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Eternal Individuality Confirmed by Visistaadvatins
This is from the book _Visistaadvaita_, by A.S.R. Aghavan. It is published
by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams which prints a lot of religious literature
- especially literature on the philosophy of Ramanujacarya and his disciples.
p. 142:
"There are infinite numbers of Nityasuuris and Muktas who are standing in
rows lost in the full and perfect enjoyment of the Bliss of the Lord and His
qualities. It was the yearning of the Jiiva when he was in Sam`saara to
become one of the company of they servants of the Lord enjoying Him. Now
those desires of his are realized and he is happy to be in their medst. Some
of them engage themselves in the service of the Lord, others in the service
of those that serve the Lord, yet others in the enjoyment of the Beautiful
form or beatific qualities of the Lord. Not content with this they entertain
themselves by tring to establish the superiority of one quality of the Lord
over another. Some speak for the superiority of the qualities that go to
prove His greatness-- qualities like omniscience and omnipotence. Others
prefer mercifulness, aniability and like which make the Lord accessible to
all. In the course of the debate they forget themselves so much in the
contrary. That is said to be the true mark of the enjoyment of Bhagavaan.
They must being one thing and stray into another. Others pray for the
welfare of the Lord, by singing 'Pallaandu' (Long live the Lord) or Jitam te
(Hail Victory to Thee), or Alleluia (Praise to Thee). Hearing this sound of
the songs of praise, Aadisesha, the Serpent-couch of the Lord, gets
perturbed and mistaking the sound for the shouts of enemies, sends forth
waves of fiery poison from his thousand expanded hoods. The Lord is
omnipotent and no one can do Him harm. Srii Vaikuntha is a hallowed place
where nothing sinful can ever occur. The denizens there are are absolutely
devoted to the Lord and there cannot be even a thought of doing evil to any
one, much less to the Paramaatmaa. In spite of all this their solicitude for
the safety of God is so much that they apprehend danger even from the
devotees themselves. When they reason, they will realize that fear of danger
to God is out of place. But in their love they suspect even the rustle of a
blade of grass. All this is a unique experience for the Mukta which just
beings then and which will go on for ever without interruption or end.
The Mukta passes through the arrays of Nityasuuris admiring and praising
them. There is a beautiful dais there on which the Lord and His consort are
seated conferring Bliss on all of them there and protection to all
everywhere. On one side of it are seated the earlier Aacaaryas who are
occupying a place of honour. They are immensely pleased to see the Mukta
there and are filled with a feeling of gratification and joy at the thought
that the efforts made by the Lord to redeem the Jiiva through them as an
instrument have at last borne fruit. One Jiivaatmaa has broken th shackeles
of Maayaa or Prakriti and has attained Release. the Mukta also sees them and
with gratitude and reverence falls at their feet and says: "There was a time
when I was steeped in ignorance and egotism and knew nothing of God and the
godly. You, out of your innate Mercy lighted the lamp of knowledge in my
mind and dispelled all the darkness of ignorance and evil propensities
resulting therefrom. You put me in the right path and brought about my
redemption. I cannot find any recompense for the disintersted help of you
all. Be pleased to place your feet on my head and bless me to have the
Supreme Bliss forever." Having attained their graceful blessing and
permission, the Mukta goes twoards the Divine throne of the Lord which is
effulgent and sublime. He is now in the immediate presence of the Lord and
is before the throne of Divinity.
(There is endless nectar in this book describing the variegated experiences
of the liberated jivas in the company of the Lord in Vaikuntha. I will end
here for the time being)
-- HKS
