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SrI  UpakAra  Sangraham - II (13)
-- 
SAdhanAdhikAram 
-- 
Section - 7 (5) 
(The Favours being done by the Lord to the jIva 
who has adopted bhakti-yOga or prapatti)
---  
       
        In the previous sub-section, SwAmi Desikan showed how
the Lord helps in removing the hindrances to the
post-prapatti services done by the prapanna in
accordance with the scriptural tenets.  Now, he refers
to the favour of the Lord in saving the prapanna from
being perplexed due to doubts about right and wrong
that arise in this age of Kali:

(5)  ?yEharnisham jagaddhAturvAsudEvasya keertanam /
         kurvanti tAn narashrEShTa na kalih bAdhatE
narAn //? (?) 
      ?na kalau kalicEShTOsau moodEShu ca na muhyati /
        bhagavatyacyutE nityam yEna bhAvah samAhitah
//?      (?)
      ?kalau krutayugam tasya kalistasya krutE yugE /
        yasya cEtasi gOvindO hrudayE yasya nAcyutah
//?      (ViShNudharma, 109-57)

?kaliyukamonRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum?
ityAthikaLiRpadiyE, kainkarya paranukku kAladOShAdi
bhaysthAnankaLAl kalakkam vArAthapadi paNNumathuvum;

        The Lord comes to the help of the prapanna to clear
his doubts about the right and wrong of his actions.
He has shown the easiest way out for this through
statements in the scriptures like PurANas and the
works of the Saints like AzhvArs. SwAmi Desikan quotes
three slokas and also from SrI NammAzhvAr to
strengthen the mind of the prapanna. He mentions three
slokas first:

?yEharnisham jagaddhAtur-vAsudEvasya keertanam /
kurvanti tAn narashrEShTa na kalih bAdhatE narAn //?
(?)

The source of this sloka is not known. It says: 
?Oh the Best among men, whoever chants the names of
the Lord day and night, is not touched by Kali.? 
The second quotation, the source of which is also not
known, is: 

?na kalau kalicEShTOsau moodEShu ca na muhyati /
 bhagavatyacyutE nityam yEna bhAvah samAhitah //?     
(?)

The message of this sloka is: ?The man, whose mind is
well placed with the Lord Acyuta, does not come under
the menace of Kali yuga; he does not allow himself
misled by the tenets of the ignorant.?

The third sloka quoted by Swami Desikan is from SrI
ViShNudharma:

?kalau krutayugam tasya klistasya krutE yugE /
 yasya cEtasi gOvindO hrudayE yasya nAcyutah //?      
        (SrI ViShNudharma, 109-57)

For the man whose mind meditates on Lord Govinda, the
Kali age turns into Kruta -yuga. The person who does
not think of Lord Acyuta, even Kruta -yuga turns into
Kali-yuga.
This scripture, SrI ViShNudharma, was taught by Sage
Sownaka to King ShatAneeka, a descendant of PANdavas,
who wanted to guide the people on the spiritual path
from the sensual pleasures. On his request, Sage
Sownaka revealed the truth that the chanting of the
Lord?s names is the best way for the betterment of
their souls. 

        The Vedas and other scriptures are ancient and have
been in existence for countless yugas. One may find
difficulty in following many injunctions contained in
them in the present Kali-yuga. A prapanna has to spend
his time in proper manner till he leaves this material
world to the Lord?s abode.  How to spend the time is
the main question in everyone?s mind. 
The situation in this yuga has been described in
Srimad Bhagavatha-mAhAtmya. It narrates how Sage
NArada found Lady-Bhakti, along with her two sons,
j~nAna and vairAgya suffer since to onset of the
Kali-yuga. Sage NArada himself witnessed the effects
of the Kali-yuga and said that nowhere he found joy as
the earth stood assailed by the age of Kali, who he
described as  ?adharma-mitra? -- the friend of
unrighteousness. When Sage NArada went to
BadarikAShrama to find a solution for the meisery of
Bhakti and her sons, he was advised by the great
sages, Sanaka and his three brothers that chanting or
hearing SrImadbhAgavta will free them from the misery
and they would gain their glory back.  This PurANa
describes the situation in the Kali-yuga in its
opening Chapter:  

?prAyENAlpAyuShah sabhya kalAvasmin yugO janAh /
  mandAh sumandamatayO mandabhAgyA hyupadratAh //
  bhooreeNi bhoorikarmANi shtrOtavyAni vibhAgashah /? 
                                  (1-1-10,11)

(In this age of Kali, people are mostly short-lived,
slothful, most dull-witted, unlucky and tormented with
diseases and other evils. The scriptures too are
numerous and inculcate not one discipline, but a
number of practices and rituals and being too
voluminous, they have to be listened to part by part.)
         
        The answer is also given in the same PurANa:

?atah pumbhir-dvijashrEShTA varNAShrama-vibhAgashah /
 svanuShTitasya dharmasya samsiddhir-haritOShaNam //
 tasmAd-EkEna manasA bhagavAn sAtvatAm patih /
 shrOtavyah keertitavyashca dhyEyah poojyashca nityadA
//
yadanudhyAsinA yuktAh karma-granthi-nibandhanam /
chindanti kOvidAstasya kO na kuryAt-kathAratim //?    
                                    (1-2-13,14,15) 

(Therefore, O BrAhmaNas, performing duties efficiently
by men according to their respective VarNa and AShrama
leads to securing the pleasure of SrI Hari. Hence,
with undivided mind one should ever hear and sing the
praises of, meditate upon, and worship the Lord, Who
is the protector of His devotees. The learned, who are
armed with the sword of constant meditation on Him,
cut asunder the hard knot of Karma therewith. Who,
then, would not take delight in His stories?)

The PurANa ends with this verse:

 ?nAma sankeertanam yasya sarvapApa praNAshanam /
 praNAmO duhkha-shamanastam namAmi harim param //?    
                              (12-13-23)

(I salute SrI Hari, the dispeller of all fears and
agony, the Supreme Lord, the loud chanting of Whose
names is the most efficacious and easiest way to wipe
out all sins, and respectful salutation to Whom
alleviates all suffering.)

        SwAmi Desikan also gives an authoritative statement
by SrI NammAzhvAr:
?kaliyukam-onRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum? --
After adding the relevant part of the verse to go with
this quote, it will be:
 
?kaliyukamonRuminRikkE thannadiyArkku aruL ceyyum
  maliyum cudaroLi moortthi mAyap pirAn kaNNan?       
     (ThiruvAimozhi, 5-2-11)

(The Lord confers special benefits on His devotees so
that they will not be affected by the evils that are
characteristic of Kaliyuga.)

        If fact, the AzhvAr opens this second Thiruvaimozhi
in the fifth Centum with a declaration that  ?kaliyum
kedum kaNdukoNmin? -- Soon this Kaliyuga too will
disappear; you are going to perceive it yourselves.
How are you saying this? The AzhvAr answers:

 ?kadal vaNNan boothangaL maNmEl maliyap
pukunthisaippAdi Adiyuzhitharak kaNdOm.? -- We
(AzhvAr) perceive this: The world is to be abound with
vaishNavites who are to tread on this earth so that
Kali-yuga will end. You are going to see it!
In the next verse, the AzhvAr says: 
   
  ?thiriyum kaliyukam neengit thEvarkaL pukunthu
    periyakirathayukam paRRip pErinba veLLam peruka
    kariymukil vaNNan kadalvaNNan boothangaL maNmEl
    iriyap pukunthisaipAdi engumidam koNdanavE.?      
                                       (5-2-3)

        In this verse, the AzhvAr declares that this world
has become so full of SrIvaiShnavites as even the
nitya-sooris, ever-free souls, who are always with the
Lord in His Abode, rushed here to be close with these
SrIvaiShnavites. 
?thiriyum kaliyukam neengi?  -- 
It is said by AchAryas, SrI NammAzhvAr appeared in
this world on the 43rd day after the Kaliyuga began.
The AzhvAr is glorified as the great Sage whose
appearance was such as to drive away the Kali-puruSha.
By, ?tiaiy<mf kliy<kmf? , ?thiriyum kaliyukam?, the
AzhvAr says, in this Kaliyuga, dhArmic activities took
the upside-down posture, as indicated in the
MahAbhArata.     

        [Kaliyuga was born on the day SrI KriShNa ascended to
His Abode. When the Lord abandoned His body and went
to His place, SrIvaikuNta, Kali came into being
binding all on the earth. (SrImadbhAgavata MAhAtmya,
Chapter -1).
 Kaliyuga extends in time to 4,32,000 years. The
Christian era started in the Kaliyuga?s 3102nd year.
It will come to an end after 4,26,891 years (from
2008) and the eighth Manvantra will begin. From the
onset of the Kaliyuga, acts of sin predominate and
Kali, the sin-god, is ruling the world.] 
        In the MahAbhArata, the sage MArkaNdEya had
prophesized about the happenings in this yuga like
this: 
?In the Kaliyuga, all will be dishonest. Charity and
sacrifices will be only for a name. BrAhmins would do
the duties of Soodras. Soodras will become prosperous.
There will be sinners as rulers. People will be
short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and their
stature will also diminish. They will become scarcely
truthful in speech. Beastly type of men will be on the
increase. During this period, the Sudras will address
Brahmins, saying, ?Bho?, while the Brahmins address
Sudras, saying Respected Sir.
Odours and perfumes will not become so agreeable to
our sense of scent, and the very tastes of things will
not accord with our organs of taste as in other yugas.
Women then become mothers of numerous progeny, endued
with low statures, and destitute of good behaviour and
good manners. Famine will ravage the habitations of
people. The highways will be infested by women of ill
fame, while females in general will become hostile to
their husbands and destitute of modesty.  BrAhmins
will accept gifts from monarchs that are addicted to
falsehood in speech and filled with covetousness and
ignorance, and bearing on their persons the outward
symbols of religion. People leading domestic lives,
will be afraid of the burden of taxes, become
deceivers, while Brahmins, falsely assuming the garb
of ascetics, earn wealth by trade and grow nails and
hair. None will observe the four AShramas correctly. 
Men will be addicted to intoxicating drinks and
capable of violating the beds of their preceptors and
pursue matters of the flesh and the blood. The asylums
of ascetics will become full of sinful and audacious
activities. The yield of milk from cows will decrease.
Rains will be in and out of season. Trees and plants
will refuse to grow in many places. There will murder
of people everywhere. Merchants will become cheats and
they will use false measures. Righteous persons will
decrease and sinners will increase. Girls of seven or
eight years will become pregnant and boys will become
fathers.  Young men at the age of sixteen would be
grey-haired. Old men will continue practice the habits
of young men.  People will die in hunger.]

        All this will be restrained following the increase in
the population of SrIvaiShnavites, says the AzhvAr: 
?thEvarkaL pukunthu  periyakirathayukam paRRip pErinba
veLLam peruka?  -- 
Nitya sooris will come to the world and the Kaliyuga
will turn into Krutayuga. The world will be flooded by
the bliss of Bhagavad anubhavam. 
        If asked, how? The answer is given by the AzhvAr
Himself:
 ?kariymukil vaNNan kadalvaNNan boothengaL maNmEl
  iriyap pukunthisaipAdi engumidam koNdanavE.? --  
BhAgavtas, filled with the desire of enjoying the
beautiful form of the Lord, have filled the entire
world singing His names and glories. 
        It is the view of the learned that SrI NammAzhvAr
prophesizes in this ThruvAimozhi, the appearance of
SrI RAmAnuja and his disciples in the future and that
they are going to spread all our the world and spread
the greatness of the Lord and turn the people in to
devotees of SrImaN NArAyaNa. 
        This view draws us to the RAmAnuja NootranthAthi,
composed by SrI ThiruvarangatthamuthanAr on SrI
RAmAnujachAriar. He also refers to the revolution in
the Kaliyuga following the AchArya?s advent:
?nilatthaic ceRutthuNNum neecakkaliyai ninaippariya
 palatthaic ceRutthum piRankiyathillai, en
peivinaithen
 pulatthilpoRittha apputthakac cummaipoRukkiyapin
nalathaip poRuthathu, irAmAnucan nayap-pugazhE.?   
                                                      
                 (RAmAnja NootranthAthi-34)
In this verse, author agrees that SrI RAmAnuja?s
auspicious qualities drove away the miseries in the
Kaliyuga. However, his greatness attained wider
recognition only when the record of sins of
AmuthanAr(the author) were burnt in the YamalOka,
because of his association with SrI RAmAnuja. 
        In another verse too, AmuthanAr speaks about the
Kaliyuga:
        ?..  .. ? ? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ? uNarvil
mikkOr
            theriyum vaNkeerthi irAmAnusan maRai
thErnthulakil
            puriyum nan j~nAnam porunthAthavaraip
porum kaliyE.?                    (-do-, 87)
Those, who have not accepted the good spiritual
knowledge taught by SrI RAmAnuja who was famous among
the wise, will be clutched by the Kali-puruSha. 
        SrI ThoNdaradip-podi AzhvAr has also referred to the
way to drive away the ills of the Kaliyuga:
?kAvalil pulanai vaitthuk kalithannaik  kadakkap
pAinthu
 nAvalittuzhitharkinROm naman thamar thalaikaL meethE
 moovulakuNdumizhntha muthalva nin nAmam kaRRa
 Avalipudumai kaNdAi arangamA nakaruLAnE.?            
                       (ThirumAlai-1)
(Oh Lord Who swallowed all the worlds and later
brought them out! We, having learnt Your Name, don?t
control our senses but still are able to overcome the
evil effects of the Kaliyuga and are freely moving
about on the heads of the servants of the Lord of
Death!)  
        The AzhvAr speaks about the power that the Lord?s
name has. He was immersed in the chanting of the
Lord?s names following the message given by the
scripture, SrI ViShNu Dharma. This scripture was
taught by Sage Sownaka to King ShatAneeka, a
descendant of PANdavas, who wanted to guide the people
on the spiritual path from the sensual pleasures. On
his request, Sage Sownaka revealed the truth that the
chanting of the Lord?s names is the best way for the
betterment of their souls. We just now saw a slOka
from this work quoted by  SwAmi Desikan, as an
authoritative advice for tiding over the ills of the
Kaliyuga. 

        The Lord thus does favour to the prapanna by
providing him the easy way of chanting His names to
successfully tackle the evils of the Kaliyuga, to
continue his service to Him, says SWAmi Desikan in
this sub-section.

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



      
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