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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00208 Jan 2008

 
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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 52
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (11) [continued] 
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
-----   
        In this sub-section, SwAmi Desikan has specified
several systems by name, but left the others by merely
mentioning ?Adi?, i.e., ?et cetera?, (etc):

 (11)
cArvAka-bauddha-Arhata-vaishEShika-sAnkhya-pashupata-Adi-bahuvida-bAhya-kudruShti-matangkaLal
kalangkAtapdi paNNinatuvum;

        Now, we shall try to find out what are these systems.
These can be listed as follows:
Yoga, Poorva MimAmsa, VaiyAkaraNa, BhAskara,
YAdavaprakAsha and Shankara Advaita. From these also,
the Lord has saved the sAttvika persons from being
misled by their tenets. 
We shall consider these also one by one:
Yoga Darshana: This system deals primarily with
sAdhanAs or spiritual disciplines. The basic scripture
for this system is the yOgasootras of Patanjali. It
begins with the words, ?atha yOgAnushAsanam?  (?Now,
the teaching of Yoga is begun), instead of the word,
?jij~nAsA? or mImAmsA (enquiry).  
        The word ?yOga? is derived from two verb roots: ?yuj?
(to yoke) or ?yuj? (to concentrate). yOga, therefore,
is that which enables a jIva or an individual soul to
attain concentration on Ishvara and ultimate union
with Him.
        The origin of this system is attributed to
HiraNyagarbha, an aspect of God Himself. SanatkumAra
and JaigiShavya are also stated to be the authors of
this system. The yOgasootras were compiled by
Patanjali, who is supposed to belong to the period 200
B.C.- A.D. 300. The yOgasootras comprises 195 sootras
under four pAdas or Chapters. As this work deal with
the sAdhana, a basic knowledge of its SAnkhyan
background is necessary to understand it. 
        yOgadarshana recognizes three basic realities:
Ishvara(God), purShas(individual souls) and pradhAna
or prakruti(matter). PuruShas, the individual souls,
are of the nature of consciousness. They are infinite
in number. The existence of Ishvara, namely,
?PurushaviShEsha? (unique person) can be known only
from the scriptures. He is omniscient. yOga is defined
as  ?yOgash-citta-vrtti-nirOdhah //? (1.2).  ? The
final end of yOga is the restraint of mental
operations.  When the modifications of the citta or
the mind are controlled and suppressed, the true
nature of the puruSha or the Self is revealed. Citta
is the mind-stuff that is also called as antahkaraNa
(the inner instrument), mans (the mind) or buddhi (the
intellect). After overcoming obstacles to yOga, the
aspirant ultimately attains samAdhi or mystical
experience of the self. VairAgya (detachment) and
abhyAsa (constant Practice) are the most important
means to ward off the obstacles. 
        The yOgasootras prescribe a graded discipline of
eight steps, aShtAngas: yama, niyama,Asana,prANAyAma,
pratyAhAra, dhArNA, dhyAna and samAdhi.  This system
mentions Ishvara-praNidhAna, devotion to God, only for
getting help from Him to proceed towards the ultimate
goal, i.e., samAdhi. Once the aspirant gets the help
from the God, he no more worships Him. This samAdhi is
also known as kaivalya, that is enjoying the bliss of
one?s own soul. This is where, this system departs
from the Vedic spirit, which is aimed at attaining
God?s abode where the aspirant gets infinite Bliss,
compared to which the kaivalya bliss is of a minute
atomic size. SrI nammAzhvar also refers to this in a
pAsuram:

 ?kaNdukEttu uRRu mOndu uNdu uzhalum  aingkaruvi
  kaNda inbam, therivariya aLavillAc ciRRinbam
  oNtodiyAL tirumakaLum neeyum nilAniRpak
  kaNdacatir  kaNdozhintEn adaintEn untiruvadiyE.?
(TiruvZimozhi, 4-9-10)

(This verse flows out of the AzhvAr as he enjoyed the
Lord with His Consort after He reveals His presence in
SrIvaikuNtam to the AzhvAr:
        ?I am blessed to see the blissful presence of both
You and SrI LaksmI (as revealed). I have attained Your
Feet, after scorning off the mundane pleasure of the
five senses; and also the endless but very minor
pleasure of Kaivalya or the enjoyment of my own
Atma.?)  
        Later also the AzhvAr refers to this kaivalya in a
pAsuram:

?kuRukA  neeLA  iRuti  koodA  enaiyoozhi
  ciRukAlinRi  aLavilinbam  cErntAlum
  maRukAlinRi  mAyOn!  unakkEyALAkum
  ciRukAlattaiyuRumO? anthO!   teriyilE.?      
(TiruvAimozhi, 6-9-10)

(Oh Marvel! I only want to be at Your service, even if
it were only for a speck of a moment! Even then, will
the kaivalya pleasure, even if it be infinite in time
as well as in quantity, come anywhere near [to the
Bliss of serving You]?  Not to speak of the material
wealth at all!)
        
Thus the great effort propounded by the yOga system is
not worth the bliss to be attained in enjoying one?s
own soul (kaivalya) which is very minor as compared to
the Bliss which is infinite in every respect, one
attains in SrIvaikuNtam of the Lord. 
        The Lord does really a great favour in saving the
sAttvik persons from falling a pray to the so-called
dazzling yOga doctrine!

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



      
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