This is a very complex but philosophically significant topic. Needless to say it also raises significant conflicts of opinion amongst even learned/traditional scholars.
First of all, let me try to summarize the issue.
There are multiple references to salvation in Srivaishnava philosophy. Most if not all of them, refer to the fact that only Perumal has to decide if and when a soul can reach Paramapadham. After all he gives everything. Azhwars refer to his more than enough number of times to say there is nothing in our hands and its all his.
(1) If there is nothing that we can do and if its all in Perumal's hands, why is he not taking everyone to his abode? (சர்வ முக்தி பிரசங்கம்)
(2) If there is something the jeevathmas need to do, then is it just a payment for whatever you do? Is it as transactional as that?
Both seem to result in issues. So whats the deal? Though there are different schools of thought, there are enough references which transcend these two extremes or in fact bridge these two extremes. This is complex at best and needs in depth study under an acharya. But then this blog is about snippets from discussions and other hearsay points :-)
One learned swami was so vehement in his adherence to (1) that he said even Nammazhvar fits this criteria. Without perumals intervention he would have been as bad (or as good) as any one of us. On the point of why perumal does not do it for everyone, he retorted that you have no business asking as the owner can decide whatever he wants to do. While his sentiment is appreciated, this appeared as a weak argument to me. He further referred to the fact that in old days when a king dies without a heir, the பட்டத்து யானை will select the next king. No one can restrict the elephant from selecting whoever it pleases to. So perumal is like that. He will and can decide to select whoever he wants.
Another swami intervened and asked the question. What if the elephant places the garland on a rock or a dog? :-) Funny but significant!!
We have the concept of necessary and sufficient condition in Math. Similarly I have heard the below two analogies which try to reconcile this
(1) When a beggar gets food, does he get it because he begged for it or is it because of the grace/mercy of the one who provided food to him. Beggar asking for food is a necessary condition but the sufficient condition is the grace/mercy of the provider
(2) Digging a pond or clearing up a village lake is a necessary condition. Rain is the sufficient condition to get water. Without rain a prepared pond or lake is useless. but without prepared pond or rain, the rain water gets washed away.
அத்வேஷம் and ஆபிமுக்யம் are two attributes that provide the necessary conditions here.
(1) Non rejection of perumal
(2) A desire to reach him
Once this is there, the sufficient condition of Perumal's grace completes the picture.
So is this transactional in anyway? Acharyaas clearly say that's not the case. This is like taking a few lemons to meet the king and getting a fortune in return. Only a fool will think that the necessary conditions were significant enough to deserve the result!! No matter what you do, Moksha is so great that you essentially got it free, only due to perumal's grace.
This opens up another topic. Everyone understands the multiple births etc due to karma. One point of view is this. Its all part of your schooling to get you ready for Parama Padha. The only difference is that , this is an extremely customized school for each jeevathma. You keep repeating the school till you pass. Pass here is reference to one getting completely ready to reach the divine abode. Refer to my post on "That was just an angry lady.. this is what you really get". The reference to 5-8-5 on the devotee being asked to stay to fulfill his desires perfectly fits this situation. You are ready when you are really ready. Who was really ready...Azhwars (and Acharyaas)!!
Oh dear!! This is clearly a long road!! Its clear we need some cheats and short cuts to help speeding up the process and we are not even talking about the difficult routes of Karma, Gyana and Bakthi yogas. This travel is very well within the Saranagathi route (though ideally everyone who has undergone surrender to Perumal via an Acharya is supposed to have this mental state.. in fact this is a question which many of us have asked.. what happens if you undergo Samasrayanam but dont live according to the expected mental state .. the answer is simple.. if you dont even understand it, it does not mean anything...or does it?)
As always, comments are welcome.
First of all, let me try to summarize the issue.
There are multiple references to salvation in Srivaishnava philosophy. Most if not all of them, refer to the fact that only Perumal has to decide if and when a soul can reach Paramapadham. After all he gives everything. Azhwars refer to his more than enough number of times to say there is nothing in our hands and its all his.
(1) If there is nothing that we can do and if its all in Perumal's hands, why is he not taking everyone to his abode? (சர்வ முக்தி பிரசங்கம்)
(2) If there is something the jeevathmas need to do, then is it just a payment for whatever you do? Is it as transactional as that?
Both seem to result in issues. So whats the deal? Though there are different schools of thought, there are enough references which transcend these two extremes or in fact bridge these two extremes. This is complex at best and needs in depth study under an acharya. But then this blog is about snippets from discussions and other hearsay points :-)
One learned swami was so vehement in his adherence to (1) that he said even Nammazhvar fits this criteria. Without perumals intervention he would have been as bad (or as good) as any one of us. On the point of why perumal does not do it for everyone, he retorted that you have no business asking as the owner can decide whatever he wants to do. While his sentiment is appreciated, this appeared as a weak argument to me. He further referred to the fact that in old days when a king dies without a heir, the பட்டத்து யானை will select the next king. No one can restrict the elephant from selecting whoever it pleases to. So perumal is like that. He will and can decide to select whoever he wants.
Another swami intervened and asked the question. What if the elephant places the garland on a rock or a dog? :-) Funny but significant!!
We have the concept of necessary and sufficient condition in Math. Similarly I have heard the below two analogies which try to reconcile this
(1) When a beggar gets food, does he get it because he begged for it or is it because of the grace/mercy of the one who provided food to him. Beggar asking for food is a necessary condition but the sufficient condition is the grace/mercy of the provider
(2) Digging a pond or clearing up a village lake is a necessary condition. Rain is the sufficient condition to get water. Without rain a prepared pond or lake is useless. but without prepared pond or rain, the rain water gets washed away.
அத்வேஷம் and ஆபிமுக்யம் are two attributes that provide the necessary conditions here.
(1) Non rejection of perumal
(2) A desire to reach him
Once this is there, the sufficient condition of Perumal's grace completes the picture.
So is this transactional in anyway? Acharyaas clearly say that's not the case. This is like taking a few lemons to meet the king and getting a fortune in return. Only a fool will think that the necessary conditions were significant enough to deserve the result!! No matter what you do, Moksha is so great that you essentially got it free, only due to perumal's grace.
This opens up another topic. Everyone understands the multiple births etc due to karma. One point of view is this. Its all part of your schooling to get you ready for Parama Padha. The only difference is that , this is an extremely customized school for each jeevathma. You keep repeating the school till you pass. Pass here is reference to one getting completely ready to reach the divine abode. Refer to my post on "That was just an angry lady.. this is what you really get". The reference to 5-8-5 on the devotee being asked to stay to fulfill his desires perfectly fits this situation. You are ready when you are really ready. Who was really ready...Azhwars (and Acharyaas)!!
Oh dear!! This is clearly a long road!! Its clear we need some cheats and short cuts to help speeding up the process and we are not even talking about the difficult routes of Karma, Gyana and Bakthi yogas. This travel is very well within the Saranagathi route (though ideally everyone who has undergone surrender to Perumal via an Acharya is supposed to have this mental state.. in fact this is a question which many of us have asked.. what happens if you undergo Samasrayanam but dont live according to the expected mental state .. the answer is simple.. if you dont even understand it, it does not mean anything...or does it?)
As always, comments are welcome.
The meaning, role and life style of all jeeva jandhus are precasted at the time of birth itself ab-initio!
ReplyDeleteSome are ignorant as to why, how and how long they have to sustain that life style assigned to them till they can complete their life cycle/s and reach the Lotus feet of the Paramathma.
Some are semi literates and do some thing to understand and some times fail.
Rare are totally aware and enlightened souls like the great , Nammazhvar.
The mute point is for the majority of humane even the truth of Athaman/ Paramathman sammandham is unknown and non existent.
The cosmic world as designed is complex and colourful as the characters of Srimad Ramayana and Srimad Mahababhardam epics, each to his assigned role and cast!
At what level you want to understand the play and plot of the Paramathma is varied and has a large band width !!
So the bottom line try and endeavor to understand or
else just accept [ saranagadhi ] and plod on to your lifes' role and character!
Simple fools think to simply like me.....
Cheer up, sir,
Ranga Swamin