RAHASY ATRAYASARM — Dr. अ. गॆ. Srinivasachari INTRODUCTION Rahastrayasaram is an outstanding philosophical and religious treatise of Vedanta Desika- As the title suggests, it contains the quintesserce of the three P.ahasyas, the three important Vaishnava esoteric mantras known ३5 Mulamantra, Dvaya and Charamasloka. The main objective of the bok according to its title, is 10 show how all the essential teachings of the Vedas. Itihasas, Puranas, the Agamas are contained in the three mantras. Vedanta Desika with his encyclopaedic knowledge of all the sacred texts has ०0३11106 out this task superbly in this masterly work. The scope of the book 15 far wider than the exposition of the rich inner meaning of the mantras. It attempts to present the entire philosophy and religion of Visistadvaita Vedanta in a systematic and perfect wy. Vedanta is ensbrined in the Upanishads, the Vedanta Sutras and the Bhagavadgita. PRamanuja, as the chief exponent of the Visistadvaita Darsana, has expounded in detail the teachings of Vedanta in his two monumental commentaries, Sribhasya and Gitabhasya and the Vedarthasangraha. These works written in Sanskrit are not easily understandable by laymen who are not acquainted with the Shastras Nor are they accessible to persons of all castzs. In order to make the teachings of Vedanta available to al classes of Vaishnavas, Vedanta Desika has written Rahasyatrayasaram in an understandable popular manipravala language, which is a mixture of Tamil and Sanskrit. The main topics of Vedanta are tattva, or the natureof Reality, bita or ways and means of realizing it and Purusbartha or the ultimate spiritual goal. Thus, the first two adhyayas of Vedanta Sutras deal with Tattva, the third with Sadhana and the fourth with the Purushartha-: The main emphasis of the Upanishadic teaching is that knowledge of Brahman should culminate in the attainment of Brahman. According to the Vedanta, Tativas or real ontological entities are three, ‘These are Isvara or God, Jiva or the individual self and Prakrti or the 14 cosmic matter. The jivas which are eternal and infinite in number are also called as cit or cetapa in Vaishnava terminology, because it has consciousness. The cosmic matter is called acit or acetana, because it does not have consciousness, like the jiva. The former is spiritual in chara- cter, whereas the latter is material. Isvara is the controller (piyanta) and supporter adbara cf both. He is the supreme Lord of the entire universe of cit and acit. The means of attaining God is either Upasana, meditation on Brahman or Prapatti the absolute self-surrender to God: The 80३! to be achieved is the enjoyment of the bliss of Brahman Ly the individual self 17 ३ transcendental realm known ३5 Paramapada- । The Rahasyairayasaram is devoted to the exposition of these ३. teachings of Vedanta: The book is divided into three mein parts. he first part comprising twenty two chapters deals with the main topics of Vedanta. The important subjects covered are: the nature of the three tattvas-Isvara, cit and acit, the organic relationship between Isvara and the universe of cit and acit as soul and body, the supremacy of Narayana as para-tatva, the status of Goddess Sri as an integral part of Narayana, the cause of bondage and the obstacles confronted by individual souls to attain God, the nature and types of means (Upaya) for liberation, the nature of prapatti and the pre-requisites for its observance, the duties of a prapanna and the nature of moksa- । It 1s not possible in a brief introduction to give a detailed account of each of these subject matter nor even‘ ३ summary of each chapter. However, we should take note ‘of two important doctrines of Vaishnavism which have been very well established in this book. The first one is that Sriman-Narayana is the Supreme Being (para taftvaj and that He as 855१0181006 with Goddess Sri is both the Upaya, means and Upeya, the goal to be attained. That Narayana is the Supreme Deity (para- devaia) implies that no other deity such as Brahma or Rudra can become the Supreme Being because the latter are caused by Narayana, whereas the fo:mer exists for ever eternally. That which has an origin can never be one an ulumate reality. The epithet ‘Srimat’ added to Narayana imth stiat Narayana as inscpaiacly associated with Goddess Sri is the ultimate Reality Just as the Lustre is not separated from the Sun, -in the same way, Narayana without Lakshmi is in conceivable. Lakshmi is"yp 15 associated with Narayana in all the functions of the Lord such as creation, protection of Universe, granting moksa to devotees, and in all the states of different avataras of ‘Vishnu’ The second important doctrine whieh has been exhaustively discussed in this book is that Prapatti is the direct means to moksa and as itis enjoined both by Sruti and Smrti texts, it is to be observed for the purpose of moksa. Prapatti means an ardent. prayer to God with the unshakable. faith that He is the sole protector, and requesting Him to take care of the burden of protecting the soul which actually belongs to Him. Both these doctrines constitute the distinguishing features ‘of Sri-Vaishnavism, Vedanta Desika ‘has made a unique contribution to our Sampradaya by re-establishing the truth of these theories in the pesent book by dispelling all possible doubts and criticisms on the subject. But for this kind service of Sri Desika we would have lost the tradi ion of the observance of Prapatti for moksa in the proper prescribed manner. । The second part of the book consisting of four chapters is devoted to the discussion of certain important 1:5005. relating to the nature of (a) Isvara, who is the Siddbopaya or the one who as an eternal existent is the primary means of liberation (b) the controversial points regarding the nature of Prapatti, which isthe Sadbyopaya or asthe Sadhana tobe accomplished by the aspirant for moksa for obtaining the grace of the all-compassionate God and (c) theories which either exaggerate or underestimate : 110 values of Prapatti as a direct means 10 १7०188३. The third part of the book comprising three chapters is primarily intended to bring out comprehensively all the hidden meanings. of ‘the three mantras. This is the most important section of the book since the knowledge of the esoteric mantras is very essential for a Vaishnavite to become an aspirant for moksa and adopt the easy path of prapatti for moksa through the guidance of a qualified preceptor. Because of the sacredness and secrecy attached: to ‘the mantras, the knowledge of. the mantras is required to be obtained from a guru. The mantras are held in such high esteem by the Vaishnava Acharyas because they contain, as 10 Vedanta 1208118 has well expounded in this work, all that 16 taught in Ue sacred texts. Briefly, the Mula-mantra conveys the knowledge 017-416 Supreme Being, Sriman-Narayana, His glory, His Lordship over the universe, His immanence in all that exists in the universe, the utter deper dance of the 117३ on the Paramatman and the need of seeking His erace for moksa. The Dvavyam- which is eonsidered the gem of all mantras, brings out fully all the implications of Saranagati and 10 particular, the basic twuth of Srivaishravism that Lord Narayana ३5 associated with Goddess Sri is both the Upaya, means and Upeya, goal moksa. The charama-sloka, which is found in the coneluding portion of Bhagavadgita and which constitutes the final teaching (hence it 1s called (cbarama) of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, enjoins the observance of Prapatti as the only Upaya for moksa. when. an individual finds himself utterly incapable of adopting other means such as Bhakti-Yoga for moksa- The book is eoncluded with three minor chapters relating to the duties of a preceptor, the obligations of a disciple and a summary of the entire book. Thus, Rahasyatrayasaram is a masterly treatise in which all the important doctrines of Vaishnavism have been dealt with in a systematic way drawing extensively material from the smritis, Itihasas, Puranas, Pancharatra hymns of the Alwars and the works of ancient Acharyas. 10 terms of the extensiveness of the material, depth of knowledge, clarity of thought and method of presentation, there is no other relizijous treatise in the 0016 of Vaishnavism to match it. No wonder that sucha work has been prescribed by our Vaishnava Acharyas as a Kalaksbepa Grantha, that is, asa religious text to 86806106 with devotion under the guidance of a quaiified preceptor. It 18 a book which must be read - by every Vaishnava. ( Sri 5. M. Krishnamacharya has done a great service to the ‘Kannada knowing Vaishnava community by bringing out this precious book with crisp and authentic commentary thereon. He has also: squarely dealt with’ here & there, the arguments raised’by other schools 07 thought, with fitting replies and richly deserves our thanks. ।