Bhakti and Prapatti-4

[Guest guest]

I thank Madhavakkannan and Rengi for their responses

concerning the textual reference to bhAgavata-nishTA

prapatti in Sri Vedanta Desika's works.

 

Sri Madhavakkannan wrote:

> Swami Desikan in "Adaikkalappatthu" prabhandham no: 6 says

> "aLavudaiyaar adainthaarkkum"- Swanishtar;

> "adhanuraiyE koNdavarkkum- ukthi nishtar;

> "vaLavurai thandhavan aruLe manniya maadhavtthOrkkum"- PuNyasaalis-

> AchArya nishtar;

> "kaLavu ozhivaar - Those bhAgawathAs who consider the jnAnam of "AthmA

> as independednt" and swathanthran" as amount to act of robbery and

> avoid such stealing/robbery

> "emar enna isainthavarkkum kaavalaraam" Considering other chEthanAs (and

> human beings) as "our" dear people ("emar") and take mercy on them and

> perform prapatthi to Emperumaan for them

>

 

I beg the members' patience and request further clarification.

I have never heard of bhAgavata-nishTA before, and to my knowledge

Desika does not mention this form in SrImad rahasya-traya-sAram.

 

I do not understand the distinction between bhAgavata-nishTA and

AcArya-nishTA. If a bhAgavata asks the Lord to accept someone,

isn't the bhAgavata by definition an AcArya? The two categories

can then be collapsed.

 

Further, of what form is this bhAgavata-nishTA? Is it a bhAgavata

doing prapatti for an individual without any inclination or

initiative taken by the latter? I can hardly believe that

Swami Sri Desika would go along with this, as this once again

exposes the Lord to charges of partiality ("why save him when

he hasn't shown any inclination?")

 

This naturally leads to the question of what is required of

a supplicant in AcArya-nishTA prapatti -- what does it mean

to have the five angas of prapatti if the AcArya or bhAgavata

does prapatti on one's behalf?

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

Mani