varadaraja panchasat

[Guest guest]

This is a followup on a particular aspect of Mani's post on

varadaraja panchasat:

 

I just want to make a comment on the concept of

"avyaaja vatsala" - which means "God is merciful without any reason"

 

Note that mercy of god is evoked at different levels.

 

1. avyaaja vaatsalya - (or sahaja kaarunya) God has this to all souls or all

his children without

any discrimination. God uses this aspect of his mercy to take every little

thing done by a soul to absolve and encourage good acts for spiritual

upliftment.

 

for example - even if a person chases a animal on a circuitous route and

if it happens that there was a temple in the middle of the circuit, god

thinks that this person circumambulated me ie. saluted me so I will have

to help him and reduce his paapa karmas. then probably he will give achance

of nearness to a spiritual guru or some other good opportunity.

 

this is known as yaadricchika sukruta visesha - or unintended punya done by

people. Even in this example people may feel that this is not an appropriate

example since there was a reason for evoking god's mercy. Probably

a better example is indicated in the idea that - God has natural mercy to

all of his citizens to constantly look after and yearn for the well being

of them just as a parent has a natural instinct to protect and wish for the

good of her children.

 

2. BUT FORT MOKSHA OR SALVATION WHY CANT this AVYAJA VATSALA WORK and GOD

COULD give MOKSHA without the aspirant do anything for it?

 

For this Vedanta Desika in his Rahasya traya sara answers:

 

a). Then it will result in everyone getting moksha instantaneously - which

is against our experience since we see most of us stuck here for good!

 

b). Many proofs from smrithis indicate - sarvajnopi hi deveshaha

rakshaa pekshaam apekshate - Even though God is all Knowing and he

knows that we need salvation - He expects an aspirant to express an earnest

request for Moksha - through a method - Bhakti or Prapatti

 

c.). this is the basis of Free will. God does not want anyone to regret after

getting a sanction for moksha, if anyone feels " O God why did you

give moksha to me. I was so happy down there..... sipping coffee and watching

the trial of O.J Simpson's murder case!!!!. You should'nt have done that to

me...". God wants to be sure that the aspirant wants moksha and he is

willing to forego the fun??? in this world. For this one has to excercise

one's free will to conciously work for salvation.

 

For attaining Moksha one has to evoke God's "vishesha Kaarunya" or special

mercy which is different from "avyaaja vaatsalya or avyaaja kaarunya"

 

This is the line of thought using which Vedanta Desika objects to

"Tengalai school of Moksha Upaaya" or method for attaining moksha.

 

Some Tengalai pundits object to this and state:

 

God is sarvajna . all knower, he knows my problems. does a baby have to

beg its mother for milk. similarly God will do what is good for his children

without being asked. We are like a material possessions to God. ie if you own a

pen don't you take care of it without being requested by the pen??

 

 

For this Vedanta Desika..... In my own words..... answers:

 

If you want Masaala Dosa wont you drive up or walk up to the restaurant, order

it and pay for it. You do exercise your "kartrtva" or Agency. Why dont you

excercise this agency for Moksha.. And this act of "Surrender" or

Prapatti for moksha is not as difficult as Bhakti Yoga and you can sure do it..

 

 

Just thought that it is nice to share this piece of info.....

 

Krishna