०१ परवाकोट्टै-आण्डवन्-मङ्गलाशासनम्
श्रीमत्पौण्डरीकपुरं श्रीमदाण्डवन् आश्रमः।
श्रीमते गोपाल-देशिकमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते श्रीनिवासमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते रङ्गनाथमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते श्रीनिवासमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते नारायणमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते श्रीनिवासमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते गोपालार्यमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते निगमान्तमहादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमते भगवते भाष्यकाराय-महादेशिकाय नमः।
श्रीमद्भदयः यामुन नाथ शठकोपमहादेशिकम्यो नमः।
श्रीमत्-परमहंस-परिव्राजकाचार्याणां श्री-परवाकोट्टै-आण्डवन्-श्री-श्री-गोपालदेशिक-महादेशिकानां-अनुग्रह-श्रीमुखम्।
Sri Benedictory Mangalasasanams to Dr. N. S. Anantharangachar and all the members of his family.
Dr. N. S. Anantharangachar has added one more feather to his cap by his latest work of a beautiful treatise in English on “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” of Sri Vedanta Desika. Among the 120 works of Sri Vedanta Desika, the greatest poct, logician and philosopher, the world has ever produced, “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” stands foremost which happens to be the quintessence of the Visishtadvaita philosophy and Srivaishnava sampradaya, in other words, tradition.
Among the “Grantha-chatuShTaya”, (four spiritual works) which are said to be “kAlakShepa granthas”, that is, which are to be compulsorily studied under the lotus feet of an Acharyal, who is a scholar and well steeped in our Sampradaya, “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” is the most important.+++(5)+++ The other works are “Sribhashyam”, commentary written by Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja on Brahmasutras, “Sri Gitabhashyam”, (a commentary on Sri Bhagavad Geetha by Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja) and “Sri Bhagavad-vishyam”, which is the commentary on the thousand verses of the saint Nammazhvar, called Thiruvaimozhi Ayiram.
Not much is lost by not doing Kalakshepam of the above three works under an Acharya but everything is lost if the Kalakshepa of Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara is not done under an Acharya.+++(5)+++
Kenopanishad says, “Avijnatam vijanatam vijnatam Avijanacam” about Lord Sriman Narayana, who is the Parabrahman. This means that if a person says he knows everything about Lord Sriman Narayana, that is His “Svarupa”, “Guna”, “Vibhuti”, it means, he does not know anything about Lord Sriman Narayana, on the other hand, if a person says he knows nothing about Lord Sriman Narayana, it means he knows everything abut Lord Sriman Narayana. This in other words means that greatness of Lord Sriman Narayana, is unlimited.
It is said that this Upanishadic statement is equally applicable to Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara, which means in other words its greatness is also not fathomable.
Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara is compared to the holy river Ganges which takes birth Lord Vishnu. It has three different streams, one in “Deva Loka” (heaven), the second in “Bhooloka”, that is this world and the third one in “Patala Loka”. A dip in the Ganges washes all our sins.
In the case of Srimad Rahasyatravasara, it takes its birth in, “Sri Nigamanta Mahadesika”, who is the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. This also has three streams, which are three Rahasyas, that is “Moola mantra” (8 syllables mantra of Sriman Narayana), “Dvaya mantra” which comprises of 25 syllables and “Charama Shloka mantra”, which has 32 syllables. So, “Srimad Rahasyattayasaca” is the elaboration of the inner meanings contained in the above three mantras which are called Rahasyas because the Acharya has to preach these in solitude and not in public. A dip in “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara”, that is knowing its contents from an Acharya purifies us. So, it is the primary duty of every Vadagalai Srivaishnava to know the contents of “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” and acquire good knowledge of our philosophy and Sampradaya and translate the teachings contained therein into practice.
Putting in a nutshell, “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” deals with the Doctrine of Prapatti (Saranagathi) which if done through an Acharya is the surest means of attaining “salvation” or eternal bliss in Sri Vaikunta Divyaloka.
The original text of this masterly work is in manipravala character and for a layman it is difficult to make out from the original text. In the present circumstances it is not possible for all persons to sit under the feet of an Acharya and study this work. Many having a keen interest in our sanpradaya have settled down in foreign countries and they find it difficult to understand this work in its original text. So a treatise on Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara in English language is essentially required to understand this valuable work
English has been an ideal and common medium of communication to all in the present world irrespective of their mother tongue. So this treatise in English of “Srimad Rahasyatrayasara” fulfils the desire of thousands of people belonging to Sri Swamy Desikan’s sampradaya and they will certainly get an insight in to the original text through this valuable treatise.
By going this work, it is found that this treatise is a faithful and at the same time an abridged version of original text. The readers of this treatise will certainly reap maximum benefits by getting a full knowledge of the original text.
Sri Vedanta Desika says that Lord Sriman Narayana will not confer Moksha on people who do not do Prapatti at His lotus fcet. This statement can be extended further and said that a knowledge of Srimad Rahasyatrayasara is essential to attain Moksha. It is in this context that this treatise becomes a precious possession by everybody to get fairly an in-depth knowledge of Srimad Rahasyatrayasara, whose greatness was elaborated in the preceding paragraphs.
About the author Dr. U.Ve. Vidwan N. S. Anantharangacharya : This author is occupying an important and central place in the galaxy of disciples of this Ashram. This author would not have attained such greatness but for the gracious blessings of Poundarikapuram Srimad Andavan His Holiness Srinivasa Mahadesikan who was known for his “jnana”, “Vairagya” and “Anushtana”. The author’s Kalakshepa Acharya Sri U. Ve. Sri Krishnathathcharya is also a prominent disciple of Sri Poundarikapuram Srimad Andavan His Holiness Srinivasa Mahadesikan, under whose lotus feet he studied all the scriptures of our philosophy and sampradaya. Though Dr. N.S. Anantharangacharya is an Octogenarian, he is young in spirits by the grace of Bhagavan, Bhagavatas and Acharyas.
He is to be congratulated on his marvellous achievements which nobody else can claim in recent years.
His continuous service to Srivaishnava sampradaya and community is something which cannot be described in words. His works in lucid style will ever be a beacon light to all who have a desire to know our philosophy and sampradaya.
This Ashramam is justifiably proud of him and our prayer to poorvacharyas and the Divine couple of Srirangam, to confer on him a long and healthy life so that he will continue his valuable service for several years to come.
Before commencing the reading of this treatise, the reader should recite the taniyan of his / her own Acharya.
Iti Narayana Smaranams
Sri Sri Gopala Desika-mahadesika yatayah
Andavan Poundarikapuram Swamy Ashramam
Srirangam