Swamy Desika Sahasra Naamams : Part XXI: Summary of SiddhOpAya SOdhanAdhikAram -- NaamAs 909-925

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SrI :

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

SiddhOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram is one of the four chapters of

Srimath Rahasyathraya Saaram belonging to SthreekaraNa bhAgam .

The other three chapters of this SthreekaraNa bhAgam are :

SaadhyOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram , PrabhAva-vyavasTAdhikAram

and PrabhAva RakshAdhikAram .

 

These four chapters of SthreekaraNa bhAgam answers the objections

(AakshEpams ) raised in previous ArTAnusAsana bhAgam and establishes

the loftiness of the MOksha UpAyams ( Bhakthi and Prapatthi) and

the Dhivya Damapthis as UpEyam .

 

Summary of the SiddhOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram ( 23rd Chapter of SRTS)

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This chapter deals with the provision of answers for doubts raised against

BhagavAn and establishes the Supermacy of the Lord as MOksha DhAyakan .

SiddhOpAyam is some thing which is not done by us. It is an ancient UpAyam

that exists from time immemorial . BhagavAn stands as Siddhan (Ready)

and He becomes the quintssential means (UpAyam) for granting MOksham

for the Prapannan .

 

SaadhyOpAyam in contrast is some thing that has to be initiated by

us (Saadhyam) . The SaadhyOpAyams are Bhakthi and Prapatthi yOgams .

These SaadhyOpAyams (Bhakthi and Prapatthi) serve to remove the anger

(nigraham ) of the Lord , the SiddhOpAyan , against us , who trespass

His commands constantly .

 

SiddhOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram focuses on the clarification of our doubts

about three cardinal doctrines ; it rejects the views of kevala-yukthi

vaadhis ( unfit and inappropriate persons steeped in their egos) .

The three confusions that arise from association ( sahavaasam )

with these kevala-yukthi vaadhis ignorant of SaasthrArTams are :

 

(1) Confusions about the two GuNams of Iswaran : His SvAtantryam

/independence and Sahaja KaaruNyam ( intrinsic compassion ) .

 

(2) Confusion about the relation between the Jeevan and the Lord

(Sesha-Seshi Bhava Sambhandham) : Servant-Master relationship.

 

(3) Confusion about the " Srimath " sabdham linked to MahA Lakshmi's role as

the Divine Consort of the Lord and demonstrating yEka sEshithvam instead of

just displaying PurushakArathvam .

 

Elimination of these doubts through AchArya UpadEsam and anugraham neutralizes

the nigraha Sankalpam of the Lord towards the offending Bhaddha Jeevan.

 

The misfortune of not developing a clear understanding of (1) SiddhOpAyam

(2 )SaadhyOpAyam and (3) the glories of the upAyams for Moksham are

direct results of the Lord's anger over the repeated trespasses of His

commands by the Jeevan .

 

BhagavAn's Nigraha Sankalpam is transformed into anugraha Sankalpam by

three anushtAnams :

 

(1) Thirumuha Paasuram : During the time of performing first the PurushakAra

Prapatthi

at the sacred feet of MahA Lakshmi , the prayer is for the fulfilment of his

SaraNAgathy

at Her Lord's lotus feet . The most compassionate PirAtti responds : " May that

come to

fruition ! May you gain correct Jn~Anam and spiritual wealth from your

SaraNAgathy

to My Lord ! " .

 

(2) Gaining the anugraham of a SdaAchAryan : The kaimkaryams and Susrooshais

to a SadAchAryan grants the visEsha Jn~Anam about the Tatthva Thrayam and

arTa panchakam .

 

(3) Gaining of the boon of the Lofty Sri VaishNava SampradhAyam : The most

merciful

SadAchAryan instructs the sishyan about the tatthvams , hithams and PurushArTams

that came down from the AchArya Paramparai starting with BhagavAn Himself and

make the sishyan become a ParamaikAnthi , who will not seek material gains or

look at

other dhaivams for any gains. These ParamaikAnthis stay far away from the

kEvala-yukthi

Vaadhis.

 

Let us now focus on the three kinds of confusions that arise from the Sahavaasa

dhOsham

with Kevala-yuktha vaadhis .

 

(1) Confusions over the Lord's SvAtantryam & Sahaja KaaruNyam

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AakhshEpam : The chEthanan , who was ignored by the Lord becomes the object

of His compassion is corrected and protected . Why is it so? The answer is that

the Lord is independent (Svatantran) and He can do what he wishes . Therefore ,

the question arises : Why should a chEtanan follow the anushtAnam of Prapatthi ?

 

SamAdhAnam ( Reconcilation ): Yes, Iswaran is Svatantran . He will not come to

the rescue of a chEtanam unless that chEtanam completes one of the two UpAyams .

If the Lord chooses to respond as a Svatantram without responding to the upAyam

from the chEtanan , He will be exposed to two accusations : (a) He demonstrates

partiality ( PakshapAtham ) by chosing arbitarily (b) He exhibits cruelty thru

lack of

compassion by harassing the chEtanams . Our Lord is not partial to some and

indifferent to others ; He is Dayaa Svaroopan and can not be accused of

mercilessness. Hence , the chEthanan has to perform one or other upAyam.

Even the undertaking of the upAyam by the Chetanan results from Iswara

Sankalpam .

 

The next question is : If Iswaran is the One behind creating the motivation

for a chEtanam to perform the UpAyam , why did He wait until a specific

moment ? Why could not He have done it earlier and intervened ?

The answer is that the flood of karmAs of the chEtanams reaches its

high point at different times . The ChEtanan experiences the phalans

of his karmAs . The Lord therefore decides on the basis of the individual's

karmAs and goads some to perform the UpAyam and stays away from

the others . If it were not so, the dhOshams of PakshapAdham and

heartlessnes will be associated with the Lord , which is not tenable.

Our Lord has both Svatantram and Mercy . If He had just svatantram

without mercy , then much harm will result; if He had no Svatantram

but mercy , He can not be of much use to others . If both Svatantram

and Mercy coexist , then He can accomplish whatever He wishes.

He will be happy and remove the sufferings of others. That is why

the Lord with coexistence of Svatantram and Mercy , the chEtanam

recieves such anugraham .

 

The Benefits resulting from BhagavAn " s KaruNai

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KaruNai is the manifested sankalpam of the Lord to bless the chEtanams

in many ways :

 

(1) Gaining of their Svaroopams of Bhaddha -Muktha-Nithya Jeevans .

(2) Performance of Kaimkaryam to Him by them .

(3) The uninterruped anubhavam of the Lord by the Nithya Jeevans

(4) Non-return to SamsAram by the Muktha Jeevans .

(5) Creation of the Tatthvams of Mahaan-ahankAram in this karma bhUmi.

(6) The incarnation of Himself from time to time .

(7) Release of His Saasthrams .

(8) Creation of Tatthva-Hitha Jn~Anam through His Saasthrams.

(9) Conferral of this Jn~Anam in response to the sukrutha visEsham of the

chEtanams.

(10) Fulfilment of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgams for removing the Lord's nigraha

sankalpam.

(11) Commanding the mind , the instrument of upAyam to assist

at the time of the performance of UpAyam .

(12) Helping with the performance of PrAyascchittham , when there are

interruptions

during the Bhakthi yOga anushtAnam.

(15) Standing in the place of Bhakthi yOgam for a Prapannan , who is powerless

to

perform Bhakthi yOgam and conferring the phalans of that upAyam .

(16) Delighting from the performance of these upAyams , overlooking the earlier

aparAdhams of the chEtanams and immersing them in the ocean of bliss.

(17) Granting mOksham to one , who performs Aarta Prapatthi .

(18) Granting mOksham at he end of his life for Dhruptha Prapannan

and encouraging them to perform prAyascchitthams for sins acquired

after Prapatthi .

(19) For the Katina Prapannan , who does not perform PrAyascchittham

for the deliberately acquired sins after prapatthi , the same KaruNai

of the Lord lets him experience specific sufferings while the Prapannan

is alive and grants him still mOksham .

 

EmperumAn's KaruNai alone acts as the essential ingredient for

all these MahOpakArams and the Lord stays as SiddhOpAyam .

Bhakthi and Prapatthi UpAyams remove the Lord's nigraha sankalpam ,

earns His anugraham and thus stay as SaadhyOpAyams.

 

( To Be Continued )

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

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