Lessons prepared by
M.S.HARI Raamaanuja Daasan (mshari@usa.net)
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Swamy Shreeman Nigamanta Maha Desika in his extraordinary work "Sankalpa Sooryodaya" says that it is a must to do Vedanta Vicharam (study and analysis of Vedanta) "Aasareeraath saareeraka pravachana vrathamaadriyethaa:". The Veda-Gita-Brahma Sutras are treasure house of knowledge. Unless and until a student of philosophy studies the Sareeraka Saastra (Brahma Sutra's purport), he/she will not get full satisfaction as far as philosophy is concerned. As far as the Vaidika schools of philosophies are concerned, many philosophers have commented on the Prastaana Trayam and attempted to establish their philosophies. Bhagavath Ramanuja has also commented on it. As far the Vedanta is concerned, the Aacharya has not commented on each and every Upanishad. As Bhagavath Ramanuja is Adi Sesha's incarnation, he summarized the entire Veda in his celebrated work titled "Vedaartha Sangraha". As far as the Bhagavath Gita is concerned, our Aacharya has commented on it and it is called "Gita Bhaashya". As far as the Brahma Sutras are concerned, he has blessed us with three commentaries.
1. Shree Bhaashya - this is a very detailed commentary and is unparalleled and unsurpassed. When I find people talking about "work of year", "work of century" etc., this Shree Bhaashya is to be called as "the work of all the infinite time - past, present and future". Such is its immeasurable greatness.
2. Vedanta Deepam - this is shorter (in volume) than Shree Bhaashya
3. Vedanta Saaram - this is shorter (in volume) than Vedanta Deepam. After a detailed introduction to Saareeraka Saastra, I will present my translation with notes on Vedanta Saaram explaining the Saareeraka Saastra.
Before we could get into Brahma Sutra and analyze Veda-Vedanta, we need to understand many concepts. In that line, we will try to understand the essence of Gita following Bhagavath Yamunaacharya's Gitaartha Sangraha in 20 postings. After Gitaartha Sangraha, we will study the Tatva-Hita-Purushsaarthas ascertained in Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnava matham once again in detail in 32 postings following the divine words of Swamy Desika. I promise, these postings will be done by me as simple as possible - lucid and easy to understand without much technical terms.
Gitaartha Sangraha is a famous work of Bhagavath Yamunaacharya, where
the entire contents of Bhagavath Gita are summarized in 32 slokas
(verses). During this, we will also see portions from Bhagavath
Ramanuja's Gita Bhaashya and Swamy Shreeman Nigamanta Maha Desika's
Tatparya Chandrika. The postings on Bhagavath Gita &
Tatva-Hita-Purushsaarthas will continue for few weeks before we take
up the Brahma Sutras through my translation and notes on Vedanta
Saaram. By this way I would like to establish that Visishtadvaita
Shree Vaishnava philosophy and practice is the only purport of
Prastaana Trayam and it is the logically correct universal philosophy
and practice. I therefore request you to kindly follow the lessons
very carefully.
Lord Shreeman Narayanan who is in Shree Vaikunta Paramapadam,
accompanied by his divine consorts Lakshmi-Shree, Bhumi and Nila Devi
and surrounded by Nitya Soories and Muktas supporting, controlling
and owning the Ubhaya Vibhuthis, out of his infinite mercy, wished to
protect the Saadhu Shree Vaishnavas, uproot the evil and establish
Dharma in the material worlds. The Lord incarnated in Matura as
Shree Krishna. Devaki and Vasudeva were chosen by him as his parents.
He exhibited his parama-sowlabya-guna (most easily available nature)
to all by spending his childhood with Yasodha-Nandagopa in
Nanda-Gokulam. By his divine beauty and extraordinary divine sports,
enchanted everyone and exhibited his paratvam (unparalleled and
unsurpassed supremacy) and sowlabyam to all.
The Lord only because of
his infinite mercy considered himself as messenger for Paandavas.
In
the Kuru-kshetra war, he became the Partha-Saarathy - driver of
Arjuna's chariot. Shree Krishna wished to destroy all the opponents
of
Arjuna and by just keeping Arjuna as an instrument, wanted to wage
war
against Adharma and make the Dharma to win. Without understanding
this, Arjuna who was first very much enthusiastic to wage war against
the Kowravas, came to the battlefield. He saw his relatives, friends
and preceptors in the opponent side. He became suddenly overwhelmed
with affection, attachment, love and became very much grieved to
fight with them and kill them in the war. He misunderstood that "to
kill the opponents in war is a sin". He became agitated and got
confused regarding dharma and adharma. Without knowing that to fight
in war is his dharma, he with doubts in his mind regarding dharma,
surrendered Shree Krishna. He requested Shree Krishna to tell him
what
is good and to lead him. Arjuna became the disciple of Shree Krishna.
Shree Krishna wished to clarify the doubts in the mind of Arjuna.
Lord Krishna blessed the entire world with his divine sermon -
Bhagavath Gita .
Shree Krishna first explained to Arjuna that the Jeevaatma is
imperishable and is different from the body. The Jeevaatma is eternal
Sesha of Paramaatma Shreeman Narayanan (Shree Krishna). Therefore,
Lord Krishna explained the Karma Yoga and Jgnyaana yoga, which are
accessories of Bhakti Yoga. Then, Lord Krishna explained the Bhakti
Yoga, which is the Moksha-upaayam (Saadyopaayam) - means to get
salvation. Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnavam was clearly explained. To
test Arjuna thoroughly, he stressed Bhakti Yoga again and again. On
seeing the difficulties and complexities in practicing the Bhakti
Yoga, Arjuna's grief started to cross limits. Arjuna became
overwhelmed with sorrow.
All these terms will be explained in detail in future postings.
Bhakti Yoga is difficult to be practiced with its accessories. He who
wants to adopt it has to have Jgnyaana and Sakti. It has to be done
for a (indefinite) long period to yield result, which is moksham.
Further, it has to be done very carefully. When Arjuna saw Krishna to
stress it again, his sorrow naturally became limitless. On seeing the
poor state of Arjuna, Shree Krishna recognized Arjuna as the right
person to know the supreme secret of secrets, which is Prapaththi
(Saranagathi). As soon as Shree Krishna taught this to Arjuna, Arjuna
got all his doubts cleared and all his grief disappeared. He with
bliss obeyed the order of Shree Krishna and did his duty as
prescribed in the Saastra.
This history took the form of Bhagavath Gita. The one and only God
told in the Veda is Shreeman Narayana (Apahatapaapma Divyo Deva: Eko
Narayana:). He alone is called as "Bhagavan". His sermon is therefore
called as Bhagavath Gita. This has got 18 chapters. It is considered
as the essence of the Veda-Vedanta. The Mahabharatha of Veda Vyaasa
is like an ocean of knowledge with two extraordinary treasures in it.
They are the Sahasranama and Gita. The term Sahasranama only denotes
the thousand names Shreeman Narayana. Similarly the term Gita only
denotes the sermon of Shreeman Narayana. The Bhagavath Gita is
matchless because it is the divine sermon of Shree Krishna himself.
Considering its greatness, Bhagavath Yamunacharya (Alavandar)
summarized its contents as "Gitaartha Sangraha". Bhagavath Ramanuja
followed it and explained the purport of Gita wonderfully in his Gita
Bhaashya. Swamy Shreeman Nigamaantha Maha Desikan elaborated it in
his "Tatparya Chandrika". In "Tatparya Chandrika", Swamy Shreeman
Nigamaantha Maha Desikan has established that only Bhagavath
Ramanuja's commentary, which follows Gitaartha Sangraha, is the
purport of Gita in strict accordance with the Veda as told by Shree
Krishna. Swamy has refuted the points in the commentaries of people
belonging to other schools of thoughts like Advaita. Swamy has also
translated Gitaartha Sangraha in divine Tamil.
First, the Jeevaatman (Chit) has to realize that he is different from
the insentient body (Achit). He has to do Karma-Yoga and control his
sense organs and Manas. After that, he has to do Jgnyaana yoga and
realize the Jeevaatma Swaroopam. Then, he has to do Bhakti Yoga to
reach the lotus feet of Shreeman Narayanan and to do eternal service
at Shree Vaikunta Paramapadam. The entire apowrusheya Veda states
that the goal of Bhakti yoga is Shreeman Narayana (Purushoththama: -
Brahman) who is the only cause of the universe and having the
universe has his body. The Jeevaatamn who is unable do the Bhakti
yoga
has to adopt Prapaththi. Shree Krishna Bhagavan is the
Purushoththama:
who is celebrated in all the Veda and Smruthis.
The Bhagavath Gita as told above has 18 chapters. This is divided
into 3 sections, each section called "Shadga" comprising of 6
chapters.
The summary of each Shadga is as follows:
All these terms will be explained in detail in future postings.
Brief Introduction to Bhagavath Gita:
Contents of Gita Summaried