SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Instruction 10
kAraNam bhagavathprApthE: mahAbhAgavatha ASraya: | Ithi mathvA dhrudam thEshAm AgyayA varthayEth sadhA ||
Simple explanation: One has to be very determined that taking shelter of bhAgavathOththamas, best among the bhAgavathas, is the cause for one’s liberation. Being in this mindset firmly one should always act according to the instructions of such uththama bhAgavathss. We have previously seen that bhAgavathss are as good as bhagavAn’s lotus feet. They represent bhagavAn’s lotus feet. One must think that taking shelter of bhAgavthas who are none other than bhagavAn’s lotus feet is the cause for attainment of mOksham. This is because we are still depending only on bhagavAn. Our sampradhAya’s foundational principle is that bhagavAn is upAyam and bhagavAn is upEyam i.e. bhagavAn is the means and bhagavAn is the goal. Here when we say attaining bhAgavathas is the reason for our liberation (mOksham), that means bhAgavathas are none other than bhagavAn’s lotus feet and pursuing bhagavAn’s lotus feet is proper. To say that bhagavAn is the means, implies that bhagavAn’s lotus feet are the means. Hence one must have the firm conviction that being with bhAgavathas is going to help us in attaining bhagavAn and we have to further vow that we will always obey their instructions. We have to take shelter of bhAgavathas who are firmly established in sampradhAya principles, practicing those principles and teaching the same to others to uplift them, and help them. If we follow such AchAryas and bhAgavathas, then we can be guaranteed that we will reach bhagavAn. We have to obey their instructions.
Video link: https://youtu.be/ydx7CtB5Pxk?si=rrBSuQNmTnZAju5j
Instruction 11
vihAya vishNu kainkaryam kainkaryam vaishNavasya cha | vinaSyEth sa nara: prAgyO rAgAdhi prErithO yadhi ||
Simple explanation: Even if one is very wise, and brilliant, still if he is engaged in enjoying worldly pleasures abandoning kainkaryams to bhagavAn and bhAgavathss then he will be destroyed. i.e. he will be as good as achith. One may have acquired knowledge, one may even be able to identify what is favourable and what is unfavourable for one’s spiritual progress, but still if such a person has too much attachment towards worldly pleasures, like enjoying eating, sleeping or sensual pleasures; whatever it may be, then such a person will lose out on opportunities for kainkaryam and will miss out on valuable sathsangams. When such things happen, his knowledge will also eventually diminish. Because, when the knowledge is not polished, when it is not used properly it will lead to no benefit. For example, if one knows that if a person crosses the road in a zig-zag way, he may be hit by a vehicle, but for some reason he still takes the risk and crosses the road then there is a possibility that some vehicle will hit him. So, when we know that worldly pleasures will increase our attachment towards more such pleasures, enjoyments, and materialistic desires, then one should try to eliminate engagement in such activities. If one keeps doing the same activity again even after having knowledge, then that will lead only to disaster.
Video link: https://youtu.be/PnKKuHKrLEA?si=zNSkgS5WJ_mec47n
Instruction 12
vaishNavAnAm anushtAnE nOpAyamathim unnayEth | upEyamEva sathatham unnayE sumahAmanA: ||
Simple explanation: A good-hearted person will never consider the activities performed by a vaishNava (here a SrIvaishNava, prapanna), whatever nithya karmAnushtAnam he performs, whether it is sandhyAvandhanam, thiruvArAdhanam, all of these as upAyam (as a means to attain something). They have to consider that these are all part of upEyam (that is kainkaryam, goal). It is a very important concept to understand. SrIvaishNavas, even though they have fully surrendered to bhagavAn, still they continue to practice all the basic nithya karmAnushtAnam, and the periodic rituals (naimithika karmas). When we perform all of those, we don’t do them with the intention of performing that action. For example, when we perform sandhyAvandhanam, we don’t ask bhagavAn that, since we have performed sandhyAvandhanam, will there be a result for us? So, it is never done with that intention.
Therefore, any good-hearted person, have to understand this concept of how SrIvaishNavas perform their daily activities/rituals (nithya karmAnushtAnam) and not misunderstand it. It is said in our pUrvAchArya granthams that a SrIvaishNava will not even cut a small piece of grass as upAyam (as means to attain something). On the other hand, he will even lift a mountain, when done as kainkaryam. So, if we are told to perform an activity, recite dhivya prabandham pAsurams and bhagavAn will give you something for that, then we will not do that and not recite dhivya prabandham pAsurams at that time. Because we don’t want anything to be done as a business deal; “I do this, you do that”. But if we are told that if we recite dhivya prabandham it will be very pleasing for bhagavAn, he will enjoy it, then we will do it happily. This concept should be understood by good-hearted persons, and they should think that SrIvaishNavas are not doing anything as upAyam. They should think that SrIvaishNavas are doing everything as upEyam (kainkaryam).
Video link: https://youtu.be/8XHZMu55zEg?si=qf_EzteSDwblDiUn
adiyEn vidhyA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading done by – vEnkatESa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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