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Sharanagathi gadyam and the3 stages of Bhakti

From the Bhakti List Archives

jasn sn • June 21, 2002 


SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

Ref: The postings related to parabhakti, paragyanam
and parama bhakti sent by Sri Ram kumar and discussed
by others.

Let me in my simple understanding say the following.

Ramanuja uses these three terms as three essential
stages of Bhakti yoga.
The first is parabhakti -
 # It arises due to good deeds done in previous
births.
 # It helps one to know God as taught in scriptures.
 # In other words one must be born with some knowledge
of the Supreme to have parabhakti.
 # This helps the devotee in moving ahead in Bhakti
marga.

The second is paragyana-
 # This is the DESIRE to see God.
 # The devotee feels the pangs of separation from God
and longs to have His dharshan (not the archa-moorthy
but the real experience to see Him.)

The third is parama bhakti-
 # This is a longing for a complete experience of God
in fullness. 
 # Attaining this stage signals FINAL RELEASE.

Now the question,
 why Ramanuja asked for it repeatedly in Sharanagathi
gadyam?
In fact it is Bhagawan who repeatedly assured
Emperumanar that He is granting / has granted the
three Psto him.
A look at the life history of Sri Ramanuja shows that
he was propagating prapatti as a means of moksha until
the fag end. But it was only during his anthima
kaalam, parama bhakti overtakes him,
i.e., he decides that enough is enough, 
I want to come to YOU.  
Appealing to periya piratti, 
he presents his application to the God that he be
relieved of his worldly chores.

He chants Sharanagathi gadyam and then Ranga gadyam
(The very formulation of his request in gadyam form -
which is a non-stop recitation with no full stop etc
shows how impatient Emperumanar has become  with the
earthly living and how he wishes to urge the lord to
take some decision about his request.

Initially Perumal tries to convince him -why this
urgency? You can continue in your mission.
But later relents "saptaaham jeevithavathi"
And Ramanuja makes arrangements by allotting portfoios
to others before he breathed his last.
In his case, Emperumanar who was already experiencing
parabhakti and para gyanam, felt the pangs of parama
bhakti and hence started asking for the completion of
the entire Bhakti process culminating in reaching the
'ponnadi' of the lord. 
The 3 Ps are  not a later or new addition as a means
of moksha. 
These have been told on earlier occasions too, but
differently. 
Only that Ramanuja became  a living example to that. 

The following verses from BG corrocborate with the 3
stages.
BG 11-54 -parabhakti.
BG 9-34 -paragyanam
BG 4-9 - paramabhakti

Azhagiya Mnavalaperumal nayanar  brings out the 3
stages in Nammalwar's Thiruvaimozhi.
In fact the concluding part of Acharya Hrudhyam
(AH)defines these three terms.
According to AH 4th prakaran -  (230-12 to 234-16)

para bhakti is GYANA -AVASTHAI.(the knowledge)
paragyanam is DHARSHANA-AVASTHAI.(seeing Him)
parama bhakti is PRAAPTHI AVASTHAI. (Reaching Him -
the accomplishment)

Nammalwar can be extensively quoted
for his parahakti, paragyana, parama bhakti.
Parabhakti is of course the cause of his renditions.
Paramabhakthi can be enjoyed in the 'Evaiyum avayum'
series (Thiruvaimozhi 1-9)How the alwar extols the
lord who has come to be in his tongue, eyes, brow,
uchchi etc. -to  top it all - suvaiyan thiruvin
manalan ennudai choozhal ullane)

AH describes the 'kanden' pasurams as containing para
gyanam encompassing parabhakthi.
Paramabhakti is revealed in the series ending with
'andamil'.

AH puts forth a question relavant to this discussion
- nammalvar has already made prapatti in Thruviruttham
- the vinnappam -in nindra neermai ini yam uraamai-
why he was not granted moksham instantly by the lord?
AH continues to tell that if a prapannan is granted
mokham immeditely upon his prapatti, people might
consider prapatti as a poisonous stream, that which
will swallow the prapannan immediately.
No that must not happen. The union must take place
with all the drama(!)
The process of a reaching His vibhoothi through parama
bhakthi, gives rise to 'aarthi adhikara poorthy'.
The prapannan waits with thaapam, desire, continues to
think of the  lord "ini ini " endru - its like inching
towards the climax 'when will it happen , when will HE
call me,. is it now or in the next moment? when
when..." 
Paramabhakti has all the climax in it that bestows a
strange sense of longing in both the lord and the
bhaktan (a leela?) This might provide an explanation 
why the lord keeps telling that HE has granted the
same to Ramanuja in Sharanagathi gadyam. 

The 3 stages of Bhakti as found in the  gadyam seems
to give us a  message. 
We easily talk about big things like sharanagathi.
Without a second thought we are able to say 'sarvam
krishnarpanamastu'while we may not really mean it!
Anubhacvam is a remote thing for most of us.
 But Ramanuja shows the 3 Ps as an easy upaya to make
the surrender.
The questions like how to relinquish sarva dharman, 
how to get into the act of surrender -its easier said
than done- are too real for us.
These need not worry the seeker if he upon clinging to
parabhakti, just continues to immerse himself in the
same direction. He is then gauranteed the other two
Ps.
It is as simple as that!

Viduveno en viLakkai, en aaviyai,
naduve vandu vuyakkoLgindra naadhanai,
thoduve seidu eLa aaichchiyar kanninuL
vidave seidu vizhikkum em piranaiye!

Jayasree  sarnatahn




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