NOTE: Readers having difficulty in reading the text may need to change their encoding to UTF-8. ----------- srI: SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (6) -- SAdhanAdhikAram -- Section - 6 (6) (The life of MumukShu in this world) --- Now, SwAmi Desikan takes up the manner in which a prapanna or bhakti-yOgi has to live in this world: (6) ithu, poorvOpakAra-paramparaiyil pratibuddha-nAna mumkShuvukku prathama-apEkShsneeyam; ivvapEkShai upAya-prArthanai-yAm. ivvupAyatthiRku mumukShutvam adhikAramAkaiyAlE, ?pAramArthikee? enkiRa coorNikaiyil conna phala-parvangkaLum, shAreeraka-shAstratthil uttarAgha-poorvAgha-ashlESha-vinAshAdikaL muthalAka ?anAvruttih shabdAt? enkiRathu aRuthiyAic conna arthangkaLellAm upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat theLinthavanukku ipphalatthai apEkShitthuk koNdu upAya-anuShThAna-mAkaiyAlE, ivvapEkShai phalakAmanA-mAtra-roopayai-yAik koNdu adhikAra-dasaiyilum, phala-prArthanA-roopaiyAik koNdu upAya-anuShThAna-dasiyilum, anuShThita- upAyanukku ?sameepam rAjasimhasya? ityAdikaLiRpadiyE tvarAnvita-vishvAsa-roopaiyAyk koNdu, uttara-krutya-dasiyilum anuvartikkak kadavathu. This sAdhyOpaya (means to be practiced) is the first to be sought by the jIva, who is convinced of the earlier series of the favours done by the Lord, and who is desirous of mukti; This upAya, either bhakti-yOga or prapatti has to be sought by him from the Lord. A person, who has become aware of the worldly as well as the heavenly pleasures as very small and non-lasting, will be eager to go in for the bliss which is not only immeasurable but also lasting for ever. This turning point comes to him, after a number of repeated births in this miserable world, by the Lord?s causeless grace. Noticing a small good act done unintentionally by the jIva, the Lord, out of His compassion, starts to confer favours on him. Depending on the response from the jIva, these favours of the Lord continue and slowly turn the jIva towards the sAttvika path. In the process, he comes in to contact with an AchArya, which is also because of the Lord?s favour. The said jIva starts studying under the AchArya and acquires the knowledge about tattvas including the svaroopa and svabhAva of the Lord. The study also cleanses him of the rAjasic and tAmasic qualities and increases in him the sAttvika quality which makes him believe in the correctness of the path he is already in. Earlier, he was without this realization. He now becomes aware that this knowledge is essential for his further progress. After knowing the progress he has made so far and that too, because of the Lord?s grace, he firmly believes that He is the Supreme Lord and He is the only Deva Who is capable of granting him the means for salvation. Hence, the jIva first pray to the Lord to grant him the means for attaining mOkSha. ?ithu, poorvOpakAra-paramparaiyil pratibuddhanAna mumukShuvukku prathama-apEkShsneeyam;? -- Adopting a means should be the first concern of a person desiring mOkSha, after having known the series of favours done by the Lord in the preliminary stages. ?ivvapEkShai upAya-prArthanai-yAm.? -- This concern should lead him to pray for a suitable means for mOkSha from the Lord. ?ivvupAyatthiRku mumukShutvam adhikAramAkaiyAlE,? --- A strong desire for the mOkSha is the qualification for adopting such a means. ??pAramArthikee? enkiRa coorNikaiyil conna phalaparvankaLum,? --- Therefore, the various fruits mentioned in the passage beginning with ?pAramArthikee? [Ref: SrI sharaNAgati gadhyam, First Chapter, section 5(26)], ?shAreeraka-shAstratthil uttarAgha-poorvAgha-ashlESha-vinAshAdikaL muthalAka ?anAvruttih shabdAt? enkiRathu aRuthiyAic conna arthangkaLellAm upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat ? -- Scriptures have stated that the sins committed unintentionally by the jIva who has adopted the means will not stick. But those committed otherwise will be removed through simple punishments by the Lord. The final sootra (aphorism) of the Brahmasutra assures that the jIva once attains mOkSha will not be sent back to the samsAra. These statements become known to the mumukShu. ?upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat theLinthavanukku ipphalatthai apEkShitthuk koNdu, upAya-anuShThAna-mAkaiyAlE? -- Once he is aware of the fruit, that is, mOkSha, that will be obtained, through the means he has adopted, he should remain anticipating the fruit. ?ivvapEkShai phalakAmanA-mAtra-roopayai-yAik koNdu adhikAra-dasaiyilum,? --- This sort of anticipation of the fruit, that is, mOkSha is necessary for a seeker. ?anuShThita- upAyanukku ?sameepam rAjasimhasya? ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, tvarAnvita-vishvAsa-roopaiyAyk koNdu, uttara-krutya-dasiyilum anuvartikkak kadavathu.? --- Once the means has been adopted, the jIva has to remain assured of the fruit, namely, being with the Lord for ever in His abode. His thinking should only about the blissful experience he is going to get in the parampadam after attaining it. It will be just like how Seeta-pirAtti remained in captivity in Lanka, as quoted here, by Swami Desiakn. We may consider the condition of SeetA-pirAtti as described by Sage VAlmeeki: The sage found himself unable to depict the mental state of SeetA who had withered and was shuddering at the sight of RAvaNa and tried to portray her with help of similes. Even as RAvaNa was gazing, she was sitting on the bare earth under a tree, she was weeping and concealing her limbs. Her limbs having been smeared with dirt, she appeared like a lotus fibre stained with mud, looked charming as well as did not look charming; ?sameepam rAjasimhasya rAmasya viditAtmanah / sankalpahaya-samyuktairyAnteemiha manOrathaih //? (rAmAyaNa, 5-19-7) (SeetA was constantly seeking the presence of SrI RAma, a lion among sovereigns, in the chariot of her mind drawn by the horses of thought.) Similarly, the person who has completed the process of the means will remain thinking only of the Supreme Lord and seeking to be in His presence in SrIvaikuNtam. This is the way the mumukShu, one desirous of mukti, will spend the remaining period of his life in this world. In the same condition were AzhvArs whose mental state has been described by themselves in various verses which stand as the guidance for the mumukShu. These will be seen next. (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! 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