Swamy Desika Sahasra Naamam : Part XXVII , NamAs 926-930 / Thuppul Sannidhi NithyArAdhanam sponsorship

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SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Swamy Desikan :

 

(926) (PraNavam) CharamaslOka-nikhila-dharma-thyAga

parathvagnE Nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to that AchAryan , who refuted

the view that Charama SlOkam of GithAchAryan

suggests that we should abandon ALL dharmAs .

 

(Comments): Para Mathams state that the words of

Lord KrishNa (Charama SlOka Vaakyam), " Sarva dharmAn

Parithyajya " should be read as command from Him to

cast aside ALL dharmAs as Saadhanams for MOksham

including Prapatthi. They state that Bhagavaan alone is

UpAyam and Prapatthi is neither UpAyam or SahakAriNi.

 

Vaidhika Matham's response as stated by Swamy Desikan is :

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As per the pramANam " KrishNam dharmam SanAtanam " ,

Bhagavaan is SidhOpAyam and a dharmam . Since the Charama

slOkam emphasizes " Sarva DharmAn " , Para Matham's view

will result in casting out Bhagavaan Himself as an UpAyam and rejecting

Him as well . That is not possible .This is therefore an incorrect view .

 

The direct answer is : The dharmam referred to be abandoned in the Charama-

slOkam is all dharmams other than Prapatthi UpAyam .Charama slOkam refers

to BhagavAn as UpAyam .We have to abandon therefore all other dharmams.

The same charama slOkam instructs us to perform the UpAyam of Prapatthi

( MaamEkam SaraNam Vraja). Therefore SaraNAgathy dharmam ( upAyam)

can not be rejected either .

 

(927) (PraNavam) Nishiddha varjanAdharma

bhAvathvOkthyapanOdhanAya nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to that AchAryan , who defeated the arguments

that it is adharmic to abandon nishiddhams (Sarva dharmAn Parithyajya).

 

The Position of the other Mathams :

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BhagavAn instructed Arjuna first about Bhakthi yOgam in GeethA

Saasthram . Bhakthi yOgam is not a dharmam(UpAyam) really .

The passages associated with Bhakthi yOgam have quite different

meanings. It is common practise to tame a tough bull by loading

its back with heavy sand bags . As the weight to be carried increases ,

the bull's defiance will decreae and it would have become tamed

to carry the lighter paddy bags . It is in this context , BhagavAn

instructs the egotistic Jeevans seeking Moksham about

the heavy , difficult to observe Bhakthi yOgam . The inabilty to observe

that tough yOgam humbles the Jeevan and makes it akinchanan ( helpless).

Now , the Lord exposes the jeevan to the laghu upAyam of Prapatthi

for Moksha PurushArTam . Other Mathams state that Arjunan did not

understand this subtelty and wrongly considered the difficult to observe

Bhakthi yOgam as a dharmam . When the Lord says , "Sarva dharmAn

parithyajya " , He asks Arjuna to abandon that , which he considered

wrongly as a dharmam . Swamy Desikan rejected this view .

 

Swamy DEsikan's correct answer is :

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Saastrams classify Bhakthi yOgam into the category of lofty ,

Nivrutthi dharmam . Further , it is fine to abandon the things

forbidden by the SaashtrAs ( Nishiddha dharmams). If one argues

nivrutthi dharmam as adharmam , all will become adharmam.

The Bhagavath Saasthrams identifying the proper dharmams

and seperating them from adharmams will all be rendered

useless. There will be no pramANams and that Matham

will become inconsistent with VedAs like the Bhauddha Matham .

Inview of all these complications/problems , it is only proper

to stick with the methodology of Saashtrams that seperate

dharmam from adhramam and follow what is nishiddham

and needs to be abandoned .

 

(928) (PraNavam) UpAsanasvarUpa upAya svarUpa

virOdhagnE nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who did not

accept the position that the UpAyam of UpAsana

(Bhakthi yOgam ) is against our intrinsic nature (Svaroopam ) .

 

Para Matham's position :

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Bhakthi yOgam is against the svaroopam of the Jeevan

and therefore it has to be abandoned . Swamy Desikan

opposed this view-- there is no inconsistency between aathma

svarropam and Bhakthi yOgam-- and showed this view to be incorrect .

 

Swamy Desikan's position :

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He chose three arguments to disprove the view of

the Para Mathams that Bhakthi yOgam is Svaroopa

Viruddham( against Svaroopam ) :

 

Argument I : (1) AathmA is a nithya (eternal) vasthu and can not be

destroyed by the practise of Bhakthi yOgam . No harm can therefore

result to the jeevan by the practise of Bhakthi yOgam .

(2) Bhakthi yOgam is one of the two upAyams for Moksham

and it does not yield the vipareetha phalan of SamsAric sufferings.

Hence the UpAyam that yields only auspicious results can not be

unwelcome as an UpAyam . (3) Para Mathams argue that the jeevan

has no independent power to act ( Svatantra Karthruthvam) . Hence ,

the Jeevan can not engage in peforming the upAyam of Bhakthi yOgam .

If one extends this argument , the Jeevan can not perform prapatthi

either . Kaimkaryams can not be done either. They will also become

Svaroopa Virutthams . It must be remembered that the jeevan has no

Svatantra Karthruthvam ( Independence to act ) , but it has Bhagavath

adheena karthruthvam ( ability to act under the Lord's guidance) .

This is accepted by the Saasthrams . Therefore , there is no harm

to aathma svaroopam by performing Bhakthi yOgam .

 

Another Objection by the Paramathams :

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Jeevan is the servant (Seshan) and the Lord is the commanding

Master (Seshi) . Jeevan is neither independent to act (Svatantran)

or has the power to protect himself . In this context , it is not correct

to expect the Jeevan(asvatantran and Paaratantryan) to undertake

the upAyam of Prapatthi (SaadhyOpAyam). Similarly , Bhakthi Yogam

is inconsistent with Jeevan's svaroopam as one under the total control

of the Master .

 

Swamy Desikan's answers to the above objections :

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

If BhagavAn gives Moksham without any upAyam , He has

to grant Moksham to every one. If we say that He is Svatantran

and can give Moksham as He pleases , then there arises

the dhOsham of Vaishamyam . These points were addressed

in the 911th Sahasra Naamam . It was indicated then mere

sambhandha Jn~Anam and staying without performing an appropriate

UpAyam wont gain the Jeevan any Moksham . The approach consistent

with Saasthram is to use the small measure of Svatantram granted to us

by the Lord and learn from the Bhagavath SaasthrAs about the upAyam

that pleases Him and then perform it to recieve the desired phalan.

Then issues about UpasanA becoming Svaroopa Viruddham wont arise .

 

(929) (PraNavam) VarNAsramAdhi-dharma svarUpa rhOdha

vinAsakAya Nama:

 

Salutations to that AchAryan , who proved that VarNAsrama dharmams

are not Svaroopa Viruddham for practising the UpAyams .

 

OBJECTION : VarNaasrama dharmams are rooted in "Jaathi " .

AathmA has no Jaathi . Sareeram , which is different from Aathma

is linked to Jaathi .When one understands that Sareeram and AathmA

are different , the argument goes that they do not need to observe

VarNAsrama dharmams . Bhakthi upAyam has VarNAsrama

dharmam as angam . As a result , the Poorva Pakshi comes to

the conclusion that there is no need to practise Bhakthi upAyam

since that is svaroopa viruddham .

 

Swamy Desikan's response to reject this view :

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

Even if we have the Jn~Anam that Aathma has no links to Jaathi ,

one has to accept that we ahve the body with Jaathi due to

our accumulated Karmaas . As long as that body is there ,

one finds way to satisfy the body needs for quenching hunger ,

thirst etc. We do not stop eating , when we are hungry .

We do not say that hunger and thirst are linked to the Body

and not to the AathmA and give up on eating as long as we live .

Similarly , we have to observe varNAsrama dharmams linked to

Sareeram as well as the upAyams ordained by Bhagavath Saasthrams .

 

(930)(PraNavam) : EikAntha cchEdhyanyadEva para varNAdhi

dharmagnE Nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to that AchAryan , who refuted the argument

that the practise of the varNAsrama dharmams relating to ithara dEvathais

will destroy the state of ParamaikAnthithvam .

 

Objection : A chEtanan , who considers himself as the servant (seshan) to

the Lord alone and stays away from ithara dhaivams is a ParamaikAnthi .

It is not therefore appropraite for them to perform VarNAsrama dharmams

since these dharmams have a lot of eulogies and prayers to anya devathAs.

Hence , the practise of VarNAsrama dharmams and the bhakthi yOgam

resulting therefrom would destroy his exclusive adoration of the ParamAthmA

as a ParamaikAnthi . Hence it is fair to say the practise of VarNAsrama

dharmam will end up in Svaroopa Viruddham for an evolved ParamaikAnthi.

 

Swamy Desikan's answer :

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When we call the name of ithara dEvathais during the course of

the observance of VarNAsrama dharmams that we can not abandon ,

we are really addressing the indwelling ParamAthmA inside

the ithara dEvathA . Through the utterance of the name of Agni to recieve

the Havis , we are referring to BhagavAn having Agni as His sareeram .

When one does Sva-dharmaanushtAnam in this manner , then there is

no harm to ParamaikAnthithvam .

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

http://www.sadagopan.org

http://www.malolan.org

 

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

SrivaNN Satakopa Sri NaarayaNa Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: