas?Wecanbroadlysaythattherearefoursubdivisions.

Theseare:

1.TheDevas.Underthisgroupweincludethepitrus,siddhas,gandharvas,kinnaras,vasus

andyakshas.

2.Humanbeings.

3.Theanimalcategory.Underthisareincludedallanimals,birds,thosewhichcrawllikeserpentsandworms.

4.Treesandplants,whoseknowledgeismuchless.

18.Whatisthesecondcategoryofsoul?ThesecondcategoryisMukta.Thatis,thesoulsorJivatmas,whichhavebeenreleasedfrom

thesamsara,fromthecycleofbirthsanddeaths.Thejivatma,afteradoptingthemeans

prescribedinthesastrasforattainingsalvation,thusattainssalvationormokshaandthen

becomesmuktaorliberated.HeisinParamapada,permanentlyenjoyingandservingthe

LordNarayanaandHisConsortLakshmi.

19.Whoarethethirdcategory?ThethirdcategoryconsistsofNityas,namely,thosesoulswhoareeternallyfree,whoare

neverborninthisworld.WealsocallthemasNityaSuris.TheseareAdisesha,Garuda,Vishvaksenaandsuchothers.

20.Aresoulsofthesecategoriesalsoatomicinsize?Yes,thesoulsofallthesecategoriesarealsoatomicinsize.

21.Whosesoulsareinfinite?OnlythoseofNarayanaandLakshmiareinfinite(vibhu).

22.Whataretheotherqualitiesofthesouls?Thesoulsareofthenatureofknowledge,happinessandpurityandthelike.Their

knowledgeisinfinite,i.e.,theycanperceiveandunderstandeverything.

23.But,thisisnotthecasewithhumanbeings.Ourknowledgeiscertainlynotinfinite.Theessentialnatureoftheknowledgeofthesoulisinfinite.But,havingcomeintotheworld,theknowledgeistemporarilycontractedorbecomesrestricted.Onreleasefromsamsara,

theknowledgeisrestoredtoinfiniteness.

24.Whyistheknowledgecontractedorreduced,whentheJivatmacomesintothisworld?ThisisbecauseofthepastkarmaoftheJivatmaandhisassociationwiththematerialworld

around.Theknowledgeofoneismuchdifferentfromtheknowledgeofanother.The

knowledgeofatreeoranimalismuchlowerandthatofmanismuchhigher.Again,among

differentmenandwomen,theknowledgeofoneismuchhigherorlowerthanthatof

another.Allthesevariationsareduetothedifferencesinthepastkarmaoftheindividuals.

25.HowdoyouclassifythenormalactivitiesoftheJivatma?Theactivitiescanbeclassifiedintothreekinds.1)Thoseactivitieswhichbringpunyatothesoul,likegoingtothetemple,worshippingthe

LordanddoingservicetotheLord.

2)ThoseactivitieswhichbringpapaorsintotheJivatmalikeutteringlies,committing

murderanddrinkingliquor.

3)Thethirdkindofactivitiesarethosewhichareneutralincharacter.Thatis,whichbrings

neitherpunyanorpapatothesoul,likeremainingquietorlyingindeepsleep.


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26.Sometimes,Ireadthewordsattributiveknowledge(DharmabhutaJnana).Whatisthis?

AsIexplainedearlier,thesoulitselfisofthenatureofknowledge,butithasalsoknowledge

asanattributeorquality.

27. ItisdifficultformetounderstandLetmeexplainbyasimpleexample.Wehavealamp.Whenthelampislighted,thelamplightsupthesurroundingareas.Atthesametime,thelampitselfglowswithlight.Inother

words,bythelightingofalamp,thesurroundingareasareseenbyusandthelampitselfis

alsoseenbyus.Somewhatsimilarly,bytheattributiveknowledgeofthesoul,weareableto

understandthesurroundingthings.Itisthisattributiveknowledge,whichiscontractedor

restricted,whentheJivatmaisinsamsara.

28.Youweresayingthatthesoulisatomicinsize.Howisitthenweareabletoseethevariousplaces,thevariousthings,whicharequitefaroff?

Again,theexampleofthelightthatIgaveyouwillapply.Youkeepthelampatoneplacebut

youareabletoseethingswhicharequitefaroffbythelightofthelamp.Similarly,bythe

attributiveknowledgeofthesoul,youareabletoseethingswhicharefaroff.

29.IdonotunderstandyoursayingthattheessentialnatureofthesoulorJivatmaishappiness;Inthisworld,wefacesomanysorrowsanddifficulties.Itisrarelythatwe

arehappy.HowdoyousaythattheJivatmaisessentiallyhappy?

Theessentialnatureofthesoulisindeedhappiness.Butbecauseofhiscontactwiththebody

andasaresultofhispreviouskarma(papaorsin),thedegreeofhappinessisreduced.Once

heattainsmoksha,thepermanenthappinessisfullyrestored.


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Chapter5:MatterandCreation

1. WhatisthemeaningofAchetana?Asmentionedearlier,wehavethreetattvasorreals.WewillnexttakeupAchetanaandthenfinallyIswara.Achetanameansnonsentient.Itmeansthatitdoesnotpossessany

knowledge.So,theAchetanaisnotcapableofthinking,sinceithasnoknowledge(pramana).

2. WhatarethecategoriesunderthisAchitorAchetana?Therearethreecategories,whicharecalled:1.Matter(prakriti)2.Time(kala)3.

SuddhaSattva

3. Pleaseexplaineachcategory.Matteristhemostfundamentalelement.Itiscalledbydifferentnameslikeprakriti,mula

prakriti,akshara,pradhana,avyakta,trigunaandprimordialmatter.

4. Howisitinvolvedintheprocessofcreationoftheworld?Atthetimeofpralaya,matter(prakriti)isinasubtle,undifferentiatedstate.ItisthencalledAvibhakta.Weplantaseed.Incourseoftime,theseedgrows,sproutsintoasmallplantand

thenintoabigtree.Similarly,theundifferentiatedMatterisliketheseed.Itslowlydevelops

andinthenextstage,itiscalledVibhakta.

5. Howdoyoudescribethismatter?Matterismadeupofthreequalitiesorattributes(gunas).Thismatterisfrequently

undergoingchangesoralterations.

6. Whatarethethreequalitiesinmatter?Thethreequalitiesare:1)Sattva2)Rajasand3)Tamas.

7. Whatisthemeaningofthese?1)Sattvaisthequalityofmatterthatleadstoharmonyandhappiness.2)Rajasisthequalityofmatterthatproducesrestlessactivity.

3)Tamasisthequalityofmatterthatresultsinlazinessandinertia.

8. PleaseexplainwhatarethefurthertransformationsofmatterInitiallymatterissubtleindormantstate.Itevolvesintothenextstageandthetattvacalled

mahatcomesout.Frommahatwegetthetattvaahankara.Boththemahatandahankaraare

ofthreekinds.

9. Whatarethethreekinds?Theyare:sattvika,rajasaandtamasa,basedonthequalities.Sattvikaahankaraiscalled

vaikarika;Rajasaahankaraiscalledtaijasa;andTamasaahankaraiscalledbhutadi.

10.Howarethesenses(indriyas)developed?Fromthesattvikaahankarawegetallthesenses.Thesearefivesensesorindriyasof

knowledge(jnanaindriyas)andfivesensesofactionorkarma(karmaindriyas)whichwere

describedearlier.

11.Whatismind?Mindistheinnersenseorgan.Itistheseatofmemoryandknowledge.Mindfunctionsin

threeways,as1)Ahankara2)Chittaand3)Buddhi.


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1.Mindiscalledahankara,whenwefalselythinkthatbodyandsoularethesame.

2.Mindiscalledchitta,whenwedesiresomething.3.Itiscalledbuddi,whenitdiscriminates

betweengoodandbad,merit(punya)andsin(papa),trueandfalse.Note:Thisahankarais

differentfromtheahankarawhichevolvesoutofmahatandwhichwehavedescribed

earlier.

12.Explainbrieflytheprocessofcreation?.Ihadmentionedthethreetypesofahankaraviz.,sattvikaahankara,rajasaahankaraand

tamasaahankara.Now,fromtheTamasaAhankaraisbomthesubtleelement(tanmatra)of

sound(sabda).

13.Whatdoyoumeanbythesubtleelement?Thesubtleelement(tanmatra)issomethinginbetweentwogrosselements(bhuta).

Supposingmilkisbeingturnedintocurd,theintermediatestageofformationofcurd,i.e.,the

stagebetweenmilkandcurdiscalledthesubtlestage.Sofromtamasaahankaraiscreated

thesubtleelementofsound.(sabda)

14.Whatisproducedfromthesubtleelementofsound?Ether(akasa)isproducedfromthesubtleelementofsound.Etheriscalledthegrosselement

(bhuta).Frometherisproducedthesubtleelementoftouch(sparsa).Fromthesubtleelementoftouchisproducedthegrosselementofair(vayu).Fromthegrosselementofairis

producedthesubtleelementofsight(rupa).Fromthesubtleelementofsightisproduced

thegrosselementoflight(tejas).

Fromthegrosselementoflightisproducedthesubtleelementoftaste(rasa).Fromthe

subtleelementoftasteisproducedthegrosselementofwater.

Fromthegrosselementofwaterisproducedthesubtleelementofsmell(gandha).Finally

fromthesubtleelementofsmellisproducedthegrosselementofearth(prithivi).

Thus,eachofthesubtleelements(tanmatra)isanintermediatestageofcreation,between

twogrosselements(bhuta).

Theprocessofcreationis,therefore,likethis:prakritiormatter,mahat,ahankara,sound,

ether,touch,air,sight,light,taste,water,smell,earth.Thus,intheprocessofcreation,wehave24items,i.e.,startingfromtheempiricalorfundamentalmatter,wehaveNo.2mahat,

No.3ahankaraandNo.4to8the5subtleelementsmentionedabove:andNo.9to13,the5

grosselements(panchabhutas)mentionedabove;No.14isthemind(manas);No.15to19

the5sensesofknowledge;No.20to24arethe5sensesofactionorkarma.Thuswehavea

totalof24elements.

15.Whatisthe25thitem?HavingexhaustedalltheitemsofPrakritias24,asdescribedabove,wecalltheJivatmathe

25thitem.Allthese25elementsarealsocalledasrealsortattvas.So,theJivatmaisthe25th

tattva.

16.whataboutether?Isitalsoeternal,permanent,likethesoul,orisetherproduced?Yes,etheriscreatedbyBrahman.Itisnoteternal.

17.Whatabouttheotherfourelements,air,fire,waterandearth?TheseelementsarealsocreatedbyBrahman.Theyarenoteternal.

18. Isaircreatedbyether;isfirecreatedbyairandsoon;eachbytheprecedingelement?OrareallthesefiveelementsdirectlycreatedbyBrahman?

EachiscreatedbyBrahmanfromtheprecedingelement,whichisHisbody.So,airisnot

createdbyether,butairiscreatedbyBrahman,whosebodyisether;andsoon.


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19.Arethefivesensesofknowledgeandfivesensesofaction,eternalorarethesecreatedones?.

ThefivesensesofknowledgeandthefivesensesofactionareallcreatedbyBrahman,just

likethefiveelementsofether,air,andsoon.The11thsense,i.e.,themindormanasisalso

created.

20.Whatisthesizeofthese11senses(indriyas)?These11sensesarealsoatomicinsize.Thesesensesalsodepartfromthebody,whena

persondies.Hencetheyhavetobenecessarilyatomic;sincewecannotseethese11senses,

leavingthebody,atthetimeofdeath.

21.Whatabouttheprincipalvitalair(prana)?Isthisalsocreatedoreternal?Theprincipalvitalairisalsocreatedlikethesenses.

22.Youmentionedabouttheprincipalvitalair.Isitthesameasordinaryairorisitdifferent?

Itisdifferentfromtheordinaryair.Ithasfivefunctions.Wegivethemfivedifferentnames,

dependingupontheirfunctions.

23.Whatarethesenames?1)Prana2)Vyana3)Apana4)Samanaand5)Udana.

24.Whatisthefunctionofeachofthesetypesofair?1)Pranaisthemostimportant.Ithastheprincipalvitalactivity,solongasthepersonlives.

2)Vyanahelpsinthecirculationofairinthebody.Ithasthecirculatoryactivity.

3)Apanahelpsinexcretionofunwantedairfromthebody.

4)Samanahelpsindigestingthings,eatenbytheperson.5)Udanahelpsinrespiration,in

thebreathingactivityoftheperson.

25. Istheprincipalvitalairalsoatomicinsize?Yes.

26.Pleaseexplainfurther,theprocessofcreation.Whatiscalledquintuplicationoffivefolddivisiontakesplaceintheprocessofcreation.Ihavetotalkabitofmathematics.Wesawthattherearefivegrosselementsthatareether,

air,light,waterandearth.Now,theprocessofcreationislikethis.Eachgrosselementis

takenanddividedintotwohalves.Onehalfofthiselementisagainsplitupintofourequal

partsandaddedtotheremainingfourgrosselements.Forexample,letustakethegross

elementofether.Thisisdividedintotwohalves.Onehalfofitisfurtherdividedintofour

equalportions,namely,1/8theachandso1/8thetherisaddedtoeachoftheremainingfour

elements,namely,air,light,waterandearth.Inthesameway,theremainingfourgross

elementsarealsodividedintohalvesandeachhalfisagaindividedintofourportionsand

addedtotheothergrosselements.

27.Whatisthenetresult?Letustakethegrosselementofether.Afterallthesetransformationsorquintuplication,theelementetherwillactuallyconsistofthefollowing:Halfofether,l/8thportionofair,l/8th

portionoflight,l/8thportionofwaterandl/8thportionofearth.Sohalfplus1/8+1/8+

1/8+1/8,willaddtoone.Soafterthismixingup,finallyweshallhaveetherconsistingof

halfofetherandl/8thoftheremainingfourgrosselements.So,thismethodofmixtureis

calledquintuplicationorfivefolddivision(panchikarana).

28.Thenhowarewejustifiedincallingthembytheirnamesasetheretc.,wheneachoftheseisindivi-duallycomposedofallthefivegrosselements?


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Fromthemathematicsexplainedaboveyouwillobservethatinthecompositionofeach

element,thedominantelementis50%.Theotherelementsareonlyl/8theachmakingup

theotherhalf.Sinceoneelementispredominant,theelementisnamedafterit.

29.Wehaveheardoftrifolddivisionortripartition(trivritkarana).Whatisit?Howisitdifferentfromquintuplication?

Thesameprocesswhichhasbeenexplainedaboveistalkedofinregardtothreegrosselements,namely,light,waterandearth,insteadofallthefivegrosselements.Theprinciple

ofmixingupofthesethreeelementsisalsothesameasIhaveexplainedearlierinregardto

allthefiveelements.Whenonlythreeelementsasaboveareinvolveditiscalledtripartition.

Theprincipleinboththecasesisthesame.Actually,quintuplicationisonlyanextensionof

theprincipleoftripartition.

30. Isthereanyfurtherextensionotthisprinciple?Yes.Infact,inVishnupurana,alongwiththe5grosselementsasabove,thetwoearlier

tattvasofmahatandahankaraarealsoadded.Thesemakeupatotalofseven.Thenthe

Vishnupuranadescribestheprincipleofsevenfolddivision(saptikarana).So,itisonlya

furtherextensionoftheprincipleofmixingupoftheelements.

31.Thenhowistheworldcreated?Ihaveexplainedtoyouthequintuplicationofthefivegrosselements.Afterthefivefold

division,asabove,ofthegrosselements,theyjoinupandthentheworldiscreated.

32.Howmanytypesofcreationarethere?Therearetwotypesofcreation:aggregatecreation(samashtisrishti)andindividual

creation(vyashtisrishti).

33.Whatisaggregatecreation?Thecreationofmahatoutoftheelementaryorfundamentalmatter;thecreationofahankara

andthetenindriyasofknowledgeandkarma;thecreationofthe.grosselementsandthefive

subtleelementsallthesearecalledaggregatecreation.

34.Whatisindividualcreation?Outoftheaboveprocessoraftertheaboveprocess,theworldiscreated.Thefurther

creationofhumanbeings,devas,animals,treesandplantsiscalledindividualcreation.I

thinkthismuchofunderstandingaboutmatter(prakriti)isenoughforthepresent.

35.Howistimesub-divided?Asiscommonknowledge,timeisdividedintothreeportions.Theseare:1)past,2)present

3)future.

36.Whatarethefurthersub-divisions?Thefurthersubdivisionsareagainasiscommonlyknown,day,month,year,hours,minutes

andseconds.Thismuchisenoughfortheprincipleoftime.

37.Whatissuddhasattva?Suddhasattva,asthenameindicates,ispuresattva,withoutanymixtureortraceoftheothertwoqualities,namely,rajasandtamas.

38.WhereisSuddhaSattva?SriVaikuntaorParamapadaisfullysuddha,sattva.Inthisworldalso,thearchaformsof

SrimanNarayanaandLakshmiinthetemplesaresuddhasattva.


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Chapter6:IswaraTheLordandtheMaster

1. WhatistheessentialnatureofIswara?TheessentialnatureofIswaraistruth,knowledge,infiniteness,happinessandpurity.Heispresenteverywhere.Heknowseverything.

2. WhyisHecalledBhagavan?HepossessessixqualitiesandthatiswhyHeiscalledBhagavan.BhagainSanskritmeans

goodquality.

3. Whatarethesesixqualities?Theseare:1)Knowledge2)Lordship3)Strength4)Valour5)Energyand6)Splendour.

4. WehaveheardpeoplesayingthatIswaraisthecauseofthisworld.Pleaseexplain.Youhaveapotterandthemudpot.Thepotismadefromthematerialmud.Somudisthe

causeandpotistheeffect.Mudiscalledasthematerialcauseofpot(UpadanaKarana).Now,

mudbyitselfcannotchangeintoapot.Thepotterhastochangethemudintoapot.So,inthemakingofthepot,thepotterisalsothecause,likethemud.Thepotteriscalledthe

instrumentalcause(NimittaKarana).Thus,foramudpot,themudisthematerialcauseand

thepotteristheinstrumentalcause.Iwillgiveyouanotherexample.Takethecaseofa

weaver.Theweaverweavesaclothoutoftherawmaterialyarn.Inthiscase,theclothisthe

producedeffect.Forthecloth,theyarnisthematerialcauseandtheweaveristhe

instrumentalcause.

5. Arethereanyothercausesforsuchthings?Again,taketheexampleofthemudpotandthepotter.Now,justwithmudalone,thepotter

cannotmakethepot.Herequiresthewoodenwheelandsomeothersimilarwoodenimplementstomakethepotoutofthemud.Suchimplementslikethewoodenwheelare

calledthesupportingcause(sahakarikarana).So,summarising,wehavethreecausesfor

producinganything.Oneisthematerialcause(upadanakarana);thesecondistheinstrumentalcause(nimittakarana);andthethirdisthesupportingcause(sahakarikarana).

6. Sofarascreationoftheworldisconcerned,whatistherelationshipofIswaraorBrahman?

Brahmanisthematerialcauseinthecreationoftheworld.Heisalsotheinstrumentalcause

inthecreation.ThereisnosupportingcauserequiredforHiminthecreationoftheworld.Or,wecanalsosaythatHeisalsothesupportingcauseinthecreationoftheworld.Ifwe

considertheworldasapot.Heisboththemudandthepotter,forthecreationofthepot(i.e.

theworld).

7. Whatisthedifferencebetweencreationandevolutionoftheworld?Brahmanisthematerialcause;so,wesaythatBrahmanevolvesintotheworld.Brahmanis

theinstrumentalcause;so,wesaythatBrahmancreatestheworld.Thus,theevolutionoftheworldmeansthatBrahmanisthematerial.incase.CreationoftheworldmeansthatBrahr

theinstrumentalcause.(Justasmudevolvesintomudpot;thepottercreatesthepot.)

8. Heistheinstrumentalcauseinthecreation,butitisratherhardforonetounderstandthatHeisalsothematerialcause.HowcanBrahmanorIswaraHimself

changeintotheworld,justasthemudchangesintopotorjustastheyarnchangesinto

cloth?


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Ishalldescribethistoyouinsomedetail.WeshouldfullyaccepttheauthorityoftheVedas.

LetmequotetoyouthefollowingpassagesfromtheVedas,whichmakeitclearthat

Brahmanisalsothematerialcause.HethoughtmayIbecomemany.TheBrahmanisthe

wood.ThenBrahmanbecamethetree.HedesiredmayIbecomemany.Hebecame

definedandundefined,realandunreal.YetHeremainedasreal.ThewiseperceiveHimas

thesourceofbeings.Therearemanyotherpassagesalso,whichclearlyshowthatBrahman

isthematerialcauseoftheworld,besidesbeingtheinstrumentalcause.AstoryinChandogyaUpanishadsaysthattherewasayoungboySvetaketuwhowassentbyhisfather

toateacherforlearning.Hestudiedundertheteacherfor12yearsandafterstudy,returned

home.

HisfatheraskedSvetaketu:Ifindthatyouarearrogantandyouarethinkingthatyouhave

learnteverything.Doyouknowaboutthat,byknowingwhicheverythingelsebecomes

known?Svetaketudidnotknow,howbyknowingonething,allotherthingswillbecome

known.So,hisfatherproceedstogiveexamplesandteacheshim.Thefathersays:

1.Frommud,wemakepotsanddolls.Sobyknowingmud,allthatismadeofmud,isalso

known;becausetheyareallproductsfromthesamebasicrawmaterialmud.

2.Similarly,wemakejewelsoutofgold.So,byknowinggold,allthatismadeofgold,like

jewels,arealsoknown;becausetheyareonlymodificationsorproductsofgold.

3.Again,fromiron,wemakesomanymaterialslikeknifeandscissors.So,byknowingiron,alltheproductsthataremadeofiron,alsobecomeknown;becausebasicallythereisonly

ironandallothersareonlymodificationsofiron.Similarly,byknowingBrahman,thewhole

worldandeverythinginitbecomesknown.

9. So,whatdoweunderstandfromtheseexamples?Fromthis,itisclearthatBrahmaniscomparedtomudorgoldoriron,outofwhich,potor

jewelorknife(respectively)aremade.Frommudcomesthepot.So,byknowing

mud,everythingmadeofmudbecomesknown.Similarly.Brahmanevolvesintotheworld

andallotherthings.HencebyknowingBrahman,everythingelsebecomesknown.Thisis

themeaningoftheseexamples.Inotherwords,Brahmanisthematerialcause(upadana

karana)ofwhateverweseeintheworld;justasmudisthematerialcauseofmudpot;justas

goldisthematerialcauseofgoldjewels;andjustasironisthematerialcauseofknifeand

scissors.

10.PleaseexplainfurtheraboutBrahmanbeingthematerialcauseoftheworld.TheChandogyaUpanishadstatesasfollows:ThentheBrahmandesiredmayIbecome

many,mayIgrow.Thenitcreatedfire,etc.Fromthis,itisclearlyseenthattheBrahman

evolvedintotheworld;becausetheBrahmansaysmayIbecomemany.Soitisprovedthat

Brahmanisthematerialcause.

Afterthis,theChandogyaUpanishaddescribes(hethreefolddivisionofelements.Ihave

alreadydescribedthistoyouearlier.Further,itissaidthatBrahmandesiredandsaidIwill

createnamesandforms.So,thisalsoshowsthatBrahmanisboththematerialcauseand

theinstrumentalcause.

11.WhatisthepositionofJivatma,beforeandafterpralaya?Atthebeginningofcreation,namely,afterthepralaya,thematterandJivatmasareall

merged,inanextremelysubtlestate,inBrahman.ThentheBrahmandesiredmayIbecome

many.Hethencreatedtheelementsandtheworlds,outofHimself.ThenHegavethem

namesandforms.So,theBrahmanbecomesboththematerialandtheinstrumentalcause

(upadanakaranaandnimittakarana).

12.ArethereanyotherpassagesintheUpanishadswhichexplainthattheBrahmanisthematerialcause?


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ThereareveryinterestingexamplesinMundakaUpanishad.SaunakaasksAngiras:Whatis

that,byknowingwhich,everythingelseintheworldbecomesknown?

Angirasproceedstoexplain.Hegivestheexampleofaspider.Aspidercreatesthinthreads,

outofitsownbodyandmouthandspitsthemout.Itweavesawebarounditsbody,outof

thesethreads.Thespider,then,eatsbackthethreadsformingtheweb.Inotherwords,the

threadscomeout.ofthespiderandareeatenbackbythespider,

Similarly,Brahmancreatestheworld,outofHimselfandagainwithdrawsthewholething,

theworld,intoHimself,atthetimeofdeluge.ThisexampleclearlyshowsthatBrahmanis

thematerialcauseoftheworld.ThereisanotherexampleinthesameUpanishad.Theplants

andherbsgrowfromtheearth,i.e.,comeoutoftheearth.Inthesameway,theworldalso

comesoutofBrahman.Thus,theteacherAngirasexplainsthat,sincetheworldand

everythingelsecomesoutofBrahman;byknowingBrahman,everythingelsebecomes

known.ThereisanotherexamplegiveninBrihadaranyakaUpanishad.Yagnavalkyatellshis

wifethat,byknowingBrahman,thewholeworldandeverythingelsebecomesknown;and

proceedstogiveanexample.Fromamoistandwetfirewood,wetrytolightupfire.Butonly

smokecomesout,becauseofwetnessofthefirewood.Justassmokecomesoutofthewet

firewood,alltheworldandeverythingelse,comeoutofBrahman.Theseexamplesshowthat

Brahmanisthematerialcauseoftheworld.

13.YousaythattheLordIswaraispresenteverywhere.HaveourAlwarsandAcharyasspecificallystatedso?Yes.NammalwarsaysthattheLordispresenteverywhere,asthesoulinthebody.Healso

givesabeautifulsimile.HesaysthattheLordispresenteverywhereandineverything,like

gheeinthemilk.Wecannotstraightawayseegheeinthemilk.Milkhastobeturnedinto

curd.Fromcurd,youchurnandgetbutter.Youheatthebuttertogetghee.Thus,although

gheeisinmilk,wecannotseethegheedirectly.Similarly,Godisineverything,althoughwe

cannotseeHimdirectlywithoureyes.

14. IsthisLordspresenceineverythingmentionedintheVedas?Yes,inseveralplaces.LetmegiveyousomebeautifulexamplesfromSvetasvatara

Upanishad.

TheParamatmaisintheJivatma,likeoilintilseeds(sesame):

butterincurds:

waterintheearth(underground):

fireinwood.

AlthoughtheUpanishadmentionsParamatmaspresenceinJivatma,theextensionofthis

principleshowsParamatmaspresenceineverything.

15.WhataboutourAcharyas?WehavethegreatAlavandar,whohasalsousedthesimileofgheeinmilk(likeNammalwar),

toshowthepresenceoftheLordineverything.

16.WhoexactlyisBrahmanorIswara?Isthereonesingledeity,whoissupreme?HerearesomepassagesfromtheVedaswhichwillansweryourquery.1)TherewasonlyoneNarayana,noBrahma,noRudra

2)FromHisforehead,thethreeeyedperson,havingSulaisborn;thefourfacedBrahmais

bom.

3)BrahmaisbornfromNarayana,RudraisbomfromNarayana

4)BrahmaisNarayana,SivaisNarayana,IndraisNarayana,ThedirectionsareNarayana.

AllthingsareNarayana

5)ThereisonlyoneDivineBeingNarayana

6)Narayanaistheinnersoulofallbeings,

7)HecrossesthehumanbondageofsamsaraandreachestheParamapadaofVishnu.


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8)AmongtheDevas,fire(Agni)isthelowestandVishnuisthehighest:

9)HecreatedBrahmaasbeforeandtaughthimtheVedas.

10)FromtheBrahmasforehead,Rudrawasborn.

11)TheUniverseisNarayana.

12)NarayanaisthesupremeBrahman.Narayanaisthesupremetruthorreality.Narayana

isthesupremelight.NarayanaisthesupremeatmaorParamatma.Whateverisinthisworld,

seenorheard,allthatispervadedbyNarayana,bothwithinandwithout.HeisBrahma.HeisSiva.HeisIndra.

Fromthese,itwillbecleartoyouwhoisthesupremedeity,whoistheBrahmanandwhois

Iswara.ThereareinnumerablesuchpassagesintheVedas.

17.Wheredoesthislastpassage,HeisBrahma,HeisSiva,HeisIndraoccur?ThispassageoccursinTaittiriyaUpanishad.ThisiscalledNarayanaAnuvaka.

18.DoesntthisoccursinMahaNarayanaUpanishadActuallyitformspartofTaittiriyaUpanishad.Butsomemodernpeoplecallitbyaseparate

nameasMahaNarayanaUpanishad.

19.YoureadthepassageasHeisBrahma,HeisSiva,HeisIndra.ButsomepeoplereaditasHeisBrahma,HeisSiva,HeisHari,HeisIndra.Whichiscorrect?TheVedicpassageshouldreadwithoutthewordsHeisHari.ThewordsHeisHariare

laterinterpolation;anditisnotcorrect.

20.HowdoyousaythatthewordsHeisHariarelaterinterpolationandnotcorrect?Thereasonisverysimple.Ifyouaddthewords.HeisHariinthisverseintheVedas,the

metrebecomesincorrect.AccordingtoSanskritgrammar,themetreoftheverseiscorrect,

onlyifthewordsHeisHariarenotthere.ThusitisveryclearthatthewordsHeisHari

areonlyinterpolation,atamuchlaterperiod.

21.Whatwastheneedforthisinterpolation,atalaterstage?Withtheinterpolation,itreadsasHeisBrahma,HeisSiva,HeisHari,HeisIndra.Thiswill

giveanimpressionthatallthethreeviz.,Brahma,VishnuandSivaareequal,asalsoIndra.

So,perhapsthiswastheintentionofthepeoplewhointerpolated,thatalltheGodsshouldbetreatedasequals.

22.ArethesepassagesintheVedasalsosupportedbySmritis,ItihasasandPuranas?Yes.Heretheyare.

1)VarahaPurana:Narayanaisthesupremedeity.FromHimwasbornthe4facedBrahma

andfromBrahmaaroseRudra.

2)Mahabharata:whentheJivatmaandmatterhavegoneintodissolution,i.e.,duringthe

deluge(pralaya),thereisonlyoneremainingandHeisLordNarayana.

3)Mahabharata:Thereisnobeingintheworldthatiseternalorpermanent,except

Vasudeva.

4)Harivamsa:SivaswordstoNarayana;BrahmaiscalledKaandIamcalledIsa.Wetwo

werebornfromyourlimbs.Therefore,youarecalledKesava.

5)Mahabharata:BrahmaswordstoSiva:IwasbornbyHisgraceandyoufromHisanger,in

oneoftheearliercreations.

6)Mahabharata:Brahma,RudraandIndratogetherwithallotherdevasandrishis,

worshippedthedivineNarayana,thegreatestofGods.


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7)Ramayana:RudrasacrificedallthingsinagreatyagacalledSarvamedhaandthen

sacrificedhimselfalsomentally.

8)Ramayana:TheyknewVishnuisgreater.(thanSiva).

9)Mahabharata:Thesetwo,BrahmaandRudra,whoarethegreatestamongthedevas,arebornoutoftheLordsgraceandanger.Theyperformthedutiesofcreationanddestruction,

asorderedbyHim.

10)Mahabharata:ThedevasareundertheprotectionofRudra.Rudraisunderthe

protectionofBrahma.Brahmaisundermyprotection.Idonotneedtheprotectionof

anyone,Iamtherefugeofall.

11)Vishnupurana:Brahma,Daksha,Rudra,alltheseareamongtheattributesofBhagavan.

12)Mahabharata:ThewordsofBrahmatoRudra:He(Narayana)istheinnersoulofyou,of

meandallbeings.Heseeseverything,butcannotbeseenbyanyoneoranywhere.

13)RudrasaysinMantraRajaPadastotra:AllbeingsaretheservantsofParamatma.Therefore,Iamalsoyourservantandwiththisknowledge,Ibowtoyou.

14)Mahabharata:ThereisnoonesuperiortoNarayana,theGodofthelotuseyes.Thereis

noGodsuperiortoVishnu.

15)Naradapurana:Thereisnodivinebeing,higherthanKesava.

16)Mahabharata:He(Vishnu)isthekingofallkings.HeistheIswara,Heisthefather.Heis

thecreator,

17)Mahabharata:ThoseintelligentpeopledonotworshipBrahmaorRudraoranyother

devas,becausethefruitoftheirworshipislimited.

18)Mahabharata:LordNarayanatoldthedevas:ThisBrahmaisyourfatherandmother

andgrandfather.Hewillgiveyouboonsunderinstructionsfromme.Rudra,hisyounger

brother,hadhisoriginfrommyforehead.Rudrawillgrantboonstobeingsunder

instructionsfromBrahma.

19)BhagavadGita:Krishnasays:Thosewhodosacrificestootherdeities,theyalsodo

sacrificeonlytoMe;butnotinthepropermannerandaccordingtorules.20)Ramayana:

Brahma,thethreeeyedRudracannotsaveapersonfrombeingkilledinwar,byRama.

21)Mahabharata:MeditatingalwaysoftheLord,Brahma,Rudraandothershavenotyet

realisedtheLordsnature.

22)Mahabharata:Mahadeva(Rudra)sacrificedhimselfinSarvamedhayagaandbecameDevadeva.

23)Mahabharata:He,whomMadhusudanaseesatthetimeofbirth,becomesSattvikaIf

BrahmaorRudraseeshimatthetimeofbirth,heisrilledwithRajogunaandTamoguna

(respectively).

24)Mahabharata:NarayanaisParabrahma.NarayanaisParatattva.Heisgreaterthanthe

greatest.ThereisnonegreaterthanHim.


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25)Mahabharata:Sivasaid:IwasborafromHis(Narayanas)headHeistheone,fittobe

worshippedalwaysByseeingHim,allotherdevascanalsobedeemedtobeseen.I(Siva)

alsoworshipHim(Narayana)alwaysAllofus,devas,resideinHisbody.

26)Vyasa:ThisistheTruth,TruthandTruth.ThereisnogreaterdeitythanKesava.

27)Harivamsa:Sivasaid:OnlyHariistobemeditatedupon,always.Heistobeworshipped

always.I(Siva)helpintheworshipofHari.

28)VishnuPurana:TheworldisbornoutofVishnuandrestsinHim.HeistheworldHe

residesinall;andallbeingsresideinHim.HenceHeiscalledVasudeva.Heisthe

Parabrahma.

29)VarahaPurana:LordNarayanawasatthebeginning.FromHimwasbornBrahma.

30)Bhagavata:Brahmasaid:I,Brahma,createtheworld,commandedbyNarayana.Siva,

controlledbyNarayana,destroystheworld.

31)Bhagavata:Thewaterfrom(washing)thefeetofVamana,whichwasborneonthehead,withsupremedevotion,byKailasavasa,Chandramouli(Siva).

32)Bhagavata:BrahmatoVishnu:WeRudraandothersdrinkwithour11senses,the

honeyinyourlotuslikefeet.

33)Bhagavata:RudratoKrishna:Youarethehighestjyotis.Theskyisyournavel,agniis

yourmouthYouarethefirstpurusha.Youhavenoequalorsuperior.Myself(Rudra),the

devasandrishisallseekrefugeinyou.Youareeverythingtous.Youareouratmaand

ruler.Youhavenoequalorsuperior;thereisnobodyelsetobeapproachedforprotection.I

cometoyousothatmysamsaramaybeended.

34)Bhagavata:RudratoParvati:Youaskedme,whenIrosefrommyyogaonwhomI

meditated.ThatpersonisBhagavan(Narayana),whosemaya,youhavejustwitnessed.Heiseternal.

35)Bhagavata:Rudra:One,wholovesBhagavanVasudeva,goesafterahundredbirthsto

theworldofBrahma;thenhecomestomyworld.Hewillthenreachtheeternalworldof

Vishnu,asmyself,Indraandotherdevaswilldo,attheexpirationofourauthority.

36)Bhagavata:MarkandeyatoRudra:Iwillaskforthisboon:MaymyloveforBhagavan

(Narayana),forthosethatregardHimasthehighestgoal,andforyou,remainunshaken.

Rudra:YouwillbealoverofBhagavan(Narayana).

37)ParvatiasksSiva:Iwanttohearfromyouthis:Howdothelearnedpeoplerecitethe

1000namesofVishnueasily?Sivareplies:Itisenough,ifyousayRama.Thisisequivalent

toall1000namesofVishnu.IalsoenjoysayingthenameofRama.Ihavequotedabove,onlyveryfewpassages.Thereareinnumerablesuchpassagesinsmrtis,puranasanditihasas

statingthatNarayanaisthesupremedeity.

23. InsomeplacesintheVedas,Sivaisalsocalledasthesupremedeity.Howdoyouexplainthiscontradiction?Ihavetotellyouonething.Narayanaisapropernoun.AccordingtoSanskritgrammar,

Narayanacanmeanonlyoneperson.ItcannotmeananyOtherperson.But,Siva,Rudraand

Sambhuarecommonnouns.Sivameansanauspiciousperson.Rudrameans,onewhoweeps

oronewhoisdreadful.Sambhumeansonewhograntshappinessandprosperity.So,these


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arecommonnouns.So,ascommonnouns,theycanrefertoanyperson,includingNarayana;

althoughnormallytheyapplytoSiva.ThisisontheauthorityofSanskritgrammar.

24.Canyougivesomeexamples?WehaveawordinSanskrit,calledSarasija.Thisisacommonnoun.Thismeansthatwhich

comesoutfromalake.Therearesomanyflowers,whichcomeoutfromalake,i.e.,whichare

thereinalake.Butstill,bycommonunderstanding,Sarasijameansonlyalotusflower.Similarly,thereisawordPankajainSanskrit.Thismeansthatwhichcomesoutofmudor

slush.Again,somanyflowerscansproutoutofmudorslush.Butitiscommonlyacceptedin

Sanskrit,thatPankajarefersonlytoLotus.So,twoofthecommonnouns,Sarasijaand

Pankaja,althoughtheycanapplytoallflowers,arestilltakentoreferonlytoLotus.

Similarly,Sambhu,SivaandRudraarecommonnouns.So,theycanrefertoanydeityor

person,althoughnormallyweidentifythesenameswithSiva.

25.Sohowdoyouexplaintheapparentcontradiction?Wehavetoapplysomelogichere.WeacceptthattheVedasasawhole,aretheultimate

authority.ThereisnothingintheVedas,whichisnotauthority.So,inamajorityofpassages,

thewordNarayanaoccursasParamatma.Insomeplaces,thewordSivaorRudraalsooccurs

asParamatma.Now,wehavetobeclearononething.Narayana,accordingtoSanskrit

grammar,isapropernoun.Itcannotrefertoanyotherperson.ButSivaandRudraarecommonnouns.Sotheycanrefertoanyotherperson.Sincewedonotacceptany

contradictionamongthedifferentpassagesintheVedas,wesaythatthewordsSivaand

Rudraalso,whentheyrefertoParamatma,actuallymeanNarayana,becausetheseare

commonnouns.

26.WhycantwetakeitthatthewordNarayana(asParamatma)referstoSiva;insteadofsayingthatthewordSivareferstoNarayana?

Theanswerisverysimple.Sivaisacommonnoun.Itcanmeananypersonandhenceit

meansNarayanaintheparticularcontext.ButthewordNarayanacannotrefertoSiva,

becauseNarayanaisapropernoun.ThisisontheauthorityofSanskritgrammar;andwe

havetoacceptthegrammaticalposition.

27.QuotesomepassagesintheVedas,praisingthegreatnessofSiva.ThereareseveralpassagesintheVedas,whichpraisethegreatnessofBrahma;whichpraise

thegreatnessofIndra;whichpraisethegreatnessofAgniorfire.Similarly,manypassagesin

theVedasalsopraisethegreatnessofSiva.Buttheimportantthingtoseeiswhoisdeclared

asthesupremedeityorParamatma.AsIhaveexplainedtoyousofar,itisclearfromthe

VedasandPuranasandItihasas,thatNarayanaistheSupremedeity,theParamatma.

28.WhynotwesaythatBrahma,VishnuandSivaareallequal?Whatyouaresayingisnotsupportedbythefundamentalauthority,theVedas.Fromthe

VedicpassagesIhavegivenabove,youcanseethattheVedasspeakofonlyonesupreme

deityandthatsupremedeityisNarayana.ThereisnothingintheVedastoshowthattwoor

threeGodsareequal;andthattwoorthreeGodscanbeconsideredassupremedeities.

Further,asyouwillseefromthequotationsgivenearlier,bothBrahmaandRudra

themselvesacceptthattheyhavecomeoutofNarayana,thattheyarebomoutofNarayana.NowhereintheVedas,isitstatedthattwoorthreeGodsareequal;thatBrahma,Vishnuand

Sivaareequal.TheVedasallalongsaythatthereisonlyonesupremedeityandthatis

Narayana.

29.WehavegottheancientTamilworks(Sangamliterature),whichareseveralthousandyearsold.Whatdothesementionaboutthesupremedeity?

AlltheseancientTamilworksalsomentionthatNarayanaisthesupremedeity.


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30. IfNarayanaisthesupremedeity,whyshouldRama(HisAvatara)worshipanotherdeityinRameswaram,aspeoplesay?

Thisversionisnotauthentic.WeacceptValmikiRamayanaastheauthority.Thereisno

mentionatallinValmikiRamayanaaboutRamaworshippinganydeityinRameswaram.

ThereisnosuchmentionintheauthoritativeversionofKambaRamayanaalso.

31.Similarly,therearestoriesthatNarayanatooktheformofaboar(Varaha)andsearchedthefeetofanotherdeity;thatNarayanatookouthiseyeandsurrenderedit

toRudraandgotchakra,etc.Whatdoyousayaboutthese?

Icanonlysaythatthesearenotfoundinanyancient,authoritativeworks.Thesehavenot

beenquotedbyAdiSankaraoranyoftheAcharyas,belongingtotheotherschoolsof

Vedanta.ThesehavenotbeenmentionedinSastras,whichareacceptedasauthority.

32.PleasetellmesomethingmoreaboutRudra1)IwillgiveyouaquotationfromBhagavata:TheriverGangaisthegreatestamongall

rivers.Narayanaisthegreatestofalldeities.SivaisthegreatestofallVaishnavas.Bhagavata

isthegreatestofallPuranas.

2)WeacceptAhirbudhnyaSamhitaasoneoftherespectedauthorities.Here,Rudrahas

praisedNarasimhainMantraRajaPadaStotra.Here,Rudrasaysasfollows:AlltheJivatmasaretheservantsofyou,theParamatma.So,Iamalsoyourservantandworshipyou.

3)ParvatiasksSivaHowcanthethousandnamesofVishnuberecitedeasilyeveryday?

Sivareplies:ItisenoughtosayRama.ThisisequaltothousandnamesofVishnu.Ialso

enjoyUtteringthenameRama.

33.ButHarivamsasaysKrishnarequestedforachild,fromSiva.Howdoyoureconcilethis?

Varahapuranasays,thatRudrarequestedNarayanaasfollows:Pleasegrantmeafavour.In

oneofyouravataras,youshouldalsopraytomeandaskforsomefavour.Narayanaagreed

andsaidthatinoneofHisavatarasHewillaskforafavour,fromRudra.Thatiswhy,in

Krishnaavatara.HerequestedRudraforachild,asperthepromisegivenearlier.Thishas

beenmentionedinVarahapurana.Itwillalsobeclearfromthefactthat,immediatelyaftergrantingthefavourforachildtoKrishna,Rudrasaysasfollows:Krishna,outofHis

simplicityonly,cametomeforachild.ButHeisthesourceofallbeings.Heistheprotector

ofall.HeisthesupremeTattva.HealonegivesMoksha.Summingup,itisonlybecauseof

thesethings,thatVedavyasasaysasfollows:

Thisisthetruth.Thisisthetruth.Again,thisisthetruth.Iraisemyhandsandsaythereis

nogreaterauthoritythantheVedas.ThereisnogreaterdeitythanKesava.Itisinkeeping

withthisonly,thatKrishnasaysinGitaItisIalone,whoisunderstoodfromalltheVedas.

34.DoesitmeanthatwecannotgiveorweshouldnotNo.Itdoesnotmeanthat.Theyarealsohighlyrespectable.Wegivethemproperandutmost

respect,likewewillgivetootherrespectablepersons.Onlythingis,ontheauthorityofthe

Vedas.Narayanaisthesupremedeity.

35.WeseethatGodNarayanaalsotakesavataraslikeRamaandKrishna.DoesitmeanthatHeisalsoborninthisworld,likeus?

No.Wehumanbeingsoranimalsortreesarebominthisworldbecauseofourpastkarmas

punyaandpapa.ThereisnosuchthingasKarmaorpunyaorpapaforLordNarayana.So,

whenHecomesintothisworld,asRamaorKrishna,itisnotlikeotherJivatmas.Hecomes

intothisworldofHisownfreewillanddesire.So,itisnotbirthfortheLord,likewe

understandthebirthofanyofus.


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36.CanyouquotetheauthorityoftheVedas?TheVedassaythatHeisnotborn;butstill,Heisborninmanyways.

37.Well,thatsoundspuzzling.WhattheVedassayisthatHeisnotbom,becauseofpastkarma,likeus.ButHeisbornin

manyways.Hetakesmanyavataras,likeRamaandKrishna,outofHisownfreewill,not

boundbyanykarma.

38.ThenaretheseavatarasrealTheyarereal.WehavebeenreadingtheRamayanaandMahabharataandBhagavata.The

avatarasarereal.Infact,theBhagavadGitahasbeenpreachedbyKrishnainthisavatara

only.

39.WhyshouldHetakeavatarasinthisworld?Thisistoupholddharmaorrighteousness.IntheGita,Krishnasaysthatwheneverthereisa

declineinrighteousnessordharma,wheneveradharmaraisesitshead,thentheLordtakes

avatarasinthisworld.

40.Whatisthepurposeoftheseavataras?Thepurposeistoprotectthegoodpeopleandpunishthewicked;andtoreestablishdharma.

41.Betweenthetwo,namely,protectionofthegoodpeopleandpunishingthewicked,

whichisthemoreimportantpurposeoftheavatara?

Certainly,protectionofthegoodpeopleisthemoreimportantpurpose.Goodpeoplelike

rahlada,Vidura,AkruraandothersdesiredtoseetheLord,toworshipHiminperson.Itisto

blesssuchgoodpeoplethattheavatarasaremade.Ifitisonlyforpunishingthewicked,this

canbedoneevenfromParamapadaorSriVaikunta,byHissimplydesiringtothateffect.The

SudarsanachakraistheretocarryoutHisordersandforpunishingthewicked.

42.WhentheLordtookavatarainthisworld,likeRamaorKrishna,didHealsohavebodieslikeus,ordinaryhumanbeings,offleshandblood?

No,HereGitasaysthatthebodiestheLordtakesduringtheseavatarasareofSuddhaSattva.Ihaveexplainedtoyoualready,whatisSuddhaSattva.SothereisnoquestionoftheLord

havingbodieslikeus,ordinaryhumanbeings.

43.WhataretheformsofBhagavanNarayana?Wecansaythat,forthepurposesofmeditation,Hehastwoforms.Oneisthedivineand

auspiciousform.Thesecondis,withthebodyconsistingofJivatmasandmatter(chetanaand

achetana).ThisiswhatwesawearlierthatIswaraorNarayanaisthesoulandJivatmaand

matterareHisbody.

44.Pleasedescribeinalittlemoredetailthedivineandauspiciousform,whichyoumentioned.

Hisformhasfourarms.Hisbodyshineslikegold,Hehaseyeslikelotus;feetlikelotus;

handslikelotus.ThisformisinParamapadaorSriVaikunta.Besidesdivineornaments,Healsohasweapons,likethesankhaandchakra,gada,swordandbow.

45.LordNarayanahasfivekindsofforms.Whatarethese?Thefiveformsarecalled:

1.Para.2.Vyuha.3.Vibhava.4.Antaryami.5.Archa.

46.Pleasedescribetheessentialfeaturesofeachoftheseforms.WhatisParaform?


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TheParaformisthatofSriNarayanainParamapadaorSriVaikunta.There,Heisalsocalled

ParaVasudeva.ThedescriptionofSriVaikuntaisgiveninKaushitakiUpanishadandalsoin

theSriVaikuntaGadyaofRamanuja.Thethrone(simhasana)haseightlegs,likedharma.The

adisesha(serpent)istheseat.ThereNarayanashinesalongwithLakshmi,Bhudeviand

Niladevi.Hehasfourarmsandhassankha,Chakraandgada.Hehasanumberofornaments.

47.Whatisthesecondform,i.e.,Vyuhaform?Thisisabitdifficultandyouhavetolistencarefully.TheLordNarayanaassumesfourforms

byname,Vasudeva,Sankarshana,PradyumnaandAniruddha.ThefirstvyuhaisVasudeva.

FromthefirstvyuhaVasudeva,arisesthesecondvyuhaSankarshana.Fromthesecondvyuha

Sankarshana,arisesthethirdvyuhaPradyumna.FromthethirdvyuhaPradyumna,arises

thefourthvyuhaAniruddha.AsItoldyouearlier,theLordiscalledBhagavan,becauseHe

hassixqualities.Thesixqualitiesare:1)knowledge,2)strength,3)lordship,4)valour,5)

energyand6)splendour.

48.YouaresayingthatbecauseHehasthesixqualities,HeiscalledBhagavanandthesequalitiesarenotfoundinothers.ButwehearmanypeoplebeingcalledasBhagavan,

likeVyasaBhagavanandNaradaBhagavan,Howdoyouexplainthis?

WeapplythewordBhagavantoothers,onlyoutofrespect.WhenwesaythatRamaisalion,

itonlyshowsthatRamaisasmajesticandstrongasalion.Similarly,whenwesayVyasaBhagavan,itisonlyatermofrespectforVyasa.

49.HowdoyoudifferentiatebetweenthefourVyuhas,Vasudeva,Sankarshana,PradyumnaandAniruddha?

AlthoughtheseareallformsoftheLord,inVasudeva,wehaveallthesixqualities,whichI

haveJustmentioned,infull.Ofcourse,intheotherthreevyuhasalso,allthesixqualitiesare

present;butsomequalitiesarefoundpredominantlyinsomeofthevyuhas.Thequalities1)

Knowledgeand2)strength,areinplentyinSankarshana.Similarly,thequalities,3)lordship

and4)valourareinplentyinPradyumna.Thequalities,5)energyand6)splendour,arein

plentyinAniruddha.

50.WhatisthefunctionofVasudeva?VasudevaistheobjectofworshipandenjoymentbytheJivatmas,whohaveattainedsalvationormoksha.

51.WhatisthefunctionofSankarshana?WesawthatSankarshanahasknowledgeandstrengthinplenty.Becauseoftheknowledge,

asSankarshana,theLordpromulgatesthesastras.Becauseofthestrength,asSankarshana,

Hedestroystheuniverse.

52.WhataboutPradyumna?AsPradyumna,havinginplentylordshipandvalour,theLordcreatestheuniverse,and

makesdharmaprevail.

53.WhatisthefunctionofAniruddha?Aniruddhahasinplentyenergyandsplendour.So,asAniruddha,theLordprotectstheworld,andalsoteachesthetruth.

54. Isthereanyfurthersub-divisionofthesevyuhas?Yes.Aswehavebeendoingsandhyavandana,youknowthe12namesoftheLordNarayana.

The12namesare:Kesava,Narayana,Madhava,Govinda,Vishnu,Madhusudana,,Trivikrama,

Vamana,Sridhara,Hrishikesa,PadmanabhaandDamodara.So,fromeachofthefourVyuhas

mentionedabove,theformsofthreesubVyuhasappear.Forexample,fromthefirstVyuha

ofVasudeva,wehavethethreesubVyuhas,Kesava,NarayanaandMadhava.Similarly,from

thesecondVyuhaSankarshana,wehaveGovinda,VishnuandMadhusudana.Fromthethird


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VyuhaPradyumna,wehave,Trivikrama,VamanaandSridhara.Finally,fromthefourth

VyuhaAniruddha,wehaveHrishikesa,PadmanabhaandDamodara.

55.Whatisthesignificanceofthese12sub-Vyuhas?WestatethatsymbolicallytheyarecalledtheLordsofthe12months,beginningfromthe

TamilmonthofMargazhi.KesavaisthelordforthemonthofMargazhi.NarayanaistheLord

forthemonthofThai.MadhavaistheLordforthemonthofMasiandsoon.Forthe12months,these12subVyuhasaretheLords.Wealsowearthe12urdhvapundras(Tirumann)

inourbody.These12Lordsarerespectivelymastersofeachoneofthese.

56.EarlieryoumentionedaboutparaVasudevainthefirstformofpara.AgainyoumentionedasthefirstVyuhaVasudeva.WhatisthedifferencebetweenthePara

VasudevaandVyuhaVasudeva?

Thereisnodifferenceatall.Botharedifferentiatedonlyforthepurposesofmeditation.

Thereisnootherdifference.

57.WhatisthethirdformoftheLord?ThethirdformoftheLordiscalledVibhava.Thatis,whenHetakesavatarasandcomes

downtothisworld.HetakestheformofmenlikeRamaorKrishna;oranimalslikefish,

tortoiseandboar.Theseavatarasarecalledasthethirdform,orVibhava,oftheLord.

58.Howmanyavatarasarethere?Therearetenavataraswhichareconsideredasthemainandimportantones.

59.Whatarethey?1)Thefirstiscalledtheavataraoffish.Thiswastaken,becauseademontookawaythe

VedasfromBrahmaandhidhimselfinthesea.SoLordNarayanatooktheformofafish,to

getbacktheVedasfromthedemonandgivethembacktoBrahma.

2)Thesecondavataraisthatofthetortoise.TheDevaswantedtohavethenectaroramrita,

forimmortality.SotheLordadvisedthemtochurnthemilkyocean.Naturally,forchurning

theocean,theyrequiredasupport.ThemountainofMandarawasusedasthesupport.

But,whentheystartedchurningtheoceanthemountainitselfstartedsinkingintotheocean.Sotheformoftortoisewastakentosupportthemountainitself,fromthebottomandthus

preventitfromsinkingintotheocean.

3)Thethirdavatarawasthatoftheboar.ThedemonHiranyakshatookawaythemother

earth.Herolledtheearthandwentdownintothesea,withit.SotheLordtooktheformofa

boar,entintothesea,slayedthedemonHiranyakshaandbroughtbackthemotherearth.

Thiswastheurposeoftheavataraasaboar.

4)ThefourthavatarawasthatofNarasimha.YoumustbewellawareofthestoryofHiranya

andhisonPrahlada.PrahladatoldHiranyathattheLordispresenteverywhere.Heisthere

eveninasmallrass,eveninapillar.SoHiranyawantedtobreakapillarandseewhetherthe

Lordwasthere.WhenHiranyakickedhepillar,LordappearedasNarasimha,cameoutofthe

pillarandkilledhim.

5)ThefifthavatarawasthatofVamana.HewenttothedemonMahabali,asasmallboy;and

requestedonlyforthatmuchlandwhichhewouldmeasureinthreesteps.WhenMahabali

grantedhisboon,HegrewintoTrivikramaandmeasuredthewholeearthandabove.Sothis

avataraiscalledasVamanaavatara.VamanainSanskritmeansadwarf.6)Thenextone,i.e.,

thesixthavatarawasthatofParasurama.Inthisavatara.Heslayedthewickedkings,allover

theworld,toprotectdharma.


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7)TheseventhavatarawasthatofRamaTheRamayanaistoowellknown,andIneednot

repeatherethepurposeofthisavatara.

8)TheeighthavatarawasthatofBalarama,whowastheelderbrotherofKrishna.

9)TheninthavatarawasthatofKrishnatoowellknown

10)Thetenthavataraisyettomaterialise.Thisiscalledtheavatar

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