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Copy of: Prapanna PaarijAtham -- Part 3

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V. Sadagopan • November 4, 1997 


Dear BhakthAs :
This posting might be useful to
those , who are not receiving SaraNAgathi 
Journal . Prapanna PaarijAtham as a 
Sri Vaishnavite source grantham is very important
in my opinion . Hence I am posting the article 
on the architectonics of the grantham in the Bhakthi 
list as well . It is indeed the take-off point and inspiration 
for many works  to follow on the subject of SaraNAgathi 
by many AchAryAs , who followed after 
Sri NadAthUr ammAL .
DasOham ,
V.Sadagopan 

--------- Forwarded Message ----------

From:   V. Sadagopan, 75041,3037
TO:     AR, INTERNET:vvijay236@aol.com
CC:     SR, INTERNET:Srengara@ford.com
        vas, INTERNET:vasanthi@umich.com
DATE:   11/3/97 9:18 AM

RE:     Copy of: Prapanna PaarijAtham -- Part 3

Sree PraNathArthihara Varadha ParabrahmaNE nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama :
SrimathE Vaatsya VaradhArya mahA guravE nama: 

In this posting , I will cover the remaining two 
introductory verses prior to the first of the ten 
paddhathis known as PramANa paddhathi .
I will comment more on the fifth verse inview 
of it providing the scope of this grantham .

In future postings, I  will cover key slokams
from individual chapters . I will connect these
thoughts to the contributions of Swami Desikan 
thru his many sthothrams and granthams dealing
with SaraNAgathi in Sanskrit , Tamil 
and MaNipravALam . 

May the PeraruLALan bless these efforts ! 

Slokam 5:
**********

prapatthErmAnasowbhAghyam , svarUpam , adhikAryapi I
prapannAnAm gurou vrutthi: sreemsE , surishu ,sathsu cha 
vihithEshu vyavasthAnam , varjaneeyam , palam tathA I
yEthE dsArthA : kathyanthE thrayanthAdhya artha sangraha: II

This verse is like a table of content for the treatise
revered as Prapanna PaarijAtham . Our AchAryA 
equates the content of his grantham to the saaram 
of the teachings of  VedAnthA ( upanishadhs ) . He is
suggesting that he is not elaborating on some thing new .

We have referred in an earlier posting to the ten topics that
are the focus items of this grantham . I will restate them
here for convenience in  a different manner . These are :

1.The unimpeachable Vedic authorities for Prapatthi
2. The nature of Prapatthi
3. The adhikAris eligible for Prapatthi
4. The duties of a PrapannA towards his/her AchAryA 
5. Their duties towards Sriman NaarAyaNA
6. Their duties towards the Muktha JeevAs 
7. Their duties towards the BhagavathAs of the Lord
8. The duties to be observed as prescribed by SaasthrAs
9. The activities  to be rejected ( prohibited by SaasthrAs)
10. The result of the strict observance of Prapatthi ( Palam )

1 .PramANa  Paddhathi : The grand and ancient authorities 
for Prapatthi or self-surrender is the first item that 
this grantham focuses on . Source literature from 
Sruthis , Smruthis , AagamAs , IthihAsAs and PurANAs are 
quoted to establish the ancient history of Prapatthi . 

Our Acharya establishes clearly the antiquity of the doctrine
of Prapatthi and traces its roots to the VedAs and Upanishads
in this chapter.

2. The nature or SvarUpam of Prapatthi 
    *****************************************
The five angAs of Prapatthi and the two types 
of Prapatthi --Arhta and Tr.uptha -are covered 
in the second chapter .

3 . The AdhikAris eligible for Prapatthi 
     **************************************
The nature of one , who is entitled to perform
prapatthi is covered here. Every one is entitled 
as long as they are cognizant of the fact that they
are unable to adopt any other means of salvation .
The wise , the dullard , the one of high caste or low
caste , pandithAs , paamarAs , all of them are 
prescribed to have the rights to perform prapatthi 
and to proounce the words of Prapatthi only once .

4 . The Duties of PrapannA towards hi/her AchAryA
      *****************************************************
The AchArya is intrepreted as a DesikA or the teacher
of Brahma VidyA and  as such needs to be revered ,
praised and worshipped .The proper Guru is defined as 
the one , who has learned sAsthrAs from an unbroken 
line of AchAryAs . Their age or caste is irrelevant to
the sishyAs . Guru-Sishya relationship is also covered
in this fourth paddhathi .

5 . PrapannA's duties towards Sriman NaarAyaNA
     ****************************************************
The prapannA 's duty is described as wearing Sri VaiashNava
chinnams and doing ArAdhanam for Him with parama bhakthi .
The importance of Mula Manthram in such worship is 
covered  here .

6 . PrapannA's duties towards the Muktha Jeevans(eternals ):
     ****************************************************************
Muktha and Nithya Jeevans are the blessed attendants 
of Sriman NaarAyaNA performing nithya Kaimkaryam .
The importance of the worship of Maha Lakshmi with
co-primacy of status with Her Lord is stressed . The
worship of the other consorts of the Lord , His parivArAs 
such as VishvaksEnA , AananthA , GarudA and purvAchAryAs
as Sri Vaikunta Vaasins is covered in detail in this chapter.

7. PrapannA's duties towards BhagavathAs of the Lord
    *********************************************************
The importance of Bhagavatha sambhandham and 
Bhagavatha ArAdhanam is the focus of this chapter.
The Key slOkam associated with the Lord is the proof
positive for the loftines sof Bhagavatha worship and 
avoiding BhagavathaapachAram . The Lord says :
" I am the slave of those , who touch the BhagavathAs 
withb their limbs ( prostrates ) ,even sit nea rthem , 
see them and even hea rthem " .

8. Duties of a PrapannA
    *************************
The classification of KarmAs and an identification 
of those that need to be performed by PrapannAs 
in the Post-Prapatthi period is the subject matter of
this chapter. PrayAschitthAs ( expiatory rites ) for
lapses in prescribed conduct is also covered .

9. Activiites to be renounced by PrapannAs 
    ********************************************
Elaborate descriptions of acts that are prohibited 
are given in this chapter . The importance of ananya
Bhakthi and Guru SevA are highlighted .

10 . The fuits of Prapatthi
        ***********************
The dearness of the prapannAs to the Lord 
are described in His own words : " I out of my own 
accord receive on My head all the worship made by
the prapannAs , whose minds are totally devoted to Me" .
Praaptthi is described as yielding Moksha SaamrAjyam 
and eternal service to the Lord in Sri Vaikuntam , the greatest
of all boons that one can aspire for in all the worlds .

THE SIXTH SLOKAM 
**********************

Here our AchAryA clarifies the intent behind his efforts
to create Prapanna PaarijAtham . He says :

sruthArhta mananasThemnE mama , nEtharathA , srama: I
sODavyam athra skalitham sadhbhir vishaya gouravAth II

(meaning ) : " For fixing the mind( by constant meditation) on 
the teaching received-this is my endeavour and nothing else. 
Any faults herein found should be excused by the good 
people in consideration of the gravity of the subject ." 

This slOkam is not seen in some of the copies of 
Prapanna PaarijAtham .

With this slOkam , Our revered AchArya requests for 
a clear understanding of the purpose behind his efforts 
in writing his treatise on SaraNAgathi . He states clearly
that it is not for spreading the information on Prapatthi or
for gaining fame or wealth from the anadhikAris , but for
sharing what he has learned from his achAryAs on this
most serious and lofty subject . He begs for forgivance
about any errors that he might make inview of the grandeur
and intricacy of the subject matter .

SrimathE Vaatsa VaradArya Mahaa GuravE nama:
Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan