SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
chith prakaraNam
sUthram 44
முக்தரென்கிறது ஸம்ஸார ஸம்ப3ந்தமற்றவர்களை.
mukthar engiRadhu samsAra sambandham aRRavargaLai.
Meaning
The mukthas are those who became free from all connection with samsAra.
Explanation
Who are the mukthas?
The mukthas are those whose beginningless connection with samsAra (anAdhi-karma-pravAha-prayukthamAna samsAra-sambandham) has come to an end.
Removal of the Obstacles to Liberation
The particular karmas that obstruct the desire for liberation (mOksha-ruchi-prathibandhaka karma-viSEsham) are exhausted:
- by experiencing their results;
- by the performance of the generally prescribed prAyaSchiththa-karmas;
- or by extraordinarily powerful merits (athyuthkata prAmAdhika-puNyangaL) acquired without seeking their fruits (anabhisamhitha-palam).
As a result, in a subsequent birth, through the gracious glance of bhagavAn (bhagavath-katAksham), sathva becomes predominant (sathvOdhrEkam), giving rise to mOksha-ruchi.
Rise of true knowledge
Having approached a sadhguru (sadh-guru-samASrayaNam), they attain the knowledge of parabrahman, the reality taught by the vEdhAntha (vEdhAntha-vEdhya parabrahma gyAnam).
Seeking only the attainment of mOksha (thath-prApthi-rUpa-mOksha-sidhyartham), they perform the duties appropriate to their respective varNa and ASrama (sva-varNa-svASrama-uchitha karmangaL), renouncing attachment to the fruits and the sense of doership (pala-sanga-karthruthva-thyAga-pUrvakam).
As declared in the scriptures:
धर्मेण पापमपनुदति
(dharmENa pApam apanudhathi) thaiththirIya upanishath
“By dharma, sin is removed.”
Again,
कषाये कर्मभिः पक्वे ततो ज्ञानं प्रवर्तते
(kashAyE karmabhi: pakvE thathO gyAnam pravarthathE)
“When karmas mature and are exhausted, knowledge arises.”
Accordingly, through the performance of such righteous actions, the accumulated karmas of the past (prAchIna-karma) that obstruct the rise of knowledge (gyAnOthpaththi-virOdhi) are exhausted. The antha:karaNa thereby becomes purified, and true knowledge (samyag gyAnam), depending solely upon bhagavAn (bhagavadh-EkAvalambi), arises.
The path of bhakti
As declared:
जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु तपोज्ञानसमाधिभिः ।
नराणां क्षीणपापानां कृष्णभक्तिः प्रजायते ॥[laghvathri smruthi]
(janmAnthara-sahasrEshu thapO gyAna samAdhibhi: | narANAm kshINa pApAnAm krushhNa-bhakthi: prajAyathE ||)
“After thousands of births, through thapas, knowledge, and samAdhi, those whose sins have been exhausted develop devotion to krishNa.”
Thus, through karma and knowledge accumulated over many births, there arises bhakthi in the form of an uninterrupted stream of remembrance, like a continuous flow of oil (thaila-dhArAvath avichchinna-smruthi-santhAna-rUpa-bhakthi). Through the bhagavath-prasAdha resulting from such bhakthi, liberation is attained.
The path of bhagavAn’s causeless grace
Alternatively, out of his own causeless affection (nirhEthuka-sauhArdha-viSEsha), bhagavAn may create a succession of accidental meritorious acts (yAdhruchchikAdhi sukrutha-paramparA), bestow his special gracious glance (viSESha-katAksha), remove aversion (adhvEsha), generate receptivity towards him (Abhimukhya), bring about association with sAthvika devotees (sAthvika-sambhAshaNam), lead the soul to take refuge under a sadhAchArya (sadhAchArya-samASrayaNam), and through that AchArya’s instruction give rise to thathva gyAnam.
The commentary further states that bhagavAn may, through His own special grace alone, directly bestow thathva gyAnam.
The path of prapaththi
Through His unexpected grace (bhagavadh-Akasmika-krupA), bhagavAn establishes the soul in the firm conviction (mahA-viSvAsa) that his divine feet alone are the upAya.
Through the bhagavath-prasAdha arising from prapaththi, which removes the notion that other means are necessary or difficult (upAyAnthara-vishayathil piRandha dhushkarathvAdhi-budhdhi), all worldly sins are destroyed. The soul’s true nature becomes fully manifest (AvirbhUtha-sva-svarUpa), and it attains the exclusive enjoyment of bhagavadh-anubhava and bhagavadh-kainkarya (bhagavadh-anubhava-kainkaryaika-bhOga).
Inclusion of kaivalyas
By saying simply, “The mukthas are those who are free from samsAra,” the sUthram also includes the kaivalyas, who, though lacking relish for bhagavadh-anubhava, attain freedom from samsAra through the appropriate means and remain experiencing only their own self (sva-svarUpAnubhava) in their respective abode.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
archived in https://granthams.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – https://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – https://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – https://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – https://pillai.koyil.org