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CHAPTER - XCX
Sthana Visheshadhikara
It was expounded in the previous section viz., Aparadhapariharadhikara, that a Prapanna should engage himself in divine service to the Lord, untainted by any offence, so long as he is destined to live in this world. He would gain the eternal service of the Lord in the Supreme Abode of the Lord after casting his body. It is described in this section, whether a suitable place is available for such a person to live in and to spend his lifetime in activities that are free from offences. Where should such a Prapanna spend the rest of his life, as most of the places mentioned by the ancient sages, have all been contaminated by worldly people and are not fit for a Prapanna to lead a calm and undisturbed life?
The sages of yore recommended places like shores of the Ganges, Prayag, Pushkara and Naimisharanya, and such holy places, as suitable for an ardent devotee to live. They did so because, those holy places were likely to have in them sages and realisers of Paramatman. But, on account of the ravages of time such as Kali-Yuga, and the deterioration in following the eternal dharmas, all those places have become unsuitable for the Prapanna to live.
Considering all these factors, Vedanta Desika suggests that a Prapanna may live in any place which is helpful for gaining tranquility of the mind and for developing single minded devotion towards the Lord and to obtain the association of an ardent lover of God, who is a ‘Parama: kantin’.
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Essence of Srimad Rahasyattaya Saram
‘यत्रैकाग्रयं भवति भगवत्पादसेवार्चनादेः यत्रैकान्त्यव्यवसितधियो यस्य कस्यापि लाभः । वासस्थानं तदिह कृतिनां भाति वैकुण्ठकल्पं’।
In the introductory verse, Desika says that “a place where concentration of mind for worship of the Lord and meditation upon the Lord, become possible”, where one gains the company of a devotee who is free from contact with other deities, and other benefits, would be equivalent to Vaikuntha’, the cternal abode of the Lord. The places suggested by the sages, such as Naimisha, Badari and bank of Ganga, and other similar holy places were suggested perhaps on account of the possibility of the presence of single-minded Bhagavatas. As the Holy places such as Aryavartha and others, have become unsuitable on account of the expeditions of non-believers of God, one should choose a place where some ardent devotees of the Lord are present.
It cannot be said that there will be no Bhagavatas at all, in the Kali-Yuga, as the sages have declared that even in the Kali-Yuga, there will be cminent bhagavathas here and there -
कलौ खलु भविष्यन्ति नारायणपरायणाः । क्वचित्क्वचिन्महाभागाः द्राविडेषु च भूरिशः ॥
So, it may be known that dharma of the nature of sole devotion to the Lord will never be obliterated on account of the presence of Bhagavatas at all times. In the Moksha Dharma of the Mahabharata, it is mentioned that when gods and sages requested the Lord to suggest a suitable place for them to live, the compassionate Lord replied thus –
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SCL
गुरवो यत्र पूज्यन्ते साधुवृत्ताः शमान्विताः । वस्तव्यं तत्र युष्माभिः यत्र धर्मो न हीयते ॥ यत्र वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च तपस्सत्यं दमस्तथा । स वै देशो हि वस्सेव्यो मा वोऽधर्मः पदा स्पृशेत्॥
A place where preceptors are venerated and where on account of the presence of such devotees, Dharma prospers; in a place, where the rites prescribed by the Vedas and the courses of penance, the word of truth, conquest over the senses, prevail, that is to be resorted, and adharma will not even creep into those places.
A place where there are facilities for rendering selfless service to the Lord and such Holy places, are recommended for a Prapanna to live. The Holy places where the Supreme Paramatman dwells is a right place for a Prapanna to live. The statement found in the Sharanagati Gadya viz., “till the fall of your body, you can live peacefully in Srirangam alone”, does not exclude other Holy places, where the Lord is eternally present. This statement is only indicative of other Holy places also. The dwelling place for a discriminating person is surely a holy place where the Lord is showing Himself. It is said in Mahabharata,
यत्र नारायणोदेवः परमात्मा सनातनः । तत्पुण्यं तत्परब्रह्म तत्तीर्थं तत्तपोवनम् ॥ ca 2984: Mal: # :
“The place where that Supreme Paramatman is present that is punya, that is a holy place, that is verily a hermitage. The Deva Rishis, Siddhas and all hermits engaged in penance are all there”.
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Essence of Srimad Rahasyarraya Saram
In the ‘Agamas’, it is pointed out that the Holy places are of different types such as ‘svayam-vyakta’, installed by siddapurushas, and installed by Vaisnavas, and that an ardent devotee may live in such Holy places doing whatever divine services he could. It is declared in the Shastras that a person who breathes his last in a Holy place, becomes purified of all impurities and gradually attains the eternal abode of the Lord.
Mere dwelling in a Holy place, will not be the cause of emancipation. It helps him to strengthen his faith in the Lord, and adopt a means of salvation such as Bhakti Yoga or Prapatti, through which he may attain the Supreme Paramatman. It is declared -
यत्किञ्चिदपि कुर्वाणो विष्णोरायतने वसेत् । न किश्चिदपि कुर्वाणो विष्णोरायतने वसेत् ॥’
The idea of this verse is, “he must dwell in the Holy place of the Lord, doing any kind of ordained service to the Lord, be it by his body or mind or speech. This points out that he must engage while living there in some divine service or other as approved by the scriptures. ‘Not doing anything means not indulging in any kind of prohibited deed and dis-service to the Lord and the Godly-ones”.
Desika ordains that a Prapanna lives in a place where there are Bhagavatas and where there is a possibility of enhancing one’s ‘satvic’ nature. He points out that the verse -
निगृहीतेन्द्रियग्रामः यत्र यत्र वसेन्नरः । तत्र तत्र कुरुक्षेत्रं नैमिषं पुष्करं तथा ॥
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i.e. “that place where a devotee who has restrained his sense organs lives, is verily Kurukshetra, Naimisharanya and Pushkara”; emphasises that the place, where a Bhagavata dwells, also become celebrated. This is to be followed, when there is no other go. This also affirms that there is no rule that a particular place is necessary for discarding one’s body. One may cast away his body anywhere, but he is sure to obtain the fruit of his Prapatti, wherever he breathes his last.
ज्ञानसमकालमुक्त्वा कैवल्यं याति गतशोकः । तीर्थे श्वपचगृहे वा नष्टस्मृतिरपि परित्यजन् देहम्।
“A person who utters the words of surrender and surrenders and gains the knowledge of Paramatman, may give up his body in a Holy place or in the place of an out caste or in a state of unconsciousness, but he surely attains liberation getting rid of all sorrows”. This statement is meant for emphasising the fact that the surrender performed by one will never become futile and this does not in anyway discard the principle that was stated for living in a place conducive to one’s devotional activities.
Vedanta Desika concludes that a place like Kashi (or Benares) or Ayodhya or Avanthi or Kanchipuram or Madhura or any other Holy place, will not, merely of themselves, become celebrated, if those places are not desired by Bhagavatas who are intent upon drinking the nectar of the Holy names and exploits of the Lord. The intention is that any Holy place which is not relished by Bhagavatas, does not appeal to a Prapanna and on the contrary, any place that is relished by ardent devotees, becomes a coveted place for a Prapanna to live. सा काशीति न चाकशीति भुविसायोध्येति नाध्यास्यते सावन्तीति न कल्मषादवतिसा काञ्चीति नोदञ्चति । धत्ते सामधुरेति नोत्तमधुरां नान्यापि मान्या पुरी या वैकुण्ठकथा सुधारस भुजां रोचेत नो चेतसे ॥Niryandhikara
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