Vedanta

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

 na kadAchit tyajettaM ca krameNainaM vivardhayet |

sameShu svAtmavatsnehaH satsvanyatra tato dayA |

kAryaivamAparoxeNa dR^ishyate xipramIshvaraH || A.V 3.3.31

Purport:

It is known from scriptures that there are three types of deeds which are a~NgAs(helpers) to the upAsana etc. They are

1. sakR^idanuShTeya (Required to be performed once)

Eg. The sprinkling of water on the rice during a yaj~na needs to be performed only once.

2. asakR^idanuShTeya (Required to be performed more than once)

Eg. Keeping silence till the end of a yaj~na is required to performed continuiosly till the end of the yaj~na.

3. sadA anuShTeya (Required to be always performed)

Eg. hari smaraNa or tying of the shikhA is required to be always performed without fail.

Out of these three categories, the devotion to viShnu and to all other deities according to their gradation falls under which category? To this we reply. It falls in the sadA anuShTeya category. One should never stop showing devotion towards viShNu and others in the hierarchy according to their gradation. Further, one should gradually show more and more devotion towards them. On the other hand, one should love the equals as thy self, should show mercy towards the lesser but noble, should be indifferent towards the ignorant and ignoble and harsh towards the bewildered and haters of God. This practice of yama(bhakti etc) if done as prescribed, would help one not only to achieve upAsana but also to quickly see the Supreme God and experience superior bliss in moxa.

karNAntamAnIya guNagrahItrA rAmeNa mukto raNakovidena .

sphurannasau vairibhaya~Nkaro.abhUt satpaxapAtI pradaro yathA.agryaH ..14..

padacCheda:

karNAntamAnIya guNagrahItrA rAmeNa muktaH raNakovidena .

sphuran asau vairibhaya~NkaraH abhUt satpaxapAtI pradaraH yathA agryaH .

anvaya:

yathA raNakovidena guNagrahItrA karNAntamAnIya muktaH sphuran satpaxapAtI pradaraH vairibhaya~NkaraH [bhavati] [tathA] raNakovidena guNagrahItrA rAmeNa karNAntamAnIya muktaH agryaH sphuran satpaxapAtI asau vairibhaya~NkaraH abhUt

anvayArtha:

yathA = Just as raNakovidena=by a person skilled at war guNagrahItrA= pulling the string karNAntamAnIya=bringing close to the ear muktaH=sent agryaH=excellent sphuran=glowing satpaxapAtI=flying with good wings pradaraH=an arrow vairibhaya~NkaraH [bhavati]= becomes fierceful to the enemies [tathA]= in the same way raNakovidena= by one skilled at war guNagrahItrA=pulling the string rAmeNa=by rAma karNAntamAnIya=bringing close to the ear muktaH=sent agryaH=excellent sphuran = glowing satpaxapAtI=one who takes the side of the noble asau = this hanumAn vairibhaya~NkaraH abhUt = became fierce-full to the enemy

Summary:

Just as an excellent and glowing arrow, sent by a person skilled at war by pulling the string of the bow close to his ear, flying with good wings, becomes fierce-full to the enemies. this excellent and glowing hanumAn, one who takes the side of the noble became fierce-full to the enemy, sent by rAma after bringing him close to his ear (wishpering in his ear a message that is to be delivered to sIta) .

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

svAdaraH sarvajantUnAM saMsiddho hi svabhAvataH |

tato.adhikaH svottameShu tadAdhikyAnusArataH ||

kartavyo vAsudevAntaM sarvathA shubhamicChatA | A.V 3.3.31

Purport:

It is said that one should show utmost devotion towards viShnu and also towards the devotees of viShnu like ramA, brahmA etc according to their gradation. But, how do we know how much devotion one should show? Is there any reference point? To this we reply - it is an established fact that every individual naturally loves himself. Taking this bhakti (love towards oneself) as reference, one should show even greater love (devotion) to those who are immediate superiors to oneself. In the same way, the degree of devotion shown should gradually increase towards individuals who occupy still higher and higher positions in the gradation hierarchy. Finally, one should show unbounding devotion towards vAsudeva who is at the top most position in the hierarchy. This is the only way of removing our defects and obtaining unwavering knowledge about viShnu. 

adAryasAlAvalidAraNena vyApAditendraprabhavena tena .

prAdyotaniprItikR^itA nikAmaM madhudviShA saMdidishe sa vIraH ..13..

padacCheda:

adAryasAlAvalidAraNena vyApAditendraprabhavena tena prAdyotaniprItikR^itA nikAmaM madhudviShA saMdidishe saH vIraH .

anvaya:

adAryasAlAvalidAraNena vyApAditendraprabhavena nikAmaM prAdyotaniprItikR^itA madhudviShA tena vIraH saH saMdidishe .

anvayArtha:

adAryasAlAvalidAraNena=by the one who fell the seven great palm trees unfallable by others vyApAditendraprabhavena = who killed vAli, the son of Indira nikAmaM prAdyotaniprItikR^itA=one who brought immense joy to sugrIva, the son of Sun God madhudviShA = the enemy of a demon called madhu tena= by him vIraH=the brave saH= hanumAn saMdidishe = was sent.

Summary:

The brave hanumAn was sent (for the sake of searching sIta) by rAma, the enemy of the demon called madhu, the one who fell the seven great palm trees unfallable by others, the one who killed vAli, the son of Indira and one who brought immense joy to sugrIva, the son of Sun God.

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

ato viShNau parA bhaktistadbhakteShu ramAdiShu |

tAratamyena kartavyA puruShArthamabhIpsatA || A.V 3.3.31

Purport:

It is said that doShAs are the obstacles to liberation. How would one get rid of such doShAs? To this we reply - those desiring to get rid of their doShas and attain liberation should cultivate utmost devotion towards viShNu and also towards His devotees like ramA devi etc according to their gradation while practicing yama, niyama etc.

pAdAravindapraNato harIndrastadA mahAbhaktibharAbhinunnaH .

agrAhi padmodarasundarAbhyAM dorbhyAM purANena sa pUruSheNa ..12..

padacCheda:

pAdAravindapraNataH harIndraH tadA mahAbhaktibharAbhinunnaH agrAhi padmodarasundarAbhyAM dorbhyAM purANena saH pUruSheNa .

anvaya:

tadA mahAbhaktibharAbhinunnaH pAdAravindapraNataH saH harIndraH purANena pUruSheNa padmodarasundarAbhyAM dorbhyAM agrAhi

anvayArtha:

tadA=After seeing rAma mahAbhaktibharAbhinunnaH=having been bent by the weight of overflowing devotion pAdAravindapraNataH= who fell at the lotus feet of shri rAma saH harIndraH= that great hanumAn purANena pUruSheNa=by the ancient being rAma padmodarasundarAbhyAM dorbhyAM=by his lotus like hands agrAhi = lifted up.

Summary:

After seeing rAma, that great hanumAn, who fell at the lotus feet of shri rAma, having been bent by the weight of overflowing devotion, was lifted up by the ancient being with his lotus-like hands.

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

R^ijUnAmeka evAsti paramotsAhavarjanam |

sa guNAlpatvamAtratvAnnarjutvena virudhyate || A.V 3.3.31

We have previously learnt that all the jIvAs have doShAs. Here one may object - “There are some special category of jIvAs called the R^ijUs, still in saMsAra, who have the eligibility for the post of Brahma. They are specifically called as R^ijUs because of their faultless nature. If all jIvAs were to have doShAs then even R^ijUs should have doShAs. R^iju means faultless. This amounts to saying that R^ijUs who are faultless have faults. This is self-contradictory and hence invalid” - thus.

To this we reply, even R^ijUs have a single doShA. The doSha being absence of highest enthusiasm towards attaining liberation.Otherwise there wouldn’t be any delay in moxa for them after the attainment of aparoxa j~nAna(direct knowledge of Brahman). One need not doubt here that having this doSha contradicts their R^iju nature. Because what is meant by being R^iju is not having many doShAs. Therefore, having one doSha does not contradict their R^iju nature.

Moreover, absence of highest enthusiasm is, in effect, having less enthusiasm. This does not qualify to be counted as a doSha. It could have been counted as a doSha if it were to be a negative of enthusiasm. To cite an example, if we say a person is not a multi millionaire, that does not mean that he has no money at all. He still could be a millionaire. Similarly, a R^iju jIva has, in this case, less enthusiasm for attaining liberation and not its absence altogether. Hence, it is befitting to call them as R^ijUs.

karmANi kurvan paramAdbhutAni sabhAsu daivIShu sabhAjitAni .

sugrIvamitraM sa jagatpavitraM ramApatiM rAmatanuM dadarsha ..11..

padacCheda:

karmANi kurvan paramAdbhutAni sabhAsu daivIShu sabhAjitAni sugrIvamitraM saH jagatpavitraM ramApatiM rAmatanuM dadarsha.

anvaya:

daivIShu sabhAsu sabhAjitAni paramAdbhutAni karmANi kurvan sugrIvamitraM saH jagatpavitraM rAmatanuM ramApatiM dadarsha .

anvayArtha:

daivIShu sabhAsu = in the courts of the Gods sabhAjitAni=highly acclaimed paramAdbhutAni=extraordinary karmANi=deeds kurvan=while doing sugrIvamitraM= the friend of sugrIva saH= he[hanumAn] jagatpavitraM=the purifier of the world rAmatanuM=in his rAma form ramApatiM=lord of laxmi dadarsha=saw

Summary:

While doing extraordinary deeds highly acclaimed even in the courts of the gods, He[hanumAn], the friend of sugrIva, saw the lord of laxmi, the purifier of the world, in his rAma form.

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

sarve ta ete jIveShu dR^ishyante tAratamyataH | A.V 3.3.31

In the previous verse “doShA anAdisambaddhAH … santyeva prAyashaH puMssu”, it was stated that the doShAs are associated with all jivAs from beginningless time. Here, one may ask -”we see, even in this very saMsAra, many innocent beings, such as infants and children, who are free from any rAga or dveSha. Hence is it correct to generalize that all jIvas have doShAs from beginningless time?” - thus.

For this we reply - It is easy for one to know, through ones perception and inference, the presence of doShAs such as absence of viShNu bhakti even in innocent beings such as infants and others.

In addition to this, doShAs such as rAga and dveSha etc are also present in all beings, though their levels may vary among different individuals. There are four levels as given under

1. prasupta

doshAs that stay unmanifest are called prasupta doshAs

2. tanu

doShAs that are manifest but present in very less number are called tanu doShAs

3. vicChinna

doShAs that are many but does not exist at all times are called vicChinna doShAs

4. udAra

doShAs that are highly manifest are called udAra doShAs

During once’s stay in the mother’s womb, doshAs are present in their prasupta form, during childhood in tanu form, in the teens in their vicChinna form and in udAra form after one reaches the middle age.

Therefore, all jIvas, including the new borns and the inncocent, have doShAs, though in a subtle form, which gradually manifest with the advancement in age.

This is also confirmed by the words of sage nArada during his upadesha to prAcInabarhi in shrImadbhAgavataM -

garbhe bAlye.apyapauShkalyAdekAdashavidhaM tadA |

liMgaM na dR^ishyate.ayUnaH kuhvAM candramaso yathA | 4.29.74

Just as the rays of the moon, though present, are not manifest on a no-moon day, the doShAs(the effects of the 10 sense organs and manas - ahaM mama abhimAna etc), though present, are not manifest during the stay in the mother’s womb and during childhood.

ye ye guNA nAma jagatprasiddhA yaM teShu teShu sma nidarshayanti .

sAxAnmahAbhAgavataprabarhaM shrImantamenaM hanumantamAhuH ..10…

padacCheda:

ye ye guNAH nAma jagatprasiddhAH yaM teShu teShu sma nidarshayanti sAxAnmahAbhAgavataprabarhaM shrImantaM enaM hanumantaM AhuH

anvaya:

ye ye guNAH nAma jagatprasiddhAH teShu teShu [mahAntaH] yaM nidarshayanti sma [taM] sAxAnmahAbhAgavataprabarhaM shrImantaM enaM [santaH] hanumantaM AhuH

anvayArtha:

ye ye= all guNAH nAma=good qualities as such jagatprasiddhAH=well known in the world teShu teShu=in those (good qualities) [mahAntaH=eminent persons] yaM= whom nidarshayanti sma=cite as an example [taM=him] sAxAnmahAbhAgavataprabarhaM=best among the disciples of the Lord shrImantaM=lustrous enaM=this [santaH=noble] hanumantaM=hanumAn AhuH=call

Summary:

Whom the eminent cite as an example for a person possessing all the well known good qualities in the world, the noble ones call this lustrous person, the best among the disciples of the Lord, as hanumAn.