Saadhanaa for a Sri VaishNavan

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs:

 

adiyEn prepared a small article few weeks ago

on the Saadhanaa aspects for a Sri VaishNavan at

the request of the Editors of NaamA for the NaamA News

letter for their Spring 2001 issue. Instructions to me were

to keep it simple and easy to read .This article will be

released to the NaamA Mailing list shortly. adiyEn wants to

share these thoughts with you all inview of the importance

of this subject.

 

Saadhana is a complex subject. The Entire fourth Chapter of

Brahma Soothrams of Vedha VyAsar is devoted to the Fruits

of attaining Complete and eternal enjoyment of the Supreme

Being ( ParipoorNa BrahmAnubhavam )through the Saadhanaa.

 

Here is the article outlining briefly the Saadhanaa as it

relates to a Sri VasihNavan:

 

1. Definition of Saadhanaa and its goals

******************************************

 

Saadhanaaa means accomplishment , fulfilment , propitiation

and worship.

 

What does a Sri VaishNavan want to accomplish in his/her life

as the most sought after goal ? He /She wants to get release

from the repeated cycles of births and deaths (samsAram ). He/she

wants to be liberated (gain Moksham ) from the sufferings of

this SamsAric world.His/Her goal is to gain Moksha (release)

so that he/she can escape form the sorrows of repeated cycles

of birth and death in many forms ( Human, animal, plant and

insentient).

 

2. Who is a Mumukshu?

**********************

An aspirant for Moksham is a Mumukshu. As a seeker of

Moksham , he/she longs for Moksha Sukham ( Complete

and eternal happiness of being with the Lord at His supreme

abode(Sri Vaikuntam ) and performing Kaimkaryams (Services)

for Him and His consorts there without interruption

and enjoying the company other liberated souls

( Muktha Jeevans) there.

 

3. Upaayam or Means for Moksham

********************************

How does he/she accomplish this goal of Moksha Sukham ?

What are the means of used by a Mumukshu to attain this

goal and get fulfilled ? The easy-to-practise Upaayam

(SaadhyOpaayam ) used by Mimukshu is Prapatthi or SaraNAgathi

or aathma nivEdhanam or absolute and unqualified surrender at

the sacred feet of Sriman NaarAyaNan (SiddhOpAyam ) through

the irreplacable help of a great AchAryan ( preceptor).This is

done in the spirit of total identification with the Lord alone

as the Saviour and in a state of utter helplessness to save

oneself by any other means. Practise of Bhakthi Yogam is another

means for attaining Moksham . Bhakthi Yogam is however very

difficult to practise and hence Prapatthi Yogam is most suitable

to us.

 

4. Saadhana Chathushtayam ( The required Four steps )

************************************************

The Four steps are required to pursue and attain the goal

of Moksham and they are known as Saadhana Chathushtyam :

 

a).The development of discriminating knowledge (VivEkam )

about what are ephemeral (anithya ) and what are ever-lasting

(nithya)sukhams (happiness).

 

b).The development of ennobling aathma guNams like Samam

(tranquility ), dhamam (self-restraint and curbing of

the mind from evil propensities et al).

 

c). Total detatchment from enjoying the fruits of one's

action and total dedication of those fruits to the Lord

Himself (Saathvika ThyAgam ).

 

d).Intense desire to gain the fruits of Moksham .

 

5. Pancha Samskaaram

*********************

The Achaaryan will iniitate the seeker into Sri VaishNavA

fold through the performance of the five rites (pancha-

SamskAram ) and bless the seeker with manthra upadEsam.

 

6. Artha Panchakam ( Knowledge about Five doctrines)

*****************************************************

The AchAryan will instruct the Mumunkshu further about

the five doctrines that he/she has to know. These are known

as the pentad of doctrines ( Artha Panchakam ):

 

a). The Nature of Isvaran , the Supreme Being

b). The nature of Jeevan (Soul)

c). The UpaayA (Means) for Moksham

d). The Phalan (Fruit) of Moksham

e). Moksha VirOdhis( the obstacles to Moksham)

 

7. Performance of Prapatthi

*****************************

The AchArya will place the Lord's property ( Jeevan/Soul)

at the Lord's sacred feet and request the burden of protecting

that jeevan with the Lord (Sriman NaarAyaNan) .The Acharyan

will intrcede with the Lord to recieve that Jeevan at

Srivaikuntam once the body (cage for the soul) falls

on ground at the end of the earthly life .

 

The One that has performed such a Prapatthi is known as

a " Prapannan " and he/she follows a code of conduct in

his/her post-prapatthi life until their last days on

this earth. At the end of their earthly lives , they

ascend to Srivaikuntam through the power of their

Prapatthi based on AchArya anugraham.

 

8. The Fulfilment

******************

Thus Saadhana to achieve the goal of Moksham is realized

through the act of Prapatthi performed by a merciful

Sri VaishNava SadAchAryan.

 

May we all be blessed to have the sambhandham (connection )

to a noble AchAryan to perform Prapatthi to the Lord on

behalf of us to be freed once and for all from the sufferings

of this samsaric world !

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan