SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 63

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srI:

SrI upakAra sangraham – 63

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adikAram – 1

poorva upakAra paramparai

(The Foremost Series of Favours)

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SECTION – 5 (20)

(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for

MOKSHAM)

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In the last sub-section, SwAmi Desikan referred to

the favour conferred by the Lord by helping the

sAttvika jIvas to receive the three rahasyas, namely,

Thirumanthiram, Dvayam and the caramaslokam from the

AchArya without missing even a letter. Rahsya means

secret. A mantra is given to a person by his Guru, by

uttering it into his ears in a low tone that is not

heard by a third person. That is why it is called a

rahasya. The detailed explanation of the mantra,

including the significance of each word and in many

cases even each letter is given to disciple in

kAlakShEpams, which are discourses held in an

exclusive manner, with the Guru and the recipient

observing certain code of conduct. The code includes

self-purification, dress and adorning the body with

the holy marks such as dwAdasa oordva-puNdram

(thiruman and SrIchoornam). Scholars have written

books explaining in detail the significance of these

mantras to enable the disciple to understand better,

when he hears the oral explanation from a guru

directly. Once a formal instruction is given, the

disciple can freely study the concerned books and

learn more in a thorough manner. Several of these

works, written by the Acharyas like SwAmi Desikan, are

to be read by the disciples on a daily basis so that

the essence of the mantras is imbedded in his mind and

meditated upon.

Apart from helping us to learn the literal manthras,

the Lord does another favour to us in knowing these

messages, says SwAmi Desikan, in this sub-section:

 

(20) ivaRRilE pothintha

paratattva-paramahita-parama-puruShArthangkaLAkiRa

mahAnidhikaLaith thiRanthu kAttinathuvum;

 

These three mantras contain the greatest truths

within. These truths relate to the high realities, the

highest good-means and the highest goal of life to be

attained. The revealing of these truths, which are

large treasures, is also done by the Lord, yet another

favour conferred by Him, out of compassion, upon us.

 

[Note: It is the duty of everyone belonging to our

siddhAnta tradition to learn these truths from a

qualified guru in the proper manner indicated earlier

in this series. However, it is also necessary to

inspire those persons to make an effort to receive the

knowledge in the proper manner. With this intention,

the essence of the message is being given here in a

short form.

One is reminded of an incident in the life of SrI

KoorathAzhvAn, the close disciple of SrI rAmAnuja, as

recorded in the commentary on ThiruvAimozhi. He had

two sons, the well known SrI ParAsara Bhattar and SrI

SeerAma PiLLai who were studying under the AchArya,

SrI EmbAr. Sri AzhvAn used to teach them ThiruvAimozhi

at home. When the 10th pAsuram in the second

ThiruvAimozhi of the first Centum was due to be

taught, SrI AzhvAn felt that as it describes the

significance of the Thirumantram, he asked them to

learn the meaning of the verse from their AchArya

which is alone proper. The children started proceeding

to the residence of SrI EmbAr, when SrI AzhvAn,

realizing the instability of the physical body, called

them back, and told them, “No body could fix who would

survive and who would not, and so, stay back and

listen to the essence of the Thirumantram from me” and

taught them the mantra and the meaning of the PAsuram.

 

Keeping this in mind, it is felt that it would be

better to give the gist of the three truths here

itself. It is, however, emphasized that these should

be learnt in the prescribed manner from one’s

AchArya.]

 

Tattva -- Realities

 

There are three: The Para-tattva (God or Ishvara), the

sentient (cEtana or cit) and the non-sentient (acEtana

or acit). Of these, the “para-tattva” (Higher Reality)

is Ishvara or God. The remaining two are

“avara-tattva” .

 

The “para – tattva” is SrImaN nArAyaNa, the Consort of

SrI. He is the creator, supporter, ruler and master of

all things other than Himself. He is of omniscient,

omnipresent, and omnipotent nature – all knowing and

present everywhere. He is also the possessor of

innumerable auspicious qualities, including limitless

compassion. He protects all the beings. He grants

salvation to anyone who adopts bhakti-yoga or

surrender unto Him. Those who attain mOksha, enjoys

His presence in the highest abode for ever without the

fear of return to this mundane world.

 

The Lord has a divine and auspicious form which is of

five kinds, para, vyuha, vibhava, antharyAmi and arcA.

When His form, known as divvy mangaLa vigraham (Divine

Auspicious Form), is worshipped, all sins will be

wiped off. His form can easily be meditated upon. He

is the ParamAtma and is the para-tattva.

 

Of the other two tattvas, the sentient or the cEtana

is known as jIvAtma, whose form is very, very small

and so, is known as ‘aNu’ (atomic). It is of the

nature of j~nAna, knowledge, consciousness, similar to

the para-tattva, which is ‘vibhu’ (omnipresent).

JIvAtma is being felt as “I” – the self-conscious. It

has knowledge as its attribute, known as the

dharma-bhoota-j~nAna, which is its capacity to know

other things. It is also capable of being active –

doing karma and to enjoy its result. However, these

attributes are provided by the Lord according to one’s

previous karma.

 

JIvAtamas are of three kinds: Baddha or the Souls in

bondage; Mukta or the Free Souls; and Nitya or the

Ever-free Souls. The Souls in bondage are those

undergoing the cycle of birth-death-rebirth in this

miserable world. Freed Souls are those that have

attained freedom from this cycle. Ever-free Souls are

those that have never been caught by the clutches of

this world, like the Lord and His Consort, SrI.

 

The third tattva, known as acEtana, is the set of

non-sentient objects which are without the attributive

knowledge. These substances are classified as

Primordial Matter or Prakruti; kAla or Time;

Transcendental Matter or Suddha Sattva; and

Dharma-bhoota-j~nAna (attributive knowledge. The

Primordial Matter is of three, namely, Sattva, RAjasa

and TAmasa. It multiplies into twenty four kinds of

matter, one leading to another as cause and effect.

This development takes place for the sake of the souls

in bondage, to be their bodies, intellect, mind and

ten senses – five of knowledge, and another five of

action.

 

KAla or Time is divided into moments, seconds,

minutes, hours, days, months and years.

Suddha Tattva or Transcendental Matter is of the

nature of pure Sattva bereft of any trace of Rajasic

and TAmasic guNas. It is of the size, three times

bigger than the material world made of Primordial

Matter. It is where the Abode of the ParamAtma, His

Consorts and the Ever-free Souls and the Freed Souls

is situated.

The dharma-bhoota-j~nAna or the attributive knowledge

is that knowledge which is capable of manifesting

itself while showing other objects. With it as an

attribute, the Atma is able to know a thing, to do an

act and reap the benefit of the act. This attributive

knowledge is in a shrunk form for the bonded souls and

expands to the maximum size when the soul becomes a

Freed Soul. There is no shrinking for the Ever-free

Souls or for the ParamAtma and His Consorts in their

Abode of Suddha Sattva.

 

This is a gist of the Tattva or the Realities. SwAmi

Desikan says the knowledge about this Tattva is a

favour done by the Lord. It will be followed by the

other two, namely, Hita and PurushArta.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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