bhogam

 

SvanishtAbhijn~Ana adhikAram: 14th Chapter of SRTSPrapannan recognizing special features in him after Prapatthi

 Those PrapannAs , who possess the three kinds of nishtais ( marks) perform appropriate nithya-naimitthika karmAs and will not perform any acts forbidden by Lord's SaasthrAs. Those PrapannAs who recognize these marks of Svanishtai in them are equivalent to the nityasooris who reside on this earth.

For those , who performed Prapathti based on a clear understanding of the inner meanings of the three rahasyAssee in themselves special features. These are the the unmistakable marks of Svanishtai : (1) clear knowledge about Svaroopam , UpAyam and PurushArTam. They recognize them and become happy .

The key passage in this Paasuram is: " Mukkiya Manthiram kaattiya MoonRil nilai udayAr--mEdhini mEviya ViNNavarE " ( Those blessed ones having the three nishtais ( Svaroopa, UpAyaand PurushArTa nishtais) revealed by Moola Manthram are the nithyasooris that have incarnated in this world.

 the marks of Svanishtai ;The five defenite marks from gaining the fruits of Svanishtai are: Knowledge that the insults of others do not affect his aathma svaroopam and thus are not affected  by those insults. Having mercy on those , who acquire pApams as a result of insulting him thanking them for pointing out the deficencies in himconsidering that others insult him prompted by the Lord and not being cross at them as a result feeling happy that his sins are reduced by others insulting him and the transferral of those sins to them.

 

The Marks of UpAya Nishtai The five marks are:  Conviction that the Lord alone is the Protector  Welcoming death , when it happens as a dear guest Feeling consoled over the thought of having the Lord as the Protector in times of suffering after gaining the fruits of BharanyAsam , staying unengaged in other upAyams and efforts (5) stayingconvinced that the destruction of inauspicousness as well as the auspiciousness is Lord's responsibility.

 

The Marks of PurushArTa NishtaiThe three marks ofthis type of Nishtai for a Prapannan are:  lack of worry about the nourishment of this body ;accepting that the nurturing of the body is taken care of by the Lord and enjoying bhOgams that came his way withoutany effort and considering those bhOgams as steps to reduce his karmAs. Intense engagement in Bhagavath kaimkaryam independent of the pleasures or sorrow that come his way great dhvarai ( haste) in enjoying Bhagavath anubhavam.

 

Swamy Desikan states that the Krutha Kruthya PrapannAs spend the time on this earth in between Prapatthi and ascent to Parama Padham as a dream state and spend that time on this earth as a result of special bhAgyam . During this time , they thank the Lord for the marks of svanishtai that they see in them and treat those blessed marks as sEsha Vasthram (Parivattam) on their heads and spend their remaining days on this earth ( Swamy DatthAm svanishtAm  sirasi sEshAm kruthvA sEsham aayu: nayanthi).

 

Kaimkaryams done in the Post-Prapatthi period

 After the Lord accepts the plea for accepting the burden of protection of the chEthanam , the Prapannan is freed from the debts to DevAs, Rishis and Pithrus .With this glory , Prapannan acquires the power of uninterrupted kaimkaryams performed by nithyasooris in Srivaikuntam , right here on this earth during their remaining days here.

There are still duties that are to be performed by the Prapannan in his post-prapatthi period until he ascends to Srivaikuntam to join the MukthAs and the Nithyasooris  for nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord . He should engage in Bhagavath-BhAgavatha Kaimkaryam with delight and without expecting anything in return ( Svayam-prayOjanam).

He should learn with humility from ParamaikAnthis , move with them and banish even a touch of ego about his status . He should understand and meditate on the avathAra rahasyams of the Lord taught to him in SrImad Bhagavath GitA . He should consume Saathvik aaaharam and continue to do  Aj~nA , anuj~nA kaimakryams without discontinuity.

The key pasage of this Paasuram is: " VaNN Thuvarai KaNNan koLLa  kadankaL kazhaRRiya BhagavargaL vilakku inRi mEvum adimai yellAm maNN ulahatthil mahizhnthu adaihinRanar" ( After the Lord of DhwArakai accepts their Prapatthi, the PrapannAs gain all kaimkaryams done by the nithyasooris in Srivaikuntam right here on this earth ) .

The Six items to practise and banish in Post-Prapatthi period To forget :: desire to enjoy material pleasures To think about :: The UpakArams of AchAryan starting from His first Glance .To avoid ::  Talking about his glories & SuperiorityTo engage in : : Recitation of Dhvaya manthramTo avoid by all means :: ApachArAm to BhAgavathAs and  Brahmavidhs by Manas , Speech or bodyTo engage with all means :: Bhagavath-BhAgavatha-AchArya  Kaimkaryams  by mind , speech and body.

 

BhAgavatha Kaimkaryam is the limit of all Kaimkaryams The BhagavathAs of the Lord have clear comprehension of' the VedAnthams   and will continue to marvel at the anantha kalyANa gunams of their Lord . We as the servants of the Lord should perform kaimkaryams to the Lord's BhAgavathAs with affection and should not swerve from the path shown by the SaasthrAs of the Lord.

The Key passage of this Paasuram is: " NaaTan vahuttha vahai peRum nAmm nalladiyArkku aadharam mikka isainthu nilai kulayA vahai ninRanam" ( We who have gained the grace of the Lord through our Prapatthi stay on the righteous path shown by the Lord through our loving kaimakryams to His BhAgavathAs).

The most desired kaimkaryam by BhagavAn is the kaimkaryam that the PrapannAs perform for His BhAgavathAs. Therefore , BhAgavatha Kaimkaryam is the ultimate limit of Bhagavath Kaimkaryam. BhAgavathAs are free of five kinds of blemishes: desire to committ aparAdhams / transgressions prohibited by the Lord's SaasthrAs. Doubts about the meanings of Saasthrams links to DevathAntharamsThought that the bhOgams that come their way are a result of their endeavours. 

 

the thought that the fruits of the bhOgams that came their way belong to them.

PrapannAs should perform kaimkaryams to such ParamaikAnthi BhAgavathAs free from the above five kinds of blemishes and recieve their anugrahams as svayam prayOjanam.SaasthrIya NiyamanAdhikAram: 

The 17th Chapter of SRTS Prapannan not transgressing the Lord's SaasthrAs We the PrapannAs followe unswervingly the directions of the SaasthrAs and performed Bhagavath Kaimkaryam to attain the status equivalent to the Nithyasooris. In this dark night of SamsAram , where our ajn~Anam grows rapidly , we have no agents to banish that darkness except the cool light of Vedams . BhagavAn uses the PramANams of Vedams to develop His Saasthrams to define the auspicious and the inauspicious.We follow therfore those Saasthrams to become like the famed nithyasooris.

 

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " NilamaLanthAnithu nanRu , ithu theeyathu yenRu nadatthiya nAnn maRayAlanbhudai vAnOr nilayil ninRanam " ( The Lord who measured the Universe during His ThrivikramAvathAram showed us the right and wrong way through His SaasthrAs rooted in the VedAs . We followed them faithfully and have been blessed to reach the status of Nithyasooris  in performing kaimkaryams ).

The upadEsams of BhAshyakArar will help us understand and follow the ways prescribed by the SaasthrAs.Saasthram is the hand lamp in this samsAric world filled with the darkness of ajn~Anam.

The Prapannan folowing the way prescribed by the Lord's SaasthrAs should be vigilant about three beliefs:

(1) SrI VaishNavAs are anukoolars (Friends)
(2) Bhagavath virOdhis are prathikoolars( Foes)
(3) SamsAris who are indifferent to the Lord are inbetween.

When  a Prapannan meets SrI VishNavAs , he should be delighted as when he experiences bhOgya vasthus. When he
comes across Bhagavath virOdhis , he should have fear and disgust as when he meets a snake and othe visha janthus. When an indifferent samsAri comes his way , the Prapannan should treat them like worthless objects l(e.g)., a blade of grass or a broken tile .These are the ways shown by the SaasthrAs.

There are two kinds of Kaimkaryams clasisfied by the SaasthrAs:
(1) Aj~nA Kaimkaryam like ThrikAla SandhyAvandhanam and othe nithya karmAs . If one does not perform them , we incur the wrath of the Lord
(2) anuj~nA kaimkaryams like pushpa kaimkaryam to the Lord. If one   does not perform them ,
there are no sins accumulated. If one performs them , one can get their fruits. Improper performance of even anuj~nA kaimkaryam can result in pApams.

AparAdha ParihAra adhikAram : The 18th Chapter of SRTS
Paapams not joining the Prapannan

(64)  A Prapannan afraid of the bundles of his sins performs prapatthi ; after that , he will not commit
knowingly sins that interfere with Bhagavath kaimkaryams. If he has the ignorance/avivEkam  to commit such pApams , he will perform PrAyascchittha prapatthi to destroy the roots for the generation of such pApams . After the performance of the PrAyascchittha Prapatthi ,  the avivEkam causing those sins will be thoroughly destroyed.

Additional Comments

The Paapams collected before Prapathti are destroyed by the act of Prapatthi. After Prapatthi, those sins accumulated
knowingly  during dangerous situations and those  unknowingly accrued from kaala , dEsa viparIthams will be destroyed without coming near the Prapannan. Those knowingly committed can be destroyed by PrAyascchittha Prapatthi.The way in which the  later is destroyed is as follows: (1) Quarter of the Paapams is destroyed by repentence over committing such a pApam (2) Quarter is destroyed by stopping from engaging in such
pApams (3) the third quater of the pApams is banished by the efforts to do prAyascchittham and (4) the last quarter is
destroyed by the act of PrAyascchitth Prapatthi.Thus all of these pApams of the PraapnnAs are destroyed . Those
PrapannAs , who do  not perform PrAyascchittha prapatthi will recieve some punishment from the Lord in this world
and thus will be cleared of the pApams. Thus for a Prapannan, rebirth or naraka vAsam does not happen by any means. Bhagavatha apachAram is the most heinous of all Paapams and should be avoided at all costs.

STAna VisEshAdhikAram: The 19th Chapter of SRTS

The Fittest place to reside is where the BhAgavathAs live

(65) The places of residence of ParamaikAnthis is equivalent in sacredness to the combination of the sacredness of  dhivya dEsams in HimAlayan mountain , the banks of Ganges river, CauvEri banks , SvEtha dhveepam and AyOddhi .Such places are the fittest places of residence for a Prapannan. When the Prapannan is not firtunate to live in a Bhagavath KshEthram populated by ParamiakAnthis , then any place where ParamaikAnthi BhAgavathAs reside is fit for the residence of a Prapannan.

The key passage of this Paasuram is : "Vaann nAdu uhanthavar vaiyatthu iruppidam nall nilam" . ( Those places populated by the BhAgavathAs of the Lord should be the preferred residences for the PrapannAs during the post-prapatthi period).

Paasurams 66- 70

In this posting , adiyEn will cover 5 more Paasurams( 66-70) of Desika Prabhandham , which are the 27th to 32nd Paasurams of AdhikAra Sangraham.

NiryANAdhikAram: The 20th Chapter of SRTS

All times & Places are Fit for Prapannan leaving his body
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(66) There is no special prerequisite for the Prapanna Jeevan to exit from the body via Brahma nAdi . There is no special requirement that this exit happens at a special KshEthram or at a particular time or a particular season.Whatever the time or place or season , all of them are equally auspicious for the exit of the Jeevan by the special naadi.

In the ChEthanam's heart , 101 naadis (nerve pathways ) originate. There is one special naadi in the middle of the 100 naadis.It is called Brahma naadi or Moordhanya naadi or Sushumnai. The jeevans   that travel by any one of the 100 naadis --other than the Brahma naadi-- reach lOkAs other than SrI Vaikundam. Prapanna Jeevan alone is
assisted by  the Lord to travel by Brahma naadi  and archirAdhi mArgam ( the path of light ) and reach SrI Vaikuntam.

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " adiyavarkku angu vilakku ilathu. athu nalnilamAm , athu naldEsamAm , athu nalpahalAm , athu nalnimittham yennalum aamm" ( For PrapannAs , the time and place of departure is not restricted. Any place from which they leave their bodies would be an equally auspicious place. The time at which they
leave their bodies would be the auspcious time . The nimittham associated with the exit of their jeevans would be an auspicious nimittham. There is no requirement that the Prapanna Jeevan has to have the thoughts of the Lord during the last moments (anthima smruthi). This requirement is only for those Jeevans, which  practised Bhakthi yOgam as the upAyam for MOksham .There is no requirement that Prapanna Jeevan has to exit from the body during Sukla paksham or UttharAyaNam. Such is the power of Prapathti !

Gathi visEshAdhikAram: The 21st Chapter of SRTS

The Explanation of the ArchirAdhi Maargam (The Path of Light )

(67) The Prapanna Jeevan leaves the body by Brahma Naadi and then travels with sookshma sarIram (subtle body) via ArchirAdhi Maargam to its destination of SrI Vaikuntam. On the way , it is greetd and honored by Agni dEvathai,
the devathai for the Day , Sukla Paksha dEvathai, UttharAyaNa dEvathai, Samvathsara dEvathai, Vaayu dEvathai, Sooryan, Chandran, Lightning dEvathai , VaruNan , Indhran and PrajApathi . These dEvathias are known as AadhivAhAs and are representatives of the Lord with the assigned duties of welcoming the Prapanna Jeevan to their stations  and guide the Jeevan to the next station .  The upachArams that the Prapanna Jeevan recieves is not due to the fruit of their karmaas but is due to the power of the UpAyam ( Prapatthi yOgam) that they practised.
After enjoying the upachArams from the AadhivAhikAs , the Jeevan arrives at SrI Vaikuntam , its final station in its journey.

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " nadai peRa-- pirasApathy yenRu ivarAl ---idai idai bhOgankaL yeythi  yezhil padham yERuvar". (Thus the Jeevan traveling on its path to mOksham recieves upachArams from aadivAhikAs like PrajApathi and others , enjoys the pleasures and finally arrives at  the radiant SrI Vaikuntam to perform nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord and enjoy total bliss in the company of Mukthaas and Nithyasooris).

ParipoorNa BrahmAnubhavAdhikAram: The 22nd chapter of SRTS

The enjoyment of unalloyed & total bliss in SrI Vaikuntam

(68) SarvEswaran is pleased with the jeevans , who undertake the simple upAyam  of Prapatthi , and rushes forward to bless them with the fruits of that UpAyam(Moksham) . At the SarvEswaran's sacred  feet , our AchAryAs are performing nithya kaimkaryams. Our merciful AchAryAs wished that we also become beneficiaries of performing such kaimkaryams . Therefore, we should perform Prapatthi , reach SrI Vaikuntam and stay at the feet of our AchAryAs and enjoy the limitless bliss of Bhagavath- anubhavam without interruption.

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " Yezhil padham yERi --GurukkaL kuzhAngaL kurai kazhal keezh mARuthal inRi yezhum bhOhatthu mahizhnthu mannuvam " ( After ascending  the beautiful Parama Padham , we will be rooted blissfully at the sacred feet of the ghOshti of AchAryas moving around with the naadham of their ankle bells and stay there enjoying Bhagavath guNAnubhavam with them and without ever returning to SamsAric world . Swamy Desikan describes this ParipoorNa BrahmAnubhavam as " Kanath mahAnandha Brahma anubhava parIvAhA: " Such a Muktha Jeevan enjoys the Lord without satiety ( Achyutham nithyam anubhavathi) as a result of this easy to perform upAyam of Prapatthi.

SidhdOpAya-sOdhana-adhikAram : The 23rd Chapter of SRTS

SrIman NaarAyaNan is the veritable SiddhOpAyam

(69) SrIman NaaRaYaNan is the Sarva vidha Bandhu ( related to us at many levels and in many ways). He is the Ocean of Mercy who destroys our ajn~Anam. As MahA Lakshmi pleads on behalf of us , His dayA grows further and further.That compassionate Lord stands in place of other difficult-to-practise upAyams for us who are incompetent to practise any upAyam other than Prapatthi and becomes the SiddhOpAyan and grants the fruits of Prapatthi
(Moksha Phalan) to us .

SiddhOpAyam is SarvEswaran , who is the ancient and timeless UpAyam that exists before any upAyam that we practise ( SaadhyOpAyam) such as Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam.

The key passage of this Paasuram is: " inn amuthatthu amudhAl irangum Thiru NaaraNanE maRRu ohr paRRanRi varippavarkku manniya vaNN SaraNN" ( SrIman NaarAyNan persuaded by the sweet intercession of His nectrine consort takes pity on us , who have no recourse and choose Him for their protection  . For those Prapanna janams ,
He becomes the durable SidhOpAyan ) .

Additional Comments:

(1) In SRTS , Swamy  Desikan sums up the way in which the Lord becomes SiddhOpAyan: " Niravadhi DayA-Dhivya-udhanvAnn Parama Purusha: Jaladhi-sudhayA saardham Jagath paripAlayan prathishta-bhara:  ATHAAM SIDDHOPAAYA: "  ( The Lord with innate compassion , who is the Ocean of Divine DayA rules the world with MahA Lakshmi , accepts the burdens of protecting PrapannAs and becomes the wish yielding SiddhOpAyan for them).

(2) SidhOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram is one of the four adhikArams of what is revered as SthrIkaraNa BhAgam of SRTS. Here , Swamy  Desikan resolves the doubts raised by others about the Lord, who is the SiddhOpAyan , the embodiment of an upAyam that is not done by us and exists before any of our UpAya anushtAnams.He is the most important upAyam for us.

(3) Swamy Desikan flattens the objections of  doubters who question (a) EmperumAns" SvAtantryam and Sahaja KaaruNyam as guNams ( the GuNams of independence and intrinsic compassion) (b) The Sesha-Seshi relation between the Jeevan and Iswaran and (c) The role of His divine consort as adumbrated in the "SrImath Sabdham " stressing Her role as  UpAyam (Means) as well as UpEyam (Goal) .

(4)Swamy Desikan establishes the indispensablity of the divine consort of the Lord in the RakshaNam of all and Her staying together with Him as UpAyam and UpEyam based on pramANams from Sruthi, Smruthi , AchArya Sookthis and SampradhAyam .

(5) As the divine consort , PirAtti is present in three forms : LayArcchai , BhOgArcchai and AdhikArArcchai . The Form of PirAtti , who stays without seperation on the Lord's chest is LayArcchai. The Devis staying by the side of the Lord as Ubhaya NaacchimArs represent BhOgArcchai. The Devi , who has Her own temple represents AdhikArArcchai . In the context of UpAyam and UpEyam doctrines associated with PirAtti , Swamy Desikan points out that  ParamaikAnthis not seeking any fruits for their kaimkaryams , worship  the PirAtti in Laya and bhOga Archais. PirAtti is AdhikArArchai is generally associated with granting of desired phalans . Since She is the Consort of the Lord , ParamaikAnthis offer their namaskArams to Her as well.

SaadhyOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram : The 24th Chapter of SRTS

Bhakthi and Prapatthi yOgams are SaadhyOpAyams

(70) Upanishads assert that  the Lord accepts the chEthanam for protection and granting the phalan of Moksham after that chEthanam undertakes the upAyam of Prapatthi or Bhakthi yOgam. These upAyams pracised by us ( SaadhyOpAyams) reduce the anger of the Lord over our trespasses and generate in Him the compassion to
grant us mOksham .Realizing that He is the SiddhOpAyan , we perform as per our capacity one of the SaadhyOpAyams of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam and are protected by Him to enjoy Moksha Sukham.

 The key passage of this Paasuram is: " Aadhalin nAmm uraikkinRa nalneRi Ohrum padikaLil Ohrnthu Ulaham dharikkinRa  ThArakanAr TahavAl dharikkinRanam" ( Upanishad states : YamEvaisha vruNutE tEna labhya:/ Whom the Lord selects , that Jeevan alone becomes qualified to attain the Lord. Therefore , we seek the upAyams of
Prapatthi or bhakthi yOgams recommended by the Sruthi and Upanishads and are saved from SamsAram by the Lord , who has vowed to come to the rescue of those practising these two upAyams ) .

Additional Comments

Swamy  Desikan responds to the doubts raised by those who question the validity and efficacy of SaadhyOpAyams like Bhakthi and Prapatthi yOgams in this chapter.He clears the doubts about the eligibilty of all to pracise Prapatthi . He establishes that all are eligible for Prapatthi upAya anushtAnam for gaining the fruits of Moksham .

Swamy Desikan  answers those who question the Svaroopam of Prapatthi . He establishes that the plea by the Jeevan to the Lord to accept the responsibility of  protecting it through Prapatthi with its five angams is the true svaroopam of Prapatthi. Swamy Desikan goes on to answer many questions raised by doubters based on many pramANams
in this important chapter on SaadhyOpAyam.