Swamy DEsika Sahasra Naamam : NaamAs 976-1003 (Charama SlOkAdhikAram) : PartII (976-986)

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SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

(976) (PraNavam) Prapatthi Sarva dharma- thyAgAngOkthi vidhi bhanjakAya nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to that AchAryan , who disagreed with the view that

the abandonment of the dharmAs like Bhakthi yOgam is an angam of Prapatthi .

Hence , Sarva dharma thyAgam is not an angam of Prapatthi according to Swamy Desikan .

 

(Commentary) : Swamy Desikan pointed out the contradictions of such a view with

other angams of Prapatthi like KaarpaNyam and Aakinchanyam . KarpaNyam is

the anusandhAnam ( reflection ) that one is powerless to undertake Bhakthi yogam .

Aakinchanyam is also the recognition of the powerlessness to engage in

the anushtAanam of Bhakthi yOgam . If we accept the injunction (Vidhi) that Sarva

dharma thyAgam is an angam of Prapatthi like KaarpaNyam , then we concede that

Prapatthi is eligible only for those who have the power to perform Bhakthi yOgam .

This is totally against the doctrine of Prapatthi , which makes every one

eligible to practise Prapatthi with its five angams .

 

(977) (PraNavam) KshEthrajnOpaasannOpAya nithyaasakthathva bhanjakaaya nama:

 

( Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who disagreed with the view that Jeevan

is forever incapable of performing the upAyam of UpAsanam (Bhakthi yOgam) .

 

(Commnetary ): Other mathams hold the view that Jeevan is powerless to perform

UpAsanam at all times . Jeevan is paratanthran to the Lord and therefore the Jeevan has

no svatantram (Freedom) to engage in Upaasana .Therefore , it is alright to command

Jeevan to abandon Sarva dharmam . There is no conflict between aakinchanyam and

Sarva dharma ThyAgam according to this view . Swamy Desikan refutes this view

and points out the many inconsistencies that arise from acepting this view . The key

among Swamy Desikan's objection is : If the jeevan is powerless and is Paaratantryan ,

then how is he expected to follow the Lord's command " MaamEkam SaraNam vraja ".

The concepts of Sarva dharma ThyAgam and asakthathvam of the Jeevan clash .

This view also lands the Para Matha Vaadhi in the land of anuvAdham that they

do not accept to begin with .

 

(978) (Pranavam) yEkavAkya vidhithva anuvAdhathvaanupapatthi

vidhE nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to that AchAryan , who pointed out the inappropriateness

of the same vaakyam becoming Vidhi and anuvAdham at the same time .

 

( Commentary ): Vidhi means the command to do some thing new ; anuvAdham is

the statement about something that has already happened . There are two mutually

opposing points of view regarding the meaning for "Sarva dharama ThyAgam"

( Parithyajya Sabdham ) . Some believe that "Sarva dharma thyAgam " is Vidhi

and others believe that it is anuvAdham . MeemAmsa Saasthrams point out that

the same Vaakyam can not stand for Vidhi and anuvAdham as well . It becomes

paraspara Viruddham (mutually contradictory ) in that case . It has to be one or

the other . It can not be both .

 

(979) (PraNavam) GurUpAya laghUpAya-ghee: prOchakathApriyAya nama:

 

(Meaning ) : Salutation to the AchAryan who did not accept the statement

that the purpose of mentioning hard-to-perform (Katina) upAyam is to motivate

one towards the easy-to-practise ( laghu ) upAyam .

 

(980) (PraNavam) Bhakthi vidhyA mandhadheekArithva mathAnthakAya nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to the AchAryan , who rejected the Matham that

believes Bhakthi Vidhyai is recommended for use only by the dull-witted ones

(mandha Buddhi).

 

(Commentary ): One matham believes that Bhakthi yOgam has to be practised by

those having deficency in Jn~Anam or ViswAsam . In contrast , Prapatthi in their

opinion has to be practised by those with PoorNa Jn~Anam and ViswAsam (narasya

Buddhi dourbalyAth upAyAntharamishyathE ) . Swamy Desikan rejects this view .

If an asaktha purushan engages in UpAsana ( Bhakthi yOgam /Katina UpAyam) ,

due to his mandha buddhi , then great Jn~Anis with PoorNa viswAsam

like Sage VyAsa , who gave us the charama slOkam thru MahA BhAratham /Githai

are ineligible to perform this UpAsana(Bhakthi yOgam for Moksham) . That is absurd .

 

(981) (PraNavam) upAsanA-mandhaviswAsaadhikArathva nAsakAyaa nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to the AchAryan , who defeated the Matham that held

the view that the adhikAris (qualified ones) for UpAsanaa are those who have

incomplete ViswAsam . If we say that Sage VyAsa , who blessed us with

Brahma Soothram , MahA BhAratham/Bhagavath GithA has to be disqualified

from practising Bhakthi yOgam ( UpAsanaa) , then we are driven to the position that

the above Sri Sookthis were created to decieve us . Sage VyAsa and others

like him are PoorNa adhikAris ( Sahasra Naamaa 863) ; they can wait for delayed

Phalan of Bhakthi yOgam (UpAsanam) . Therefore , they did not perform Prapathi

yOgam ; instead , they practised Bhakthi yOgam , even if they were not deficient in

Jn~Anam or ViswAsam .

 

(982) (PraNavam) UpAsanAlOka-sangrahArTathva matha-mArakAya nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who rejected the view that Sage

VyAsaa and others performed Bhakthi Yogam to demonstrate to the world

about the loftiness of that UpAsanaa , while they themselves did prapatthi .

 

(Commentary ): If some one like Sage VyAsa qualified to perform Prapathti

did instead Bhakthi yOgam to raise the belief in Bhakthi yOgam by residents

of the world , they would have acquired sins for following some thing

that is contrary to their adhikAram (Qualifications) and preaching it to the world

as the way to follow. This is not acceptable . Further , if there are two upAyams

for lOka sangraham, it is required to practise the UpAyam that is hitham

and easy to practise (sakyam) . This is Saasthram . Sages like VyAsaa will not

practise some thing as model , which the Saasthrams do not permit. Any such

act done in the spirit of AdhikAra Viruddham will not then be for lOka sangraham .

 

(983) (PraNavam) prapatthiroopa sakala dharma thyAga-mathAnthakAya nama:

 

( Meaning ) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who won over the view that

"Sarva DharmAn parithyajya" means the abandonment of all dharmAs ,

which are Pravrutthi roopam .

 

(Commentary ): There are Pravrutthi dharmams and Nivrutthi dharmams in

this world . To say that "Sarva DharmAn parithyajya" instructs us to abandon

both kinds of dharmams is sampradhAya viruddham (against our SampradhAyam

based on Saasthram ).Even today , our AchAryAs enter into Pravrutthi dharmams

( Performance of Kaimkaryams ) and discarding Nivrutthi dharmams through

apachAra parihArams .

 

(984) (PraNavam) prapathyAnushtAna-kaala sarvadharma-vimukthignE nama:

 

(Meaning): Salutations to the AchAryan , who refuted the view that one should

perform " Sarva dharma ThyAgam " during the time of Prapatthi .

 

( Commentary ) : This does not mean that one has to abandon all dharmAs

during the entire life ( even during the Post Prapatthi period) . In that case ,

there will be conflict with AchArya anushtAnams .

 

(985) (PraNavam) pradhakshiNa praNAmAdhi anuj~nA kaimkarya hEthudhrusE nama:

 

(Meaning) : Salutations to the AchAryan who knew the inner meanings of anuj~nA

kaimkaryams such as PradakshiNam and PraNAmams .

 

(Commentary ): One should not abandon VarNAsrama dharmams even after

performing one's Prapatthi . They are not angams for Prapatthi . Inspite of that ,

these are Aj~nA kaimkaryams ordered by Bhagavath Saasthrams and as such

can not be discarded . Abandonment will result in trespass of BhagavAn's commands

and will lead to BhagavAn's anger at us. The karmAs like PradakshiNam , PraNAmam

are not aj~nA kaimkaryam ; they are anuj~nA kaimakryams . There is no dhOsham

if we do not do it. BhagavAn wont be angry , if we do not do them . One does them

(anuj~nA Kaimakryams) for Bhagavath Preethi as a Prapannan . The primary Phalan is

Bhagavath Preethi for a Prapannan although they do give Kaamya Phalans , which

are not of interest to a ParamaikAnthi Prapannan .

 

(986) (PraNavam ) avaj~nAkrutha bhakthaadhi janmachinthAdhi dhOsha dhrusE nama:

 

( Meaning ) : Salutations to the AchAryan , who knew that Paapams will result in

inquiring about the birth and kulam of Bhagavath BhakthAs for the purposes of

insulting them.

 

(Commentary ): When Prapannan is engaged in performing kaimkaryams for

Bhagavath Preethi , he has to stay within the confines of Jaathi , Niyamam

(Aasrama , VarNa niyamam). If one looks into Jaathi etc of BhakthAs for determining

Saasthra Vyavasthai ( boundaries ) , it is permissible . If one looks into Jaathi etc from

the point of finding fault with them , then naraka vaasam will result .

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

SrimathE LakshmI Nrusimha Dhivya PaadhukA Sevaka

Sri VaNN SaThakOPa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra MahA DesikAya Nama: