SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 22

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srI: SrI upakAra sangraham – 22 --- 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) (conclusion) --- In this Section, SwAmi Desikan described four types of favours being done by the Lord for the jIvA-s. The four favours being done by the Lord are: (i) Protection of the j~nAna svaroopam of the jIvAtmA (a form of knowledge itself) as a permanent

favour. (ii) Protecting the jIvAtmA’s ability to know, which is known as the attributive knowledge – dharma-bhoota-j~nAnam, (svbhAva j~nAna) as a permanent favour. (iii) To wait in anticipation of a small good deed done by the jIvAtm even unintentionally. (iv) To make the jIvA to do such un-intentional good deed (ajnAta-sukruti) so that He can grant a big favour to him. After describing these four favours, SwAmi Desikan made a concluding statement in the following words:- “svecchaa-maatra-anubandhi-kaLu-maay anaadikaLumaana upakaarangaL. ivai naalum meluLLa upakAra nilankaLukkellaam adhishthaanankaLaay niRkinRana.” SwAmi Desikan says, the Lord does these favours voluntarily and not in return for some good action deliberately done by the jIvA. More so, we can not fix the time of origin of these favours. They are “anAdi”. “Adi” means commencement. “an” is a prefix in Sanskrit which if added to a word will give the opposite meaning. In this case, “anAdi” will mean – beginning-less. It is common sense that anything must have a beginning. Otherwise, it would not come into existence. Hence, we can say, the beginning of these favours can not be known at all. When did the Lord started to grant these favours is beyond our knowledge. So, it is better to leave the matter there. To probe the origin will be not only a waste of time, but an impossible task. That is why our forefathers described such things as “anAdi”, without going into their origin. SwAmi Desikan also conveys to us that the Lord did these anAdi favours on His own. There was no motive or reason for Him doing so. Besides, we can not find out the reason for His favours, which is known only to Him. Hence it is better to say that He did these favours voluntarily and not in return for any favour done by the jIvA. Next, SwAmi Desikan says as the concluding statement, “ivai naalum meluLLa upakAra nilankaLukkellaam adhishthaanankaLaay niRkinRana.” -- That is, these four remain as the base for all the future favours. How is it? To find the answer, we shall study these favours one by one. First, the Lord made the jIvA an eternal entity like Himself, even though of the atomic size. He granted the jIvA to be made of pure j~nAna (consciousness as the raw material), similar to Himself. The jIvA will not face destruction from any other force including the Lord. Even though the Lord is all powerful and capable of destroying him, He has taken an eternal decision, sankalpam, not to exercise this power with regard to the jIvA. Secondly, the Lord granted the jIvA the power to know, unlike the material objects which are also His

creation. He gave this favour to the jIvA so as to help him to realize his-self, enjoy the material pleasures for which He has created the universe and also to experience ‘parama-purushaartam’, the highest-ever benefit, i.e., the eternal bliss in His abode. The Lord made this capacity to know, i.e., ‘dharma-bhoota-j~nAnam’ to the jIvAtmA as eternal. The jIvAtma started misusing this knowing capacity and indulged in wrongful activities and got into the cycle of birth-rebirth, because of avidyA and selfish-karma-s committed in previous lives. He also had

to pass through several praLaya-s without any relief and self-repentance. Out of His natural compassion, the Lord started waiting for the moment when the jIvA would correct himself and turn back. This is the third favour of the Lord. Fourthly, when He found that there is no chance of jIvA turning to the good path on his own, the Lord became ready to shower favours even if the jIvA does a tiny good deed unintentionally. SwAmi Desikan says these four favours form the base for Him to grant further favours in the future. For, unless there is a strong foundation, no big buildings can be constructed. The Lord’s daya is such that He will do every bit of favour to enable the jIvA to rise to the highest level of bliss. With this we come to the end of the Section 2 of the First Chapter of SrI UpakAra Sangram of SrI nigmAntha mahAdesikan. ----- (To continue ) dAsan Anbil S.SrInivAsan -----

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