SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 15

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srI: SrI upakAra sangraham – 15 --- adikAram – 1 poorva upakAra paramparai (The Foremost Series of Favours) --- SECTION – 2 (The Four basic favours provided by the Lord to the JivAthmA since time immemorial) (continued) --- Under this Section, SwAmi Desikan is explaining the basic favours which the Lord has conferred on us in the past. First, he showed that He did a favour by making our Atma-svaroopam eternal. Individual AtmA has two aspects. One is its form, that is, its svaroopam, which is j~nAna – consciousness. Every one of us is aware constantly of our own existence, i.e., the feeling of “I” – “aham”. The existence of one’s AtmA is known only to himself, which can be described to some extent as self-consciousness. Our AtmA is not seen by others, even though our body is visible to them. The AtmA is known only to itself in the form of “I”. This self –consciousness is called the svaroopam of the AtmA. It is the Lord’s will that this svaroopam be eternal. This point was discussed in the first sub-section as a favour done by the Lord. Now, in the second sub-section, SwAmi Desikan shows how it is the will of the Lord that the nature (svabhaavam) of our AtmA also be eternal. What is this ‘nature’? We are now going to see it. First the Text:- (ii) indha prathyak-Atma-svaroopa-tthiRku parama-purushaartha-anuroopa-mAyum, tat-virodhi-nivartana-vyaajaroopa-maayum pariNamikkak-kadava dharma-bhoota-j~nAna-ttai maaRRAtE, nitya-icchaiyaalE itthai aham-artha-tthiRku nitya-dharma-maakki vaitthathu, svabhaava-rakShaNa-roopa-maana nityopakaaram. To begin with, we must understand the technical terms used by SwAmi Desikan in this sub-section. “prathyak-Atmaa” – “prathyak” means “svasmai bhaasamaanam” – i.e., revealing to oneself within. “prathyak-Atmaa” – one’s AtmA reveals itself within oneself. This is in contrast with material things which have no consciousness, but are known only to others. One’s body is seen by others, but his AtmA is not seen by them. They are aware of its existence only through the living body of the person. His AtmA is hidden so far as others are concerned. Once this is clear, we can say, “individual AtmA” as indicated by this term, “prathyak-Atmaa”. “parama-purushaartha-anuroopam” – “purushaartham” means ‘an object of attainment by a human being’. “parama-purushaartham” means ‘the highest goal of attainment for any human being’. The experience of such highest goal is “parama-purushaartha-anubhavam’. This experience is possible for an individual AtmA through his knowing capacity. This is called attributive knowledge, i.e. dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam. “dharma” – quality or attribute. “dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam” – means attributive knowledge. With this one knows things outside. This knowledge is in the nature of contraction and expansion. In the prAkritic life, i.e., in samsAra, this attributive knowledge is in a contracted state. For an ordinary person, its reach is up to very limited area only. By practice, one can expand its area of reach. Presently sitting in a place, we will not be able to know the happenings at far off place, why even out side our room unless we move over there. Yogis, out of constant and prolonged practice, are able to be aware of happenings at a far off lace. Their dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam is also limited, though wider than an ordinary person. But the dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam of ParmAtmA is vibhu,

limitless in its reach. MuktA-s too have their dharma-bhootha-j~nAm expanded like that of the Lord. The contraction is only in the mundane world. The achit things have also AtmA-s, but their dharma-bhooth-j~nAnam is almost zero, totally contracted. Every material objects in the world have AtmA-s bereft of knowing capacity. A little better are tiny creatures, still better are plants, above them come animals and then come human beings whose dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam is more expanded than all of them. The full expansion of the attributive knowledge comes only when the soul attains Mukthi. So, there are stumbling blocks in the way of dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam. For attaining spiritual knowledge, including about the ParamAtmA, the Lord out of His own will, removes the blocks so that the jIva’s attributive knowledge expands to that extent. This is another favour done by the Lord for the soul. This is expressed by SwAmi Desikan as follows: “tat-virodhi-nivartana-vyaajaroopa-maayum pariNamikkak-kadava dharma-bhootaj~nAna-ttai maaRRAtE,” Here, “tat-virodhi” means the stumbling blocks which are described as “virodhi” -- enemies of AtmA. “nivartana-vyaajaroopa-maayum” – The Lord helps in the form of removing the obstacles to the expansion of the jIvA’s knowledge. “pariNamikkak-kadava” -- By the favour done by the Lord, the AtmA’s attributive knowledge shines (parinamitthal). “dharma-bhootaj~nAna-ttai maaRRAtE” – This shining of the attributive knowledge is also retained without dwindling, by the favour of the Lord. It is all due to His eternal will (nitya -sankalpam) This is indicated by SwAmi Desikan as “nitya-icchaiyaalE” – continuing desire of the Lord. Because of His eternal will, the jIvA’s attributive knowledge expands to attain finally the parama-purushaartham, which is nothing but enjoying the Lord’s company in SrI VaikuNtam. “aham-artha-tthiRku

nitya-dharma-maakki vaitthatu” -- Here, “aham-artha-tthiRku” means, for the j~nAna svaroopa AtmA. The Lord turns the attributive knowledge of the JivAtmA eternal, “nitya-dharma-maakki vaitthatu”. SwAmi Desikan says this is another eternal UpakAram of the Lord:- “svabhaava-rakShaN-roopa-maana nityopakAram.” -- He has saved the attributive knowledge of the jIivAtmA. Thus the dharma-bhootha-j~nAnam is made a “nitya-dharmam”. This is the “svabhaava-rakShanam” – protecting the nature of knowing. This favour is also an eternal UpakAram of the Lord, “nityopakAram”. So concludes, SwAmi Desikan, in this second sub-section. (to continue) dAsan Anbil SrInivAsan -------- ----

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