| Vol 02.022 | Pre-SaraNAgati Issues |
12 February, 1997
|
| In this Issue:
1. Note from the Editor 2. Excerpts from Chapter 20 of "Hinduism Rediscovered" on " The three Great Mantras" | ||
Dear Bhagavatas,
We give below excerpts from Chapter 20 of "Hinduism Rediscovered" dealing with " The three Great Mantras".
This posting represents part of the talk the undersigned was privileged to give to a select group of committed Srivaishnavas who attended the late night session on 29th December 96, the concluding day of the Swami Desika Darsana Satsangam Conference at Buffalo, New York.
This issue deals with "Dvaya Mantra - The Surrender Mantra"
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
2.
Excerpts from Chapter 20 of "Hinduism Rediscovered"
dealing with "Dvaya Mantra - The Surrender Mantra"
SECTION 2 DVAYA MANTRA ( THE SURRENDER MANTRA )
ADHIKARA 28 : DVAYA ADHIKARA OF RAHASYA TRAYA SARA
The Dvaya Mantra is called 'Mantra Raja',' the king of Mantras' and
'Mantra Ratna'-' the Gem of Mantras'. This Mantra explicitly reveals the
Upaya and the Upeya contained only implicitly in Namah and Narayana respectively
in the Moolamantra..
This Mantra is found in two separate contexts in KATAVALLI and found joined together. It is a Tantric Mantra and therefore could be recited by anyone irrespective of caste or sex and is not conditioned by any restrictions like time, place, bath in holy rivers, Homa ( offering in fire), Mantrajapa etc. All that is needed is that it should be got administered by a qualified Acharya in whom the disciple should have absolute faith.
This is the Mantra that is imparted by such an Acharya to the Sishya at the time of performance of 'Bharanyasa' ( literally, laying down the burden) as it holds the key to Paramapada. It is the most valued one from which the Prapanna would derive the greatest delight here and in the hereafter. It is the immediate, readily accessible Mantra which guarantees the attainment of Bhagavan at one stroke of utterance and therefore held dearest and most enjoyable to one desirous of Moksha. Hence, it is called 'Bhogya'.
Its potency is such that a single utterance with absolute faith is enough to destroy 'all sins that could ever be committed by anyone' It is like a lion in the forest where all animals flee from him; all sins flee away from one who recites this Mantra with total unconditional faith.
In matters of divine mystery rationalization is futile. One should have implicit faith and dependence like one who is deaf and blind placing oneself under the guidance of a trusted person.
It is called Dvaya because it explicitly states both the surrender of the soul ( Svarupa Samarpana) and surrender of responsibility ( Bhara Samarpana)- all implicit in Moolamantra.
Saranagati Gadya of Sri Ramanujacharya and Nammalwar's Tiruvoimozhi 4.1.1, 6.10.10 and 7.2.11 explain the meaning of Dvaya in very clear terms.
In SATYAKI TANTRA, the Lord says that this Mantra should be sought from the Guru like a poor man begging for a treasure.
The Mantra reads as follows:-
"SRIMAN NARAYANA CHARANOU SARANAM PRAPADYESRIMATE NARAYANAYA NAMAH"
Let us analyze the significance of the words contained in the mantra.
THE WORD SRIMAN
At the outset, the Mantra requires the Jeeva to understand that the
divine mother, Lakshmi is an inseparable attribute of Bhagavan. The word
SRI has the following meanings:-
1)Sreeyate:- 'One who is resorted to' - Sri is resorted to by those who desire Moksha.
2)Srayate :- 'One who resorts to' -the Supreme lord of all in order to secure for the Jeeva the Moksha desired. This aspect of the mother is Called 'Purushakara' (Recommendatory mediator). When Anjaneya offers to punish the Rakshasis (demonesses) who tortured Sri Sita in the Asoka forest, she replies: " Even if these Rakshasis are guilty fit to be killed as you think, according to me , We have to take pity on them. WHO IN THE WORLD HAS NOT SINNED?"7
She helps to mitigate the anger of the Lord who wields the rod of punishment for the sake of promoting the welfare of the offender. The quality of mercy of the divine mother forbids the displeasure of the lord and turns it into grace. This is her natural disposition as well pointed out by Swami Sri Desika in his ' Daya Satakam'.
3) Srunoti : - 'One who listens'. This is the etymological meaning. She listens to the cry of the suffering of those who have sought her refuge
4) Sravayati :- 'One who causes to listen'. She pleads to the lord on their behalf by reminding him of his vow ' to protect those who surrender, even at the cost of his own life'. The SUPREME LOVE that the Lord has for his consort combined with his own SOLEMN VOW which he cannot give up, compel him to save the refugee despite all his sins out of sheer compassion.
4) Srunaati :- This also is derived etymologically meaning ' One who removes all faults'. By her intervention, she removes all obstacles in the way of those who have adopted 'Prapatti'
6) Sreenaati:- is a Nirukta meaning ' One who makes the world ripe by her qualities'. The root SREE would mean that by her attributes like compassion, she enables those who seek refuge in her to become ripe enough to have the qualifications necessary for rendering service to the Lord in Paramapada.
Sri Lakshmi represents the mother with her ' all inclusive love for her progeny '. The Bhagavan, the father is more a disciplinarian. Even in the world, we find that the mother gives birth to the child's nature and emotions while the father gives birth to the child's intellectual development as to how he should function individually and in society by means of stern instruction and discipline..
SRI is inseparable from the Lord in all circumstances. In so far as the Prapanna is concerned, along with the Lord she is
THE WORD SARANAM
In this the Savior is placed in the position of Upaya so that the Prapanna
may refrain from any effort on his part (other than surrendering)
THE WORD PRAPADYE
The preposition 'PRA' discloses the greatness or intensity of the faith.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT EVEN IF IT WERE WEAK AT THE TIME ( WHICH IT WILL NOT BE NORMALLY FOR A PRAPANNA), BHAGAVAN WHO HAS BEGUN TO SHOWER HIS SPECIAL GRACE WILL MAKE IT FULL AND PERFECT.
The first person singular implied ( I resolve) shows only a pretext (Vyaja) in Bhakti or Prapatti that wins the grace of the Lord. Again, Prapadye in the present tense shows the faith AT THE TIME OF PERFORMING PRAPATTI.
If one finds it enjoyable, as it certainly does, Dvaya may be and in fact repeatedly uttered by the Prapannas.
THE WORD SRIMATE
The word repeated in the second part shows that both Narayana and Sri
Lakshmi are the 'recipients' of the offering (havis) of surrender. Though
the word has several meanings, in this context, it refers to her as the
' one who receives service'. The root is 'Sreenj Sevayam'- one who receives
service'.
THE WORD NARAYANAYA
Here, the word Narayanaya emphasizes the full and perfect enjoyment
of the Lord ( Paripurna Brahmanubhavam) - the culmination of the association
of the Sesha with the Seshi. Sesha not only exists for the Seshi (Bhaveyam)
but also for doing service to Seshi as indicated in 'AYA'- 'To'
THE WORD NAMAH
As already seen in Moolamantra, the word has to be understood as '
Na Mama Syam'- I do not belong to me and 'Na Mama Kinchit Syat'- Nothing
exists for me. Namah also discloses the severance of all connections between
the Jeeva to his self, his protection, and the fruit resulting therefrom.
Thus, the Dvaya by words actually used and by meanings implied in them reveals the following: