Acharya vaibhavam - 70- Our Kainkarya Rathnam Sri U Ve Satakopan Swami's excellent article on Swami and Saranagathi

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

After immersing ourselves in the cool daya, showering

mercy on humanity for the past 70 posts, adiyEn would

like to remind ourselves of the deed that we need to

act at the lotus feet of our Acharya.

 

What's that?

 

Let us learn enjoy from the wonderful anubhavam of our

dearest Sri Satakopan Swami of Oppiliappan Koil

residing in the New York, USA, who has been tirelesly

blessing us hundreds of posts for more than a decade

through these lists.

 

We are indeed blessed.

*********

SrI:

SrimathE LakshmInrusimhAya nama:

 

AchArya Bhakthi ParipUtham anarga seelam

Gopala Desika MahAmunim Gurum AasrayAma :

 

In spite of his advancing age , this revered AchAryA

of Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam is engaged in mahA

kaimkaryams and it is a great blessing to have his

anugraham.

 

IdhAnim Poundarikapuram Andavan belongs to the direct

sanyastha Guru paramparai of Srirangam SrimadhANdavan

( VazhutthUr ) Sri VedAntha Ramanauja munipungavar.

Thanks to H.H. Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram

Aasramam , we have in our hands the Rahasyathraya

saaram commentary, Chillarai rahasyams of Swami

Desikan and very rare commentaries on Vedantha desika

sthothas written by Poorvars today.

 

The abiding reverence that I have for the

PoundarIkapuram Aasrama Yathis is due to the following

twin reasons :

 

(1) The Prakritham [current] Acharya of

Poundarikapuram Aasramam is an AchAryA dear to and

respected by my own AchAryan: H.H. Paramahamsa

parivrAjaka Sri NaarAyana Yathindhra MahA Desikan of

Ahobila Matam , the current Jeeyar.

 

(2) Poundarikapuram is my ancient village and has

tight links to Sri Oppiliappan through the many devout

kaimkaryams of ParamahamsEdhyAthi Sri Srinivaasa MahA

Desikan of Poundarikapuram .

 

My grandfather was the Brahaspathi for that family and

performed the marriage of the above giant of an

AchAryan. Later, this mahAn took sanyAsaasramam

and became H.H. SrinivAsa MahA Desikan of

Poundarikapuram Aasramam.

 

There are many sishyas who have taken refuge and

undergone BharanyAsam at the lotus feet of His

Holiness. On this divine occasion, It is my bhagyam to

share with you greatness of Prapatthi from the Amudha

MoazhigaL of Paramapadha Vaasee , SrivaNN

SatakOpa Sri VedAntha Desika Yatheendhrar , the

Mahaan, [sri Mukkur Azhagiya Singar] who blessed the

Achaarya peetam of the Ahobila Mutt, and who was also

very close to Srimad ParavakkOttai Andavan Swami.

 

Bhayam tyajatha bhadram vO dadhAthi karuNArNava : I

prapathyA tyaktha kOpassun pApinAmapi Madhava : II

 

( meaning ) : Please abandon your fear ; He , the

ocean of mercy blesses us with auspiciousness . Our

Lord Sriya: Pathi [Maadhavan] casts away His anger at

those who have performed Prapatthi and chases away

their sins and confers sarva mangaLam (on them with

joy).

 

The adhikAris (qualified/eligible ones ) who can

practice Bhakthi yOgam in the manner prescribed by the

VedAs are not too many ; indeed it is doubtful that

there has been any since NammAzhwAr attained Moksham

through the practise of Bhakthi yOgam . Prapatthi

maargam taught by our Lord to ArjunA is the most

prevalent maargam for our deliverance form the cycles

of birth and death ( moksham ) .

 

The essence of EmeprumAnAr and Swami Desikan's

teaching is that Sriman NaarAyaNan gives the boon of

equal moksham ( sama moksham/no tAra tamyam ) to all,

who have performed Saranagati [Prapatthi] in the

manner prescribed by sAsthrAs independent of their

caste , creed , gender or status in life.

 

SaraNAgathi is of three kinds. One of them is the most

important. The other two come next in significance .

The most important one is called sva nishtai.

 

Here , a mumukshu performs kalakshEpam with a

sadhAchAryan and learns about the anantha kalyANa

guNAs of Sriman NaarAyaNA, His svarUpam , subhAsrayam

( divya thirumEni ) ; next he learns from the AchAryA

about the svarUpa , rUpa guNAs of his own jeevAthmA

followed by an understanding of the nature of

SaraNAgathi , its limbs (angAs ) and gets a clear

concept of what is an angi . Afterwards, he learns

about the appropriate manthram used to perform one's

saraNAgathi and the tight correlations between the

different angAs of saraNAgathi and the corresponding

padhams of the praaptthi manthram . He learns about

the particular padham that is connected with the angi

part of saraNAgathi . Driven then by his virakthi and

desire to reach paramapadham , he gets clear

instruction from his achAryan about the prescribed and

ancient method of performing saraNAgathi. At a time of

his own choice, he then places the burden of

protection of his athmA ( the Lord's own property ) at

the sacred feet of Sriman NaarAyaNA, the owner of his

athmA through the act of saraNAgathi ( Bhara

samarpaNam /Aathma nivedhanam ) . THIS IS SVA NISHTAI,

THE HIGHEST MODE OF SARANAAGATHI.

 

There are not many , who have the needed

qualifications to perform prapatthi through Svanishtai

.. It is doubtful , whether anyone has performed

successfully svanishtai besides Sriman Nathamuni,

Nammaazhwaar, Alavandhaar, EmperumAnar Sri Ramanuja,

Swami Desikan hundreds of years ago.

 

The other two modes of saraNAgathi are known as

AchArya Nishtai and Ukthi Nishtai. People of all

castes, creeds, gender or age are qualified to observe

one or the other of these two modes of saraNAgathi.

 

The first of the two methods is Ukthi Nishtai . One

stands in PerumAL sannnidhi along with the AchAryA and

looks at the PerumAL and repeats after the AchAryA ,

the words related to saraNAathi given as upadEsam by

the AchAryA in a saastraic manner.

 

The second of the two methods outside svanishtai is

known as AchArya Nishtai . One approaches the learned

revered SadAchAryan , falls at his feet and begs him

to intercede with the Lord on his behalf . Then the

AchAryan performs the saraNAgathi for his sishyan .

AchArya Nishtai can be executed through a direct

request or through an appeal not made in person. Some

times , when one is too ill to travel to the AchAryA's

side , then they write a letter or send a telegram ,

if it is an emergency , and beg the AchArya to

intercede on his/her behalf through the performance of

AchArya nishtai . Srimad Andavan ashramam follows this

mode for all those who take refuge at the feet of

Acharya to perform BharanyAsam.

 

The compassionate AchAryAs themselves might elect to

perform AchArya Nishtai for the children , dumb ,

blind , dim witted , lame and others , who are unable

to participate in saraNAgathi fully due to their

limitations of body or mind . The fruits of Moksham

however is guaranteed for all of them . All are

adhikAris for AchArya Nishtai and Ukthi Nishtai .

 

Lord Maadhavan controls His anger over the limitless

sins accumulated by us , the Jeevans , and forgives

our trespasses in the present and previous janmAs,

once we perform saraNAgathi in the prescribed manner

and blesses us with Moksha Sukham . That we have many

janmAs prior to saraNAgathi is clear from His own

words, " tava cha bahUni janmAni vyathithAni " . The

sins accumulated over these span of many janmAs are

beyond counting. Even the Lord has difficulty taking a

measure of them . Even with all those limitless

bundles of sins , the Lord out of His incomparable and

infinite dayA quenches His anger and fulfills His

promise made to ArjunA on the battle field :

 

sarva dharmAn parithyajya… mokshaishyAmi maa sucha :

[GitA 18.66]

 

You may still ask the question : Will the Lord give

Moksham to one , who commits so many atrocities in

this life and is recognized as a MahA Paapi ? The Lord

will bless that MahA paapi too , since he has already

said , " saraNam vraja , sarva pApEpyO mokshayishyAmi

" . After this categorical assuaging assuring

statement in GithA , there is no reason to doubt Him .

It is foolish to interpret the meaning of this charama

slOkam as promise to remove the sins collected in

previous janmams only . It includes all the sins

accumulated in this janmam as well . KUrEsa has said

in this context :

 

" Sri Ramachandran out of His infinite mercy forgave

even the KaakAsuran , who committed the unpardonable

offense of hurting Loka mAthA with his beak . Once

that mahAparAdhi fell at Sri Rama " s feet and begged

for protection , our Lord saved the asuran from the

terrible damage of BrahmAsthram . Therefore, I am

hoping that the Lord will quench His anger at us, MahA

paapis, when we perform SaraNAgathi and bless us with

Moksham " .

 

Therefore, there is no doubt that even a MahA paapi

will be protected by the all merciful Lord , if he

performs saraNAgathi in this janmam. Do not be afraid.

SaastrAs state that even if one has committed the

heinous crime of killing one's mother and father, the

Lord will forgive even that person by controlling His

anger, if he repents and seeks the Lord's protection

as a saraNAgathA.

 

Even if one has taken to stealing as a profession ,

even if one drinks alcohol in spite of his high birth

as Brahmin, even if he acts like a friend and betrays

one behind one's back , even if he has committed

brahmahatthi, even if he has coveted the wife of his

AchAryA, even if he has murdered others, even if he

has committed much worse sins, once he utters the name

of NaarAyaNA involuntarily or without intent during

his last moments like AjAmiLan, then he is released of

all paapAs according to Sukha Brahmam.

 

If that is so, the effect of performing saraNAgathi

recommended by the Lord in Bhagavadh GithA is bound to

chase away all the paapams accumulated in this and

previous janmAs . There need be no doubt about this

..Therefore, we, the paapis can cast aside our fears

and feel hopeful .

 

Do not be deluded by the thought that you have to

acquire tattva jn~nam through kalakshEpam and only

thereafter qualify ourselves to perform SaraNAgathi.

What you have to do is to stand before your AchAryA in

PerumAL sannidhi and fall at His Feet;

 

Repent for the past; Decide to act as fast as possible

and adhere to SaasthrAs and anushtAnams. Repeat what

acharyan says [in the case of Ukthi nishtai]. Acharyan

will perform Prapatti at the Lord's Lotus Feet on your

behalf [in the Acharyan nishtai]

 

Swami AlavandhAr himself says in this context:

 

VapurAdhishu yOpi kOpi vaa

guNa dhOshAni yathAtathA vaa I

tadhayam tava paadha padmayO :

ahamathyaiva mayA saamrpitha: II

 

AlavandhAr says that Whatever may be the nature

and attributes of this object known as aathmA ,

adiyEn has presented that object to You , which is

Yours, for protection .

 

Swami Desikan has pointed this tattvam in his

Rahasya Traya Saaram and has said : " The Lord

blesses even those , who do not have a full

comprehension of the TattvAs and gives them Moksham ,

when they surrender to Him " .

 

PurANAs state that even a long term enemy of our Lord

escapes damnation and is blessed with Moksham , when

he performs saraNAgathi even during his last moments

in his life due to some fortunate development . The

example of KantAkarNan , an ancient enemy of the Lord

is a testament to Lord's dayA for one , who sought His

refuge even after years of declared enimity .

 

The story from purANam on KantAkarNan suggests that

even long term enimity to Sriman NaarAyaNA will not

stand in one's way to gaining the boon of Moksham

from Him , once we perform SaraNAgathi to Him in the

saastraic manner and beg for His merciful

intervention.

 

Those who cry out for His protection like GajEndrA

without knowing who exactly was the supreme Lord and

yet shouted for protection with the prayer: " Oh

AdhimUlam , Lord of Gods! I am unable to protect

myself. I am at the end of my life. Please

save me " . Sriman NaarAyaNA immediately ran to the side

of Gajendran and rescued the king of elephants from

the hold of the jaws of the crocodoyle . When Gajendra

shouted out in fear and addressed " the AdhimUlam " ,

Indran , BrahmA , Pasupathi and other dEvAs knew that

the appeal is not for them since they

were not the supreme of supremes . They understood the

message as being addressed to the one that has the

qualifications to be known and saluted as Parabrahmam.

Sriman NaarAyaNA responded to the animal king's cry.

He responded similarly to the jeevAthmA inside the pot

of curd ( dadhi paandan ) via AchArya nishtai and

blessed that jeevan with Moksham.

 

Therefore ,even if men or women or brahmin or

otherwise , or from other creeds inside or outside

India or sinners or puNyasAlees or bhakthimAns or

earlier sathrUs of the Lord , once they perform

SaraNAgathi to LakshmIkAnthan , He will not worry

whether we are His mitrAs or chathrUs and will bless

us all with Moksham in the spirit of His statements: "

sarva PaapEyO mokshyishyAmi " and " abhayam

sarvabhoothEbhyO dadAmyEtat vratham mama " .

 

He is committed to come to our rescue and as the ocean

of mercy, abandons His anger and disgust over our

paapams and crowns us with the kireetam of Moksha

saamrAjyam. This is the essence of SaraNAgathi as

taught to us by the Lord Himself and His AzhwArs and

AchAryAs.

 

Srimath Azhagiyasingar ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Subhamasthu , Sarva MangaLAni santhu !

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

**************

Let us enjoy the vedic references and pramANams to

Prapatti tomorrow in the same context

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dasan

 

 

 

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