The following
chapters are translated from the Sanskrito-Tamil
magnum opus of Śrī Venkatanātha, the most
illustrious teacher of Vedānta of the Śrī
Vaisnava Sāmpradāya and Viśstādvaita, after
Śrī Rāmānuja. The manifold writings of this
master-poet, philosopher, mystic and saint
are so well known in South India that there
is no necessity to detail them here. The
Rahasya-Traya-Sāra is an esoteric work
which undertakes to give the most intimate
and occult meanings to the three important
Mantras of the school: it is considered to
be Śrī Venkatanātha’s most mature work as it
was written almost in his nineties. The
first six chapters deal with the Line of
Teachers Guruparampara,
Sārāsāra-niskarasa, Pradhanapratitantra
of the Viśstādvaita school, Arthapanchaka,
Tattvatraya, and
Paradevatā-paramarthi. The following
chapters are there that deal with the nature
of the seeker after Liberation, Individual
fitness, Means to salvation, and Fitness for
Surrender. The Yoga of Surrender to the
Divine is the essential means given to us in
the Gītā and these chapters will
reveal the unique synthesis that the great
Acarya has made in the teaching, without
any ambiguity and without reservation. It is
clear that the most deep and true path must
always be that which the individual sees to
be most fitted to him. The path of Surrender
is clearly one that whilst capable of being
essentially independent is also capable of
assisting every other means such as Karma,
Jñānā and Bhakti whenever there arise
difficulties on there paths, for they demand
absolute performance of and attention to
details. Further they are ego directed and
ego seeking in a way even in the
disinterested action, one-pointed attention
and devotion, and clarities of intellectual
discrimination. Prapatti once it is
performed moves on the plane of
divine-direction. Man no longer is acting
for himself even for his own salvation but
as a limb of God. The Yoga of
transformation, elevation, gnosis-giving and
pouring all are for the divine and nothing
but the willing abnegation of self through
placing it t the absolute service of God,
even as our bodies are to us, is the
necessity. The Viśstādvaita theory of
śarīra-śarīrī or Sesa – Sesi relationship of
unity between the divine and the individual
soul makes this Atma-niksepa easy and
essential and logically necessary,
obligatory and mystically imperative.
Mumukshutva
Adhikara: Nature of the seeker after
salvtion
(Rahasya-Traya-Sāra. Chap. VII)
He who knows all about time’s changes, the
categories of material causes and effects,
the sins inhering in desires and enjoyments,
the experiences of miseries that are
comparable to burning cauldrons and the
supreme abode of both one’s self, and the
nature of this body which is like a prison,
could be put up with this bondage?
One
should know about oneself from the esoteric
or Adhyatma-Sastras (autologies) that one
has self-luminosity, knowability, ability to
act and the ability to enjoy, of being a
body (to the Supreme Being), and as
infinitesimal, eternal, without organs,
possessing a nature that cannot he cut,
burnt or hurt, that cannot feel thirst, and
that can neither expand nor contract.
Knowing all these to be one’s nature and
thus differentiating oneself from his body
and its organs, he should get established in
the knowledge that there is none greater
than the Supreme Lord of all, since he has
learnt that this self goes to another
supreme world on emancipation and that he is
different from the ordinary world’s (bereft
of which) he becomes afraid of Hell and
misery after death, etc., and thus
renouncing all the activities that are the
cause of these (results of Hell, misery
after death etc).
After
studying truths regarding his being
supported(by the Divine) of dependence, of
serviceability, of being possessed of little
strength by himself, of his atomicity,
ignorance, doubt and of his being subject to
misery on account of clinging to false
notions, he becomes fit to desire he doing
of service to the Divine which leads to the
realization of one’s own true nature. He
should meditate on the inner meaning of the
ill-desire-fulfilling sacred Mantra. He
should meditate on the nature of the
knowability (of the self) as revealed in the
third letter in the first word, and thus
give up the I-ness and mine-ness which arise
from the body, and meditating on the hidden
dative in the first word that reveals the
utter dependence(Sesatva) give up the I-ness
and mineness which arise from the
identification of oneself with the body and
its characteristics as expressed in the
verse: “You are mind” and as something
unique. He should give up the I-ness and
mine-ness that arise from the feeling ‘I am
dependent on the Supreme Lord alone: and
“None but the supreme Lord is my Lord”
revealed in the middle word ‘Nimah’. Because
of the prohibition implied in the second
letter regarding self-protective activity of
giving up the I-ness and mine-ness of the
form of independence and unconditioned
Lordship (of oneself) because of the force
of these prohibitions, knowing the meaning
of the dative in the third word (Narayanaya)
in the matter of the attainment of the fruit
of enjoyment of service (Kainkrya), he
should abolish according to their respective
sounds and meanings the ordinary notions
that are available in one’s own activities
of independent doings and enjoyments and
performance of these for one’s own benefit
and enjoyments that are illusions of ‘I-ness
and minenenese’.
In this
manner he should definitely fix his
knowledge as stated in the following
verses: “In the non-essential enjoyments
have I been submerged, having seen heard,
created, smelt and fed thus have I wasted my
time in the pleasures of the five senses and
known not he indefinable Bliss”
(Tiruvaymoli.III.2.6) and “If God wills,
what is impossible (to attain) in this
world? Enough this going after the useless
pleasures of Dharma, wealth and desire”, and
“The enjoyments that accrue from Dharma,
wealth and desire are impermanent. The
ignorant alone strive after them. Seek
refuge in Me from the impermanent and
unhappy world”.
“The
bravest, strongest, wealthiest kings and
other have died due to efflux of time. We
hear only of their names”, “knowing this,
man must giving up attachment to wife,
children, house, lands and wealth give up
the egoism”, and “The whole world is full of
sorrow. Even in Heaven, there is no joy for
him who through fear of Hell is becoming
thin”, and “Selfish-minded and egoistic and
drunken fools, even if in possession of
kingdoms, cause misery”, and “O Sage, these
faults are found even in the satyaloka.
Therefore he intelligent do not pray for
Heaven (Swarga). Above the truth-world is
Visnu’s abode. That is pure, eternal, and of
light. Know that that is Supreme Brahma.
Those fools who re excelling in display,
anger, deceit, and desire, cannot go there.
Those who have no selfishness or egoism, who
have transcended the duality of heat and
cold, the self-controlled, those who are
devoted to the Divine and the truthful alone
go to that Supreme Abode; the beautiful, the
aerial cars that move everywhere as wished,
the several types of play, pure waters, and
fine lakes, etc., are compared with that
Supreme Abode equivalent to Hell.”
They who
meditating clearly on the nature of the
supreme experience which is quite other than
what the other passages show, namely the
impermanence, productive of sorrow and fused
in grief, productive of violent pain,
productive too of perverse afflictions and
destructive of natural delight (that belongs
to the soul as such) which produce through
constant commerce with the unintelligent
(Achetana) the faulty delusory felling of
egoism, attaining the state of “him who has
love for the Divine and has renounced every
other”, have renounced with the outward
(extravert-Pravrtti) and taken up the path
of Nivrtti (involution) as taught by the
Rsis, they are fit for seeking Liberation
(Moksa).
If one,
even tough knowing the several categories,
does not follow the goal of practice, one
becomes extremely laughable as it is said.
“The fruit of knowledge and practice is
known thus: the knowers of the Sastras for
th sake of peace have established the
Sastras. He whose mind is a peace is a
knower of all Sastras”, “If one loses the
fruit of study given as the dogs tail is
neither useful for the piece of cloth nor
for driving away files and mosquitoes, and
thus is of no use learning that does not
find exemplification in conduct and practice
is of no use.”
Therefore
it has been said that one should act
according to one’s age, duty, wealth,
learning, family, office, speech, and trade.
One who is intent upon following the path of
practice for realization of the Highest End
(summum bonum) according to the
teaching of his Gurus “Such a man is called
a Brahman by the gods. Him do the gods
adore, for when he did his work others were
glad. He will gain that glory.”
“The
meditation on the auspicious feet of the
Lord who is awaiting an opportunity to help
His devotees, is the Supreme End. It is the
Supreme End, the Highest Abode, which we who
have conquered our senses attain through the
grace of our Teachers who have taught us to
distinguish between good and bad, and about
the liberation and the Samsaric ocean with
its changing states of birth and continuance
and cessation.” “In the world a
self-controlled individual through the grace
of God having renounced the individual
through the grace of God having renounced
the (ought )-to-be-renounced sweetness of
the ought-to-be-renounced enjoyments (of
Heaven etc.,) having no attachment for the
supreme fruits of Liberation is capable of
having undivided devotion to the Supreme
Brahma without even a thought of Samsāra.”
Adhikari-Vibhaga.Adhikara:
(On Disinctions Due to Individual
Differences or Fitness)
(Rahasya-Traya-Sāra, Chapter VIII)
Even
though salvation is identical (for all
persons), even as there are the differences
in methods (followed by seekers) like
Madhu-Vidya etc, (by which that final state
is attained) in the same manner in Prapatti
(surrender) and in other transcendental
methods, because of individual differences,
the experiences of the knowers are
different. The activities of the Unknown
force (Adrsta) manifests itself in this
manner.
Thus
among those who have entered into the path
of Nivrtti which leads to realization of the
Highest End of the Self (Purusartha) there
are two kinds: (1) Advaraka Prapatti and the
Sadvaraka Prapatti doers.
Since
there are two kinds of Praptti
(surrendering), Swatantra-Prapatti and the
Anga-Prapatti, there are two kinds of
surrenderers. Since there are two kinds of
Bhakti (devotion), the devotion to fruit and
the devotion to attainment, there are two
types of devotees, as is the case with, as
the Smrti says, bathing is of seven kinds
due to differences of conditions, 1. Mantric
bath, 2. Mental bath, 3. Divine bath, 4. Air
bath 5. any other equivalent fruitful baths.
In the
same manner mere utterance of
surrender(Ukti) and attachment to Acharya
(Acharyanistha) are the main characteristics
in Prapatti.
Ukti
means those who having not known about the
several part (of Prapatti) as
Anukuulya-Sankalpa (willing the favourable
to salvation) etc., have chosen the Lord as
the only Saviour and none else, and who have
utter belief that He would save them
(without fail), and have known that the
Supreme Lord is capable of being our refuge,
and have sought the Divine with words of
complete surrender instructed by the
Teacher, entreats, “O Master, it is your
burden to save me,” even as the incapable
feudatory chief approaches the Emperor with
the words told him by the inner circle of
(the Emperor’s) friends. This is comparable
to the following example of (also) a boy who
knowing nothing of the meaning of the words
says only once. “Bhavati Bhiksam Dehi”
(I crave Bhiksa) and he gets what he wants
at the houses of the all-plenteous good men,
that is to say, he gets his food, so also,
as it has been said. “The all-auspicious
Lord can give everything that is desired”,
the completely over-flowing LORD the supreme
Giver, can grant everything when the above
Surrender (Saranagati) is made to Him.
In the
case of those who are ignorant, who have
trust in this one passage alone “Just as it
has been said in some manner you have become
one who has said the Dwaya”, the
knowledge and full meaning of words cannot
accrue. That is (entirely) God’s grace.
This
meaning is expressed in the passages by our
ancient teachers.
1.
“Even the sinful can utter the words
of surrender.”
2.
“Alas, they would not say ‘I
surrender, with all their minds.”
3.
“I am waiting for (O Lord) uttering
the words of refuge.”
Both kinds of those who have recourse mere
Ukti (utterance of the word of the Teacher)
have been referred to in the following
passage:
“O Śrī Ranganatha, my dutiful Ācāryas have
made me keep all my burden on you. Evryone
knows this. Therefore please bear my burden
on Thyself.”
In the
above passage by the use of the word (Api)
it is shown that either o the methods is
enough (to lead to salvation).
Acarya-Nishtha
Just as the Sandilya Smrti says, “This son,
the servant and the disciple, all these are
offered (to the Divine Lord”.
When the
Acarya seeks refuge in the Supreme Lord by
throwing the burden of protection of himself
and those related to him, he becomes one
with them all.
Since it
is said that there is doubt as to whether
the devotees of God will ever attain, (it is
replied that there is) no such doubt to
those who serve the devotees of God. There
is nothing more o be said with respect to
the attainment of salvation by one who is
entirely dependent on his Acarya (Teacher).
Of this there is no doubt absolutely, just
as the animals which are within the lion’s
body go along with it, when moving form
mountain to mountain. Also, when Śrī
Rāmānuja attained salvation, we who are
attached to Him, through that relationship
to Him will cross over this bondage (and
gain salvation): Thus has said Mudaliyandan.
(Samkhyan)
“Like a
blind man walking along with a man having
sight, like a lame man being seated by the
side of a sailor (boatman) being transported
by him(to the yonder shore), like a son of
the-King’s servant enjoying royal pleasures
without knowing the king, “My kind teacher,
O Ranganatha, makes me attain your
presence.” Thus has it been said in
Nyasa-Tilaka.
Whatever
that might be, on whatever method one
depends, it is clear that except by Absolute
Surrender, the Lord’s mind does not melt for
granting Moksa, the transcendental
attainment for Man.
In the
same manner:
1.
“A Cow (animal), a man or a bird, any
one who is connected with Śrī Visnu, attain
the Vaikunta of Śrī Narayana”.
2.
“Because we belong to your kingdom we
are entitled to be protected by you. Whether
we are in the city or the forest, thou art
our king.”
3.
“It was He who related Himself, the
Supreme End, and to All the moving beings,
and unmoving things of the excellent City of
Ayodhya.”
4.
“A Vaisnava is resident in thy
temple, is related to you as a means
(vanmai) to the Divine Salvation.”
Sooner or later there happens the
relationship-of means (Upaya) between the
lovers of God and oneself as is expressed by
the word ‘vanmai’ in the above verse which
means utter love of service to the lovers of
God. If it be asked how these (lovers of
God, Ācāryas) can become helpful to the
attainment of God by making one pursue
earnestly either Tapas or self surrender, we
can say that they are able to speed up the
attainment of the Divine and thus become
helpful (on the path) by increasing
attachment to Tapas (askesis)in those who
are attracted to it and by granting
opportunities of service to the Divine in
this world itself to those who have entered
the path of self-surrender directly.
Amongst these, he who, like Vyasa, not being
poor (in spirit), having ability to pursue
the path because he is prepared to wait for
salvation, for him who has taken to (the
path of) Surrender as means, and who is
entirely dependent (dependent on no other
bout God), as soon as his Prarabdha-Karma
(Karma which has come to man by his works in
lives previous) has worked itself out, the
final remembrance which has as its (Angi)
goal of practice the final affirmation
(Avadhi) is Moksa, rich enlightenment.
Capable of being used by all, capable of
over-riding all other practices, capable of
being used freely by all for attainment of
all things sweet, which is to be done at
once (Sakrt) capable of yielding fruits
soon, granting no opportunity for
interferences (Pratibandhakah), like the
arrow of Brahma which does not tolerate
any other method or praxis for attainment of
fruits, this Direct Prapatti (to the Divine
Lord) which an individual has recourse to,
since there is no other obstacle, gains
complete enjoyment form the very moment of
Prapatti.
1.
It does not matter where he is if
only God’s Grace is on Him.
2.
I shall not consent to abandon
singing the praise of God in this Universe
and go to the Supreme abode (Parama-pada).
3.
Why should I leave the enjoyable food
which is in my hands and run after that
(which is not here) (cf. a bird in the hand
is worth two in the bush).
4.
O King, I have got extreme friendship
for you always. Devotion to you have I in
plenty: my mind does not wander out to any
other except to yourself at any time.
Thus, as it has been said, even the desire
to perform service to the Divine- - a desire
whose cause is the Arca and other
manifestationsof the Divine Lord, with this
body, a body that has come into being by the
will of the Lord, having a (beginning)
fruition and an end, distinguished in space
and time, and having as its cause (for
continuance) all activities performed fully
as service, has as its realization freedom,
Liberation, Moksa.
1.
“Ask of Me whatever boon thou wilt.
Those who have My grace shall attain all.
With respect to you what is the difficulty
when the supreme Lord, the Creator of the
world is kindly disposed towards you? When
He is pleased, what is that that cannot be
attained in this world? What is there
impossible for one who has love for the
Divine, in this world or in any other?
(nothing is impossible.)
2.
“Fruits come about from God.” As the
uthor of the Brahma-Sūtras says.
Since the Supreme Lord is capable of
granting all fruits, the surrender to His
holy feet, which is instrumental in bringing
about all fruits, grants wherever fruit is
chosen (or rather that fruit that is chosen)
by these two kinds of seekers.
3. “ All the four caste-people seek refuge
in me” Thus the meditation of practice
becomes instrumental in some manner in
bringing about the four types of results
accordingly. In the same way. “As long as a
man has not sought refuge, so long as his
sin has not been destroyed, so long there is
desire, there is delusion and pleasure
(Sukha).”
In this passage is it
not clear that Prapatti is instrumental for
the realization of the fourfold fruits? Thus
have the sages said. In the above verse ’that
much’ means that a man’s desire gets
fully satisfied as soon s desired (that much
as is desired gets immediately satisfied or
that much of desires are attained as they
arise. The realization is proportional to
the intensity of asking or craving).
Remembering this supreme power of the Lord
alone is it stated: Whether they be devoted
to Karma or Sāmkhya they cannot equal even
to he extent of one in a crore the power
possessed by the surrender to the Divine
Lord(Saranagati).
For him
the extent of (or difference in) the delight
in the service of the Divine Lord in this
world, must be known from his desire. The
cause of that is his Prarabdha-karma,
inherited Karmic excellence or potency.
After leaving this body, there is not any
(real) difference in the fruits attained.
Other-dependence (Dependence on the Divine)
is the one result.
Thus has
it been said, “Swatantra, Independence is
really freedom from Karma and complete
fitness in doing all types of service to the
Divine. Thus has it been defined in he
Doctrine of Fruits (Phala-vāda) of worship.
1.
Having known that Moksa is the supeme
goal of man, by Bhakti which has to be
practiced for a long time, or by
Prapatti for a short duration only,
according to their peculiar (particulr)
developments, the seeker having chosen
either of these methods, for the sake of
getting rid of sin should seek the refuge at
the feet of the Lord as their only
protector.
2.
The Lord will not grant salvation
except for the Surrenderers. Amongst
them there are two kinds, those who practice
Sadvaraka and those who practice
Advaraka surrender. Amongst these it
takes more time (for salvation) for those
who go by the Sadvaraka method. But
for him the experience of the Divine is
full. For him who practices Advaraka,
Moksa will happen quickly. But for him
life here will not be so full or rich
(Saravanta).
Upaya-Vibhaga-Adhikra:
(Distinction of Means to Salvation)
(Rahasya-Traya-Sāra, Chapter IX)
The Supreme Lord praised in the Upanisads is
the means for the attainment of Self. To
attain that Supreme Lord it is said in the
Sastras that the means are Bhakti (devotion)
and Prapatti (surrender). For a man to
ascend those two paths is possible because
of the attainment of great merit. Even for
this the cause is Himself, the destiner of
all.
For the
seekers of the means what is needed is a
kind of knowledge-expansion. With the help
of this, the object of knowledge that is
attained is also another kind of knowledge
expansion (Jñānā-vikasa). Amongst these that
kind of knowledge that is the means is what
seeks the help of perception is guided by
scriptures, is combined with the fivefold
attributes that define the nature of the
self (Swarupa-Nirupaka-Dharmas) and thus
assists the several methods of meditation
(Upasanas) of Brahma. The desired knowledge
(Upeya) is that which does not seek the help
of the senses, but which reveals he
self-nature and is fullest experience of
Brahma who is complete with auspicious
qualities and manifestations (Saguna).
Even as
stated in the passage, “That which even t
the time of attainment does not give up the
qualities with which it has been worshipped,
that which is experienced as having
intelligence without abandoning its manifold
forms”, the service performed due to
abundant experience of attainment is the
goal of practice. Because the Supreme Lord
is at once the inspirer of the knowledge of
means and of knowledge that is the goal, and
is their enjoyer. He is both the means and
the goal. The Lord’s meansness (Upayatva)
in the case of practicer of direct
(Advaraka) surrender is capable of being
qualified by other means. In the case of
other kinds of surrenderers from the
beginning of the Yoga of works till the
fulfillment of that Yoga, the Lord who has
been won over through surrender (Prapatti)
at every difficult stage in the Yoga could
remove the sins attendant upon such
performances of activities, and increase the
harmonious quality (Sattvaguna) within them
and thus lead their practices to their
fruition.
Karmayoga
means the performance of activities that a
man could perform, activities that are
prescribed by scriptures, after knowing the
relationship existing between the Supreme
Lord and himself, activities which re
performed without desire for fruits but
which are fused with the ordinary and
prescribed duties (Nitya and Naimittika
karmas). The differentiation between the
types of karma is what is described in the
Bhagavad Gītā as Devarchana, Tapas,
pilgrimage, charity and performance of
sacrifices. It is according to individual
fitness, even as one might make surrender
(Prapatti) or Bhakti (devotion) in the
middle of Karmayoga or not, for the sake of
liberation, so also, the karmayoga may take
in Jñānā-yoga or not. These activities could
yet aid the direct vision of self
(Atma-sāksatkāra).
Jñānā
yoga is that constant meditation of one,
who having controlled mind through
disinterested works, on the nature of the
self whose nature is different from matter,
and having the relationship of body (Śarīra)
to the Supreme Being because of being
supported by Him and dependence on Him and
devotion to Him.
By the
knowledge and Works Yoga when there happens
self-consciousness, there happens also that
attractive ecstasy of self-experience which
causes renunciation of mundane pleasure (of
the senses). There happens, too, from this
that true faith-consciousness which
facilitates the Divine Experience
(Brahmanubhava). Just as one perceives the
container before seeing the precious stone
in it, so also before having final vision of
the Indwelling Ruler, one has the vision of
its body, the individual soul. The Jñānāyoga
provides the cause for seeing the individual
soul, as well as the basis for the practice
of Bhaktiyoga.
Bhaktiyoga:
There
having no other Goal (Nistha) without being
dependent on any one else but having
one-pointed loving contemplation on the
Supreme Lord who is not dependent on anyone
else, is called Bhakti, which is, like a
stream of oil, uninterrupted meditation
becoming almost equivalent to direct vision,
which from the moment (of beginning) till
the time of leaving the body and reaching
the Supreme Abode day by day increases in
intensity. Bhakti is the stream of
consciousness (Jñānā-parampara). The
Varnasrama duties cause the enhancement of
consciousness, and of the harmonious quality
which destroys the Tamasic and Rajasic
qualities that are causative of obstacles.
Thus they become helpful to devotion
(Bhakti).
This
Bhaktyoga, as has been said “In order to
create faith (in the attain ability) of
Moksa alone have the attainments mentined”
–becoming the means for turning the
wandering (wayward?) mind into a steady
stream of devotion towards the Divine helps
the realization of wealth and happiness,
etc.
In this context it is mentioned in the
Bhagavad Gītā (VII, 16,17,18) “My
devotees are of four kinds. The suffering,
the seeker for good I the word, the seeker
for liberation, and those who adore Me with
knowledge, O lord of the Bharatas. Of these
the knower, who is ever in constant union
with the Divine only, whose Bhakti is all
concentrated on Me, is the best; he loves Me
perfectly and is My beloved. Noble are all
these without exception, but the knower is
verily My self; for as the highest goal he
accepts Me, the Purusottama, with whom he is
in union”.
[The
supremest are those who trust in Him alone
and not seek the help of other gods. These
are the Ekantins (one-point-minded
devotees). Without seeking any fruits those
who perform action find their refuge in Me.
For the other three because they perform
actions for the sake of certain results do
not attain to that Moksa which the Ekanti
alone gains].
Thus that
devotion that is the means for realization
is supreme Devotion or devotion to the
Supreme Lord alone. For this there is needed
that loving Sattvic spiritual discrimination
which causes the clear knowledge of the
Divine to arise. This, indeed, is mentioned
as Bhakti. Through this attainment-as it has
been said- - ‘having purified my mind
through Bhakti I am learning the nature of
the Divine, through the scriptures, the
knowledge born out of the study of Sastras.
The supreme devotion born out of Karmayoga
(actions done as worship without any desire
for fruits) causes that supreme aspiration
for direct knowing or intuition of Bhrahma’
–cries out thus:
1.
O Lord of Yogis, reveal to me thy
supreme form which is free from mortality.
2.
“Couldst Thou not show Thyself once
atleast?”
3.
“Reveal Thyself to me atleast some
day (if not now)”.
This supreme hankering for divine
revelation happens through His grace and
fulfils it. This direct vision is known as
Supreme knowledge.
Thus this supremely enjoyable Form of the
Divine as soon as it is directly seen
(intuited)—just Like the thirsty man walking
in the hot sun perceiving a tank full of
clear water gets delighted, produces supreme
love for it in the individual. This is known
as supreme devotion.
Thus, as mentioned in the Tiruvaymoli1
‘Muniye nanmukhane….. the absolutely free
experience of Brahma alone can make me live:
having created such a passion, compelling
one to pursue it without forgetting it (even
for a moment) and even to cry out for that
consummation, which produces in the Lord
that Grace to grant that fulfillment soon,
the individual reaches the Highest State.
Since this Bhaktiyoga, the Yoga of Devotion,
is not the means for those who do not belong
(I) to the three higher castes, (2) even to
those among the three castes who had;
intelligence or capacity, (3) to those
yearning souls who could not wait for
realization for a long time, the
all-attaining direct surrender (Advaraka
Prapatti) Is to be preferred by them
according to their condition. It is this
surrender that occupies the status of
(equality) with supreme devotion, and leads
those who are devoted to it gradually higher
and higher, just as Bhakti itself does, to
the fullest experience of Brahma.
In this manner the fruitional differences
between Prapatti and Bhakti are almost
equal. They are indeed identical. Whatever
method he followed (according to one’s
nature) the results are identical. In the
Adhikarana (Vedānta Sūtra, III, iii 56)
Nanasabdadibhedat, because of the
differences between the several text, it is
clear that there is some difference between
these two. In the Adhikarana Vikalpo
Vistaphalatvat (Vedānta Sūtra, III.iii.57)
it is clear that there is identity, of
results for both these.
_____________
110.10.1
“O willer! The inner ruler of the
Four-faced, and the Three eyed! Thou hast
the blue-gem-hued Form with lotus eyes and
rosy lips! Thou hast overpowered me. Who art
fully life to me who am alone. I will not
permit Thee who have come fully above my
head t leave me. Do Thou not deceive me in
any manner!”
It should
be known that there are differences between
surrender and Mantras (Mantra yoga), just as
there are differences in the methods of
practice in the different branches as
mentioned in the Pāñcarātra Agama.
Just as
prayer is divided into speech, mind and
physical body, Prapatti is also for the same
reason probably distinguished as mental,
vocal and physical. When all these coincide,
or are identical, it is called complete
prayer. So also those excellent sayings
regarding complete surrender could only mean
that when the mental surrender is complete
it overflows into vocal and physical
manifestations. Equally according to
efficacy of surrender in each of these
directions, one gets fruits.
Those who have found that there is the
method of complete surrender even when
Karmayoga, that is followed according to the
rules laid down in consonance with
varnasrama, Jñānāyoga that is followed as
the correct one by the discriminating mind,
Bhaktiyoga that is followed by those whose
love is for the highest experience, are
impossible for an individual who is very
anxious to have the fullest results 9within
the smallest duration), they are Brahmans.
Amongst the Karma, Jñānā, Bhakti and
Prapatti methods of release mentioned in the
Scriptures of Release for the Sadvaraka and
Advaraka practicers Prapatti which has the
capacity of producing both results (of Jñānā
and Devotion) that has been propounded by
Lord Śrī Krsna in the Gītā in the
last verse has been chosen by the Knowers of
Realese (Budhah). (XVII. 67)
Prapatti-Yoga-Adhikara:-
(Fitness for Prapatti)
(Rahasya-Traya-Sāra. Chapter X)
Linked up with the love for fruits and with
the triple fitnesses and powers, coupled
with the six fold and eightfold limbs of
Yoga has the fitness (for Bhakti and
Prapatti) been determined. The Lord’s
all-refugeness is established not merely by
Scripture(Sruti revelation) but also by
Smrtis dealing with the (nature of the )
Lord. Even like the truths of the Veda, in
the matter of following Sarangati
(surrender) propounded by the Veda, all re
fit (including the Sudras and outcastes).
Not
permitting the mind to wander into the other
methods for the sake of attainment of
fruits, he who follows the path of
surrender, to him the following have to be
explained.
What is
fitness? Fitness means the capacity of the
man who takes to the path to have desire and
knowledge and ability for 9following the )
means (to realize the goal).
Ability
means to know the Sastra, to follow it and
the fitness by possession of caste and
character (according to Sastraic
injunction). This ability might exist from
the very beginning itself. What such an
individual chooses to attain is called the
fruit (Phala). The prescribed means to be
adopted to attain such fruit (end-result) is
called the means (Upaya).
Having
the yearning for freedom (Mumuksutva) he,
who follows the path of self-surrender out
of his own free will, even though he
possesses in an equal measure as the
follower (Upasaka) the knowledge of the
relationship (between the Lord and the
finite being) from the scriptures, has more
fitness (ability), because of his Akincanya
(non-ability due to having no other means)
and Ananyagativa (having no aspiration for
any other goal).
Akincanya
means having no other method for pursuit
towards the goal (that is to say his utter
consecration to one method alone leads to
utter concentration of mind).
Ananyagatitva means turning away from my
other fruit, not desiring any other fruit.
(The leads to one-pointedness of mind also).
This might also be described as ‘turning
away from everything except surrender to the
highest’. This might be occasioned by the
‘turning away from every end other than
Mokas (release)’.
This
could be learnt form the scriptural passages
such as the following:- -
1.
“Knowers will not pray to Brahma, the
fourfaced, Rudra and other gods, because the
fruits accruing from them are very limited.”
Even if one who has extreme desire for
Moksa, one who has not renounced (or had
not become indifferent to) the pleasures of
the body, etc., desiring those pleasures of
the body, and on that account is addicted to
means that (bring them about) realize them,
for the sake of Moksa performs Prapatti, it
would yet grant that scope Moksa however
limited it be by these desires for other
pleasures of the body.
The reason why an individual is asked
to cultivate, as it were one pointed mind
regarding the method (Akincanya) and one
pointed mind towards the goal
(Ananyagatitva) is due to:-
1.
The inability to wait (or tolerate
delay) with reference to the realization of
the end in the matter of choosing other
means, due to ignorance and inability;
2.
When we said that there should be
(one pointed mind regarding the goal which
is not other than surrender)
saranyantaravaimukhya, the reason is;
“just as we easily hold straw bundles
together so also the strong Brahma holds in
his grip all creatures, O Bharata.”
In the
same manner the (quality of) supreme
determination to be dependent on the Supreme
who is t one with oneself and all and the
(quality of) absolute one pointedness of
mind towards the goal are special attributes
of Prapatti.
1.
Having been abandoned (refused
quarter) by father and mother, the gods and
Maharsis, Kakasura who went about all the
three worlds to find refuge and not finding
it, had to go to the self-same Śrī
Ramachandra, seeking refuge.”
2.
“I am the abode of all
transgressions. I have no other method. I
have no other goal (except you)”.
3.
“Having no virtue about me, having no
other goal, I have surrender to you.”
4.
“Looking ahead into the far future,
I see no other means by which I could
attain (salvation). Therefore I have come to
the conclusion that there is no way, even if
one were to live for a crore of years
(Yugas), other than to surrender to your
auspicious feel.”
5.
“Having no other way do I seek your
refuge.”
By these and other texts and traditions, it
becomes evident (that there is no other
method except through the one pointed mind
regarding method and regarding the goal).
Thus if there is earned this much capacity,
since there is no other restriction
regarding caste and heredity(Gotra), it
becomes evident that Prapatti could be
followed by anyone.
Since Brahmans and outcastes are all subject
to pain (Samsāra) if they having no other
refuge come and prostrate themselves
(before You), You, who are determined to
bless all, and who are the cause of all and
are devoid of any end; Yourself with Love
make them choose You as their means (to
salvation).
Because
of the lack of strength to pursue methods of
Bhakti, etc, which depend upon merit (Bhagya),
because of the lack of intelligence to
discriminate (the true from the false),
because of the incapacity to learn from the
Sastras, or from holy discussions, good men,
differing from one another by all these four
(defects) or by one, two or three, without
any doubt, for the sake of Moksa seek the
Lord through direct Praptti, (Swatantra-Prapatti).
