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Swami Desikan's view on karmas

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mohan Sagar • May 5, 1997 


Mr. Dileepan writes:

>Remember, to show that Sri Krishna's views were misconceptions you must
>show, with Swami Sri Desikan's words, that our Karma has absolutely no role
>for mOksham. 

I must admit that I have not read RTS in much detail, so, what I write is
based on western scholars' comparisons between SD and MM.  However, from
what I have read on the subject, there is evidence to suggest that Swami
Desikan did not consider the performance of karmas as a means to moksha,
but, instead, saw these as part of the upeyam of serving the Lord.  For example:

---begin Mumme's translation---

Verse 29:

[Kainkarya is to be done] for the purpose of the Lord's pleasure, without
even desiring Moksha as a reward for the pleasure rendered.  Recognizing
that Moksha is has been gained by the Grace of the Supremely Merciful One
which arose because of his previous prapatti, he performs this service just
as Mukta serves to please the Lord, and like a healthy person drinks milk
[as its own delight.]  This must be taken to be the culmination of
Sattvikatyaga....the service he does according to Sastric commands and
permissions do not stary from the course of bhaktiyoga, he does not do them
as upayas for any other purpose such as svarga or moksha, but only for the
pleasure of the Lord.  In this way, he does not violate his state of having
no other upaya or no other purpose...

---End quote

Daasanu Daasan,

Mohan