SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (2)

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SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (2)

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SAdhanAdhikAram

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Section - 6 (2)

(Five Favours for Adopting Practical Means)

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In the Second Chapter, SwAmi Desikan began to

convey to us the five favours being done by the Lord

to the refined jIva in adopting the practical means

for attaining the highest goal, that is, mOkSha. In

the first of these five favours, he described how the

Lord helped the jIva to get the determination to adopt

prapatti when his body and mind are in a healthy

condition. This is the first step towards performing

prapatti. In this sub-section, SwAmi Desikan speaks

about the Lord’s favour to the jIva in acquiring the

five pre-prapatti accessories (angas), which is a must

for a successful surrender:

 

(2) manassu EkAgramAna aLavilE ivanukku

anga-pancaka-sampanna-mAna

Atma-rakShAbhara-samarpaNa-tthai uNdAkkumathvum;

 

When the mind attains steadiness and becomes

receptive, the jIva is informed of the process of

adopting prappatti. In particular, its five auxiliary

parts are explained to him. The accessories, that is,

angas, of the prapatti vidya are five in number and

they are:

1) “Anukoolya sankalpam” -- the intention to do

whatever is agreeable to the Lord;

2) “prAtikoolya-varjanam” -- the avoidance of whatever

is displeasing to Him;

3) “kArpaNyam” --- helplessness;

4) “mahAvishvAsam” --- supreme faith in His capacity

to protect us; and

5) “gOptrutva-varaNam” --- seeking His protection.

 

“Atma-rakShAbhara-samrpaNam” -- With these “angas” or

accessories, one has to submit his self for protection

at the feet of the Lord.

 

We shall study what these accessories really mean:

 

1 & 2 -- Anukoolya sankalpam and prAtikoolya varjanam:

- Among the five angas, the essential condition, for

the will to do what is pleasing to the Lord, that is,

“Anukoolya sangkalpam” and the avoidance of what

would be displeasing to Him, “prAtikoolya-varjanam”,

indicates that the person should have the knowledge

that he exists solely for the Lord. All things and all

beings exist for Him only. Hence it follows, he would

avoid transgressing the command of the Lord:

 

“AnukoolyEtarAbhyAm tu vinivryttirapAyatah /”

(LakShmee Tantra, 17-76)

(By the determination to do whatever is pleasing and

to avoid whatever is displeasing to the Lord will help

avoiding the command of the Lord.)

 

3. KArpaNyam or helplessness is thinking about one’s

“Akincanyam” -- inability to adopt any other upAya or

means and “ananyagatitvam” -- absence of any other

interest than mOkSha and the absence of any other

refuge than the Lord. This will help to increase the

compassion on the part of the Lord. As it has been

said:

“kArpaNyEnApyupAyAnAnam vinivruttirihEritA //”

(LakShmee Tantra, 17-77)

(By helplessness, it is indicated that he does not

search for another upAya or means.)

 

This would be useful later on for the promotion of the

knowledge that there is no other upAya.

 

4. MahAvishvAsa or supreme faith is necessary for the

performance of prapatti free from all doubts and it

leads later on to freedom from all anxiety. It has

been also said:

 

“rakShiShyateeti vishvAtsAt abheeShtOpAyA-kalpanam”

(LakShmee Tantra, 17-77)

(From the faith that He will protect arises the

performance of the desired upAya.)

5. The necessity of Goptrutva varanam or seeking

protection:

Though mOkSha is the most appropriate goal for our

essential nature, when it is sought as the desired

goal (puruShArta), it has to be asked for, just as any

other objects. Seeking protection is necessary as the

mokSha would be given only to one who asks for it. It

is normal that no good thing is given without its

being asked for. Therefore, mOkSha will not be

puruShArta, unless it is asked for by the aspirant.

That is why it has been stated:

“aprArthitO na gOpAyEditi tatprArthanAmatih /”

(LakShmee Tantra, 17-72)

(No protection would be given when it is not sought.)

“gOptrutva-varaNam nAma svAbhiprAya-nivEdanam //”

(LaSkmee Tantrs, 17- 78)

(Seeking the Lord as Saviour is to make our mind known

to Him.)

 

Since these five accessories are of use at the time

of the performance of prapatti, they are essential for

the surrender of one’s self. It is also stated in the

Scripture:

“nikShEpAparapAryAyO nyAsah pancAnga-samyutah /

sannyAsas-tyAga ityuktah sharaNAgatirityapi //”

(LakShmee Tantra, 17-74)

(Self surrender which has the word nyAsa for synonym

has five angas and is also called sannyAsa, tyAga and

sharaNAgati.)

 

The sharaNAgati of TrijaTA to SrI Seeta and that of

VibheeShaNa to SrI RAma are sighted as two

illustrations for the presence of all these angas.

 

SrI ParAsara Bhattar brings out the greatness of SrI,

the Consort of the Lord, Who went a step further than

the Lord. When TrijaTA pleaded with the rAkshsees to

surrender at the feet of SeetA to seek protection from

SrI rAma, the rAkshasees neither did surrender nor did

they reject the advice. Even this non-rejection made

SeetA to become their refuge, because of her extreme

love and assured them thus:

 

“tatah sA hreematee bAlA bhartuvijaya-harShitA /

avocad yadi tat tathyam sharaNam hi vah //”

(rAmAyaNam, 5-58-90)

 

(Happy at the prospect of triumph of her Consort on

hearing of the dream related to her by TrijaTA, that

youthful Lady (SeetA), who was full of modesty,

thereupon said, “If the dream comes to be true, I

shall surely afford protection to you all.”)

 

That these words were from the very heart and

ultimately bore fruit has been declared by the great

SrI ParAsara Bhattar in the verse:

“mAtarmaithili rAkShasOstvayi tathaivAdrAparAdhAstvayA

/

rakShantyA pavnAtmajAllaghutarA rAmasya gOShThee

krutA // ”

 

 

(SrIguNaratna-kOsa - 50)

[Oh Mother Maithili, by the protection which you gave

to the offending rAkShasees from HanumAn, You reduced

SrI rAmA and His council (Sugreeva and others) to a

lower position. (For SrI rAma protected VibheeShaNa,

who had committed no offence, and kAkAsura, who had

offended). These two were able to ask for protection,

whereas You protected the rAkShasees, while they were

in the very act of torturing You, and even when they

did not themselves beg of You to do so, (at the

intersession of TrijaTA).]

 

The Lord is doing favour to the jIva to fully have

these five angas of surrender for self protection,

says SwAmi Desikan in this sub-section.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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