vishayap prAvaNyam -Part I

[Guest guest]

Dear rAmAnujA devotees,

There has been discussion going on regarding dhEvadhAndhra bhajanam and vishayap

prAvaNyam.

 

I hope everybody accepts that dhEvadhAndhra bhajanam is not tenable and is not a

point of discussion.However,I would like to draw a few sUthram-s from srEvachaNa

bhUshaNam which details the dangers of ahankAram and vishayap-prAvaNyam.

srEvachaNa bhUshaNam

sUthram 180 - "thannaithAnE mudikkai Avadhu ahankArathaiyum, vishayangaLayum

virumbugai"

One finishes off himself if he becomes a slave to ego and also is a captive of

vishayap-prAvaNyam.

What is 'AhankAram' -AhankAram Avadhu

1. dhEhAthmibAnamum- Being very dear to one's body and soul.

2. swAdhandharyAbimAnamum- Being independent.

The soul which is for the Lord shoud be dedicated to the Lord. Instead, the

independence and desire in oneself -both body and soul- leads to ahankaram and

vishayap prAvaNyam.

 

181-ahankAram -agni sparsam pOlE

The impact of ahankAram which has been described as one's desire in body and

soul, is likened to friction with fire. When anything touches fire, the thing

gets destroyed instantly. Likewise, the swarUpam-the soul's innate

characteristic gets completely destroyed because of ahankAram.

 

183. pradhikUla vishayasparsam visha sparsam pOlE.

anukUla vishayasparsam vishamisra bhOjanam pOlE

 

Having explained the impact of ahankAram, the impact of vishayap-prAvaNyam is

now being explained.

 

Being involved and very much desiring in things which are proscribed by

'sAshtrAs' and which may lead to 'hell' is termed here as 'pradhikUla vishya

sparsam'

Those things which attract us but are prohibited by the scriptures and will also

result in hell is like consuming poison ending the swarUpam instanstaneously.

 

Being attracted to those things which are not so debarred by scriptures and also

do not lead to hell, appear to be harmless unlike the former, but will also lead

to swarUpa nAsam which is likened to a food mixed with poison.

 

The point here is that vishaya sparsam is dangerous.

 

187. agnAnanAna vishyap pravANan nAsthiganaip pOlE; gnAnavAnAna vishayap

pravaNan Asthika nAsthiganaip pOle.

 

Those who do not have the knowledge that desires -five sensory

organs/materialsitic ends-are dangerous are like atheists.

Those who do know the negative points of this but still have desires are like

pseudo-believers.

 

188, kEvala nAsthiganaith thiruthalAm;Asthiga nAsthiganai orukkAlum thirutha

voNNAdhu.

 

Those who are like atheists can be rescued by educating them.

Those who have knowledge but still have such deviations cannot be rescued.

The latter is more dangerous.

 

(To be continued)

vAnamAmalai padmanAbhan