Mayavaram Kamakshi Amma (Women's education in Advaita)

By the banks of Kaveri in Mayavaram. Coming in the Andhra family hailing from Dubash (Dvibashi)  Ramaswamy Iyer, in whose name Dubash Agraharam was active as on 1910. Married to Yanamandram Ramalinga Iyer and losing him when she was still in her teens in 1871, the girl took a unique step forward. She began to devote herself into Sanskrit education and that too a deep study of Advaita school of Vedanta. She rose to such a level that a jottings she made in Sanskrit for her own use, later she was persuaded by her friends to bring out as a publication, came out in 1910 as Advaitadeepika. 

Sometimes back I was writing about Sadhu Nityanandammal and now Kamakshi Ammal of Mayavaram. Many years back I wrote about Patthi Yatirajammal of Sri Perumbudur and Kalyani Mami. Do I have a special eye for these illustrious women forgotten or do these great women give me darshan I do not know. But generally I do have a complaint to make. Even in our families we do not take so much seriously the wonderful wealth of memoirs in our women be they our elder or younger ones. But if you care to listen and I mean 'listen' to what they say, you will understand a different dimension of life, missed pitiably by the always-rushing menfolk. 

Coming back to Kamakshiammal of Mayavaram, Advaitadeepika published by T S Natesa Sastriyar of T S Natesa Sastriyar and Co, Oriental Booksellers etc., Mayavaram in 1910 with an English translation still reminds one of the great lady and the life she carved out for herself at such early years. A small book of 40 pages in Sanskrit but full of intricacies of logic like anumana, paksha, sadhyata, dosha, pakshaviseshana, anyatarasiddhi, asrayasiddhi, sadhyaprasiddhi, sadhanaprasiddhi, sadharanyam, asadharanyam, vyabhichara, anupasamhara and the like. Luckily we have the translation of Natesa Sastriyar. But imagine what would have been her mental stamina to think in these lines and write a book of terse sanskrit as a just personal jottlog. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Management Ideas and Sri Ramanuja

Sometimes seeing through modern lens the ancient content may throw fresh light not only about the content but also about the efficient use of the lens itself. When the tools and the topic both benefit, what do we lose in the venture? 

Modern management ideas are becoming more and more mystical in a sense. Rather than cut and dried approaches, opaque to any subtleties, the modern approaches in management talk about the roles of follower and sub-servient participation. To make this approach more scientific, management science can wed the 'seshatva' approach as clarified by the Visishtadvaita-sage-reformer of the 11th cent CE, Sri Ramanuja. 'Seshatva' talks about the intellectual understanding of obedience in a group activity. Traditionally it was discussed in the context of one's spiritual progress. But adapting it to the modern management theory will go a long way in enriching the toolkit bag. Even cross-disciplinary meditations on various concepts in parallel will freshen up, I think, both fields of study. 

What I am about to write here is just a small venture in this direction, so to say, testing waters. 

One idea in management is about goal-setting vs task management or you may have it as 'and' instead of 'vs'. What is the most important thing in a venture, in management? Is it setting the goal? Who will say no? Yea. Goals are the important part. But setting the goals itself, will it enable the enterprise to reach the end-result? Can goal-setting itself vouchsafe that the end-result will be the very goal of the start? If not, who determines or what, the rationality of the difference between goal and end-result? Who or what rationalizes the difference? Who or what reviews the rationality or irrationality of the goal initially set? 

If the goal can be compared to the map of the place to be reached, who or what makes it reached or approached? In management of an enterprise, simply sitting everyday and clearly visualizing the goal in all its details will not move you near the realisation. To move ahead you require a running machinery, a functioning company. To keep the machine running, to keep the company afloat for goals, a standard procedure of tasks repetitive, recurring and sometimes adapted to altered situations has to be kept up and alive. So task-management provides the body for which the soul is provided by the goal-setting. 

In Sri Vaishnavism of Nammalwar, the goal-setting was done by Nathamuni and the task-management was done by Sri Ramanuja. The goal was the prapatti marga of Nammalwar as propounded in Tiruvaimozhi. How Sri Ramanuja did task-management and made the goal a realisation or sinching the end-result with the goal, is the whole history of the path. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

What is Paramapada?

What is Paramapada? Any new interpretation from you? 

Not from me. But from the Upanishads. 

From the Upanishads? What is that? 

It seems you are disturbed by the real meanings that are there told in Upanishads. 

No no it is all new to me. I thought that these terms carry the usual meanings of different worlds one attain after death and all that. For example , Sri Vaikunta, Maha Kailas and Brahma Loka and all that. 

It is the heart, that is, the limitless compassion, which is symbolically termed as heart, this very heart is called Maha Kailas. This very heart is called Sri Vaikunta. 

Oh Really.. your meaning or... 

Not mine. But from the Upanishads. If you go to Sri Ramakrishna Math stall you can get 108 Upanishads meaning by Sri Anna Subramanian. 

What is said there? 

"ருத்திரரே! (உள்ளமாகிய) கயிலையங்கிரியிலிருந்து கொண்டு உலகிற்கு இன்பத்தை ஊட்டுபவரே! சாந்த மானதும் , மங்களமானதும் , பாவம் நீங்கிய மோக்ஷ நிலையைப் பிரகாசப்படுத்துவதுமான உம்முடைய எந்த வடிவம் உளதோ அந்த உயர்நலமளிக்கும் வடிவால் எங்களுக்கு எங்கும் ஆத்ம தத்துவம் விளங்கும்படி. அருள்வீராக.” (ஸ்ரீஅண்ணா சுப்ரமணியன்) 

Meaning - Oh Rudra who resides in the heart which is otherwise called Kailas and gives happiness to the beings! Reveal thy form which will bestow on us the universal vision of Thyself residing everywhere in all beings. 

The mantra from Svetasvatara Upanishad - 

"yA tE rudra sivA tanU: aghOrA S pApa kAsinI | 

tayA nastanuvA santamayA girisantAbhichAkasIhi ||" 

"எல்லா முசுங்களையும் தலைகளையும் கழுத்துக்களையும் தனதாகக் கொண்டவனும் , எல்லா உயிர்களின் உள்ளக் கோயிலில் உறைபவனும் , அதனால் எங்கும் செல்பவனுமாகிய மங்கள வடிவினனாய் அந்த பகவான் விளங்குகிறான்." 

Meaning - All faces are His, all necks and all heads. He resides in the heart of all beings. He reaches everywhere. He is all blessedness. So shines that Bhagavan. 

Sri Vaikunta is this very heart. Says the Narayana Upanishad. 

"ஓம் நமோ நாராயணாய எனும் மந்திரத்தை உபாஸிப்பவன் வைகுண்ட லோகத்தை அடைகிறான். வைகுண்டலோகம் ஞானமயமான இருதய கமலமேயாகும். " (Sri Anna Subramanian) 

Meaning - One who chants Om Namo Narayanaya that person goes to Vaikunta Loka. Vaikunta is verily this heart which is Jnanamaya. (heart signifies love and compassion; when love is synchronised with Jnana it becomes Vaikunta) 

The mantra is - 

"Om namO nArAyanAya iti mantra upAsakO vaikunta bhuvanam gamishyati | tadidam pundarIkam vijnAnaghanam" 

When the desireless mind dissolves into the heart that is called Paramapadam. 

Where..? 

Wait. I am coming out with the mantra and its meaning from the Amrutabindu Upanishad. 

"விஷயப்பற்று முற்றும் நீங்கி எப்போது மனதானது இருதயத்தில் நன்கு அடங்கி நிலைபெற்று உன்மனி பாவத்தை அடையுமோ அதுவே பரமபதம் என்பதாம்.” 

Meaning - When the mind gets rid of all attachment and desires and begins to reside and resolve into the heart and completely becomes one with the heart that is called Paramapadam. 

The mantra is 

" nirastavishayA sangam sanniruddham manO hrudhi | 

yadA yAti unmanIbhAvam tadA tat paramam padam ||" 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

A dialogue on Thinking and Tradition

You see, all the Gods are in your heart. All devas in there, in the heart. What does that mean? It is simply your heart must begin to feel, to expand, be inclusive. You must feel empathy with others. This heart-activity combined with the awakening of your intelligence is all what is meant by spirituality. All religion is about this. 

What.. you will say something. Having read some English books, you people will talk big about this and that. Do you know what is said in traditional scriptures? 

My friend! what I am saying is from your traditional scriptures... 

What?.. Where is it said like that? Come on tell me. 

In Brahma Upanishad these mantras are there. 

"hridisthA dEvatA: sarvA hrudi prANA: pratishtitA: | 

hrudi prAnascha jyOtischa trivrut sUtram cha tadvidu: | 

chaitanyE tishtati ||" 

meaning - "All devatas are in the heart. All life forces are stationed in the heart. The whole life and intelligence is established in the heart. According to great Jnanis the heart is the actual sacred thread. The great Paramatma resides in the heart as the living God, Life and Knowledge." 

Not only that, it also says and lays stress on this point, that the actual and real wearing of sacred thread is developing God-perception, seeing all things as containing God and things as forms having their essence in God. This universal perception is what is really meant by wearing the sacred thread. 

It is just your interpretation... 

Here is the mantra occurring in the very same Brahma Upanishad. 

"bahi: sUtram tyajEdvidvAn yOgam uttamam Asthita: | 

brahma bhAvam idam sUtram dhArayEdya: sa chEtana: || " 

meaning - The external thread is merely symbolic and unimportant. But the real meaning is the Brahma Bhavana that must be developed in oneself. One who develops this Brahma Bhavana in himself he is the intelligent person. 

Is the Brahma Upanishad available, translated by whom, any western educated...? 

It is available even in Tamil, text and translation by the great Sri Anna Subramaniam published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. It comes under 108 Upanishads series. 

Sage Tirumular beautifully sings the whole concept in his Tirumantiram - 

"நூலும் சிகையும் நுவலில் பிரம்மமோ 

நூலது காற்பாசம் நுண்சிகை கேசமாம் 

நூலது வேதாந்தம் நுண்சிகை ஞானமாம் 

நூலுடை அந்தணர் காண நுவலிலே.” 

(காற்பாசம் (கார்ப்பாசம்) - பஞ்சு)

"The sacred thread and the Sika are physically just cotton and hair. They are just symbolic. The real meaning is Vedanta meditation and the Supreme Knowledge of the Divine that one should pursue. Whoever understands this really they are sages." 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Belief System a conversation

A conversation with a friend. Helping me to clarify a few things to myself. 

What is your belief system? or in other words your faith position or to ask in the usual way your religious subscription? 

May be I can write a long essay in reply. But I would like to give an one word answer. - Sri Ramakrishna. 

That means you believe that he is God and you subscribe to worship him. 

May be if you want to carry away that opinion by yourself, I don't have any objection. But if you care to understand how I understand my position, I can explain it, nuancing on some points. 

Yea sure. But don't elaborate too much. Don't mistake me. 

Yea nops. I understand. To think of Sri Ramakrishna as one's spiritual answer involves four positional statements. 

Four? so precise? 

Yea. First to come to an understanding in life that desire is in not a supreme, deciding factor. What is good takes precedence over what is attractive. Of course no condemnation of desire as such. But one's position of understanding never takes into account the desire as any deciding or motivating factor, not withstanding appreciating the aesthetics of desire. 

Second, trying to choose always the best, the good, the great over what is bad or peevish. Being able to distinguish between good and bad sides of things, good and bad aspects and features. 

Third, to go in passionately for knowing more and more and never being snobbish about knowledge. 

Fourth, to develop more and more in loving, compassion, sympathy meaningfully. 

What about God worship? 

Yea God-worship in any form, in any culture which promotes these four positions is aesthetic and joyful practice of life perception. If not, it is not relevant. This is what Sri Ramakrishna means to me spiritually. I think this is what Swami Vivekananda felt about his master. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Eight differences but one Unity

In grammar for nouns they talk about eight declensions. In Tamil we call it 'eight differences'. (vEttrumai).

Let us take the noun Rama. Just saying the name Rama is the first declension or difference (mudAlAm vEttrumai). 

Something we do on the noun Rama is indicated by the second declension or iraNdAm vEtrrumai. Suppose in the sentence 'Call Rama', 'rAmanai azhai'. 

Third declension or mUndrAm vEtrrumai is 'we got it by Rama'. rAmanAl kidaitthadu. 

Fourth is 'we give this to Rama'. rAmanukku kodu. 

Fifth is from Rama. Sixth is with Rama. Seventh is in Rama. 

Eighth is calling Rama. Inviting Rama. 

In all these eight declensions or ettu vEtrrumaigal some person has composed this sloka in the past ages 

centering around Rama. i.e. Rama, on Rama, by Rama, to Rama, from Rama, with Rama, in Rama, Hi Rama! 

"Let Rama reside for ever in my heart along with Seeta. (Ist)

I salute Rama along with his brothers (and also along with my brothers) (IInd)

Let all my sins be destroyed by Rama. (IIIrd)

All my actions done through mind, words or deeds I dedicate to Rama. (IVth)

I do not know anything different from Rama. (Vth)

And I do not know any word to pair with Rama Nama. (VIth)

I perceive all the  universe in Rama. (VIIth)

Oh Vira Rama! protect me every day." (VIIIth) 

Now the sloka - 

"rAma: sItAsamEtO nivassatu hrudayE 

sAnujam rAmamIdE 

rAmENa kshINa pApa: 

trividhamapi krutam karma rAmAya dadyAm 

rAmAt anyam na jAnE 

na kimapi vachO rAmanAmna: samAnam 

rAmE pasyAmi visvam bhuvanam 

anudinam pAhi mAm vIra rAma !" 

You see! how simply they have taught both bhakti and grammar in a single stroke! 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

A book born out of Bhakti

It was a palace. Badshah is hearing a recital, done by Vasudeva Bhava. Vasudev who is Tukaram's grandson is narrating how his grandfather ascended to Sri Vaikunta alive with his body. It is too much to believe, first going somewhere after death and that too going with the body just alive, as if traveling to some place else. Badshah refused to believe and refused to hear any further recitals. Now it is a test for Vasudev, not only about his own grandpa but the whole path of devotion which he has got in his family. His own mother, the daughter of Tukaram is still alive. She also told the same story. If it is not true, why any body that too one's own mother is going to spin a story regarding the end of her own father? He requested permission from the Badshah. He requested all the people in the senate to stay put as they are for a while till he returns back with a proof. 

What proof can he show? was the question in everybody's mind. But curiosity winning the toss, all the people were sitting on expectation. Perhaps it will end a big joke. Badshah may be angered enough to author a tragedy. let's see. 

Vasudev Bhava was running literally to his home. Behind, one shape which was standing in hiding in the senate hall was also running along calling Vasudev again and again. Vasudev stopped and turned to see his own, that very own Tukaram calling and coming to him and saying, 'here. take this Tambur and go back to the hall. Make a divine promise and calling out God throw this tambur to the sky, right before Badshah. You will get all the proof you want after that.' 

Shocked by surprise and shaked by the instructions from his sudden grandpa, Vasudev returned back and did as he was told and threw the tambur to the sky. Tukaram caught the tambur in midsky and ascended again back to Sri Vaikunta when everybody was looking and Badshah was lost in gazing at the whole scenario. Perhaps all the exclamations were lost in the high resounding bajan of 'Vittala Vittala Hari Vittala Panduranga'. 

But we have all forgot that everything started from the recital which Vasudev was doing before Badshah. From what was he reciting? It was a book called Baktasaaram. Baktasaaram was written by Nabhajisiddha in Hindustani, containing the narrations about the lives of some 700 devotees, Tukaram forming a part of that. This was in some 1660 CE. Nabhajisiddha taught this to Uddhavasiddha and others. Uddhavasiddha summarised all these 700 narrations and did it in Gwalior and called it Baktamala. Then Maipathi Bhavaji did it in Marathi, choosing some 109 lives to tell and called it Bhaktavijayam. He also composed different sets of lives as Sanda vijayam, Sandavijaya Lilamrutam. Then Deepadeva collected all the Jnanopadesas, sayings of wisdom, into a book called Deeparatnakaram. But how all these things got transferred and exposed to people from Tamilnad? There is a story as told in Sri MahaBhakta Vijayam, published by A Irangasamy Mudaliyar and Sons in 1938. 

There was a Sabha called ChaturVeda Siddhanta Sabha. Its head was Saidapuram Umapati Mudaliyar. Along with him Jothisha Sittrambala Mudaliyar, Arai maanagar Thiruvengadam Pillai and many more were involved in bringing these narrations, which they got during their pilgrimages when they went for Ganga bath to the north. The first edition was in 1864 CE. They say the most important narrations revolve around five great personages, Jayadev, Kabirdas, Tulasidas, Namdev and Jnaneswar. 

The charm of the book, its style of prose, Tamil, little colloquial and chaste, so many eulogies preambling - all these add to the vibrations. Especially this poem 

"அடியாரெங்குண் டெங்குண் டெங்குண்டென் றலையுமறுமா முககுகனே |
அரனார்கணிலுற் பவித்தவனே அமரர்சிறையைத் தவிர்த்தவனே
அடியாதியிலா வறிவுருவே அகஸ்தியர்க்கன் றருட்குருவே
௮ருணகிரிநா தரையாண்ட வருளேஞானப் பரம்பொருளே
படிமீதடியார் சரித்திரமாம் பக்தவிஜய மெனு நூலைப்
பக்தியோடு வாசகமாப் பண்ணுநாயே னாவதனிற்
குடியாயிருந்தோர் குறைவின்றிக் குணமாமுழுது முடித்தெனையாட்
கொள்வாய்தோகை வாகனனே கூவுஞ்சேவற் கொடியோனே,” 

(O Thou six-faced Guha! You sprang up from the eye of Hara. You liberated the Devas from prisons. You are one homogeneous form of Wisdom having no beginning or limit. You gave your grace to Agastya in the past. You saved Arunagirinatha. You are the very form of Grace. O Thee Transcendent principle of Jnana. And still you are always waiting as if for the devotees. Me, a low creature, out of devotion, wants to make a book called Bhakta Vijayam telling the lives of Adiyars. Kindly reside in my tongue, avoiding all hurdles and blemishes, fulfilling the  task with all qualities. And kindly accept me in thy service, O Thee who flies on a peacock and the Cock who calls to spirituality in your Flag.) 

Bhakti springs from this book, a book born out of Bhakti. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***