SrI:
Dear AchArya RaamAnuja BhakthAs :
It is important for us to firm up on the fundamentals
of SaraNaagathi /Prapatthi Saasthram . One very good way
to accomplish this goal is to study NyAsa Soothrams and
be clear about terminologies relating to the sacred SaraNAgathy
Saasthram .The better way is to join in the current KaalakshEpams of
Srimath Azhagiya Singar (Every Saturday at 9AM EST during
the Month of August ) and clarify doubts . Please register to get
the Bridge Telephone number and access code :
http://www.ahobilamutt.org/signin01.asp
We will start now with an introduction to Prapaathi Saasthram
as summarized by the First chapter of NyAsa Soothrams .
We will be following closely the anubhandham ( appendix)
of Dr. V.N.VedAntha Desikan's monograph on NyAsa Thrayee.
Soothrams mean terse and aphoristic statements . For instance ,
Brahma Soothrams are very short and almost cryptic summaries
of complex thoughts housed in Upanishads . They are so cryptic
that they can lend themselves into multiple ways of intrepretation
as done by the different darsana SthApakaas like RaamAnuja ,
Sankara and MadhvA . AchArya RaamAnuja's Sri BhAshyam
on Brahma Soothrams is our leading light .
In the case of NyAsa Soothrams , the statements in Sanskrit
are crisp summaries of the doctrines associated with SaraNAgathi
(NyAsam) serve as declarative statements .If one can understand
them well , then there would be no confusion about the uniqueness of
SaraNaagathi as an independent and sufficent means for Moksham
for one and all .
Let us now start with the First (Introductory ) Chapter of NyAsa
SoothrAs , Jign~Asaadhyaa, which has 56 Soothrams .
A. Jign~AsaadhyAya:
**************************
(1) There are many alternate names for SaraNaagathy ; These are
NyAsam , Prapadhanam , ThyAgam , Aathma nikshEpam , Bhara nyAsam ,
Bhara SamarpaNam , Tanjam ( adaikkalam puhuthal), UpAya anushtAnam ,
Prapatthi and adhrushtArTam . These are called ParyAya sabdhams
and refer to the Same doctrine of SaraNAgathy thru different names .
(2) " Bhakthiriva Prapatthiriva vidheeyathE ": Just like Bhakthi yOgam ,
Prapatthi yOgam is ordained( prescribed ) for gaining Moksha Siddhi.
3) " nyAsamEshAm tapasAm athirikthamithyAhu Srithi:
The Sruthi declares that the act of Bhara samarpaNam
( Prapatthi) is the highest among all penances ( Tapas).
4) " Mumukshrvai SaraNamaham prapadhyE , ithi Sruthi Vaakyam"
The above is a part of the SvEtasvatAra Upanishad (Sruthi) manthram .
SvEthasvatara Upanishad (6.18) says : " I , an aspirant after liberation
seek refuge ( surrender unto) that effulgent God , who creates Brahma
First (at the time of Creation) and who endows him with the VedAs also
and on account of whom the intellect of mine shines out " .
5) " Prapannth anyEshAm na diSathy MukundhO nija Padham ".
Our Lord Mukundan says that He will not give residence in
His Supreme abode for anyone except those who have performed
Prapatthi ( UpAya anushtAnam).
6)" yaTaa sadhvidhyAdheenAm miTO vikalpO gruheeta: , taTaiva
upAsana-nyAsa vidhyayOrapi"
Please understand that UpAsanaa ( Bhakthi yOgam) and Prapatthi
yOgam are alternate routes and differ just as the different Brahma
VidhyAs ( Sadh Vidhyaa, dahara vidhyA et al) differamongst themselves .
7) " nidhidhyAsithavya: upaaseetha , bhajasvEthin bhakthou
vidhiroopaa niyathi: "
There are instructional steps (Vidhi: rule , commandment ) such as :
Meditate , perform upAsanaa , practise devotion for the followers of
Bhakthi yOgam .
8) " taTaiva vraja , prayunjeetha ithyAdhi Vidhi sabdhaa: PrapatthAvapi"
Similarly for Prapatthi yOgam , there are vidhis (rules) such as " seek refuge
at the Lord's sacred feet, treat aathmaa as arrow and with the help of
PraNavam land it (the aathmaa) at the holy feet of the Lord ". This soothram
is from another Sruthi Vaakyam paasage.
9) " MaamEkam SaraNam vraja" ithi BhavathEva vidheeyathE .
Bhagavan Himself reminded ( instructed) Arjuna to seek refuge
in Him alone in GeethOpanishad .
10) " nyAyas-sarvArTa saadhaka: "
BharanyAsam ( SaraNAgathy) has the power to grant all fruits
that one wishes to have .
11) " taTaapi mOkshaayaiva yOjyathvam srEshtam "
Although BharanyAsam can grant all kinds of prayOjanams ,
the BharanyAsam performed for the sake of gaining Moksham
is the most coveted among purushaarTams .
12) " prapadhanaanushtAnE dhvi-vidham vEdhyam :
sadhvArakam taTaa adhvArakam chEthi".
In performing Prapatthi , one has to remember that there are
two kinds of Prapatthi: sadhvArakam and adhvArakam .
13) " BhakthyAdhi karmaNi paTisambhAvitha visthrasanArTam
kriyamANam prapadhanam sadhvArakam "
The sadhvAraka Prapatthi is the one , where one seeks the pardon
of the Lord as parihAram ( remedy for trespasses) , when there are
lapses in pursuit of the time consuming and rigorous Bhakthi
yOgam ( thru tapas , Yaagam et al).
14) " yath kriyathE mOkshArTam tadhEva vivEkinO rasyam , manOj~nam
chEtanOsyOjjeevanAya bhavEth--adhvArakam ".
AdhvAraka Prapatthi is the one , when one performs SaraNAgathy with
the sole purpose of gaining Moksham .This type of Prapatthi is relished
by people with discriminating intellect and this type of Prapatthi is
the most redeeming one for the chEtanams to get relief from SamsAric
bonds ( repeatd cycles of birhts & deaths).
15) bhUshNus-sadhAchAryam vihitha-visEsha-guNayuktham samaaSrithyaiva
ujjeevithum yeepsEth " .
A jeevan , which wants to redeem itself and is anxious to perform adhvAraka
Prapatthi for Moksham can only succeed in its efforts by approaching
a SadAchAryan and performing SaraNAgathy through that evolved
AchAryan filled with highest degree of AachAram , anushtAnam ,
VairAgyam and other auspicious attributes .
16) mukthi maarga nirdEsaka yeedhruSa AchArya: Mukundha tulya: ,
asAdhya -prathyupakaraNa: taddhadhupAsyasccha
Such a renowned AchAryan ,who helps us find the path for Moksham
is the greatest helper ( upakAri). He is equal to Mukundhan ( Lord Himself)
for adoration . As in the case of PerumAL , we can not repay our debts
to that SadAchAryan.He has to be worshipped like PerumAL.
17) Maanava: (taTaiva MaaNavakasccha) mantra-thraya-saarArTa-graahee ,
mantrArTa vidhEya: mantra-nirdhishta Saasana-vibhanjana-bheethasccha
bhUyAth.
THe chEtanam ( or the youngster who wishes to travel on this path to Moksham)
should know the essence of the three mantrams ( Moola Mantram , dhvayam and
Charama sLokam ) . They are entitled to enjoy the blissful meditation on
the deep meanings of these three mantrams . They should vow to follow
the time tested commands associated with these three mantrams.They should
be afraid to go against the upadEsams pertaining to their commands .
18) yatha: mantrANAm prayOjanam chEtanAyaitadhEva yuktham.
The purpose of the three mantrams is to correct the erring chEtanam
and redirect it to travel on the sure path to Moksham .
19) chEtanOham Bhagavatha: Sriya: PathErEva nirupAdhika-sEshabhUtha:,
dhivya dampathi SaraNam veuNeeyEyam , TayO: nithya kaimkaryamEva mama
Phalam ,yEthath prapadhanOpAyEnEnaiva mE sarvapApEbhyO mOksha:
syAth -- ithi Jn~Ana vikAsa: sampadhyathE sadAchArya BhOdanEna .
adiyEn's Lord is EmperumAn alone . adiyEn is His unconditional servant.
adiyEn is His property and liege (sEsha bhUthan) May adiyEn seek refuge
in the dhivya dampathis ( Divine Couple) .The prayOjanam ( fruit ) of such
prapatthi is to gain blemishless and uninterrupted kaimkaryam to Them .
adiyEn is convinced that a saraNAgathy of this kind(calibre) alone can
banish all my karmAs ( Paapams and PuNyams) and grant adiyEn Moksham.
This type of maturation of Jn~Anam can be realized only through
AchArya KadAksham ( merciful glances).
20) Bhakthi-PrapathyO: ( upAsana-prapadhanayO:) vikalpa: upAyadasAyEmava
na phala-daSAyaam .
Bhakthi and Prapatthi are to be considered as two different paths to
the same destination ( Moksha sTaanam). They differ as means and not
in the end result ( pahalan) .
21) dhvou panTaanou, kimthu prApthi sTaanam yEka yEva, BhagavathO
nithya vibhUthiithi vikhyAtha: , Srivaikunta lOka:
We have to recognize them as two distinct paths to reach the same
destination (viz)., Sri Vaikunta lOkam as the Parama purushArTam.
( To be continued )
Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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