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Transcription

1 zqkaepmuoe> ïiv[! zqkaepe> suseivtae, ïir¼nawcr[ae àp*e zr[< sda. Let me always seek refuge at the lotus-feet of Sri Ranganatha, whom all the Sri Vansatakopas, namely our Acharyas of Sri Ahobila Mutt have worshipped well, following the path of Sri Satakopa, Sri Swami Nammazhvar. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 1

2 2 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

3 Sri Ranganatha Temple Souvenir 2012 Sri Ranganayaki Sametha Sri Ranganatha Parabrahmane Nama: Sri Bhu Nila Samaetha Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Parabrahmane Nama: Srimate Ramanujaya Nama: Srimate Nigamantha Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Srimad Athivan Satakopa Yateendra Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedantadesika Yateendhra Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Divyapadukasevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yateendhra Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yateendhra Mahadesikaya Nama: Contents Srimukham from Sri Ahobila Mutt... 4 Srimukham from Sri Parakala Mutt... 5 Srimukham from Sri Periyashramam... 7 Srimukham from Sri Ranga Narayana Jeeyar Swami Mutt... 7 Srimukham from Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami... 9 Tribute Gopalaranganjali By Sri Dr. Parthasarathy Desikan Articles The plaint of a SriVaishnava Sri Dr. Venkat Kanumalla Who is Paramaatma? By Sri Anbil Ramaswamy PerumAL s saushilyam a note from tiruvaimozhi By Sri vaikunthavasi Sri Narasimhan KRiShNamAcAri Bhagavan s Aayata nayanakamala dvayam Sri Dr. Parthasarathy Desikan Suddho dheva eko NaarayaNa: Sri Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan The Means and the End Sri Sadagopan Iyengar Balarangam Srimathi Sri Giridharan & Sri Giridharan Sri Krishna and Lord Rama Chiranjeevi Sidharth Anand The Compassion of Rama Chiranjeevi Rohit Giridharan Lord Rama and Vibheeshana P 33 Sowbhagyavathi Sneha Satish Sri Rama Sowbhagyavathi Shreya Sankar Photo Albums Pictures from various events & 35 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 3

4 Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Parabrahmane nama: Srimate Vakulabhooshana Mahagurave nama: Srimate Ramanujaya nama: Srimate Nigamanta Mahadesikaya nama: Srimad Athivan Satakopa Yatheendra Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedanthadesika Yatheendhra Mahadesikaya Nama: Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Divyapadhukasevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatheendhra Mahadesikaya nama: Srimate Srivan Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yatheendhra Mahadesikaya Nama: Dear Sir, Here in Aarathi Nagar. Chennai. both our Srimad Azhagiyasingars are doing well, and the Mutt's nithya-araadhana vaibhavams are taking place well as usual. Conveying at the outset their benevolent blessings, I am hereby directed by Their Holinesses to inform you as follows: We are in receipt of your mail dated: 11/05/2012 enclosing the Sixth Annual Brahmothsava Aahvana Pathrika of Sree Ranganatha Swamy Temple Pomona. It was presented before both our Azhagiasingars, who were very pleased and expressed immense happiness. We are happy to reproduce a paragraph of our letter dated 09/11/2011 and reiterate its contents once again: Our H. H. Swamijis are all praise about the sense of devotion and the innate spirit with which you conduct yourselves. in the service of our fellow brethren in the US by creating yet another "Bhoologa Vaikundam" in the form of a temple to foster our great sampradhayaa in a foreign soil and are delighted reminiscing the good deeds of venerated people like your good selves". With warm wishes and seeking the perennial blessings of Sri Ranganatha and our Periya Perumal Lord Lakshmi Nrisimha, With blessings AND by the Order of HH the Jeers, Yours sincerely, 4 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

5 SrImannUtana ranganatha yatiradat patma vidyalayam SrImannUtana laxmanarya yatirajat samprapta turyashramam SrIvAsendra kataxa samtatasudhalaxyatmayegajnchitam SrImannUtana vagadhishayaminam bhaktashrayamogurum navya vagishayogindra hayasyapadasevinam brahmatantra svatantraryam bhajamassvatmasampadam Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 5

6 Srimathe Sri Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha Srimathe Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha Srimathe Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha Srimathe Srinivasa Mahadesikaya Namaha Srimathe Nigamantha Mahadesikaya Namaha Srimathe Bhagavathe Bhashyakaraaya Mahadesikaya Namaha Sri Ranganatha Parabrahmane Namaha Sri Ranganatha Divyamani Padhukabhyam Namaha Srimad Paramahamseithyadhi Srimad SriMushnam Andavan SriRanga Ramanuja Maha Desikan has blessed this Srimukam: Srimadh Andavan is extremely delighted on receiving the Sixth Annual Brahmothsava invitation from SriRanganatha Temple, Pomona, USA. Srimadh Andavan prays to SriRanganatha Divyadhampathis and Purvacharyas Paadukas to bless that the Brahmothsava will be held in a grand manner and all the Devotees to follow Sri Ramanuja s philosophy with unity and harmony. SrimadAndavan Niyamanapadi, Vaduvur Veeravalli Srinivasa Desikacharyar, Sri Karyam Camp: Chennai, Srimadh Andavan Ashramam 6 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

7 Our Humble Pranamams at the Lotus Feet of Sri Raghuveera Mahadesikan Srimad Andavan Poundareekapuram Swami Ashramam, Srirangam The Devotees of Sri Ranganatha Temple, Pomona, NY Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 7

8 Srimate Ramanujaya Nama: NithyaSri: Nithya Mangalam SriRanga Narayana Jiyar Swami 50th Pontiff SriRanga Narayana Jiyar Swami Mutt 128 North Uthra Street, Srirangam, Tiruchi Srimadh UbhayaVedanta Pravarthakacharya, Srisamyami SarvaBhouma, Sasanadhigadha, SriRanganatha Sakalavidha Kainkarya Niravahaka, Chief of SriRangam Sthalathar Srimadh Paramahamsedhyadhi Sri SriRanga Narayana Jiyar Swami's Mangalasasanam Srimate Ramanujaya Nama: SriRanganatha Brahmothsava Mangalasasanam Srirangam leads all Divyadesams and has special names like Bhuloka vaikuntham, Periya Koil and so on. Brahma in Brahmaloka had originally been doing aradhana for Sri Ranganatha, who has taken residence here. From Brahma, this Murti of Sriranganatha was obtained after doing penance by King Ikshvaku, who 8 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

9 was ruling in Ayodhya. Accompanied by Sita Piratti, Sri Ramapiraan, who had taken avataara in the Ikshvaaku royal lineage, also did aradhana for the Sriranganatha Murti. Srirama handed over the Perumal to his sincere devotee Vibhishana, during the Sri Sitarama Pattabhishekam. Vibhishana did pratishtha of the Perumal in Srirangam situated between the two Kaveris. Among all the Emperumans in all the Divyadesas therefore, Sriranganatha at Srirangam shines like a King, as Srirangaraja. All Divyadesas thus become his nandavanas, his recreation gardens. Tirumangai Azhvar praises Srirangam calling it aaraamam choozhnda arangam, the stage surrounded by recreation gardens. Sriranganatha grants splendid seva here as Thiruvarangachchelvan, and as Rangaraja, with scepter in hand. Sriranganatha is rightly hailed as padinmar paadum Perumal. All Azhvaars have offered mangalashasanam to him. Unique is His grand privilege that Azhvars have sung about Srirangam using many beautiful epithets, such as, the nature of the Lord, who is resting at Tiruvarangam, the main city Arangam, the arangam in the South, Thiruvarangam where the grand chariot moves, the orderly arangam whose feet are respectfully washed by abundant Kaveri waters and arangam where ascetics who have renounced everything congregate. Acharyas too enjoyed Srirangam as the place of their permanent residence and Sriranganatha kainkaryam as their main occupation. It was Sriranganatha who called Udaiyavar to come to Srirangam from Kanchipuram and gave him the management of ubhyavibhuti to take care of people in distress and to protect Vishnubhaktas. Udaiyavar too took the responsibility and looked after Thennarangan s assets, removing all obstacles. Perumal further arranged to get Sri Manavalamamunigal to come to Srirangam from Azhvar Tirunagari and accommodated him at his Lotus feet, where Srivaishnavas could take refuge at the Mamuni s feet and listen along with Him to his kalakshepams. By Perumal s Grace, the thaniyan, Srisailesadayapatram.. honouring the Sri Manavalamamunigal was initiated as the first thaniyan in sevas, first in Srirangam and subsequently in all Divyadesams. Perumal involved the Mamunigal too in the flawless conduct of His utsavas. It is the good fortune of world citizens that Sriranganatha decided for the welfare of people of the world to find a temple for Himself and enjoy appropriate uthsavas in America as well. Conduct of Brahmothsava to Sriranganatha removes all doshas and brings comprehensive welfare to the sevarthis. In that context, it is our pleasure to bless all concerned who are conducting Brahmothsava this Aani month at Sri Ranganatha s temple in America, that the conduct of the uthsava is fulfilled in the right manner and without obstacles. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 9

10 JAI SRIMANNARAYANA Venkatji! We are delighted to hear about the 6th Bramhotsavam of Sri Lord Ranganattha swamy Devasthanam at Pomona. Your Sankalpam and your Acharya s grace and the dedication of the team of devotees are working well and made mark of their own in that area to flourish the temple. We pray to God to bless the community with increased enthusiasm and interest to promote all the activities related to the Lord. This year we may not be able to make visit to US and participate in the function. Yet, our heart is there with you all.let the functions go well and our mangalasasanams are there with you all. Chinnajeeyar 10 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

11 Our Humble Pranamams at the Lotus Feet of Sri Tridandi Sreeranga Ramanuja Jeeyar, Kakinada Ashramam, Andhra Pradesh The Devotees of Sri Ranganatha Temple, Pomona, NY Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 11

12 Gopalaranganjali Sri Dr. Parthasarathy Desikan Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan (Sri Paravakottai Andavan) & Sri Rangapriya Mahadesikan I n the last year, Perumal s sankalpam took Venkateswara College at Tirupati in 1936, and became a Vyakarana Siromani in Sri Gopala- away from our midst two great Srivaishnava savants. Both were dearly loved by our mahadesikan stayed at the Parakala Math in Mysore for five years, imbibing the Vedantic works of Srimadh Azhagiyasingars. Both loved and blessed our temple activities at Pomona. The loss is Sri Ramanuja Darsana from Srimad Abhinava very green in all our minds and is felt deeply. Ranganatha Brahmatantra Parakala Swami. After retirement from a career as a Sanskrit pundit in the Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan, the head schools in Tiruchi district, he took sanyasa on February 20, 1982, and became the 8th head of the of the Poundarikapuram Ashramam at Srirangam, (Sri Paravakottai Andavan), attained paramapadam Poundarikapuram Ashramam. A prominent sishya on Saturday, the 12 th November He presided of this Acharya, Sri Anbil Ramaswamy said just a over the Ashramam for nearly 30 years and was an few years ago that he always found his Guru absolutely and uncompromisingly strict on himself and erudite scholar and writer, also famed for his discourses on traditional Vedanta. He was responsible on those who approach him, in regard to nitya and for the construction of the 12th tier of the Rajagopuram of the Srirangam temple, which is our Muk- Vathula Kandadai Devanthachariar, a well-known naimittika observances. My brother in law, Sri kur Azhagiyasingar s unparalleled gift to mankind Sri Sannidhi Sishya who has had a very long association with Ahobila Matha, has also had the privi- for all time. Born on March 17, 1921 to the well-known lege of seva of the Paravakkottai munivara a few scholar, Sri Vathula Kandadai Venkata Acharya, times at the Sripoundarikapuram Ashramam at Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan had a flair for languages and was ready to undergo the rigorous dis- Swami on the above finding. Srirangam and wholeheartedly agrees with Anbil ciplines laid by Srivaishanavism. He went to the Continued on Page Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

13 The plaint of a SriVaishnava Sri Dr. Venkat Kanumalla, Chairman, Board of Trustees Our Acharya is our sole refuge. Swami Nammazwar, Swami Ramanuja, Swami Desika, Srimadh Athivan Satagopa Swami, 44th Jeeyar who is the founder Acharya of the Temple, 45th and 46th Jeeyar Swamis of Sri Ahobila Mutt B hagavad Sri Ramanujaacharya is glorified as: Yo nithyam achutha padha ambuja yugma rukma vyaamohatha thadhitharaani thrunaayamene asmadh guro: bhagavathosya dhayaika sindho: raamaanujasya charanau Saranam prapadhye. I chant Ramanuja dhaasosmi but am I able to follow His golden principle that Lord Sri Achutha s lotus feet is the real gold that I should be seeking always. On the contrary, I go after other mundane things which Sri Ramanuja rejected as useless. What shall I do? Sri Nigamaantha Maha Desika proclaimed: Maam madhiyamcha nikhilam chethana achethanaathmakam, Swakaimkarya upakaranam Varadha swikuru swayam. I don t know how to really offer either myself, or my so called chethana and achethana belongings, to Sri Varadha for His kaimkaryam maybe I have offered a very very small fraction of maam and madheeyam, but can I call that nikhilam? Lord Sri Krishna said: Chaatur varnyam maya srushtam guna karma vibhaagasa: Neither I have any GuNas nor I do all those karmas appropriate to that VarNa that I claim to belong to. Also Lord Sri Krishna repeatedly said that: samo damas tapah saucam ksantiraarjavam eva ca, jnanam vijnanam astikyam, brahma-karma svabhava-jam. I have none of the above qualities required of a brahma-karma-svabhaavaja. The only karmas that I practice are: akruthyaanam cha karanam kruthyaanaam varjanam cha me, which means that I do not do all that I am supposed to do, and I do most often what I am supposed not to do. My ego prevents me from facing the fact aham asmi aparaadha chakravarthi that I committed an infinite number of mistakes, from time immemorial. My ahamkaara is so great that I never consider that I am after all an amaryaadha: kshudhra: chalamathi: asuuyaaprasavabhuu:, kruthaghno dhurmaani smaraparavaso vanchanapara: nrusamsa: paapishtha: ; my svaabhimaana is so huge that I do not ever admit that na nindhitham karma thadhasthi loke, sahasraso yanna mayaa vidhaayai ; nor do I ever realize that I am a aparaadha sahasra bhaajanam pathitham maam bhima mahaarnavodhare. Will I ever realize that I am dhrushtepi durbaladhiyam dhamanepi dhruptham, snaathvaapi Dhulirasikam bhajanepi bhimam. With millions of negative qualities, am I really worth anything and at least now, let me say, (even though this is NOT with any thrikarana- SuDhdhi): na Dharma nishthosmi nachaathma vedhi, na bhakthimaan thvat charanaaravindhe, akimchan: ananyagathi: SaraNya thvath paadha muulam SaraNam prapadhye. Just for the namesake at least, let me say that I surrender at the Lotus Feet of Lord Sriman Narayana, through the unimaginable grace of my Acharya, because the Vedas unequivocally proclaimed that nishkalo niranjanao nirvikalpo niraakhyaatha: SuDdho dheva Eko Narayana: - na dhvitiyosthi kaschit. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 13

14 Who is Paramaatma? Sri Anbil Ramaswamy, Editor & Publisher Sri Ranga Sri (SRS) Electronic Journal, USA R ig Veda deity OM! All the Nasadiya four Vedas thus proclaim in no uncertain Sukta (10.129) manner the fact that says: "In the beginning there was neither NA is at the begin- Sriman NARAYAexistence nor nonexistence, no realm, the very end and bening and through to no sky, no air, no yond! earth. All that existed Rug Veda avers: then was void and From Narayana was formlessness. There born Brahma; From was neither mortality Narayana was born nor immortality, neither form nor name, Rudra Narayanath Brahma Jayate Narayanath Rudro neither day nor night; darkness concealed Jayate" darkness. The Gods Yajur Veda defines themselves were later Paramatma as the than this world s production. Who knows one who has Mother Earth and Mother whence it first came Lord Sri Ranganatha as Sri Paravasudeva, Mahalakshmi as his consorts. Hrees cha te Lakshmis Cha Patnyou. This into being? How was it formed? And, answers: The One, whose eyes control this world in the highest heaven, verily knows is applicable only to Lord Sriman Narayana. it. The Vedic hymns identify him as Sriman Narayana, the primordial Bhagavaan who existed alone with none else beside him. He is known as nischala (steady); nir-anjana (spotless), nir-vikalpa (free from change); nir-aakhyaata (indescribable), Suddha: (pure and unsullied); DEva: (absolutely divine); Eka: (the only one); Narayana: He is called Narayana; na Dviteeya: asti kaschit: (None equal to him anytime anywhere). He is recognized as the material (Upaadaana), instrumental (Nimitta) and supportive (Sahakaari kaarana) cause of all creation. Vedas: All the four Vedas commence and close invariably with the words HARIH OM and NOT Harah Om, or Brahma Om or any other Braahmana (Taittriya) declares: Only Narayana is the Supreme; the only truth that ought to be known Narayana Param Brahma Tatvam Narayanah Parah Upanishads also clearly declares, there is ONLY ONE (i.e.) Sriman Narayana, who rules over the Universe. There is no other. Ekah Saastha Na DvitiyO Asti Kaschit Subhalopanishad also refers to one who is the mother, father, brother, resting place, friend, and the refuge and that he is the in-dweller of all beings totally devoid of blemishes, shining and that one is Only Narayana. Maatha pitha braatha nivaasah saranam suhruth gatir Narayana Esha Sarva bhuta antaraatma apahata paapma 14 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

15 divyo deva eko narayanah Svetaswatara Upanishad (6.13) shows that Narayana is the most permanent of all permanent things, the most sentient of sentient beings, one among many, the only one who grants the wishes. Nityo nityaanaam chetanas chetanaanaam, eko bahunaam yo vidadaati kaamaan. Mahopanishad confirms, that before creation, there was only Narayana; neither Brahma nor Siva nor the sky nor the earth nor stars Eko ha Vai Narayana Aaseeth; Na Brahma Na Eesanah, Na ime Dyaava Prithvi, Na Nakshatraani. Puranas: Linga Purana, though considered a Taamasa puraana, nevertheless refers to Sri Narayana as the supreme Lord residing in Paramapada with his consorts and devotees. VaikunTE tu pare loke sriyaah saardham jagatpati Aasthe vishnur achintyaatma bakthair bhaaghavatai saha. In Mantra Raja Pada Stotra Lord Siva himself addresses Sri Narayana: All Atmas are by nature your servitors; So, I also worship you as one the natural servitors. Daasa Butaah Svatah sarve hi aatmanah Paramaatmanah; AtO aham api te daasah iti matva namaami aham. Why do we revere the Mother? The reason is that it is the mother who rears and nourishes the fetus in the womb for about 10 months undergoing untold sufferings and also protects the child Lord Sri Ranganatha as Sri Krishna, who declared His Supremacy in Bhagavad Gita during its growth even after it is born All Saastras declare and Lord Krishna explains in Bhagavad Gita how at the beginning of every Kalpa he releases' the universe, which lay within him in Sookshma dasa (subtle form) from the time of the previous deluge till the dawn of the new Kalpa. This period during which they lie in his belly is measured in terms of unaccountable millenniums. When the mother in whose womb the fetus remains just for 10 months is considered so worthy of veneration, how much more Lord Narayana is to be venerated who held in his belly, all the Chetanas (sentient beings) and all A-chetanas (insentient things) for ever so many millenniums before 'delivering' them? Are there any other compelling reasons to love and to serve Him? It is said that Lord Sriman Narayana Himself does not know the number of auspicious qualities He possess. Therefore, He is called "Asankhyeya KalyaNa GuNa GaNas" - Numberless bunches of auspicious qualities. No dictionary can adequately enumerate his qualities. It is not because His qualities are exhausted but the dictionaries of shaashtras have exhausted themselves in enumerating the auspicious qualities of the Lord. Whatever qualities one speaks of the Lord, it fits Him - especially KaaruNyam (Mercy), Souseelyam (excellence of disposition) and Soulabhyam (easy accessibility). Not only this. He is also bereft all defects (akhila heya pratyaneeka). Once you recognize the Lord with these qualities, you cannot and will not venture to make war with Him but will only fall in Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 15

16 love Him! When the entire gamut of scriptures Sruti, Smriti, Itihaasas, PuraaNas and such others declare thus in one voice about the unparalleled supremacy of Narayana, why people fall for petty devatas? The reason is not far to seek. Unlike Bhagavaan who grants ultimate liberation but also other benefits only befitting one s eligibility for them, petty devatas do give quick results that, however, are a-saaram (useless) and alpa-saaram (evanescent). "Those who prefer quick fixes for mundane problems naturally resort to them in spite of these defects!" Then, at what point of time one would at all turn to worship Sriman Narayana? In fact, the shaashtras themselves feel intrigued saying why when the great Narayana Mantra is very much available and people have their tongue under their control to utter the Mantra and secure salvation easily, they do not make use of them but indulge in committing sins and consequently fall into terrible hells. Narayaneti Sabdo Asti; Vaak Asti Vasa vartini Tataapi Narake Ghore Patanti Kim Adbutam The Lord himself gives the answer in (BG 7 / 19): At the end of thousands of virtuous lives, man attains spiritual knowledge and surrenders himself to me knowing that I am everything for him and I consider such a person a great soul (Mahaatma). Such a person is indeed very rare and Krishna calls him a MAHAATMA Bahunaam janmanaam ante Jnaanavaan maam prapadyate Vaasudevah sarvam ithi sa mahaatmaa su-durlabhah 16 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

17 PerumAL s saushilyam a note from tiruvaimozhi Sri VaikuNThavAsi Sri Narasimhan KRiShNamAcAri I n tiruvaimozhi pasuram-s, nammazhvar admires the Supremacy (menmai) and several other auspicious attributes of BhagavAn; in 1.5.3, he admires the immeasurable saushilyam (nirmai) of BhagavAn. ma-yonigalai nadai karra vanor palarum munivarum; ni yonigalaip padai enru nirai nanmuganaip padaittavan; seyon ella arivukkum disaigal ellam tiruvadiyal; tayon ella evvuyirkkum tayon tan Or uruvane; In this pasuram, NammAzhvAr points out that BhagavAn created BrahmA, and endowed him with adequate knowledge so that BrahmA could then create all the devas, RiShis and others with their superior knowledge and powers. BhagavAn is the Mother of every being that exists, and is an embodiment of saushilyam. It is His saushilyam that is demonstrated in His trivikrama incarnation, where He purifies everything in all the Universes by the touch of His Feet. He is beyond comprehension even by the likes of BrahmA and the countless other highly gifted deva-s, RiShi-s etc. Swami Nammazhwar, Sri Ranganatha Temple AzhvAr describes BhagavAn in this pasuram through the following phrases: disaigal ellam tiruvadiyal tayon One Who measured all the worlds with His Divine Feet. tayon here means One Who measured. - ella arivukkum seyon One Who is beyond attainment and realization by even the likes of BrahmA, who had been instructed by BhagavAn in all the veda-s. seyon One Who is far away - beyond reach or comprehension. It is said of BhagavAn that He is One Who does not know His own greatness. Can anyone else comprehending His greatness in full measure?? - ella evvuyirkkum tayon One Who is like the Mother for all things that existthe Prime Creator. tayon here means One Who is the Mother. - yonigalaip padai enru nirai nanmuganaip padaittavan He Who created the fourfaced BrahmA, endowed him with all knowledge (nirai nanmugan), and then entrusted him with the task of creating all the other beings, including the great deva-s and sages who knew the truth about creation (and BhagavAn s role in creation etc.). - ni ma yonigalai nadai karra vanor palarum munivarum yonigalaip padai BhagavAn told BrahmA to create the R^iShi-s, the ten prajapati-s, the ekadasha rudra-s, the twelve Aditya-s, the eight vasu-s etc., who were great in their own ways, and who knew well the respective functions allotted to them by BhagavAn, who has all the above attributes, is tan Or uruvane He is unique and Supreme in His paratvam, and also Supreme in His saushilyam. ShrI uttamur VIrarAghavAcAriAr points out that this is like the mother who may kick the child, but whose feet alone the child will go and embrace; AzhvAr says that even if BhagavAn were to kick everyone with His Feet (in His trivikrama incarnation), still He is the only Resort for us all ella ev-vuyirkkum tayon. BhagavAn protects us by the touch of His Feet, just as the fish feed their offspring through their sight, the turtles by their Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 17

18 thoughts and the birds by the touch of their wings. BhagavAn's vatsalyam towards us all is like that of the cow towards its calf. shri Ve'nkaTeshAcArya explains svami deshikan's shri sukti - "guna aguna nirupanam pannade ellar talaiyilum tiruvadiyai vaikkaiyal" BhagavAn does not distinguish between those with 'good' conduct vs. those who are not of good deeds, and bestows the contact of His Feet to all. In his dramidopanishad tatparya ratnavali, svami deshikan captures the gist of this pasuram through the words sarvatra api a nghri danat disaigal ellam tiruvadiyal tayon - BhagavAn Who blessed all the creatures of this world with the touch of His divine Feet during His trivikrama incarnation. This anghri danam of BhagavAn is a display of His saushilyam His desire and willingness to mingle with one and all, irrespective of their stature. He did not distinguish between the pure and the impure, the highly evolved and the lowly life forms, but blessed everyone and everything with the touch of His divine Feet without discrimination. shrimat tirukkudandai ANDavan points out that His vatsalyam is such that even though His Feet are so delicate that they become reddish even by the delicate touch of His PirATTi -s, they pierced through all rough objects through the nether and the upper worlds to bless all without distinction and exception, only for the sake of the devotees, indicating the depth of His saushilyam (PraNavam) sarvatrapya nghridaya namah. shrimate rangaramanuja mahadeshikaya nama: Oh my mind! you attain salvation by prostrating at the bright shining Lotus Feet of the One, the unparalleled one, who has got everything that is GREAT in Himwho has blessed me with gnanam and Bhakthi which destroys my agnana (ignorance and wrong knowldege) completely- who is the Chief of immortal devas. Thiruvaimozhi Swami Nammazhwar 18 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

19 Bhagavan s Aayata nayanakamala dvayam Sri Dr. Parthasarathy Desikan O ur most revered Acharya, Prakritam Srimad Periya Azhagiyasingar (45 th Pattam), Sri Lakshminrisimhadivyapadukasevaka Srivansatakopa Sri Narayanayateendra Mahadesikan, blessed all of us in 2001 in Chennai during his 75 th tirunakshatram day, by releasing his nectarine compendium of a number of lectures, in the form of a book in Tamil entitled Eraar Gunamum Ezhil Uruvum. In this book, he enjoys through the Suktis of Azhvars and other Acharyapurushas and his own superb rasaanubhava, the madhuragunamritas of Emperuman and the beauty of His Archa murtis in the Diyadesas. Quite naturally, he dwells lovingly again and again on the indescribable beauty of Perumal s most ancient icon on earth, the Tirumeni of Peria Perumal at Srirangam. His love for Sriranganatha must have been indeed a thirst of immense longing, for it resulted in his own archa murti arriving a few years ago at our Aapamaanaa Rangakshetra to keep feasting on Perumal s Sundaratama likeness in the Pomona shrine. Adiyen will try to convey through the inadequate medium of a foreign language what Srimad Azhagiyasingar sweetly vouchsafed in Tamil on Perumal s Aayata nayanakamaladvayam, the extralong pair of eye lotuses. Let us listen to our Acharyamahaneeya on this delectable subject. Why does Sriranganatha s pair of lotus eyes seem to have grown very long, right up to His ears in fact? Srimad Azhagiyasingar quotes the SriRanganAtha Moolavar, Pomona, NY The grace showering glance of Divine Lotus Eyes Acharyapurusha renowned by the name Sri Bhattar, who has this tasteful idea about it. If some persons get together to honour some jnanis simultaneously with some persons without any jnana, what will the world think about them? Will they not exclaim, What kind of effort is this? Should not the highly learned be honored in a special befitting manner, separately? Can they even be considered for evaluation of merit in the company of the ignorant? Should scholarship of a rare kind go unrecognized? The jnanis must indeed be specially treated and with due regard. The lovely eyes on the divine face of Sriranganatha had similar views. Panditas and illiterates cannot be given the same sambhavana, they knew. Emperuman at Srirangam should not have endowed Himself with just two eyes like Emperuman s rupas anywhere else, they thought. If they have to be only two in number, they should at least be much, much larger. Just the same two eyes, just the same kind, for Sriranganatha and for others? No, indeed. By others, the eyes were thinking about the para, vyuha, vibhava and haarda forms of Emperuman. They were certain that Sri Ranganatha was very much superior to Emperuman in the other forms. In each of these forms, Emperuman has two eyes, and should it be the same for Sriranganatha too? Is this properly indicative of His special stature? First we have to understand how Sriranganatha is indeed greater, superior, of a higher stat- Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 19

20 ure. Emperuman in any of those other forms does not show us the same daya, the same kripa. Indeed, it can easily be seen that Sriranganatha cares more for us. Let us consider the para form: What kripa, what anugraha does Srivaikunthanatha extend and towards whom? Alright, He continuously gives his Seva benefit to the nityasuris who are with Him at Srivaikuntha. Do they really need this kripa? Is not kripa that special attribute of looking at others who are suffering and seeking to alleviate the suffering? What are nityasuris supposed to be suffering from? Nothing, nothing at all! Therefore Emperuman s Sevakripa falls on them without any need and therefore without benefit. Emperuman is pouring water on to fish already swimming in it. To the nityasuris who are in perennial bliss, Srivaikunthanatha is just adding the joy that his darshana can bring. As said earlier, this is just like pouring water on a fish already happily surrounded by water. Emperuman in vyuha states too has nothing to offer us. Unlike Sriranganatha, Emperuman in vyuha mode as Kshirabdhinatha, Tiruppaarkkadalappan is offering darshana only to yogis like Sanaka, who have always been Jnanis and have always delighted in doing bhakti to Him. For the likes of us, in His vyuha forms, He has nothing to grant. Unlike the vyuha-emperumans, however, Avatarapurushas like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, as Emperuman s vibhava forms did come down to Earth to do anugraha to some samsaaris like us. But such anugraha has been available only for a limited number of persons in particular places at definite times for alleviation of suffering through the kripa extended by the avatara. For example, Sri Guha was a fortunate recipient of such kripa during Sri Ramavatara and Sri Vidura one, during Sri Krishnavatara. Yogis alone get to visualize Bhagavan s antaryami form. Such darshana is not for people like us. 45th Azhagiyasingar is performing Mangalasasanam of Sri RanganAtha s Lotus Eyes, Pomona, NY Yogis have reported that in this form too, Emperuman seems to have only two eyes on His face. On our Earth, in the holy Srirangakshetra, Emperuman has been graciously offering darshana for thousands of years in his sayana pose in archa rupa as Sriranganatha. There have been no restrictions relating to time, and no qualifications required of the sevarthi. The very lowly and the depressed too have been most welcome to his sannidhi. He has taken a vow not to get up from His sayana pose until every person caught in the samsara-mandala has the opportunity to do Atmasamarpana before Him. Does not this fact alone indicate to us clearly that Sriranganatha has greater daya towards all of us than Emperuman in any other form? If this paramadayalu, our Peria Perumal should also have only two eyes on his Tirumukhamandalam, does it appear fair? These two eyes therefore decided that unlike Emperuman in any other form, Sriranganatha must have eyes for his beloved people, namely all of us, not just on his Tirumukhamandalam, but all over his splendid Tirumeni. Such spreading of the existing two eyes alone will assure a degree of superiority for Sriranganatha over and above any 20 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

21 other form or state, be it para, vyuha, vibhava or any other. Having decided thus, the two eyes started growing to occupy the space held by Bhagavan s beautiful ears. A mighty king who wants to extend his rule over all or most of the world first starts invading neighboring kingdoms. Ears are very close to eyes and therefore Peria perumal s eyes started growing longer and longer in the direction of His ears with the idea of finally occupying the space allotted to the ears as well. Sri Bhattar has beautifully summarized this invasion plan of the long eye-lotuses of Peria Perumal in a sloka in Sri Rangarajastava. The sloka is as follows and its significance has already been described above: k«pya prya kir:yma[e skla¼< ikl svrtae=i]neçe, àwm< ïvsi smast&[ate #it de yer[ ivdint r¼netu>. Adiyongal, Dasas, the devoted and privileged sishyas of prakritam Srimad Azhagiyasingar actually believe that the beautiful eye-lotuses of Peria Perumal are continuing to extend themselves towards Perumal s srotradvayam these days too with the express desire to absorb Srimad Azhagiyasingar s bhashanamritapravaha, at the same time as the flow reaches Bhagavan s ears. naray[ytinôsy Éa;[ïv[eCDya, vxrte ïaeçpyrnt< ivéaelaercnp»jm!. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 21

22 Suddho dheva eko NaarayaNa: Sri Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan Y ajur veda Siras declares with full throated majesty : nishkalo niranajano nirvikalpo nirakhyata: SuddhO dheva eko NaarAyaNa: na dhviteeyoasti kaschit. Naraya- Na is saluted here as the Supreme Lord of all gods free from any kind of blemishes and He is recognized as One with no superior or equal (Samaadhika daridhran). Mahaa NaarAyaNOpanishad echos these thoughts and it glorifies Bhara NyAsa (Self-surrender), which is the means ( upayam) for the attainment of the Supreme Brahman, Sriman Naaraayanan. That Supreme One ( ParAth Param) is recognized as the resident of paramakasam, SrI VaikunTham. The Upanishad praises this Supreme Lord as the subtlest of the subtle, higher than the high, vaster than the vast. It says He is the One. He is the manifest. He is of infinite forms ( ViSwa Roopan). He is the Universe. He is the most primeval. He is beyond Tamas (Tamas: ParatAt). The Upanishad continues : I know this Purusha, who is great, who is the brilliance of the Sun and who is beyond Matter.Knowing Him alone does one go beyond death. For attaining that goal,there is no other path (naanya: panthaa vidhyateayanaya). That proven and well travelled path is SaraNAgati at the sacred feet of the Lord with the parmanugraham of one s AchAryan. We look to Mahaa NaraayaNopanishad and SvetasvatarOpanishad to understand the Supermancy of Sriman Naar- AyaNan, who is partless ( nishkalam), who has done what ought to be done ( Nishkriyam), blemishless ( niravadhyam) Vedas and Upanishads declare that Lord Sriman Narayana is the Supreme reality who shines serenely without any imperfections ( niranjanm), who is Svayam JyOthi ( Self-effulgent) like the Fire, which has burnt the fire wood and is the only bridge to liberation from the cycles of births and deaths (amrutasya Param Sethu). He is the Purest of the Purest (SuddhO deva:) and is beyond description by mind or speech ( nirakhyata: ). He is the One and Only Lord, Sriman Narayanan, who is matchless in His anata KalyAna GuNams and Vaibhavam. He is Omniscient and is the Master of all ( Sarva Swami).He is immutable (aksharam) and is selfestablished in His glories (SvamahimnE Pratishitatam). Knowing this divine Supreme Lord, Sriman Narayanan (divyo yeko NaarayaNa:) and performing SaraNAgati at His sacred feet, the aspirant gains Moksham / Mukti after the fall of his body and he never returns to this Prakruti Mandalam. One may ask : Does the Lord grant His anugraham for mere namaskaram?. The Upanishad declares that the Paramatman, the indweller (antaryaami) and prompter of all (preritaa) will shower His anugraham of Moksham only to those who strive to attain Him after they offer their preceptors ( PoorvAchAryaas and His Bhagavathaas). The preceptors like One s own AchAryAs and their Guru Paramparaa are recognized as Bhagavad antarangabhutaas. We have to approach the Lord through one s AchAryaas and Poorvaacharyaas, who are very dear to Him and then He grants with joy His ParmaAnugraham ( Bhagavad antaranga bhuta VishvaksEnAdhyAchArya pranama poorvakam Bhagavad PrAptou yatamananam anujn~yam Prayacchati). Sri Ranganatha CharaNou SaraNam PrapadhyE, 22 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

23 Annual Grand Brahmothsavam 2011 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 23

24 Annual Grand Brahmothsavam 2011 Sri Ahobila Mutt Acharya Paaduka Pratishtabana 24 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

25 2011 Adhyayana Uthsavam Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 25

26 45th Azhagiya Singar s Thirunakshatram Sri Rama Navami and Sri Thyagaraja Swami Aradhana 26 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

27 T he cornerstone of our Sampradaya is an unflinching faith (Maha Visvasam) in the Lord Sriman Narayana, a faith that He would take care of us at all times, that He would bestow on us all that is required, at the appropriate time and in due measure, a faith that would withstand the test of severe adversity. He is an Impartial Arbiter, who ensures that we have a fair deal in life, in tune with our acts of commission and omission, good and bad, accumulated over countless births. Endowed as we are with a large measure of independence, what we are and what we attain, are but functions of what we have done and omitted to do. Many a time, we find ourselves in difficult situations, ranging from illness of the self or of family members, emergent need of money with no known source to raise it from, challenging exams looming ahead with preparation therefor being woefully inadequate, etc. What do we do at such times? We pray. Of course, we leave no stone unturned to achieve the desired goal or to resolve the problem, but when we find these inadequate, we pray to the Lord to come to our aid. This is known as Kaamya Praartthana. Our philosophy tells us that such prayer should be avoided, as it reflects our lack of faith in the Lord s dispensation and His capacity to understand and fulfill our needs. We might desperately desire a car or a mansion, but The Means and the End Sri Sadagopan Iyengar The Supreme Truth Lord Sri Ranganatha with His Divine Consorts whether these are in our real interests or not is unknown to us. As somebody rightly said, more people are unhappy because their wishes are granted than those with unfulfilled wants. Hence the best thing to do is to perform our duties to the best of our abilities and to leave everything to Him, with the conviction that He would indeed endow us with everything we really need. If we fail to get a deserved promotion, if a desired acquisition fails to materialize at the last minute, we should reconcile ourselves with the thought that perhaps it was not really in our interest to have attained the desired goals. This might be easier said than done, but would definitely save us a lot of heartburn and grief, while training us to accept the divine dispensation with equanimity. In a scenario of unfulfilled desires, probably the worst thing to do is to rush to an anya devata, another deity, forsaking our own Lord and Master. However, for people like us with fickle minds and wavering intellects, it is natural to obtain relief wherever available, irrespective of the tradition and faith in which we were born and brought up. When the sick child fails to get better despite treatment, a concerned neighbour suggests praying to a famed demigod nearby or to a shrine known for its sure-cures. And in our desperation to see the child back in normal health and unable to Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 27

28 endure its suffering, we grasp at the neighbour s suggestion as would a drowning man at mere straws. And if the effort is fruitful, we develop a faith in the demigod who has apparently cured the child with alacrity. This faith in turn erodes our original confidence in our Lord and whenever we are in trouble, we acquire the habit of turning to the demigod for succor, and ultimately become votaries of an alien faith ( we have also seen many Vaishnavites flocking to other religions for relief ). Logically speaking, if any other God (other than our Lord) is able to cure an illness or grant a wish, why should we not pay obeisance to that deity? After all, doesn t the granting of a wish prove the power of the deity, and what is wrong in resorting to this? If the argument is that only Sriman Narayana can grant us Moksham, we can always come back to Him after getting our mundane desires fulfilled through other lesser Gods, can t we, thus ensuring the best deal in both the worlds? There are several fallacies in such facile arguments. FIRST: The act of approaching demigods for assistance is a virtual declaration of no confidence in Sriman Narayana, whom the Shruti avers is the Parabrahmam or the Ultimate. In comparison, other deities can hardly be superior. If such be the case, what would be the point in praying to them for succour, when we have the all-powerful Lord awaiting a word from us? It would be like forsaking the Master Physician at our door and rushing to a quack for treatment. SECOND: Shastras lay down that only Sriman Narayana is the Purusha, and all the rest are women. He is the Pati and all others Patnis. If we were to pray to a demigod for fulfilling a particular desire, it would be akin to a hitherto faithful spouse seeking satisfaction from somebody other than his / her spouse. THIRD: A person becomes a devotee of Vishnu as a result of countless births of devotion to other lesser devatas. Hence, if one were to go back to worship of other deities for achieving mundane goals, it would be like a graduate student reverting to kindergarten. FOURTH: The powers of other deities to make our dreams come true, are derived from Sriman Narayana, who is the master of all sentient beings, be they animals, humans or devatas. avaravar irayavar kuraivilar irayavar says Sri Nammazhwar, making it clear that other deities are able to satisfy their votaries only due to the power bestowed in them by the Lord. The Bhagavat Gita too confirms this- Sa tayaa shraddhayaa yukta: tasya aaraadhanam eehate -- labhate cha tata: kaamaan mayaiva vihitaan hi taan. FIFTH: The Lord being the inner dweller of all beings, including these demigods, any prayer to the latter is automatically transmitted to the antaryaami. Thus, even though we may think we are worshipping another devata, the recipient of our adulation is actually Sriman Narayana. Under these circumstances, we might as well worship the Lord directly, instead of through the medium of other devatas. Says the Lord in the Gita- Yepi anya devata bhakta: yajante shraddhyaanvitaa: - Tepi maam eva Kounteya! yajanti avidhi poorvakam SIXTH: If the Lord decides to bless us with bounties, there is none who can prevent Him from doing that. Conversely, if He decides to take away what we have, none can stand in His way. Once we realize this, we also understand that whatever desire has been fulfilled by the anya devata has come to fruition only because the Lord willed it. And once this dawns on us, we would feel no need to turn to anyone other than Emperuman for succour. Tvayi pravritte mama kim prayaasai: tvayi apravritte mama kim prayaasai: says Swami Desikan in Sri Kamaasikaashtakam. SEVENTH: Where would be prefer to shop--at Wall Mart or Macy s, where we can get all that we want at bargain prices, with a wide variety to choose from, or at a small neighborhood 28 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

29 store selling but a limited range of products? Sriman Narayana is capable of granting every wish of ours and ultimately blessing us with perennial bliss and liberation, while demigods may be able to fulfill only certain of our desires, and are in any case unable to liberate us from the shackles of Karma. Sri Tirumazhisai Piran does some plain speaking in his Tirucchandaviruttam-Kaanilum uruppolaar sevikkinaada keertthiyaar- Penilum varam tara midukkilaada devar. EIGHTH: Which other devata has the glorious Sri as his consort? That the Lord is constantly accompanied by Tirumagal ensures that He always treats His devotees with compassion, whether or not they deserve it. His justice is always tempered with mercy, as Piratti would never hear of the Lord meting out commensurate punishment. Further, the nature of the First Lady is that whenever a devotee comes to Her with a prayer, She blesses him with all that is auspicious, ranging from unimaginable riches to Sri Vaikuntam itself, and, after showering him with all this and other bounties, is consumed by a sense of inadequacy and feels that whatever she has given the devotee is hardly enough. Tvam lajjase Amba! koyam udaara bhaava:! wonders Sri Bhattar. Hence Sri Tirumazhisai Piran says that only the Lord is to be worshipped and not other deities, who do not have the good fortune of having Piratti as Consort- Tiruvillaa devarai terelmin devu. With such an overwhelming array of reasons, it would be in the fitness of things if we remain unmoved by the slings and arrows of fortune, by the trial and tribulations fate may throw our way, preserve the chastity of our faith in Sriman Narayana, and resist with all our might the temptation to seek refuge in someone else for petty, ephemeral gains. If we need inspiration, we only have to remember Sri Nammazhwar s immortal lines- Kalaivaai tunbam kalaayadu ozhivaai kalaikan mattrilen and Unnaal allaal yaavaraalum ondrum kurai venden. Gopalaranganjali (Continued from page 12) Srirangapriyamahadesikan, who continued to run the Ashtanga Yoga Vijnana Mandiram at Bangalore founded by his yoga guru Sri Rangaguru of Hedathale, attained paramapadam on Thursday, 29 th March He had also hailed from the same town in Karnataka as his yoga preceptor. Before initiation into sannyasa and Sri Ramanuja darshana in 1989 from Srimad Abhinava Ramanuja Brahmatantra Parakala Swami, Swami was the Head of the Sanskrit Department at National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore. His Acharya conferred the name Srirangapriya Mahadesikan on him at the time of the initiation. It is said that this scholar and philosopher, whose pravachanas in many languages including English were till recently listened to with great regard, was totally mute at birth and early childhood. His father had taken the child to a kalakshepam By Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan Swami of the Poundarikapuram Ashramam. After the Upanyasam, the Poundarikapuram Acharya, who had learnt about the plight of the child, had uttered Sri Swami Desikan s Taniyan and the first sloka of his Hayagrivastotra in the child s ear and the child repeated the same after him. Adiyen had several happy occasions to pay my respects to Srirangapriya Swami in 2009, when the kindly Acharya agreed to read a draft copy of adiyen s English translation of Panditaraja Tirumalai Thathachariar s bhashyam of Sri Swami Desikan s magnificent devotional kavya, Sri Padukasahasram, and write a Foreword. He had suffered a fracture during a part of these readings, but out of great compassion he did not want to disappoint adiyen. How can adiyen ever hope to repay his infinite kindness, saulabhya and approachability? Let us offer silent and sincere pranamams at the sacred padambujas of these two Acharyas in paramapadam, whom Sri Ranganatha has taken back from our midst, and in whose personalities we could sense a greatness that found happy approval and admiration from Acharyas and sishyas of different Mathas. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 29

30 Balarangam Srimathi Sri Giridharan & Sri Giridharan Balarangam teachers Srimathi Sri Giridharan and Sri Giridharan with their students. S tudents and children today face tremendous academic pressures, and there is a very strong emphasis on mastering hard skills such as Math or Sciences. It is vital that in addition to training really good Mathematicians, Doctors, Scientists, Engineers -- we pay equal importance, if not more, to the development of the individual as a whole -- a well-rounded, caring, good citizen of the world. Given the emphasis on tests, schools are focused on equipping children with the hard skills and devote very little time to the development of children into thinking, caring individuals. At Balarangam, with the help of stories from Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Mahabharata and our rich tradition, we aim to foster a caring attitude in the children and help them develop a strong internal moral compass -- a compass that will help them and guide them as they go through life. In the younger class, we invoke a sense of wonder in the children by sharing a lot of stories about Sri Rama and Krishna. We also sing a lot of bhajans, learn slokas and enjoy participating in activities such as art work, quizzes etc. This year, the children learnt slokas like Achyutashtakam, Sudarshanashtakam & Hanuman Chalisa. The highlight of our classes is story time where children hear stories from Dashavatharam, Sthala Puranas of temples like Sri Rangam, Thirupathi, Udupi and stories of Saints and devotees like the Azhwars, Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kanakadasa, Garuda etc. These timeless stories never cease to enthrall the listeners and the storytellers alike. In the older class, the children spend time reading Rajaji s Ramayana and Mahabharata and engage in debates, discussions etc. Some of the debates they have engaged in include topics such as studying the contrasts between Lakshmana and Bharata, and between Vibeeshana & Kumbakarna. Through debates and discussions, the older children not only learn stories but also critical thinking and evaluation skills that help them strengthen their moral compass. This year, we also covered Swami Desika s Hayagriva Stotram & Sudarshanashtakam. Through slokas, stories and activities, the children develop a strong sense of Bhakti to our divine parents. We are grateful that the temple fosters and reinforces these values in our children. You can find more about Balarangam at our website 30 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

31 Sri Krishna and Lord Rama Chiranjeevi Sidharth. Anand, Balarangam Class 2 I t Lord Sri Rama and Sri Krishna: Embodiments of all Virtues would be tough to pick a favorite between Lord Rama and Sri Krishna, who are both incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The 2012 Balarangam class gave us an insight into these incarnates. We were encouraged to read the books on Ramayana and Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari and we had the opportunity to discuss, debate and deep-dive into the characters and events discussed in both these stories. Lord Rama and Sri Krishna equal each other and surpass all others in virtue and greatness. Both incarnates have embodied Dharma and are as popular, if not more, as Zeus, Apollo and Ra in other mythologies. They are the very essence of our culture and are both equal in valor, strength and Dharma. More often than not, I used to think of Sri Krishna as a fun-loving, witty character based on the stories I had read and heard. However, his role in the Mahabharata war and his advice to Arjuna which became the guiding principle for all of us simply changed my impression of Sri Krishna. As our teacher, Giri uncle, reminds us in our class -- in order to reach the highest level of reasoning we simply have to do our best and leave the rest to God. This is exactly what Sri Krishna advised Arjuna on the battle field. Lord Rama's life, on the other hand, teaches us devotion, respect, unconditional love, and sense of duty towards parents. It is no wonder that he is referred to as Purushottam (meaning the best among men). Therefore, I hope and pray that I can follow the guiding principles of Lord Rama and Sri Krishna, the most popular among the ten incarnations of the Supreme Lord Narayana. Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 31

32 The Compassion of Rama Chiranjeevi Rohit Giridharan, Balarangam Class 2 Sri Rama hugs Jatayu and gives him Moksham R ama s avatar exemplifies compassion and caring. After Jatayu was fatally injured in his battle with Ravana, Rama gave Jatayu Moksham. Jatayu was a good friend of Dasaratha, and Rama considered Jatayu to be like his father. Moreover, Jatayu died trying to protect Sita from Ravana. It is no wonder that Rama felt it was his dharma to perform the last rites for Jatayu, and through this, Jatayu received Moksham. Rama cared for all living beings, whether it be a human, bird, or even a small squirrel. When Rama was about to attack Ravana, Vibheeshana came to ask Rama for protection. Vibheeshana was the brother of the enemy, Ravana. Vibheeshana might have come to spy on Rama and Lakshmana and inform Ravana about the war preparations. Nearly everyone in Rama s army tried to dissuade him from accepting Vibheeshana. However, Rama, knowing fully well that Vibheeshana might have been a spy, accepted Vibheeshana simply because he sought Rama s shelter. This shows that Rama is compassionate towards all, friend or foe. Had Ravana himself sought shelter at Rama s feet, he too would have received the same love and compassion as Vibheeshana. None can equal Rama in compassion and forgiveness. I often think about the stories of Jatayu Moksham and Vibheeshana Sharanagati. They tell me that showing compassion and love to everyone is important. These timeless stories will continue to inspire all who hear it. 32 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

33 Lord Rama and Vibheeshana Sowbhagyavathi Sneha Satish, Balarangam Class 2 Rama declared, "Who ever he may be, no matter even if it is Ravana, one who surrenders to me, it is my duty to protect him. Let Vibheeshana join with me as my brother." L ord Rama accepted and protected everyone who absolutely surrendered to him. One such devotee is none other than Vibheeshana, the rakshasa prince. He was the brother of Ravana, who abducted Sita Devi, mesmerized by her beauty. Vibheeshana was virtuous and truthful to Lord Narayana. He realized the divinity of Sita Devi and requested Ravana not to bring annihilation of his dynasty by keeping her in his incarceration. But when destruction is in destiny no good words come to the rescue. Ravana not only denied the words of wisdom from Vibheeshana, but also tried to wipe him out. Vibheeshana came to Lord Rama seeking refuge. Lord Rama came across many arguments from among his supporters regarding the intentions of Vibheeshana. Lord Rama, the Bhaktavatsala, accepts him beyond any doubts. For anyone taking refuge at his feet is promised absolute protection. What more does a devotee need than the absolute protection from his Lord to cross the ocean of misery of life and find destiny at his feet? Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 33

34 Sri Rama Sowbhagyavathi Shreya Sankar, Balarangam Class 2 W ho path. is Rama? Who can possibly describe Rama s valor, strength and courage enough? Rama is an ideal man and he only walks on the path of Dharma. He never misses the As the seventh avatar of Vishnu, Rama was born as the oldest son of King Dasharatha as a normal human being. Naturally, Rama was Daharatha s favorite son. When Rama was sent on exile, King Dasharatha died because he couldn t bear the separation. On the other hand, Rama happily obeyed his father and left for the forest with a smile. This action shows how obedient is Rama. Sri Rama Vigrahavan Dharmaha When Bharatha stubbornly stands and says No to the kingdom, Rama s consoling words make Bharata slowly change his mind. Despite his sadness for his father, Rama uses consoling words on Bharatha. This shows how persuasive Rama s words are. Rama is a person who is ready to forgive anyone no matter what crime he committed. For example, right before the war, he sent Angadha to Ravana to see if Ravana can stop the war. Unfortunately Ravana did not accept this message of peace. Overall, Rama is the ideal man and should be a role model to every single one of us. All the qualities of a good human being are built inside him. Rama is the follower of Dharma and so should we. 34 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

35 2012 Panguni Uthram 2012 Sri Nrusimha Jayanthi Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 35

36 2011 Anna Koota Uthsavam 2012 Ramanuja Jayanthi 36 Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir

37 2012 Riverside Sathyanarayana Pooja Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 37

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43 Lord Sri Ranganatha as Sri Krishna in the Beautiful Kalpa Vriksha Vahana Seva With humble pranamams from the Blessed Sponsors of Vamsa-Paramparya-Ubhayakaara-Kainkaryam (for more details on how you can become a blessed Vamsa-Paramparya-Ubhayakaara-Kainkaryam Seva sponsor, please contact the temple) Uthsavam Swami Desikan Thirunakshatram Ubhayakara Jagannathan Rangarajan Sri Andal Thirunakshatram (Thiruvadipuram) Sri Mahalakshmi Thirunakshatram (Panguni Uthram) Sri Srinivasa Thirunakshatram (Purattasi Sravanam) Ramanuja Thirunakshatram Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Jayanthi Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Jayanthi Sri Krishna s Birthday (SriJayanthi) Nammazhwar Moksham Sri RanganAtha Thirunakshatram (Panguni Revathi) Sri Rama Navami Kodiyalam Sundar Venkat Kanumalla Sailaja & Vittal Koka Radhika & Ramaswamy Mohan Nirmala & Bala-Gopala-Krishna Chavali Anuradha & Raghunathan Chakravarty Kamala & Raghunath Gopalakrishnan Sridhar Nambi Mukund Padmanabhan Mukund Padmanabhan Sri Ranganatha Temple 2012 Brahmothsavam Souvenir 43