Regarding prapatti

[Guest guest]

With this post I am trying to tackle several points. I am sorry it is

rather long.

 

1. Should Bhakti or prapatti be the name for our group?

 

First, Mani has already included prapatti as an alias for our group.

Both bhakti and prapatti works. Therefore the following discussion is

only academic. I hope we all benefit from good natured arguments

like this.

 

I want to cite the first verse of Adaikalap patthu for this.

 

\bt

patthi mudhalaamavaRRuL pathi enakku koodaamal

eththisaiyum ozhanROdi iLaiththuvizhum kaakampOl

muththi tharum nagarEzhil mukkiyamaam kachchithannil

aththikiri aruLaaLarkku adaikkalam naan pukunNthEnE

\et

 

In the first line Swami Desikan confesses that he is unable to attain

mukti through methods such as Bhakti. With this it is clear that

prapatti is different from bhakti. The next line describes the futility of

trying all other means. Kakasuran is said to have run to all corners of

the universe and tried every trick, but the only way he was able to get

saved was by surrendering to the Lord. Likewise, it is futile for us to

try any other means but prapatti (surrender) to achieve mukti.

 

Note that a great soul like Swami Desikan clearly rejects Bhakti as a

means of salvation and chooses prapatti in stead. It is prapatti that

distinguishes our sri vaishnavam, our acharyas, and Azhvaars from

others. Therefore, our group that is dedicated to sri vaishnavam and

azhvaars, prapatti seems appropriate and not bhakti.

 

2. Is Bhakti a means or is it an end in itself?

 

To me it is neither. From (1) above I must reject Bhakti as a means to

salvation. Swami Desikan considers Bhakti too demanding. How can

I presume to even understand bhakti let alone practice it as a means of

salvation. Next, is Bhakti an end in itself? All our scriptures tell us

that paramapatham is the goal. I think it is fanciful to consider Bhakti

as the goal.

 

Then what is the role of bhakti? To me, bhakti is the result of prapatti.

Having surrendered to the Lord, bhakti flows out uncontrollably from

the heart of the prapannas.

 

3. When to perform prapatti?

 

I agree with most of Krishna s comments about this. Let me also cite

periyaazhvaar s thuppudaiyaarai (4.10.1 - 4.10.10) In these ten

beautiful verses periaazhvaar expresses a fear that during the stressful

time of his life passing from his body he may forget to think of the

Lord, and therefore he says he wishes to surrender to the Lord right

away without any delay. Again, I think if a great soul like

periaazhvaar has such doubts we are well advised to perform prapatti

at the earliest opportunity.

 

 

4. Are the five angaas prerequisites for prapatti?

 

Here is a story that I heard sometime ago:

 

A king invaded a neighboring country and killed its king. The

ministers of the deceased king, in an attempt to save the life of the

young price, coached the boy to go to the victor and recite I am

surrendering at your feet, please save me. The young lad, not quite

understanding any of this, faithfully approached the victor and simply

regurgitated what he was made to memorize. The emperor knowing

full well that the young lad does not even understand what he is

saying, took pity on him and saved his life. Similarly, even if we do

not understand what we are saying, the Lord who is all merciful, will

grant you salvation if you ask for it. No prerequisite of any kind is

necessary.

 

Another story: A lost traveller asked for directions to Thiru Maalirum

Cholai to a farmer. The farmer simply pointed his hand in the

direction of the temple and for this the Lord granted him salvation.

 

Therefore the five angaas that I discussed in my last post are not

prerequisites for prapatti. Swami Desikan performed prapatti to the

Lord of Kacci nagar with those five angaas. That is all.

 

5. What about the rules that we must follow after prapatti?

 

The rules that are embedded in the five angaas are not very onerous.

What pleases the Lord and what displeases the Lord are not, IMO not

eating or eating garlic/onion. It has to do with the sentiments

expressed in the Vaishnava jantO post of Mani. Thiruk kuRaL is

another source for sifting through anukoolyasankalpam and

praathikoolya varjanam.

 

 

regards, Dileepan