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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00022 Aug 2003

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Dear Sri Manavalan,

The logic that most people seem to use with nirhetuka
krpa is this: His krpa is offered without any cause. 
That is, no action of the soul warrants that His krpa
flow toward them. Therefore, every soul is equally
likely to be a recepient of His grace. The logical
leap that is made here, therefore, is - every soul
should receive His grace and be taken to Vaikuntam.

My understanding of nirhetuka krpa is not this. It
is what it is - causeless mercy. That is, He doesn't
need a cause to shower His mercy on a soul. But, that 
doesn't require Him to instantly liberate all souls.
If He did, He would have to close down this world. 
He has obviously decided not to do that and that is
His sankalpa. Being sarva svatantra, no one can 
question why He is doing that.

What our acharyas are pointing out is that we can't 
demand or expect that He grant us moksham because we 
have performed sharanagati or some other action. 
Having said that, we are also convinced that His 
sankalpam is that He will provide us moksham because
of acharya sambandham, as promised by Him to Swami
Ramanuja. Our conviction arises because He is a 
satya sankalpa.

So, where does His nirhetuka krpa then come in this
acharya sambandham? It comes where He directs the
soul toward an acharya. This is seen in the fact
that not every one born in a Srivaishnava family 
gains acharya sambandham automatically nor is it
denied to those born elsewhere. His nirhetuka krpa
flows toward a jIva and that soul is automatically
moved toward an acharya. Once might believe that
he/she is performing the action to reach an acharya.
But consider this: how many things outside our
limited control have to fall in place for this to
happen. Even if we think we control everything since
we were born, our birth was not under control. So,
it is naive to think that we caused our sharanagati
to happen.

In the episode mentioned, the difference that Bhattar
is pointing out in the two cases is that, in the 
case of devas He made them wait till they reached 
the state of asking for His help. In his case, He is 
not doing that. Instead, He has made Himself already 
available where Bhattar is going to be, to save him.

By the way, adiyEn knows that people don't like it
when I keep repeating this. But the right person to 
approach regarding such intricate topics as nirhetuka
krpa is your acharya. And your family acharya is HH 
Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar Swami! So, this is perfect to
place before him. adiyEn knows that it is not always
easy to approach an acharya due to many factors. But
if one truly seeks the answers, then I am not sure 
how one cannot find the way.

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan


--- manavala_mamuni_das <manavala_mamuni_das@xxxx>
wrote:
> Dear Sir,
> vanakkam
> You mentioned:
> > Bhattar replied "He came to the banks of the river 
> > (the avataras) only after His devotees cried for His 
> > help. 
> 
> We talk of nirhetuka krupai of the Lord. Then why should
> the Lord wait for the jeevan to cry for help. Why should
> be said that he reminded this. If he saves only those
> jeevans who cry for His help, then, what about his
> nirhetuka
> krupai? It is already agreed in brahma sutram that the
> kartrutvam of jeevan is parayattam. There is no doubt
> here.
> But the doubt is only on nirhetuka krupai and the
> incident
> that you have reffered. 
> At the same time, you mentioned,
> > even before I can ask for help.
> > He is lying here 
> > beforehand knowing that I will be near this river.
> 
> Then why not the Lord out of nirhetuka krupai save all
> jeevans. Is he picking up at random a jeevan? If he
> knows this (as he knows everything), why not this was not
> applicable in the first case.
> 
> I have not introduced myself to you all till this time
> and
> had been a silent reader. My name is R. Manavalan. R
> stands
> for my father's name Ranganathan. We are sishyas of Shree
> vaanamaamalai madam jeear swamigal. We are not dvijas.
> I have studied mumukshu padi from my father and got to
> memory 
> the divya prabandams. Apart from this, I do not have any
> knowledge other than hearing certain upanyasams in temple
> etc.
> I am also member in other shree vaishnava lists. My first
> posting to 
> this group got rejected as the moderator 
> said that the topic did not appear first in this group. I
> request the 
> group leader to consider this message. 
> 
> I request learned people to help me by clearing my doubt.
> 
> nandri & vannakam
> maamuni das.
> --- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "vtca" <vtca@xxxx>
> wrote:
> > Sri:
> > Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
> > 
> > One day Nanjeeyar asked Bhattar "What is the meaning 
> > behind the Lord lying in Srirangam in the banks of 
> > Chandra Pushkarani?"
> > 
> > Bhattar replied "He came to the banks of the river 
> > (the avataras) only after His devotees cried for His 
> > help. He has come to the banks of Cauvery to save me
> > even before I can ask for help. He is lying here 
> > beforehand knowing that I will be near this river.
> > You did not ask for this meaning out of your own 
> > volition. Through you, He reminded me of this".
> > 
> > AzhvAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam
> 
> 
> 


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