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Re: [RE: saranAgati]

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Vijayalakshmi Hari • July 15, 2000 


Dear Shree K Mahesh,

The pre-requsite for doing "saranagathi"(for the sake of moksha)
is,  being unable to follow the other means prescribed by the Sastras to
attain  moksha-which is Bhakti.Expressing one's "AKINCHANATHVAM" &
"ANANYAGATHITHVAM"  is exactly what is called as prapathi.That is, prapathi
means, one is unable  to  do Bhakti & surrenders totally in the lord's
feet-the only effort which he  can  make for the sake of moksha & prays the
lord to grant him moksha. That is why  it is said that prapathi should be done
only once - "sakrut eva". After doing  prapathi, one should have the total
unshakable faith that the lord will  protect him & grant him moksha.So he
should not have any kind of suspition in  this regard & should not do prapathi
again & again for the same sake(for  moksha).  The five points being  
mentioned in this context should be understood as follows.  One should start
cultivating the sathvika nature in him & perform  any act with the following
state of mind.  
1. Kartuthva tyagam-With the intention that "He"(that person himself) is  not
the doer of any act.It is the lord who is present as "Antharyami" within  him
who makes him do the act.  
2. Boktruthva tyagam-With the intention that the act is being performed  for 
the lord's sake & not for his own sake.  
3. Phala tyagam-With the intention that it is ultimately the lord who  enjoys
the fruits of the acts & not him.  
This exactly means that one should gradually start inculcating (cultivating)
the non-egoistic attitude in him. It has to be noted in this context that if,
after doing prapathi, a person happens to commit any sin (happens to violate
the above mentioned five points) knowingly or unknowingly, then he gets the
punishment for that sin but his prapathi remains unshaken. But if he happens
to suspect the basic act of prapathi itself & resorts to activities like 
"Anya  Devatha Worship", "Anya Upaya Anushtanam"(i.e, doing prapathi & later
suspecting it & again resorting to Bhakti for the sake of moksha)  then the
prapathi which he has done becomes meaningless. So, ultimately, it is the
"MAHA VISVASA" which is stressed every where. 

Coming to your next question, doing prapatti under an Aacharya is the superior
most way by which one can easily do prapatti. By this way one can do it
properly and successfully. 

One has to clearly understand the Artha Panchakam and with the understanding
of this one has to approach Aacharya and request him for prapatti. The Shree
Vaishnava Aacharaya is the correct person to make you to do prapatthi (after
Pancha Samskaaram), by "Sankalpam", "Satvika Tyaagam" and Prapatthi
Anushtaanam in which is "Anusandaanam" of the five angaas (Anukulya sankalpam,
pratikulya varjanam, maha visisvaasam etc) of prapatthi and telling the "Dwaya
Mantra - Mantra Ratnam" before the Lord Shreeman Narayanan.

Thanks & Regards
In the service of Bhagavat Ramanuja's Shree Paadam,
Vijayalakshmi Hari
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