Virodhaparhara

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7.Athmasabdha-vAchya-dhEva-thiryang-manushya-sTHAvarAdhikamsarvamapi

bhagavath dhAsathvEnadhrsyathE.thath kaTHam Ethath upapadhyathe?

 

 

 

As the Lord is the self of both sentient and the insentient even the

animals and the plants are said to be His dasas. How is this

appropriate?

 

 

 

In Manthrarajapadhasthothra it is said that 'dAsabhoothA svathassarvE

AthmAnah paramAthmanah,' all beings serve the Lord by their nature

,(being His body.) The doubt here is that even though it may be true of

humans but how can this be applied to animals who have no discrimination

and the plants which are insentient.

 

 

 

The answer is

 

 

 

dAsathvam khalu sEshathva-jnAnArhathvam nigadhyathE

 

pasvAdheenAm tu thathjnAnam bhavEth janmAntharEshvapi.

 

 

 

The intention to serve may not be present in the animals and plants but

they have the fitness for seshathva and the knowledge of it in

subsequent lives becasue they are like sleeping sentient selves who are

unaware of their nature.Since there is no certainty that they will be

born only as animals or plants in their next life they are also fit to

be called dhAsas of the Lord.The reson why they are not termed so in

this life is due to the fact that their service to their masters is for

this life only and hence it is not permenent whereas they are the seshas

of the Lord in their whole existence and hence His dhasas.

 

 

 

8.katham cha chEthanAchEthanayOh bhagavantham prathi ananyArhaseshathvam

abhilapyathE?

 

 

 

How can the sentient and insentient entities be sesha for the Lord only?

 

This question arises because it is seen in the world that the sentient

beings such as servants of a master and the insentient like houses etc

are seshas , that is belonging to the human beings due to their karma

and also for the released souls and ever free souls the sentient sand

the insentient become sesha , that is enjoyable due to the will Of the

Lord. hence they cannot be ermed as solely existing for the service and

enjoyment of the Lord.

 

 

 

The anwer is given by Desika as

 

nirupADHika sesham hi visvamEthath sriyah pathEh

 

karmAdhyupADHiniyathaseshathvamitharAn prathi

 

 

 

The seshathvam is of two kinds, svAbhAvikam, what is natural and

aupADHikam, conditional.The seshathva of all beings to the Lord is

unconditional while the seshathva to others is conditional,depending on

other circumstances such as the fruit of karma ,will of the Lord etc.

The seshathva to the Lord is unconditional and eternal and hence there

is no contradiction.