Saranagathi

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamin, under the thenachraya Sampradhaym only samasrayanam is prescribed

for Saranagathy where as under the Desiga Sampradhayam actual prapathi through

an Acharya is required.Is there any signifince for this subtle variation

between the two Sampradhayam.Please pardon me if I am impertinent.Thanking

you--rohan

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamin,

Whether it is then sampradayam or desika sampradayam, Saranagathi is the only means to salvation for us, and the difference exists in the way these are conducted.

 

In then sampradayam, acharyan includes bharasamarpanam housed together with samashrayanam, whereas in vadagalai sampradayam it is done separately.

 

We have seen many who have undergone bharanyasam in desika sampradayam even before samashrayaNam. ( Tnis is since sometimes prapatti is carried out to newborns via acharya nishtai ) Samashrayanam is not a pre-requisite at all for doing bhara samarpanam. Bhara samarpanam is done for nityakainkarya prapti ( Aartha prapatti for those who are yearing to join the lord immediately and drupta prapatti for those who would continue to stay here and reach the lord at the end of current life ) and samashrayanam is done to be added to the linegae of vishnu parampare and thereby gives us a real birth as a srivaishnava,

 

If samasharayanam was the means to moksham, then it couldnt have been done to Gajendra Azhwan, Many animals which attained paramapadam due to acharya anugraham, the woman who gave curd to Bhagawad Ramanuja and got back Paramapadam in return etc. All these instances do not show Samasharayanam being carried, but exhibits fine examples of Bharanyasam. So basic thing is the way these are carried out in both sampradayam should be understood

 

Eventhough sampradaym differs, a basic thing of shedding ahankaram and mamakaram, having mahavishwasam and following angas of Prapatti is an absolute requirement to ensure that we attain Paramapadam at the end of current life.

 

The person undergoing the same in either of sampradayam should develop intense desire in moksham ( mumukshu ) and should be waiting to attain paramapadam just like a bride awaits to join his husband once the kalyanam date is decided!

Hope adiyen has cleared your doubt

Dasan,

Dasharathi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Sun, 4/4/10, poondi_kannan <kannan1942 wrote:

poondi_kannan <kannan1942 Saranagathi Date: Sunday, 4 April, 2010, 12:25

Dear Swamin, under the thenachraya Sampradhaym only samasrayanam is prescribed for Saranagathy where as under the Desiga Sampradhayam actual prapathi through an Acharya is required.Is there any signifince for this subtle variation between the two Sampradhayam. Please pardon me if I am impertinent. Thanking you--rohan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Ramanujaya nama:

 

Dear Sri Rohan,

 

There is a subtle difference in interpreting between the two sects.

Swami Desika has mentioned in his 'sampradaya parisuddhi' (one of chillaRai

Rahasyas), that " there is no conflict of content among the branches, whatever

they may be, in the Ramanuja Sishyas' sampradaya.

 

We need to stay united and enjoy / propagate the glorious Ramanuja darsanam in

spirit of kainkaryam to fellow srivaishnava community.

 

For the response:

Let me reproduce from Sri SMS CHari's book Vaishnavism on this subject: (as

posted by Sri Satakopan Swami sometime ago)

 

" Prapatthi as means of attainment of VishNu " is the most

important to us in the context of our discussions .The subchapters

of this chapter are :

 

** Meaning of the term Prapatthi

** Bhakthi versus Prapatthi

** SiddhhOpaya and SaadhyOpAyA

** Conditions of Eligibility for Prapatthi

** Components of Prapatthi

** Meaning and significance of Aatma Nikshepa

** Types of prapatthi

** Controversial Theories Regardign Prapatthi

** Justification for Prapatthi as Direct Means to Moksha

** The theory of Nirhethuka Krupa versus Human Efforts

 

I will focus on the last two subchapters , since they are closer to

the discussions that we are having recently .

 

The Justification for Prapatthi as Direct means to MkoshA:

 

The doctrine of Prapatthi is rooted in the concept of God " s infinite

grace and tight relationship to the Jivan as its Lord (Paramaathman ) .

The relationship is that of Sesha and Seshi .

 

The Lord is revealed to us in scriptures as " Sarvarakshakan ,

SaranAgatha Vatsalan , Sahaja Suhruth , Sarvajnan , sarvasakthimAn

and Satya sankalapan . He is therefore understood as the one ,

who is ready to redeem and come to the rescue of all jivans .

He has an innate love for those , who seek His refuge ( Saranaagatha

Vatsalan ) ; He is friendly to all by svabhAvam (Sahaja Suhruth ) .

He is omniscinet , Omnipotent and omnipresent and as Satya -

Sankalpan and Achyuthan does not let his word become false

or abandon those , who sought refufge in Him as understood from

the beautiful passages in SaraNAgathi gadhyam of Sri RamAnujA ..

 

According to the tenets of Sri ViashNavism , the Jivans belong

to the Lord and they have " the potential right and capacity to enjoy

the bliss of Brahman . All that stands in the way of the Jivans is

the accumulated Karma from the beginningless time and it is to be

overcome by securing the grace of God by the observance of either

self-surrender or UpasanA " .

 

The Theory of Nirhethuka KrupA versus Human Effort :

First the definitons for the two terms are as follows :

Nirhethuka KrupA is unconditioned grace or compassion

of the Lord . Sahethuka KrupA is the grace that is in response

to some good deed by the seeker of MokshA .

 

The " controversy " is over the Lord " s spontaneous

grace versus conscious human effort to secure it .

The question is whether the grace of God should flow

freely towards the devotees like the spontaneous

flow of the mother's milk towards the newly born,

helpless infant .

 

" This subject has assumed a controversial character in

the post-RamanujA period and it is one of the points of

difference between the two kalais . One kalai views that

the expectation of the observance of Sadhana by an afflicted

individual for the purpose of MokshA is unwarranted , since

God , the KaruNAnidhi , is understood as the one , who removes

our sufferings without any selfish-motives .If God were to grant

Moksham only in response to Sadhana , there would be no need

for KrupA " --------- " according to this school of thought , MokshA is

not a goal to be won by effort , but it should come as a gift of God out

of His grace . If the supreme being Himself is both UpayA (means )

and UpeyA ( goal ) , the idea of separate sadhana for seeking His

grace amounts to self-contradiction " .

 

The main point of criticism of the other kalai that " the denial of

human effort as a requisite condition of redemption would amount

to arbitrariness on the part of God ( arbitrariness and cruelty /

Vaishamya and NairghaNyA ) . This kalai holds that God showers

His grace only on those , who become qualified for it by observing

the prescribed sadhana or other religious acts sanctioned by the

sacred texts . They contend that the grace of God is dependent on

human endeavour . It does not flow automatically to one , who has

been passive . Even in the illustration of the mother and the infant ,

the flow of the mother's milk may be natural , but nevertheless ,

the child is required to suck it , which involves some effort

on its part . The need for human effort to receive God's grace

does not negate the importance of God " s krupA . On the other hand ,

it emphasizes the fact that in order to make krupa or compassion

operative , a valid excuse is called for on the part of an individual

so that God escapes the criticism of being partial and cruel . "

 

VyajA or pretext for God to shower His grace:

 

" The bhakthi or prapatthi to be observed by the aspirant

for MokshA as enjoined by the sacred texts are intended to serve

the purpose of VyaajA or a pretext for God to shower His grace .

Even such opportunities to observe spiritual discipline to earn

God's grace are actually provided by God . They are not granted

arbitrarily to a select few but , on the contrary , they are given to

those individuals by God in response to some sukruthA or good ,

meritorious deed performed even unintentionally either in the previous

lives or in the present life . As a universal principle , God " s grace

comes forth necessarily in response to one's good karma , as

otherwise He would be open to the charge of discrimination .

This is the philosophy of grace and in the light of it , Bhakthi or

prapatthi are needed to earn it " .

 

Pradhana Hethu and sahakaari kaaaraNaa:

Pradhaana Hethu is the principal cause . SahakAri kAraNa

is accessory cause . " Bhakthi or Prapatthi by itself does not

directly confer mokshA because it is a non-sentient activity .

The main cause of liberation is God's grace . It is the Pradhaana

Hethu , where as Bhakthi or Prapatthi is sahakAri kAraNA

or accessory cause " . If we understand this distinction

between the two types of causes , there would be no conflict

between the Nirhethuka krupa held by one kalai and

the sahethuka krupaa held by the other .

 

Karunya/KrupA and its many purposes:

 

The krupa behind the showering of the grace of the Lord

has many purposes . " It is responsible for the very creation of

the universe , for the sustenance of all that is created by God ,

for providing a body , sense organs , intellect ,etc., to human beings ,

for providing suitable opportunities for them to pursue sadhana

for MokshA , for removing the obstacles coming in the way of

attaining MokshA , for serving as the very means or Upaya in

the case of prapannAs , for blessing them to do divine service

and many such things " . One AchAryA uses the expression ,

" pradhaana -sAmAnya-nidAna , which means an important

general cause . This view does not therefore , deny the operation of

God's nirhethuka krupa . But , in order to become an object of such an

unlimited krupa , an individual has to exercise his mental faculties

and general capacity granted by God . Such a human effort , which is

fully justifiable , becomes the sahakAri -kAraNa or the accessory cause for

generating the operation of the unlimited krupA of the Lord and its

flow in the form of anugrahA or grace towards a particular

individual . IN THIS SENSE , THE NIRHETHUKA KRUPAA BECOMES

SAHETHUKA -KRUPAA . Thus the concept of Vyaaja BRIDGES the

so-called dualism between the two . Both are important and are

complimentary " .

 

THE PAARATANTRYA OF THE JIVAN & PRAPATTHI:

 

SMS Chari " s views on the subject again have been very

helpful for me to understand the issues related to the SvaprayatnA

of the Jivan , which is understood as totally dependent on the Lord .

" According to VishaNavA theology , an individual is absolutely

a dependent being and has no freedom of his own to function

independently . He is comparable to a tool in the hands of God.

In the first place , as in the case of an infant , which does not have

to make a request to the mother to feed it , it looks inappropriate

that an individual should plead before God for protection and

adopt for this purpose a sadhanA , as if rendering some service in

return for a reward . Secondly , if he has no freedom of his own , there

would be no justification to enjoin the observance of Prapatthi for the

purpose of MokshA . It would also be against the very nature (Svarupa )

of the individual self to undertake the act of self-surrender

or upasana , which amounts to self-effort (SvaprayathnA ) .

As a subservient being , he has no right to make an endeavour.

 

According to Dr.Chari ,the above objections are based on

a misconception of the concept of dependence of

Jiva (Paaratantrya ) . " Although the Jiva is dependent

on God for its existence (sattaa) , It is also an agent of action (KarthA ) .

 

As an agent of action , it has freedom to function . Otherwise , the commands of

the sacred text would be meaningless. In view of this , the observance of the

act of self-surrender seeking protection , as enjoined by the sacred texts , is

not inappropriate. Even though the supreme Lord regards the jivan as His own and

knows its needs as the mother understands her child , He has to look forward to

some kind of an excuse for extending His favour to do it in order to avoid the

arbitrariness on His part. The initative taken by an individual in accordance

with his good karma to observe either the act of self-surrender or meditation ,

is not against his svarupa, because such good acts do not either annihilate the

jiva or even cause any undesirable results to him " .

 

Dr.Chari goes on to say that " SeshatvA or dependence of

an individual on God truly implies that he would have

been a non-entity but for God , that he possesses nothing

of his own other than what has been endowed to him by God

and he does nothing for himself except for the pleasure of God.

It involves the notion of forsaking the egoism in the form of I , my,

and mine. As Swamin or Lord of the souls , God is always ready

to take care of his property for his own sake and pleasure as

and when an opportunity is provided by the initiative of the Jivan .

-- The act of self-surrender includes the three notions : Svarupa

samarpaNam , the convinced feeling on the part of the individual

that the soul is not his , but of God. BharasamarpaNam or

the thought that the responsibility of protecting the soul is

that of God. PhalasamarpaNam or the conviction that

the pleasure derived from such protection is that of God.

 

This philosophic truth is expressed beautifully in one verse by

Vedantha Desikan : svAmin svasesham svavasam svabharatvena

nirbharam ; svadatta -svadhiya svArtham svasmin nyasyai

mAm svayam . The meaning of the verse is : O Lord ! I am Your

dependent (svasesha ) ; I am controlled by You (svavasam ) ; You

have endowed me with with the capacity to think ; You have enabled

me to know Your nature ; You Yourself have made me surrender

myself to You for Your own pleasure with the responsibility of

protecting it and getting rid of that burden for me " .

 

Dr. Chari Concludes this analysis and reconciliation with the statement :

 

" The (above ) verse connotes the height of self-renunciation

and utter humility of an individual . This is the inner secret of

saraNAgathi and if this is properly understood , the doctrine

of Prapatthi accepted by Vaishnavism as a direct means to

Moksha stands fully justified " .

 

Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

 

 

>

> --- On Sun, 4/4/10, poondi_kannan <kannan1942 wrote:

>

>

> poondi_kannan <kannan1942

> Saranagathi

>

> Sunday, 4 April, 2010, 12:25

>

>

>  

>

>

>

> Dear Swamin, under the thenachraya Sampradhaym only samasrayanam is prescribed

for Saranagathy where as under the Desiga Sampradhayam actual prapathi through

an Acharya is required.Is there any signifince for this subtle variation between

the two Sampradhayam. Please pardon me if I am impertinent. Thanking you--rohan

>