Guest guest Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. ---------- srI: SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (17) -- SAdhanAdhikAram -- Section - 8 (1) --- (The Favours being done by the Lord to the mumukShu when he leaves the body) ---- In the previous section, SwAmi Desikan dscribed five types of favours conferred by the Lord to a person who adopts either bhakti or prapatti as the means for mOkSha during his life time. Presuming that the mumukShu (the seeker of salvation) has conducted himself as per the rules as dealt with in the previous section, SwAmi Desikan now describes the favours being done by the Lord at the time of his laying down his physical body: (1) ippadi iruntha mumukShuvukku anthima-shareera-vishlESha-kAlatthil prashasta-aprashasta-dEsha-kAla-nimitta-niyamam-illAthapadi sankalpitthathuvum; “ippadi iruntha mumukShuvukku” -- The seeker of salvation, after he adopts the means for it, has to lead a virtuous life doing things only for the delight of the Lord, as discussed earlier. This refers to such a person. “anthima-shareera-vishlESha-kAlatthil” -- At the time of the departure of the jIva from the body…… “prashasta-aprashasta-dEsha-kAla-nimitta-niyamam-illAthapadi sankalpitthathuvum” -- The Lord wills that there is no restriction either good or bad in regard to place, time and omen for such a person. The prapanna, therefore, should keep himself up in such a way as is consistent with his exclusive and supreme attachment to the Lord. Firstly, he should give up all other upAyas for mOkSha, as it would otherwise mean that he does not have complete faith in the Lord. He should also give up all desires including the desire to enjoy his own self. As it has been stated: “sarvadharmAshca samtyaktvA sarvakAmAmshca sAkSharAn / lOkavikrAnta-caraNau sharaNam tEvrajam vibhO //” (Jitanta Stotam) (Oh Lord! Having given up all means and also all desires, I seek Thy feet which measured the world, as my refuge.) When the person surrenders at the Lord’s feet with these words, the Lord takes him by hand giving him the full support. He also fixes him in a place of His liking and the prapanna leads his life there like a queen. The prapanna does the karmas that are consistent with his exclusive attachment to the Lord. Some prapannas, however, on account of some specific evils done in past lives which have begun to operate now, may become subject to some lapses which may delay his release from this world. These lapses include: 1) Displaying the feelings of “I” and “mine” (ahankAra and mamakAra); 2) Committing offences due to these feelings; 3) Having a taste or desire for other objects than the Lord; 4) Contacting other deities due to this desire; 5) Becoming weak-minded and as a result, adopting other means (upAyas). These are negative actions. There may be some prapannas who, owing to good deeds done in past lives that have begun yielding results in this life and due to specific request for benefits at the time of prapatti, continuously serve the Lord. In the case of this type of prapannas too, there will be delay in the release from the samsAra. 1) In the case of prapannas who show the feelings of ahankAra and mamakAra on rare occasions, these improper feelings will disappear by wisdom originating later. 2) If offences are committed as a result of such feelings, the concerned prapanna has to seek pardon from the Lord or may have to undergo punishment and thus the offences will be expiated before the release. This is in case of the prapanna who indicates a definite time for the attainment of mOkSha. But, in the case of those who performed prapatti without indicating any definite time, they attain mOkSha only after exhausting all their sins. It is indicated thus: “apAyAviratah shashvanmAm caiva sharaNam gatah / tanookrutyAkhilam pApam mAmApnOti narah shanaih //” (LakShmee Tantra) (The person who has performed prapatti to Me, but has not abstained from sins committed frequently, attains Me late after exhausting all his sins.) 3) The prapanna is expected to be keen on attaining mOkSha and so, he is not likely to entertain any long-standing desire for other benefits. If he has any desire for other benefits along with the desire for mOkSha, the Lord will not grant him those benefits, as they are not for his good. It is stated in the scripture: “The Lord takes away the wealth of the person whom He wants to bless. His relations will desert him. He will become miserable. If, in his misery, he still clings to Him, He confers on him such blessings as are not attainable even for gods.” Sometimes, the Lord Himself creates in the prapanna distaste for other things so that he dismisses them as trivial, transient and painful. Sometimes, he gives the benefits desired by him but makes him develop aversion towards them later. Saubhari and KucEla are two standing examples. [saubhari was a sage who was performing penance in a pond for 12 years. One day, he saw a Chieftain of fish, Sammadan, living in the pond happily with his wives and children and grandchildren and thought, ‘Why should I not lead a life like Sammadan?’ He approached Emperor MAntAthA who had fifty princesses and three princes and asked him to marry one of the princesses to him. As the sage was very old, MAntAthA was taken aback by the request of the sage. At the same time he did not want to refuse as he would incur the curse by the sage. He asked the sage to go to the Royal harem and assured him if any princess expressed willingness to marry the sage, he would marry her off to him. When Saubhari went to the royal harem he, by his magical powers, made himself appear as a very beautiful youth before the princesses. All of them expressed their desire to marry the sage, the Emperor had no choice but to marry them to the sage. Saubhari got constructed fifty big palaces with the help of Vishvakarma and lived with the princesses assuming 50 forms through his magical powers. In due course, he had 250 sons and through them numerous grand-children and led a happy life with them. Later he realized that he had wasted his life in sensual pleasures deviating from the practice of penance. He then renounced the worldly life and resumed penance and attained the Lord’s abode. KucEla, a class-mate of SrI KriShNa, was a brahmana leading a house-hold life with his wife and 27 children. As he was righteous, the family was utterly poor. One day, his wife asked him to pay a visit to DwAraka and call on Lord KriShNa expecting that the Lord will remove their poverty. She borrowed some quashed-rice from neighbours and sent it packed in a portion of KucEla’s cloth which was torn at several places. KucEla was given a royal reception by the Lord and His Consorts. The Lord was immensely pleased to receive the quashed-rice carried by KucEla and took a handful of it before His Consort, SrI RukmiNi prevented Him from taking any more. The Lord gave a loving send off to KucEla without giving any presents. KucEla thought that SrI KriShNa did not give him any wealth because of His grace as it would have made him proud and hindered his virtuous life. But, when he reached his village, KucEla found his residence had been turned into a big palace. Realizing the greatness of the Lord, he attained a high position by devotion to the Lord.] So, the person who performed prapatti indicating the time when he should attain mOkSha, will acquire an aversion towards benefits other than the Lord within that prescribed time. In regard to the person who did not indicate any such time while performing prapatti, there will be delay until he develops aversion to worldly objects, as stated in the scripture: “athOpAya-prasaktOpi bhuktvA bhOgAnanAmayAn / antE virakttimAsAdya vishatE vaiShNavam padam //” (LakShmee Tantra, 17-103) (The person, who desires to perform such karma for getting other benefits than the Lord, enjoys pleasures and at last acquires an aversion for them, after which he reaches the abode of the Lord.) 4) As regards the prapannas who are in contact with other deities, the Lord of all lords, will bring them back some day or other into the company of those who are exclusively devoted to Him, correct them until they feel ashamed and return to the right path. But, even among such prapannas, there are those who develop a permanent contact with other deities. In their case, the adoption of prapatti is incomplete. They are likely to go to hell in future and after some time they may complete the adoption of prapatti which becomes effective afterwards. 5) Those who performed prapatti with full and great faith, will not be weak-minded, nor have desire for to adopt other means for mOkSha. But, if they are weak-minded and have a desire to adopt other means, the Lord will correct them until they acquire a strong faith and make them perfect prapannas. If there is no such lapse, there will not be any delay in the attainment of the supreme goal. They will attain mOkSha at the time when they desire it. Such a prapanna will always be the favourite of the Lord, as stated in the verse: “mEmporuL pOkavittu meimmaiyai mikavuNarnthu Amparicarinthu koNdu aimpulan-akatthadakki kAmpaRat thalaiciraitthu un kadaitthalai irunthu vAzhum cOmbarai ukatthipOlum coozhpunal arangatthAnE!” (ThirumAli - 38) (Oh Lord of SrIrangam! Thou delight in those idle men (prapanna) who stand outer-most, as being incapable of karma-yOga, j~nAna yOga or bhakti-yOga.) For such a prapanna, the Lord Who is the unconditional shEShee of all, withholds his desire to punish for the lapses he has committed, at the very first moment when he utters the sentence expressing prapatti and decides to bring him into the company of the eternal sooris. Even then He is not satisfied and dumps the heaps of sins committed by him without a trace and grants him His blessings in a hurry, as stated: “naNNinam nArAyaNanai nAmankaL palacolli maNNulakil vaLammikka vAttARRAn vanthu inRu viNNulakam tharuvAnAi viraikinRAn vithivakaiyE eNNinavARAkA ikkarumankaL ennencE!” (ThiruvAimozhi, 10-6-3) (We attained NArAyaNa by reciting His names. The Lord of ThiruvAttaRu hastens SrIvaikuNta to the man who is fit for mUkti. My mind! Did we think this would happen?) The Lord pities the prapanna for the delay and hastens to create in him an impatience of delay in the attainment. The Lord produces in the prapanna’s mind an eagerness to attain Him, as spoken by SrI nammAzhvAr: “iruLtharumA j~nAlatthuL inippiRavi yAn vENdEn” (ThiruvAimozhi, 10-6-1) (Having received the spiritual knowledge by the grace of the Lord, I don’t want to be born in this dark world of ignorance hereafter.) “mAyamceyyEl ennai un thirumArvatthu mAlainankai vAcamcey poonkuzhalAL thiruvANai ninnANaikaNdAi nEcamceyyAthu unnOdu ennai uyirvERinRi onRAkavE koocamceyyAthu koNdAi ennaikkoovikkoLLAi vanthanthO!” (ThiruvAimozhi, 10-10-2) (Oh Lord! Do not cheat me by not revealing Your holy form! I swear by Thee and by Thy Consort Whose beautiful locks of hair shed their fragrance like a garland on Thy chest! I swear that I must be taken to Parampadam.) Moved by this emotional crying of the eager prapanna, which is the result of the Lord’s intent, He decides to give the devotee the Paramapadam at the end of this life, which has come to him due to his past karma. SrI nammAzhvAr says: “caraNamAkum thanathAL adainthArkkellAm maraNamAnAl vaikuntham kodukkum pirAn.” (ThiruvAimozhi, 9-10-5) (Our Lord is the benefactor Who confers VaikuNta on all those who have performed prapatti, when they happen to die.) The Lord ensures the cutting off, without any trace, the fetters of gold and iron which bind the prapanna to samsAra as well as the karma which has begun to operate except that part which he has agreed to expiate during this life. Even punya karma (virtuous act) which would lead to heaven is a fetter, though of gold, because it stands in the way of mOkSha. The iron fetter represents the result of evil acts (pApa karma). This is how SrI ANdAL says: “pOya-pizhaiyum pukutharuvAn ninRanavum theeyinil thoosAkum.” (ThiruppAvai - 5) (The sins of the past and the sins committed after prapatti disappear like cotton thrown into the fire.) Though it has been stated in the scriptures, “Day-time, the bright half of the month (shukla pakSha) and the uttarAyaNa (the six months when the sun is the northern hemisphere) are favourable time for those who die”, the Lord makes the prapanna an exception to this rule. So says the Brahmasutra: “nishi nEti cEt na, sambandhasya yAvatdEhabhAvitvAt darshayati ca // (Brahmasutra, 4-2-18) (If it is said that the person who dies at night will not attain mOkSha, we say it is not so; for, the association with karma lasts only as long as the body lasts. Scripture also declares so.) “atashcAyanEpi dakShiNE //” (Brahmasutra, 4-2-19) [For the same reason, the view is not right that the man who dies in the dakShiNAyana (the six months when the sun moves towards the South), will not attain mOkSha.] Thus, the Lord does a favour to the prapanna, who has conducted himself according to the rules, by removing all restrictions in regard to time and moment of his death, so that he attains His abode straight away. (To continue) dAsan Anbil S.SrInivAsan -------- ______________________________\ ____ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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