Virodha ParihAram : 101-108

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101. Question : How does Charama slOkam become a Rahasyam ?

It is understandable that Thiru Manthiram and Dhvayam are to be

recieved from AchAryan by the Sishyan in the ears as a rahasyam .

Charama slOkam is in MahA BhAratham , an ithihAsam , which can

be recited in front of all as long as there is a Brahmin sits in the ghOshti.

How can we justify what is sadhasyam ( can be talked about in an assembly

of diverse people such as Srimath RaamAyaNam or Mahaa Bhaaratham ) ,

viz ., Charama slOkam and include it among the rahasyams of Moola

Mantram and dhvayam and call the three membered group as Rahasya

Thrayam ?

 

(Answer) : There is a slight difference between the three rahasyams.

The text of Moola Mantram and dhvayam as well as the meanings of

the aksharams and padhams can not be openly told except thru

AchArya-Sishya upadEsam . The text of Charama slOkam can be read

aloud BUT the meanings of the padhams and groups of words are

to be treated as rahasyams and not sadhasyams. All the three as

rahasyams are for the upliftment of those who seek Moksham .

 

102. (Question ) : Why is each of the rahasya thrayam necessary?

One can understand the need for Prapathti very clearly . One can also

understand the need for Dhvayam as Mantram to perform Prapatthi

and gain Moksha Phalan . For such a prapannan who has performed

prapatthi , what is the relevance of Thiru Manthiram ? Why does it

occupy the first place among the three rahasyams ?

 

(Answer) : There are number of important things that should be clearly

understood by a Mumukshu ( One who desires Moksham) : (1) The jeevan

is the seshan ( liege) for the dhivya dampathis alone and not to anyone else

(2) The jeevan has no independence ( svatantram) and (3) The Jeevan is

directed and commanded by the Lord ( paramAthmaa) .These important

aspects can only be understood by upadEsam on the meanings of

the aksharams and the padhams of AshtAkshari ( Thiru Manthiram) .

 

Thirumanthiram is in the Vaidhikam and Taantrikam form so that all

can access it .Vidhikam is for the use of men of all the three varNams .

Taantrikam is for women of all VarNams and the men of the fourth

varNam . The only difference between the Vadhika and Taantrika

version is in the first letter : PraNavam ; rest of the 7 leeters remain

the same. There are no differences in the meanings of the aksharam

or Padha Vaakyams. Since every one has to recite Thirumanthiram ,

it takes the first place among the three rahasyams . All the three

rahasyams however are important .

 

103. (Question) :If Thirumanthiram is so important , why do we need dhvayam?

SaasthrAs say that we can perform Aathma samarpaNam using Thirumanthiram

as the Mantram for Prapatthi .There is no stipulation that we should use dhvayam

alone for performing Prapatthi .

 

(Answer) : Yes , one can perform Prapatthi with Thirumanthiram . One can not

experience the detailed amsams of Prapatthi through Thirumanthiram . Examples

of those amsams to be comprehended in depth are : (1) The PurushakAram of

PirAtti (2) The presence of PirAtti always at the Lord's side , 3) The Lord's

status as SidhOpAyam along with His PirAtti (4) His status as

the attainable goal ( upEyam) , while serving as the means( UpAyam) as well

(5) The angams of Prapatthi to enchant the dhivya Dampathis ( Seshi dampathis).

Dhvaya Mantram alone elaborately explains all of the above . Moola Mantram is

very abbreviated .It is easier to reflect upon the above meanings associated

with dhvaya padhams and place comfortably one's Aathma at the sacred feet of

the dhivya dampathis . Therefore Dhvyam becomes indispensable .

 

104. (Question) : Why is Charama slOkam needed by us while we can

reach the status of ParipoorNan through the clear comprehension of

our svarropam thru Thirumanthiram and the amsams of Prapatthi

thru Dhvayam ?

 

(Answer) Charama slOkam instrcuting the Peformance of

Prappatthi is essential since it describes the different states of

akinchanan , who finds himself unfit to practise the most difficult

Bhakthi yOgam . Finding himself with no gathi , the chEtanam

chooses Prapatthi and seeks the burden of its protection from

the Lord thru Aathma samarpaNam . Before performing Prapatthi ,

the chEtanam understands the state of the small upAyam of Prapatthi

standing in the place of the mighty upAyam of Bhakthi yOgam.

The jeevan comprehends the state of independence of Prapatthi ,

where it does not need any help form any other upAyam . The jeevan

understands the inability of Prapatthi to coexist with the other

UpAyams just like BrahmAsthram , which loses its power when

another asthram is used along with it .The jeevan comprehends

the simplicity and soulabhyam of the Lord and the power of His

sankalpam that destroys all residual karmAs and destroying even

KarmAs that have started yielding their fruits . The Jeevan experiences

the joy of gaining the bliss of kaimkaryam to the dhivya dampathis .

All of these can be experienced thru anusandhAnam of Charama

slOkam . Therefore it is essential to have Charama slOkam as

the third rahasyam .

 

105. Why are " jithanthE" and VarAha Charama slOkam are not

included among the rahasyams although they deal with items

of interst to Mumukshus ( One who desires Moksham ) ?

 

(Answer) : Yes, the above two do contain mokshArtha Vishayams

but the three rahasyams house in themselves the essence of the above

two prasiddha slOkams . The three rahasyams are the Saaram

(Quniessence) of what is covered by JithanthE and VarAha charama

SlOkam . Therefore , the three rahasyams ( Moola Mantram , Dhvayam

and Charama slOkam) were chosen by our AchAryAs as the key

rahasyams for instructions on Vedanthic matters .

 

106.( Question) : How did the unlettered cowherd girls ( idaicchis) ,

who did not have the awarenes of rahasya thrayams attain moksham?

 

(Answer) : The illiterate idaicchis did not have sikshai on the three

rahasyams but attained the state of fitness for Moksham thru

poorva janma sukruthams . The residual impressions(Vaasanais)

from their previous births led them to the attachment to BhagavAn's

sacred feet at BrundhAvanam and resulted in Moksham . It becomes

clear that the understanding of one or more upAyams for Moksham in

previous births propelled them to Sathgathy in their final births . Such

is the power ( long standing impact) of these rahasyams .

 

107. (Question): SisupAla and other enemies of the Lord attained

Moksham . How is that possible ? The untutored cowherd girls gained

proximity to the Lord's feet thru poorva Janma Vaasanais . SisupAla

and others displayed enimity to the Lord even in poorva Janmams .

SisupAlan was granted Moksham even though he showed unceasing

hostility ot the Lord even in his last birth . How can one understand

the granting of MOksham to SisupAla , the irascible enemy of

the Lord ?

 

(Answer) : Below Vaikuntam , there is a lokam known as VishNu lOkam .

There were two dhvAra PaalakAs at VishNu lOkam , who comitted apachArams

to the BhaagavathAs of the Lord and got cursed to be born in the karma

BhUmi .They took three births and in each one of them , they showed

unflinching enimity to the Lord and enjoyed the phalans of their Mahaa

aparAdhams .When the anubhavam was concluded , they returned to

their original sTaanams in VishNu lOkam .

 

108. (Question) : How can we clear future doubts about Rahasya Thrayams?

 

(Answer) : We explained thru this grantham the answers for many

common doubts about the three rahasyams . If you have grasped

these answers well and attained clarity in important aspects of

the three rahasyams , You can adopt a similar approach to find

answers for your new doubts. You can also consult with the great

ones , who are experts in different sAsthrAs , Sri BhAshyam

and Tarkam and clarify your doubts . As long as you have gained

clarity on the important aspects of the three rahsyams , it does not

matter if you are not sure about minor aspects of the three rahasyams.

 

Concluding slOkams

 

Srimath VenkatanAyakEna vahathaa sEshAimavAj~nAm sathAm

sEshaa aseevisha dantha pankthi sushumaa sacchAyatarkasriyaa

adhyArOpitha tatthadhukthikalahai: adhyAthmalabdhAthmanAm

SankhAnAm parihAr padhdathiriyam dhingmathrathO darsithaa

 

Here, Swamy Desikan says that he responded to the commands of

the respectable elders and constructed this grantham to remove

the doubts on VedAnthic matters created by the Para Matha

sampradhAyins . Swamy Desikan says that he showed somewhat

the way ( approach) for us to address the clamorous aakshEpams

of the opponents thru tarka vadham , whose lustre resembles

the beautiful rows of white teeth of AdhisEshan . The key words

here are: " Tarka Sriyaa iyam parihAra paddhathi: dhingmAthraa

darsithaa".

 

This is the concluding grantham in Swamy Desikan's rich

life. In the following slOkam and Tamil Paasuram , Swamy

sums up his role as an AchAryan and the satisfaction of

establishing sishya paramaparai ( Brahma Tantra Swamy ,

NayinAcchAr ) to carry on the teachings of Bhagavath

RaamAnuja .

 

The vivEkam and VairAgyam of Swamy is revealed in this slOkam :

 

sthOthum nindhithum ukthim aTavaa sODum samUDam jagath

kim nacchinnamanantha chinthana rasE susTE sukham tasTushAm

SishyAs-Sikshitha Buddhaya: SruthipaTE yEshAm vayam yE cha na:

tath santhOsha samarpaNakshamam idham sADambharai: kim parai:

 

The world is full of ignorant ones;They can praise our utterances or

condemn them or tolerate them. Their behavour does not perturb us ,

who are immersed in the bliss of enjoying the Lord . We have no loss

over their praise or condemnations . We do not care . Our sishyAs

have excelled in gaining VedAntha Jn~Anam and they will be happy

over this grantham . That is all we care. We have no use for all these

pompous , half baked scholars known for their ajn~Anam and

Vipareetha Jn~Anam .

 

ithi nikhila tArkikaa chUDaamaNinaa sarvatantra svatantrENa

ubhAyavEdAnthAchAryENa krutham VirOdha ParihAra

nigamanAdhikAra: sampoorNam .

 

Sri NigamAntha Mahaa Dsikaaya Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan