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SrI  UpakAra  Sangraham - II (16)
-- 
SAdhanAdhikAram 
-- 
Section - 7 (6) [continued] 
---  
(The Favours being done by the Lord to the jIva 
who has adopted bhakti-yOga or prapatti)
---- 

        We have seen how the Lord helps the prapanna, the
devotee who has adopted the means for salvation, in
spending his remaining life through services
(kainkaryam). Now, we shall see what type of services
the prapanna renders. 
        SwAmi Desikan has discussed them in detail in the
?uttarakrutyAdhikArah? in his
SrImad-rahasya-trayasAra. We shall have a quick glance
at it:
        In the opening verse, SwAmi Desikan gives us an
overall view:

        ?santOShArtham vimrushati muhuh
sadbhir-adhyAtma-vidyAm
                   nityam brootE nishamayati ca
svAdu-suvyAhrutAni /
              angeekurvannagha-lalitAm
vruttimAdEhapAtAt
                   druShTA-druShTa-svabhara-vigamE
dattadruShTih prapannah  //?
(The prapanna, keeping in mind the absence of his own
responsibility in regard to both what is seen in this
life and what is in store for him in the future,
undertakes a life of faultless and pleasant nature,
until the fall of his body; he studies frequently
VEdAnta (like SrIbhAshyam) along with virtuous men;
reciting always the sweet and noble utterances of the
AzhvArs and explaining them to others.)
        For a prapanna, the best way of spending the
remaining life-time is to study the works of
poorvAchAryas, in particular, those of SrIbhAShyakArar
and SwAmi Desikan, by attending kAlakShEpams of
learned scholars. Besides, he can also recite the
Divyaprabantha of the AzhvArs and study them with
commentaries written by poorvAchAryas. This study he
must undertake not with the aim of personal gains like
earning through these services, but for the delight of
the Lord Who ever enjoys listening to AzhvArs? sweet
words. The study of poorvAchArya works is aimed at not
ensuring his mOkSha for which he has already performed
prapatti, but for recalling their wonderful services
to the Lord by giving the correct interpretation of
VEdAntic scriptures including the Brahmasutras, SrImad
Bhagavadgita and UpaniShads, removing the confusion
caused by misleading interpretations by others. 
        The prapanna is described as one who has done what he
should do. He should follow the line of conduct
described thus:

1) He should live like a farmer who owning a big field
gives up a large part and retains only a small
fraction for his needs. The prapanna gives up
connection with many things and remains connected with
certain things like the body, should follow the
conduct like a mukta, that is delightful to the Lord. 
        He should do as stated by AzhvAras:
 ?vAsitthum kEttum vaNangi vazhipattum poositthum
pOkkinEn pOthu? 
                                                      
                                            (nAnmkan
ThiruvanthAthi-63)  
(I spent my time reading about the qualities of the
Lord; listening to others reading about these
qualities; bowing and worshiping Him and doing service
to Him.)
 ?ozhivil kAlamellAm udanAi manni 
  vazhuvilA adimai ceyya vENdum nAm?                  
                         (ThiruvAimozhi, 3-2-1) 
(We should render service without intermission to the
Lord in all places and in all circumstances and at all
times.)   
 ?pongEzh pukazhkaL vAyavAi pulankaL vadivu en
manatthathAi
  angEy malarkaL kaiyavAi vazhipattOda aruLil?        
                      (ThiruvAimozhi, 8-10-4) 
(If the Lord graces me to be able to spend my time
singing His glories, with my eyes and other senses
enjoying His beautiful form in my mind, with flowers
fitting to His form in my hands.)
?nAdAtha malarnAdi nALthORum nAraNanthan
  vAdAtha malaradikkeezh vaikkavE vakukkinRu
  veedAdi veeRRirutthal vinaiyaRRathen ceivathO?
  oodAdu panivAdAi urAittheerAi enathudalE.?          
                        (ThiruvAimozhi, 1-4-9)
(One?s body is to serve the Lord by collecting
fragrant flowers including those which are unreachable
and submitting at His lotus feet. Oh chill wind!
Please tell Him how I suffer in doing all these.)
 ?vadiviNaiyillA malarmakaL  maRRai nilamakL pidikkum
melladiyaik
  koduvinaiyEnum pidikka??. ?                         
                                               (-do-,
9-3-10)
(May I, the sinner that I am, press the tender feet of
the Lord which are being gently pressed by the
incomparably beautiful LakShmee and the goddess of the
Earth.)
?enakkEyAt cey ekkAlatthum enRu en
 manakkEvanthu idaiveedinRi manni
 thanakkEyAka enaikkollum eethE
 enakkE kaNNanai yAnkoL ciRappE.?                     
                           (ThiruvAimozhi, 2-9-4)
(The only object that I desire is this: The Lord
should stay without interruption in my heart saying,
?You shall do service to Me for ever?, and recognize
me as His own servant.)
 ?unakkE nAm AtceivOm?                                
                                      (ThirupAvai -
29)
(We will  render service, Oh Lord, only to Thee.)
 ?paLLikoLLumidatthu adikottidak koLLumAkil?          
             (nAchiyAr Thirumozhi, 4-1)
(If the Lord will be so gracious as to let us gently
press His feet in the place where He sleeps.)
?vAi avanaiyallath vAzhthAthu kai ulakam
 thAyavanaiyallath thAmthozhA -- pEy mulai nanju
 ooNAkavuNdAn uruvodu pErallAl
 kANAkaN kELA chevi.?                                 
                           (Muthal ThiruvanthAthi -
11)
(My mouth does not praise none other than Him; my arms
do not worship no other than Him; my eyes do not see
nothing else than His form; my ears do not hear
nothing else than His names.)
?nayavEn piRar poruLai naLLEn keezhArOdu
  uyvEn uyarnthavarOdallAl  -- viyavEn
  thirumAlziyallthu deivamenREtthEn
  varumARu en nammEl vinai??                          
                        (Muthal ThiruvanthAthi - 64)
(I will not regard my soul which belongs to the Lord
as my own; nor will I remain in the company of those
mean persons who think so; I will not praise any other
as god other than the Consort of SrI. Being so, where
is the chance of I incurring any sin?)
?oonERu celvatthu udanpiRavi yAnvENdEn
 AnEREzh venRAn adimaithiRamallAl
 koonERu changamidatthAnthan vEngkadatthu
 kOnEri vAzhum kurukAip piRppEnE.?                    
        (PerumAL Thirumozhi, 4-1)
(I do not long for birth accompanied with wealth that
makes the flesh grow but pray to be born as a bird in
the VEnkata Hills.)
 ?neeNAkam cuRRi neduvarai nattu Azhkadalaip
  pENAn  kadainthu amutham koNdu ukantha pemmAnai
  pooNAra mArvanaip puLLoorum ponmalaiyai 
  kANAthAr kaN enRum kaNNalla kaNdAmE.?               
           (Periya Thirumozhi, 11-7-1)
(The eyes of those who have not seen that Golden Hill
(the Lord)  which rides on the bird (Garuda) and
which, long ago, planted the tall hill wound with the
long serpent in the deep ocean (Milky Ocean) and
churned it for the sake of nectar -- their eyes are
not eyes at all.) 

And he should conduct as stated in the following
verses: 
 ?kuruShva mAmanucaram vaidharmyam nEha vidyatE /
  krutArthOham bhaviShyAmi tava cArthah prakalpatE //?
                (RAmAyaNa, 2-31-22)
(Take me as Thy servant. There is nothing improper in
this. I will get satisfaction of serving Thee for whom
alone I exist. Thou will also be satisfied for having
protected one who has sought Thee as his refuge.)
 ?kAmayE vaiShNavatvam tu sarva-janmasu kEvalam?  
(JitantA StOtram, 1-13)
(I long for being the servant of the Lord in all my
births.)

2) The prapanna should not remain complacently
ignorant of what should be known in that state. He
should not presume that he has already done what
should be done. He should seek, in the proper manner,
spiritual knowledge from AchAryas. 

3) He should live in close contact with paramaikAntis,
those who are exclusively devoted to the Lord without
seeking anything from Him. As it has been stated:
 ?yasyAnubhava-paryantA buddhistattvE pratiShThitA /
  taddruShTi-gocarAh sarvE mucyantE sarvakilbiShaih
//?                          (SAtvata Samhita)
(He whose knowledge of the truth extends up to the
enjoyment of the Lord  -- all those who fall within
the range of his eyes will be purified of all sins.)
While being with such great souls, out of the
practices they are performing, the newly emerged
prapanna should take only as much as is required in
accordance with his varNa, his Ashrama, his gotra and
the like. 
4) Even if he is blessed with the special grace of the
Lord, just as it occurred to such as NammAzhvAr and
NAthamunigal, he should feel that it is not due to any
merit of his own, as said thus:
 ?nanmai theemaikaLonRumaRiyEn?        (PriyAzhvAr
Thirumozhi, 5-1-3)
(I do not know what is good and what is bad.)
 ?ivaiyanRE nalla ivaiyanRE theeya
  ivaiyenRivai aRivanElum -- ivaiyellAm
  ennAl adaippu neekkoNNAthu iRaiyavanE
  ennAl ceyaRpAlathu en??                             
           (Periya ThiruvanthAthi -3)
(Even if I know what is good and what is evil, I
cannot obtain what is good and avoid what is evil.)
5) He should ensure that there is no change in his
feeling destitute of all upAyas (Akincanya) and he
should remember his utter helplessness (kArpaNya). He
should remain as AzhvAr did:
 ?en nAn ceykEn??                (ThiruvAimozhi,
5-8-3)
(What can I do?)
 ?kuLitthu moonRanalaiyOmbum kuRikoL anthaNamaithannai
  oLitthittEn enkaNillai ninkaNum patthanallEn
  kaLippathu enkoNdu? nambi! kadalvaNNA! kathaRukinREn
 ilangupAthaminRi maRROr paRRilEn em eecanE!?         
           (ThirumAlai - 25)
(I have given up the rites pertaining to Brahmins of
worshipping the three fires after ablutions.)
The prapanna should realize his helplessness by
remembering such verses as shown above.  Due to the
knowledge of his unfitness, the prapanna should not
fall in to despair which makes one lament. 
6) He should control his senses and use them in
appropriate services to the Lord.  
7) He should render services to the Lord Who is
present in various forms in holy shrines (Divya
kShEtrams).  
8) He should render these services using the resources
earned through honest means.  
9) He should also remain grateful towards his AchArya
and the Lord for the favours conferred on him by them.

10) The prapanna should be aware of what are to be
avoided by the mind, the speech and the body and also
in regard to what should be observed by these three.
In order that the desire for the ultimate object of
life, that is the service to the Lord, may not
languish, it is very important to avoid the enjoyment
of sensual pleasures. He should think of the
assistance given to him by the AchArya. He should
avoid self-boasting. He should utter the Dvaya mantra
as the SreebhAshyakAra says: 
?AdhyAtmika-Adhibhautika-Adhidaivika
duhkhavighna-gandha-rahitastvm
dvayam-arthAnusandhAnEna saha sadaivam vaktA
yAvacchareera-pAtam atraiva shreerangE sukhamAsva //? 
                                                      
            (sharaNAgati Gadyam-19)
(Devoid of the trace of sufferings due to the body,
the other beings or the gods, one should remain happy
here at Sreerangam itself until the body is cast off,
ever uttering the Dvaya with an understanding of its
meaning.)
In order that the Lord may not become displeased, the
prapanna should avoid by all three senses, offence to
those who have realized Brahman, as AndAL says:
?ceyyAtana ceyyOm?          (TiruppAvai - 2)
(We will never do what ought not to be done.)
He should render service to the AchArya and other
devotees of the Lord as ordained in the shAstras and
as forming the outer limit of the service to the Lord.


To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
--------- 
       
        

  
        



      
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