Guest guest Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. ---------- srI: SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (13) -- SAdhanAdhikAram -- Section - 7 (5) (The Favours being done by the Lord to the jIva who has adopted bhakti-yOga or prapatti) --- In the previous sub-section, SwAmi Desikan showed how the Lord helps in removing the hindrances to the post-prapatti services done by the prapanna in accordance with the scriptural tenets. Now, he refers to the favour of the Lord in saving the prapanna from being perplexed due to doubts about right and wrong that arise in this age of Kali: (5) “yEharnisham jagaddhAturvAsudEvasya keertanam / kurvanti tAn narashrEShTa na kalih bAdhatE narAn //” (?) “na kalau kalicEShTOsau moodEShu ca na muhyati / bhagavatyacyutE nityam yEna bhAvah samAhitah //” (?) “kalau krutayugam tasya kalistasya krutE yugE / yasya cEtasi gOvindO hrudayE yasya nAcyutah //” (ViShNudharma, 109-57) “kaliyukamonRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum” ityAthikaLiRpadiyE, kainkarya paranukku kAladOShAdi bhaysthAnankaLAl kalakkam vArAthapadi paNNumathuvum; The Lord comes to the help of the prapanna to clear his doubts about the right and wrong of his actions. He has shown the easiest way out for this through statements in the scriptures like PurANas and the works of the Saints like AzhvArs. SwAmi Desikan quotes three slokas and also from SrI NammAzhvAr to strengthen the mind of the prapanna. He mentions three slokas first: “yEharnisham jagaddhAtur-vAsudEvasya keertanam / kurvanti tAn narashrEShTa na kalih bAdhatE narAn //” (?) The source of this sloka is not known. It says: “Oh the Best among men, whoever chants the names of the Lord day and night, is not touched by Kali.” The second quotation, the source of which is also not known, is: “na kalau kalicEShTOsau moodEShu ca na muhyati / bhagavatyacyutE nityam yEna bhAvah samAhitah //” (?) The message of this sloka is: “The man, whose mind is well placed with the Lord Acyuta, does not come under the menace of Kali yuga; he does not allow himself misled by the tenets of the ignorant.” The third sloka quoted by Swami Desikan is from SrI ViShNudharma: “kalau krutayugam tasya klistasya krutE yugE / yasya cEtasi gOvindO hrudayE yasya nAcyutah //” (SrI ViShNudharma, 109-57) For the man whose mind meditates on Lord Govinda, the Kali age turns into Kruta -yuga. The person who does not think of Lord Acyuta, even Kruta -yuga turns into Kali-yuga. This scripture, SrI ViShNudharma, was taught by Sage Sownaka to King ShatAneeka, a descendant of PANdavas, who wanted to guide the people on the spiritual path from the sensual pleasures. On his request, Sage Sownaka revealed the truth that the chanting of the Lord’s names is the best way for the betterment of their souls. The Vedas and other scriptures are ancient and have been in existence for countless yugas. One may find difficulty in following many injunctions contained in them in the present Kali-yuga. A prapanna has to spend his time in proper manner till he leaves this material world to the Lord’s abode. How to spend the time is the main question in everyone’s mind. The situation in this yuga has been described in Srimad Bhagavatha-mAhAtmya. It narrates how Sage NArada found Lady-Bhakti, along with her two sons, j~nAna and vairAgya suffer since to onset of the Kali-yuga. Sage NArada himself witnessed the effects of the Kali-yuga and said that nowhere he found joy as the earth stood assailed by the age of Kali, who he described as “adharma-mitra” -- the friend of unrighteousness. When Sage NArada went to BadarikAShrama to find a solution for the meisery of Bhakti and her sons, he was advised by the great sages, Sanaka and his three brothers that chanting or hearing SrImadbhAgavta will free them from the misery and they would gain their glory back. This PurANa describes the situation in the Kali-yuga in its opening Chapter: “prAyENAlpAyuShah sabhya kalAvasmin yugO janAh / mandAh sumandamatayO mandabhAgyA hyupadratAh // bhooreeNi bhoorikarmANi shtrOtavyAni vibhAgashah /” (1-1-10,11) (In this age of Kali, people are mostly short-lived, slothful, most dull-witted, unlucky and tormented with diseases and other evils. The scriptures too are numerous and inculcate not one discipline, but a number of practices and rituals and being too voluminous, they have to be listened to part by part.) The answer is also given in the same PurANa: “atah pumbhir-dvijashrEShTA varNAShrama-vibhAgashah / svanuShTitasya dharmasya samsiddhir-haritOShaNam // tasmAd-EkEna manasA bhagavAn sAtvatAm patih / shrOtavyah keertitavyashca dhyEyah poojyashca nityadA // yadanudhyAsinA yuktAh karma-granthi-nibandhanam / chindanti kOvidAstasya kO na kuryAt-kathAratim //” (1-2-13,14,15) (Therefore, O BrAhmaNas, performing duties efficiently by men according to their respective VarNa and AShrama leads to securing the pleasure of SrI Hari. Hence, with undivided mind one should ever hear and sing the praises of, meditate upon, and worship the Lord, Who is the protector of His devotees. The learned, who are armed with the sword of constant meditation on Him, cut asunder the hard knot of Karma therewith. Who, then, would not take delight in His stories?) The PurANa ends with this verse: “nAma sankeertanam yasya sarvapApa praNAshanam / praNAmO duhkha-shamanastam namAmi harim param //” (12-13-23) (I salute SrI Hari, the dispeller of all fears and agony, the Supreme Lord, the loud chanting of Whose names is the most efficacious and easiest way to wipe out all sins, and respectful salutation to Whom alleviates all suffering.) SwAmi Desikan also gives an authoritative statement by SrI NammAzhvAr: “kaliyukam-onRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum” -- After adding the relevant part of the verse to go with this quote, it will be: “kaliyukamonRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum maliyum cudaroLi moortthi mAyap pirAn kaNNan” (ThiruvAimozhi, 5-2-11) (The Lord confers special benefits on His devotees so that they will not be affected by the evils that are characteristic of Kaliyuga.) If fact, the AzhvAr opens this second Thiruvaimozhi in the fifth Centum with a declaration that “kaliyum kedum kaNdukoNmin” -- Soon this Kaliyuga too will disappear; you are going to perceive it yourselves. How are you saying this? The AzhvAr answers: “kadal vaNNan boothangaL maNmEl maliyap pukunthisaippAdi Adiyuzhitharak kaNdOm.” -- We (AzhvAr) perceive this: The world is to be abound with vaishNavites who are to tread on this earth so that Kali-yuga will end. You are going to see it! In the next verse, the AzhvAr says: “thiriyum kaliyukam neengit thEvarkaL pukunthu periyakirathayukam paRRip pErinba veLLam peruka kariymukil vaNNan kadalvaNNan boothangaL maNmEl iriyap pukunthisaipAdi engumidam koNdanavE.” (5-2-3) In this verse, the AzhvAr declares that this world has become so full of SrIvaiShnavites as even the nitya-sooris, ever-free souls, who are always with the Lord in His Abode, rushed here to be close with these SrIvaiShnavites. “thiriyum kaliyukam neengi” -- It is said by AchAryas, SrI NammAzhvAr appeared in this world on the 43rd day after the Kaliyuga began. The AzhvAr is glorified as the great Sage whose appearance was such as to drive away the Kali-puruSha. By, “tiaiy<mf kliy<kmf” , “thiriyum kaliyukam”, the AzhvAr says, in this Kaliyuga, dhArmic activities took the upside-down posture, as indicated in the MahAbhArata. [Kaliyuga was born on the day SrI KriShNa ascended to His Abode. When the Lord abandoned His body and went to His place, SrIvaikuNta, Kali came into being binding all on the earth. (SrImadbhAgavata MAhAtmya, Chapter -1). Kaliyuga extends in time to 4,32,000 years. The Christian era started in the Kaliyuga’s 3102nd year. It will come to an end after 4,26,891 years (from 2008) and the eighth Manvantra will begin. From the onset of the Kaliyuga, acts of sin predominate and Kali, the sin-god, is ruling the world.] In the MahAbhArata, the sage MArkaNdEya had prophesized about the happenings in this yuga like this: “In the Kaliyuga, all will be dishonest. Charity and sacrifices will be only for a name. BrAhmins would do the duties of Soodras. Soodras will become prosperous. There will be sinners as rulers. People will be short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and their stature will also diminish. They will become scarcely truthful in speech. Beastly type of men will be on the increase. During this period, the Sudras will address Brahmins, saying, ‘Bho’, while the Brahmins address Sudras, saying Respected Sir. Odours and perfumes will not become so agreeable to our sense of scent, and the very tastes of things will not accord with our organs of taste as in other yugas. Women then become mothers of numerous progeny, endued with low statures, and destitute of good behaviour and good manners. Famine will ravage the habitations of people. The highways will be infested by women of ill fame, while females in general will become hostile to their husbands and destitute of modesty. BrAhmins will accept gifts from monarchs that are addicted to falsehood in speech and filled with covetousness and ignorance, and bearing on their persons the outward symbols of religion. People leading domestic lives, will be afraid of the burden of taxes, become deceivers, while Brahmins, falsely assuming the garb of ascetics, earn wealth by trade and grow nails and hair. None will observe the four AShramas correctly. Men will be addicted to intoxicating drinks and capable of violating the beds of their preceptors and pursue matters of the flesh and the blood. The asylums of ascetics will become full of sinful and audacious activities. The yield of milk from cows will decrease. Rains will be in and out of season. Trees and plants will refuse to grow in many places. There will murder of people everywhere. Merchants will become cheats and they will use false measures. Righteous persons will decrease and sinners will increase. Girls of seven or eight years will become pregnant and boys will become fathers. Young men at the age of sixteen would be grey-haired. Old men will continue practice the habits of young men. People will die in hunger.] All this will be restrained following the increase in the population of SrIvaiShnavites, says the AzhvAr: “thEvarkaL pukunthu periyakirathayukam paRRip pErinba veLLam peruka” -- Nitya sooris will come to the world and the Kaliyuga will turn into Krutayuga. The world will be flooded by the bliss of Bhagavad anubhavam. If asked, how? The answer is given by the AzhvAr Himself: “kariymukil vaNNan kadalvaNNan boothengaL maNmEl iriyap pukunthisaipAdi engumidam koNdanavE.” -- BhAgavtas, filled with the desire of enjoying the beautiful form of the Lord, have filled the entire world singing His names and glories. It is the view of the learned that SrI NammAzhvAr prophesizes in this ThruvAimozhi, the appearance of SrI RAmAnuja and his disciples in the future and that they are going to spread all our the world and spread the greatness of the Lord and turn the people in to devotees of SrImaN NArAyaNa. This view draws us to the RAmAnuja NootranthAthi, composed by SrI ThiruvarangatthamuthanAr on SrI RAmAnujachAriar. He also refers to the revolution in the Kaliyuga following the AchArya’s advent: “nilatthaic ceRutthuNNum neecakkaliyai ninaippariya palatthaic ceRutthum piRankiyathillai, en peivinaithen pulatthilpoRittha apputthakac cummaipoRukkiyapin nalathaip poRuthathu, irAmAnucan nayap-pugazhE.” (RAmAnja NootranthAthi-34) In this verse, author agrees that SrI RAmAnuja’s auspicious qualities drove away the miseries in the Kaliyuga. However, his greatness attained wider recognition only when the record of sins of AmuthanAr(the author) were burnt in the YamalOka, because of his association with SrI RAmAnuja. In another verse too, AmuthanAr speaks about the Kaliyuga: “.. .. … … .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. … uNarvil mikkOr theriyum vaNkeerthi irAmAnusan maRai thErnthulakil puriyum nan j~nAnam porunthAthavaraip porum kaliyE.” (-do-, 87) Those, who have not accepted the good spiritual knowledge taught by SrI RAmAnuja who was famous among the wise, will be clutched by the Kali-puruSha. SrI ThoNdaradip-podi AzhvAr has also referred to the way to drive away the ills of the Kaliyuga: “kAvalil pulanai vaitthuk kalithannaik kadakkap pAinthu nAvalittuzhitharkinROm naman thamar thalaikaL meethE moovulakuNdumizhntha muthalva nin nAmam kaRRa Avalipudumai kaNdAi arangamA nakaruLAnE.” (ThirumAlai-1) (Oh Lord Who swallowed all the worlds and later brought them out! We, having learnt Your Name, don’t control our senses but still are able to overcome the evil effects of the Kaliyuga and are freely moving about on the heads of the servants of the Lord of Death!) The AzhvAr speaks about the power that the Lord’s name has. He was immersed in the chanting of the Lord’s names following the message given by the scripture, SrI ViShNu Dharma. This scripture was taught by Sage Sownaka to King ShatAneeka, a descendant of PANdavas, who wanted to guide the people on the spiritual path from the sensual pleasures. On his request, Sage Sownaka revealed the truth that the chanting of the Lord’s names is the best way for the betterment of their souls. We just now saw a slOka from this work quoted by SwAmi Desikan, as an authoritative advice for tiding over the ills of the Kaliyuga. The Lord thus does favour to the prapanna by providing him the easy way of chanting His names to successfully tackle the evils of the Kaliyuga, to continue his service to Him, says SWAmi Desikan in this sub-section. (To continue) dAsan Anbil S.SrInivAsan ------- ______________________________\ ____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? 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