SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II Pat - 6

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SrI UpakAra Sangraham - II (6)

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SAdhanAdhikAram

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Section - 6 (6)

(The life of MumukShu in this world)

---

 

Now, SwAmi Desikan takes up the manner in which a

prapanna or bhakti-yOgi has to live in this world:

 

(6) ithu, poorvOpakAra-paramparaiyil pratibuddha-nAna

mumkShuvukku prathama-apEkShsneeyam; ivvapEkShai

upAya-prArthanai-yAm. ivvupAyatthiRku mumukShutvam

adhikAramAkaiyAlE, “pAramArthikee” enkiRa coorNikaiyil

conna phala-parvangkaLum, shAreeraka-shAstratthil

uttarAgha-poorvAgha-ashlESha-vinAshAdikaL muthalAka

“anAvruttih shabdAt” enkiRathu aRuthiyAic conna

arthangkaLellAm upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat

theLinthavanukku ipphalatthai apEkShitthuk koNdu

upAya-anuShThAna-mAkaiyAlE, ivvapEkShai

phalakAmanA-mAtra-roopayai-yAik koNdu

adhikAra-dasaiyilum, phala-prArthanA-roopaiyAik koNdu

upAya-anuShThAna-dasiyilum, anuShThita- upAyanukku

“sameepam rAjasimhasya” ityAdikaLiRpadiyE

tvarAnvita-vishvAsa-roopaiyAyk koNdu,

uttara-krutya-dasiyilum anuvartikkak kadavathu.

 

This sAdhyOpaya (means to be practiced) is the first

to be sought by the jIva, who is convinced of the

earlier series of the favours done by the Lord, and

who is desirous of mukti; This upAya, either

bhakti-yOga or prapatti has to be sought by him from

the Lord.

A person, who has become aware of the worldly as well

as the heavenly pleasures as very small and

non-lasting, will be eager to go in for the bliss

which is not only immeasurable but also lasting for

ever. This turning point comes to him, after a number

of repeated births in this miserable world, by the

Lord’s causeless grace. Noticing a small good act done

unintentionally by the jIva, the Lord, out of His

compassion, starts to confer favours on him. Depending

on the response from the jIva, these favours of the

Lord continue and slowly turn the jIva towards the

sAttvika path. In the process, he comes in to contact

with an AchArya, which is also because of the Lord’s

favour. The said jIva starts studying under the

AchArya and acquires the knowledge about tattvas

including the svaroopa and svabhAva of the Lord. The

study also cleanses him of the rAjasic and tAmasic

qualities and increases in him the sAttvika quality

which makes him believe in the correctness of the path

he is already in. Earlier, he was without this

realization. He now becomes aware that this knowledge

is essential for his further progress.

After knowing the progress he has made so far and that

too, because of the Lord’s grace, he firmly believes

that He is the Supreme Lord and He is the only Deva

Who is capable of granting him the means for

salvation. Hence, the jIva first pray to the Lord to

grant him the means for attaining mOkSha.

 

“ithu, poorvOpakAra-paramparaiyil pratibuddhanAna

mumukShuvukku prathama-apEkShsneeyam;” --

Adopting a means should be the first concern of a

person desiring mOkSha, after having known the series

of favours done by the Lord in the preliminary stages.

 

 

“ivvapEkShai upAya-prArthanai-yAm.” --

This concern should lead him to pray for a suitable

means for mOkSha from the Lord.

 

“ivvupAyatthiRku mumukShutvam adhikAramAkaiyAlE,” ---

A strong desire for the mOkSha is the qualification

for adopting such a means.

 

“‘pAramArthikee” enkiRa coorNikaiyil conna

phalaparvankaLum,” ---

Therefore, the various fruits mentioned in the passage

beginning with “pAramArthikee” [Ref: SrI sharaNAgati

gadhyam, First Chapter, section 5(26)],

 

“shAreeraka-shAstratthil

uttarAgha-poorvAgha-ashlESha-vinAshAdikaL muthalAka

“anAvruttih shabdAt” enkiRathu aRuthiyAic conna

arthangkaLellAm upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat ” --

 

Scriptures have stated that the sins committed

unintentionally by the jIva who has adopted the means

will not stick. But those committed otherwise will be

removed through simple punishments by the Lord. The

final sootra (aphorism) of the Brahmasutra assures

that the jIva once attains mOkSha will not be sent

back to the samsAra. These statements become known to

the mumukShu.

 

“upAya-sAdhya-phala-mAkat theLinthavanukku

ipphalatthai apEkShitthuk koNdu,

upAya-anuShThAna-mAkaiyAlE” --

 

Once he is aware of the fruit, that is, mOkSha, that

will be obtained, through the means he has adopted, he

should remain anticipating the fruit.

 

“ivvapEkShai phalakAmanA-mAtra-roopayai-yAik koNdu

adhikAra-dasaiyilum,” ---

 

This sort of anticipation of the fruit, that is,

mOkSha is necessary for a seeker.

 

“anuShThita- upAyanukku “sameepam rAjasimhasya”

ityAdikaLiRpadiyE, tvarAnvita-vishvAsa-roopaiyAyk

koNdu, uttara-krutya-dasiyilum anuvartikkak

kadavathu.” ---

 

Once the means has been adopted, the jIva has to

remain assured of the fruit, namely, being with the

Lord for ever in His abode. His thinking should only

about the blissful experience he is going to get in

the parampadam after attaining it. It will be just

like how Seeta-pirAtti remained in captivity in Lanka,

as quoted here, by Swami Desiakn.

 

We may consider the condition of SeetA-pirAtti as

described by Sage VAlmeeki:

The sage found himself unable to depict the mental

state of SeetA who had withered and was shuddering at

the sight of RAvaNa and tried to portray her with help

of similes.

 

Even as RAvaNa was gazing, she was sitting on the

bare earth under a tree, she was weeping and

concealing her limbs. Her limbs having been smeared

with dirt, she appeared like a lotus fibre stained

with mud, looked charming as well as did not look

charming;

 

“sameepam rAjasimhasya rAmasya viditAtmanah /

sankalpahaya-samyuktairyAnteemiha manOrathaih //”

(rAmAyaNa, 5-19-7)

 

(SeetA was constantly seeking the presence of SrI

RAma, a lion among sovereigns, in the chariot of her

mind drawn by the horses of thought.)

Similarly, the person who has completed the process

of the means will remain thinking only of the Supreme

Lord and seeking to be in His presence in

SrIvaikuNtam.

 

This is the way the mumukShu, one desirous of mukti,

will spend the remaining period of his life in this

world. In the same condition were AzhvArs whose mental

state has been described by themselves in various

verses which stand as the guidance for the mumukShu.

These will be seen next.

 

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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