SRIVAISHNAVISM - A CONSCISE STUDY - PART IV Means of Liberation Visistadvaita philosophy holds that Bhakthi-yoga and Prapatti or Saranagati (total surrender) form the twin methods of attaining salvation, and out of these two, Prapatti is easier and can be practised by all. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krisna has dealt with extensively on the three Yogas, Karma, Jnana and Bhakthi and also on Prapatti marga being available to those who seek to reach him. While Visistadavaita preceptors before Sri Ramanuja and the Alwars before Him, chose Bhakthi-yoga as the most efficacious method of getting release from the cycle of birth and also advocated Saranagati or total surrender to the Lord as another means. It was left to Sri Ramanuja to expatiate on Saranagati at great length as the surest and easiest method of getting moksha by even ordinary people. Preceptors who followed Him, like Sri Pllai Lokacharya systematised this approach further in many treaties and laid down rules thereunder. The following paragraphs deal with each of the four methods, the three yogas and Saranagati. 1. Karma-Yoga Karma yoga is said to be an indirect means to liberation (Moksha) through the medium of karma (duty or action). Such action should be disinterested and done without attachment to a) the fruits thereof b) the doership and c) the action itself. These three injuctions, Sri Alavandar (Yamuna) explains in his Gitartha-sangraha as follows: "Action should be performed not as a means towards another end but as an end in itself; when action is done, one should think that" this is not done in my nature, it is promoted by gunas(senses) of my body, the doer of the act is really Bhagavan; the thought that "this act is mine" should be abandoned, for every action should be done as the worship of God by which He is pleased; hence the action that is conducive to His pleasure is really His action, not the doer's. This attitude of triple abandonment is successfully brought out in the sattvika-tyagam which every devotee utters at the beginning and end of each karma viz; "Bhagvaneva svaniyamya svarupa-sthitti-pravrttisvasesataikarasena maya svakiyaisca upakaranaih svaradhanaika-prayojanaya paramapurusah sarvasesi sriyapattih svas esabhutamidam------ karma svasmai svapritaye svayameva karayati (at the beginning of a ritual) karitavan ( at the end of the ritual) The abandonment of these three kinds of attachments is the basic foundation of karmayoga. By doing karma in this fashion, assures Lord krsna in the Bhagavad Gita, chapter IV(21-23), the individual will realise the Atman without the intervention of Jnana yoga, he is not bound even though he does Karma-yoga only and not Jnana yoga; and his past karmas which are the causes of his present bondage vanish completely without trace.
There are three types of Karmas to be performed: a) Nitya-karma or obligatory duties must be performed without fail like the daily sandhyavandana; b) Naimittika-karma or duties to be performed on specific occasions like eclipses of sun and moon, Ceremonies, rites for departed souls, etc. c) Kamya-karma or duties which are performed for the sake of fulfilment of ones (lawful)desires or in search of fruits(actions done for house warming, for the birth of a child, etc). The first two duties or rites have to be performed without any desire for the fruits and hence have also to be performed regularly in accordance with the prescribed rules. Again, Karma yoga has many segments [refer Bahgavad Gita, Chapter IV(25-30)] which are a) worship of images; b) performance of karmas with the thought that the doer, instrument and offering are all God's own; c) control of the senses; d) withdrawal of senses from the sense-objects; e) control of mind; f) making gifts, making offerings or worshiping images with properly acquired means; g) fasting in various ways;. h) pilgrimages to holy places and bathing in holy streams; i) recitation of the Vedas; j) studying the meaning of the Vedas; k) regualtion of breath. An individual may select anyone of these karmas and do it steadily without break, and he is sure to realise the atman (self). By doing Karma-yoga in the manner described above, an individual automatically has recourse to Jnana yoga, attains control over his mind and realises that he is the atman and not the body. This in turn, leads to the penultimate step, Bhakti-yoga which is nothing but single pointed, loving devotion to God. It is accompanied by operations like placing flowers at his feet and prostrating before the Lord. In other words the three yogas are very much interspersed with one another: "Karmayogas-tapas-tirtha-dana-yajnadi-sevanam! Jnanayogo jitasvantaih paris uddhatmani sthitih!! Bhakthiyogh-paraikanmtapriya dhyanadisu sthitih Trayanamapi yoganam tribhiranyonyasari gamah! 2. Jnana yoga Jnana-yoga is the constant and uninterrupted contemplation of the nature of one's real self, svarupa, as distinct from one's body, senses etc; through the practice of karma-yoga. The practitioner of Jnana-yoga realises that his real self, which is the jivatma, is really the body (sarira)of the Lord, because it is supported and controlled by Him and serves His purposes. The jnana yogi, or the one who practices Jnana-yoga, passes through four successive stages of realisation that (a) the atman of all human beings are similar (b) there is also a similarity between Isvara and atmas (c) the atmas also possess infinite knowledge like Isvara and (d) the world of action, joys and sorrows has nothing to do with Him. He becomes a sthithaprajna, one with a steadfast mind. Once a person attains the true vision about his self in the manner indicated above, he is likely to tarry at this stage itself, the pleasure of which is greater than any he has known before. However, he must move on further and practice the Bhakti-yoga, which is the direct means for attaining (doing service to) the supreme Lord. Thus, Jnana-yoga is an intermediate step between Karma-yoga and Bhakthi-yoga. Sri Vedantha Desika describes Jnana-yoga as a transparent cloth which is tied around a gem, which is seen first, but which has to be removed before the gem itself can be seen. 3. Bhakthi Yoga
According to Visistadvaita system, Bhakthi-yoga the path of loving devotion is one sure means of liberation from the cycle fo birth and death, the other sure means being prapatti(whole-hearted surrender). Bhakthi-yoga is developed through the twin disciplines of Karma-yoga and Jnana-yoga. A person who wants to adopt Bhakthi-yoga to attain Moksha should first of all do his duties without any attachment to the fruits therof (Karma-yoga), develop real knowledge about the soul being different from the body (Jnana-yoga), and then immerse himself in unalloyed love and service to the Supreme Brahman. Bhakti-yoga is not mere emotionalism, says Sri Ramanuja. It involves training one's mind and intellect towards pure, continuous, unalloyed love of God. Non-stop or constant contemplation is the very essence of Bhakti. Sri Ramanuja compares it to the continuous flow of oil when poured from one vessel to another (tailadharavad aviccinna-smrti-santana- parampara) and says that the term "Vedanam", 'Upasanam, 'Dhyanam', 'Nididhyasanam', 'Dhruva anusmrtih", found in the Upanishads, along with the term 'Jnanam' are all synonymous with bhakti. Bhakti is derived from the root "Bhaj" meaning loving devotion. The following verse which speaks of nine methods of pure devotion is quite popular : "Sravanam, Kirtanam Visnoh, Smaranam, Padasevanam, Arcanam, Vandanam, Dasyam, Sakhyam, Atmanivedanam" These are: Hearing discourses on the Lord Visnu; Singing of His glories; Remembering Him at all times; Serving His lotus feet (worshipping him in sacred places); Doing pooja to Him according to sastraic injunctions. Prostrating to Him; Serving Him like a servant; Becoming His friend; Offering everything one has including the body and soul to Him. Our Acharyas have pointed out that Bhakthi can be cultivated through seven steps, called sadhanasaptaka which are listed below: Viveka: Discrimination about food: taking sattvic food such as fruits, ghee, sweets, etc; becomes pure and in turn recollection and remembrance of the Lord becomes steady. "aharassuddhau sattvasuddhih sattvasuddhau dhruva smrtih" Vimoka: Cessation of all desires for material enjoyment. Abhyasa: Constant practice of the above two and repeatedly thinking of God. Kriya: Performing five great yajnas (Pancamaha yajnas)according to one's capacity - Brahma Yajna - Study and teaching of scriptures. Pitr Yajna - Offering oblations to departed souls. Daiva Yajna - Performing homa (fire sacrifice) for the Gods. Bhuta Yajna - Offering food to other beings, like animals. Nara Yajna - Hospitality to the guests. (Of these five yajnas, Brahma-yajna cannot be performed by women and sudras). Kalyana : Cultivating auspicious qualities like truthfulness, non-injury to animals; straightforwardness, etc Anavasada : Not losing ones heart even in the worst calamities and continuing contemplation on God with cheerfulness. Anuddharsa : Notbecoming overjoyed even when there appear systems that God is
becoming very much favourable. It has been pointed out that although these seven steps are prescribed in the scriptures, they are not easy for an average person to follow. Further, women and sudras are precluded from doing Brahma-Yajna, one of the five panchamaha yajnas which go to make up the firth step 'Kriya'. Thus, it can be stated that Bhakthi-Yoga is difficult to practice in the manner the Acharyas expect us, but there is an easier and more effective way (viz) Saranagati or prapatti which is explained here after. 4. Saranagathi or Prapatti There are two paths to liberation i,e., the path of loving devotion (Bhakthi-marga) and the path of wholehearted surrender(saranagathi or Prapatti). The former is open to the first three castes only and also excludes women from practicing it. As explained earlier, it involves arduous training and practice and continuous, non-stop contemplation of the God-head. To inculcate bhakthi one has to ascend nine steps; and Bhakthi-yoga involves a sevenfold discipline, (sadhana-saptakam). In contradistinction to bhakthi, Saranagathi or wholehearted surrender is far easier and can be adopted by one and all, without any distinction in caste, creed or sex and at any time and at any place. Saranagathi is essential to attain liberation. Like bhakthi, saranagathi is only a kind of mental attitude towards God. If a person is convinced that he cannot please God by his own personal efforts and that nothing else but His grace can save him, he becomes a saranagata or prapanna. Saranagati need be done only once; not again and again or continuous like bhakhti. There are five angas or prerequisites for Saranagati which will make it complete and efficacious. These are : Anukulya-Sankalpa: Resolving to do only acts which are favorable to God(Please see(a) below) Pratikulya-varjana: Avoidance of acts which are not to God s liking Mahavisvasa: Firm(Unshaken faith that God alone will save. (Please see (b)below) Goptrtva-varanam: Requesting the Lord for Protection Akincayam/Karpanyam: Expression of meekness/helplessness. a.)this includes following the duties enjoined in Varnasrama Dharma, respect to Bhagavatas, strictly refraining from worshipping other Gods, and worship of Lord Sriman Narayana alone. b.) This quality is most important and is the very heart of Saranagati. Without Mahavisvasa, other angas are useless. After doing Saranagati one should observe all rules and perform Prayascitta for infringements on ones duties. There are three modes by which one can do Saranagati: (A).Svanistha : Applicable to Alvars, Acharyas, Rishis who have full knowledge of the requirements. (B).Uktinisstha : Applicable to others and is done through an Acharya to the Lord. The Acharya recites sentences, in the presence of the Arcamurti conveying full surrender which are repeated by the aspirants. (C).Acaryanistha : Applicable to those who cannot adopt either of the above methods. In this case, the individual surrenders to the Acharya himself and out of compassion, the Acharya prays to the Arcamurti to look after the protection of the individual. As a result of Saranagati, if properly done, the Lord will relieve the prapanna or saranagata of all past karmas which have not begun to yield fruits, called sancita karmas
as well as karmas done in the present life which will give fruits in the future life, called agami karmas. Only prarabdha karma i.e, karmas which are responsible for present life which have atarted yielding giving fruits in the present life will remain untouched. Even here, if the karmas were done out of ignorance, the individual will be pardoned. If done consciously, he will get some minor punishments. The saranagatha can escape even minor punishments if he performs prayascitta according to sastras. Thus a saranagata will divest himself of all the fruits of his past and present karmas and will be fit to reach God.