Archiradhi - part 6 - Ch 2: Descripton of "other" path, Glimps of Paramapadam

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Dear Members

 

We continue with the translation of Sri P. Lokacharya's Archiradhi by Ms

M. S. Ramesh.

 

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In the other path, there is no water neither is there any shade. The

Yama dhoodhas who act as the guides take one through a path where one

hears weird noises which make one tremble with fear even as one hears

the noise. The path is full of difficulties and ills. The Yama dhoothas

with their pasa rope drag one in that path. The ties of mamakaram,

thinking of the family, the wife and others makes the passage even more

difficult. The path is long. The dogs enroute catch us. The weapons

like sakti, shanku etc. are used to hurt a person. One becomes mince

meat to the demons who are waiting like tigers to pounce upon their prey

and have their fill. The body bleeds with the wounds. Hunger and thirst

cause a lot of pain. The request to Yama dhoothas to give them food and

water only meets with derisive laughter. The nose, the face, the lips,

the teeth all get broken and hurt. The hands and the legs also get

hurt. We are dragged along the path. This soul which is on its way to

Paramapada thinks of what all it has avoided by not going to Yamaloka.

It realises how the archiradhi gathi has ensured that it is met with

open arms enroute by the devas. It is given due dignity. This

description of the path to Yamaloka and the path to Paramapada reminds

one of what the prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's drama "Hamlet" told

his mother viz. "Look at this picture and that". It is said that

coming to know of the difficulties that lie on the path to Yama loka

this soul which is on its way to Paramapada is rushing even more

speedily towards Paramapada. It is crossing the seven worlds. The author

says that the quick pace at which this soul was rushing towards

Paramapada was comparable to the speed with which the dimunitive dwarf

Vamana assumed the viswaroopa. The soul is happy that it has escaped

from the bonds of samsara. There are three types of tapatrayam i.e.

difficulties in this world. They are Adyatmika, Adideivika and

Adibouthika. Adyatmika refers to the pain that results from the sins

committed by us. Adideivika refers to the pain that is caused by deiva

vasam. Adibouthika refers to the pain that is caused by sheer existence

in this world. All these three types of ills and consequential pains are

like a forest fire, to escape from which is very difficult. The soul

which is enroute to Paramapada has crossed all these hurdles when it

reaches Viraja nadhi and has its dip in the river. (The river in heaven

is known as Viraja nadhi while the river in hell is known as

Vaitharani). When the soul had a dip in Viraja nadhi it gets rid of all

the bonds of samsara. Actually the word that is used in this book is

that the soul which has the dip in the Viraja nadhi gets rid of "samsara

setru" (Tamil) i.e. a Quagmire. These two words convey graphically the

picture that the world is nothing but a pool of dirty liquid mud, almost

a cesspool. After the dip in Viraja nadhi, the soul gets cleansed. It is

almost as if till then the soul was like a Surya mandala covered by

clouds or a chandra mandala which was caught in the net of Rahu or like

a manikya i.e. a precious stone lying hidden in mud. Once the soul had

its bath in Viraja nadhi, all the doshas i.e. defects are washed away.

It gets the brightness as if many thousands of Suns have risen at the

same time. The soul gets the brightness due to the purity.

 

As soon as the soul had a dip in Vinya nadhi and shed its rajo and thamo

gunams, Vishnu dhoothas who look like Lord Vishnu, having four hands

with bright faces (They are known as Amanavan i.e. opposite to Manavan)

meet this liberated soul. They hold his hand and guide him on the path

to Paramapada. By the touch of the amanavan this soul also gets

transformed into a beautiful object. It is blessed with all kalyana

gunas. It has only the sudha satva guna. Kainkaryadaras and the Nitya

siddas approach him. He is able to see Paramapada in the distance. He

bends his head and offers worship to Paramapada. That Paramapada is not

like Indra loka as Indra loka can be attained by performing Aswameda

yaga. But it can also be lost. But Paramapada is eternal. Paramapada can

be attained only with the help of Baghavath preethi i.e. Grace of God.

While people in Indra loka will have satva, raja and thamo gunas, those

in param padam will have only satva guna. They have clear jnana.

Paramapada has an aiswarya and wealth which cannot ever be measured. The

soul sees that glorious land viz. Paramapada and bows down and offers

namaskaram.