Rahasyatrayasara
By Swami Harshananda
Rahasyatrayasāra literally means ‘essence of the three supreme mysteries’.
In the propagation of the principles of Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta, Vedānta Deśika[1] also known as Veṅkaṭanātha or Nigamānta Deśika is next only to Rāmānuja.[2] Among his many works, the Rahasyatrayasāra is the masterpiece. It expounds in the great and effective detail about the essence[3] of the three[4] supreme mysteries[5] which every spiritual aspirant of the sect of Rāmānuja[6] should know and practice.
Method of Writing Rahasyatrayasāra[edit]
Written in chaste prose in the maṇipravāla style,[7] the work is divided into four vibhāgas or sections, each section being divided into adhikāras or short chapters. The total number of such adhikāras is 32. A very brief account of these vibhāgas is as follows:
Sections of Rahasyatrayasāra[edit]
It is divided into four sections delineated as follows:
[edit]
It is of 20 adhikāras. It contains the following topics:
- Introduction
- The three secrets or mysteries as the essence of spiritual practice
- Arthapañcaka or the five essentials to be known
- The three fundamental principles known as Tattvatraya
- Qualifications of a true aspirant
- Prapatti or total surrender to God
- Feeling of fulfillment
- Need to perform the rites prescribed by the scriptures
- Obviating the evil effects of transgressions
- Liberation
[edit]
It has 4 adhikāras explaining the following topics:
- God as the primary means of liberation
- Bhakti[8] and prapatti[9] as the secondary means
- The need to keep up the social disciplines as reflected in the varṇa and āśrama systems
- Faithful description of the powers and limitations of prapatti
Padavākyayojanāvibhāga[edit]
It has 3 adhikāras including the following topics:
- Detailed exposition of the mula- mantra[10] comprising the praṇava or Om
- Actual name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, and the word namah[11]
- Expounding of the dvayamantra consisting of two parts, which is the primary aspect of the practice of the prapanna[12]
- Detailed elucidation of the carama-śloka[13]
- Containing the final message of the Lord
Sampradāyaprakriyāvibhāga[edit]
It has 3 adhikāras delineating the following:
- The ways and means of an ācārya or a teacher instructing his disciple in the tattvatraya[14] after examining him thoroughly as regards his competence
- The characteristics of those who are unfit to be accepted as disciples
- Preservation and transference of the spiritual wisdom in such a way that the ancient traditions are passed on to the future generations
By any standard, this book is a masterly exposition of the philosophy and sādhanas[15] of the Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta.
References[edit]
- ↑ He lived in A. D. 1268-1369.
- ↑ He lived in A.D. 1017-1137.
- ↑ Essence of sāra.
- ↑ Three means traya.
- ↑ Mysteries means rahasya.
- ↑ He is more well-known as Srīvaiṣṇavism.
- ↑ This style is Sanskrit form of the Tamil language.
- ↑ Bhakti means devotion.
- ↑ Prapatti means total surrender to God.
- ↑ Mula mantra is the aṣṭākṣarī or the eight-lettered mantra.
- ↑ Namah means obeisance.
- ↑ Prapanna means the one who has surrendered himself at the feet of the Lord.
- ↑ Bhagavadgitā 18.66
- ↑ Tattvatraya means three basic truths.
- ↑ Sādhanas means spiritual disciplines.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore