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srI:
SrI UpakAra Sangraham - III (4)
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niryANa adikAram
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Section - 9: The Favours the Lord does to a MumukShu after he leaves his body
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[9.2 Favours being done after crossing the river, VirajA]
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Now a new sub-section begins. In the previous sub-section (9-1), SwAmi
Desikan described the favours done by the Lord to the mumukShu-jIva from his
leaving the gross body until he reaches the bank of the river Viraja. Now, in
this sub-section, SwAmi Desikan takes up the favours the Lord does to the newly
emerged mukta-jIva after he crosses the river, Viraja:
(i) akkaraiyil,
divyalOka-divyajanapada-divyanagara-divyavimAna-divyAsthAna-divyaparyanka
-prAptiparyanta-mAka paryank-vidyAdi-kaLilum,
shAkaTAyana-jayAkhya-samhitAdi-kaLilum, âcoozhvicumpaNimukiâlilum collukiRa
satkAra-paramparaikaLai uNdAkkumathuvum;
SwAmi Desikan describes the experience the mukta-jIva obtains on the
other side of the Viraja river beginning with âakkaraiyilâ -- âOn the
other shoreââ
As soon as the mukta-jIva arrives at the region after crossing Viraja
river, his subtle body automatically slips out and he remains in his Atma form
free from the attachment of prAkruta instruments which had locked him within
during his countless lives in the material world. While the gross body was
removed at the time of his death, the subtle body continued to stay only for
the sake of the journey and not for enjoying fruits of past karma. The mukta-
jIva casts off his subtle body after reaching the other side of the river
Viraja. It is just like a person, who crosses a river on a boat, sets the boat
adrift after reaching the other shore.
There, the newly emerged mukta arrives at a region which he has long
been eager to see and which has been described in the Jitanta StOtram as:
âlOkam vaikuNTha-nAmAnam divyam ShADguNya-samyutam /
avaiShNavAnAm aprApyam guNatraya-vivarjitam //
nityasiddhaih samAkeerNam tanmayaih pAncakAlikaih /
sabhA-prAsAda-samyuktam vanaishcOpavanaih shubham //
vApee-koopa-taTAkaishca vrukSha-ShaNDaishca maNDitam /
aprAkrutam surairvaNdyamayutArka-samaprabham //
prakruShTa-sattvarAshim tam kada drakShyAmi cakShuShA?â (JitantA StOtra,
2-18-20)
[When shall I see with my own eyes the world called VaikuNTa? It shines
brilliantly, it is always with the Lord Who is possessed of six attributes,
j~nAna etc.; it can never be attained by those who are not devoted to ViShNu;
it is free from the three qualities of prakruti or matter (sattvam, rajas and
tamas). It is full of the eternal sooris who divide the day into five parts and
render the service to the Lord appropriate to each; it is also full of released
souls (muktas) who are like the eternal sooris. It has pleasant chambers, halls
and mansions. It is beautiful with forests and gardens; it has broad and deep
wells, lakes and groves which adorn it. It is free from the sufferings due to
prakruti; it is fit to be praised by dEvAs. It shines like ten thousand suns
shining at the same time; it is constituted of pure sattvam unmingled with
rajas and tamas.]
As he emerges out of Viraja, The Lord endows the jIva with an
a-prAkruta body, a super-sensuous body, totally free of matter. The jIva is
helped to reach the lake called airammadeeyam and then to the asvattha tree
called sOmasavana and is then welcomed by five hundred celestial damsels
(apsaras). This is described in the scripture:
âtam pancashatani apsarsAm pratidhAvanti, shatam mAlAhastAh, shatam
anjanahastAh, shatam coorNahastAh, shatam vasOhastAh, shatam phaNahastAh, tam
brahmAlamkArENAkurvanti / sa brahmAlamkArENa alam krutO brahmavidvAn
brahmaivAbhipraiti /â (KauSheetakee UpaniShad, Paryamkavidya, 1-34)
(On the orders of the Lord, five hundred apsaras (celestial damsels) rush to
the spot to welcome this jIva. Among them, 100 apsaras with fragrant garlands;
100 apsaras with black-eye-ointment; 100 apsaras with fragrant powders; 100
apsaras with silk yellow garments; 100 apsaras carry ornaments including conch
and discus; and they adorn the mukta to appear alike the Lord; But he does not
pay attention to them; anxiously rushes looking for SrIman nArAyaNa.)
SwAmi Desikan continues:
âdivyalOka-divyajanapada-divyanagara-divyavimAna-divyAsthAna-divyaparyanka
-prAptiparyanta-mAka paryank-vidyAdi-kaLilum,
shAkaTAyana-jayAkhya-samhitAdi-kaLilum, âcoozhvicumpaNimukiâlilum collukiRa
satkAra-paramparaikaLai uNdAkkumathuvumâ --
He sees a divine world; a place full of divine people; a divine city; a
big palace with a divine tower at the top; inside the Palace, a divine Hall; in
that Hall, a divine Couch towards which the mukta-jIva approaches. These are
all given in detail in the KauSheetakee UpaniShad, up to the divine Couch where
SrImaN nArAyaNa, with His Consorts, is seated.
A similar description is found in the ThirvAimozhi, sung by SrI NammAzhvAr,
beginning with âcoozhvicumpaNimukilâ --
In these ten verses, the Azhvar describes how SrIvaiShnavites who
ascend to SrI Vaikuntam as muktas are accorded a loving welcome, the scene
which is shown by the Lord to him, before the AzhvAr ascended to the Lordâs
Abode.
The first verse is:
âcoozhvicumaNimukil thooriyam muzhakkina
Azhkadalalaithirai kaiyedutthAdina
Ezhpozhilum vaLamEnthiya ennappan
vAzhpukazh nAraNan thamaraik kaNdukanthE.â (ThiruvAimozhi, 10-9-1)
(When the Lordâs dAsas ascend on the archirAdi path to paramapada, the clouds
strike the drums; deep oceans raise their waves up as if their hands and shake
them. The people from seven worlds stand on the way and exhibit happiness on
seeing the dAsas of Lord nArAyaNa.)
The AzhvAr further describes: The dEvas fill the sky in olden pots with
pure water; they beautify the path with a series of welcome arches; people in
the world of AdivAhikas salute the muktas; sages who are under meditation stand
on both sides to showers flowers and fragrant waters on him; they also set up
resting houses for the muktas to rest on the way; they also offer wealth to
them; the dEvas and their consorts shower praises on the muktas.
The nitya sooris with crowns on their heads come in groups to receive
the jIvas who are esteemed servants of Govind; the guards called Indra and
Prajapathi wait at the entrance to receive the muktas with honours and presents
befitting a king. Thereafter, the mukta is led into the enchanting
assembly in the hall adorned with shining gems.
This series of honours offered to the mukta jIva is another favour done
by the Lord, says SwAmi Desikan.
(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivasan
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