Archiradhi - Part 3 - appearance of God in from of Chetanan

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Dear members

 

W continue with the translation of Sri Pillai Lokacharya's Archiradhi

by Ms M. S. Ramesh

 

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The overwhelming desire of God to extend His hand in assistance and

support to the soul which strives to attain salvation is also reflected

in a pasuram of Nammalwar (Pasuram No.3621). In that pasuram, Nammalwar

says that he wanted to enjoy and attain (anubhavam) the Lord. But he

found to his dismay that Kaat Karai Appan (This is the Perumal in one of

the divyadesas in Kerala) was a more tough master and He, before

Nammalwar could attain Him, succeeded in ensuring that he completely

absorbed Nammalwar. He says that Baghavan won in that race and so

Kaatkarai Appan was a "kodiyan" i.e. a more capable person than the

devotee himself.

 

The affectionate anxiety and desire of Perumal to see that this reformed

soul reaches Paramapada is compared to the feeling that Dasaratha the

emperor had when he wanted to celebrate the pattabhisheka of Rama and

had invited Vasishta, Vamadeva and other rishis, in order to advise him

on the plan of action for performing the pattabhisheka. Similarly, it is

said that God calls the devas staying in Paramapada and requests them to

accompany this chetanan i.e. devotee seeking salvation to Paramapada.

 

The entire route to Paramapada is beautified. The streets and the houses

enroute are also beautified. Perumal ensures that the punya i.e. the

good done by this soul i.e. chethanan is made much of. He ensures that

from the day the enlightenment has dawned in the mind of the soul, he

controls kama, krodha and other ills. Perumal also ensures that the sin

that the soul had committed in its earlier days due to ignorance, as

also the sins that he may commit as long as the soul is attached to the

mortal coil, gets reduced- in its impact. While describing the manner

in which God reduces the burden of the sin and increases the content of

the punya done hy the soul which is striving to attain Paramapada, the

author compares it to the situation when Rama let loose the arrow meant

for Samudra raja on the enemies of Samudra Raja. This is a story in

Ramayana when Rama was waiting to cross the ocean to reach Lanka. He

spent three days on the banks of the ocean. But He found that Samudra

Raja did not come and meet Him as requested. He got angry. He was about

to let loose an arrow saying that he would completely dry up the ocean

itself. Coming to know of this, Samudra raja along with his wife came

and fell at the feet of Lord Rama and sought saranagathi. He said that

He who created the ocean could not also be the person who destroys it.

The moment Samudra raja along with his wife sought saranagathi at the

feet of the Lord, the Lord calmed down. It is said that the arrow which

He had kept ready to let loose on Samudra raja was, at the behest of

Samudra Raja let loose on the demons who were residing in a particular

island in the ocean and causing trouble to Samudra Raja. Thus, the

arrow meant to destroy Samudra Raja was diverted to destroy the endmies

of Samudra raja. Similarly the author says that the moment we seek

saranagathi at the feet of the God, He will ensure that our enemies get

killed and that our punya gets multiplied so as to enable attainment of

salvation. God thus helps a great deal in giving a push to the soul

which is striving to have swarga anubhava.

 

It is said that God seated on Garuda appears before this chetanan. At

that time, Perumal looks like a blue cloud on an effulgent golden

coloured mountain. The devotee has the anubhava i.ec the enjoyment of

this Thirumeni of Perumal i.e. beautiful divine' sight of His glorious

figure. Perumal then calls the baghavath kainkarya parars i.e. those

doing service to Him and asks them to welcome this chethanan. With God's

blessing this "bashya karananas" of the devotee gets merged with the

"antah karanas" of the devotee. The speech gets submerged to the mind,

and in turn the mind becomes a part of prana and prana becomes part

oftejas. The soul which is striving to become one with God, is desirous

of staying near paramatma even as a weaiy traveller who has suffered due

to the heat of the harsh blazing Sun heaves a sigh of relief on reaching

the shade of a tree. This chethanan heaves a sigh of relief as soon as

he reaches the protective ambit of the eternal truth viz. Vasudeva and

is able to forget all the troubles and turmoils that he underwent in his

life.

 

 

To be continued ........