Vol 01.005 1. Rahasya Traya Saran

1. Swami Desika's Rahasya Traya Sara

ADHIKARA 12 : SANGA PRAPANA ADHIKARA ( The preliminaries for performing Prapatti)
An archer might be able to fix the arrow to his bow and aim immediately at the target. Though the actual act of shooting might be done at an incredibly short split-second, he would have gone through a lot of preparation, practice and intense training before acquiring the expertise and precision in fixing and targeting. He would have developed over a period of probation adequate mental concentration, adequate physical agility, adequate dexterity and adequate confidence about his achieving the hallmark of marksmanship .

So also, there are a few preliminaries for one desirous of performing Prapatti. These are:-
(i) Surrendering one's self unto the Lord (Svarupa Samarpana)
(ii) Entrusting the responsibility of one's protection to the Lord (Bhara Samarpana)
(iii) Dedicating the fruits of all deeds to the Lord himself (Phala Samarpana)

The mental preparation consists of the following auto suggestions and conviction thereof:
(i) "I" do not belong to me
(ii) I have nothing to call my own
(iii) I am not subject to anyone other than the Paramatma
(iv) Being my natural owner and master, Paramatma does every act of mine and for his own pleasure
(v) I have no means to protect myself other than the Lord
(vi) Myself and all that is supposedly mine belong to the Lord and the responsibility for protecting them rests with the Lord only and none else
(vii) The results (fruits) entailing from such protection accrues to the Lord and none else. These are known as Kartrutva Tyaga, Mamata Tyaga, Phala Tyaga and Phalopaya Tyaga.

If a person prays at the time of Prapatti for a sinless future in the Post-Prapatti period for the rest of the present life itself, the Lord grants this prayer also. But, such a prayer could occur to a Prapanna only when his mind is so evolved by the kind of training in the disciplines and dedication mentioned above.

ADHIKARA 13 : KRITA KRITYA ADHIKARA ( The one who has done what ought to be done)
The marks of a person who has performed what he ought to perform viz., Prapatti are explained:
In the Post-Prapatti period till death the Prapanna should be free from all anxieties, worries, tensions or doubts regarding the fact of achieving the goal. He should look forward to the event of deliverance as anticipating the arrival of a honored guest since the release from Samsara ( cycle of births and deaths) is a matter for supreme rejoicing.
He should, nevertheless, be wary of his promises to do the Nitya and Naimittika karmas pleasurable to the Lord, avoid those that would displease the Lord and maintain the Mahaviswasa and remember his own Karpanya and Aakinchanya during the rest of his life. In short, he will conduct himself as a liberated soul even while living in this world .

The repentance on his having committed sins and the atonement therefor are proper before Prapatti; Otherwise, Prapatti would be ineffective. If on the other hand, he languishes over his past karma EVEN AFTER PRAPATTI, it will amount to disbelieving the Lord's assurance to forgive all that. SO, ATONEMENT BEFORE AND HOPE AFTER ARE THE HALLMARKS OF A PERSON WHO HAS DONE PRAPATTI.

A self conceited person might feel that his initiative has been lost, but the Prapanna would feel that the initiative was never with him; It was always with the Lord to whom he had surrendered. Neither our will nor our mind nor our intelligence work out things for us. Every action is His; The only actin that can ever be ours is to surrender our will to Him. This surrender, he does not do for us because it has to come out of our free will. All he does is to create the circumstances for us to surrender to Him. If we don't surrender in word, thought and deed, He mercifully lets us go free, but to be tossed about in Samsara and take our own time to come to Him. Once, having surrendered, the Prapanna can rest assured of His protection and has nothing else to do for saving himself. (To be continued)