Vedanta desika, while explaining isavasya upanishad talks about how a person consuming one morsel more than what is needed for sustenance is a thief. Srivaishnavism is in this eco-centric philosophy, not just in the symbols.
- Excerpts from speech of Late Prof. Lakshmi Tattacharya (Melkote)
How does one perceive the self as a ‘dAsA’ or adiyEn of paramAtma..? It is by prapaati, which means total and unconditional surrender.
Prapaati could be like markata (baby monkey) holding onto its mother with its effort or mArjAla (cat) holding its kitten with no effort from kitten.
Vedanta Desika sees the exploits of rAmA in mahAvira vaibhavam as a series of prapattis(surrenders) of both types and extols them.
In bAla khAndam, vedanta desika describes surrender of devas to Vishnu, Kausika/rishis to the kid rAmA (markata) by their effort. He describes ahalya’s surrender(mArjAla), leaving it to rAmA to rescue, as she had become a stone.
He describes parasurama who does not make any effort to surrender (mArjAla), but is made to realize and makes the effort to surrender (markata).
Though mahAvira vaibhavam is known for its scintillating delivery of rAmA kathA, the crux of it is the simplification of various prapaatis for layman.
mahAvIra vaibhavam is called raghuvIra gadyam in commonplace nomenclature. Gadyam is a form of prosaic poetry.
- Excerpts from speech of Late Prof. Lakshmi Tattacharya (Melkote)
How does one perceive the self as a ‘dAsA’ or adiyEn of paramAtma..? It is by prapaati, which means total and unconditional surrender.
Prapaati could be like markata (baby monkey) holding onto its mother with its effort or mArjAla (cat) holding its kitten with no effort from kitten.
Vedanta Desika sees the exploits of rAmA in mahAvira vaibhavam as a series of prapattis(surrenders) of both types and extols them.
In bAla khAndam, vedanta desika describes surrender of devas to Vishnu, Kausika/rishis to the kid rAmA (markata) by their effort. He describes ahalya’s surrender(mArjAla), leaving it to rAmA to rescue, as she had become a stone.
He describes parasurama who does not make any effort to surrender (mArjAla), but is made to realize and makes the effort to surrender (markata).
Though mahAvira vaibhavam is known for its scintillating delivery of rAmA kathA, the crux of it is the simplification of various prapaatis for layman.
mahAvIra vaibhavam is called raghuvIra gadyam in commonplace nomenclature. Gadyam is a form of prosaic poetry.
