१८ अपराध-परिहाराधिकारः
CHAPTER - XVIII
Aparadhapariharadhikara
In this section, it is expounded that a Prapanna who commits some faults willingly, impelled by his past karmas or on account of certain spacial and temporal conditions or on account of his inadvertence, has to repent for his faults and pray forgiveness of the Lord, failing which, he would be subjected to some punishments by the Lord. A Prapanna is, therefore, warned to be very careful regarding his behaviour in this world, where he is destined to live till he is liberated from the body. It is also pointed out that one who has surrendered the burden of his protection to the Lord, is sure to obtain his desired object viz., attainment of Godhead, culminating in loving eternal service to the Lord, after being thus purified.
In the introductory verse it is pointed out that even after attaining the purifying Ganga of the form of compassion of Sri Madhava, which is opposed to all that is defiling, most enjoyable, the purifier of all sins, the means of attainment of all desired objects, if one becomes tainted with sins, the virtuous will not be associate with him.
स्वच्छ-स्वादु-सदावदात-सुभगां दैवाद् अयं देहभृत्
मालिन्य-प्रशमाय माधव-दया-मन्दाकिनी विन्दति ।
यद्य् अप्य् एवम् असाव् असार-विषय-स्रोत-प्रसूतैः पुनः
पङ्कैर् एव कलंकयन् निजतनुं प्राज्ञैः न संश्लिष्यते ।+++(5)+++
When a person has attained the mercy of the Lord, on account of his total surrender unto Him, normally he will not transgress the command of the Lord, and will not indulge in petty means for attainment of worldly benefits; but, yet on account of his prarabdha-karma, if he were to indulge in unbecoming things, he will not be contacted by wise people. Offences that are done intentionally, do not happen, as a general case in such people, who have realised their subservience to the Lord, and who are taking delight in the service of the Lord, according to the shastras. If some sins happen to him on account of prarabdha-karma, without his intention, they will not taint him, as in the case of an ‘upasaka’. If sins happen to him, being done intentionally, he has to perform an expiation for becoming free from that offence, and the expiation here, is to surrender unto the Lord again for the purpose of forgiving his offence.+++(4)+++ This ‘prayaschitta’ or expiation is not for gaining moksha, because that has been done already and the burden of his protection, has already been taken over by the Lord. It is ordained in the shastras that when a Prapanna happens to commit some offence, he should pray for excuse in the form of another surrender unto the Lord. If a Prapanna adopts some other ‘upaya’, like karma-yoga or bhakti-yoga willingly after having surrendered for moksha, even then he has to perform an expiation of the form of surrender for excusing that offence. He must feel repentance and shame for having committed the fault intentionally.
अपाय-संप्लवे सद्यः
प्रायश्चित्तः समाचरेत् ।
प्रायश्चित्तिर् इयं सात्र
यत्पुनः शरणं व्रजेत् ॥
उपायानाम् उपायत्व-
स्वीकारेप्य् एतद् एवहि ॥
This additional Prapatti is not for the purpose of attaining moksha but only for forgiving the fault committed intentionally. What happens if one commits an offence intentionally and does not perform this expiation? Mild punishment, similar to the punishment given to the princes and others will be meted out by the Lord and they will be purified and then taken over to his side.+++(5)+++ Just like an offence that is to be cleared by striking with a weapon, is got over by the pricking of a thorn. The serious offence that is willingly done, and not prayed for forgiveness, will be cleared by the Lord, by making them suffer in this world in various ways, before they pass out of the body purified to reach His eternal abode.+++(4)+++ All this happens on account of the grace of the Lord, who never forsakes one who has surrendered unto Him.+++(5)+++ It is, therefore, necessary to be very careful regarding one’s course of life here after prapatti, and be vigilant not to commit any offence intentionally. If some offence occurs on account of past karmas, in spite of one’s vigilance, it is wise to feel shame, repent, desist from such action further and to perform a prapatti, a second prapatti for forgiving that offence.
Sometime, it is asked whether one can perform a “prayaschitta-prapatti’ even before the offences occur, so that the Lord may not punish one, for such commissions. The answer to this question is that performing an expiation or prayaschitta, does not arise when the offence is not actually committed. In view of some offences that are anticipated in future, one cannot perform an expiation. But, at the time of performing prapatti for moksha, one may include in that prapatti itself, that he may be granted ‘Niraparadha-Kainkarya’ i.e., a course of life after prapatti, where no offences occur. If a prayer for service to the Lord not tainted with offences is included in the prayer for protection of his self at the time of self-surrender, he will not be liable to commit the offences intentionally.
It is sometime argued that one need not seek for any forgiveness of the Lord, even in the case of intentional offences that are committed by one, as the Lord has given an assurance ‘सर्व-पापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि’ It is also said that the Lord may not punish one even in case of intentional sins done by one. Some say that there would be no delay in attainment of godhead and eternal service of the Lord for those who cannot bear delay.
Vedanta Desika says that all these different propositions are made for extolling the auspicious qualities of the Lord and the greatness of Prapatti. But, these are all contrary to the practices of the ancient seers, who surrendered unto the Lord, and to the shastras that ordain expiations for getting rid of the bad effects of intentional offences and to the Shastras that point out that there will be delay in attaining the final fruit of Prapatti viz., attainment of Paramatman, in respect of those who have committed intentional sins and have not performed the expiations. The statement ‘सर्व-पापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि’ ‘is a general assurance; but, it does not clear the offences done intentionally, because, there is a particular reference in respect of surrendering again as an expiation for intentional sins as प्रायश्चित्तिर् इयं सात्र यत् पुनः शरणं व्रजेत्.
This is an expiation which occurs after Prapatti. It cannot be said that this second surrender prescribes the removal of intentional sins done after Prapatti, in the case of those who have not done prapatti earlier for बुद्धिपूर्वोत्तराघ also, because, there is no authority that prescribes that one Aparadha-pariharAdhikara can perform a surrender earlier even for intentional sins that may occur after Praparti. If the statement that the surrender that is made to the Lord is enough to remove the intentional sins also done after Prapatti, there will be no scope at all for the statement prescribing a second Prapatti, Then, according to the same analogy, the intentional sins that are done by an upasaka also will have to be taken as ineffective. But, the Brahmasutras have expressly mentioned that the past accumulated sins will vanish and the sins that occur unintentionally afterwards will not taint one. So, the shastra that enjoins a second Prapatti, is valid and the general statement ‘सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि’ does not cover the intentional sins done after Prapatti.
If it is asked then, how a light punishment will be given for intentional offences done after Praptti, it is answered that the infliction of punishment differs from person to person on counts of his caste, his qualities and the ‘ashrama’ or state of life. The heavy punishment that is given to an offender will not be given to a prince. He will be punished lightly and that would be enough to reform him. The Lord favours a Prapanna, and never deprives him of the main object of his prayer viz. liberation from samsara. But, sets him right, when he approaches Him with repentance for forgiveness. ‘लघुर्दण्डः प्रपन्नस्य राज-पुत्रापराध-वत्’ ॥
For giving a proper lead to the people of the world, people who are celebrated are also punished lightly when they commit offences. It cannot be asked whether one can perform a Prapatti for excusing the sins that are done intentionally after Prapatti, just as the question of performing upasana for the faults that are done intentionally after commencing upasana does not arise. Unless an occasion actually arises, there cannot be a remedy. It is said ‘कृते पापे ऽनुतापः’. The ’naimittika’ or surrender for a particular cause, does not come upon one, without the ’nimitta’ or the cause for that. But, if one fears that intentional sins may happen to him after his Prapatti, it is proper that he should perform a ‘prayaschitta’ of the form of Prapatti for averting the effects of the prarabdha-karma that has already become operative. It is mentioned in the shastras that a part of the prarabdha karma, can be annihilated by means of dana, japa and others, as mentioned in the following verse:
जन्मान्तरकृतं पापं
व्याधिरूपेण बाधते ।
तच्छान्तिर् औषधिर् दानैः
जप-होमार्चनादिभिः॥
So, it is established that ‘buddhipoorvaka papa’ or committing sins intentionally after Prapatti, does not arise, if one performs a Prapatti for ‘पापारम्भकपापं’ or the sins that are liable to cause one do sins.
Desika points out that even slight sins done against the satvikas will have its own adverse effects and so one should be very careful and avoid any kind of offences after Praparti, so that he may not be deprived of the grace of the Lord and he may not be subjected to even light punishment.
The main cause of all such offences happens to be non discrimination or ‘aviveka’. One should steer clear of the body-soul illusion, and the illusion that he is not dependent upon the Ishvara, and that he has all powers.
The cause of clearing all this illusion, will be a right understanding of his true nature. It is declared by savants that by the termination of the cause of offences viz., body soul illusion and the illusion that he alone is an independent entity by himself; all offences that arise on account of ‘artha’ and ‘kama’, will be uprooted without any further effort. The intentional sins are on account of ‘artha’ and ‘kama’. They get destroyed, when one realises his true nature of being subservient to the Lord.
अविवेक-प्रभुत्वादेर्
निदानस्य निवर्तनात् ।
अर्थ-कामापचाराणां
अयत्नोन्मूलनं भवेत् ॥
Of all the offences, offences towards the Bhagavatas, are very serious ones and one should be very vigilant to avoid offences towards the godly-ones. Bhagavan Ramanuja has expounded under the Vedanta Sutra 3-4-42 Ta मुक्त-फलानियमः तदवस्थावधृतेः’, that the result of moksha will be delayed on account of the offence of Bhagavathapachara. It is ordained in the shastras that a Bhagavatha should be venerated in spite of all differences of caste.
यः शूद्रं भगवद्-भक्तं
निषादं श्वपचं तथा ।
वीक्षते जाति-सामान्यात्
स याति नरकं नरः ॥
“A devotee of the Lord, who may be a ‘sudra’ or a forester or a low caste man should not be treated on counts of caste. If one does so, he will fall into hell” -
तस्माद्-विष्णु-प्रसादाय
वैष्णवान् परितोषयेत् ।
प्रसाद-सुमुखो विष्णुः
तेनैव स्यान् न असंशयः ॥
“For winning the grace of the Lord, one should please the devotees of the Lord Vishnu. By this alone, the Lord becomes pleased. There is no doubt about it.”
When a Bhagavatha is offended by a person, it is necessary that he should beg pardon of that Bhagavatha for having committed that offence. The instance of Lakshmana and Sugriva praying for excuse mutually when Lakshmana was harsh on Sugriva for having delayed to meet Rama, is quoted by the Acharyas to illustrate this point.
It is the understanding of the shastras that the Lord is going to excuse such sins that occur even intentionally, when one surrenders unto Him with a prayer to excuse his faults. So, it is decided in this section that the Lord who is ever compassionate, will pardon such Prapannas who have consciously committed offences, when they pray for pardon by practising a second Prapatti. By his surrender for liberation, all the accumulated sins will be terminated by the Lord. The sins that occur inadvertently will not stick to him.
The lord is sure to grant him moksha for his first and primary Prapatti itself. It will never fail. If such a Prapanna does not repent and pray for pardon with a second Prapatti, even in that case, the Lord will not deprive him of the fruit of his first Prapatti, but inflicts on him punishment and thus, purifying him, takes him to His side. Such is the greatness of Prapatti and consequently, the greatness of the compassion of the Supreme Lord. This is pointed out in the concluding verse -
प्रारब्धेतर-पूर्व-पापम् अखिलं प्रामादिकं चोत्तरं
न्यासेन क्षपयन्न् अनभ्युपगत-प्रारब्ध-खण्डं च नः ।
धीपूर्वोत्तर-पाप्मनाम् अजननात् जातेऽपि तनिष्कृतेः
कौटिल्ये सति शिक्षयाप्य् अनघयन् क्रोढीकरोति प्रभुः ॥