Thirucchandhaviruttham- 78th verse- Code of Conduct of Prapannan

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Compared to Bhakti yoga, which prescribes

hard-to-practice yama, niyama, dhAraNa, pratyAhArA,

etc., and uninterrupted meditation on the Lord and His

swaroopa and gunAs, Prapatti is easier to adopt which

only warrants utter helplessness (Akinchanyam) and

having no other refuge except for Him

(ananyagathithvam)

 

One who adopts Bhakti Yoga in all its elaborateness

may have to wait for ages, through several births, to

reach the Lord. Prapatti, which can be performed in a

second, promises the same fruit of Liberation at the

will of the aspirant- if he desires to leave for the

Lord’s abode immediately after performing Saranagati,

so can he. If, on the other hand, he prefers to wait

till the end of this birth, then immediately as he

sheds his mortal coils, Emperuman takes him to Sri

Vaikuntam and eternal bliss.

 

Do not think however that bhakti is not needed for

those who have performed Saranagati. Bhakti – i.e.

saamaanya bhakti- meaning devotion is very much needed

and is required for those who have performed

Saranagati. Though Parabhakti- the means in bhakti

yoga – is not here in Prapatti, it is still enjoyed as

Bhagav anubhavam which will culminate into bhagava

prEmam (intense love and desire for the unparalleled

ArA amudhan Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan. That in

fact would affirm his thought on the Lord and would

distract him away from worldly and materialistic,

sensual pleasures. This love, or snEham for the Lord

needs to be cultivated in our minds and that is where

problem comes due to flickering and wavering mind of

ours- AzhwAr says: Not to worry. Involve you limbs,

mouth, ears, eyes etc.. for bhagavad anubhavam and the

mind would come on track as well. Enjoying seeing Him

at Dhivya Desams or in ATTHU PERUMALS. Listen to His

pastimes, glories and enjoy His kalyANa guNas. Worship

Him; prostrate at His feet;

 

Otherwise, when the sense organs are left going after

worldly objects, that would take the strong mind too

and very soon, we ourselves would get doubt (*lack of

viswAsam) if at all the performance of Saranagati was

fruitful at all.

 

Thus AzhwAr advises us of the state and code of

coundct after Prapatti.

 

sOrvilaatha kaathalaaltho

dakkaRaama Nnaththaraay,

neeraraava Naikkidantha

ninmalann^a lankazhal,

aarvamOdi RaiNYchin^inRa

vanpeyaret tezhuththum,

vaaramaaka vOthuvaar_kaL

vallarvaana maaLavE. (78)

 

 

After pefrgorming Prapatti (Saranagati) at the divine

lotus feet of the Pristine Purest Lord Sriya: Pathi

Sriman Narayanan- KsheerAbdhi sayanan- the Reclining

Lord (on Milky ocean) and with an earnest desire for

attaining Him and Him alone to perform eternal service

at His Lotus feet; not involving or not attempting on

any other means [with an unflinching complete faith on

Him that he would sure to take us to His abode for

having surrendered to Him fully – (our self, the

protection and the fruit thereof); with a firm mind –

tied down by devotional love in the heart and strong

and unwavering or sagging mind ; uttering His divine

ThiruvashtAkshara mantra (glorifying his divine name)

regularly in strict protocol; are sure to be qualified

to rule even Paramapadham.

 

AzhwAr very beautifully mentions the state of our life

after Prapatti.

All the Sanchita Karmas( Accumulated ) and Prarabda

Karmas ( that have begun to yield results) will be

totally destroyed like dirt being incinerated by fire

once we perform Saranagati at His feet. However there

would be sorrows and happiness which would come even

during post prapatti period and one should never ever

think as to why the Lord is doing this to me- I have

surrendered and why is he giving me sorrows? I have

never ever disobeyed Him (aNdap puLugu; Agaasa puLugu-

He is what he is only due to disobedience and

trespassing the saasthrAs which are His command and

instruction to adhere to strictly] And loose hope and

faith in Him.. One should on the contrary consider

that as His krupA in getting the remaining paapams

getting cured.. and feel even happy about it.

Similarly if one gets wealth or unexpected material /

income, should never jump with joy; it is His Bhagavad

prasAdham for the good that also needs to get

absolved. Else, he would start spending his time more

with blood relations and forget his eternal

subservitude to Him…Thus AzhwAr says: Only way- is to

keep uttering His Divine Name- ThiruvashtAksharam

regularly.

 

Swamy Desikan says beautifully in Srimad

Rahasyathrayasaram (as Post-Prapatti Code of Conduct)-

[from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy’s summary]:

 

Being immersed in his dedication to the Lord,

Prapannan no more seeks physical or material comforts

or nourishment, in the conviction that everything

happens as per the will of God.

 

If any physical or material comforts come his way

(through Dharmic ways, of course) he does not shun

them, knowing that it is one of the ways to get rid of

his Punya karmas because they also constitute

impediments on his path to Moksha

 

He views both joy and sorrow alike submitting himself

to both with equanimity, knowing that both pleasure

and pain visit him as ordained by the Lord.

 

He feels intensity of devotion like that of 'Parama

Bhakti " when he cannot brook any further delay in

achieving communion with the Lord

When one acquires the mental calibre as aforesaid,

there can be no fear other than Bhagavata Apachara and

Acharya Apachara (disrespect to devotees and

preceptor) which in any case, he would not indulge in.

 

 

SrI UttamUr Swamy writes: This verse can also mean to

infer Bhakti yogins and there also one should continue

to utter AshtAksharam for interrupted contemplation of

His divine name and glories.

 

Thirumazhisai Piraan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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