SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 52

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srI:

SrI upakAra sangraham – 52

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adikAram – 1

poorva upakAra paramparai

(The Foremost Series of Favours)

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SECTION – 5 (11) [continued]

(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for

MOKSHAM)

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In this sub-section, SwAmi Desikan has specified

several systems by name, but left the others by merely

mentioning “Adi”, i.e., “et cetera”, (etc):

 

(11)

cArvAka-bauddha-Arhata-vaishEShika-sAnkhya-pashupata-Adi-bahuvida-bAhya-kudruSht\

i-matangkaLal

kalangkAtapdi paNNinatuvum;

 

Now, we shall try to find out what are these systems.

These can be listed as follows:

Yoga, Poorva MimAmsa, VaiyAkaraNa, BhAskara,

YAdavaprakAsha and Shankara Advaita. From these also,

the Lord has saved the sAttvika persons from being

misled by their tenets.

We shall consider these also one by one:

Yoga Darshana: This system deals primarily with

sAdhanAs or spiritual disciplines. The basic scripture

for this system is the yOgasootras of Patanjali. It

begins with the words, “atha yOgAnushAsanam” (‘Now,

the teaching of Yoga is begun), instead of the word,

‘jij~nAsA’ or mImAmsA (enquiry).

The word ‘yOga’ is derived from two verb roots: ‘yuj’

(to yoke) or ‘yuj’ (to concentrate). yOga, therefore,

is that which enables a jIva or an individual soul to

attain concentration on Ishvara and ultimate union

with Him.

The origin of this system is attributed to

HiraNyagarbha, an aspect of God Himself. SanatkumAra

and JaigiShavya are also stated to be the authors of

this system. The yOgasootras were compiled by

Patanjali, who is supposed to belong to the period 200

B.C.- A.D. 300. The yOgasootras comprises 195 sootras

under four pAdas or Chapters. As this work deal with

the sAdhana, a basic knowledge of its SAnkhyan

background is necessary to understand it.

yOgadarshana recognizes three basic realities:

Ishvara(God), purShas(individual souls) and pradhAna

or prakruti(matter). PuruShas, the individual souls,

are of the nature of consciousness. They are infinite

in number. The existence of Ishvara, namely,

‘PurushaviShEsha’ (unique person) can be known only

from the scriptures. He is omniscient. yOga is defined

as “yOgash-citta-vrtti-nirOdhah //” (1.2). – The

final end of yOga is the restraint of mental

operations. When the modifications of the citta or

the mind are controlled and suppressed, the true

nature of the puruSha or the Self is revealed. Citta

is the mind-stuff that is also called as antahkaraNa

(the inner instrument), mans (the mind) or buddhi (the

intellect). After overcoming obstacles to yOga, the

aspirant ultimately attains samAdhi or mystical

experience of the self. VairAgya (detachment) and

abhyAsa (constant Practice) are the most important

means to ward off the obstacles.

The yOgasootras prescribe a graded discipline of

eight steps, aShtAngas: yama, niyama,Asana,prANAyAma,

pratyAhAra, dhArNA, dhyAna and samAdhi. This system

mentions Ishvara-praNidhAna, devotion to God, only for

getting help from Him to proceed towards the ultimate

goal, i.e., samAdhi. Once the aspirant gets the help

from the God, he no more worships Him. This samAdhi is

also known as kaivalya, that is enjoying the bliss of

one’s own soul. This is where, this system departs

from the Vedic spirit, which is aimed at attaining

God’s abode where the aspirant gets infinite Bliss,

compared to which the kaivalya bliss is of a minute

atomic size. SrI nammAzhvar also refers to this in a

pAsuram:

 

“kaNdukEttu uRRu mOndu uNdu uzhalum aingkaruvi

kaNda inbam, therivariya aLavillAc ciRRinbam

oNtodiyAL tirumakaLum neeyum nilAniRpak

kaNdacatir kaNdozhintEn adaintEn untiruvadiyE.”

(TiruvZimozhi, 4-9-10)

 

(This verse flows out of the AzhvAr as he enjoyed the

Lord with His Consort after He reveals His presence in

SrIvaikuNtam to the AzhvAr:

“I am blessed to see the blissful presence of both

You and SrI LaksmI (as revealed). I have attained Your

Feet, after scorning off the mundane pleasure of the

five senses; and also the endless but very minor

pleasure of Kaivalya or the enjoyment of my own

Atma.”)

Later also the AzhvAr refers to this kaivalya in a

pAsuram:

 

“kuRukA neeLA iRuti koodA enaiyoozhi

ciRukAlinRi aLavilinbam cErntAlum

maRukAlinRi mAyOn! unakkEyALAkum

ciRukAlattaiyuRumO? anthO! teriyilE.”

(TiruvAimozhi, 6-9-10)

 

(Oh Marvel! I only want to be at Your service, even if

it were only for a speck of a moment! Even then, will

the kaivalya pleasure, even if it be infinite in time

as well as in quantity, come anywhere near [to the

Bliss of serving You]? Not to speak of the material

wealth at all!)

 

Thus the great effort propounded by the yOga system is

not worth the bliss to be attained in enjoying one’s

own soul (kaivalya) which is very minor as compared to

the Bliss which is infinite in every respect, one

attains in SrIvaikuNtam of the Lord.

The Lord does really a great favour in saving the

sAttvik persons from falling a pray to the so-called

dazzling yOga doctrine!

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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