NyAsa Soothrams --Anga VichArAdhyAyam ( 57-76) :Inquiry into the constituent Parts (Angams) of SaraNAgathy 57-76)

[Guest guest]

Sri SaraNAgatha Vathsala SwaminE Nama:

 

SrI:

 

Dear All :

 

Let us continue with the study of

NyAsa Soothrams by Dr. V.N. VedAntha

Desikan . Today , we will study the 20

Soothrams associated with the angams of

SaraNAgathy :

 

 

57) Nyaasa: PanchAnga-samyutha:

athasshadvidha ithi vyavahAra:

 

NyAsam/SaraNAgathy is an UpAyam with 5 parts

(angams). The actual performance of SaraNAgathy

with the 5 angams makes nyAsam as an act with

Six features ( Shad vidham ).

 

58) angAnyEthAni khalu dhruvam

ipseethAni nyasyathi chEtanE

 

It is very important that a sentient being

(ChEtanan) performing SaraNAgathy/

Bhara NyAsam/Aathma NikshWpam/

Prapatthi should shine with fullness

in these 5 angams.

 

59) Upaasana maarga anarha: nyAsAdhvarAya

visEsha yOgyathAm labhathE

 

One who is not qualified to engage in Bhakthi Yogam

( Upaasanaa ) is fully qualified for seeking the UpAyam of

NyAsam/ Prapatthi yOgam for gaining Moksham .

 

60) Aanukoolya sankalpa: chEtana: Saasthreeya-

karmANi vihithAnyavE kurveetha ithi niyama:

 

The first of the five angams is Aanukoolya sankalpam.

It is constituted by the firmness of purpose in following

ONLY the karmaas ordained by Bhagavath Saasthrams.

 

61) Praathikoolya varjanam sAsthra nishiddhAni

karmANi na kuryAmithi syAyithvam

 

The second angam is Praathikoolya varjanam . Here ,

the Mumukshu ( one who desires Moksham) stays

clear of all acts ( karmaas) prohibited by Bhagavath

Saasthrams.

 

62) PrapanAdhikAree nithyamakinchanO bhUyAth ,

tadhEva tasya mukhya lkashaNam.

 

Aakinchanyam is the third limb of NyAsam or NyAsa

Vidhyai . It is the recognition by the Mumukshu that

he or she is helpless to seek any other means than

nyAsam for gaining release from the cycles of births and

deaths . They recognize sincerely that they do not have

the required Jn~anam , VarNam and bodily strength

to follow the rigorous Bhakthi Yogam limited to

the thrai-varNikaas alone .

 

63) Yeedhrusa KaarpaNya siddhi: garvahaanim dhAsyathi .

 

The ChEthanams , which become cognizant of their utter

helplessness ( Aakinchanyam) reach the state of KaarpaNyam ,

where they lead humble lives in rememberance of their

unfitness to undertake the upAyam of Bhakthi yOgam .

Aakinchanyam and the KaarpaNyam (state resulting from

Aakinchanyam ) are the third limb of NyAsam .

 

64) rakshAmapEkshEtha ithi gOpthruva-varaNam nirdhisyathE .

 

The fourth limb of nyAsam is "Gopthruva varaNam". Here ,

the Moksham seeking chEthanam seeks deliberately

the protection by Bhagavaan . The Chethanam sincerely

prays for the blessings of such a protection/rakshaNam

from the Lord . This is the Fourth limb of nyAsam/SaraNAgathy .

 

65) BhagavAn nissamsyam prapannam Maamm rakshishyathy

ithi Mahaa ViswAsa: adhyavasAya athyanthaavaSyambhAvee dharma:

 

The fifth and the most important angam in nyAsa vidhyai

is Mahaa Viswaasam (i-e)., the unshakable/unassailable

faith in Sriman NaarayaNan as the Rakshakan( Protector).

The Prapannan has not a shred of doubt about the Lord

coming to his rescue to cross the samsAric ocean and

take him to the other shore of Sri Vaikuntam , His Supreme

abode .

 

66) mahathvamathra SankhApanchaka nirasanEna siddhayathi

 

Here , the Mahaa part of Mahaa Viswaasam qualifies that

Viswaasam ( trust/faith) as being of the highest/grandest

order . This Viswaasam is gigantic enough to pulverize

the five doubts (Sankhaa panchakam) that assail the mind

of a Prapannan .

 

67) sakruthkruthOpaaSaladhishtathva -- adhikArichEtana-kaarpaNYa

virOdhi bhUyasthva purushArTaathi vilakshaNa lakshaNathva

pEkshitha kaala prApya phalathvAni SankhA-panchakam

 

What are these five doubts , which destroy one's Mahaa

Viswaasam and are harmful to gain Moksha siddhi by

a Prapannan ?

 

1. Will Sriman NaarAyaNan be moved by my Prapatthi ,

which is done by me only once and that too is done in

a very short duration of time ? Will He respond to

this upAyam , which looks meagre/insignificant ?

Is it an alpa kaaryam that will result in the gaining of

the greatst of boons (Moksham) ? It some how seems

that this little effort ( upAyam) is disproportionate to

the mighty fruit ( Phalan) . This is alpa vyAja roopa kriya

Sankai .

 

2. adiyEn is a great sinner , who has trespassed with

relish Bhagavath sAsthrams countless times .

Will the Omniscient Lord ( Sarvaj~nan) overlook

these limitless bundles of my sins and respond

to my appeal for protection thru the act of Prapatthi ?

 

3. adiyEn committs so many apachArams that stands

in the way of gaining Moksham . Will the Lord overlook

these trespasses and will He grant me the great boon of

Moksham ?

 

4. Even if the Lord grants Moksham for others , my unfitness

is so prominent .Will adiyEn have an opportunity to gain Moksham?

Will it be possible for sinners and others alike to earn Moksham?

 

5. Can this great PurushArTam of Moksham be gained in the short

time at the end of this janmam ?

 

68) Sriya: PurushakAra: , avijn~AthEththi khyAthOapi nyAsEna

Prasanna: Swamee , alpa-vyAja-roopa kriyayeiva vaseekrutha:

nirupAdhika KaruNAkara: , Kruthajn~a: svAtantryAdhi guNavisishta :

MahOdhAra: --ithyAdhi kaaraNai: sankhA-panchakam nirastham .

 

These kinds of doubts can not assail us as PrapannAs. We have

to consider : (1) MahA Lakshmi is our pleader ; She intercedes for

us with Her Lord to forgive our trespaqsses , (2) Her Lord is

an "avijn~Athaa , He has the reputation of looking away from

the deficencies of the SaraNAgathAs even when He is aware of

them ; He is of such noble conduct , (3) He takes pity on us once

we seek His refuge , (4) He is our Master/Sarva Swami , (5) We are

His bonded servants/liege and He is overcome with compassion

through our act of Prapatthi , even if it is an excuse/vyAjam to seek

Him as our protector , (6) He is avyAja KaruNAmoorthy , (7) He is

grateful for the littlest act of display of devotion for Him , (8) He is

totally independent( PoorNa svatantram) and no one is above Him

or equal to Him , (9) He is the most generous One . Reflections on

all these auspicious atributes of His will help to chase away our

five kinds of doubts (Sankhaa Panchaa) rightaway .

 

69) PanchAnga-poorNathA sAmAnyEnaithihAsika-prapadhana

avasarEshu sarvEshu dhrashtavyaa .

 

One can come across the five angams of Prapatthi in stories

in PurANams and IthihAsams dealing with Prapatthi matters.

 

70) angEshu panchasu chAngithvavaadha: Phala-praSasthy

keerthanaayaiva.

 

On some occasions , one of the angams will be denoted as

Prapatthi . This is to spotlight and praise that angam.

 

71) anga panchaka poorthy: prapadhanakshaNE avaSyambhAvini.

 

All the five angams of Prapatthi should be present at

the time of Prapatthi (anga Poorthy) .This is the rule.

 

72) utthara-kaalE thu yadhi kascchidhaparAdhO jaayathE sa:

ParaBrahmaNaa kshAnthO bhavEth , prapannEna prAyascchittha

karmaNaa nivarthyathE vaa, yathaa PrapannO BhagavathO

athipriyO bhavEth.

 

After Prapatthi , if one detects incomplete fulfillment of

all the required five angams ( anga poorthy) of Prapatthi,

Bhagavan out of His fondness for the Prapannan will

excuse these little deficencies . The Prapannan can also

perform expiatiory acts (PrAyascchitthams) for destroying

those these deficencies and overcome those gaps in

the anga Poorthy.

 

73) UpaasanE aayaasa: nyAsE thu viswaasa ithi lakshaNa visEsha:

surasam ghaDathE .

 

In Bhakthi yOgam( Upasanaa) , there is fatigue from the rigor of

the required observances . In NyAsam , Mahaa ViswAsam will

help gain Moksha siddhi without exertion .

 

74) yEsha visEsha: karthu-bhEdhaajjAyathE .

 

This differnces between Bhakthi and Prapatthi yOgams

arise from the intrinsic nature of the chEthanan.

 

75) VIKALPA: lOkE sama-vyavasTithaavithi bhidhyathE ,

tathrAdhya: svEcchayaa kimthvanya: svEcchAnadhikrutha: ,

jaathi-Jn~Ana-sakthiguNa-pramukhai: nirNeeyathE .

 

There are two kinds of divisions (bhEdhams/Vikalpams) :

avasthitha and Vyavasthitha Vikalpams. In avasthitha

vikalpam ( sama vahai maaRRuttanmai) , the chEtanam

is free to choose Bhakthi or Prapatthi upAyam , since

that chEthanam is qualified as an adhikAri for either .

In Vyavasthitha vikalpam , the chEthanam does not meet

all the prerequirements for practising Bhakthi yOgam

and becomes eligible for Prapatthi yOgam alone due to

its akinchanathvam.

 

76) Bhakthi-PrapatthyOr vikalpa: vyavasTitha krama siddha:

 

The difference between Bhakthi and Prapatthi is manifested

as avasthitha bhEdham (Vikalpam) .

 

The Next 37 Soothrams deal with Prapatthi anushtAnam.

 

( To Be continued ),

 

Prapanna Jana Rakshaka SwaaminE Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan