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[sv-poetry] Sri Vilakkoli Perumal, Thoopul/ThirutthaNkA dhivya Desam: Nithya AarAdhana Kaimkaryam for VilakkoLi PerumAL and Swamy Desikan : Part XXIX: Twenty Seventh SlOkam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • May 13, 2002 


SrI:

Dear BhakthAs:
  
Today , adiyEn will cover the Twenty seventh slOkam 
of Sri SaraNAgathi DhIpikai , where Swamy Desikan
describes the five limbs of Prapatthi and its angi,
(Bhara nyAsam) which qualifies it to be called ,
the Shadanga yOgam :

arTAntharEshu vimukhAn adhikAra haanE:
 sraddhAdhanAn Thvadh anubhUthi viLambha-bhIthAn
DhIpaprakAsa labhasE suchirAth kruthIva
 nyasthAthmana: Tava padhE nibruthAn PrapannAn

--SrI SaraNAgathi DhIpikai: SlOkam 27

Meaning: 
********
Oh ViLakkoLi PerumAlE ! Those fortunate ones desirous of
performing Prapatthi at Your sacred feet vow not to do
anything that is against Your SaasthrAs.They stay away 
from doing anything that would displease You (Praathikoolya 
Varjanam). These are the ones , whom Swamy Desikan 
describes as " Thvadh prAthikoolya vimukhA:). 

Secondly , they vow to do all things that will please 
Your ThiruvuLLam ( Your mind's disposition). They take 
the sankalpam ( make the pledge ) to do every thing
that will gladden Your heart ( aanukoolya sankalpam).
These are " Spurath aanukoolyA:" or the ones that display 
and engage in the performance of deeds that will please You. 

Thirdly , They recognize their helplessness and powerlessness
to seek other means (upAyam ) for Moksham and beg for Your 
mercy to be bestowed on them ( KaarpaNyam )for such a boon.
They reveal their state of utter helplessness and beg for
Your dayA ( Puna: krupaNathAm kruthvA).

Fourthly, They have MahA VisvAsam in the efficacy of 
the Prapaathi that they performed and have unassailable 
faith in You as their Swamy to grant them the Moksha 
anugraham.They are totally convinced about the fruits of 
their UpAyam (Prapathti )and drop all doubts about 
its efficacy and have utter faith in the fruits of 
their upAya anushtAnam (vigatha athisankA:).

Fifthly , They pray to SrIman NaarAyaNan to stand as 
THE upAyam for their protection and select Him as their 
Rakshakan /protector ( gOpthruva VaraNam ).They plead with 
SrIman NaarAyaNan to be their UpAyam for Moksha Sukham 
( Svayam upAya Bhava ithi eerayantha:).  

Afterwards , they place their plea for their protection
(bhara SamarpaNam , aathma nivEdhanam ) at Your sacred
feet since You have matchless powers (apAra sakthou
Thvayi)to come to their rescue ; they place the burden of 
their protection at Your feet ( Thvayi nija bhAram arpayanthi).
This is the sixth step of the ShaDanga yOgam or the angi 
for the other five angams .  

Additional Comments :
**********************
Our Lord's PoorNathvam , Aasritha Vaathsalyam ,
KaaruNyam for those who sought Him (SiddhOpAyan )
through the anushtAnam of Prapatthi (SaadhyOpaayam),
Sarva rakshakthvam , Samastha KalyANa guNa paripoorNathvam
are behind His ready and affectionate response to the PrapannAs. 

Our Lord is saluted as "nEtA " in Rg Vedam (III.20.4).
He is recognized and saluted as the Supreme Leader , who leads,
one and all , to peace and happiness in this life and thereafter.
Prapatthi with MahA VisvAsam (grand implicit faith) in His
"saving grace" has been referred to in many parts of Rg Vedam.
adiyEn will take it up in future postings. For now, we can
accept safely  that the "nama ukthi" or SaraNAgathy recognizes 
the Lord as a Universal saviour from the turmoils of samsAric 
sufferings (Rg Vedam: V.7.7) .Vedam compares Him to a cool 
spring of clear water (oasis) in the middle of a scorching desert;
Vedam salutes Him as the sturdy and leak-proof boat that can
transport the prapannan across the dangerous waters of the ocean
of samsAram to HisSupreme abode.Vedam also compares Him to 
a strong staff on which an old man can lean on to walk 
to safety (Rg Vedam: VIII.66.13, X.4.1, X.63.10, Vii.45.20 et al).

A great authority on Prapathti has commented on the significance
of Prapatthi this way: " A chEthnam is subservient to the Lord ;
the chEthanma cannot achieve anything without surrendering to 
the Lord.TheVeda manthrams declare that chEthnam has to choose 
the Lord for securing peace and prosperity here and hereafter. 
The comparison of a spring of water,a non-leaky boat and a firm 
staff to the Lord is very significant. One should reach the spring
of water in the desert to be saved. One has to board that boat 
to be transported across the turbulent ocean . One has to hold
on firmly to the  staff , if one wants to benefit from its support.
Likewise , one has to choose the Lord ( gOpthruva varaNam ) , who
is accessible to all and pray to Him sincerely for help (kaarpaNyam).
This is the secret of Prapatthi. Though (the exact) words of 
Prapatthi and saraNAgathy are not found in the samhithA portion
of the VedAs , we find that the principle of Prapatthi is
already there. These invaluable authorities (vedAs) imply
the principle of self-surrender , as a means (upAyam ) for 
attainment of spiritual perfection ( Vaikunta Vaasam and
nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord there)". The Upanishads ,
the Veda Siras , have expressly referred to Prapatthi and
instruct the aspirant (Mumukshu) to surrender himself at
the sacred feet of the Lord (SvEtasvatara , ChaandOgya, Mundaka , 
MahA NaarAyANa Upanishads). Smruthis (BhagavadgitA) , IthihAsAs
( RaamAyaNam/SaraNAgathy vEdam , MahA BhAratham )and PurANAs 
are rich in references to the Shadanga yOgam as a means to Moksham.
AzhwArs ( Prapanna jana kootasthar, Swamy NammAzhwAr and others)
and AchAryAs ( Naathamuni, AaLavanthAr, RaamAnujA , Swamy 
Desikan  et al) have performed Prapatthi and showed us the way.

In the next set of slOkams of SrI SaraNAgathy DhIpikai ,
Swamy Desikan elaborates on the greatness of Prapatthi
and refers to the glories of the PrapannAs. He comments further
that our Lord considers Himself a BhAgyasaali for acquiring
the MahAthmAs , who performed Prapatthi at His sacred feet.      
                   
SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
SrI Lakshmi Nrusimha ParabrahmaNE Nama:                        
                                                
NigamAntha MahA Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
SrI Maragathavalli SamEtha SrI DhIpa PrakAsa ParabrahmaNE nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan/SaThakOpan

( On May 26, 2002 SrI RanganAthA Temple at Pomona , NY will be
consecrating the Sannadhis for AchArya RaamAnujA , Swamy Desikan,
Adhi VaNN SaThakOpa Jeeyar, the tenth Narasimhan of Ahobilam 
and HH the 45th Pattam Azhagiya Singar ,the Jeeyar who commanded 
BhakthAs of North America to construct a Temple for Lord RanganAtha.
HH the 45th Jeeyar is also the MahAn , who built the South
Raaja gOpuram  at Srirangam. There are lot of expenses 
incurred in the consecration of the above four sannidhis . 
Your financial support for the conductance of the Vaidhika-Aagamic
rites associated with the prathishtai, Anna dhAnam will be 
most welcome. The details are at http://www.ranganatha.org/
Please let me know of your interest in sponsoring some
of the activities related to the three day long sacred rites
(May 24-26, 2002) at Sri RanganAtha Temple. Please come and join 
the other BhakthAs in these sacred celebrations).




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