Prapatti - 1

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

 

Dear bhaktas,

According to Srirangam AchAryAs,Prapatti is not an upAya.

What is upAya? His Grace is the upAyA. To kAnchi

AchAryAs,bhakti/prapatti is sAdhyOpAya,a task which is to be

accomplished by the individual and the Lord is siddhOpAya. Note that

none of our pUrvAchAryAs practised "bhaktiyOgA" with the exception of

nAthamuni. BhaktiyOgA was just restricted to the academic studies.

 

The central feature of Ramanuja's theology is that the

Lord is the soul of the cosmos and piLLAn elaborates this concept in

his commentary on TVM 1.1.7,wherein he states that the relationship

of the Lord to the cosmos indicates His supremacy and

the "insignificance" of one's effort to reach Him. PiLLAn regards the

only upAyA for reaching Him to be His grace which is central to the

understanding of prapatti. If the King of Acetics(Ramanuja)admits in

SriRanga gadyam that he is unable to practise bhaktiyOgA and doesn't

possess any good quality,then we are all doomed not to attain

salvation. Ramanuja's silence about AzhwArs in his samskrt works can

be explained through piLLAn's Six Thousand,which bears close

resemblance to Ramanuja's thoughts and exact usage of samskrt words

and at the same time reflects the thoughts of AzhwArs. PiLLAn in his

commentary says that only the Lord's grace can effect salvation and

he frequently uses the word "nirhEtuka" in the context of AzhwAr

receiving the feet of the Lord. PiLLAn says:

 

"why does not everyone recognize Him,who has auspicious qualities,and

take refuge in Him? It's because He deludes those who have no

attachment for Him and thus can not realize the true nature" -

ST 1.3.9

 

"what was the reason(hEtu)for the Lord to graciously act thus? The

only reason was my desire. Yet even that desire didn't come from me

but from His favor(prasAda)" - ST 8.8.3

 

"I have no karmayOgA,jnyAnayOgA or bhaktiyOgA nor any other upAyA

that would qualify me to see the Lord" - ST 4.7.9

 

KUraththAzhwAn says "even the words of surrender could not have come

without His grace" - Va St 88

 

BhaTTar says "O Lord of Srirangam! I have always transgressed the

laws you have ordained! through word,thought and deed and I have done

wrong to You and the bhAgavatAs knowingly and unknowingly" SR St u91

 

"O Lord of Srirangam! my faults are as innumerable as Your auspicious

qualities! Just as a demon can not quench its thirst in the sweeping

flood,I am so wicked that I am unable to praticipate in or enjoy Your

auspicious qualities" SR St u94

 

In short it's the Lord's favor and grace that accomplishes everything.

 

ST - Six Thousand(Arayirappadi commentary on TiruvAymozhi)

Va St- VaradarAja Stava

SR St-SriRangarAja Stava;u-uttara;p-pUrva

 

Let us see important passages(I'm also learning and if I make

mistakes please point it out)and also see what "AchArya

abhimAnam/bhakti" than even the "Lord" can do for us!

 

AzhwAr EmperumAnAr Jeeyar TiruvadigaLE saraNam

nappinnai

[Guest guest]

Alwar Emberumanaar Jeer tiruvadigale charanam.

 

Nappinnai has come up with a beautiful point to contemplate on for

spending the time well, in other words 'Kalashepam'.

I just want to add the two Acharya thanayan on Shri Nathamuni and Shri

Ramanuja. Its meaning when reflected upon may make us wonder further

and clarifies many things.

 

Shri Naathamuni:

'Namo Acninthaya adhbhutha aklishta nyana vairaagya raashaye

Naathaaya munaye agaada Bhaghavath Bhakthi sindhave.'

 

Shri Ramaanuja:

'Yom nithyam Achchuda padaambuja yugma rugma

vyaamohathas thad itharaani thunayamene

Asmad guror bhagavathosya dayika sindho

Ramaanujasya charanau sharanam prapadyee.'

 

Adiyargal Tiruvadigale sharanam

Usha Narayan

 

 

--- vaidhehi_nc <nappinnai_nc wrote:

> Sri:

> Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

>

> Dear bhaktas,

> According to Srirangam AchAryAs,Prapatti is not an upAya.

>

> What is upAya? His Grace is the upAyA. To kAnchi

> AchAryAs,bhakti/prapatti is sAdhyOpAya,a task which is to be

> accomplished by the individual and the Lord is siddhOpAya. Note that

> none of our pUrvAchAryAs practised "bhaktiyOgA" with the exception of

> nAthamuni. BhaktiyOgA was just restricted to the academic studies.

>

.......