2nd follow-up on "PPS"

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

One other question on the 'PPS' posts variously raised by some

'bhAgavatOttamA-s' was as follows:

 

**In spite of reaching the 'prasadana-parva' and embracing the 'padukA-s'

in a spirit of true "prappati", Bharatha nevertheless had to return to the

Ayodhya- palace and to all the things of the world which hitherto elicited

nothing but his utter revulsion and contempt ("virakthi").

 

**So how does Bharatha reconcile in his mind to the fact that even after

'prappati', he still has to willy-nilly "transact daily business" with a

world he basically loathes ?

 

**How does the act of "prappati" magically and instantly change the

fundamental nature of all those feelings of deep revulsion an aspirant

previously harboured for the material world ?

 

**Is it really possible to transform the nature of such intense feelings

of "virakthi" overnight into one of "philosophical resignation" as Bharatha

seemed to have done on his return to Ayodhya from Chitrakoota ?

 

Another related question, dear 'bhAgavatOttamA-s', was as follows:

 

**It was observed (in one of my posts) : "Bharatha amply demonstrated his

revulsion for the power and pelf that goes with the office of the King of

Ayodhya; he spurned the job with all its attendent perquisites of opulence

and ostentation; he was willing to denounce his mother, father and even his

guru; he did not have a moment's thought for his own spouse; the majesty of

the Court of the Ishvaku Empire meant nothing to him; palace treasury, royal

guards, hunting trips, banquets and balls, carriages, splendid horses, court

jesters and poets, retinues of loyal courtiers ...(meant nothing to him).."

 

Now after returning to Ayodhya and performing the

"paduka-pattAbhishEkam", Bharatha is perforce enjoined by the position he

holds as Proxy Head-of-State to enjoy the perquisites and power accompanying

the same office. Palace-protocol too would have forced him on certain

ceremonious occasions to indulge in the very same pomp and luxuries of

Royalty he rejected before his visit to Lord Rama at Chitrakoota !!

 

Now how does one reconcile all this ?

 

Indeed, shouldn't we ask, how one can explain the anamalous situation after

"prappati" when, after rejecting all sources of the "material enjoyment" of

the world, the "prappana" is once more forced into accepting the same set of

"material" circumstances that prevailed in his life prior to performing

"prappatti"?

 

*****************************************

 

The above are all very, very pertinent and searching questions that arise

from a serious study of Swami Desikan's "paramapada-sOpAnam", dear

'bhAgavatOttamA-s'. It is good we discuss these things threadbare if we are

to gather some insight into their concept.

 

The answers to the above questions are not directly, I believe, given by

Swami Desikan himself in the "PPS". If they are, then, they are couched in

the language of high philosophy which perhaps will require a proper

"AchArya" (personal mentor) to explain adequately to us.

 

But even without such "AchAryA-upadEsam", we can always do the next best thing.

 

We can glean some tentative answers by referring to other great SriVaishnava

'AchAryA-s' of the past who have addressed those very questions raised above.

 

The great Sri.Parashara Bhattar has given us some semblance of answers to

the sort of questions raised above.

 

Bhattar, as we all know, was an 'AchArya' who had exceptional ability to

offer answers to knotty questions through very simple day-to-day analogies

that anybody could understand.

 

I shall share some of Sri.Parashara Bhattar's explanations on "virakthi" and

the "post-prappathi" period in the next post.

 

sudarshan