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Prapatti for other fruits

From the Bhakti List Archives

MR MOHAN R SAGAR • October 10, 1996 


--------------------------begin Jaganath's quote

Prapatti as is understood today is done only for moksha.  But 
Prapatti can be done for securing other fruits as well, as in the 
case of Draupadi, who did so for the safety of her husbands.

--------------------------end quote

Prapatti involves the recognition that the Lord is both Upaya and 
Upeya, and consequently, could involve no other desire than the 
desire for Him.  It follows, then, that Prapatti done with the 
motivation to secure other fruits could not be considered Prapatti at 
all.

I think it would be more in conformance with the nature of Prapatti 
to presume that the Lord, out of His Unfathomable Compassion, will 
provide whatever is best for the devotee, whether he/she desires it 
or not.  This is best illustrated by the Prapatti of Vibhishana.  He 
sought nothing other than Sri Rama's Mercy, and yet, the Lord 
bestowed upon him the Kingdom of Lanka.

In the case of Sri Yamunacharya, there is no doubt that his heartfelt 
wish was that Emperumaanaar would succeed him.  However, there is no 
evidence within the Stotraratna that he indicated this to the Lord in 
the performance of Prapatti.  The Stotraratna paradigmatically 
indicates the true nature of Prapatti, desiring the Lord as the "be 
all and end all."  I would only presume that the Lord fulfilled 
Yamunacharya's wish out of His Mercy, in the same manner as the 
bestowing of a kingdom to Vibishana.

Daasanu Daasan,

Mohan