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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #102


SrI:
Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:
Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:
Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

"SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!
VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi"!!


ArcirAdhi Parva, the seventh step to the transedental World
is the next parva in phala Kanda.

For a person who has performed Prapatti, punyAs are like
golden hand-cuff's and pApA's are like iron hand-cuff's.
He wants to get rid of both. At the time of death the
Lord clears him of all this. The antaryAmi releases and
carries him from the prison of stoola sarIram.

The Devas had accepted a lot of offerings in the form
of yAgas and other karmas that have been performed by
this Jiva earlier. They all are now happy to see his
greatness. They are afraid to cause apachAram to him.
They even offer him their salutations.

In the 85th Sloka of Achyuta Satakam "kadA amAnavAntA:
angimukhA...", the longing of the released soul to leave
this dark world of samsAra and ascend to Srivaikundam is
expressed.

The Lord's retinue graded from Agni Devata to amAnava
Devata lead the Mukta from this world to Srivaikundam in
stages, through the respective territories of each one of
them. People who lead the soul are called "AdhivAhikas".
In this list the first is Agni. He is also referred to
as "Archis". Because Archis (agni) is the first among them,
this path is referred to as ArchirAdi mArgam - the path of
agni etc. This agni welcomes the mukta and offers various
kinds of respects like poorna kumbam, offering light,
singing, offering showers of flowers and takes him till
the end of his region.

Swami has also mentioned this in saranagathy Deepika in
Sloka 39 "archirAdinam vishadapaksha vudakprayANam..".

The same is conveyed in the AdikAra sangraha (28) of
Srimad Rahasya thraya sAram - "nadai pera angi pagalOli
nAl uttarAyaNam aandu ..."

After agni the god of time, the god of suklapaksha, the
god of uttarAyana and the god of rain welcome him and
offer their respects.

vAyu, the wind God welcomes him next. After accepting
vAyu's offerings he gets near the sun. After receiving
the hospitality of Sun God he reaches the moon.

Then the God of Lightning leads him further. The Upanishads
state that amAnava (the God of Lightning) hands over the
chetana to the Brahmam.

Then varuna, Indra and PrajApathi join amAnava. Varuna,
Indra and PrajApathi accompany only till their boundaries.
But amAnava alone escorts the released soul completely.

This way, by Lord's mercy he nears the Viraja river. The
Sruti's state that he crosses this divine river by his mind.
"Mind" here should be understood as "Sankalpam". For a Mukta
his mere Sankalpam is sufficient to create and enjoy what
ever he wishes!

To summarise, the order is as follows -

(1) Agni Devata
(2) the god of time
(3) the god of suklapaksha (bright fortnight)
(4) the god of uttarAyana
(5) the god of rain
(6) Vaayu (wind God)
(7) the Sun and
(8) the moon.

Each of them welcome the released soul when it enters their
respective territories and escorts him till their boundary.
Finally, amAnava (god of lightning) escorts the soul to the
Lord who welcomes the soul warmly and in person.

The Sruti's emphasise that a person who reaches Moksha through
the archirAdi mArgam can take forms according to their wish
and will always be with the Lord. It is also mentioned that
they will not be subject to re-birth and will not suffer
happiness/ sorrow due to karmas.

The above write up is based on "Rahasyartha Vivaranam" by
Shri RamadEsikachAriyar Swami and Shri D. Ramaswamy Ayyangar's
commentary on Swami Desika's Saranagathy Deepika and
Achyuta satakam.


"Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!
SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !!"

...To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi