8

DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Five Fundamentals-8

We saw that the main factor preventing our liberation from the mundane
morass is the Lord's displeasure and consequent chastisement, occasioned by
our continual transgression of His dicta, expressed in the form the Shruti
and the Smrtis. Swami Desikan lists no less than 12 ways in which the
aforesaid factor contributes to our remaining strangers to Paramapadam and
Bhagavat PrApti. Depending upon our stage and status in the life cycle,
Bhagavan nigraham affects each of us in a different way, as detailed below.

Swami Desikan lists the ways in which we are affected by this and the
consequences flowing out of such influence.

1. This divine displeasure results in our association with perishable
matter, which is characterized by three attributes-Sattva, Rajas and Thamas.

While the first-mentioned guNa, in its purest form, is the fountainhead of
all good things, when mixed with the other two characteristics of Rajas and
Thamas, loses much of its potency. The latter two contribute to almost all
of our misdeeds. It is association with such matter or Prakriti that causes
contraction in the JeevatmA's natural wisdom and makes it unmindful of its
true nature and attributes.

2. From this association with Prakriti comes about the connection between
the soul and the physical body and sense organs, which are but modifications
of mundane matter. Thus results the eternal prison sentence passed on the
erring AtmA, ensuring its confinement within a renewable material goal,
bound inextricably by the unbreakable bonds of Karma-
"thiNNam azhunda katti pala seivinai van kayittrAl
puNNai maraya varindu ennai pOra vaitthAi puramE"
says Sri Nammazhwar, describing the travails of the incarcerated
Individual soul. This material body not only imprisons us but also
completely subjugates us, making us abject slaves of our senses, helplessly
toeing the line our body wants us to - "nee tanda Akkaiyin vazhi uzhalvEn"
Sri Satakopa tells the Lord, describing the pitiful state of the Atma
comprehensively conquered by the unbridled senses running riot.

3. In many cases, even if the senses do dominate, an exposure to the
innumerable Scriptural texts telling us of our original glory and the way to
regain the same, would provide relief from our misery. However, what if one
is born as an animal, a bird, a worm or as a non-sentient object, which have
absolutely no opportunity for scriptural enlightenment? Such births, in
which one can do nothing to redeem oneself, are another effect of the
Bhagavan nigraham.

4. Even if one is fortunate to attain a human janma, the aforesaid factor
causes confusion in the mind, due to the influence of atheists, agnostics,
heretics and those with a skewed perception of matters. Once a man comes
under the sway of such people, he can very well be given up for lost, for
such is the misleading but persuasive pressures they can exert. It is very
few who can boast of coming back to the right path, after meandering in the
maze set up by the aforesaid "BAhya" and "Kudrishti" influences. There is
but one Ramanuja who could shake off the teachings of YAdavaprakAsa, only
one VEdAnti (Nanjeeyar) who could give up a lifetime of allegiance to
Advaita. And it is only mahAns of the caliber of Sri Tirumazhisai Piran, who
can boast of having mastered Buddhist, Jain, Shaivite and other systems of
philosophy and been convinced that VisishtAdvaita and Sriman Narayana
Paratvam were the only tenets worth adherence to -Says he,
"SAkkiam kattrOm, SamaNam kattrOm, SankaranAr
Akkiya Agama nool ArindOm-bhagyattAl
SenkaN kariyAnai sErndOm yAm teedilamE
Engatku ariyadu ondru il"

For ordinary mortals like us, these persuasive systems of so-called
philosophy is extremely overwhelming. That we fall prey to them is again an
inexorable effect of the Lord's displeasure.

5. Even those who manage not to fall in the pervasive net of the aforesaid
faulty schools of thought, find themselves unable to resist the puerile but
plentiful pleasures that this world has to offer- "iympulan karudum
karutthuLE tirutthinEn manattai" says Sri Parakala.

And once they become slaves to such addictive and ephemeral delights, their
perceptions become perverted ("viparIta gnAnam"), which in turn prevents
them from appreciating the true nature of the Lord and His attributes
("Bhagavat svarUpa tirOdhAnakarIM") Delighting in these juvenile joys,
people think less and less of the endless bliss the Lord has to offer, since
the former act as an extremely effective smoke screen, hiding the truth
about the Paramatma and His glories and in fact creating totally false
impressions about the things that matter. It is this that Sri Nammazhwar
terms as "poy nindra gnAnamum pollA ozhukum"

6. And where does the addiction to these mundane delights lead us? To
continued violation of the Code of Conduct prescribed by the Lord, pushing
us deeper into trouble. Intent on wallowing in the mundane mire, much like
a buffalo delighting in its habitat of mud, slime and dirt, we too omit
deeds we ought to do and indulge in acts we ought not to ?
"akritya karaNam and kritya akaraNam".
"SemamE vENdi teevinai perukki, terivaimAr uruvamE maruvi"
is how Sri Parakala puts this state of affairs.

6. The first sin is always difficult to commit: one sin leads to another and
thereafter, we adapt to sinning as a way of life. The conscience within,
which is initially very vociferous in chiding us when we go wrong, becomes
more and more muted in its protest, with every successive transgression.

The Mahabharata says that misdeeds destroy one's reasoning intellect, and
bereft of the faculty of distinguishing right from wrong, one hops with
expertise and ease from one offence to another, till sinning appears to be
a natural thing, shorn of its original stigma-

"PApam pragyAm nAsayati kriyamANam puna: puna:
nasthta pragya: pApamEva puna: ArabhatE nara:"

This chain of sin naturally generates greater displeasure in the Lord's
heart, resulting in our being inextricably and interminably caught in the
vicious cycle of birth, old age, death and purgatorial residence, ad
nauseam.

7. In their anxiety to ensure an endless enjoyment of puerile pleasures and
attainment of petty baubles, people propitiate petty deities who are
themselves prisoners of Karma and incapable of bestowing any but the most
insignificant of boons ("PENilum varam tara midukkilAda dEvar"). This is
how the worship of demigods, bhootAs, pisAchAs etc. gains currency, though
they are little better than their votaries, as far as KArmic fetters are
concerned.

8. Inebriated with the trivial bounties obtained from such petty deities,
people consider themselves to have attained bliss, just as worms find
pleasure in dirt and filth.

9. There are some who miraculously escape the aforesaid path of
self-destruction and tread the exalted route of YOga. Even such people are
not proof from Bhagavan nigraham, which makes them employ the sophisticated
spiritual tool of Yoga in the worship of demigods like Indra, which can at
best bestow limited fruits.

Worse than this class of people are those who direct their Yoga towards
contemplation of non-sentient things (like the glorious words of the Shruti,
the faculties of speech and thought, Water or Atmosphere) as the Ultimate.
Practitioners of this type of Yoga do derive minor benefits like the ability
of unfettered movement anywhere. Satisfied with such things, they abandon
the actual goal of all Yoga, viz., relief from all suffering and attainment
of endless bliss. The types of UpAsanam mentioned here are to be found in
the context of Bhooma VidyA, described in the ChAndOgya Upanishad.

10. Considering the contemplation of one's own soul to be by far superior to
the aforesaid types of upAsanam, others engage in four types of upAsanam of
the JeevAtmA-

a) Meditation on the JeevAtmA, as accompanied by its shell of perishable
matter (Prakriti), considering the former as verily the Ultimate:

b) Meditation on the individual soul, along with its material attachments,
as an entity distinct and different from the Brahmam:

c) Contemplation of the pure soul, uncontaminated by matter, as the
Parabrahmam itself, and

d) Contemplation of the individual soul, in all its glory and shorn of its
mundane associations, as oneself (aham).

All these four types of meditation (known as "Prateeka upAsanAs) do yield
fruits (known as "Kaivalyam") vastly superior to those resulting from those
mentioned previously, but which are still nowhere near the indescribable
bliss that BrahmAnubhavam affords. Further, inferior as they are, these
upAsanAs, when their effect is exhausted, push the upAsaka down again to the
earth, to get entangled once more in the cruel web of SamsAra, destined to
be born and die endlessly.

11. Even if one rises well above the puerile pleasures afforded by the
aforesaid strategies and remains steadfast in one's quest for Liberation,
Bhagavan nigraham is inescapable. Realizing the lowliness of AtmAnubhavam as
detailed above, the wise man opts for the infinitely superior BrahmAnubhavam
or the blissful contemplation of the Paramapurusha.

This Bhagavat upAsanam is again of two types-
a) The PanchAgni VidyA, in which the emphasis of contemplation is again on
the JeevAtmA. However, the Jeeva is contemplated as one with the ParamAtmA
as the inner dweller.

b) The other type of BrahmOpAsanam is that in which the ParamAtmA is given
pride of place and is meditated upon as one who has this JeevA as His
sharIram.

Here, a few words about the PanchAgni VidyA, which is one of the MOksha
mArgAs finding place in the ChAndOgyOpanishad. This strategy for liberation,
which was originally the exclusive preserve of Kings, was later imparted to
a Brahmin named Goutama uddhalaka.

In this VidyA, five entities--Swarga, the Cloud, Earth, Man and Woman?have
been rerpresented as five fires. When a person of righteous conduct dies,
the subtle forms of his faculties are first sacrificed in the fire called
Swarga. After experiencing pleasures there with an appropriate physical
form, the subtle form reaches the fire represented by the Cloud. Through the
rain precipitated by the Cloud, this subtle form reaches the Earth and
enters grains like paddy and wheat. Eaten by Man, this subtle form is then
sacrificed in the fire represented by Woman. Acquiring a normal physical
form again due to the coming together of Man and Woman, it stays in the
woman's womb for 10 months, is born into this world and undergoes the
aforesaid process again. One who understands this and worships the
Paramapurusha with devotion, reaches Paramapadam through the arcchirAdi
mArgam.

Those who practice munificence and philosophy with an eye on the merits that
would accrue reach the Svarga lOka through the PitruyANa or the path of the
forefathers and attain delectable sharIrAs like that of the Moon. After
exhausting the merits acquired earlier, they return to the earth through the
Atmosphere, Smoke, Cloud, Rain and Crops. These crops are then consumed by
Man and result in progeny when they reach the Woman. Thereafter, depending
upon the accumulated Karma, good, bad or ugly and high/low births result.

There are however some accursed souls who, due to their repertoire of
unalloyed misdeeds, traverse neither of the paths (arcchirAdi mArga or the
Dhooma mArga) and remain in this world, being born time and again as lowly
worms, mosquitoes etc. This, then, is the PanchAgni VidyA.

Coming back to the upAsaka, one would think that having come this far on the
uphill path and almost reached the crest of BrahmOpAsanam (contemplation of
the Ultimate); with the unfailing strategy of Bhakti YOga, the upAsaka would
be proof to any further pitfalls. Alas, no, says Swami Desikan.

Since the PanchAgni vidyA leads first to the lesser but infinitely
captivating pleasure of AtmAnubhavam, many get satisfied and prefer to
remain at the lower level of bliss itself, forsaking the highest of
pleasures resulting from attaining the Lord. And by the time they realize
their folly, eons would have passed, resulting in that much delay in
attaining he Ultimate.

Similar ephemeral delights in the form of attainment of ashta siddhIs
(aNimA, maNimA, gharimA, laghimA,vasitvam, aishvaryam, PrApti etc.) ensnare
the upAsaka. Other upAsakAs, especially those who take recourse to the
"Madhu VidyA", get diverted with the attainment of exalted posts like those
of the eight Vasus, which again delays the journey to the gates of Paradise.
Yet others get ensnared by the attainment of distinguished posts in the
pantheon of demigods like BrahmA, enjoying bliss which the Upanishad
describes as "sa Eka: PrajApatE: Ananda:? The trappings of the delegated
power of Creation and the attendant importance are so inebriating that those
caught in this mode wake up only late to the reality of their having stopped
far short of the desired goal of Paramapadam and thereafter rue the loss of
precious millions of years.

To those who wonder about the "Madhu VidyA" mentioned above, here is a brief
explanation from the ChAndOyOpanishad, which depicts the Sun as a beehive,
secreting nectar (representing the fruits of sacrifices prescribed in the
VEdAs, itihAsAs and PurANAs) from all the four sides and the top. Five types
of deities-- the Vasus, RudrAs, AdityAs, Maruths and the SadhyAs?imbibe this
nectar from each of the five directions. One who contemplates the ParamAtmA
as the Inner Dweller or antaryAmi of the entire contingent (consisting of
the Sun and the other dEvatAs), experiences bliss equal to theirs and
ultimately reaches Paramapadam in due course. This is the Madhu VidyA.

There are thus umpteen ways in which the Lord's displeasure makes us get
diverted from the principal goal of attaining Him, distracting us with
pleasures, which, in themselves, are delectable but are petty and puerile,
when compared to the Eternal Bliss that Bhagavat anubhavam can afford us.

How ironical would it be, if, when the date for his coronation is at hand,
bringing with it the exalted pleasures of royalty, the Prince develops an
infatuation for the chamber maid! Whither the lofty delights of royalty and
whither those afforded by the lowly servant! It is thus that we get
distracted from the pursuit of the Ultimate in all pleasures.






DESIKAMRUTAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
The Three Tenets--8
(BY SRI SADAGOPAN IYENGAR SWAMIN)
(SRIKARYAM SWAMI OF BOARD OF ADVISORY CONSULTANTS OF SDDS/SRS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Swami Desikan deals next with the three types of Non-Sentient things or
Trividha achEtanam.

What is the definition of a Non-sentient object?

Something, which cannot possess knowledge, is achEtanam. Would it not
suffice if we say that it is the characteristic of being without knowledge?
No, for, even some human beings lack knowledge, at times?however, they do
not become non-sentient on that score. achEtanam is that which can never
possess knowledge, not being equipped to be a receptacle for the same.

Another attribute of an object is that it is capable of being known or
apprehended only by others and not by itself. A pot, for instance, does not
know itself to be a pot, but its form and nature are evident to every one
else who sees it. This characteristic is known as ?ParAktvam?, being the
opposite of ?Pratyaktvam?, which refers to being evident to oneself. While
all sentient beings are endowed with ?Pratyaktvam? (and are evident both to
themselves and others), non-sentient objects have ONLY ?ParAktvam?. Thus,
while Devadatta knows himself to be such a person and others too know him as
such, a pot is known to be one, not by itself but only by other beings.
This, in turn, means that in respect of objects, their apprehension is not
to themselves or for their own benefit.

Since these two characteristics, viz., not being evident to itself and of
not being of use to itself, are applicable to Dharma Bhoota GnAnam or
Attributive Knowledge, the same is also considered Non-sentient.

To recap, Non-sentient objects are of three types, viz.

1) Prakriti or Matter

2) KAlam or Time and

3) Suddha Satvam, the stuff of which Sri Vaikunttam and the Lord?s own
shareeram are composed.

Of these three, Prakriti and Time are non-sentient or Jadam and are not
evident to themselves.

Regarding the third component, Suddha Satvam, there is a difference of
opinion. Some consider Suddha Satvam too to be a Jadam, since it is not
evident to itself, like the other two classes of objects mentioned above.

However, there are quite a few scriptural references, especially in the
PAncharAtra, which establish that Suddha Satvam is indeed evident to itself,
being endowed with knowledge and bliss (?GnAna Ananda mayA lOkA :?). Thus,
it would be wrong to term the Lord?s Eternal Bounty or Nitya Vibhooti as
Jadam, since Suddha Satvam is considered luminous by itself.

If Suddha Satvam is indeed luminous, why are we mortals unable to see the
same? We are able to learn about it only through the Scripture and not
through our own faculties of sight or hearing. By the token of not being
evident to us, can we categorize Suddha Satvam as Jadam?

We have seen that the Jeevatma?s essential nature, SvarUpam and its
Attributive Knowledge, Dharma Bhoota GnAnam, are both luminous by
themselves. However, the SvarUpam is luminous to itself, but not to other
souls. Others can comprehend this SvarUpam only through their own
Attributive Knowledge.

Similarly, Attributive Knowledge, though evident to the Jeevatma, is not
luminous to others.

These are thus instances of items being luminous, but only in a limited
sense, being evident to some and not to others. Similarly, Swami Desikan
concludes, there is nothing strange in Suddha Satvam being luminous and
evident only to Emperuman and the Nitya Suris, but not to mortals.

Since we are told that the Lord apprehends everything through His
all-pervasive Attributive Knowledge, how can we simultaneously agree that
Suddha Satvam is self-luminous and makes itself self-evident to Emperuman?
(In other words, if it is the Lord?s Dharma Bhoota GnAnam which enables Him
to perceive Suddha Satvam, how can the latter be self-luminous?)

To this query, Swami Desikan answers?though the Lord?s own divine form, as
all other things, is perceived by Him through His Attributive Wisdom,
opinion is unanimous that His form is indeed self-luminous. Similarly, there
should be no difficulty in agreeing that Suddha Satvam too is self-luminous,
despite being perceived by the Dharma Bhoota Gnanam of the Lord and the
permanent inhabitants of Sri Vaikunttam.

Having dealt with the essential nature or SvarUpam of the three types of the
non-sentient, Swami Desikan tells us that their activity or Pravritti is
their continuous change and modification, in tune with the Lord?s divine
will.

Coming back to the first in the non-sentient category, viz., Prakriti or
Matter, we are told that it possesses three basic qualities?

1. Sattvam,
2. Rajas and
3. Tamas.

These are respectively responsible for Creation, Existence and Destruction.
Matter undergoes constant change and modification, changing from one form to
another. When the three qualities of Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas are equal in
proportion and evenly balanced, there is dissolution or MahAPralayam. When
these three are uneven, what results is Creation and Continued Existence
(Srishti and Stitthi). It is this Matter, which transforms itself into the
various components like Mahat, ahankAram, etc.

The portion of Matter which is modified and that which is not, have been
categorized by ShaAtras into twenty-four types.

These are?
Basic Matter,
Mahat
ahankAram
Five TanmAtrams (Sabda TanmAtram, Sparsa TanmAtram, Roopa TanmAtram, Rasa
TanmAtram and Gandha TanmAtram
Five Elements (Earth, Fire, Water, AkAsam and Air) and
Eleven senses (Five Senses of Knowledge, Five more of Action and the Mind).

Each of these twenty-four items has its own Deity. For us, who are not
interested in ephemeral fruits and pleasures, an overall knowledge of these
items is required for distinguishing the Soul from them.

These 24 concepts should be understood as the various weapons and adornments
of the Lord, which Swami Desikan lists in a paasuram.

The priceless gem, Koustubham, which adorns the Lord?s broad chest, is the
Jeevaatma or individual soul.

Prakriti or Matter is the beautiful mole, Sri Vatsam, which too is present
on Emperuman?s chest.

Mahat forms His Mace or Gadaa, the KoumOdakI.

Knowledge and Ignorance form Emperuman?s scintillating sword Nandakam and
its scabbard respectively.

ahankAram, the Saatvic type, forms the Lord?s bow SArngam, while that of the
TAmasic type constitutes His Conch, PAnchajanyam. Swami Desikan confirms
this in the ShOdasa Ayudha Stotram?

?Yam SAtvikam ahankAram Amananti akshya sAyakam
avyAt va: Chakra roopasya tat dhanu: SArnga dhanvana:?

The Mind represents the Lord?s Divine Discus, Sudarsanam.

The Ten senses or IndiryAs form the sharp arrows in the Lord?s quiver.

The Five TanmAtrams and Five Elements represent the VanamAlA VijayantI,
which sprawls beautifully across the Lord?s chest.

Thus these twenty-four items are to be meditated upon by the aspirant for
Liberation, as forming the Lord?s various weapons and ornaments.