You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - Oct 2002

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00045 Oct 2002

 
Oct 2002 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA
APPAN THIRUVADIGALE SARANAM

Free will (3)

Dear Bhagavathas, accept my pranam. This is in continuation of earlier posting.


PART.III
Acharya hrudhayam 

Sutras 16 to 38 describes the ¡¥Karmas and kainkaryam, the authorities eligible 
for them,and various other matters related to these two types of actions.
Let us have a glimpse of it

Sutra 16 The informations revealed in Vedic sastras and the conditions to learn 
them are explained here. Vedic society is divides into .4 categories
1. Brahmin,
2. Kshatriya
3. Vaisya and 
4. Sudra.
The duties of Brahmin are (1) Learning of Vedas (2) Teaching of Vedas (3) 
performance of Yagas (4) conduction of Yagas (5) acceptance and giving 
ofgifts(Dhanam) (6) living by Dhayabhagam( Collection of grains in 
harvestedlands, collection of fruits and roots that is not required by others.
The duties of Kshatriyas: governance of people under his control, giving 
protection to them, if necessary fight for the welfare his subjects and wealth, 
items (1)&(4)as prescribed for brahmin and giving gifts to deserving people.
The duties of Vaisya is just like Kshatriya in learning Vedas, conducting yagas 
and cultivation, commerce, raising of cattle.
The duties of Sudra are to assist the first 3 varnas and be subordinate to them.
Similarly stages of life, etc., are divided as four folds (Brahmacharya, 
Grahastha, Vanaprastha and sanyasa)
Aim in life:- Who desire wealth, who desire to get back the lost wealth, desire 
to get moksha, desire to attain the Lord
Observance of ways to follow their respective paths (dharma), to obtain wealth, 
to enjoy life, to attain moksha
Kinds of mokshas, SalokyamSameepyam,Saroopyam,Sayujayam
Ways to be followed:- Gnana, Karma, Bhakti and prapatti and similarly, the 
conditions prevailed in Krutha, Tretha, Dvapara yugas and kali yuga etc., .The 
sastras governing them are numerous.


A jeevan should be fortunate enough to be born as a human being in the first 
place to learn the sastras under various conditions mentioned above 
Otherwise he will be spending his life as a Deva or, animal or vegetation and 
has to wait to take his chance to be born as human being. That too, Bharatha 
varsha (India) is the appropriate place from where he can expect to get his 
moksha. Also, one span of life will not be enough to undergo this chase. Many 
lives as human being will be required.
The oddness in learning the sastras and following it to get moksha can now be 
understood well.  
If we want to exercise our free will, the hurdles to be crossed are too many 
and we can be rest assured to remain in samsara for ever.

On the other hand Emperuman has devised another choice. 

That is ¡§ASHTAKSHARA MANTRAM¡¦
That is the essence of all Vedas. All, irrespective of caste, creed and gender 
are eligible to follow it.

What is the idea of Emperuman to provide 2 ways for ¡¥Moksha¡¨?

Sastras has been expounded through Sage Vyasa for those jeevas who lay stress 
on the ¡¥sareera ¡¥ (body) they possess. 
Whereas¡¦Ashtakshara mantra expounded by him in Badariyachramam as Lordand 
Sishya is concerned on the swaroopam of Jeevathma,( not on the sareera(body) 
which it lives.

O.K. There are two ways to be followed for Moksha

1. one is by following the sastras
2. the other placing the faith in the path of ¡¥Thirumantharam¡¨

Who are the people eligible for these options?

If any one wants to follow sastras strict observance of sastra with out 
anyfault is necessary. He should follow the sastras applicable to his varna. 
That is sanadhana Darma.

All are eligible to follow the course of Thirumantram. The requirements 
areabsolute faith in the path and sincerity.
¡¥KANNAN KAZHLINAI NANNUM MANAMUDAIYEER  
ENNUM THIRUNAMAM* THINNAM NARANAME (T.V.M.10.5.1)
(Those who desire to reach the feet of Lord Krishna, think of ¡§Thirunamam¡¨
It is definite you will reach Sriman Narayana)
ENNPERUKKU ANNALATHU
ONNPORUL EERILA
VAN PUGAZH NARARAN
THIN KAZHAL CHERE. (T.V.M.1.2.10)
Sriman Narayanan has infinite benefic qualities. Fall at his feet. That will 
save you surely)(AH.18)

To be continued to¡K¡K¡K>4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA
APPAN THIRUVADIGALE SARANAM

Free will (4)

Dear Bhagavathas, accept my pranam. This is in continuation of earlier posting.


Sastris(those who have opted for sastras) will rely on their effort (use one 
hand to hold the boat(sastras) and use the other one to push the river water( 
to cross the samsara)

Sarajaner (those who opted for Thirumantram which is essence of all vedas) 
crosses the samsara by sitting in the boat (Thirumantram/lord) and does nothing 
but to wait for the time to reach the shore. (AH.19)  

SESHATHVAM AND BHOKTHRUTHVAM: Those who have faith in sastras believe that 
these two qualities are the swroopam of Jeeva. The jeevan who aspires for bliss 
should do something to attain the Lord. This is the attitude of sastris.

Whereas the ¡¥Saragjaner¡¨ who has absolute faith in Thirumantram believes that 
it is Emperuman who is enjoying the jeevathma. The real quality of Jeeva is 
¡§Bhoghyathai¡¨ and emperuman will do whatever necessary to get that enjoyment. 
Jeevan has no freedom in this regard.(AH.24)

But, BHOGTHRUTHVAM AND SESHATHVAM, are the qualities of Jeevan. That is thesame 
for those also who has faith in Thirumantram Then, why there should be 
difference?
For Sastris:- these two qualities are part of their action.
To get a result effort is necessary.
That effort also is based on the knowledge of seshathavam.
So, action based on Seshathvam and bhogthruthvam are part of the effort to 
obtain the result.

But, for Prapannas (who have absolute faith in Thirumantram
Emperuman is the enjoyed. 
He should only act. 
Jeevan should be a part for his action. 
He should desist from initiating any action.

WHY?

Athma activates body.
Jeevathma is the body of Emperuman.
IT IS PROPER FOR EMPERUMAN ONLY TO TAKE ACTION
Jeevan should act as per His wish. That is Seshathvam. and Parathantharyam

ALSO, Bhogthruthvam is for Emperuman
¡¥Parathantharyam ¡¥and ¡¥Bhogyathi are the real swaroopam of Jeevan.
So jeevan should be accomadative for Emperuman¡¦s wish.
He has no independnce .
¡¥AHAMMANNAM AHAMANNAM AHAMANNAM¡¦
AHAMANNATHAHA: AHAMANNATHAHA: AHAMANNATHAHA?¼(Thaitriyupanishad)
( I am food(sweet) to Lord, I am food( sweet) to lord, I amfood( sweet) to 
Lord¡¦
I enjoy Lord¡K¡K..)(AH.25)

KARMAM.&.KAINKARYAM What is the difference?

Karmam ..Asathya, Anithya, Varna anugunam.

Varnam or caste is based on body;(sareera occupied by the soul) not based on 
Athma. Actions based on varna are not eternal, not real to Athama, and will end 
on death.

Kainkaryam is the action of Jeevan to Emperuman as wished by Emperuman..
THIRUMALE NAANUM UNAKKU PAZHAVADIYEN¡¦ (Thirupallandu)
This is the action in accordance with swaroopam.(AH.26)
 
So, What contemplates the action (karma) and Kainkaryam?

¡¥VIDHI¡¦ directives of sastras that induces one to do something
or prohibit him to abstain from certain action These are applicable to Sastris.

¡¥RAGAM¡¦ or Premam or Love towards emperuman in the case of Prapannas is the 
cause for Kainkaryam.
¡¥UGANTHU PANI SEITHU UN PATHEM PERREN (TVM.10.8.10)

What is the target or end of Karma and Kainkarya?.

AVARAVAR VIDHI VAZHI ADYA NINRANARE (TVM1.1.5)
Those who believe in sastras get the result of their actions by worshippingthe 
smaller deities (the bodies of Emperuman).

NALLATHOR ARULTHANNALE KATTINAM THIRUVARNGAM UYVARKKU UYYUM VANNAM(Thirumalai. 
10)( Lord reveals himself to those he wishes to bestow his grace.
Prapannas do kainkaryam to Emperuman as it is their swaroopam (AH.29) 

Karma is ordinary as it is done to smaller deities, the bodies of Sriman 
Narayanan
The Upasaka for his benefit does karma according to sastras.

Whereas the Kainkaryam is to sriman Naeayanan by the devotee, in the form of 
archavatharam
And hence an extraordinary one. (AH. 30) 

The duties of various varnas have some duties in common and some specialto 
their varnas only. Smilarly, the duties of asramas of the same person vary from 
one stage to the other. On this anology, for prapannas engaged in 
kainkaryam,(special duty) the duties as for common man can be allowed to slip.
But, elders still continue to follow them at their convenience for the simple 
reason that followers will abstain from such actions if they do not do so.. 
That will set a precedent for the collapse of the set up (AH.31)

Those who are engaged in Kainkaryam stand apart from others.

Why?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To
 be continued to ¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K>5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------






[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list