SrI UpakAra Sangraham - III (4)

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srI:

SrI UpakAra Sangraham - III (4)

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niryANa adikAram

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Section - 9: The Favours the Lord does to a MumukShu after he leaves his body

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[9.2 Favours being done after crossing the river, VirajA]

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Now a new sub-section begins. In the previous sub-section (9-1), SwAmi Desikan

described the favours done by the Lord to the mumukShu-jIva from his leaving the

gross body until he reaches the bank of the river Viraja. Now, in this

sub-section, SwAmi Desikan takes up the favours the Lord does to the newly

emerged mukta-jIva after he crosses the river, Viraja:

(i) akkaraiyil,

divyalOka-divyajanapada-divyanagara-divyavimAna-divyAsthAna-divyaparyanka

-prAptiparyanta-mAka paryank-vidyAdi-kaLilum,

shAkaTAyana-jayAkhya-samhitAdi-kaLilum, “coozhvicumpaNimukiâ€lilum collukiRa

satkAra-paramparaikaLai uNdAkkumathuvum;

SwAmi Desikan describes the experience the mukta-jIva obtains on the other side

of the Viraja river beginning with “akkaraiyil†-- ‘On the other

shore…’

As soon as the mukta-jIva arrives at the region after crossing Viraja river,

his subtle body automatically slips out and he remains in his Atma form free

from the attachment of prAkruta instruments which had locked him within during

his countless lives in the material world. While the gross body was removed at

the time of his death, the subtle body continued to stay only for the sake of

the journey and not for enjoying fruits of past karma. The mukta- jIva casts off

his subtle body after reaching the other side of the river Viraja. It is just

like a person, who crosses a river on a boat, sets the boat adrift after

reaching the other shore.

There, the newly emerged mukta arrives at a region which he has long been eager

to see and which has been described in the Jitanta StOtram as:

“lOkam vaikuNTha-nAmAnam divyam ShADguNya-samyutam /

avaiShNavAnAm aprApyam guNatraya-vivarjitam //

nityasiddhaih samAkeerNam tanmayaih pAncakAlikaih /

sabhA-prAsAda-samyuktam vanaishcOpavanaih shubham //

vApee-koopa-taTAkaishca vrukSha-ShaNDaishca maNDitam /

aprAkrutam surairvaNdyamayutArka-samaprabham //

prakruShTa-sattvarAshim tam kada drakShyAmi cakShuShA?†(JitantA StOtra,

2-18-20)

[When shall I see with my own eyes the world called VaikuNTa? It shines

brilliantly, it is always with the Lord Who is possessed of six attributes,

j~nAna etc.; it can never be attained by those who are not devoted to ViShNu; it

is free from the three qualities of prakruti or matter (sattvam, rajas and

tamas). It is full of the eternal sooris who divide the day into five parts and

render the service to the Lord appropriate to each; it is also full of released

souls (muktas) who are like the eternal sooris. It has pleasant chambers, halls

and mansions. It is beautiful with forests and gardens; it has broad and deep

wells, lakes and groves which adorn it. It is free from the sufferings due to

prakruti; it is fit to be praised by dEvAs. It shines like ten thousand suns

shining at the same time; it is constituted of pure sattvam unmingled with rajas

and tamas.]

 

As he emerges out of Viraja, The Lord endows the jIva with an a-prAkruta body,

a super-sensuous body, totally free of matter. The jIva is helped to reach the

lake called airammadeeyam and then to the asvattha tree called sOmasavana and is

then welcomed by five hundred celestial damsels (apsaras). This is described in

the scripture:

“tam pancashatani apsarsAm pratidhAvanti, shatam mAlAhastAh, shatam

anjanahastAh, shatam coorNahastAh, shatam vasOhastAh, shatam phaNahastAh, tam

brahmAlamkArENAkurvanti / sa brahmAlamkArENa alam krutO brahmavidvAn

brahmaivAbhipraiti /†(KauSheetakee UpaniShad, Paryamkavidya, 1-34)

(On the orders of the Lord, five hundred apsaras (celestial damsels) rush to the

spot to welcome this jIva. Among them, 100 apsaras with fragrant garlands; 100

apsaras with black-eye-ointment; 100 apsaras with fragrant powders; 100 apsaras

with silk yellow garments; 100 apsaras carry ornaments including conch and

discus; and they adorn the mukta to appear alike the Lord; But he does not pay

attention to them; anxiously rushes looking for SrIman nArAyaNa.)

SwAmi Desikan continues:

“divyalOka-divyajanapada-divyanagara-divyavimAna-divyAsthAna-divyaparyanka

-prAptiparyanta-mAka paryank-vidyAdi-kaLilum,

shAkaTAyana-jayAkhya-samhitAdi-kaLilum, “coozhvicumpaNimukiâ€lilum collukiRa

satkAra-paramparaikaLai uNdAkkumathuvum†--

He sees a divine world; a place full of divine people; a divine city; a big

palace with a divine tower at the top; inside the Palace, a divine Hall; in that

Hall, a divine Couch towards which the mukta-jIva approaches. These are all

given in detail in the KauSheetakee UpaniShad, up to the divine Couch where

SrImaN nArAyaNa, with His Consorts, is seated.

A similar description is found in the ThirvAimozhi, sung by SrI NammAzhvAr,

beginning with “coozhvicumpaNimukil†--

In these ten verses, the Azhvar describes how SrIvaiShnavites who ascend to SrI

Vaikuntam as muktas are accorded a loving welcome, the scene which is shown by

the Lord to him, before the AzhvAr ascended to the Lord’s Abode.

The first verse is:

“coozhvicumaNimukil thooriyam muzhakkina

Azhkadalalaithirai kaiyedutthAdina

Ezhpozhilum vaLamEnthiya ennappan

vAzhpukazh nAraNan thamaraik kaNdukanthE.†(ThiruvAimozhi, 10-9-1)

(When the Lord’s dAsas ascend on the archirAdi path to paramapada, the clouds

strike the drums; deep oceans raise their waves up as if their hands and shake

them. The people from seven worlds stand on the way and exhibit happiness on

seeing the dAsas of Lord nArAyaNa.)

The AzhvAr further describes: The dEvas fill the sky in olden pots with pure

water; they beautify the path with a series of welcome arches; people in the

world of AdivAhikas salute the muktas; sages who are under meditation stand on

both sides to showers flowers and fragrant waters on him; they also set up

resting houses for the muktas to rest on the way; they also offer wealth to

them; the dEvas and their consorts shower praises on the muktas.

The nitya sooris with crowns on their heads come in groups to receive the jIvas

who are esteemed servants of Govind; the guards called Indra and Prajapathi wait

at the entrance to receive the muktas with honours and presents befitting a

king. Thereafter, the mukta is led into the enchanting assembly in the hall

adorned with shining gems.

This series of honours offered to the mukta jIva is another favour done by the

Lord, says SwAmi Desikan.

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivasan

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