04 February 2022, Plava varusha, Thai-22, Friday ;
SLOKA-30:
30. SIDHDOPAYA-SODHANA-ADHIKARAM: THE 23RD CHAPTER OF SRTS: SRIMAN NAARAYANAN IS THE VERITABLE SIDDHOPAYAM
MEANING: SrIman NaaRaYaNan is the Sarva vidha Bandhu (related to us at many levels and in many ways). He is the Ocean of Mercy who destroys our ajn~Anam. As MahA Lakshmi pleads on behalf of us, His dayA grows further and further. That compassionate Lord stands in place of other difficult-to-practise upAyams for us who are incompetent to practise any upAyam other than Prapatthi and becomes the SiddhOpAyan and grants the fruits of Prapatthi (Moksha Phalan) to us. SiddhOpAyam is SarvEswaran, who is the ancient and timeless UpAyam that exists before any upAyam that we practise (SaadhyOpAyam) such as Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam.
The key passage of this Paasuram is: “inn amuthatthu amudhAl irangum Thiru NaaraNanE maRRu ohr paRRanRi varippavarkku manniya vaNN SaraNN” (SrIman NaarAyNan persuaded by the sweet intercession of His nectarine consort takes pity on us, who have no recourse and choose Him for their protection. For those Prapanna janams, He becomes the durable SiddhOpAyan).
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
(1) In SRTS, Swamy Desikan sums up the way in which the Lord becomes SiddhOpAyan: “Niravadhi DayA-Dhivya-udhanvAnn Parama Purusha: Jaladhi-sudhayA saardham Jagath paripAlayan prathishta-bhara: Sathaam Siddhopaaya:” (The Lord with innate compassion, who is the Ocean of Divine DayA rules the world with MahA Lakshmi, accepts the burdens of protecting PrapannAs and becomes the wish yielding SiddhOpAyan for them).
(2) SidhOpAya sOdhanAdhikAram is one of the four adhikArams of what is revered as SthrIkaraNa BhAgam of SRTS. Here, Swamy Desikan resolves the doubts raised by others about the Lord, who is the SiddhOpAyan, the embodiment of an upAyam that is not done by us and exists before any of our UpAya anushtAnams. He is the most important upAyam for us.
(3) Swamy Desikan flattens the objections of doubters who question: (a) EmperumAns’ SvAtantryam and Sahaja KaaruNyam as guNams (the GuNams of independence and intrinsic compassion), (b) The Sesha-Seshi relation between the Jeevan and Iswaran and (c) The role of His divine consort as adumbrated in the “SrImath Sabdham” stressing Her role as UpAyam (Means) as well as UpEyam (Goal).
(4) Swamy Desikan establishes the indispensability of the divine consort of the Lord in the RakshaNam of all and Her staying together with Him as UpAyam and UpEyam based on pramANams from Sruthi, Smruthi, AchArya Sookthis and SampradhAyam.
(5) As the divine consort, PirAtti is present in three forms: LayArcchai, BhOgArcchai and AdhikArArcchai. The Form of PirAtti, who stays without separation on the Lord’s chest, is LayArcchai. The Devis staying by the side of the Lord as Ubhaya NaacchimArs represent BhOgArcchai. The Devi, who has her own temple, represents AdhikArArcchai. In the context of UpAyam and UpEyam doctrines associated with PirAtti, Swamy Desikan points out that ParamaikAnthis not seeking any fruits for their kaimkaryams worship the PirAtti in Laya and bhOga Archais. PirAtti is AdhikArArchai is generally associated with granting of desired phalans. Since she is the Consort of the Lord, ParamaikAnthis offer their namaskArams to Her as well.
SLOKA-31:
31. SAADHYOPAYA SODHANADHIKARAM: THE 24TH CHAPTER OF SRTS. BHAKTHI AND PRAPATTHI YOGAMS ARE SAADHYOPAYAMS
MEANING: Upanishads assert that the Lord accepts the chEthanam for protection and granting the phalan of Moksham after that chEthanam undertakes the upAyam of Prapatthi or Bhakthi yOgam. These upAyams practiced by us (SaadhyOpAyams) reduce the anger of the Lord over our trespasses and generate in Him the compassion to grant us mOksham. Realizing that He is the SiddhOpAyan, we perform as per our capacity one of the SaadhyOpAyams of Bhakthi or Prapatthi yOgam and are protected by Him to enjoy Moksha Sukham.
The key passage of this Paasuram is: “Aadhalin nAmm uraikkinRa nalneRi Ohrum padikaLil Ohrnthu Ulaham dharikkinRa ThArakanAr TahavAl dharikkinRanam” (Upanishad states: YamEvaisha vruNutE tEna labhya: / whom the Lord selects, that Jeevan alone becomes qualified to attain the Lord. Therefore, we seek the upAyams of Prapatthi or bhakthi yOgams recommended by the Sruthi and Upanishads and are saved from SamsAram by the Lord, who has vowed to come to the rescue of those practising these two upAyams).
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Swamy Desikan responds to the doubts raised by those who question the validity and efficacy of SaadhyOpAyams like Bhakthi and Prapatthi yOgams in this chapter. He clears the doubts about the eligibility of all to practise Prapatthi. He establishes that all are eligible for Prapatthi upAya anushtAnam for gaining the fruits of Moksham. Swamy Desikan answers those who question the Svaroopam of Prapatthi. He establishes that the plea by the Jeevan to the Lord to accept the responsibility of protecting it through Prapatthi with its five angams is the true svaroopam of Prapatthi. Swamy Desikan goes on to answer many questions raised by doubters based on many pramANams in this important chapter on SaadhyOpAyam.
Courtesy: Oppiliappan koil SRi. V. Sadagopachariar
