SRIMATHE RANGARAMANUJA MAHA DESIKAYA NAMAHA:
DATED 15TH DECEMBER 2000 PRAKRITI AND KARMAFOREWORD
There were requests from many youngsters to know more about our Sampradayam. Towards this, from Srimath Andavan Ashramam, we would like to start a series of lessons to give some of the fundamental insights into our Srivaishnava Sampradayam.
Sri S Narasimha Raghavachariar - SriKaryam of Srimath Andavan Ashramam, will be authoring this series for the benefit of Youngsters and others who are interested to know about this subject.
LESSON NO:3
1.What
is Prakriti?
Prakriti is the combination of three qualities (Gunas): Satva, Rajas
and Thamas.
2. What are the other names of Prakriti?
The other names of the Prakriti are Maaya and Pradhana
3. What is the place of Prakriti in a man's life?
It is the Prakriti which dictates the man to function and do his
deeds i.e karma. If the first quality Satva is predominent good deeds follow. If either of
the other two is dominant, bad deeds are produced. Then the man gets the result according
to his deeds (karma).
4. How does the Karma function?
Good (deed) karma causes Punya (pleasure of Easwara) and the bad one
creates Papa (The displeasure) of Easwara and the results follow accordingly.
5. Who regulates the function of the Universe?
Sarweswara creates and controls all functions.
6. If everybody is equal before the eyes of Easwara, why should some
commit Papa and some other commit Punya and
suffer the result?
As per Sri Ramanuja's explanation, no doubt Easwara views every one
equally. But before a Jeeva starts functioning, He makes the soul free to do the first act
of His own, according to His free will. As a result of this accorded free will the Jeeva
does its first deed. This produces Punya or Papa which is responsible for his/her
subsequent deeds and so on; with the result through births gained by the Jeeva the Karma
gets snow-balled and makes the soul suffer the results during each birth.
7. How many kinds of Karma are there?
The Karma is of three kinds. The Karma which is accumulated through ages and births called
Sanchitha. The Jeeva takes an amount of Karma to suffer during one birth is Prarabdha
(commenced to suffer the results). Further Karma which gets acquired during the suffering
of the Prarabaha gets accumulated. That Karma is called Aagaami (newly acquired).
8. What is the way out of all Karma?
The pity of the Lord is the only way to annihilate all the Karma.
9. What is the effect of the Karma?
The Karma stands in the way of getting the salvation, eternal which
is called Moksha.
10. What is the easiest way of winning the compassion or the Pity of
the Lord?
Saranagathi (total surrender) is the easiest way for it.
... to be continued.
<-------- For previous lessons on Sampradaya in descending order please look here ------->
LESSON NO:2
VISISHTADVAITHAM, JEEVATHMA, PARAMATHMA AND MOKSHA.
DATED 24TH NOVEMBER 2000Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Nama
1. What is the most important concept according to Visishtadvaitha?
The entire Universe could be divided into three parts. The inanimate, the soul and the Easwara (the supreme soul). The first two are the body of the Easwara. We have seen in the world that the body is for the Master, of the Master and does everything as per the will of the Master. The world too is existent only to obey His directions and it always remains as the property of His.
2. Define the relationship among the inanimate (ACHIT), the soul(CHIT), the supreme soul (EASWARA).
The body is inanimate. It is possessed by the soul. It is directed by the soul. It exists only to fulfil the needs of the soul. In short, the body exists for the soul. The same relationship exists between the Easwara and other two. As the soul is the master of the body, the Easwara is the master of both Achit and the Chit. Hence the inanimate and the soul, being part of the Supreme soul, i.e Easwara, are one in Easwara, but not one with Him.
3. What should be the main aim of the soul otherwise called Jeeva or Jeevatma?
The soul's ultimate aim should always be to attain Moksha and to serve the Lord continuously.
4. What is the form of the soul(the Jeeva).
Jeeva(the soul) is in the form of knowledge. It knows itself. It does not require any other agency to know about its own self.
5. What are the kinds of Jeeva?
There are three kinds of the soul (Jeeva). One is the soul entangled in the mundane world. This soul is called BADDHA. Two is the soul which has gained the salvation (Moksha). This soul is named as Mukta. Three is the soul which is eternally placed in Moksha who have never seen the mundane world.
6. What are the other names of Moksha Loka?
Moksha Loka is otherwise called Paramapada, Nitya Vibhoothi, Sri Vaikunta, Suddha Satva.
7. How does the Mukta Atma enjoy Moksha?
The Mukta is free from Karma. He is always happy. His knowledge is unlimited. His appearance is identical with that of Sriman Narayana. He never returns to the mundane world.
8. What kind of service does the Mukta perform in Sri Vaikunta?
The Mukta enjoys the privilege of always having the Darshan of Sriman Narayana. That is the service (Kainkarya) he performs in Sri Vaikunta.
9. How should we approach Sriman Narayana?
We should always approach Him only as Sriman Narayana, i.e inseperable with "Sri" the Lakshmi.
10. Connote the word Narayana
Nara means the world. Ayana means the abode. Hence Narayana contains the entire world within Himself and also He lives in every part of the world.
... to be continued.
<-------- For previous lessons on Sampradaya in descending order please look here ------->
LESSON NO:1 BASICS OF SAMPRADAYA.
1. What is Sampradaya?
It is a set of Principles accepted and adopted traditionally and passed on to the posterity, generation after generation.
2. Why Sampradaya?
When we arrive at the cross roads of convictions we are at a loss to know which path to persue with. Several paths, recommended by many, lay ahead. We decide to take the path followed by our elders traditionally. This is called Sampradaya, the rightful share of ours on the philosophical and religious area.
3. Connote the word Sampradaya?
The word Sampradaya is made of three parts. The first two are the two prepositions with a meaning "glorious". Daya means the rightful share of the property inherited and enjoys by the posterity. While Daya speaks of worldly wealth. Sampradaya tells about the wonderful and glorious knowledge inherited by and passed on to the Sishya and after sometime bequeathed to another, thus being passed on to generations.
4. Who is a Sri Vaishnava?
A Srivaishnava is he who accepts wholeheartedly that Sriman Nayarana is the Supreme, who is greater than the greatest. All divine, human and non-living beings are His subjects. They all live by and for Him.
5. What is Sri Lakshmi for Sriman Nayarana?
Sri Lakshmi is as great as Sriman Narayana.She possesses all the qualities possessed by Him. Both of them are equal in every respect.
6. Who are the first three Acharyas of Sri Vaishnavism?
Sriman Narayana, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Vishwaksena are the first three Acharyas of Sri Vaishnavism.
7. What are the basic and most important concepts of Sri Vaishnavism?
a) Sriman Narayana is Supreme
b) Sri Lakshmi is as great as the first Acharya
c) He is the natural master of all
d) All are the natural servants of His
e) To get the permanent service of Sriman Narayana is the Moksha
f) Total surrender to Him is the only easy way to Moksha
g) One can attain Moksha when he is blessed by our Acharya
8. What is birth according to Sri Ramanuja?
The contact between the body and soul is said to be the birth and the seperation of them is the death.
9. What is sin?
The cause of displeasure of Sriman Narayana is the sin. The act by which He is pleased is called Virtue.
10. Explain the relationship among the lifeless world, the human soul and Sriman Narayana (which are called Jada Jeeva and Iswara respectively)
The world is lifeless. It is being governed by the human soul as its master and both the lifeless world and the human soul is governed by Him as the master of both.
(to be continued)