Experiencing Swami Desika - 102

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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 " !!

 

 

ArcirAdhi Parva, the seventh step to the transedental World

is the next parva in phala Kanda.

 

For a person who has performed Prapatti, punyAs are like

golden hand-cuff's and pApA's are like iron hand-cuff's.

He wants to get rid of both. At the time of death the

Lord clears him of all this. The antaryAmi releases and

carries him from the prison of stoola sarIram.

 

The Devas had accepted a lot of offerings in the form

of yAgas and other karmas that have been performed by

this Jiva earlier. They all are now happy to see his

greatness. They are afraid to cause apachAram to him.

They even offer him their salutations.

 

In the 85th Sloka of Achyuta Satakam " kadA amAnavAntA:

angimukhA... " , the longing of the released soul to leave

this dark world of samsAra and ascend to Srivaikundam is

expressed.

 

The Lord's retinue graded from Agni Devata to amAnava

Devata lead the Mukta from this world to Srivaikundam in

stages, through the respective territories of each one of

them. People who lead the soul are called " AdhivAhikas " .

In this list the first is Agni. He is also referred to

as " Archis " . Because Archis (agni) is the first among them,

this path is referred to as ArchirAdi mArgam - the path of

agni etc. This agni welcomes the mukta and offers various

kinds of respects like poorna kumbam, offering light,

singing, offering showers of flowers and takes him till

the end of his region.

 

Swami has also mentioned this in saranagathy Deepika in

Sloka 39 " archirAdinam vishadapaksha vudakprayANam.. " .

 

The same is conveyed in the AdikAra sangraha (28) of

Srimad Rahasya thraya sAram - " nadai pera angi pagalOli

nAl uttarAyaNam aandu ... "

 

After agni the god of time, the god of suklapaksha, the

god of uttarAyana and the god of rain welcome him and

offer their respects.

 

vAyu, the wind God welcomes him next. After accepting

vAyu's offerings he gets near the sun. After receiving

the hospitality of Sun God he reaches the moon.

 

Then the God of Lightning leads him further. The Upanishads

state that amAnava (the God of Lightning) hands over the

chetana to the Brahmam.

 

Then varuna, Indra and PrajApathi join amAnava. Varuna,

Indra and PrajApathi accompany only till their boundaries.

But amAnava alone escorts the released soul completely.

 

This way, by Lord's mercy he nears the Viraja river. The

Sruti's state that he crosses this divine river by his mind.

" Mind " here should be understood as " Sankalpam " . For a Mukta

his mere Sankalpam is sufficient to create and enjoy what

ever he wishes!

 

To summarise, the order is as follows -

 

(1) Agni Devata

(2) the god of time

(3) the god of suklapaksha (bright fortnight)

(4) the god of uttarAyana

(5) the god of rain

(6) Vaayu (wind God)

(7) the Sun and

(8) the moon.

 

Each of them welcome the released soul when it enters their

respective territories and escorts him till their boundary.

Finally, amAnava (god of lightning) escorts the soul to the

Lord who welcomes the soul warmly and in person.

 

The Sruti's emphasise that a person who reaches Moksha through

the archirAdi mArgam can take forms according to their wish

and will always be with the Lord. It is also mentioned that

they will not be subject to re-birth and will not suffer

happiness/ sorrow due to karmas.

 

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

Shri RamadEsikachAriyar Swami and Shri D. Ramaswamy Ayyangar's

commentary on Swami Desika's Saranagathy Deepika and

Achyuta satakam.

 

 

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

 

....To be continued!

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

15th Sep 1999