Vishistaadvaita Siddhanta from Ramayana

SOME SRIVAISHNAVA SIDDHANTA LESSONS
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
A few Srivaishnava Siddhanta lessons gleaned from ?Sundara KhaNDam? highlighted in a short speech on the occasion of PaTTa abhishEkam of Sri ?Sita-Rama? on the conclusion of ?Sapta Sarga ParayaNam?
1. Meaning of the word ?Aikhyam? as per the three streams of Vedanta

THE SCENE:
Sri Sita asks Hanuman: how an alliance got forged between the simian and the homo-sapien species?
?VaanaraaNaam NaraanNaam cha katham aseeth samaagama??
Hanuman after describing the events leading up to this alliance, concludes:
?This is how the ?coming together? between Rama and Sugreeva came about?
?Raama SugreevayOr aikhyam Devi yEvam samajaayayta?

PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Our Poorvacharyas quote this conversation to demolish on the one hand, the Advaitic interpretation of ?aikhyam? in the ultimate state of liberation (Moksha) as the complete and indistinguishable merging of Jivatama with Paramatma and the Dvaita interpretation seeking to establish Jivaatama from Paramaatma being totally and eternally separate and mutually exclusive entities.

The ?merger theory? projected by Advaitins as ?Saayujyam? is not supported by Srutis explicitly. It is repugnant to the much too numerous ?differential statements? (BEda Srutis) that abound all over the Vedas and therefore is faulty. ?Aikhyam? means merely ?Coming together?, ?an alliance? and definitely not ?merger?.

The ?eternal difference theory? of Dvaitins, at the other extreme, is equally faulty. ?ParipoorNa Brahmaanubhavam? as explained in Adhikaram 22 of Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram of Swami Desika, reconciles these two opposing theories by interpreting the concept as ?Saamyam? which means ?alliance?, ?likeness? etc. - which do not lead either to a complete merger nor eternal separation. But a ?coming together?.(sam+ aagamaJ and happening together (Sam+ajaayataa)

Swami further explains this coming together known as ?Saayujyam? as ?Samaana yOgam + KshEmam? i.e. ?Sharing the enjoyment together in all happiness? - except those that are the exclusive domain of Bhagavaan like
i. Being the cause of all creations in the world (jagat kaaraNatvam)
ii. Having the Power to grant Moksham (mOksha pradatvam)
iii. Being the Support of everything (Sarva aadhaaratvam)
iv. Being the Controller of the universe (Sarva niyantutvam)
v. Being the Master of the universe (Sarva Seshitvam)
vi. Being the body of sentient beings and insentient things (Sarva Sareeratvam)
vii. Being the object of all subjects (Sarva Sabda vaachyatvam)
viii. Being glorified in all the Vedas (Sarva Veda vEdhyatvam)
ix. Being the ultimate refuge of all (Sarva lOka saraNyatvam)
x. Being the only means for all who desire liberation (Sarva mumukshu upaayatvam)
xi. Having the ability to grant all desires (Sarva phala pradatvam)
xii. Being omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent and the very personification of absolute joy (Sarva Vyaapta jnaana aananda svaroopatvam) and
xiii. Being the Spouse of Sri Lakshmi (Lakshmee sahaayatvam)

Swami further explains that there is no difference in enjoyment as between the different Jeevas while attaining Paramapadam nor any gradations as between SaalOkhyam, Saaroopyam, Saameepyam and Saayujyam as projected by Dvaitins and says that ? like a hundred being inherent in a thousand?, all other stages mentioned above are included in ?Saayujyam?.
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2. BRAHMAASTRAM AND SARANAGATHI:

THE SCENE
Indrajit binds Hanuman with Brahmaastra, the most potent ?weapon of destruction? (WMD?) after failing to vanquish him with other astras. And, for a while, it rendered Hanuman powerless. Hanuman willingly submitted himself to it in deference to the Great teacher of the worlds, the four-faced Brahma. He himself had secured a boon that even Brahmaastra can have a binding power on him only for one muhoortha. He feigned unconsciousness and great fear.

Now, the other Raakshasas rushed to the side of helpless Hanuman and started binding him with cords, ropes, barks of trees, jute, torn old cloths etc. No sooner had they bound him thus with such despicable materials than Brahmaastra gave up its hold.


Babhandhu: saNavalkalais cha drumachherais cha samhatai: /
Sa badddhas tEna valkEna vimuktO astrENa veeryavaan /
Astra bandha: sa cha anyam hi na bandhanam anuvartatE//
(Sargam 48 ? 46 & 48)

Indrajit exclaimed with impotent grief and anger:
?Alas! These fools are blissfully ignorant of the fact that the Brahmaastra will give up its grip when associated with any other of a lower kind. They have sadly undone my work. They have cruelly deprived me of my mightiest weapon. And, most unfortunate of all, I am prevented from using any other weapon against the enemy, once I have shot at him with the astra of Brahma and I cannot discharge Brahmaastra twice?. And, he sank into a fit of gloom and anxiety.

THE PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
- Like Brahmaastram that can be used only once, Prapatti can and need be done only once for securing Moksham. However, a subsequent Prapatti can be made for expiation of sins incurred in the Post- Prapatti period but NOT for the purpose of securing Moksham.
Such a Prapatti is called ?Praayschitha Prapatti?
- Like Brahmaastram that does not permit its being trivialized by astras of a lower kind, Prapatti done once will become futile, if the Prapanna resorts to other means thereafter for the purpose of securing Moksham.