Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Question : SaraNAgati-gadyam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sridhar Srinivasan • June 11, 2002 


srImathE rAmAnujAya namaha

Dear Sri Ramkumar:

You ask a valid question, but if you examine the issue up close, you will
see that there are two parts to it, and the first is a consequence of the
second:

1.  What is it that qualifies the jeevatma for mOksham?

2.  What are the requisite states the jeevAtma goes through to achieve
mOksham (as a consequence of whatever it may be - we will get to this a
little later).

Your first assertion that sharaNagathi (twam Eva upAya bhootho mE bhava iti
prArthanA mathihi sharaNagathihi) is a simple state of total surrender is
correct; but we also have to realize that the jeevAtma is encumbered with
substantial karmic baggage, and he has to over come this attachment to
samsaric miasma by internalizing that realization that perumAL is IT, that
srImannArAyaNa alone can save him from being stuck forever in perpetual web
of entanglements and sorrows (anantha klEsha bhAjanam) called samsAra.

It is now clear that it is not possible to overcome all our vAsanAs,
agnyAnam, achith sambandham without perumAL's nirhEthuka krupa (uninstigated
grace - clearly it is uninstigated because He does not need to shower it).
When swAmy emperumAnAr asks for relief mechanisms (gnyAna, bhakti, prapatti)
from perumAL, it is to underscore the assertion that only perumAL can even
provide us the tools for comprehension to comprehend that He is the upAya
and upEya.  All this (para bhakti - para gnyAna - parama bhakti) are
required to internalize the understanding that he is the upAya and upEya;
who is going to give it to the jeevathma - only He can.

Swamy Azhagiya maNavALa pperumAL nAyanAr goes one step further in
delineating this process.  He examines what provides mOksham and what keeps
us in samsAram, and describes a rational, step by step evolutionary process
for each.  It is the association with perumAL that gives us the requisite
knowledge - artha panchakam - to understand that he is the upAyam (-
jeevatma, paramatma, upaya, upEya, virOdhi swarupam).  When the jeevatma
turns away from this association with perumAL, and pursues achith
sambandham, he/she ends up perpetuating within the shackles of samsAra.

Hence, there is no contradiction when we seek perumAL's grace to evolve to
the state to understand that He alone is the upAya and purushArtha.

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jeeyar thiruvaDigaLE sharaNam

sridhar


--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/