Significance of “Munitrayam” in SrI SampradAyam

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Significance of “Munitrayam” in SrI SampradAyam







SrI:

SrImathE lakshmI hayagreeva parabrahmaNE nama:
SrImathE SaThakOpAya nama: SrIman nathamunayE nama:
SrImathE yAmuna munayE nama: SrImathE SrI bhAshyakArAya nama:
SrImathE nigamAnta mahA dESikAya nama: SrImathE vEdAnta rAmAnuja mahA dESikAya nama:
SrImathE gOpAlArya mahA dESikAya nama: SrImathE gOpAla dESika mahA dESikAya nama:

Significance of “Munitrayam” in SrI SampradAyam

(Article by naidhruva mAdabhUshi. S. HARI rAmAnuja dAsan)

Our SrI VaishNava darSanam called as rAmAnuja darSanam is having an uniqueness. This is not like other vaidika darSanams or non-vaidika darSanams. It is viSishTAdvaita sidhdAntam. That uniqueness is because of two aspects in which it is having balam – irrefutable might. They are

pramANa balam

sampradAya balam

First let us see the pramANa balam. The Sruthi (Veda-vEdAntam - apourushEyam), authentic smruties, ithihAsams, sAtvika-purANams, bhagavath Sastram, which is SrI pAncharAtra Agamam (tantram), vaikAnasa Agamam are the pramANam.

All these are in the form of upadESam – that is imparting knowledge about tatvam, hitam and purushArtams to us.

Therefore, to establish the purport of these pramANams and refute prejudices that were spread in the name of these pramANams, “tarkam” was employed and impartial analysis was done by brahma sutra. The entire purport of the VEda (with vEdAntam) is thus established by the mImAmsA SAstra, which has 20 chapters. The first 12 chapters are attributed to Sage Jaimini and it deals with the karma kANda. The next 4 chapters are attributed to Sage kASakrutsna and it is dEvatA kAnda. The last 4 chapters are attributed to Sage pArASarya – son of parASara rishi who is vEda vyAsa otherwise known as bAdarAyaNa rishi. Therefore, in the mImAmsa sUtra, we find three munis – munitrayam blessing us.

VEda vyAsa bhagavAn composed the brahma sUtras. BOdhAyaNa rishi composed the vrutti grantam – which is a very elaborate explanation of the brahma sUtras. Brahmanandhi composed the vAkya-granta on the same. Brahmanandhi is also called as “danka”. DramidAchArya composed bhAshyam on the sUtras. Therefore these AachAryas of our sampradAyam protected and established the same by sUtram, vrutti, vAkyam and bhAshyam.

The SrI VaishNava generation of DramidAchArya is still continuing in this period also. DramidAchArya is also known as “naidrava mAdabhUshi AzwAn”. “naidrava mAdabhUshis” are still present in this period in SrI VaishNava kulam.

In SrI bhAshyam, Bhagavath rAmAnuja declares in the very beginning that “Danka and dramidAchAryas condensed the elaborate vrutti of bhagavath bOdhayana on brahma sutras. I follow their matham and thus present the commentary on the sUtras”. Bhagavath rAmAnuja did what he declared and completed the SrI bhAshyam in the irrefutable and divine manner. From this, we clearly get to know that the matham of Sages like VEda vyAsa is only ViSishTAdvaitam. This is the pramANa balam of our darSanam.

Let us see next the sampradAya balam of rAmAnuja darSanam. The ten AzwArs have established the same darSanam by their bhagavath-anubhava-parIvAha divya prabandams. This is the sampradAya balam.

At this juncture, we need to clearly understand the important aspect regarding the sampradAya balam mentioned above. The divya prabandams are also in the form of upadESam and this aspect is same as it is in the Sruthi, smrutis. Therefore, we can ascertain its purport only with full adherence to the SArIraka SAstram – brahma sUtras and the commentaries on the same by AachAryas like Bhagavath rAmAnuja of our darSanam. That is, while ascertaining the tAtparyam (purport) of the divya prabandams of AzwArs, we need to have the prastAna trayam (VEdAnta-gItA-brahma sUtra) as the base. Otherwise, we cannot ascertain the sampradAyam. This is clear from the commentary on the divya prabandam (tiru-vAi-mozhi) by tiruk-kurukai-pirAn-piLLan named “tiru-ARAyirap-padi”. tiruk-kurukai-pirAn-piLLan is an important Sishya of bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja swAmi. A knowledgeable person who is capable of appreciating adhikaraNa sArAvaLi can appreciate dramidOpanishad-tAtparya ratnAvai & sAram.

A SrI VaishNava must do granta-kAlakshEpam (spend time at the sannadhi of a bona fide SrI VaishNava vidwAn for learning our philosophy and practice as per tradition and SAstra prescriptions) and thus study the granta-chatushTayam – four important grantams of our pUrvAchAryas taken collectively.

SrI bhAshyam (bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja)

gItA bhAshyam (bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja)

bhagavath vishyam (tiruk-kurukai-pirAn-piLLan)

SrImath rahasya traya sAram (swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika)

The pUrvAchArya-granta kAlakshEpam is different from the kathA-kAlakshEpams and upanyAsams.

Even those who are not qualified for the first 2 grantams can study in kAlakshEpam the 3rd and 4th grantam and get to know the darSanam clearly. But only those who have studied the SrI bhAsyam (SArIraka SAstra bhAshyam in kAlaskhEpam) are eligible for doing darSana stApanam – establishing the darSanam. Those who study just bhagavath vishayam and rahsya grantams are eligible to do upadESam but they are not eligible for doing darSana stApanam because they do not have SArIrka SAstra artha nirNayam.

Therefore if those who do not have SArIrka SAstra artha nirNayam start writing grantams and preach VEdanta and gIta merely on their personal ideas and usage of tarkam, then the growth of the rAmAnuja darSanam will not flourish.

One must not study these pUrvAchArya grantams independently (specifically the granta chatushTayam mentioned above) without doing kAlaskEpam at the sannadhi of AachArya.

Thus, the established VEdAnta sidhdAntam of Sages like VEda vyAsa (through SArIraka SAstra etc) and the established sampradAyam of divine AzwArs like poigai-muni, bhUtattAr, pEyAzwAr (through divya prabandams) was reestablished by pUrvAcharyas like SrIman nAthamuni, SrIman yAmuna muni and SrImath rAmAnuja muni through their grantams, upadESams, refutation of matAntarams and their anushTAnams. Thus the SrI VaishNava sidhdAntam got the specific name “ubhaya vEdAnta sidhdAntam”.

SwAmi dESika in his masterpiece grantam SrI “tatva muktA kalApam” clearly states the above mentioned important aspect as follows:

nAthOpagnyam pravrutam bahubhi: upachitam yAmunEya-prabandhai:
trAtam samyagyatIndrayi: idam akhila-tama: karSanam darSanam na:

(read na: as naha)

Therefore, in the AachArya paramparA (after SrImath SaThakOpa), we find muni-trayam – three munis doing anugraham to us.

When we read SrI periyavAchchAn piLLai’s commentary on the divya prabandam “mudal tiruvandAdi”, we find an interesting parallel.

“im-mUvarkkum artham onRe. mUnRu rishigal kUdi oru vyAkaraNattiRku karthAkkaLAnAR pole, kartru bhEdam uNDEyagilum artha SarIram onRu. tri-muni vyAkaraNam ennumAppOlE”

Even in the start of SrImath rahasya traya sAram, we find swAmi dESika to pay rich tribute to SrIman nAtha muni, SrIman yAmuna muni and SrImath rAmAnuja muni in three verses namely:

AaraNa nUl vazhi – SrImath rAmAnuja muni
nILa-vanda – SrImath yAmuna muni
kALam-valampuri – SrIman nAtha muni
AaraNa nUlvazhic cevvai azhittidum idukkarkkOr
vAraNa mayavar vAdak kadaligaL mAittapirAn
EraNi kIrthi irAmA nujamuni innuraisEr
SIraNi chindai inOmchin diyOminit tIvinaiyE
nILavan dinRu vidivagai yAlninai vondRiyanAm
mILavan dinnum vinaiyudam bondRi vizhunduzhalA
dALavan dArena vendRaruL tandu viLangiyaSIr
ALavan dAradi yOmpadi yOmini alvazhakkE
kALam valamburi yannanaR kAda ladiyavarkkut
tALam vazangit tamizhmaRai innisai tandavaLLaL
mULum tavaneRi mUTTiya nAtha munikazhaLE
nALum thozhudezhu vOmnamak kArnigar nAnilattE

Towards the end of SrImath rahasya traya sAram, swAmi dESika pays rich tribute to the first three AzwArs – mudal AzwArs – poigai muni, bhUtattAr, pEyyAzwAr through the verse “pATTukkuriya”.

pATTukk kuriya pazhayavar mUvaraip paNdorukAl
mATTuk kaRuLtaru mAyan malindu varundudalAl
nATTuk kiruLsega nAnmaRai andi nadaiviLanga
vITTuk kidakazhik kEeveLik kATTumam meiviLakkE

Therefore in our sampradAyam as propounded by divya prabandams, we find muni-trayam – three munis doing anugraham.

I have been quoting certain verses from the divine works of swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika. But who is this AachAra to ascertain rAmAnuja darSanam? Only the Lord SrIman nArAyaNan had title “VEdAntAchArya". SwAmi dESika was made as the sovereign as the darSana-stApaka (establisher of the VEdAnta darSanam – rAmAnuja darSanam – the darSanam established by Sages like VEda vyAsa and AzwArs) by non other than SrImath ranga-nAtha and he conferred the title “VEdAntAchArya – VEdAnta dESika” to swAmi SrImath tUppul kula maNi VenkaTanAtha – swAmi dESika.

SwAmi dESika himself has stated this in several places in his SrI sUktis. In SrI muni-vAhana bhOgam, swAmi says: “vEN periya viri-tirai-nIr vaiyattuLLE VEdAntavAriyan endRiyampa nindRom”.

Also refer yatirAja saptati and such SrI sUktis.
ViSivag-vyApinyagAdhE yati-nrupati-yaSa:-sampadEkArNavE(a)smin
SradhdA-SudhdaavagAgai: Subhamathivhirasow vENkaTESO-abhishiktta:
PragnyAdowrjanyagarjat-pratikathaka-vachastUlavAtUla-vrutthyA
saptatyA sAravatyA samatanuta satAm prItimEtAm samEtAm

swAmi dESika said – “The divine profound rich glory of bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja spreads everywhere and it is a like a ocean. Great bhAgavatAs who are outstanding vidwAns plunged into that ocean with pure dedication and purely bathed in it. Such great bhAgavatAs who have divine purity and absolute knowledge, did paTTAbhishEkam to me (SrI vEnkaTESa) – made me as the sovereign as the parama vaidika darSana stApaka.. .”
AaSA-mathangaja-gaNAn-avishahya-vEgAn
PAdE yati-kshiti-bhrutha: prasabham nirundhan
KArya: kathA-Ahava-kuthUhalibhi: parEshAm
KarNE sa Ehsa kavi-tArkika-simha-nAda
swAmi dESika said – “the maTAntara tArkikAs (scholars of other mathams who do terrific debates to establish their side) are like mighty elephants, which run with uncontrollable speed with desire to conquer others. They run towards bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja who is like a great mountain. I (swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika) am not an ordinary simham-lion but kavi-tArkika-simham – the lion among great kavis and tArkikAs. My garjana (roar – VEdAnta ghOsham and irrefutable tarkam) will stop those mighty elephants awestruck at the foot of the mountain itself!”
This can be clearly (and without any doubt) understood from the saptati ratna mAlikA composed by prati-vAdi bhayankaram SrImath aNNan (who learned at the divine feet of SrI kumAra varadAchArya – son of swAmi dESika), where prati-vAdi bhayankaram SrImath aNNan has stated “iha ranga-pati prasAda labdha-ubhaya-vEdAnta dhurandharandharatva kIrthi:”. This clearly states that the “ubhaya vEdAntAchArya” divine title was exclusively conferred by SrI ranga nAtha on swAmi dESika. Also he has made it explicit that swAmi dESika is the sath-sampradAyArtha-darSI – he who made the real sampradAyam (as per divya prabadams) to be established and spread.

At this stage, one must clearly understand the titles of swAmi dESika. They are not comparable with anything. Similarly swAmi dESika is not comparable to anyone because his greatness surpasses everything.

Periya-perumAL SrI ranga nAtha conferred the title “VEdAntAchArya:”
Periya-pirATTi SrI ranga nAyaki conferred the title “sarva tantra swatantra:”
Great scholars of SrI rangam conferred the title “kavi-tArkika simham” & “samasya sahasri”
The fourth title “samasya sahasri” is not known to many now-a-days. We find swAmi himself to refer his title “samasya sahasri” at the end of SrImath rahsya rakshA grantam. The greatness of swAmi dESika is even acknowledge by matAntara scholars like SrI appayya dIkshitar (For proof, please refer the commentary of SrI appayya dIkshitar on swAmi dESika’s SrImath yAdavAbyudayam). There, even the scholar SrI appayya dIkshitar has acknowledged the greatness of the above-mentioned titles. Further, he too has called swAmi dESika as “vEdAnta-rahasyArthOpadEshTu:” explicitly stating the fact that as far as all the sadasya and rahasya arthams are concerned, what ever swAmi dESika has established is the final and the way of swAmi dESika is the way for establishing all VEdAnta rahasyArthams. Needless to say that the same is the tiru-vuLLam of SrI ranga nAtha who conferred the title VEdAntAchArya to swAmi dESika.

At this point, a true follower of bhagavath rAmAnuja should note that a rahasyArtham is fit to be called as rahasyArtham only if it is within the domain of VEdAnta sutras – SArIrka SAStra. He who proved this irrefutably was SrImath VEdAntAchArya.
Let me make a fact explicit here. The upadESa rUpa VEdAntam’s purport was established by VEda vyAsa through his brahma sUtras. Bhagavath SrI bhAshya kAra (rAmAnuja yatirAja) protected it and reestablished through his SrI bhAshyam. The rahasyArthams that came up to him through secret upadESa paramparai was reestablished by swAmi dESika through his grantams like nikshEpa rakshA, rahasya rakshA, SrImath rahasya traya sAram. Not only that, swAmi dESika also reestablished the entire sadasya vishyams in his grantams like adhikarANA sArAvaLi, tatva muktA kalApam, saTa-dhUshaNi.
None other than swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika authors the prakarNa grantam of ViSishTAdvaitam itself. It is not possible to comprehend our sidhdAntam without referring to nyAya sidhdAnjanam. PrakaraNa grantam is the grantam, which comprehensively covers a sidhAntam’s tatva-hita-purshArthams with pramANam and pramANAnuguNa tarkam. Is there anyone other than tUppul kula maNi SrImath VENkaTanAtha called in this world is called as “VEdAntAchArya”?
The above aspects about his titles and the greatness of those who conferred them to our swAmi dESika are distinct and they are matchless.
In our rAmAnuja darSanam, there is no SrI bhAshya paramparA without swAmi dESika. This shows that as far as the VEdAnta prastAnam is concerned, in our sampradAyam, everyone belongs to swAmi dESika sampradAyam. SrI kumAra dESika also ascertained this fact in his SrI piLLai antAti “uyyum vakaiillai” pAsuram.
In SrImath rahasya traya sAram, 5th ahdikAram – tatva-traya-chintanAdhikAram, swAmi dESika has categorically stated as follows:
“tarka-pANDithyattAlE ninaitatu ellAm sadhikalAyirukkach ceidEyiRE nAm pramANa SaraNarAipf pOrukiRatu” – please note that this has been stated by kavi-tArkika-simham.
SwAmi dESika says – “Anything as contemplated can be established by mere strength of tarkam. Therefore, WE accept only pramANam - in ascertaining tatva-hita-purushArtams”. This clearly shows that only our sampradAyam is based on pramANam (prastAna trayam) perfectly.
Such is the unique greatness of the SrI sampradAyam and the credit of preserving this in its pristine form as propounded in prastAna trayam goes solely to the muni-trayams that I mentioned above and as confirmed by none other than our SrImath AachArya sArwa-bhowma swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika.
The VEdAntam is regarded as the “Siras” head of the Veda. The divine feet of para-brahman purushOttama: SrIman nArAyaNan, which is eternally decked with tulasi is on the head of the VEda which is VEdAntam. Therefore the divine fragrance of tulasi is absolutely present in our ViSishTAdvaita because this is the only sidhdAntam, which is absolutely based on the VEdAntam.
swAmi nammAzwAr SrImath SaThakOpa has called himself as “nATkamazh magizh mAlai mArbinan” in his divya prabandam “tiru-vAi-mozhi”. That is, swAmi nammAzwAr SrImath SaThakOpa’s chest was always decked with a garland of vakula (magizham-pU) flowers. As our sampradAyam has got balam established through divya prabandams also, the same SrI sampradAyam has the divine fragrance of vakula flowers which is in the garland of swAmi nammAzwAr SrImath SaThakOpa. SwAmi dESika & swAmi yAmunAcharya recognizes this aspect as “vakuLAmOda vAsitam (yatirAja saptati)” and “kulapatE: vakuLAbhirAmam (stOtra ratnam)” respectively.
SwAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika is also known as “yatIndra mAhAnasika sampradAya sudhA prada: (swAmi dESika divya sahasranAmam by swAmi SrImath tiruk-kuTandai dESika SrImath GOpAlArya mahA dESika swAmy)” – meaning – “He who blessed us all by giving the divine nectar of yatIndra mAhAnasika (cook of swAmi bhagavath rAmAnuja yatIndra) who is SrImath praNathArthiharAchArya otherwise popularly known as tiru-madai-paLLi-AacchAn – kidAmpi AacchAn”. This greatness is not attributable to anyone else. Also, this greatness is not attributable to any other sampradAyam. It is thus divinely unique. Therefore, the SrI sampradAyam is also highly regarded as having the divine fragrance of the SrImath yatIndra-madaipaLLi – the divine kitchen of swAmi bhagavath rAmAnuja yatIndra. SwAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika himself has majestically stated this greatness in number of places in his divine works.
aDarpuL Laracinum andaNar mATTinum innamudak
kDarpaLLi tanninum kAviri yuLLam ugandapirAn
iDaipiLLai yAgi yuraitta turaikkum yativaranAr
maDaipaLLi vandal maNamengaL varttaiyuL manniyadE
(Parama pada sOpAnam)

"MAnyam yatISwara mahAnasa sampradAyam" (SrI SaraNAgati deepikA)
The above unique aspect is also mentioned at the near completion of SrImath rahasya traya sAram by SwAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika.
“udayana” is the name of an important person who expounded the nyAya sAstra. SwAmi bhagavath rAmAnuja named SrImath kidAmpi AachAn as “VEdAnta-udayana” because SrImath kidAmpi AachAn became the important AachArya who expounded the VEdAnta sampradAyam. As the madai-paLLi kainkarya-para, SrImath kidAmpi AachAn performed intimate service to the lotus feet of SrImath bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja swAmi. Therefore, only he got to know the absolute sidhdAntam and anushTAnams of SrImath bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja swAmi always being with him inseparably. SrImath kidAmpi appuLLAr (SrImath vAdi hamsAmbu-vAhAchArya) was the son of the grand-son of SrImath kidAmpi AachAn. SrImath kidAmpi appuLLAr was the AachArya for swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika. Therefore, the absolute sidhdAntam and anushTAnams of SrImath bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja swAmi came to swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika in its pristine form through the vamsam (lineage) of SrImath kidAmpi AachAn. This greatness cannot be found in other sampradAyams. swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika, who is VishNu-gaNTAvatAram and having SrImath lakshmI hayagreeva sAkshAtkAram, thus getting the SrI sampradAya upadESam in its pristine form, practiced it and preached it through his divine grantams.
The divine SrI SampradAyam was again preserved, practiced and preached with another munitrayam – three AachAryas who where munis and disciples of swAmi SrImath tiruk-kudantai dESikan. swAmi SrImath tiruk-kudantai dESikan is an incarnation of swAmi SrIman nigamAnta dESika himself. He is very important among those AachAryas who propounded the munitraya sampradAyam. He is the disciple of SrImath sAkshAth swAmi otherwise known as SrImath vEdAnta rAmAnuja mahA dESika swAmi who authored the 24,000 Padi (elaborate commentary on tiru-ARAyirappadi), Poorva Saara Swaadhini, Nyaasa Vidyaa Darpanam, Sri Tattva Siddhaanjanam etc. SrImath sAkshAth swAmi is regarded as incarnation of bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja himself. swAmi SrImath tiruk-kudantai dESikan is regarded as the AachArya having the greatness of swAmi nammAzwAr SrImath SaThakOpar, swAmi SrI bhAshyakAra (Bhagavath rAmAnuja yatirAja) and swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika. The sAdyOpAyam prapatti was wonderfully propounded by swAmi tiruk-kutandai dESikan. He spent his entire life in the study of the SrI sUktis of swAmi SrIman nigamAnta mahA dESika. This is comparable to swAmi dESika who spent his life by the study of SrI bhAshyakAra’s SrI sUktis. swAmi SrImath tiruk-kudantai dESikan has written numerous grantams (SrI sUktis) has clearly established the SrI sampradAyam. uttara sAraswAdhini, swAmi dESika sahasra nAmam are to name a few among the SrI sUktis of SrImath tiruk-kutandai dESika swAmi.
SrImath SrInivasa MahA deSikan (as the amSam of Sri nAthamuni) Seyyanam, SrImath Sri Ranganatha MahA deSikan (as the amSam of Sri AalavandAr) Vathirayiruppu village near TirumAlirum Solai and SrImath VEdAnta rAmAnuja mahA deSikan (as the amSam of SrI BhAshyakAra) Vazhuthur became the disciples of SrImath tiruk-kutandai dESika swAmi by the divine order of Lord SrIman nArAyaNa. These three munis – munitrayam then guarded the SrI sampradAyam in its pristine form at the command of SrImath tiruk-kutandai dESika swAmi and thus the ancient munitraya sampradAyam flourished in the world.

The sadAchArya purushAs of our SrI sampardAyam have blessed us immensely. SwAmi dESika himself has no words to describe the same.
EtRRi manattezhi gnyAna viLakkai iruLanaittum
MAtRRina varkkoru kaimmARu mAyanum kANakillAn
POtRRi yugappadum pundiyiR koLvadum pongupughazh
SAtRRi vaLarpadum satRRallavO munnam petRRadaRkE
kazhiyAda karuvinaiyiR padinda nammaik
kAlamidu vendRoru kAR kAval cheidu
pazhiyAda nalvinaiyiR padindAr tALil
paNivittup pAsangaLadaiya nIkkic
kazhiyAda chevvazhiyil tuNaivarODE
tolaiyAda pErinpan tara mElEtRRi
azhiyAda aruLAzhip perumAn cheiyum
antamilA udaviyelAm aLappAr ArE

Let us also recite the above pAsurams of swAmi dESika and the divine taniyans of our SrI sampradAya sadAachAryas and be blessed with the all purushArthams.

SrImathE gOpAla dESika mahA dESikAya nama:
SrImathE gOpAlArya mahA dESikAya nama:
SrImathE vEdAnta rAmAnuja mahA dESikAya nama:
SrImathE nigamAnta mahA dESikAya nama:
SrImathE SrI bhAshyakArAya nama:
SrImathE yAmuna munayE nama:
SrIman nathamunayE nama:
SrImathE SaThakOpAya nama:
SrImathE lakshmI hayagreeva parabrahmaNE nama:

Subham