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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 63
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (20)  
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
-----   
 
        In the last sub-section, SwAmi Desikan referred to
the favour conferred by the Lord by helping the
sAttvika jIvas to receive the three rahasyas, namely,
Thirumanthiram, Dvayam and the caramaslokam from the
AchArya without missing even a letter. Rahsya means
secret. A mantra is given to a person by his Guru, by
uttering it into his ears in a low tone that is not
heard by a third person. That is why it is called a
rahasya. The detailed explanation of the mantra,
including the significance of each word and in many
cases even each letter is given to disciple in
kAlakShEpams, which are discourses held in an
exclusive manner, with the Guru and the recipient
observing certain code of conduct. The code includes
self-purification, dress and adorning the body with
the holy marks such as dwAdasa oordva-puNdram
(thiruman and SrIchoornam).  Scholars have written
books explaining in detail the significance of these
mantras to enable the disciple to understand better,
when he hears the oral explanation from a guru
directly. Once a formal instruction is given, the
disciple can freely study the concerned books and
learn more in a thorough manner. Several of these
works, written by the Acharyas like SwAmi Desikan, are
to be read by the disciples on a daily basis so that
the essence of the mantras is imbedded in his mind and
meditated upon. 
        Apart from helping us to learn the literal manthras,
the Lord does another favour to us in knowing these
messages, says SwAmi Desikan, in this sub-section:  

(20) ivaRRilE pothintha
paratattva-paramahita-parama-puruShArthangkaLAkiRa
mahAnidhikaLaith thiRanthu kAttinathuvum;

        These three mantras contain the greatest truths
within. These truths relate to the high realities, the
highest good-means and the highest goal of life to be
attained. The revealing of these truths, which are
large treasures, is also done by the Lord, yet another
favour conferred by Him, out of compassion, upon us. 

        [Note: It is the duty of everyone belonging to our
siddhAnta tradition to learn these truths from a
qualified guru in the proper manner indicated earlier
in this series. However, it is also necessary to
inspire those persons to make an effort to receive the
knowledge in the proper manner. With this intention,
the essence of the message is being given here in a
short form. 
        One is reminded of an incident in the life of SrI
KoorathAzhvAn, the close disciple of SrI rAmAnuja, as
recorded in the commentary on ThiruvAimozhi. He had
two sons, the well known SrI ParAsara Bhattar and SrI
SeerAma PiLLai who were studying under the AchArya,
SrI EmbAr. Sri AzhvAn used to teach them ThiruvAimozhi
at home. When the 10th pAsuram in the second
ThiruvAimozhi of the first Centum was due to be
taught, SrI AzhvAn felt that as it describes the
significance of the Thirumantram, he asked them to
learn the meaning of the verse from their AchArya
which is alone proper. The children started proceeding
to the residence of SrI EmbAr, when SrI AzhvAn,
realizing the instability of the physical body, called
them back, and told them, ?No body could fix who would
survive and who would not, and so, stay back and
listen to the essence of the Thirumantram from me? and
taught them the mantra and the meaning of the PAsuram.

        Keeping this in mind, it is felt that it would be
better to give the gist of the three truths here
itself. It is, however, emphasized that these should
be learnt in the prescribed manner from one?s
AchArya.]

Tattva  --  Realities

There are three: The Para-tattva (God or Ishvara), the
sentient (cEtana or cit) and the non-sentient (acEtana
or acit). Of these, the ?para-tattva? (Higher Reality)
is Ishvara or God. The remaining two are
?avara-tattva? . 
        
The ?para ? tattva? is SrImaN nArAyaNa, the Consort of
SrI. He is the creator, supporter, ruler and master of
all things other than Himself. He is of omniscient,
omnipresent, and omnipotent nature ? all knowing and
present everywhere. He is also the possessor of
innumerable auspicious qualities, including limitless
compassion. He protects all the beings. He grants
salvation to anyone who adopts bhakti-yoga or
surrender unto Him. Those who attain mOksha, enjoys
His presence in the highest abode for ever without the
fear of return to this mundane world. 

The Lord has a divine and auspicious form which is of
five kinds, para, vyuha, vibhava, antharyAmi and arcA.
When His form, known as divvy mangaLa vigraham (Divine
Auspicious Form), is worshipped, all sins will be
wiped off. His form can easily be meditated upon. He
is the ParamAtma and is the para-tattva. 

Of the other two tattvas, the sentient or the cEtana
is known as jIvAtma, whose form is very, very small
and so, is known as ?aNu? (atomic). It is of the
nature of j~nAna, knowledge, consciousness, similar to
the para-tattva, which is ?vibhu? (omnipresent).
JIvAtma is being felt as ?I? ? the self-conscious. It
has knowledge as its attribute, known as the
dharma-bhoota-j~nAna, which is its capacity to know
other things. It is also capable of being active ?
doing karma and to enjoy its result. However, these
attributes are provided by the Lord according to one?s
previous karma. 

JIvAtamas are of three kinds: Baddha or the Souls in
bondage; Mukta or the Free Souls; and Nitya or the
Ever-free Souls. The Souls in bondage are those
undergoing the cycle of birth-death-rebirth in this
miserable world. Freed Souls are those that have
attained freedom from this cycle. Ever-free Souls are
those that have never been caught by the clutches of
this world, like the Lord and His Consort, SrI. 

The third tattva, known as acEtana, is the set of
non-sentient objects which are without the attributive
knowledge. These substances are classified as
Primordial Matter or Prakruti; kAla or Time;
Transcendental Matter or Suddha Sattva; and
Dharma-bhoota-j~nAna (attributive knowledge. The
Primordial Matter is of three, namely, Sattva, RAjasa
and TAmasa. It multiplies into twenty four kinds of
matter, one leading to another as cause and effect.
This development takes place for the sake of the souls
in bondage, to be their bodies, intellect, mind and
ten senses ? five of knowledge, and another five of
action. 

KAla or Time is divided into moments, seconds,
minutes, hours, days, months and years. 
Suddha Tattva or Transcendental Matter is of the
nature of pure Sattva bereft of any trace of Rajasic
and TAmasic guNas. It is of the size, three times
bigger than the material world made of Primordial
Matter. It is where the Abode of the ParamAtma, His
Consorts and the Ever-free Souls and the Freed Souls
is situated. 
The dharma-bhoota-j~nAna or the attributive knowledge
is that knowledge which is capable of manifesting
itself while showing other objects. With it as an
attribute, the Atma is able to know a thing, to do an
act and reap the benefit of the act.  This attributive
knowledge is in a shrunk form for the bonded souls and
expands to the maximum size when the soul becomes a
Freed Soul. There is no shrinking for the Ever-free
Souls or for the ParamAtma and His Consorts in their
Abode of Suddha Sattva. 

This is a gist of the Tattva or the Realities. SwAmi
Desikan says the knowledge about this Tattva is a
favour done by the Lord. It will be followed by the
other two, namely, Hita and PurushArta. 

(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
--------- 
                             



      
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