small clarification

[Guest guest]

My SAshtAnga namaskArams to all BhAgavatAls. My name is srikanth.I have

already introduced myself. I am asking this question out of

curiosity.If it has already been asked earlier,please pardon me. Why

is there an apparent contradiction between "karmaNye vAdhikArathe....."

and "sarvadharmAn parithyajya..." ? also in the RAmAyana, Sri Rama

says that it is the duty of every individual to perform "pithru VAkya

paripalana". In that case why did't Prahlada follow the same with his

father? I am asking these out of sheer curiosity and nothing else.

adiEn, Srikanth.

 

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[Guest guest]

Sri Srikanth Hemmige asks:

>Why is there an apparent contradiction between "karmaNye vAdhikArathe....."

>and "sarvadharmAn parithyajya..." ?

 

Srivaishnavism holds that the bhagavad gItha offers two approaches to the

Divine, the path of bhakti yoga, with its ancillaries karma yoga (suggested

by "karmaNye vAdhikArathe....." ) and jnana yoga, and the path of prapatti

(suggested by "sarvadharmAn parithyajya..."), the way of self surrender in

which the Lord Himself becomes the means to the soul's salvation.

 

The level of correlation, or contradiction, between the two approaches

varies between the two brances of our religion. It is my understanding that

Swami Desikan supports the view that the path of bhakti yoga is both

complimentary to and complimented by prapatti. To give up everything and

surrender to the Lord, one requires the knowledge, discipline and humility

that comes from bhakti yoga; to truly dedicate oneself to the Lord through

bhakti yoga, one must first surrender to the Lord.

 

Pillai Lokacharya and Manavalamamunigal hold a slightly different view,

maintaining that since bhakti yoga involves self effort, it is contradictive

to the nature of prapatti, which involves a mood of passive non-resistance

to the Lord's Grace. Their teachings seem to suggest that Perumal first

presented the yogic path to Arjuna to test his humility, waiting to present

His ultimate means to Him only after Arjuna realized the futility and lack

of qualification of trying to reach the Lord through self effort.

>also in the RAmAyana, Sri Rama

>says that it is the duty of every individual to perform "pithru VAkya

>paripalana". In that case why did't Prahlada follow the same with his

>father?

 

I can find no scriptural answer to this question, although I do have some

opinions based on my own readings. However, I would also like to learn the

reasons for this from the more erudite members of this forum.

 

adiyEn,

 

Mohan