SrI UpakAra Sangraham - 5

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srI: SrI upakAra sangraham – 5 --- adikAram – 1 poorva upakAra paramparai (The Foremost Series of Favours) (continued) --- We have seen the opening words of SwAmi Desikan how the Lord is treating all of us as His lovable creatures and act to help us to proceed on the right path. The scriptures including the VedAs and Upanishads are released on His SAsanam – order, (by Brahma as known to all of us from various Puranas). SwAmi Desikan also indicated how considerate the scriptures are for us. They are thousand times better than our mothers and fathers, who also have great affection for us, their children. This saying does not in any way belittle them and no one who studies this scripture should get the idea that our mothers and fathers are not so good. Please keep in mind that the same scripture asks us to treat our mothers and fathers as “devAs” and similarly our AchAryAs too. The point which SwAmi Desikan emphasizes is that Scriptures are providing us great affection which is un-paralleled. {Here, adiyEn would to like to make one point clear to the readers. This grantha is a rahasya grantha which should be learnt directly under a Guru in the proper manner as laid down by our poorvAchArya-s. But, the printed books now available are only aids

and can not substitute the proper learning directly from a Guru through kAlakshEpam. AdiyEn should have made this point at the beginning itself. AdiyEn is sorry for the omission. But, as the popular saying goes, “Better late than never”. Kindly keep in mind this very important point.} SwAmi Desikan continues: - As the quote says, “sarvarukkum sarva-dEsatthilum sarva-kAlatthilum sarva-avasthaiyilum sarva-ahitha-nivrutthiyaiyum sarva-hitha-pravrutthiyaiyum uNdAkkukaikku thirumukamAi nindra SAstrattil ……” As stated earlier, the Scripture, which is compared to thousands of mothers & fathers, stands in readiness. To do what? What a Mother will do to her child? She will take care of the child in all respects. If it suffers, she will attend to it immediately leaving other things behind. She will not even attend to her husband. She will do every thing to free the child from its affliction. Is there any fixed time for her to do it? No. It may be day, morning, evening or even midnight. Her attention to the afflicted child goes beyond the time limit – i.e., “sarva kAlamum”, she

will give her attention, is it not? SwAmi Desikan says, the Scripture also does so to the souls suffering in this samsAra. Will any Mother care for only one of her children? No, she will attend every one of her children without any distinction, is it not? Scripture also does so. For it, no one is more dear than others. All are equal.

This is the thAthparyam of the expression, “sarvarukkum” in the text. No mother will pay attention only in certain places and not in other places to treat her child. She will not be bothered about the place where she finds her child afflicted. It may be her own home or a friend’s home or a place outside, be it a shopping centre, railway station, airport or a cinema theatre or a marriage hall. Her full attention will be on her afflicted child. She will not care about others present there. Is it not? Similarly, Scripture pays attention to us in all places without exception. So says SwAmi Desikan, “sarva-dhEsatthilum”. No mother will abandon her afflicted child if she is in certain situation. Even when doing her pooja to her deity, she will not hesitate to attend to her child. She will not think that pooja is more important than her child which has suddenly fallen ill. Or, she may be in a different situation. In modern times, women are going to employment. When a mother is about to start for the office, if her child is suddenly afflicted or fractured its

limb, will she say she will attend to it after return from her office? Certainly not. Is it not? Similarly, Scripture comes to our help whatever may be the situation prevailing at that moment. This is what SwAmi Desikan means by “sarva-avasthaiyilum”. No mother will leave her attending to her suffering child mid-way. Or she will not give up the treatment half-way. Or she will attend to her child only for certain

affliction and abandon it in the case of other afflictions. Even if it is very serious affliction involving hospitalization or surgery, even if it is very costly treatment, she will not abandon her child. Is it not so? The same is the case with regard to the Scripture, says SwAmi Desikan in terms of “sarva-ahitha-nivrutthiyaiayum”. Here, “ahitha” means harm. Mother will not be choosy in regard to the harm suffered by her child. Her attention will be for all kinds of harm that occur to her child. Is it not? So it is with the Scripture too, says SwAmi Desikan. “sarva-nivrutthiyaiyum” -- all kinds of treatments to remove the affliction will be done. No mother will keep quite if the treatment for her afflicted-child is very costly. Even if it requires selling all her properties, she will go ahead with the costly treatment. In the case of poorly placed mother, she will not hesitate to beg others for money for the treatment of her child. Such is the attitude of the Scripture too. “sarva-hitha-pravrtthiyaiyum” – by this SwAmi Desikan indicates that Scripture will help the people to promote their welfare which may be of any kind. No mother will distinguish between one need and other needs of her child. It may be its school education or dress or sport etc. She will extend all possible help in promoting the talents of her child. Similar is the case with regard

to the Scripture also. “thirumkamAi nindra” -- paying attention to us continuously. There will not be any diversion, says SwAmi Desikan. Mother’s attention on her child is constant and continuous without any break or diversion. In whatever domestic work she is, her attention on her child will continue constantly. Similar is the case with regard to Scripture also. Here, it would be worthwhile to look for an example.

AdiyEn may be permitted to add a small article of mine, published in Sri Nrisimhapriya(English) some time ago. Secret of Parental Blessings One of traditional customs that are now becoming rarer is the parental blessings. The seekers of it have dwindled in numbers. Very rarely we see youngsters approach their parents, especially mother, for blessing before undertaking any new venture. Probably one ought to be blessed too to receive it! If the secret of such a blessing either of father or mother is realized, then there wouldn’t be many failures in one’s life. There are ample examples in our spiritual literature,

but the most towering ones are those obtained by Sri Rama and Sri Garuda. Let us take up Sri Garuda’s case. The blessing he obtained is highlighted by none other than our great Acharya, Sri Nigamantha Maha Desika. In his soul-stirring Stotra, the Garuda Panchaasat, he makes a significant reference to mother’s blessing. Sri Garuda was on a valiant mission to fetch the pot containing amrita (nectar) to free his mother, Vinata, from the slavery she had got into with Kadru, another wife of her husband, Sage Kashyap. Vinata had fallen into the trap of Kadru by a trick played by the latter and became her slave. Her younger son, Sri Garuda, came to know of it when he was told that along with his mother he was also bonded. He wanted to get his mother freed from this bondage for which he was prepared to do anything. Kadru and her snake sons fixed the price for their freedom: Sri Garuda should bring the Amrita from the heaven for them. Amrita was the most prestigious possession of the gods led by Indra. They kept the pot of amrita in a well-guarded place which was beyond even the imagination of any other creature in the whole of universe. Garuda decided to seize the pot of amrita, come what may. He had the confidence and the strength to meet the all powerful gods in the venture. Before starting his journey towards heaven, he took leave of his mother Vinata. How she gave a send-off to him is described in a sloka by Sri Desika: Samvic-chastram disantyaa saha vijaya-chamooh-aasishah preshayantya Sambadnantyaa tanutram sucharitam-asanam pakkanam nirdisantyaa / Enah asmat vainateyo nudatu vinatayaa

klrpta-rakshaa-viseshah Kadroo sanketa-daasya-kshapana-pana-sudhaa-laksha-bhaiksham jighrukshuh // (Garuda Panchaasat-12) The Acharya says that Vinata put a cover of benediction on her son in a variety of ways. First, she imparted knowledge which became his weapons; secondly, she gave her blessings which served as a victorious army; her advice on righteous conduct was akin to an armour for his body. She indicated a cluster of evil-minded hunters’ dwellings for his sumptuous lunch. Let such blessed Garuda, who wanted to fetch the ransom of amrita to secure his mother’s freedom, free us from our paapas. It is part of the story that Garuda was successful

in his mission and ultimately freed his mother and himself from the clutches of slavery. Swami Desikan’s expression, vijaya-chamooh-aasishah preshayantyaa -- Vinata was dispatching a victorious army in the form of blessings, points to the power of a mother’s blessings to her child in its life. Vinata’s blessings stood by Garuda in his unparalleled venture and brought him all success. A similar expression was used by Mahakavi Kalidasa in his kavya Raghuvamsa, which might have been in Swami Desika’s mind while composing this verse. The context was when Sri Rama left the palace to accompany Sage Visvamitra to guard his yagna from the onslaughts of Rakshaas. Before sending his son, Dasarata showers his blessings on him. Lakshmana-anucharameva Raaghavam Netumaichad-drushirityasau nrupah /Aasisham prayuyuje na vaahineem saa hi rakshana-vidhau tayoh kshamaa // (Raghuvamsa, 11-6) Lakshmana alone went along with Sri Rama to accompany the Sage (Visvamitra). No armies were sent with them, because Dasarata’s blessings were capable of protecting the boys. Dasarata’s blessings were the only army – wonderful poetic imagination of Kalidasa! In his epic, Valmiki did not refer to any blessing by the Emperor. It seems Kalidasa provided the inspiration to Swami Desikan who used the idea of blessings as the army in his Garuda Panchaasat. In Valmiki Ramayana itself, Queen Kausalya blesses her son, Sri Rama, on His departure for

the forest where He was to spend 14 years in exile. Kausalya recalled the blessings showered by Vinata on Garuda who went after the nectar:- Yanmangalam suparnasya vinataa-kalpayat puraa / Amritam praartayaanasya tat te bhavatu mangalam // (Ayodhyakanda , 25-33) (May the same blessing be

on you as given by Vinata to Suparna, in an earlier kalpa.) While narrating the story of Garuda in detail, Sage Vyasa provides us the loving words of mother Vianata who blessed her son Garuda for his success in the fetching of the amrita-pot from the heaven. Vyasa says, although she had known the matchless prowess of her son, yet she blessed him heartily, keeping in mind the woe afflicted by the serpents on her. Vinata said, “Let the wind God, Vayu, protect your wings, Chandra and Surya your backbone, Agni your head, and the eight Vasus, the entire body of yours. I shall remain always performing

beneficial ceremonies and prayers to Bhagavan for your welfare. Proceed on your journey and return after accomplishing the task you have just begun without any hazard on the way.” Kausalya too wished Sri Rama a successful accomplishment of the purpose for which He was proceeding to the forest. Arogam sarvasiddhaartam Ayodhyaam

punaraagatam / Pasyaami tvaam sukham vatsa samdhitam raaja-vartmasu // (25-40) (I shall

happily see you come back in good health to Ayodhya having all your objects fulfilled.) Kausalya and Vinata are the glowing ideals for all mothers desiring welfare of their children. Youngsters, who seek success in their lives, too, should be aware of this secret! --- (to continue) dAsan Anbil SrInivAsan

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