||    The Glory of Prapatthi --Amudha MozhigaL of H.H. the 44th Jeeyar    ||

It is my bhagyam to share with you the Amudha MoazhigaL of Paramapadha Vaasee, SrivaNN SatakOpa Sri VedAntha Desika Yatheendhrar, the Mahaan, who blessed the Achaarya peetam of the Ahobila Mutt. I hope you enjoyed his truly insightful summary of the individual verses of ThiruppAvai. Today, I will translate his moving essay on the glory of Prapatthi.

Bhayam tyajatha bhadram vO dadhAthi karuNArNava : I
prapathyA tyaktha kOpassun pApinAmapi Madhava : II

(meaning) : Please abandon your fear ; He , the ocean of mercy blesses us with auspiciousness. Our Lord Maadhavan casts away His anger at those who have performed Prapatthi and chases away their sins and confers sarva mangaLam (on them with joy).

The adhikAris (qualified/eligible ones) who can practice Bhakthi yOgam in the manner prescribed by the VedAs are not too many; indeed it is doubtful that there has been any since NammAzhwAr attained Moksham through the practise of Bhakthi yOgam. Prapatthi maargam taught by our Lord to ArjunA is the most prevalent maargam for our deliverance form the cycles of birth and death (moksham).

The essence of Swami Desiakn's teaching is that Sriman NaarAyaNan gives the boon of equal moksham (sama moksham/no tAra tamyam) to all, who performed Prapatthi in the manner prescribed by sAsthrAs independent of their caste , creed , gender or status in life.

SaraNAgathi is of three kinds. One of them is the most important. The other two come next in significance. The most important one is called sva nishtai. Here, a mumukshu performs kalakshEpam with a sadhAchAryan and learns about the anantha kalyANa guNAs of Sriman NaarAyaNA, His svarUpam , subhAsrayam (divya thirumEni) ; next he learns from the AchAryA about the svarUpa , rUpa guNAs of his own jeevAthmA followed by an understanding of the nature of SaraNAgathi , its limbs (angAs) and gets a clear conception of what is an angi. Afterwards, he learns about the appropriate manthram used to perform one's saraNAgathi and the tight correlations between the different angAs of saraNAgathi and the corresponding padhams of the praaptthi manthram. He learns about the particular padham that is connected with the angi part of saraNAgathi. Driven then by his virakthi and desire to reach paramapadham, he gets clear instruction from his achAryan about the prescribed and ancient method of performing saraNAgathi. At a time of his own choice, he then places the burden of protection of his athmA (the Lord's own property) at the sacred feet of Sriman NaarAyaNA , the owner of his athmA through
the act of saraNAgathi (Bhara samarpaNam /Aathma nivedhanam). THIS IS SVA NISHTAI , THE HIGHEST MODE OF SARANAAGATHI.

There are not many, who have the needed qualifications to perform prapatthi through Svanishtai. It is doubtful, whether anyone has performed successfully svanishtai besides Swami Desikan some six hundred years ago. There may be some one , somewhere , but it is very doubtful.

The other two modes of saraNAgathi are known as AchhArya Nishtai and Ukthi Nishtai. People of all castes, creeds, gender or age are qualified to observe one or the other of these two modes of saraNAgathi.

The first of the two methods is Ukthi Nishtai. One stands in PrumAL sannnidhi along with the AchAryA and looks at the PerumAL and repeats after the AchAryA, the words related to saraNAathi given as upadEsam by the AchAryA in a saastraic manner.

The second of the two methods outside svanishtai is known as AchArya Nishtai. One approaches the learned AchAryan, falls at his feet and begs him to intercede with the Lord on his behalf. Then the AchAryan performs the saraNAgathi for his sishyan. AchArya Nishtai can be executed through a direct request or through an appeal not made in person. Some times, when one is too ill to travel to the AchAryA's side, then they write a letter or send a telegram, if it is an emergency, and beg the AchArya to intercede on his/her behalf through the performance of AchArya nishtai.

The compassionate AchAryAs themselves might elect to perform AchArya Nishtai for the children , dumb , blind , dim witted , lame and others, who are unable to participate in saraNAgathi fully due to their limitations of body or mind. The fruits of Moksham however is guaranteed for all of them. All are adhikAris for AchArya Nishtai and Ukthi Nishtai.

Lord Maadhavan controls His anger over the limitless sins accumulated by us, the Jeevans, and forgives our trespasses in the present and previous janmAs, once we perform saraNAgathi in the prescribed manner and blesses us with Moksha Sukham. That we have many janmAs prior to saraNAgathi is clear from His own words, " tava cha bahUni janmAni vyathithAni ". The sins accumulated over these span of many janmAs are beyond counting. Even the Lord has difficulty taking a measure of them. Even with all those limitless bundles of sins, the Lord out of His incomparable and infinite dayA quenches His anger and fulfills His promise made to ArjunA on the battle field:

sarva dharmAn parithyajya mAmEkam saraNm vraja I
Aham tvA sarva pApEpyO mokshaishyAmi maa sucha : II

You may still ask the question: Will the Lord give Moksham to one, who commits so many atrocities in this life and is recognized as a MahA Paapi ? The Lord will bless that MahA paapi too, since he has already said, " saraNam vraja , sarva pApEpyO mokshayishyAmi ". After this categorical statement in GithA , there is no reason to doubt Him . It is foolish to intrepret the meaning of this charama slOkam aspromise to remove the sins collected in previous janmams only. It includes all the sins accumulated in this janmam as well. KUrEsa has said in this context:

" Sri Ramachandran out of His infinite mercy forgave even the KaakAsuran , who committed the unpardonable offense of hurting Loka mAthA with his beak. Once that mahAparAdhi fell at Sri Rama"s feet and begged for protection, our Lord saved the asuran from the terrible damage of BrahmAsthram. Therefore, I am hoping that the Lord will quench His anger at us, MahA paapis , when we perform SaraNAgathi and bless us with Moksham ".

Therefore, there is no doubt that even a MahA paapi will be protected by the all merciful Lord , if he performs saraNAgathi in this janmam. Do not be afraid. SaastrAs state that even if one has committed the heinous crime of killing one's mother and father, the Lord will forgive even that person by controlling His anger, if he repents and seeks the Lord's protection as a saraNAgathA.

Even if one has taken to stealing as a profession, even if one drinks alcohol inspite of his high birth as Brahmin, even if he acts like a friend and betrays one behind one's back, even if he has committed brahmahatthi, even if he has coveted the wife of his AchAryA, even if he has murdered others, even if he has committed much worse sins, once he mutters the name of NaarAyaNA involuntarily or without intent during his last moments like AjAmiLan , then he is released of all paapAs according to Sukha Brahmam. If that is so, the effect of performing saraNAgathi recommended by the Lord in Bhagavadh GithA is bound to chase away all the paapams accumulated in this and previous janmAs. There need be no doubt about this. Therefore, we, the paapis can cast aside our fears and feel hopeful. Do not be deluded by the thought that you have to acquire tattva jn~nam through kalakshEpam and only thereafter qualify ourselves to perform saraNAgathi. What you have to do is to stand before your AchAryA in PerumAL sannidhi and repeat after the AchAryA the saranAgathi vaakyams, which state , " I have given the object known as " I " to You ; please remove my paapams and protect me ". You do not even need to know ,what that object referred to as " I " is.

AlavandhAr says in this context:

VapurAdhishu yOpi kOpi vaa
guNa dhOshAni yathAtathA vaa I
tadhayam tava paadha padmayO :
ahamathyaiva mayA saamrpitha: II

AlavandhAr says that Whatever may be the nature and attributes of this object known as aathmA, I have presented that object to You for protection.

Swami Desikan has pointed this tattvam in his Rahasya Traya Saaram and has said: " The Lord blesses even those , who do not have a full comprehension of the TattvAs and gives them Moksham , when they surrender to Him ".

PurANAs state that even a long term enemy of our Lord escapes damnation and is blessed with Moksham , when he performs saraNAgathi even during his last moments in his life due to some fortunate development. The example of KantAkarNan , an ancient enemy of the Lord is a testament to Lord's dayA for one , who sought His refuge even after years of declared enimity.

I will cover in this posting an incident described by the PurANam about an enemy of the Lord, who received His blessings, when he surrendered finally to the Lord due to a fortuitous combination of circumstances.

H.H. the Azhagiya singar uses this incident to illustrate how it is not too late even for a sworn enemy of the Lord to receive His protection and blessings.

The incident of GhantA karNan
*****************************

Once upon a time, there was a man with asura svabhAvam with the name of GhantA karNan. He hated Sriman NaarAyaNA steadfastly. He will not even look in the direction of Sriman NaarAyaNA or His bhakthAs. He cherished his enimity. He will not even let Sriman NaarAyaNA's name fall in his ear. To ensure that, he had tied big bronze bells on the top portion of each of his ears. If he sensed that anyone is going to utter the nAmAs of the Lord such as " NaarAyaNA , GovindhA " , he would shake his head violently so that the bells will ring and drown out the sound of the naamAs of the Lord. Even when he sensed the approach of the bhakthAs of the Lord , he will cause his bells over the ears to ring to avoid hearing the Lord's names.

He was however a great Siva Bhakthan. He will not eat without performing Siva PujA every day. He ate human flesh as well. He used to offer that and other flesh to Lord Siva. People used to run away from him for fear of being killed and eaten up. He roamed mostly in the forests and caves. The greatest joy for him was to perform pujA for his ishta daivam , Lord SivA. He received a lot of blessings from his steadfast devotion to KailaasAdhipathi.

Lord SivA can bless one with long life as for MarkandEyan and kick Yama dharman with His feet. He can also bless His bhakthAs with KailAsa PrApthi. He can also make His devotees to develop bhakthi for Sriman NaarAyaNA. There is no doubt about that. That is why the sAsthrAs state that one can realize bhakthi for Sriman NaarAyaNA ultimately, when one has bhakthi for Lord SivA untinged by bhagavadh dvEsham (hatred).

GhantA karNan however performed PujA for Lord Siva while maintaining utter hatred for Sriman NaarAyaNan.

One day, a great sage by the name of Sankhu karNar crossed GhantA karNan's path in the fores. The sage uttered the name of NaarAyaNA. When he heard the name of BhagavAn, GhantA karNan went into a rage and started to shake his head violently that activated the bells. The sage misinterpreted the ringing of the bells to mean that GhantA karNan(GK) was a bhakthA of BhagavAn , who was ecstatic about hearing the name of the Lord.

The sage approached GK to have "sathsangam". GK chased the sage away and answered the question of the sage and stated that he was a Siva Bhakthan. The sage asked GK the reasons why he was a Siva Bhakthan. GK did not answer him, but shouted back a question at the sage. He asked what sage Sankhu karNar was holding in his ears. The sage answered that he was holding the conches in his ears to realize moksham. GK asked what is moksham. The sage explained that it is the most blissful state, which cuts the cycles of births and deathsforever for the humans. GK asked the sage whether Lord SivA can confer that boon of moksham on him as his parama bhakthan. The sage said that he does not know and recommended that GK should take that question directly with Lord SivA.

GK rushed to KailAsam and requested that Lord SivA bless him with moksham. Lord SivA asked His bhakthan about the kind of moksham that GK desired. Gk answered: " I want to get rid of all my difficulties on this earth , reach after my death the world of bliss from which there is no return to this earth " . Lord SivA, who is parama dhayALu answered that Sriman NaarAyanA alone can confer such a moksham on any one , who seek His protection through saraNAgathi.

GK was enraged at Lord SivA 's answer. He tore the bells from his ears and tied them on his hands (GhantA hasthan) and returned to the side of the waiting sage shouting " NaarAyaNA , NaarAyaNA ". He described what happened at KailAsam and begged the sage to show him the place, where he can find Sriman NaarAyaNan.

The sage took pity on the suffering GhantA hasthan (GH) and pointed a yonder mountain and revealed that Sriman NaarAyaNan is there inside a cave of that mountain near a pond, where He was discussing with His consort, RukmiNi , about him (GH). The sage counselled GH to go to that cave and fall at the feet of Sri KrishNan and declere loudly that he was a helpless one (akinchanan) and he has no other recourse for protection (ananyagathi) and that he is falling at the BhagavAn's sacred feet seeking His protction and moksham. The sage siad that BhagavAn will grant him the boon of Moksham, if he followed his instruction.

GH asked the sage as to what Sriman NaarAyaNan would look like so that he can recognize Him. The sage revealed that Sriman NaarAyaNA will be adorned with Sudarsanam, Paanchajanyam and His mace and will be seen in the company of Sri RukmANI.

GH got now more worried and queried the sage about the Lord avoiding him and not conferring the boon of Moksham because of his past enimity towards Him The sage assured GH that the Lord does not bear grudges and will respond immediately, when He hears the " SaraNa " sabdham and asked GH to approach the Lord with good thoughts and with MahA VisvAsam in Him as a grantor of Moksham.

GH took off to the entrance to the caves with some offerings of flesh in his hands, rang the bells in his hands and cried out with great longing " NaarAyaNA , NaarAyaNA ". The Lord ran from inside the cave and GH fell at His feet and held on firmly to the lotus feet of the Lord and begged for forgivance and protection. The Lord wanted to shake his grip and run away from him. Sri RukmiNi dEvi interceded on behalf of GH and told Her Lord that it is not fair to abandon the SaraNAgathan. The Lord agreed and asked GH as to when he wanted Moksham. GH cried out and said that he wanted Moksham right away. The Lord granted his wish and mentioned that He is conferring Moksham to the younger brother of GH as well. At that moment, the jeevAthmA inside GH rose up from his falling body and ascended to Srivaikuntam via the archirAdhi maargam.

The sage SankhukarNar saw that uplifting sight and ran to the side of the Lord and begged for his own Moksham. Lord KrishNA responded and told him that he was not ready for Moksham, since he had not fully turned himself away from the pleasures of samsAram and therefore he had to wait.

This story from purANam suggests that even long term enimity to Sriman NaarAyaNA will not stand in one's way to gaining the boon of Moksham from Him , once we perform SaraNAgathi to Him in the saastraic manner and beg for His merciful intervention.

Those who cry out for His protection like GjEndrA without knowing who exactly was the supreme Lord and yet shouted for protection with the prayer: " O AdhimUlam , Lord of Gods ! I am unable to protect myself . I am at the end of my life. Please save me ". Sriman NaarAyaNA immediately ran to the side of Gajendran and rescued the king of elephants from the hold of the jaws of the crocodile. When Gajendra shouted out in fear and addressed " the AdhimUlam " , Indran , BrahmA , Pasupathi and other dEvAs knew that the appeal is not for them since they were not the supreme of supremes . They understood the message as being addressed to the one that has the qualifications to be known and saluted as Parabrahmam. Sriman NaarAyaNA responded to the animal king's cry. He responded similarly to the jeevAthmA inside the pot of curd (dadhi paandan) via AchArya nishtai and blessed that jeevan with Moksham.

Therefore, even if men or women or brahmin or otherwise, or from other creeds inside or outside India or sinners or puNyasAlees or bhakthimAns or earlier sathrUs of the Lord, once they perform SaraNAgathi to LakshmIkAnthan, He will not worry whether we are His mitrAs or chathrUs and will bless us all with Moksham in the spirit of His statements: " sarva PaapEyO mokshyishyAmi " and " VibhishaNO vaa yathi RavaNO vaa". He is dedicated to come to our rescue and as the ocean of mercy abandons His anger and disgust over our paapams and crowns us with the kireetam of Moksha saamrAjyam. This is the essence of SaraNAgathi as taught to us by the Lord Himself and His AzhwArs and AchAryAs.

Subhamasthu .

Sri LakshmI Nrusimha ParabrahmaNE Nama :
Sri Vedaantha Desika Yatheendhra VaryAa namO nama:
Sri NaarAyaNa Yatheendhra Mahaa DesikAya namO nama:

SeelamillA SiRiyOn , Oppilappan Sannidhi Sadagopan

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