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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #22


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:

Shri Vuyyak Kondar is the principle disciple of
Shri Nadhamunigal and our Swami has mentioned
Shri Vuyyak Kondar in Yatiraja Saptati, with
great respect.

"Namasyamy-aravindaksham Nathabhave vyavasthitam
Suddhasattvamayam saureh avataram-iva-aparam."

Swami pays respect by prostrating at the pair of
Lotus Like feet of Shri Pundarikaksha - Shri Vuyyak kondar. 
Swami sees a perfect personification of our Supreme Lord in
Shri Vuyyak Kondar. Swami states that Shri Vuyyak Kondar is 
a thorough embodiment of Suddhasattva as Shri Vuyyak Kondar firmly
established the doctrines of Shri Nathamunigal and passed the 
precious wealth to his disciple Shri Ramamisra.

Shri Vuyyak Kondar was once asked if he would like to learn 
the secrets of Bhakti Yoga instead of Divya Prabandam?

Divya Prabandham here stands for the "prapatti mArga".
"Either Bhakti or prapatti"  was the question.

Shri Vuyyak Kondar replied: "Will anyone agree to
perform a marriage in one's house with a dead body inside?"

- meaning, individual self realisation through the
secrets of yoga would amount to selfishness.
The whole world is in need of saving the knowledge
contained in Nalayira Divya Prabhandam.

Shri Vuyyak Kondar retorted that learning Divya
Prabandam is most important.

The term self-realisation (jIvAthma sAkshAtkAram) is usually
used for "jn~Ana yOga". Fruit of Bhakti-yOga is "God realization".

Thus the answer is : " If adiyEn gets to know bhakti yOga, then,
   adiyEn only will reach SrI VaikuNTham and not others; since

  a. for bhakti yOgam continuous meditation is needed =>
     no contact with people as such ; fully absorbed in
     meditating on SrIman nArAyaNA in accordance with a brahma
     vidya.

  b. Even if you tell others, hardly anyone has the qualification
     to take it up ; Even telling a stotram with full concentration
     on PerumAL is impossible for the people; what to speak of
     bhakti yOga.

  But, if adiyEn propagates Divya prabandham and thereby Prapatti
  mArga, not only adiyEn, but also many other fortunate ones
  will attain SrI VaikuNTham !! ".

  This is the essence of the answer by SrI VuyyakkondAr.

  We all are eternally indebted to this most merciful decision
  of  our pUrvAchArya Sri vuyyak kondAr. But for that decision,
  we will be roaming around somewhere OR at the best will be trying to
  perform bhakti yOga ( hopeless thing. Oh God!! we are really saved; ).

Shri Nathamunigal was pleased with the reply and taught him 
Nalayira Divya Prabhandam and asked him to impart this to all sincere 
devotees.

Shri Nathamunigal also named Shri Pundarikaksha
as "Vuyyak Kondar" in appreciation.

Shri Nathamunigal embraced him, just as how
Shri Rama embraced Hanuman.

Shri Nathamunigal cherished the treasure
[Shri Ramanuja's Bhavishyat Acharya Vigraha] given
by Shri Nammalvar. Shri Nathamunigal instructed
Vuyyak Kondar to pass on this treasure to
Shri Yamunacharya - Shri Nathamunigal's grandson,
and gave him some secret instructions.

Shri Vuyyak Kondar passed on this secret instructions
to Shri Mannakkal nambi. In all, Shri Vuyyak Kondar
acted as per the thinking and beliefs of Shri Nathamunigal
as Shri Illaya Perumal did for Lord Shri Rama.

Swami Desikan states that Shri Vuyyak Kondar has
parallels to our Lord. Swami states, that Shri Vuyyak Kondar 
had a controlled life - control of Rajo & Tamasa gunas and hence
was full of Suddha Satvam like our Lord.

There is probably a play of words here by swAmi dESikan.
The suddha sattvam material (ie. nitya vibhUti) is "aprAkruta" 
and is different from the "sattvam" belonging to the prAkruta 
material.

Prakruti (cosmic matter) is a jada < non-spiritual ; material > 
dravya and has _sattva_, rajas and tamas as its essential 
characteristics. But, "suddha satvam" is a dravya which is 
_different_  from prakruti. Suddha-sattvam is a spiritual 
substance and is ajada (since it is jn~Ana svaroopa , unlike 
prakruti). The divine body of PerumAL is made up of 
"suddha-sattvam" material and is _not_  "prakruti material 
devoid of rajas and tamas".

SrI VuyyakkondAr didn't have rajO and tamO guNAs and was 
stationed in complete sattva guNa and in this sense "suddha
sattvam". On a different angle, actually, SrI VuyyakkondAr
being an incarnation of a nitya sUri, had "suddha-sattvam"
(aprAkruta) thirumEni. 

Swami had referred to Shri Vuyyak Kondar in Adikarasangraha as
"...nan neriyai yavarkku-uraitta Vuyyak Kondar".

It is clearly established by Swami that Shri Vuyyak Kondar passed 
on the vital things he learnt from Shri Nathamunigal to Shri Ramamisra.

...To be continued!

Vuyyak kondar tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi