Can you please explain Visishtadwaitam lucidly with examples?
Vidwan’s reply:
Vishistam means together, Advaitam means one.
The essence of Vishistadwaitam is that Paramatma Narayanan alone is together with the universe and all Jeevatmas.
It does not mean that Perumal and the universe are separate.
Perumal is omnipresent in all the souls and materials; there are no materials that are separate from Him. He is the supreme soul in all.
We shall take the tree as an example. There are leaves, fruits, flowers in a tree; besides these, there are other qualities of a tree such as its scent, taste, and other matters that make up a tree. We call this whole entity as a tree. Similarly, Paramatma Shriman Narayanan is together with all sentient beings and insentient universes; this is Vishista Advaidtam.
This can be learned extensively through kalkshepam-s and by reading in books.
Adiyen had performed Samasrayanam recently. Before this adiyen was reciting Thenkalai sampradaya thaniyan-s and listened to Upadesa Rathinamalai. After undergoing Vadakalai samasrayanam, can adiyen recite Upadesa Rathinamalai or if it is not in practice are there any Tamil books to follow about Vadakalai Sampradaya Guru paramparai?
Vidwan’s reply:
One can certainly listen or read Upadesa Rathinamalai as it is about Acarya-s. There are Desika Stotra-s and Prabandams on Vadakalai Sampradayam. Particularly one can recite Prabanhda Saaram, Pillaiandadhi and Desika Mangalam.
In the e-book version of Srirangaraja Stavam available at www.sadagopan.org, there is confusion in the Tamil and English commentary provided for the 56th sloka in the Uttara shatakam. For the second half of the sloka below,
देवीहस्ताम्भुजेभ्यश्चरअणकिसलये समवहद्भयोऽपहृत्य
प्रत्यस्यानन्तभोगं झटिति जलपुटे चक्षुषी विस्तृणानः।
“अक्षिप्योरश्च लक्षम्याः स्तनकलशकनत्कुङ्कुमस्तोमपङ्कात्
देवः श्रीरङ्गधामा गजपतिघुषिते व्याकुलः स्तात् पुरो नः”॥
It says, ‘He released his divine chest abruptly from the divine chest of Mahalakshmi that is smeared with the saffron paste’ – kindly explain this.
Vidwan’s reply:
The meaning is – when Perumal was in the embrace of Piratti when he heard the pleas of Gajendra the elephant addressing Him as “Adimoolame”, he at once rushed to save the elephant because of his sheer nature of protecting that surpassed everything.
We should infer it as a beautiful expression highlighting the Lord’s protective nature even when he is Piratti’s embrace.
A Thenacarya upanyasakar said in a discourse the Vishnu Sahasranama sloka ‘suklam baradharam’ denotes that Vishvaksenar and Ganapthi are one and the same.
Vidwan’s reply:
Smarta-s say that this verse suklam baradharam refers to Ganapathi. Some people say it refers to a person known as Gajanana with the face of an elephant in Vishwaksena’s army.
The verse suklam baradaram vishnum refers verily the Emperuman Vishnu only. Hence, we begin with this verse in all our karma anushtana.
Adiyen heard in Swami’s Thirukurugaipiran upanyasam that he belonged to the lineage of Nathamunigal; is Ramanujar a relative of Nathamunigal also? If so, why did Alavandar enquire about Swami Ramanujar with Thirukaccinambigal? Please clarify.
Vidwan’s reply:
Bhagavad Ramanujar might be Alavandar’s daughter’s son. As Alavandar was a sanyasi, he would not have known about his lineage. Moreover, in those days it was difficult to maintain a close relationship with a daughter’s off-springs, unlike these days where one can frequent daughter’s home and talk to them often. Swami Ramanujar was studying in a Gurukulam at that time; have heard from our elders, there are many such explanations.
Did Puranas state that Tulasi’s curse on Vishnu turned into Salagrama-s and that she was the wife of Jalindra? Please clarify as such stories degrade the glories of Vishnu.
Vidwan’s reply:
There are many stories in Puranas which could not be construed as facts. These are all Perumal’s acts. It is also said that during Krishna Avataram, Lord Krishna was able to have his progeny only due to the grace of Siva and Perumal ran away from a yagna out of fear of Siva. As per our Purvacharya-s, these are acts of Perumal. Sometimes Perumal diminishes his glories willingly as a divine act; nonetheless, we should understand that such acts will not undermine his glories.
