Yathiraja Vimsathi - Sloka 11

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Swami Sri Manaval Mamunikal’s

YATHIRAJA VIMSATI

 

Author: Sri S.Satyamurthi Iyengar

Yatiraja vimsati

Sloka

11

pApe kR^ite yadi bhavanti bhayAnutApa * lajjAH

punaH karaNamasya kathaM ghaTeta |

mohena me na bhavatIha

bhayAdileshas *

tasmAtpunaHpunaraghaM yatirAja! kurve

||

(11)

Sloka 11

Oh, Yatiraja! Sins I keep committing in succession,

For steeped in nescience, I have no compunction.

Fear or remorse, which precludes the commission

Of sins, again and again, in such wretched fashion.

 

Notes:

In this world of darkness and delusion, one is prone to commit

sins. Nevertheless, realization of sins already committed could

excite fear of punishment and induce a sense of shame, remorse or

repentance, which might restrain one from the commission of further

sins. The poet, however, says in his forthright submission to his

Master, sri Ramanuja, that even this restraining influence is totally

absent in his (poet’s) case and he, therefore, goes on committing

sins. What has been left unsaid in this sloka but has to be

understood is that, to such a one, the Master’s redemptive grace is the

only hope for salvation. Speaking about the sense of remorse and repentance, the following

anecdote, referred to in ‘Srivachanabhushanam’, the famous work of sri

Pillai Lokacharya, will reinforce the point. One Pillaipillai Azhvan, a disciple

of Sri Koorathazhvan, though of

good descent, great erudition and learning, was found to be arrogant and

aggressive, throwing offence at the Bhagavatas (devotees).

Koorathazhvan, well known for his tender solicitude, realized the abysmal

depth of spiritual degeneration into which the disciple was getting

himself buried, despite his vast learning, and hit upon a plan to

retrieve him. . On an auspicious day, when gifts are offered for

expiation of one’s sins, Koorathazhvan approached the disciple in

question, just after the latter had finished his bath and demanded of him

an oblation. The startled disciple said that there was nothing he

had to offer to his Great Master and yet the latter insisted that the

former should resolve over a handful of water thrown into the river that

he would henceforward desist from offending the Bhagavatas by word,

deed or thought. There was an immediate compliance from the

disciple. But then, by sheer force of habit, sometime later on, the

disciple thought ill of a devotee and at once realized that he had

thereby broken the pledge he had taken before his Master, and was thus

damned beyond redemption. So deep and intense was his feeling of

repentance and sense of shame that he dared not appear before the

Master. The compassionate Master won’t brook separation from the

disciple, sought him o0ut, sized up the position and addressed the

following words to him:

“I am exceedingly happy to take note of your deep and sincere repentance

for the mere entertainment of an evil thought, even before it could

manifest itself in word and deed. You take it from me that the Lord

will also be immensely pleased and forgive you. I am sure, you will

desist from inflicting bodily injury on devotees, for fear of

punishment at the hands of the king. And what now remains is

only offence thrown out by word of mouth and it will suffice if you put

an effective curb on it.

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Retyped from the book by Sri Kesavan Srinivasan of Chicago

(The Grandson of Sri U.Ve. Satyamurthi Iyyengar.)

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