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Re: Remembering our Lord during final moments..

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • August 13, 2001 


SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
Dear SrI Sriram,

Your question is very good and enables us to enjoy the greatness of the 
Divine name.. Sure.. There is no need for anthimasmruthi.. That is what the 
Lord says. Once you surrender at my Lotus Feet, as the means and the end as 
well, I will remember you at the time of death. Not to worry.

While bhaktiyOgam warrants a constant, uninterrupted remebrance of the Lord 
until the last breath, like a continuous flow of oil..with no cessation.. a 
prapannan (one who has performed prapatti) need not remember at the time of 
death.

AzhwArs also have expressed their inability to think of the Lord at the 
final moment..

Sri KulasekarAzhwAr in Mukunda maalaa says:

krishNa tvadheeya padha pankaja pancharaantham
adhyaiva mE visathu maanasa raaja hamsa:/
praaNa prayaaNa samayE kapa vaadha pitthai:
kaNTavarOdhanavidhou smaraNam kuthasthE?//

(adiyEn's free translation)Oh KrishnA! At this moment, at this spot of time, 
in my life, let the swan of my manas (mind), enter the Lotus Feet of Yours.. 
How can I remember You at the dying moment when my thorat is choked with 
phlegm (and emotions), mucus, bile and air (gasping..)

so, appOdhaikku ippOdhE solli vaitthEn..- says PeriyAzhwAr.

Though if we simply utter once His Divine Name and perform saraNAgathy once, 
it is adequate and He does not expect anything else; He takes
a pledge.. etc.., it is still sweet to utter His divine name always..
His name is for our enjoyment. By uttering his divine name, By performing 
the kaimkaryams for His pleasure; By prostrating at His Feet at his temples 
and at our perumAL sannidhi, we are able to carryout what pleases the 
Lordwith manas, vaak, and kaayam (mind, word and deed).

Swamy Varaaha PerumAL says: with all three organs of senses(karanam)
namely manas , vAk and kAyam (speech, action and thought) we must surrender 
to the Lord.
Think only about him, act only for his pUja, and speek only in
praise of Him. Immediately bhUmipiratti grasped this easy means to reach the 
Lord and thought it fit to be preached to us in this samsAra.

So she incarnated as AndAl and descended in this world. Andal is none else 
but BhUmAdEvi herself. The preachings of VarAha to BhUmi PiraaTTi is 
enscribed in the 5th verse of tiruppavai "vAyinAl pAdi , manatinAl cindikka, 
tUmalar tUvi tozhudu" . This is the same as what was conveyd to her by Sri 
VaraahaperumAL (maanamilaa panRi)


namAmi nArAyaNa-pAda-pankajam
karOmi nArAyaNa-pUjanam sadA |
vadAmi nArAyaNa-nAma nirmalam
smarAmi nArAyaNa-tattvam avyayam || 35

Also, SrI kulaSEkhara says that he is engaged in the three-fold worship of 
SrIman-nArAyaNa - through manas, vAk, and kAyam. (mind, speech and body) The 
AzhvAr says that he worships the Lotus Feet of SrIman-nArAyaNa; he is 
performing tiruv-ArAdhanam for Him without any interruption; he is reciting 
His blemishless names  and is constantly thinking about His eternal glories.

When Sri Ramanuja performed his Saranagathy at the feof Divya Dampathi 
during Setthi sEvai at Srirangam composing Gadyatrayam
(Saranagathy Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam and Sri VaikuNta gadyam), the Lord 
accepts his Surrender and says:

"Keep uttering Dwaya manthram contemplating ITS MEANING and get over even 
the semblance of ALL the HURDLES; Live like that, HAPPILY in SRIRANGAM till 
your body is worn out and will not house YOU ANY MORE"

When your body falls down, you will shine BRIGHT BY MY GRACE and you will 
see My Darshan and You will be GREATLY INQUISITIVE to see Me and Reach Me to 
Serve Me; and you will shed the BODY like removing the Old Cloth; you will 
get All Bhakti for Me Due to My Grace; You will get "Nitya Kainkaryam" for 
Me; and you will Not desire anything other than the bliss and happiness of 
performing Nitya Kainkaryam;
Have No Doubts about This (mA thE bhoothathra samsaya:)
I have NEVER UTTERED FALSEHOOD; Nor will I ever; Rama Never TalksTwice; 
"Once, whoever surrenders to Me and says"I am Your Servant", I Give 
"AbhaYam" to All such Beings";

Isn't it a pleasure uttering His Divine Names at all times..
Thanks for giving us the oppotunity to discuss this..
Regards
Narayana Narayana
aDiyEn Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

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