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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00135 May 2007

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Kulasekara AzhwAr had declared his great love and
reverence for the devoted and pure bhakthas of
Srirangam, the ParamaikAnthi bhAgawathAs, said that
his mind will ever be blessed to have love and
affection and have highest regards for the bhAgawathas
of Srirangam. 

Now he starts to look and notice the other people, the
worldly ones (like me) who run amuck after material
pursuits, and sensual and carnal desires. He feels bad
and disgusted about them. He wants to dissociate
himself from them completely in order not to get even
an iota of their influence. They are under the
misconception and illusion that this body is their
soul itself; dhEhaAthma bhramam; and consider that the
sensual pleasures are the ultimate in life and there
is no other bliss in life except eating, sleeping and
mating. AzhwAr feels that it is not right and
appropriate for him to see them; talk to them or
associate themselves with them. 

Now let us enjoy the wonderful verses of the 3rd
decad.  

meyyil vaazhkkaiyai meyyenak koLLum_iv
vaiyan^ thannodum kooduva thillaiyaan
aiya NnEaraNG kaaenRa zhaikkinREn
maiyal koNdaazhin^ thEnenRan maalukkE        3.1

The fleeting temporary lives are considered permanent
by these worldly folks. I would never ever associate
with them. Swami! I am calling You as Rangaaa! I am
now blessed to be in love with the most loving Lord my
Master, my PerumAL whose care and vaathsalyam is
towards me. 

This feeling of ?bhayam? [fear] about being associated
with the worldly folks and a desire to stay from them
is the quality every Prapannan must possess. 

Sri Ramanujacharya was about to attain Acharyan
ThiruvaDi and he was completing his mission on the
earth. He gave his last final words for his sishya
kOti.. 

He refers to this kind of people whom every prapannan
should stay away from. 

Let us hear from our Sri Sadagopan Iyengar?s wonderful
and inimitable narration.

Having told the listeners about the different types
of kainkarya that prapannas should perform, depending
on their capability and aptitude, Sri Ramanuja went on
to classify the three categories of people (anukoolar,
pratikoolar and anubhayar) that a prapanna encounters
in this world, and the standard of behaviour that he
should adopt towards each of them. 
 Elaborating, the master said that all Sri
Vaishnavites came under the category of ?anukoolar?.
At the sight of such bhagavatas, a prapanna should
rejoice as at the cooling touch of sandal paste,
fragrant flowers, full moon and balmy breeze.
(?anukoolarai kandAl chandana kusumAdigaL pOlavum
nilavu tendral pOlavum abhimata vishayangaL pOlavum
ugandu vartthippAn?). Fortifying the Acharya?s words,
Sri Desikan points out, quoting the Chandilya Smriti,
that the Lord is not pleased with those who do not
favour His bhaktas ??anarchita tadbhaktam Bhagawan
nAbhinandati?.

Exactly the opposite type of behaviour was recommended
by the Yatiraja towards the second category of people-
the Pratikoolar or enemies of the Lord and His
devotees. These should be shunned as if they were
venomous snakes or a raging fire. The Mahabharata
emphasizes this thus-
 ?yE dvishanti mahAtmAnam na smaranti cha Kesavam
   na tEshAm puNya teertthEshu gati: samsargiNAmapi.?
 Bathing in the holiest of rivers would not benefit
those who have hate for the Lord in their minds. The
same fate awaits people who are cohorts of such
sinners. The company of such people destroys what
little love we have for God.( ?pratikoola samsargam
bhagavat preEmatthai azhikkum?).
 
The third type of people, ?anubhayar?, are those who
have neither love nor hate for the Lord, and are just
indifferent, engaged in their pursuit of mundane
pleasures, with little time to spare for the Creator.
A prapanna should treat such people as if they were
worthless inanimate objects like pieces of wood or
rubbish. (?anubhayarai kaNdAl kAshta lOshtAdigaLai
kandAl pole triNavatkarippAn?).If they display a
positive attitude, the prapanna should try to help
them to acquire spiritual knowledge, and if they
don?t, he should pity them for being beyond
redemption. 

This is brought out by this beautiful
sloka, quoted by Swami Desikan-
  ?adya prabhruti hE lOkA! Yooyum yooyum vayam vayam
   arttha kAma parA yooyum nArAyaNaparA vayam
   nAsti sangati:asmAkam yushmAkam cha parasparam
   vayam tu kinkarA VishnO:yooyum indriya kinkara:?

Oh residents of this material world! You hanker after
material riches and other mundane pleasures, while we
crave only for the Lord?s mercy. You are slaves of
your indriyAs, while we are the Lord?s slaves. Hence
there is  absolutely no meeting point between us.(?And
never shall the twain meet?, as Kipling said.).

Having laid down the kainkaryas to be performed and
the type of behaviour to adopt towards various types
of people, Sri Ramanuja also warned disciples of the
impediments in the way of rightful conduct- indulgence
in materialistic pleasures. If a prapanna were to
disregard Sri Vaishnavas on materialistic grounds, he
would surely incur the Lord?s displeasure, just as
indifferent conduct towards the Crown Prince would
anger the King.  If one were to befriend the
?pratikoolars? for ephemeral benefits, it would be
akin to the Queen of a vast kingdom seeking alms like
a common beggar, while her husband is the all-powerful
King, with vast riches at his command.  If, for
material benefits, one were to cohort with
?anubhayar?(who are indifferent to the Lord) the Lord
would surely disregard such a prapanna, for he knows
not how to discern a precious diamond from a worthless
stone. 
 
Kulasekara PerumAn ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
dAsan



 
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