Lesson 7

In lesson six we studied the Supremacy of Shreeman Naaraayanan which is unparalleled and unsurpassed. We continue that study in this lesson. Few Veda verses are considered and few Smruti are also considered. After this, we will proceed to Bedha, Abedha and Gataka sruties.

General Human Nature

Psychology holds that it is almost impossible to find two individuals having exactly the same frequency in terms of thinking and acting. Further the human nature is to compare and contrast what he already knows with that of new things which he learns. Also, when a person puts effort and makes out something (it may be right or wrong) he starts to love it and he is generally not open when his idea is refuted or rejected by others - even when it is proved to be wrong in a rational way. Above all the ego many times restricts a person to be open and rational! He develops pride and prejudice. These aspects are not appropriate for a student of philosophy. The reason behind telling this is first of all philosophy deals with metaphysical aspects that cannot be established by application of sense organs or by inference based on observations. The open mindedness allows for growth of knowledge and proper rationalization. A person without pride and prejudice is sure to unravel secrets of science and philosophy. With these general ideas, we proceed with the discussion regarding the unparalleled and unsurpassed supremacy of Shreeman Narayanan.

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Supremacy of Shreeman Narayana - further explained

In the last lesson, we saw the Veda (Sruti) declaring the unparalleled and unsurpassed supremacy of Shreeman Narayanan. It is unshakable and cannot be refuted at all by any other philosophy. Now let us now take up certain things in this context for discussion before we take up Smrutis in this context.

Many of you would have heard the word "Sraaddham". As soon as I mentioned this word, most of the people will understand this to denote the ritual, which is done every year on the thiti-day of the death of ancestors. In fact, the word "Sraaddham" is not to mean that as per its word-derivation! What ever is done with dedication is called "Sraaddham". "Sraddhaa" is a Sanskrit word meaning "Dedication". "Sraaddham" means any work, which is done with "Sraddhaa". If I even recite a prayer with "Sraddhaa" then that recitation can be very well called "Sraaddham". As the ritual, which is done every year on the thiti-day of the death of ancestors is usually done with great dedication, it is also called "Sraaddham". But as the word "Sraaddham" is known to us (may be) from our birth only to mean the ritual, which is done every year on the thiti-day of the death of our ancestors, we think that it can only mean as such. When the actual meaning of this is understood as per the scriptures, we may even get surprised. Similarly the word "Kevalam" is in Sanskrit. It is used in colloquial manner (in Tamil) to mean "inferior or lowest or to show contempt". In fact, the actual meaning of the word is "Only". Thousands of such colloquial and wrong usage of words of Veda can be quoted in this lesson to through light on the aspect that there are mistakes in the understanding various meanings of words and verses of scriptures because of lack of exposure, prejudice and lack of interest.

Now consider a word "Indra". It is derived in Sanskrit Dhaathu (root) "E(Sanskrit vowel) iti paramaaiswarye". The word "Indra" denotes person who is having supreme lordship as per the scripture. In the world, it may be the name of an almsman longing for his daily bread or it may denote a person who put his efforts and then gained some lordship. In the case of the beggar (almsman), the name is just an identification and not as per its meaning. But in the case of the person, who put his efforts and then gained some lordship, though it is identifying that person with some meaning, it cannot be said that the word can mean only that person! Another person, who put more efforts than this person, has gained more lordship and even he could be the lord of this person! He is also fit to be called by the term "Indra". It is also the name of Paramaatman Vishnu who is in fact having the supreme lordship by his virtue itself. This shows that the term "Indra" is not a noun, which can identify only one individual. It is therefore called as a common noun (Saadhaarana Sabdam in Sanskrit). Now readers I will just give you few words with their meaning (outline) as follows.

• Siva - he who is pure/auspicious
• Prajaapati - he who is the lord of subordinates
• Iswara - he who is the controller
• Hara - he who steals/robs/takes away
• Sambhu - he from who bliss originates
• Swayambu - he who is born by himself
• Purusha - Man, masculine entity (very general meaning)
• Maheswara - he who is the great lord/controller
• Rudra - he who cry or he who makes others to cry
• Aakaasa - that which is spread everywhere - pervading everywhere
• Agni - that which leads one to top
• Hari - he who removes/takes away

In the world, we have understood that these words denote a particular individual as far as our knowledge goes. But when these words are used in certain areas where they cannot be taken to denote that particular individual, then we need to ascertain and understand that someone else is denoted other than that particular individual who I have so long understood to be denoted.

Consider Ramayana where Sugreeva (king of monkeys who accompanied Rama) is addressed as "Hariiswara". As far as our knowledge goes, the term "Hari" denotes Vishnu. But here the same term denotes "Money" and "Hariiswara" here denotes Sugreeva who is the controller/Lord of monkeys. It cannot mean Vishnu here as the context does not allow us to comprehend it so. If someone still comprehends it as "Vishnu's Lord" out of arrogance or prejudice, then God save that person, it cannot fit in the context and it is definitely wrong.

In the Veda, there is a verse "Sambhu: Aakaasa Madhye Idheya:". A person who read this thought that the Veda has declared "Sambhu" as the supreme self. Further that person has so far thinking that the term "Sambhu" denotes only "Paarvathy Pathi" who is with matted hair, snakes all over his body, wearing the ash of burial ground, having ganges on his Jata etc. But when the context of the same verse is considered, it cannot denote that individual who the person is thinking in his mind as denoted. It denotes another individual Shreeman Naaraayanan because the context where the verse occurs is in that manner. The verse just means that he, who is the origin of bliss and in center of the sky, has to be meditated upon by those who aspire to get liberation. It definitely said that a person by name "Sambhu" has to be meditated upon but never said that "Paarvathy Pathi" (who is with matted hair, snakes all over his body, wearing the ash of burial ground, having ganges on his Jata etc) has to be meditated upon. I request the readers to read it very carefully. Please do not understand that out of prejudice or ignorance these things are written. These are written only to bring out the importance ascertaining the purport of Veda and on the question of what is rational and what is irrational. Also one must not understand that something here sectarian is being advocated. The Visistadvaita Shree Vaishnava philosophy and practice is not at all sectarian/religious fanatic type. It is universal. The reader will understand it during the course of this correspondence course.

We continue with the discussion. Let us initially assume that "Sambhu" denotes "Paarvathy Pathi" who is with matted hair, snakes all over his body, wearing the ash of burial ground, having ganges on his Jata etc. The context here says, "The cause of the universe is to be meditated upon by those who aspire liberation (Kaaranam tu idheyaha)". The cause of the universe is declared as Narayanan (Vishnu) who is Lakshmi Pathi. The term Narayanan is not a common noun but it is a noun, which denotes only Lakshmi Pathi who is the Paramaatman, Parabrahman. The term is derived in Sanskrit as "Naaraanaam Ayanam" (Narayanan is he who is the support of all chit and achit entities) and "Yasya Naaraaha Ayanam" (Narayanan is he who is present as "Antaryaamin" - present inside everything (all chit and achit entities) as atmaa and supreme controller). These two derivations are called "Tat purusha samasam" and "Bahu Vrihi Samasam". The ending "Na" in the word NaaraayaNa as per Paanini's sutra "Poorvavat Sangnyaayaam Aga" declares that this term cannot denote anyone else other than Lakshmi Pathi. In the term "Narayana", the "Nara" and "Ayana" words are coupled together and as there is no "ga" in the word, the ending "na" becomes "Na" and if this is the case, then the term can denote only one Devata who is Lakshmi pathi. Even the scholars like Appaiya Dekshitar (who is a staunch Saivite) also agrees with this grammatical concept. Therefore it has to be only comprehended that the Veda has declared Shreeman Narayana as the Supreme self by his quality (Sambhu) of being the origin of bliss which is Moksha-Aananda. If the reader refers to the commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama by any scholar (not necessarily a Shree Vaishnava scholar), he/she can clearly understand that all such names are used only to denote Narayana (Vishnu - Lakshmi Pathi) establishing only Shreeman Narayana as the supreme self.

It is the same case with such common nouns used in the context of "being the cause of universe", "granting moksha" and "reality, form, qualities, lordship etc., of Brahman"

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The Veda clearly ascertains that Shreeman Narayanan is the only Paratatvam - unparalleled and unsurpassed supreme self.
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The smrutis like Bhagavat Gita, Vishnu Puruana, Paancharaatra, Manu Smruti and thousands of such authored scriptures which are in strict accordance with the Veda elaborate that Shreeman Narayanan is the only Paratatvam - unparalleled and unsurpassed supreme self. A Shree Vaishanva should in all manner surrender only to Shreeman Narayanan and worship only Shreeman Narayanan in all ways. The continuation of this with explanations will be in the next lesson.

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