sArasAram - II(2)

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srI:

 

SrI sAra sAram – II (2)

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II – DvayAdhikAram

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SwAmi DeSikan explains how dvaya mantiram is revealed in the Scriptures:

kaThashrutyAdi-kaLil tiruvaShaTAkSharaththai chollukiRa prakaraNaththilE dvayaththil pUrva-uttara-khaNDakaLaip piriyavOthich chEra orukkAl uchcharikka vidhiththathu. shvEtAshvatarAdi-kaLilE chollukiRa prapatti-manthrangkaLiR kAttil ithu sharaNya-sharaNAgati-tathpalang-kaLai vishadamAkak kAttukaiyAlE iththai AcaaryarkaL AthariththArkaL.

The Vedas have enlightened us on the significance of the Thirumantiram, revealing its structure word by word and also letter by letter. Similarly kaThavalli reveals this dvaya mantiram too. It mentions the two sentences separately in two deferent parts and instructed to utter once the two sentences together. Upanishads including SvEtASvatara have taught us prapatti through several mantra-s. However, our preceptors favoured this dvaya mantra more than the ashTAkshara. The reason is: it indicates in the most

perspicuous manner unlike other mantra-s, (1) the Lord, the Protector, (2) the means of surrender to attain Him and also (3) the fruit thereof, i.e., service in the Paramapada.

 

Explanation: In kaThavalli, the dvaya mantra is in two parts, each sentence occurring in a different khaNda- (Section). But it is mentioned in that scripture, “tad dvayam sarvam tat sakruduccAraNah†(the two mantra-s though appearing separately are recited together as the number of letters and the words in the two parts coincide with the definition of the dvaya mantra as a whole, the two mantra-s form a single unit acquiring the name dvayam, meaning ‘Twin’. This is endorsed in SrIpraSna and PAdmOtara samhitAs.

It is not only in the Upanishads, but in other scriptures too, dvaya mantira has been revealed, points out Swami DeSikan:

SrIpraSna samhithaiyilum vyApaka mantrangkaLOdu chErntha SaraNAgati – mantrangkaLai upadEcikkiRa idaththilE thiruvashTAksharathOdE chEra immantraththaiyum varNa-uddhAram paNNi upadEciththathu. ippaDiyAl ithu SrutyabhimatamAna tAntrika mantram. Ithil chollukiRa prapdanam SrautamEyAkilum, satyavachanAdikaL pOlE sarvAdhikAram.

 

SwAmi Desikan explains the formation of dvaya mantira in detail:

A treatise called SrIpraSna samhitA is an important part of SrI pAncharAtra samhitA. It contains three vyApaka (comprehensive) mantra-s: thirumantra, ViShNu shaThAkshara and dvAdashAkshara. Of these, the first one is eight-lettered mantra, the second six-lettered mantra and the third is the twelve-lettered mantra. Besides these, the samhita instructs some more mantra-s which pertain to SaraNAgati. In this context, after mentioning the Tirumantra, it teaches dvaya mantra highlighting every letter of the mantra. Thus dvaya has been taught by both Veda as well as the samhitA. As it originated from the Veda, it is known as tAntrika mantra, which has the sanction of the Sruti.

 

Prapatti is a universal means that can be adopted by one and all:

It should not be thought that since prapatti, conveyed by this dvaya mantra, is the means of liberation instructed in the Veda, it cannot be adopted by all irrespective of castes and classes. Vedas have also laid down rules of conduct like ‘Speak truth’ (satyam vada) etc. But, are these not applied to people belonging to all castes? Similarly prapatti too is a general rule applicable to one and all. Even itihAsas, purANas, smrutis and the divya prabanda of AzhvArs emphasize that prapatti is a universal means that can be adopted by all without exception.

 

Swami Desikan cites statements from a wide variety of scriptures in support of this:

 

“ithu,

‘sarvalOkaSaraNyAya’,

‘sarvayOgyamanAyAsam’,

‘SaraNam tvAm prapannA yE’,

‘trayANAm kshattriyAdInAm prapannAnAm ca tatvatah’,

‘kuyOniShvapi samjAtO yah sakruccharaNam gatah’,

‘kulangkaLAya IriraNDil’

ityAdikaLilum prasiddham.â€

 

Now we shall look into the message of the above quotes. The first one is spoken by VibhIshaNa while surrendering to SrI Rama, as mentioned in the Yuddha khANda of SrI rAmAyaNa:

sarvalOkaSaraNyAya rAghavAya mahAtmanE |

nivEdayata mAm kshipram vibhIshNamupasthitam || (SrI VaalmIki RaaMAyaNa, 6-17-15)

Meaning: I have come to surrender to Raghava who is the resort for the whole world. Offer me to him at once.

The second quote is from an unknown source but conveys a very important message:

‘sarvayOgyam-anAyAsam-apramAdam-anUpamam /

prapannArtiharam vishNum SaraNam gantumaharsi //’

Meaning: You should surrender to Lord VishNu who destroys the miseries of the prapanna-s, can be approached by all, is dependable and is unique without any parallel..

The adjectives used in this quote appear to qualify SrI VishNu, but they are fit to prapatti also.

The third quote is from BrahmapurANa. Let us see it in full:

‘SaraNam tvAm prapannA yE dhyAnayOgavivarjitAha /

tEpi mrutyum-atikramya yaiNt tadvaishNavam padam //’ (Brahma PurANa -7)

Meaning: Those who are unable to adopt bhaktiyOga and who have surrendered unto You, cross the deadly samsAra and attain Your abode, SrI VaikNTham.

This quote emphasizes the fact of bhakti-yOga being very difficult and the easy adoptability and attainment of goal in resorting to prapatti.

The fourth quotation is from sAtvata samhitA points to the wider adoptability of prapatti:

trayANAm kshatrriyAdInAm prapannAnAm ca tattvatah \

amantram adhikArastu caturvyUhakriyAkramE \\ (sAtvata samhitA, 2-9)

Meaning: All the three castes beginning with kshatriyas who have performed prapatti, are competent to adore the four vyuhas without mantra-s.

The fifth quote is from SanatkumAra samhitA which gives the assurance of the Lord’s protection to a prapanna, even if he happens to be a sinner of the worst type:

kuyOniShvapi samjAtO yah sakruccharaNam gatah \

tam mAtA-pitru-hantAram api pAti bhavArtihA \\ (sanatkumara samhitA)

 

Meaning: A man who is born even in low caste but performs prapatti once to the Lord, is protected by Him from the ills of this material world even if he were a matricide or a patricide.

Is there any worse sin than killing of one’s own parents? The Lord over looks even such sinful acts, if one performs prapatti sincerely to Him and saves him from samsAra.

Next, SwAmi Desikan gives a quotation from a verse from the Divya Prabantha:

kulangkaLAya IriraNDil onRilum piRantilEn

nalngkaLAya naRkalaikaL nAlilum navinRilEn

pulankaLaintum venRilEn poRiyilEn punita! Nin

ilangkupAtam anRimaRROr paRRilEn em EsanE. (Tirucchanta Viruttam, 90)

Meaning: O the Purifier! Our Lord! I am not born in any of the four castes; as a result, I have not learnt any of the four Vedas or Vidyas; consequently, I have not been able to control the five senses; and hence, I am being caught in the mire of sensual pleasures; therefore, I have no other resort except the glowing feet of Yours.

 

“ityAdikaLilum prasiddham.†--- The universal applicability of prapatti is well expressed in many of such statements.

It should be noted that SwAmi Desikan has selected this quote of Tirumazhisai AzhvAr in particular. There are several reasons. But the primary reason is that this pAsuram is an expression of one who is in the worst stage of life, in a condition from where there is no escape. Even in such a condition of helplessness, one can attain freedom by resorting to prapatti to the most compassionate Lord.

Tirumazhisai AzhvAr, though he was the son of Sage BhArgava, was born to KanakAngi, a dancing girl in the world of Indra, who appeared before the sage to distract him from his severe penance. So, the AzhvAr describes himself as not belonging to any of the four castes, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. As a result, he says, he is not eligible to learn the Vedas or vidyas. Even though only the people born in the first three castes are eligible to learn, the AzhvAr includes the fourth one also in the list, which may appear odd. A person belonging to the fourth varNa, is not eligible to learn Vedas, but he can utter mantras without the praNava and perform certain sacrifices in a limited way, according to some smrutis, like the YAgnavalkya-smruti. That too is not possible in the case of this Azhvar, because of his birth.. Or, even though he was eligible to learn scriptures as the son of a sage, his upbringing did not permit it.

By “poRiyilEnâ€, the AzhvAr means that he was caught in the net of sensual enjoyment from where it is almost impossible for one to get out.

In this pAsuram, the AzhvAr expresses his total inability for adopting Bhakti yOga – which is known as Akinchanyam, one of the five angAs for adopting prapatti.

Thus, SwAmi Desikan establishes the universal applicability of the means of surrender, prapatti.

 

(To Continue)

dAsan

anbil S.SrInivAsan

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