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Re: Do we need to ask Him?

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • December 2, 1996 


Dileepan wrote:
> No doubt His grace is the prime cause for salvation, but not begging for it
> (mOksham) seems a little, I am sorry to say, haughty to me. 

I tend to agree. And I think Mohan may have unknowingly
implied something about the position of ManavaaLa MaamunigaL
which is not the case.  Whether or not one considers prapatti
an act in the Vedic sense, prapatti is considered by all
acharyas as an act in the colloquial sense.

I was recently listening to a discourse on the dvaya mantram
by Kanchi Sri P.B. Annangarachariar Swami, who, as many of you
know, was a dedicated follower of MaamunigaL (as well as a
student and rasika of Swami Desikan's works).  He elaborates
on the meaning of the word ``prapadye'' (I surrender) in the
first sentence of the dvaya mantram.  This is quite clearly
a ``taking refuge'' with the assumption that the Lord will
save the individual.  Sri PBA Swami goes on to say that one
should do this whenever possible with mind, word, and body --
prostrate before the Lord, say the mantram, and believe in
the mantram.  Each of these is a good thing and should be done.
However, the principal element in the surrender is the
mAnasika, i.e., mental element.  I don't think Swami Desikan
would disagree with this at all, as mahA-viSvAsa (extreme faith)
is the most important element of his exposition of self-surrender.

The distinction lies in whether even this mental surrender
is technically an act.  I do not want to engage in a debate
over this issue, as it is pointless for us at our level to
talk about something so purely technical.  Suffice it to say
that saraNAgati is something that should be done as one's
acharya guides us.  The Lord will take care of the rest.

adiyEn,
Mani