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(continued from Part 10)
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"bheeti" afflicts a true "vivEki" for not for a very long while.
Wisdom sooner or later prevails over Fear.

By patient effort and persistent faith, a "vivEki" journeying upon
the "vEdanta-mArga" shown by Swami Desikan, eventually crosses all
the hurdles of the "adhikAra-parvA" --- viz. "vivEkam", "nirvEdam",
"virakthi", "bheeti" --- and gradually but surely, as a flower ripens
into fruit, he becomes ready to embark on the second leg of the great
journey of the "parama-pada-sOpAnam" -- called the "upAya-parva". 

The experiences of "nirvEdam", "virakthi", "vairAgyam" and "bheeti"
have all by now profoundly stirred his soul. But they have not shaken
or broken it. On the contrary, by the time he approaches the new
stage in life -- the stage of "prasAda-hetu" -- even the emotion of
Fear or "bheeti" has made him much stronger in spirit than he himself
is probably even aware of. The illumination of spiritual Wisdom
("vivEkam") and the long practice of renunciation ("vairAgyam")
together have enabled him to finally seal the victory of the
spiritual over the profane. He is ready now, once and for all, to
leave behind the mundane. He is eager to embrace the sublime?
absolutely.

How does the man emerge from the dark and terrible cave of "bheeti"
into the sunlit and cheery vale of "prasAdana-parva"? How is it
possible to make the magical transition from the painful and unruly
feelings of "virakthi" and "bheeti" to the relative calm of
"prasAda-hEtu"? How is one enabled to move from the holy terror of
"bheeti" to the hale self-confidence of this new phase in the journey
of the "parama-pada-sOpAnam?

The answer given by Swami Desikan is that it is made possible by the
Grace of God viz. His Compassion, his "dayA" for his creation. 

The "bheeti"-filled "vivEki" is by now teetering at the very edge of
a deep moral precipice. A grave spiritual paralysis has seized him.
He is filled with despair. It is a moment of crisis. The man is
helpless and just does not know what next or else to do?.

This state of mind that the man of "bheeti" has reached is called in
Sanskrit "naicchyAnu santAnam". In Tamil they call it "avai-adakkam",
meaning an acute awareness of one's real spiritual helplessness born
out of the emotion of "bheeti". In the Mahabharatha, the welter of
feelings that sped through Draupadi's mind, as her modesty was being
outraged in the royal court of Hastinapur, are described as being
precisely those of "bheeti" mixed with "naicchyAnu santAnam". Desikan
once wrote of precisely such a complex despair in the poignant
"stOtra", the "abhIti-stavam" (Stanza 3):

"yadadhya mitha-buddhinA bahula-mOha-bhAjA mayA
gUNa-gratitha-kAya-vAngmanasa-vrutti-vaichithrayatha: I
atarkita-hitAhita-krama-visEsha-mAraBhyatE
tadapyuchita-marchanam parigruhANa rangEswara " II 

Rangeswara! I am a person of small intellect. I am filled with "mOha"
-- Ignorance. My life has been nothing but an unending stream of
folly, indiscretions and sin. My mind, senses and speech do not obey
me. Each goes its own way? There is neither rhyme nor reason in the
way I lead my life today (in the lofty language of Vedanta, this is
called lack of "karaNatraya-sArupyam" or "sAmarasyam" in life)? O
Ranga! My Lord! I am utterly confused and fearful?I do not know what
to do, what steps or expedient, what "krama' or 'hitAhita" to adopt
to get myself out of this great moral morass into which I have
sunk?".

Vedanta teaches us that the mental state of mind called "naicchyAnu
santAnam" is the first ever tell-tale sign in a man that he has
become an 'adhikAri', that he has graduated to a certain ripe stage
in life where he is "qualified" at last to receive God's compassion
or "dayA". And it is in this state that Man begins his quest for the
second element known as "hita" in that famous Vedantic formulation of
the equation of life called "tattva-hita-purushArtham". 

In the "parama-pada-sOpAnam" the "hita" chosen by man are two in
number: either he chooses "bhakti", the Path of Devotion, which is a
relatively more difficult journey up the stairway to "parama-padam"
than the other one -- the route called "prappati-mArga", the Path of
Absolute Surrender. Both routes i.e. both "hitA-s" end at the same
destination en route the "prasAdana-parva". Both have the full
sanction of the Vedantic scriptures. And both "hita" are the perfect
and most effective antidote against "bheeti", the holy terror of Man.


The man who choses the path of 'bhakti' is attracted toward one or
more of the following "upAya":

"sravanam kirtanam vishnO: smaranam pAda sevanam I
archanam vandanam dAsyam, sakyam atma-nivEdanam II 
(Srimadh-bhAgavatham)

In the above lines, 9 basic aspects of 'bhakti' are spelt out which
in turn characterize the typical behaviour of men who have taken to
the path of devotion on the "prasAdana-parva":

(1) sraVaNam : deriving immense joy out of listening to the accounts
and anecdotes of the 'avatAric' exploits of God as narrated by
'itihAsA-purANa' 

(2) kirtanam : singing the glories of God
e.g."sankirtanam","bhajanam"

(3) smaraNam : being immersed in constant contemplation of the divine
e.g "japam", "mananam", "bhagavath-chintanam"

(4) pAda-sevanam: employed in the service of God and godly
institutions e.g. "kovil-kainkaryam", "bhAgavata-sishrusham"

(5) archanam : offering with utmost love little tokens of devotion to
God e.g. flower, fruit, water, leaf ("pushpam, phalam, jalam, tOyam")

(6) vandanam : ceaselessly prostrating to the divine
("sAshtAnga-dandasamarpaNam", "namaskaraNam")

(7) dAsyam: leading one's lifetime as if one were a mere servant of
God ("dAsatvam", divine subservience)

(8) sakyam: firmly believing that God is the sole and constant 
companion in life

(9) atma-nivEdanam: offering up one's soul completely unto God

The man of bhakti overcomes "bheeti" easily through one or more of
the above "upAya". As he becomes more and more immersed in the above
activities, he gains more and more inner tranquility. And this in
turn makes him even more engrossed in "bhakti". In this state he
wishes for nothing else in the world but to be left alone to carry on
uninterrupted "dAsyam", "vandanam", "archanam" etc. He longs for
nothing else but to be close to sacred places of worship and
pilgrimage; he seeks the company of none but fellow passengers on the
path of bhakti; he has ears for nothing but the songs of God and the
stories of his 'avatAra-leelas'; he 'eats, drinks, sleeps and dreams'
of none but his chosen God, like Krishna, Rama or Govinda. 

Kulasekhara AzhwAr in one of his very famous hymns in praise of the
Lord of Tiruvengadam, gives us a very graphic portrayal of the mental
state of such a man of 'bhakti' who has turned his back finally,
unconditionally and irrevocably upon the mundane. Such a man does not
look back ever. He has "burnt his bridges" completely with the earth.
He is willing now to pay any price, go to any lengths and use any
means ? if it will take him but a little nearer God, sing and dance
about Him: 

"aanAtha selvatthu arampaiyargaL tar sUzha
vAnALUm selvamUm mann-arasUm yAn vEndane;
thEn Ar pUnjOlaith tiruvEnkata sunaiyil
meenAyp pirakkUm vidhi udaiyane aavEnE. (4.2 "perumal
tirumOzhi")

sediyAy valvinnaigaL theerkUm tirumAlE !
nediyAnE! vEngadavA! Nin kOyilin vAsal
adiyArUm vAnavarUm arampayarUm kiddanthu eyyangUm
padiyAyy kiddanthu Un pavazhavAyy kAnbEnE !" (ibid.
4.9)


"For but a fleeting glimpse of your lovely coral-hued lips, O God of
Venkatam, if you ask me, what would I not gladly give up in this
world, what can I say? I will give up a life of wealth, power and
glory! I will give up dancing belles decked in gold and best finery!
Why, I'd give up everything, my Lord, to live as mere fish in your
temple-tank? or, even as that mute slab of stone stretching across
your gilded doorstep!" 

As the emotion of 'bhakti' completely overtakes the man, all
previously predominant emotions of "nirvEdam", "virakthi" and
"bheeti" gradually begin to fade away. In their place, the man of
"bhakti" experiences nothing but tranquility and immense peace within
himself. There are no more dark nights for the soul? Constant
'bhagavath-smaraNam' ("para-bhakti") brings in its wake clear
knowledge ("para-gnyAnam"), a ceaseless sense of sweet contentment in
life and most important of all, an intense and overpowering sense of
communion with God ("parama-bhakti") throughout one's living moments.


Such tranquility and contentment brought about by "bhakti" is
described in two extremely moving 'pAsuram-s' by Peria-AzhwAr in the
decad titled "senniyOngu":

"paravai Eru param-purudA! nee ennaik kaikOnda pin
piravi ennUm kadalUm vattrip perUmpadam aaginradAl;
iravu seyyUm pAvakk kAdu theekkOLi vEginradAl;
arivai ennUm amuda aaru talaipattri vAyykOndathE !" 
(peria-azhwAr tirumOzhi - 5.4.2)

"Ever since You took me into your service and contemplation, My God,
the ocean of my earthly misery has dried up completely! It serves me
now only as sacred space. The dark forests of 'karma', with the
treacherous death traps of sin they had laid for me, are now all
burning like raging forest fires. Now, pure Knowledge, like a sweet
stream of 'amuda' (ambrosia), has gripped me in a tide of bliss to
ride me away on wave unto eternity!"

"ananthanpAlUm garudanpAlUm aiythu nOyythAga vaitthu
en manatthUllEy vandhu vaigI vAzhacheyythAy, empirAn!
Ninnaindhu ennUllE ninru nekkuk-kaNgaL asumbu Ozhuga
Ninnaindhu-irundhE siramam teerndhEn nEMi nEdiyavanE ! 
(ibid. 5.4.8)

"Now that You have entered into my soul, my loving God, You have
given me a new life! My throbbing heart melts at every moment that it
dwells upon You! My eyes are awash with tears of Joy! My Lord, I tell
You, I have ended all my miseries by mere thought of You!" 

This is the stage in life when man becomes deeply attracted by and
commits himself wholly to 2 scriptural "upAyA-s" --- viz.
"bhakti-upAya" or "prappati-upAya". The first is the Way of Devotion;
the second, The Way of Surrender.

Thus cured of the terror of "bheeti", the man of bhakti happily lives
out his life until the very end exactly as the AzhwAr says ? "
Ninnaindhu-irundhE siramam teerndhEn nEMi nEdiyavanE !

Next, we ask: How does the man who chooses the easier path of
"prappati" overcome his Fear, and begin also to live life as happily
ever after as the man of "bhakti"? 

The man who chooses "prappati" sees himself too in a truly helpless
situation. His "naicchyAnu santAnam" is no less than that of the man
who has chosen "bhakti". But unlike the latter, this man knows he is
simply incapable of the discipline of mind and body that the practice
of life-long 'bhakti' requires. The 9 articles of 'bhakti' viz. 

"sravanam kirtanam vishnO: smaranam pAda sevanam I
archanam vandanam dAsyam, sakyam atma-nivEdanam II

?the above 9 "upAya" of Bhakti are far too daunting for an ordinary
man. They involve unceasing, unrelenting and the most intense
"upAsana" (practice and perseverance) far beyond the capacity of mere
mortals. So what then does such a man who leaves the path of bhakti
to take up the route of "prappati" do? 

He is said to perform the act of absolute self-surrender,
'saranAgati'.

Invariably, this process is hastened, or catalyzed, by the man's
encounter with a mentor, a 'sadAchAryA' or 'guru' who appears in his
life and enlightens him about the proper way a 'prappanna' (he who
has formally performed 'prappati' or surrender) should lead life
during the rest of the days destined upon earth. Madhura-kavi AzhwAr
in his "kanninun-siru-tAmbu" spoke of the good fortune that befalls
such a man who encounters a 'guru' or 'achAryA' who, like a boat-man
ferrying one across the river, takes upon himself the responsibility
to lead the man of 'bheeti' from darkness to light, from ignorance to
knowledge, from fear to fearlessness and from the misery of 'samsAra'
to the endless 'ananda' of God.

"nannmayyAl mikka nAn-maraiyAlargaL 
punmai aaga karuthuvar aadalin
annaiyAyy atthanAyy ennai aandidUm
thannmaiyAn sadagOpan en nambiyE. (stanza 4)

"Worthy scholars full of grace
Had me found worthless in my ways?
But father, mother both in one, 
Is Sadagopan, who now rules my days.

"mikka vEdiyar vEdathinn utpOrUL
nirka pAdi en nenjUkkUL niruthinnAn;
takka seer sadagOpan en nambikku
aatpukka kAdhal adimai payananrE." (stanza 9)

The deepest sense of Vedic thought
He sang in song and taught it to my heart
SadagOpan, my Lord and my Love --
He is my purpose, and I his slave. 

Such a man who has found a "guru", and thanks to whose grace he has
also found the proper means to perform and observe "prappati" ? such
man lives his life swearing eternally by the 5 cardinal principles of
'saranagati': 

(1) "anukulasya sankalpah" : resolve in life to do only those deeds
that are pleasing to God 
(2) "pratikulasya varjana" : resolve to abjure deeds unfavorable to
God
(3) "mahA visvAsam" : be unwavering in faith in God
(4) "karpannyOkthi" : be constantly aware of one's spiritual
helplessness
(5) "atma-nikshEpa" : submit the burden of protecting one's
soul into the Hands of God 



When a 'prappana' strictly carries out the above 5 "prescriptions" he
lives a life totally devoid of "bheeti". Peace, tranquility, joy and
contentment flow to him in exactly the same fashion as we saw it did
above in the case of the man of "bhakti". The 'prapanna', after
attaining this stage of the 'paramapada-sOpAnam',
lives a carefree life merrily carrying on with the rest of his days
on earth, faithfully and cheerfully. He has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to
fear ('a-bheethi') -- much like Swami Desikan was himself in his own
time. 

In a short hymn called 'ashtabhUjAshtakam', Swami Desikan, echoed
this fearless state of mind of the 'prapanna' in the words:

"bhayam kUtasyAt tvayi sAnukampE; raksha kuthasyAt tvayi jAtharOshE"
!

meaning: Where is the need to FEAR anything when I am Your protégé,
My God? And if I am not Your protege, is there anything on earth that
will not cause perennial FEAR to me?

In the 'nyAsa-dasakam', too, in Verse #5 and Verse #6 of that hymn,
Swami Desikan, pretty much expresses the same feelings of 'FEARLESS
SELF-ASSURANCE" enjoyed by the man who has chosen the path of
"prappati" in life:

tvachhE-shathvE sthira-dhiyam tvatprAptyEka prayOjanam I
nishidha kAmyarahitam kUrUmAm nityakinkaram II

swAmi svashEsham sva-vasham sva-bharathvEna nirbharam I
sva-datha-svadhiyA svArtham svasmin nyas-yathi mAm svayam II

"The Lord, of His Own accord, will take me unto Him; and he will do
so for His Own Sake; I am CERTAIN of this! I am but a willing servant
under His reign; I have no responsibility even unto myself; that
Great Burden is all His Own. I have no Fear!"

Thus, indeed, do both the man of "bhakti' and the man of "prappati"
conquer Fear, the holy terror of "bheeti", and live out their time on
earth as happy and fearless souls

(to be continued)

dAsan,
Sudarshan





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