SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part -56

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srI:

SrI upakAra sangraham – 56

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adikAram – 1

poorva upakAra paramparai

(The Foremost Series of Favours)

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SECTION – 5 (13)

(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for

MOKSHAM)

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In the last sub-section, SwAmi Desikan showed us how

the Lord does a favour by way of refining the virtuous

souls to enable them to give up hatred and acquire

friendly attitude. After such refinement, what is the

next favour the Lord does to such jIvas is indicated

by SwAmi Desikan in this sub-section:

 

(13) “avishrAntamanAlambham”, “atakarakarAgrAhyam”,

“tadEbhiralamartyartam”, mahatA puNyapuNyEna”,

“AcArya: plAvitA tasya” EvamAdikaLAna sAttvika

sambhAShaNattai uNdAkkinatuvum;

 

The jIva, after refinement by giving up negative

qualities like anger, hatred etc. and acquiring a

friendly attitude towards all others, further proceeds

by involving himself in dialogues on virtuous topics.

This is yet another favour conferred by the Lord, says

SwAmi Desikan. In support, he quotes from various

scriptures. We shall see them one by one.

 

1) “avishrAntam anAlambham apAthEyam adEsikam /

tamah kAntAram adhvAnam katham EkO gamiShyasi?

//

 

(Mahabharata,

ShAnti Parva, 337-34)

 

This is part of an advice given by Sage nArada to

Shukha about the nature of the mundane world and the

means for mOkSha, liberation. In this verse, nArada

asks Shukha, “There is no place to rest; there is no

support; nor food for survival; there is none to

guide; there is thick darkness only all over; this

appears to be a hellish path; how will you go alone?”

This quote describes the miserable world one is

living in, and thereby indicating that it has to be

transcended by him who has developed sAttvika nature.

 

2) “ataskaragrAhyam” -- (The virtues developed by

the sAttvika) cannot be robbed by a thief. That is,

unlike the material wealth which is likely to be

robbed by a dacoit, the sAttvika cannot be deprived of

his wealth of virtues. [The source of this quote is

not known.)

 

3) “tadEbhiralamartyartham druShtArambhOkti-vistaraih

/

avidhyAntargatairyatnah karttavyastAta shObhana

//” (VishNuapurANa, 1-19-39)

 

This is the advice given by SrI PrahlAta to his demon

father, HiraNya. He says, “Father! Enough of your

advice about this world’s material benefits which are

based on ignorance and nothing to do with the study of

spiritual scriptures. You must take interest in the

Vedanta which will give the highest and auspicious

benefits to one.”

 

This quotation has been mentioned by SwAmi Desikan to

show how one should reject the attempts even by the

parents to halt our progress towards spirituality with

a firm resolve. SrI PrahlAta was not carried away by

the parental advice based on wrong ideas just because

it was his own father who gave him such advice. One,

who has even a small discriminative knowledge about

the Self and the physical body, will not go after

promoting materialistic pleasure. Sri PrahlAta who was

aware of the Ultimate Reality, that is, SrIman

nArAyaNa did not allow himself to be coerced even by

his father.

 

4) “mahatA puNya-paNyEna kreetEyam kAynaustvayA /

prAptum dukhOddhEah pAram tvara yAvanna bhidyatE

//” (varAha PuraNa)

 

(Hurry up to go across this ocean of misery before the

destruction of this boat of the physical body which

you obtained at a great price of virtuous deeds [done

in your previous births]).

 

This quotation has been mentioned by SwAmi Desikan to

emphasize on two points. One is that, it is very rare

for a soul to get a human body as it is the result of

a lot of good deeds in the previous births. And the

other point is that this human body is not permanent

and any moment it will disintegrate and become

useless. Hence the human being should without the

waste of time adopt the spiritual path so that he will

cross this miserable ocean of samsAra.

 

Here, we must recall what SrI nammAzhvAr advised us:

 

“minnin milaiyila mannuyir AkkaikaL

ennumidattu iRai unnumin neerE”

(TiruvAimozhi, 1-2-2)

 

(The bodies in which are housed Atmas are momentary

just as the lightning. Knowing this, you should think

a little.)

 

SrI nammAzhvAr advises us to stop for a while to

reflect a little within, as our physical body is not

going to last long. Its life time is just as short as

the lightning that occurs in the cloudy sky. The souls

have taken residence in these physical bodies to

experience the material pleasures. But, these bodies

can collapse at any moment, as these are composed of

five elements, namely, earth, water, fire, air and

space. These have been provided to us in return of

some good deed done by us in our previous births. The

AzhvAr advises us to make use of this body before late

for attaining the spiritual knowledge and for taking

steps to avoid any more births in this world.

 

The AzhvAr has already spoken what should be done by

us in the previous verse because of his anxiety to

convey the message at the earliest as it is likely we

may not even survive even to listen to his second

verse!

 

“veedumin muRRavum veedceitu, ummuyir

veedudaiyAnidai veedu ceimminE.”

(TiruvAimozhi, 1-2-1)

 

(Discard everything barring the Lord, who is the

granter of mOksha, and submit your soul at His feet.)

Here, a question may arise: What are the things that

should be given up?

The AzhvAr, without keeping us waiting, gives the

answer in the third verse:

 

“neer numatu enRivai vErmudal mAittu, iRai

cErmin uyirkku atan nErniRai illE”

(TiruvAimozhi, 1-2-3)

 

(Root out the “I” and the “mine” and attain the Lord.

For the soul, there is nothing equal or better to do.)

 

 

This is what is conveyed by the quotation from the

VarAha PurANa.

SwAmi Desikan comes with a suitable answer to the

query, “How to go about?” :

 

5) “AcAryah plAvitA tasya” (SAsvata Samhita)

 

(AchArya helps him to cross the sinful life.)

 

When one realizes the uselessness of this

materialistic existence, he should approach a teacher

who will guide him to go across this mundane life,

using this very existence for the purpose. One must

hurry up as the time left is very short and because of

the un-predictability of the length of this human

life.

 

SwAmi Desikan points out that this is another favour

conferred upon the sAttvika jIvas by the Lord by

getting them involved in a dialogue on virtuous

topics.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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