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Re: Phala Samarpana

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • August 22, 1997 


"phala samarpaNam" means that the fruit of moksha
is not the individual's but God's alone.  Not only
do we surrender ourselves (svarUpa samarpaNam),
the burden of accomplishing salvation (bhara samarpaNam),
but we also give up the fruit -- it is not for ourselves
that we wish to attain Him, but for Him alone, so we 
can perform unceasing service to Him. Only through seeing
His pleasure at our service do we take delight.

This is the meaning of Sri Desika's first verse of 
"nyAsa daSakam", his ten couplets on self-surrender:

	aham madrakshaNabharo madrakshaNaphalam tathA
	                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
	na mama SrIpater evaity AtmAnam nikshiped budhaH

He is wise who surrenders these three to the Lord as His
own.

To clarify, bhakti, jnAna, and Ananda are only antecedent
fruits of SaraNAgati; the parama purushArtham (highest
aim of life) is unending service to God and all that belong
to Him.  Bhakti, jnAna, and Ananda proceed from this alone.

This is one of the understandings of kulasekhara aazhvaar's
famous words

	padiyaay kidandhu un pavaLa vaay kaaNbEnE

	Lying as a step to holy abode, may I see your
	beauteous countenance!

It is explained that the aazhvaar's joy arises after
serving the Lord, seeing that He has enjoyed His service,
and deriving pleasure from the flowering of his natural
relationship with Him.