Re: Bhakti and Prapatti

From the Bhakti List Archives

• October 22, 1995


P. Dileepan wrote:
* >    So, prapatti has no prerequisites!
* >
* >
* 
*            I was a little hasty with this statement.
*            One must have faith I think for prapatti.

You have hit on the central point of debate between the
Thengalai philosophy of surrender and the Vadagalai.
According to Pillai Lokacharya, prapatti as no prerequisites
at all.  Faith is not a prerequisite but something that
just falls into place if true prapatti is done. Prapatti
involves 'akincanyam' (a feeling of helplessness) and
'ananygatitvam' (having no other refuge). The two examples
cited time and time again are Kaakaasura, the bird who
tormented Sita and then performed prapatti, and Draupadi,
who when tormented by Duhsasana, surrendered to Lord Krishna.

Mani