You are here: SriPedia - Oppiliappan - Archives - Jan 2008

Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00153 Jan 2008

 
Jan 2008 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text
may need to change their encoding to UTF-8.  
------------ 
srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 45
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (10)  
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
----- 

In this sub-section, SwAmi Desikan takes up another
favour conferred upon us by the Lord to enable us to
take the path towards salvation. To go on this path,
one must have certain good qualities, bereft of any of
the despicable qualities. SwAmi Desikan shows in this
sub-section how the Lord helps us to progress towards
this highly evolved life which ultimately takes us to
liberation, i.e., mOkSham.  Let us now see the text of
this statement of SwAmi Desikan:

(10) ippadi pravarttip-pikkiRavaLavil,
ananta-pApa-santatarAna nammai, shAstra-vashyatai
illAta, sthAvara-tiryak jAtikaLilum, manuShyaril
mlEcchAdi-vargattilum piRappiyAtE, kAlakramattAlE,
puNyasheelar kulangkaLilE, ?ennudai nannencam?, ?izhai
nalla Akkai? ennumpadi,
Atma-nivEdana-vipAka-anuguNa-mAna
sAttvika-karaNa-kaLEbara-sangghAtat-tOtE
sanghatTip-pittatuvum; 

 ?ippadi pravarttip-pikkiRavaLavil,?  -- ?While thus
promoting the righteous activities.? 

We saw in the previous section that the Lord promoted
the dhArmic conduct through instructions and Himself
practicing them in His incarnations. Here, a question
may arise: ?It may be easy for the knowledgeable
people to follow the path shown by the Lord on
righteousness, but what about those who are ignorant
and those who are unable to bring these into
practice?? Therefore, SwAmi Desikan points to the
compassion the Lord has for such people. While He
cannot make an exception in their case and allow them
to ignore the righteous activities -- as they are must
for any human being, the Lord does not abandon them at
the same time. Before knowing what He does in their
case, we must identify such unfortunate people. 

SwAmi Desikan describes the state of their affairs:

 ?ananta-pApa-santatarAna nammai,? ? ?In the case of
us, who have an endless chain of sins.? 

        Every one of us, if really honest, will accept the
fact that we are continuously committing sins like a
serial. It seems there is no end to it. Some times we
do not know that we are committing a sin. Sometimes we
commit it fully knowing that it is a sin, because we
do not find any alternative. This is not happening
just today, but for a long time, in this present life.
We committed it when we were small children. Only
those who are fortunate were immediately corrected by
their parents who were aware of what was correct and
what was not. Among these children also were those few
who respected their parents? advice. Many were not
that fortunate. In fact, in their case, arrogance was
inbuilt and they never respected their own parents and
went about their own way with indifference. Of course,
not to say of the many who didn?t have such
knowledgeable parents or elders in their families. 
Their case is the worst. Such is our case.
        But the Lord takes pity on such persons also, for
reason known only to Him. It may be due to aj~nAta
sukrutam, a good deed committed unintentionally. What
He does in the case of such of us? SwAmi Desikan says:
 
?shAstra-vashyatai illAta, sthAvara-tiryak
jAtikaLilum, manuShyaril mlEcchAdi-vargattilum
piRappiyAtE,?   ---- 

The Lord does not allow us to be born in certain
unenviable circles. In these births one can not learn
the scriptures. As for the soul that takes birth as
plant, it is obvious he will not have the knowing
capacity as his dhama-bhoota-jnAna is reduced to
almost nil. So, his learning capacity and practicing
whatever he learnt is nil. 
        The next is a birth as an animal, which is better for
the soul than the plant?s body. Here the soul has some
dharma-bhoota-jnAna to enable it move on its own. But
the knowledge is limited only to look for food to fill
up its belly. He will not be able to study the
scriptures and act according to their tenets. It
cannot even build a shelter for him in the animal
form. 
        Next comes, the human birth. If it happens to be in a
barbarian society, he will not have the ability or
even facility to learn any literary work, leave alone
Vedas and scriptures.  He would lead the same life of
his lineage without the capacity to discriminate what
is right and what is not.  His life will be almost
like an animal?s life, to live to eat. So, he will not
hesitate to do any act, however horrible, for the sake
of the food. 
        The next higher birth is, though better, as a human
being in a family with material sources but without an
inclination towards spirituality. He will be only
after acquiring more and more wealth. This birth also
will not help him to turn towards the Lord unless he
happens to meet some good soul to guide him in a
proper way, even if it is in the later part of his
life.
        Still more fortunate souls are those who happen to be
born in a family which is already devoted to the Lord.
This will help him to acquire the right knowledge
right from the start of his life. This is indicated by
SwAmi Desikan:

 ?kAlakramattAlE, puNyasheelar kulangkaLilE,?   -- as
the time passes, in virtuous families. 

        As the time passes, such souls who had began their
journey on the spiritual path in their previous
births, will be born in highly evolved families which
have been for some generations involved in the service
of the Lord. Here also, it is through the Lord?s
grace, such births take place. Once, the soul is
firmly on this right path, the Lord leads him further
in such a way that the relationship between the two
turn into an unbreakable tie. 
        SwAmi Desikan quotes a few words from a pAsuram of
SrI nammAzhvAr to specify the mental position of such
a soul, ?ennudai nannencam?. Let us see the whole
verse:

?ennai nekizhkkilum ennudai nalnencan
 tannai akalvikkat tAnum killAn ini
 pinnai nedumpaNait tOL makizh peedudai
 munnai amarar muzhumutlAnE.?    (TiruvAimozhi, 1-7-8)

(Even if He thinks of leaving me because of my mean
qualities, He cannot leave me. He cannot throw out my
heart in which He has gained an entry. Because, the
Lord is fond of His devotees, as He has been so with
regard to the nitya sooris since unknown time, and
also because He enjoys embracing the long bamboo-like
arms of nappinnai PirAtti, whose servant my heart has
become.)

        How the AzhvAr is sure about that the Lord will not
leave him?  He is frank in admitting that he is of the
meanest nature. Then, how is the AzhvAr confident to
speak like this? If we know what happened earlier
which the AzhvAr himself describes in the previous
verse, this will not be a surprise for us. 
        
The AzhvAr says, (in TiruvAimozhi, 1-7-7), ?I was not
interested to keep Him in my heart. In fact, I didn?t
open my heart for His entry. But, by deceit, He made
an entry into my heart and occupied it on His own. He
captivated me by revealing His virtuous qualities and
actions and stick to my body in which I had great
attachment. After He became attached to my soul and is
sticking to it, will I be able to drive Him out?? 

        In the same way, the Lord attracts us for a reason
known only to Him and stays in our hearts as His
abode. As a result, our hearts have become purified
and become His servants. Hence, He will not leave us
nor can we allow Him to leave. The tie between us has
become strong and cannot be broken by either Him or
us. 

        The message here is that, He has conferred a favour
on us in this manner for some reason, which may be a
good act we might have done accidentally and with out
knowing that it was a good act. 
        
SwAmi Desikan next quotes from another pAsuram of SrI
nammAzhvAr: 
 ?izhai nalla Akkai? ennumpadi;   Let us see the full
text pf the pAsuram:

?ezhanaNNi nAmum nam vAnanAdanodu onRinOm
  pazhananal nAraik kuzhAngkAL, payinRennini
  izhainalla Akkaiyum paiyavE puyakkaRRatu
  tazhainalla inbam talaippeitu engkum tazhaikkavE.?
(TiruvAimozhi, 9-5-10)

(I have decided to rise up to go near Him and joined
Him, Who is the Lord of SrIvaikuNta. Oh, Cranes
wandering in the fields! What are you all going to
achieve by discussing among yourselves about torturing
me? My body, precious like a jewel, has slowly and
steadily made way for my progress. Let the world
flourish with happiness!) 

        Here, the AzhvAr expresses the final decision of the
Lady-love who has been suffering in this world before
the link she got with the Lord. Now, she is clear in
her mind that the future is going to be very good as
she is fully established with Him. Since He is the
Lord of SrIvaikuNta, she has the surety of reaching
there to be with Him eternally. Then, all the
sufferings she has undergone are over. No one can
torture her anymore. 
        As stated by SrI nammAzhvAr, the Lord has conferred
on the soul this favour. 
SwAmi Desikan explains:

 ?Atma-nivEdana-vipAka-anuguNa-mAna 
sAttvika-karaNa-kaLEbara-sangghAtat-tOtE
sanghatTip-pittatuvum;?   --- 

        As the Lady-love, whose words were quoted above,
those who got births in virtuous families, are now
determined to proceed on the lines drawn by the Lord.
They have attained the stage congenial to perform
self-surrender at the feet of the Lord. They are now
ready to offer themselves to the Lord.  
        So, the Lord also provides them with the appropriate
instruments to enable them to progress on the path
further.  The instruments are nothing special. They
are the same physique, sense organs and other limbs.
But they are of sAttvika quality. This quality is
essential for a person who wants to proceed on the
spiritual path. Then only he can succeed in his
efforts without being diverted by bad persons or by
materialistic thoughts.  Otherwise, he will again fall
into the cycle of births and re-births in this mundane
world. The Lord has done this favour of linking them
with a virtuous body and instruments like sensual
organs which will be obedient to his intellect and the
determined mind.

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



      
____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping


Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan
http://www.sadagopan.org  
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:Oppiliappan-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:Oppiliappan-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
oppiliappan-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list