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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

                                The Life After

 

          The Scripture exhorts us to get out of Samsara by adopting a suitable 

strategy therefor. This is because this world of ours is both impermanent and 

sorrow-filled-"anityam asukham lOkam". Things regarded by us as pleasures prove 
to be both short-lived and puerile-"alpam, astthiram". The Lord Himself tells 
us the way out too-"anityam asukham lOkam imam prApya bhajasva mAm". Having 
suffered enough from the unrelenting shackles of Karma, the only way we can 
obtain relief is to surrender to Him, either directly through Prapatti or 
indirectly through Bhakti. Since the latter strategy is beyond the 
contemplation of frail mortals like us due to its long-drawn-out and continuous 
nature, involving strict adherence to numerous tenets requiring super-human 
discipline, we have to plump for Prapatthi through our Acharya. This done, we 
live the rest of our lives on this earth in sweet relief-"nirbharO 
nirbhayOsmi", looking forward to the day when this life would end, the day the 
Lord would take us away to His abode. Why does Death scare us? Because of the 
inherent fear of the Unknown. 

 

Once we are assured that what awaits us at the end of this mundane life is 

nothing but Bliss, we cease to be concerned about the end, and in fact look 

forward to it, as we do to the arrival of a beloved guest-"priya athitim iva".  
       When we go to a new place, we are always apprehensive of the sort of 
welcome we would receive. Azhwars seek to allay such apprehensions by providing 
graphic descriptions of what awaits us at the doors of Paramapadam and en 
route, once we rid ourselves of our mortal coils and soar into the skies in our 
quest for the liberated life, in the gentle clutches of the Lord, who serves as 

MArgabandhu or VazhitthuNai, not only during our sojourn on this earth, but 
also when we leave for our permanent abode.

 

Sri Nammazhwar devotes an entire decad to the description of the Reception 
Party for the Liberated Soul, in the ten pAsurams beginning with "Soozh visumbu 
aNi mugil". The Kousheetaki Upanishad, Sri Bhashyakara's Vaikuntta Gadyam and 
Swami Desikan's "Gati VishEsha adhikAram" provide us graphic accounts of what 
happens when a PrapannA leaves his mortal coils.

 

Once the time comes for the spirit to leave the body, the Lord arranges for 
some plausible cause like a heart attack. All the ten external senses like 
speech, sight, smell etc. are merged with the mind, the mind in turn with the 
life spirit ("PrANa vAyu"). This composite of twelve items is then merged with 
the JeevAtmA, accompanied by the subtle aspects of the five elements comprising 
the mortal remains. The Lord, as the antaryAmi or Inner-dweller, keeps the 
JeevAtmA beside Himself, affording it much-needed rest and recuperation from 
the immeasurably long travails of  Samsara. After this, the Soul leaves the 
body, destined for its final journey, soaring up into the skies towards 
liberation and endless bliss.

 

During the commencement of the journey, the Lord ensures that the Jeeva leaves 
the body through the right exit ("Brahma nAdi"), as it would otherwise be led 
astray again to places of impermanence like heaven or hell. 

 

There are two routes leading from earth, the Divine Road ("DEva YAnam") and 
that of Ancestors ("Pitru YAnam"). The Lord takes the Jeeva through the DEva 
YAnam, which passes through the Solar orb ("tErAr nirai kadirOn mandalattai 
keeNdu pukku") and through the "archirAdi mArgam", the path to Paradise, with 
the deities controlling the Day, Shukla Paksham, UttarAyaNam, Year, the Wind, 
Moon and Lightning. The Soul is helped on its way by Varuna, Indra and 
PrajApati.

 

The liberation of a soul is a matter for such great rejoicing for the Lord and 

His acolytes at SriVaikuntam, that they arrange for a scintillating welcome, 

using both natural and manual phenomena. The thunderous rain clouds provide a 
tumultuous band,("aNi mugil tooriyam muzhakkina"), while the waves of the deep 
ocean raise their foamy hands in hearty welcome-"Azh kadal alai tirai kai 

edutthu Adina". We are told in Srimad BhAgavatam that the birth of Sri Krishna 

was greeted by deep rumbling in the skies, indicative of the glee at the Divine 

arrival-"mandam mandam jaladharA: jagarju: anu sAgaram". It is a measure of 

greatness of the liberated soul that it is afforded an equally joyous reception.

 

            We have seen VIPs being accorded a traditional welcome with an 

ornamental pot of water-a "poorNa kumbham". Unsatisfied with a mere vociferous 
welcome, the beautiful clouds shape themselves into enchanting pots, to be 
offered to the guest of honour--the liberated soul. The Sun, shining 

through these clouds, bestows them with a golden hue, making it appear as 
though the Atma is being offered a golden pot of water in welcome, adhering to 
the Shruti vAkya-"HiraNya pAtram madhO: poorNam dadhAti". Unwilling to be left 
behind in the reception party, the water-filled ocean adds its stentorian voice 
to the chorus of welcome-"neer aNi kadalgaL nindru Artthana". The entire path 
of the soul's progress to Paramapadam is adorned with giant festoons, adding to 
the general atmosphere of festivity and celebration.

 

          As the liberated Atma passes, those above rain soft petals of 
fragrant 

flowers and burn perfumed incense ("dhoopa nal malar mazhai pozhivanar"), while 
Devarishis assemble on either side in good numbers, welcoming the soul to their 
respective places, happy to see another devotee of the Lord being accorded his 
due. 

 

        All along the route to Sri Vaikuntam, dEvatAs put up specially 
decorated 

stalls for the blessed soul to relax for a second, while the clamorous beat of 
a 

rolling drum heralds its arrival to all those en route. The Sun and his 
associates hold out their innumerable ray-like arms in welcome and also point 
out the way to Paramapadam ("Kadiravar avar avar kai nirai kAttinar"). When 
there is a drumbeat, can song and dance be far behind? KinnarAs and GarudAs, 
specializing in the performing arts, provide a touch of melody and music to the 
proceedings ("GeetangaL pAdinar Kinnarar GarudargaL"), while the divine music 
of VEda ghOsham reverberates in the background ("VEda nal vAyavar vELviyuL 
maduttE"). 

 

Throughout the path of the Pilgrim's Progress, divine damsels burn incense, to 
make it fragrant. They watch the fortunate soul's ascension with sword-like 
eyes widened in wonder. Stentorian conches are blown to announce the arrival of 
the liberated Atma.  The Maruth dEvatAs and the Eight "Vasu"s, who hold such 
sway over a human being belonging to the mundane world, respectfully follow the 
liberated soul, singing his praise ("Marutarum VasukkaLum todarndu engum 
tOttiram sollinar").

 

When the Jeeva nears journey's end, the Lord rids the Soul of the subtle body 
and enables it to cross the river VirajA. Now, the Soul is endowed with a 
celestial and non-material body, quite different from its erstwhile mundane 
coils.

 

 After crossing the pond Irammadeeyam and passing the great Peepal tree known 
as Somasavanam, the soul is almost at the gates of Paramapadam. Just as a VIP 
is received a little distance ahead and brought with honour to the intended 
destination, Nitya Suris, the permanent residents of Sri Vaikuntam, accord a 
warm welcome to the Atma just outside Paramapadam. Clad in all their finery, 
their heads adorned with long and beautiful headgear ("Mudi udai vAnavar"), 
these Nitya Suris lead the liberated soul to the much-decorated ramparts of Sri 
Vaikuntam ("Kodi aNi nedu madiL gOpuram kuruginar").

 

Immediately upon entry into Paramapadam, Nitya Suris in charge of the gates 
welcome the soul and are so happy at the addition to their number that they are 
prepared to surrender their particular kainkaryam in favour of the new entrant. 
Since the liberated soul is close to Sriman Narayana, Nitya Suris consider the 
newcomer to be their master and treat former with all due deference. They are 
struck by wonder at the good fortune of the Atma, to have risen from the lowly 
mundane worlds of distress, disease and debilitation, to the eternal and 
glorious worlds above, beyond death and darkness ("Vaikundam puguvadu maNNavar 
vidhiyE!").

 

The Liberated Soul is still apprehensive-- he is after all a new entrant into 
the elite club of Sri Vaikunttam, consisting of exalted members like Adisesha, 
Garuda, VishvaksEna, et al. Even if Emperuman were to be happy at the soul 
reaching His abode, how would His intimate acolytes, entrenched for eternity in 
His service, treat the newcomer? Would they look down upon him, treat him 
patronisingly as a junior and a late entrant and allot for him only the 
left-overs in kainkaryam?

 

Dispelling such doubts, Azhwar assures us that the Liberated Soul, as soon as 
he enters Paramapadam, is received with honour by no less than the principal 
officers of the Lord, viz., SEsha, VainatEya and VishvaksEna, each vying with 
others to welcome the soul to their respective palaces. The soul is seated on 
an exalted throne, with even Nitya Suris performing the tasks of washing his 
feet to relieve the strain of the journey from Samsara to Sri Vaikunttam.

 

After the initial reception at the innumerable palaces of nitya suris, the Lord 
sends His female acolytes to bring the liberated soul to His abode. These 
divine damsels bear, as a measure of welcome, lighted lamps casting bright 
light, ornamental pots filled with water ("PoorNa Kumbham") and TirumaN and 
SreechoorNam for the newcomer. Above all, they bear in their hands the holy Sri 
SathAri, the coveted holy foot-rest of the Lord, a treasure every Sri Vaishnava 
craves for, and adorn the liberated soul's head with the same. This is similar 
to the current practice of receiving Acharyas a little distance ahead of the 
sannidhi, by an advance party of arcchakAs bearing the Sri SathAri. Azhwar 
tells us that the faces of these damsels glow like the full moon, exulting at 
the prospect of another kindred soul joining the Lord's kainkaryam ("nidhiyum 
narchuNNamum nirai kuda viLakkamum madi mukha madandayar Endinar vandE").

 

To cap it all, as soon as the liberated soul nears the Lord's Court, Emperuman 
Himself, along with His Consorts, meets the Jeeva and escorts Him to the 
gem-studded DurbAr ("vandu avar edir koLLa"), embracing the newcomer warmly to 
remove any vestiges of distress resulting from aeons of SamsAric suffering. 
Immediately, SridEvi allots to the new entrant the particular kainkaryam which 
is dear to his heart, so that he doesn't lose even a moment of the coveted 
service, for which everyone longs. Though Azhwar doesn't mention this, Sri 
Ramanuja makes it clear in his Vaikunnta Gadyam that it is the Divine Consort 
who is in charge of allotting to the muktAtmA the particular service desired by 
the latter, as also by Emperuman-"tat tat paricharyAyAm AgyApayantI". 

 

Accorded his due place of honour in Paramapadam, the Liberated Soul starts 
performing blissful service, affording himself and Sria: Pati eternal and 
immeasurable delight, in the company of kindred souls similarly immersed in 
Bhagavat Kainkaryam.

 

Does a contemplation of the aforesaid contribute in any way to us while we are 
in this world? Can we not enjoy our lives here peacefully, without a thought of 
what awaits us later? Anyway, we are destined to reach the Lord after our 
earthly sojourn, having performed Prapatti. Should we at all think of it now 
itself?

 

Swami Desikan says that, just as the mere contemplation of an impending 
marriage is extremely pleasurable to the young bachelor, so too, it is 
decidedly delightful for the Prapanna to think of the great bliss that lies 
ahead. It makes the rest of the mundane sojourn pass in a jiffy, with the 
sorrows and shortcomings of this life mattering not at all, in view of the 
incomparable treasure that awaits him at Journey's End. More than anything, it 
cures him entirely of the fear of death (which afflicts all ordinary mortals), 
making his life here peaceful and free of tension.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




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