SrI UpakAra Sangraham Part - 33

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srI:

SrI upakAra sangraham – 33

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adikAram – 1

poorva upakAra paramparai

(The Foremost Series of Favours)

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SECTION – 5 (5)

(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for

MOKSHAM)

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Even as the Lord created a lineage of AchAryAs to

spread the knowledge of VedAs and related scriptures,

there appeared perverted scriptures to divert the mind

of the people.

Then also, the Lord saved the VedAs, yet another

favour for the virtuous people.

SwAmi Desikan describes this favour of the Lord in

these words:

(5) sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka " nin mAttAya

malar puraiyum tiruvuruvam manam vaikkamAttAta pala

samaya madhi koduttAy " enkirapadiyE,

anya-shAstrangaLai sruShtikkac ceitE,

" tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee "

enkiRapadiyE, vEdarakShai paNNinatuvum; "

 

According to SwAmi Desikan, it is the Lord who was

responsible for the appearance of perverted

scriptures. But, the Lord had to do it to protect the

virtuous jIvAs:

" sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka " --

 

When the world was filled with scriptures along with

their commentaries by several great scholars for the

sake of virtuous persons to enable them to ascend to

higher reaches of their spiritual journey moving up

towards the Lord's abode, those jIvAs, who were still

undergoing the effects of their previous evil karmas,

worked against the virtuous minded.

In order to keep them away from the virtuous, the Lord

had to take some measures to mislead them.

SwAmi Desikan quotes from nammAzhvAr's Tiruvaimozhi

to substantiate this:

" nin mAttAya malar puraiyum tiruvuruvam manam

vaikkamAttAta pala samaya madi koduttAy " ---

 

AzhvAr tells the Lord, " You have given knowledge about

many bad religions to prevent us from thinking of Your

beautiful form. " (Tiruvaimozhi, 3.1.4)

Now we can study the verse in full:

 

" mAttAtEyAkilum immalartalai mAjnAlam nin

mAttAya malarpuraiyum tiruvuruvam manam vaikka

mAttAta pala camaya madi koduttAy, malarttuzhAy

mAttE nee manam vaitAy mAjnAlam varuntAtE? "

(Tiruvaimozhi, 3-1-4)

 

(Oh! Lord! The people of this world normally are

unable to keep Your beautiful divine form in their

minds. But, Your heart is now deeply involved in

enjoying the Tulasi garland on Your neck! Over and

above this, You have created many theories which

mislead them! Then, will not this world incur a great

loss?)

 

The AzhvAr's grievance is while he and other AzhvArs

and AchAryas are carrying out the Lord's intention of

making the people to involve themselves in His

service, the Lord is creating new philosophies which

are diverting their minds. How the people can be

turned towards Him? , he asks.

This, the AzhvAr has already pointed out in his

another work, Tiruviruttam, in the verse 96. There the

AzhvAr says, " Oh Lord! You set up many different

deities, many religious philosophies and many types of

worship, in order to prevent those who are full of

rAjasa and tAmasa qualities, from coming to You. Even

then, I will develop deep bhakti in You only. "

This statement of the AzhvAr in his Tiruviruttam must

have been in the mind of SwAmi Desikan while writing

this:

" sAttvika-viruddha-vyAmOhanArtha-mAka,

anya-shAstrangaLai sruShtikkac ceitE, " --

In order to confuse those who are opposed to the jIvAs

of virtuous quality (sAttvika guNa), the Lord brought

out other scriptures opposed to the sAttvika

scriptures.

A question may arise here in our mind: Why should the

Lord do this as it will not come under the category of

favours?

Keeping this in mind, SwAmi Desikan continues that

even while doing like this, the Lord Himself

incarnated as a Sage and protected the VedAs:

" tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee "

enkiRapadiyE, vEda-rakShai paNNinatuvum; "

 

" tridanDadhAriNA poorvam viShNunA rakShitA trayee

"

 

The source of this quotation is not available.

However, we can rest assured that it must have been in

a scripture which was in current during the life time

of SwAmi Desikan.

The meaning is: Long ago, the VedAs were saved by

Vishnu in an incarnation as a saint having three

staffs in His hand.

 

We are aware that a sanyAsi, an ascetic, who has

renounced the worldly life, always carries three

staffs in hands.

 

According to the SAttvata samhita 12.109-114, this

incarnation of Vishnu is the Lord DattAtreya, as the

son of Atri and AnasooyA. He is glorified in the

PAncarAtra as the upholder of Dharma. He is

jnAna-moorti, the form personifying spiritual wisdom.

He directed men and gods along the path of spiritual

progress. He protected the Vedas and regulated the

conduct according to castes and stations in life

(varnAsramAcAra).

" vEda-rakShai paNNinatuvum; "

 

Thus, the Lord's protecting the VedAs and dharma is

another favour conferred on the virtuous souls.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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