Sri UpakAra Sangraham - 13

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srI: SrI upakAra sangraham – 13 --- adikAram – 1 poorva upakAra paramparai (The Foremost Series of Favours) (continued) --- After describing the present situation of the jIvA, who shudders to under-go the same torturous course of birth-cycle again and surrenders at the feet of the Lord leaving

his future at His hands, SwAmi Desikan goes into what is to done by the jIva now:- Text: - “POna neerukku aNaikOlAthE, vENdAtha neeraith thEkkavum pArAthE, viLainilatthiRku apEkshitha-mAna neerai virakAlE thEkkik kOLLumavarkaLaip pOlE thanakku svaroopa-anuroopa-mAna parama-purushArthat-tthiRku than aDhikAr-anuroopamAna sharaNya-vasheekaraNa-visheshatthai nishkarshitthu, sharNyanudaiya Abhimukhya-viShEsha hEthuvAka avan

thAnE munbhu cheitha upakAra-paramparai-yai mukap-pachchaiyAkki, mERcheyya vEndum upakAra paramparayai Akinchanya-ananya-gathithvan-gaLai munnittukkondu apEkshikkumathu parama-hitham.” SwAmi Desikan has been explaining the foremost favours conferred by the Lord on jIvas. At this point of time, the jIva also has to do certain things so that the Lord can continue to provide further favours to him. The jIvA has to adopt the means for attracting the Lord so that the Lord will take note of the jIva’s interest in reaching Him. This is a mutual response between the Lord and the jIvA. In SrIbhAshyA, in the very first AdhikaraNam, SrI BhashyakArar makes it clear that the Lord can not be attained merely through shravaNam, mananam, nididhyAsnam by the jIvA. He quotes a passage from MuNdakopanishad (3-2-3) which says: “nAymAthmA pravachanEna lbhyO na mEdhayA na bhanA shruthEna / yamEvaisha vruNuthE thEna labhyah thasyaisha AthmA vivrNuthE thanoom //” He can be attained only by him whom He chooses. Only a person who has extreme affection for Him is qualified to attain Him. The same is spoken by the Lord himself. In Bhagavdgita also (10-10), and in (7-17). It is, therefore, proper for SwAmi Desikan to guide the jIvA who is eager to attain Him. That is what, he says in the following words:- “POna neerukku aNaikOlAthE, vENdAtha neeraith thEkkavum pArAthE, viLainilatthiRku apEkshitha-mAna neerai virakAlE thEkkik kOLLumavarkaLaip pOlE thanakku svaroopa-anuroopa-mAna parama-purushArthat-tthiRku than aDhikAr-anuroopamAna sharaNya-vasheekaraNa-visheshatthai nishkarshitthu,” SwAmi Desikan explains citing the example of farmers. The farmers will not put a dam for saving the waters already flown away. They will also not preserve unwanted waters. The will save only so much of waters as required for their crop-yielding fields.

Similarly, jIvan also has to decide the means for attaining the highest goal, according to his own capacity and qualification. In this case, he must determine the appropriate course for attracting Him Who is the final resort. Our PoorvAchAryAs have left us proven means for attaining the Lord. It can be either BhaktiyOga or Prapatthi. One who has the qualification and capacity can adopt bhakti-yOga. Prapatthi or saraNagathi is the best sited for those who are not qualified and do not have the capacity. SwAmi Desikan continues:- “sharNyanudaiya Abhimukhya-viShEsha hEthuvAka avan thAnE munbhu cheitha upakAra-paramparai-yai mukap-pachchaiyAkki,” -- The aspirant must consider the favours done by the Lord earlier as a valid and important foot-hold for him to proceed further. Any intelligent person will use the friendly gesture, like a smile, made by another person, to exploit him to get more benefits. Similarly, the jIvA should make of use of the compassionate favours extended to him by the Lord to proceed further to achieve his goal. The goal is to escape the samsAra captivity and get liberated. The favours done by the Lord earlier, when he was ignorant, will come to his help for making a further move, since he has acquired wisdom through the teachings of his sadhAchAryA. The means should be fitting with his new position. SwAmi Desikan concludes this section with these words:- “mERcheyya vEndum upakAra paramparayai akinchanya-ananya-gathithvan-gaLai munnittukkondu apEkshikkumathu parama-hitham.” – SwAmi Desikan suggests that the jIvA should feel his own helpless condition and his lack of resources of his own. That is, the “akinchanyam” and the “ananya-gathithvam”, which are among the angAs of prapatthi mArga. Akinchanathvam is the lack of even a little to invest. On his own the jIvA can not make any move. He is left with no resources to invest. “ananyagathithvam” -- means that he has no other resort except the Lord. On this basis, he must seek further favours from the Lord. That is the “paramhitham”, the ultimate good, which is reaching SrI VaikuNtam, for the ever-lasting service for the Lord and the Bliss. Here ends the first section explaining the

Parama-hitham of the Lord, in the first AthikAram (Chapter), named “PoorvOpakAra ParamparA AthikAram.” (to continue) dAsan Anbil SrInivAsan. --------

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