bhagavat kainkarya

[Guest guest]

Dear Professor Grimes: Your assumptions are correct.

The terms Bhagavat Kainkaryam, Bhagavat Seva,

Bhagavat Dasyam have the same meaning.

Kainkaryam is recognized from the times of

founding Acharyas as a fundamental tenet

of Sri Vaishnavism.It has been described by them

as the ultimate destiny of the Prapanna.

Following this tradition, Ramanuja in his Gadyas

and Alavandaar before him in his Stotra Ratna

begged for the blessings of nitya kainkaryam

(eternal service) at the sacred feet of the Lord.

Sri Ramanuja has stated in his Vedartha Sangraha

the service done to celebrate the all perfect Bhagavaan

as the Seshi is the fulfilment of the jeevan's nature

as Sesha. The Acharyas that followed Ramanuja have used

Mimamsa doctrines to establish that one , who does not

offer Kainkaryam fails to have seshatva.

 

For those, who follow Bhakti Yoga, service to

the Lord through Aaraadhana (worship ), sankeertanam

(singing the glories of the Lord) , Ekadasi Upavasa

(Fasting), are part of their Upaaya to gain the blessings of

Moksham . Perfect service to the Lord is to be acheived

only after reaching Sri Vaikuntam and becoming part of

the Nitya Suris (eternally liberated ) and other Muktaas.

Perfect service in Sri Vaikuntam can have its origin in

the Bhagavat Kainkaryam during one's residence on the

Lord"s earth.Both vadakalai and Tenkalai Acahryas recognize

the superiority of Parapatti over Bhakti Yoga.

 

Acharyaas have recognized a difference between the service

rendered by a Prapanna and a Bhakthi Yogin ( one following the

Bhakti route ). Prapanna's service is focussed on deeds

that please the Lord. After Prapatti, nothing else is needed

to secure Moksham . Therefore , the services of Prapanna

in his Post-Prapatti period is part of the UPEYA or goal of

salvation as opposed to UPAYA or the means of salvation.

The Dvaya Mantram has been intrepreted in this context.

The first half of the Mantram offers surrender at the

holy feet of the Lord and the second half prays for

Kainkaryam to the Lord and His consort as the UPEYA.

 

There are differences between the Vadakalai and Tenkalai

Acharyas over "What form the Prapanna's life of Kainkaryam

is to take ,what is to guide it, and what consequences follow

from any offenses(Apachaaraas) or Omissions ."

 

Srivachana Bhoshanam of Pillai Lokachaarya(PL) and the

commentaries of ManavaaLa MAmuni(MM)deal at great length

with the concept of service for Prapanna.According to PL

and MM , it is not proper for the Prapanna , who has

realized his dependence and subservience to the Lord to

accumulate merits of virtues on his own. This group of Acharyas

consider the Sastric Karmas are inferior and they could be

dropped in favor of service to Archa Form of the Lord.

Swami Deskan differs from this view and stipulates that the

Daily (Nitya) and Occasional (Naimittika ) rites enjoined

in the sastras are important and obligatory.

They can not be omitted except in extreme situations.

His elaborate and authoritative views on the Kainkaryam

of Prapanna are elaborated in his Magnum opus,

Rahasya Traya Saaram and other Rahasya Granthas.

I refer the excellent book of Professor Patricia Mumme

for those, who want to have additional Information on the

differing views of the two groups. I have

sumamrized the above thoughts mostly from her scholarly work

to have it all in one place.

 

Sadagopan

 

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John Grimes, INTERNET:phijag

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DATE: 3/8/96 4:46 AM

 

RE: bhagavat kainkarya

 

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bhakti

bhagavat kainkarya

phijag (John Grimes)

phijag (John Grimes)

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Would someone elaborate for me the difference between bhagavat kainkarya

and seva (if there is a difference?). It is my understanding that both of

them entail "selfless service" and, in the context of Vaisnavism, that must

necessarily entail selfless service to Lord Vishnu.

 

John

 

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John Grimes, Dept of Philosophy, NUS