उद्देश्यत्वं जननि भजतोरूज्झितोपाधिगन्धं
प्रत्यग्रूपे हविषि युवयोरेकशेषित्वयोगात् ।
पद्मे पत्युस्तव च निगमैर्नित्यमन्विष्यमाणो
नावच्छेदं भजति महिमा नर्तयन मानसं नः ॥ ६॥
Our souls are your bodies where Both of you reside;
United You deign to accept the oblation
Of our souls, directly, without intervention,
Beyond comprehension, The Vedas seek You far and wide!
Mother! Padma! Our hearts are dancing in unbroken bliss,
At Your Grace, Splendour and Astounding Might.
Notes by Shree M.K. Shreenivasan: In this verse, Shri Desika expounds the highest philosophy of Surrender (Prapatti) to the Divine Couple, treating Them as One.
Whenever a sacrificial rite is performed, oblations are offered in the fire, which are accepted by the Deity who is invoked in the rite - Indra, Varuna, Agni; in such ordinary sacrifices even thoughthese gods are the apparent recipients of the offerings, it is Lord Narayana Himself Who, as The Indweller of these gods also, accepts the oblations.
Whereas, in the extraordinary sacrifice of offering of our very body and
soul as happens in total surrender, there is no intermediate Deity.
soul as happens in total surrender, there is no intermediate Deity.
Lord Narayana, together with Shreemati MahaLakshmi-Devi, accepts the soul-offering directly without a third party.
This shows His Greatness.
Besides, these other deities have attained the status of accepting the offerings by virtue of their good deeds (Satkarmas).
Thus, they are 'contrived' masters (recipients) of these rites.
On the other hand, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi are Natural Masters of the rites of total surrender (Prapatti or Saranagati) and need no prop to be so.
Prapatti (Surrender)
On all accounts, it is an easier mode of attaining salvation (Moksha) preferable to the three well known modes of Action (karma), Devotion (Bhakti), Knowledge (Jnana) and which can be adopted by anyone without distinction of caste, creed or gender.
There is no fixed time or place to perform Prapatti. Any time and place is good enough. For Saranagati is not only a mental attitude.
There are five prerequisites for Saranagati to be complete and efficacious but also a courage of dynamic action.
(i) Anukulya-Sankalpa. Determination to do only acts which are favourable to God
(ii) Pratikulya-Varjana. Avoidance of acts not to God's Liking
(iii) MahaVishvasa: Firm, Unshaken Faith that God Alone saves.
(iv) Goptrtva-Varana . Requesting God to protect us.
(v) Karpanya / Akincanya : Helplessness; meekness; humility (abject self-effacement)
The Poet (Shree Vedanta Desika MahAcharya) states that as The Indweller and consequently Master of all the living and inanimate objects of the worlds, Lord Narayana with His Ever-Present Consort, Goddess Shree, establishes and maintains a direct link with the seekers of salvation.
Such a God is sought to be comprehended by the Vedas and this is what makes the author amazed at the Infinite Grace, Prowess but elusive nature of The Supreme Brahman.
Cited from Saptagiri Magazine, June 1996 issue
