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Re: ref: prapatti

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sudarshan Iyengar H3–378 • May 27, 1994 


      It is interesting to note these passages from Dr. N.S. Anantharangachar's thesis
  "The Philosophy of Sadhana in Visistadvaita". He draws heavily from the 
  Rahasya Traya Sara of Sri Vedanta Desika. 
  I think this throws light on the interrelationship between Prapatti and
  Bhakti : ---


  " ... Desika declares that Ramanuja has expounded the doctrine of Bhakti
  in his Sri Bhasyam & Gitabhashyam and that he has expounded the doctrine of 
  Saranagati in his great Gadyas."
 
  "Bhaktiyoga and Prapatti are the two chief upayas to be adopted for attaining
  salvation. These two means are quite different and distinct and are meant for 
  two different types of aspirants.........."

  " ..... Bhakti and Prapatti are very closely interrelated and are generally given
  a common name as Prapatti or Bhakti. The diffrence between the two, viz. Bhakti and
  Prapatti is pointed by terming them `SadvAraka' or `Anga Prapatti' and `AdvArka' or
  `Angi Prapatti', respectively. Bhakti is included in Prapatti and Prapatti is included
  in Bhakti. That is why Bhakti is called Sadhana Bhakti and Prapatti is called Sadhya
  Bhakti. Those who adopt Prapatti as the sole and direct means, are adpoting Sadhya
  Bhakti whereas those who adopt Prapatti as an auxillary means to perfect another
  means (viz., Bhaktiyoga) are adopting Sadhana Bhakti." 

  "The fundamental difference between these two means is this, namely, that Prapatti
  is a sub-means in one, and the Chief means in another. Both the aspirants of the
  path of Bhaktiyoga and Prapatti are virtually prapannas since the former adpot it as 
  an anga or part of Bhakti, whereas the latter adopt it as an independent means. 
  Likewise both of them are Bhaktas, for Bhakti is the Phala or fruit for one
  and the Sadhana or means for another."

  "....The speciality of Prapatti is that it has universal appeal, without any
  restriction like Bhaktiyoga."

  Another interesting feature of Prapatti:-

    " ... Prapatti is capable of destroying even that part of the PrArabdha Karma
    that has not yet begun to result in addition to the Samchita Karmas. So the
    Prapanna is not obliged to be born again and again to exhaust the PrArabdha
    Karma just like the aspirant of Bhaktiyoga."

  To sum it up he adds :-

    "...Prapatti has all the merits of Bhaktiyoga without its limitations".


  regards,
 -sudarshan