NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. ---------------- srI: SrI upakAra sangraham â?? 33 --- adikAram â?? 1 poorva upakAra paramparai (The Foremost Series of Favours) --- SECTION â?? 5 (5) (27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for MOKSHAM) ----- Even as the Lord created a lineage of AchAryAs to spread the knowledge of VedAs and related scriptures, there appeared perverted scriptures to divert the mind of the people. Then also, the Lord saved the VedAs, yet another favour for the virtuous people. SwAmi Desikan describes this favour of the Lord in these words: (5) sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka "nin mAttAya malar puraiyum tiruvuruvam manam vaikkamAttAta pala samaya madhi koduttAy" enkirapadiyE, anya-shAstrangaLai sruShtikkac ceitE, "tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee" enkiRapadiyE, vEdarakShai paNNinatuvum; " According to SwAmi Desikan, it is the Lord who was responsible for the appearance of perverted scriptures. But, the Lord had to do it to protect the virtuous jIvAs: "sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka " -- When the world was filled with scriptures along with their commentaries by several great scholars for the sake of virtuous persons to enable them to ascend to higher reaches of their spiritual journey moving up towards the Lord's abode, those jIvAs, who were still undergoing the effects of their previous evil karmas, worked against the virtuous minded. In order to keep them away from the virtuous, the Lord had to take some measures to mislead them. SwAmi Desikan quotes from nammAzhvAr's Tiruvaimozhi to substantiate this: "nin mAttAya malar puraiyum tiruvuruvam manam vaikkamAttAta pala samaya madi koduttAy" --- AzhvAr tells the Lord, "You have given knowledge about many bad religions to prevent us from thinking of Your beautiful form." (Tiruvaimozhi, 3.1.4) Now we can study the verse in full: "mAttAtEyAkilum immalartalai mAjnAlam nin mAttAya malarpuraiyum tiruvuruvam manam vaikka mAttAta pala camaya madi koduttAy, malarttuzhAy mAttE nee manam vaitAy mAjnAlam varuntAtE? " (Tiruvaimozhi, 3-1-4) (Oh! Lord! The people of this world normally are unable to keep Your beautiful divine form in their minds. But, Your heart is now deeply involved in enjoying the Tulasi garland on Your neck! Over and above this, You have created many theories which mislead them! Then, will not this world incur a great loss?) The AzhvAr's grievance is while he and other AzhvArs and AchAryas are carrying out the Lord's intention of making the people to involve themselves in His service, the Lord is creating new philosophies which are diverting their minds. How the people can be turned towards Him? , he asks. This, the AzhvAr has already pointed out in his another work, Tiruviruttam, in the verse 96. There the AzhvAr says, "Oh Lord! You set up many different deities, many religious philosophies and many types of worship, in order to prevent those who are full of rAjasa and tAmasa qualities, from coming to You. Even then, I will develop deep bhakti in You only." This statement of the AzhvAr in his Tiruviruttam must have been in the mind of SwAmi Desikan while writing this: "sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka, anya-shAstrangaLai sruShtikkac ceitE, " -- In order to confuse those who are opposed to the jIvAs of virtuous quality (sAttvika guNa), the Lord brought out other scriptures opposed to the sAttvika scriptures. A question may arise here in our mind: Why should the Lord do this as it will not come under the category of favours? Keeping this in mind, SwAmi Desikan continues that even while doing like this, the Lord Himself incarnated as a Sage and protected the VedAs: "tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee" enkiRapadiyE, vEda-rakShai paNNinatuvum; " " tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee " The source of this quotation is not available. However, we can rest assured that it must have been in a scripture which was in current during the life time of SwAmi Desikan. The meaning is: Long ago, the VedAs were saved by Vishnu in an incarnation as a saint having three staffs in His hand. We are aware that a sanyAsi, an ascetic, who has renounced the worldly life, always carries three staffs in hands. According to the SAttvata samhita 12.109-114, this incarnation of Vishnu is the Lord DattAtreya, as the son of Atri and AnasooyA. He is glorified in the PAncarAtra as the upholder of Dharma. He is jnAna-moorti, the form personifying spiritual wisdom. He directed men and gods along the path of spiritual progress. He protected the Vedas and regulated the conduct according to castes and stations in life (varnAsramAcAra). "vEda-rakShai paNNinatuvum;" Thus, the Lord's protecting the VedAs and dharma is another favour conferred on the virtuous souls. (To continue) dAsan Anbil S.SrInivAsan -------- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. 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