CONCLUSION- "prapadyE-6"

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srimathE lakshmi-nrsumha parabrahmaNE namaha

sri vedanta desika guravE namaha

 

Dear 'bhAgavatOttamA-s',

 

In the previous few posts of mine we have examined, in fair detail, how the

word "prapadyE", in the expert hands of the 'kavi-simham', Swami Desikan,

evokes (or should we say "conjures" !) different shades of meaning in

varying degrees of subtlety.

 

Then we also sketched the 5 principal "canons" of "prapatti"

(refuge-seeking) as laid down by Srivaishnava "siddhanta" (established and

self-evident philosophy).

>From all the foregoing analysis, if a matrix were to be constructed setting

out the essential message or themes embedded in the 5 verses of Swami

Desikan's hymns and in the 5 cardinal principles of "prapatti" as per

"siddhanta", it would look something like the following :

 

--------------------------'PRAPADYE !' M A T R I X-----------------------------

 

MESSAGE/THEME SWAMI DESIKAN'S HYMN "PRAPPATI" CANON

--

------------------------ opening verses of:

-

1) RESOLUTION DAYA SATAKAM "Anukulasya sankalpah"

-

2) TO AVOID/BE RID OF

WORLDLY

ENCUMBRANCES ASHTABHUJASHTAKAM "pratikulasya varjana"

-

3) ABSOLUTE TRUST SRI-STUTHI "raksheshyatiti visvAsaha"

-

4) DESTITUTION BHU-STUTHI "kArpanyokthi"

-

5) DEPENDENCE GODA-STUTHI "Atma-nikshEpa"

--

 

Those of us, dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", who are serious students of

SriVaishnavism, would do well to cut out the above matrix, "blow-it" up in

size and put the enlarged version in a laminated photo-frame; we should then

carry the frame always in our person much as we would our Social Security

badge or Master-card!! Otherwise we should memorise it and "frame" it

indelibly in our minds.

 

Why ?

 

Firstly, dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", it will serve as a constant and ready

reminder to us of :

 

A : all that a simple Sanskrit word "prapadyE" signifies

B : the 5 cardinal canons of SriVaishnava "prapatti"

C : the sonorous opening verses of 5 of Swami Desikan's verses renowned

for their deeply devotional fervour

D : the 5 underlying messages, "themes" or threads that tie them

all-together in one seamless matrix of SriVaishnava doctrine/concepts

 

Secondly, if we were to refer to the "prapadyE"-matrix constantly and use it

to actually cross-check and compare it mentally with every deed, word and

thought of ours in day-to-day life, then, what might happen is a gradual

"internalization" of the whole concept of "prapatti" into our lives !!

 

Rather than being a remote and vague concept of "wooly" philosophy, which we

appreciate in theory but fail to implement practically, "prapatti" will,

instead become a source of practical guidance for day-to-day living !! Our

lives can be daily "calibrated" with the co-ordinates (and poetry!!) of the

"prapadyE"-matrix!

 

Thirdly, with a little bit of perseverance, we will soon be able to

"benchmark" our whole life-style -- attitudes, values, motivations, feelings

--- against true SriVaishnava "siddhAnta" !

 

Lastly, we will, by and by, be able to know inwardly whether we are truly

practising "prapatti" and are really staying true to its 5 canons !

 

Such is the practical UTILITY, dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", of the simple

Sanskrit word : "prapdyE !" which Swami Desikan has pointed out to us in

such lovely poetry !!

 

Many months ago in some post Sri.Mani Varadarajan described how our great

"AchArya", Sri.Ramanuja, was in the habit of constantly muttering "prapadyE

!" any time he was free. Now, we can understand why that great soul did so,

can't we?

 

Shouldn't we lesser mortals, dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", too, be following that

"AchAryA's" example ?

 

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

 

Now, most of you, dear 'bhAgavatOttamA-s', know it is customary for a

devotee to prostrate ("sAshtAnga-namaskAram") 4 times before the deity in an

act of worship, surrender and obeisance.

 

As a young boy I often used to wonder why the prostration is repeated 4

times in certain "sampradAyam-s". There is a traditional explanation to it,

of course, but it is the following alternative conviction of mine that

appears to me, personally, much more satisfying :

 

When we stand before the "dwajha-stambham" of, say, the temple in Tirumala,

before presenting ourselves before the "garUdAzwAr-sannidhi", we first

proceed to mentally "resolve ('sankalpam') to take refuge" in the Lord; at

that point in time we should simultaneously remember to repeat the First

Verse of the "daya-satakam" :

 

"prapadyE tam girim prAyaha srinivAsAnukampaya I

ikshusAra-sravanthyEva yanmurthyA sharka-rAyitham II

 

We would then be deemed to have symbolically performed "Anukulasya sankalpah" !

 

Next, we proceed to perform the first prostration. Completing it, we should

remember to recite the first verse of "ashtabhUjhAshtakam" and recollect all

that we said that the word "prapadyE" signified in it ! We would then be

said to have symbolically observed the "prapatti" canon, "pratikulasya

varjana" !

 

Next, we proceed to perform the second prostration. At that point we

mentally exclaim "prapadyE !" as used in the first verse of Swami Desikan's

"sristuthi" ! We would then have symbolically observed the "raksheshyatiti

visvAsaha" canon !!

 

We proceed next to prostrate for the third time. We mentally utter the word

"prapadyE !" in exactly the sense as used in the first verse of Swami

Desikan's "bhu-stuthi" ! We could then be said to have symbolically observed

"kArpanyokthi"!!

 

And finally, after making the fourth prostration we should stand there in

Tirumala-temple precincts, meditate on the Lord and fully realizing the true

import of "Atma-nikshEpa", fold our hands, raise them both high above our

heads and proceed to repeat the first verse from the "gOda-stuthi" :

 

"srivishnu-chittha-kula-nandana kalpavallIm

srirangarAja-harichandana yoga-drishyAm I

sAkshAth kshamAm karuNaya kamalAmivAnyAm

gOdam~ananya sharaNaha sharaNam prapadyE" II

 

Uttering the words "gOdam~ananya sharaNaha sharaNam prapadyE !" we should

then enter the glorious portals ("bangAru-vAsal" or ... even the

"kUlasEkhara-padi") of the 'sanctum-sanctorum' of Lord Srinivasa with the

words "prapdyE" constantly on our lips..... !

 

It will be an extraordinary experience, indeed, believe me !!

 

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

 

If all our discussions of the past week about the word "prapadyE", dear

"bhAgavatOttamA-s", have appealed to you in any way, please remember that

the only way to recreate the pleasureable experience privately amongst

yourselves is to learn to recite, as often as possible, the 5 verses from

each of those hymns of Swami Desikan.

 

The 'daya-satakam' comprises 108 verses; the 'ashtabhUjhAstakam', 10 verses;

'sri-stuthi" 25 verses; 'bhu-stuthi', 33 verses and the 'godA-stuthi' 29

verses. If you add all that up you get a formidable total of 205 verses !!

 

Now, not all of us may possess the requisite capacity and resources to learn

all 205 verses. But all of us do now appreciate the enormous significance of

the word "prapadyE", don't we ?

 

To prove to ourselves we truly have understood the wealth of meaning behind

the exclamation "prapadyE !", the least we could do is to, at least, learn

to recite at least once everyday the opening 5 of those 205 verses, can't we ?

Indeed, dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", the five verses constitute the coronary

quintessence of the entire lot of 205 !!

 

Like our great "UDayavar", if thereafter, we too acquire the habit of

chanting "prapadyE" under our breath all our lives, we would then have no

hesitation in offering anybody a proper explanation for the compulsive

addiction, would we?!!!

 

We would be able to easily say to our querist: "Ah! Yes, I have this nagging

habit of constantly chanting "prapadyE!". To understand why, my friend, you

will need to have an idea of what "prapadyE"-matrix in SriVaishnavism is all

about?!"

 

"And that's a long story .....!".

 

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

 

srimathE srivan satagopa sri narayana yathindra mahadesikaya namaha

 

sudarshan