The Last Words-2

[Guest guest]

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra

Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

The Last Words-2

 

It is indeed remarkable how the last words of

Sri Ramanuja have survived the passage of a thousand

years, despite not being part of any of his recorded,

well-known works. And there is a rare unanimity (but

for minor variations) among the various post-Ramanuja

schools of thought, in recounting his final words of

wisdom. Sri Desikan quotes them profusely in Srimad

Rahasyatrayasaram (Shastreeya Niyamanadhikaram). These

pearls of wisdom also find a place in the “VArtAmAlai”

(a compendium of Poorvacharya sreesooktis, forming

part of the oral tradition of instruction by Acharyas)

compiled by Sri Pinbazhagia PerumAl Jeeyar, a

distinguished disciple of Sri Nampillai. All this goes

to show the intense doctrinal significance that later

Acharyas attached to Sri Ramanuja’s parting words.

 

These famous dicta cover mainly the conduct of a

prapanna, from the time he performs saranagati, till

he leaves for Paramapadam, and were meant to be of

solace to grieving disciples. Just as the Gita,

though addressed to Arjuna, was meant for the whole

world, similarly the Ramanuja VANi was also addressed

to the Sri Vaishnavite posterity, though the immediate

audience was comprised of his illustrious disciples

like Sri Tirukkurugai PirAn PiLLan, Sri Bhattar, Sri

KidAmbi AcchAn,Sri Nadadur Azhwan, Sri MudaliAndAn,

Sri EmbAr, and other SimhAsanAdhipatis.

 

Said the Bhashyakara, “oruvan prapannan AnAl avanudaya

..Atma yAtrai Bhagavat adheenai AgayAlE adil avanakku

anavayam illai: uNdu endru irundAn Agil Atma

samarpaNam poyyAm itthanai”.

Once a person performs Saranagati, he is a “ krita

kritya” or “seida vELviyan”- one who has performed his

duty. His attitude should be one of “nirbharO

nirbhayOsmi”. There is nothing more for him to do for

saving his soul. The Gitacharya says clearly, “mA

sucha:”-not to worry.

If, despite this divine assurance, one continues to

worry about one’s Atma KshEmam, it is indicative of

one’s lack of confidence in the divine dictum, which

in turn indicates the absence of

“MahAvisvAsam”(Abiding Faith), an indispensable

element of Saranagati. If there is no Mahavisvasam,

there is no Saranagati. Hence a person who continues

to be concerned for the well being of his soul, even

after prapatti, is not worth the name “prapanna”, for

his upAyA is incomplete, for want of Mahavisvasam.

 

Similarly, if a prapanna were to worry about his

physical well being , it would be equally foolish of

him, because this again is a function of one’s karma,

for, as you sow, so you reap.

.. If he does worry about his physical welfare, it

indicates his lack of faith in the divine dispensation

based on Karma, and will make him an atheist.

Thus, one who has performed Saranagati should have

absolutely no concern about his body or his soul, as

both have been taken care of by Emperuman. “dEha

yAtrai karmAdheenai AgaiyAlE adukku karaya vENdA-

karaindAn Agil nAsthikanAm itthanai. AgayAl ubhaya

yAtrayum koNdu ivanakku kAryam illai”, declared the

Bhahyakara.

 

But if a prapanna has no care in the world, does it

mean that he can indulge in any activity, good or bad,

with impunity? No, ruled out Sri Ramanuja. Even if he

had nothing further to do to ensure his welfare, he

should employ his faculties in the service of the Lord

and his devotees. (“AnAl manO vAk kayangaL Agira

trividha karaNangaLayum koNdu vEnditru seydu tiriya

amayumO? ennil, adhu ivanakku swaroopam andru. UpAya

amsatthil anvayam illAvittAlum, prApyamAna

kainkaryatthilE ivatrai anvayippikkum atthanai”).

 

The disciples were listening intently, unwilling to

miss even a word. Many of them had a question- it is

all very well to say that one should spend one’s life

doing “kainakaryam” or service. What exactly was the

sort of service expected, for, prapannas were of

differing caliber, education and aptitude. What could

be ideal for one could not be prescribed for another.

The master, as if he could read their minds,

continued, “athil ivanakku ingirunda nAL paNNalAm

kainkaryam anju uNdu”.

 

Catering to the varied capabilities of various types

of prapannAs, Sri Ramanuja laid down five different

types of kainkaryam, each suited to one class of

devotee.

The first was mastering and propagating the master’s

magnum opus, the “Sri Bhashyam”. (“BhAshyatthai

vAsitthu pravartthippitthal”). This was prescribed not

with the selfish motive of perpetuating the author’s

(Sri Ramanuja) glory, but with a view to ensuring for

posterity the correct interpretation of the Brahma

Sutras of Sage Vyasa, thereby removing all

misconceptions about the nature of the Brahman, the

individual soul, the path to liberation, etc.

However, mastering the Sri Bhashya requires a

knowledge of several shastras like nyAyA, meemAmsa,

vyAkaraNA, etc., which are pretty much beyond people

without an in- depth acquaintance with Sanskrit.

“Never you worry” said the Saint and prescribed an

easier and sweeter kainkarya-

“ Bhashyatthai vAsitthu pravartthikka yOgyatai illai

Agil, aruLiccheyalai kEttu pravartthippitthal”, or

learning and spreading the Divya Prabandas. The word

“kEttu” is significant here, as it indicates that the

Prabandas, like the Vedas, have to be learnt by rote

with purport at the feet of an Acharya, and not

through a mere perusal of books. Swami Desikan too

says, “seyya Tamizh mAlaigaL nAm teLiya Odi”.

 

What if one does not have the mental faculties to do

even this?

In his infinite mercy, Sri Ramanuja said that one

could perform kainkaryams like cooking the Lord’s

food, preparing garlands for Him, arranging for lamps

to illuminate the sanctum sanctorum, etc., at various

divya dEsams.

(“ adukku yOgyatai illai Agil, ugandaruLina divya

dEsangaLukku amudupadi, sAtthupadi, tiruviLakku

tirumAlaigaLai uNdAkkudal”.

 

What if one’s health doesn’t permit one to undertake

even the simple tasks outlines above? Sri Ramanuja’s

prescription for such a person was to meditate on the

beautiful purport of the Dvaya mantra. (“adukku

yOgyatai illai Agil, dvayatthinudaya arttha

anusandhAnam paNNudal”). For this, one need not strain

oneself or one’s faculties, for all that is called for

is the extremely enjoyable contemplation of the

meaningful couplet.

Sri Ramanuja paused here, as if the long monologue

had tired him. Having listened to him prescribing one

easy kainkaryam after the other, one disciple, who was

not adept at even the last-mentioned alternative,

thought “I am doomed, for I am incapable of any of the

kainkaryas the Acharya has specified, easy though they

might be for the others.” But he thought too soon, for

the Yatiraja continued, “adukkum yOgyatai illai Agil

ennudayavan endru abhimAnippAn oru VaishNavanudaya

abhimAnatthilE odhungi vartthitthal seyyalAm”.

In his infinite mercy and all-encompassing love, Sri

Ramanuja scoured the depths of the shastras to find a

kainkaryam suitable for a person like adiyen who has

absolutely no capability, learning or aptitude – to

seek refuge at the feet of a Sri Vaishanava, (or

Acharya) who would take the hapless soul under his

wing and look after the inept prapanna as his own. In

other words, Acharya kainkarya was the fifth

alternative advanced by Sri Ramanuja.

Sri Bhashyakara made it clear,

however, that the aforesaid kainkaryas were not

mutually exclusive- depending upon one’s abilities,

one could perform two or more of them together. A Sri

Bhashya adhikAri (one

well versed in the Bhashya) is not precluded from

partaking of the nectar of aruLiccheyal, and vice

versa.

 

Paraphrasing Sri Ramanuja, Sri Desikan says that while

performing any of these kainkaryams, one has to stay

within the parameters prescribed by the shastras, and

anything beyond or in contravention of the shastras

can’t be classified as kainkaryam. This is borne out

by the Gita slOka, which lays down that anybody

contravening the edicts of the Vedas and smritis is a

betrayer of the Lord, and ceases to be a Sri

Vaishnava. –“Shruti: Smriti: mamaiva AgyA

YastAm ullanghya varttatE

AgyAchhEdi mama drOhi

Mama bhaktOpi na Vaishnava : «

 

Hence in performing service to the Lord, a prapanna

should never lose sight of scriptural dicta, till his

last breath. (ivan sareeratthOdu irunda kAlam shAstra

vasyanAi adimai seyya vENdum endru tiruvuLLam”).

To be continued… Srimate Sri LakshmiNrsimha divya

paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra

MahaDesikaya Nama:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Send your FREE holiday greetings online!

http://greetings.