Experiencing Swami Desika - 99

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SrI:

Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:

Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:

Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

 

" SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!

VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi " !!

 

 

A ideal Prapanna, spends his days by fully enjoying the Lord.

The ultimate objective of a Prapanna at the end of this life

is to reach the highest destination => Paramapadam. To reach

Srivaikundam, Swami Desika has given us nine things in the

form of steps in Paramapada sOpAnam.

 

ParamapadasOpanam is a short rahasya which gives in a nut

shell all that a pious Srivaishnava should know and do for

his emancipation. The nine parvas which can be broadly

divided under three heads -

 

1. Adhi kara - The first four sections are on Qualifications.

 

2. Upaaya Khanda - The fifth chapter is on means of attainment.

 

3. Phala Khanda - The sixth to ninth steps are on the fruits

of attainment.

 

 

Adhi kara

 

Viveka Parva : This Parva is on the discriminatory knowledge.

This knowledge is based on the various experiences and

incidents that we come across in life.

 

It is our Lord's upakAram that we reach an Acharya and get

His UpadEsam. It is the duty of a sishyA to prostrate to the

Acharya, and request him for UpadEsam. The sishya should be

very attentive during the upadEsam.

 

The Acharya explains about the nature of Lord and that of

the Jivas. This enables the sishya to understand the meanings

of Thirumandiram and the Upanishads. He understands the

realities for his survival and his Viveka starts growing.

 

The Viveka Parva deals with the three tattvas Viz. Chetana,

Achetana and Iswara and declares the chetana is neither

creator, nor a protector nor a master.

 

2. Nirveda-Parva : After understanding the meanings of the

Thirumantram, the sishya regrets for the deeds he had done

earlier. He realises that by not seeking refuge in the Lord,

he has wasted a lot of births. He further realises that Lord

is the only seshi!

 

These regrets are positive. It helps him remove the veil

qualities in himself, makes him devoid of ego and cultivates

atma gunas and makes him eligible to take up the upAyA for

moksha.

 

A person has distaste for all earthly and heavenly pleasures

including those of Brahma and other Gods, which are trifles

and transitory.

 

3. Virakti-Parva : Non-attachment for men and things, seeing

that they are not free from defects and detachment from

the enjoyment of one's own self (Kaivalya).

 

Other than Moksha he understands that every other association

has limitations. So he is detached from samsArA. All the

happiness in this world end up in sorrow only, the life in the

world is full of sorrow and our relatives are not going to help

us. Even the kings enjoying luxury have had enough and more

tough times which explains to us that these luxuries have

limitations.

 

He also understands the limitations of Svargam (heaven) etc.

A person does yAgas to ascend to svargam. There he takes up

a form of a deva and serves the Devas just as cows serve us.

He performs the works as instructed by the devas and stands

there like a slave. The karmas like yAga which he performed

will keep decreasing as he gets the svargAnubavam. After the

effect of the karma gets over, he will be pushed from there.

He looses the deva form and will fall upside down.

 

He now has to fall into the same cycle of birhts and rebirths.

Taking a birth is an extremely painful process. The Jiva should

reach the moon in the sookshma form and from there take steps

stage by stage to mix with sky, breeze, clouds, rain, grains

etc and enters the body of the man which might materialise

into the Jiva obtaining the human form. By the time the Jiva

is born it suffers a lot. If a person realises all this he

will never have temporary desires like going to Svarga etc.

Similarly the positions like Siva and Brahma are also not

worth desiring.

 

Kaivalyam is atmAnubhavam. This also has its own limitation

because the anubhavam is restricted to Jivatma and it does

not enjoy ParamATma.

 

 

Thus, because of vivEkan has removed the desire on other

results, will not pray to anya Devatas which give temporary

benefits. Will pray to Lord only for kainkaryam and nothing else.

 

 

The above write up is based on " Rahasyartha Vivaranam " by

Shri RamadEsikavhAriyar Swami and " Life and works of

Sri Nigamanta Maha Desika " by Prof . A. Srinivasaraghavan.

 

 

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

 

....To be continued!

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

12th Sep 1999