Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam series: Posting 234/Desika Prabhandham : Charama SlOka Churukku: Part 4

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrI VaradarAja BhakthAs :

 

Today , we will continue with the study of the Fourth slOkam of

the Desika Prabhandham entitled : " Charama SlOka Churukku " .

 

318. The Meaning of the " yEka " Sabdham

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Our PoorvAchAryAs have given us Six different Meanings to

the yEka Sabdham found in " Maam yEkam SaraNam vraja " .

These six meanings are:

 

1) " Maam " is singular and when yEka sabdham is attached to it

then the yEka sabdham connects to a VisEshArTam (viz).,

SarvEswaran is the phalan enjoyed by me as the special arTam .

The prapatthi upAyam performed by me is the instrument for

that (PrApyasyaiva PrApakthvam) phalan .

 

It is possible not to connect Iswaran with the UpAyam observed

and consider Iswaran as UpAyam and Phalan. It thus become clear

through the yEka sabdham that UpAyam and Phalan are indeed

SarvEswaran. This meaning is inferred from the Paasuram passage:

" Saadhanam Saathakam yenRivaRRai Tannudan yeNNuthal neenga " .

 

(2) yEka sabdham refers to the dissolution of the thought of independence

by ChEthanam ( svaprAdhAnya nivAraNam). It is true that chEthanan

has karmic activities . His activities however are under the influence of

the Lord .The chEthanam can not perform every thing but only a limited

subset. Therefore for the chEthanan to observe the UpAyam , The Lord's

KadAksha anugraham is essential. ChEthanam has to be goaded by

Isvaran . ChEthanan uses the limbs , body and the Indhriyam given by

the Lord to perform the UpAyam instructed by Him and thereafter

waits for the phalan like a ChathakA bird waiting patiently for

the rays of Moon , its exclusive food . To include this limited ChEthanam

with the Sarva Svathanthran, the Lord and to consider this chEthanam

of limited powers as a second siddhOpAyam is not acceptable for vivEkis.

This thought is hinted by the Paasuram package: " Saadhakan yenRivaRRai

tannudan yeNNuthal neenga " .

 

3) UpAyam is of two kinds: SiddhOpAyam and SaadhyOpAyam.

That upAyam , which is not performed by ChEthanam ( Iswaran )

exists from time immemorial . He is hence recognized as the SiddhOpAyam.

 

The yOgams to be observed by the ChEthanan are Bhakthi or

Prapatthi yogam , These are called SaadhyOpAyams .

 

In this context , the yEka sabdham points out the incorrectness of linking

Iswaran ( SiddhOpAyam ) with Prapatthi ( SaadhyOpAyam). Yes, Bhakthi

and Prapatthi are UpAyams . But their effect ceases after the removal of

the dissatisfaction/anger of our most merciful Lord with us for trespassing

His saasthrAs. The direct kaaraNam ( cause) behind the Phalan of

MokshAnugraham after practising the UpAyam of Prapatthi is the Omnipotent

and most merciful Lord Himself and His sankalpam. Those , who are

powerless to perform other upAyams(means ) observe Prapatthi ;

after that , the Lord steps in and stands in place of other

difficult-to-practise

upAyams in His role as Moksha-dhAyakan . He grants the fruits of Moksham

for that one , who performs Prapatthi with its defined angams. He is

also the One , who makes the Mumukshu ( one desirous of gaining

Moksam) perform Prapatthi by creating SadAchArya Sambhandham.

He accepts Prapatthi as a vyAjam ( Excuse/reason for acting ) . Therefore ,

it is not correct to connect the VyAja Maathra Prapatthi with SarvEswaran .

That is what is emphasized by the " yEka " sabdham.This meaning is indicated

by the Paasuram passage : " Oru SaadhanamAi PonnaruLOdum

PoomahaLOdum Puhazha ninRa Isan " .

 

4) The Prapannan has now followed the UpAyam of Prapatthi.

The Lord does not want any burden to stand in between Prapatthi

performed and Himself. Therefore , He stands in place of all

other upAyams and bears their burden Himself. He does not

expect the Prapannan to observe any more upAyams for granting

him(the Prapannan) the fruit of Moksham. This attribute of our Lord is

revealed by the " yEka " sabdham . The Paasuram uses the word ,

" Tanitthu " to refer to this aspect of the meaning of " yEka " sabdham.

 

5) SarvEswaran is ready to grant the phalans of Prapatthi.

There is no need for any other angams beyond the 5 angams

associated with Prapatthi ( aanukoolya Sankalpam et al).

He will not take note of any other unneeded angams beyond

the above five angams. He does not expect anything else to

grant us the phalan for Prapatthi yOgam practised. He stands

ready and all by Himself without any other anticipation . This is

another meaning for " yEka Sabdham " indicated by the choice

of the word , " Tanitthu " in the Paasuram.

 

6) The Mumukshu does not have the qualifications or the rigor to

practise tough upAyams( Bhakthi yOgam et al) sanctioned by

the Bhagavath Saasthrams . He has neither the Jn~Anam or sakthi to

perform them . At the same time , the Mumukshu laments over

the long time that takes to reach the goal of Moksham thru

the observance of Bhakthi yOgam .The most merciful Lord

says to the Prapannan that there is no need to do all kinds of

UpAyams to gain their phalans and get distracted by chasing

after them . He says that He stands moved by the Prapatthi

performed and vows to give all the Phalan by Himself

alone ( " yEkan " ) . He stands as the yEkOpAyam and

the Paasuram passage " SaadhanamAi ninRa Isan "

refers to this meaning .

 

There are those , who intrepret " yEka " sabdham to mean

that SarvEswaran alone is the upAyam and His PirAtti

has no sambhandham. Swamy Desikan does not accept

this and refers the " yEka Seshithvam " doctrine . He avers

that PirAtti has equal sambhandham with Her Lord during

UpAya nilai and that does not diminish any thing for Him .

Therefore Swamy Desikan refers to the combination of

His golden grace ( PonnaruLODum ) and His PirAtti

( PoomahaLODum ) in this Paasuram dealing with yEka sabdham .

 

The Sanskrit slOkam summing up these six meanings is:

 

PrApyasyaiva PrApakathvam sva-prAdhAnya nivAraNam

PrapatthE: vyAja maathrathvam anyOpAyai: ananvaya:

Tadhangairapyasambhandhas-sarva-saadyEshvabhinnathA

ittham arTaa: shaDA AchAryai: yEka sabdhasya darsithA:

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

 

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan

 

SrimathE SrI Lakshminrusimha Dhivya PaadhukA Sevaka

SrIvaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama: