BG 9.34

Today's [23rd July 2008] lecture is also from Thirumanikkoodam Kshetram. The Lord graces as He protected elephant Gajendra. Utsavar is gracing with four arms. Lower right arm is in abhaya mudra and in the left arm the Lord is holding the mace. Why should the Lord hold the weapons always? It is to avoid any delay in protecting any devotee as he cries for help. Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhoodevi are also gracing along with the Lord. There is no separate sannidhi for Thayar and She, as Sri Thirumamagal Nachiyar, is gracing along with the Lord. Thirumangai Alwar says that since the Devas prayed the Lord, He is Sri Devadirajan. Alwar says that the Lord is appearing as everything and He is controlling all. He is manifesting as sins, virtue, happiness, Moksham, sorrow, anger, blessings, etc. We can observe that the Alwar is mentioning that the Lord is manifesting as qualities that are opposed to each other. How can such opposing qualities be seen in the Lord at the same time? Though it is impossible for us, we have to note that this is the greatness of the Lord. At the same instant, He was soothing to Gajendra and enraging to the crocodile. It is like a lioness would be feeding her little ones and at the same time show anger to the elephant nearby. His eyes are like the Sun and the Moon. That means from one eye He is showing heat and from the other He is showering coolness. The Lord here is same as the Lord of Kanchi. There is nothing like certain people can never reach Moksham. Everyone, irrespective of his origin or community or status, can reach Moksham. The only criteria is Bhakti. We should know that the Lord is the Sarveswara and faith in Him alone is required to reach Vaikuntam. If that Bhakti is there then he holds on to Him specially and attain the supreme status. Now sloka 32:

mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaishyas tatha shudras
te ’pi yanti param gatim

"O son of Pritha, those who take shelter in Me- though they be born due to papa in the past or as woman, vaishyas [merchants] and shudras [workers]—can attain the supreme destination."

They also attain Moksham. Te 'pi = they also, yanti = attain, param gatim = supreme place [Moksham]. Where sage Vasishta went, Vibheeshana also reached the same place. Same place is reached by Vidhura or Sisupala. Our origin and past deeds, even if they were of bad character, are never criteria to reach the Lord. Partha = Arjuna, mam hi = if I [Sri Krishna] am, vyapasritya = taken as shelter specially, ye'pi = anyone, papa yonaya syuhu = having born due to past papa, they willl also reach the supreme place. That is the Lord says that the cause of one's origin, whether due to papa or not, is not considered for attaining Moksham. Striya = women, vaishya = vaishya community, tatha = and, shudras = labour community, everyone can attain the Lord. Why should the Lord mention these categories specifically? There could be wrong propaganda that females and some other communities are not eligible to reach Vaikuntam. In fact today we see special commissions are arranged mainly because of such propaganda. Vedas have placed women at a very high pedestal. Like the rails, both male and female, are reaching the same destination. Vedas have prescribed certain duties for males and females. But both can reach Moksham. Certain disciplines are prescribed in the duties to be performed to reach Moksham, separately for men and women. Breaking these disciplines one can not reach Moksham. But adhering to these disciplines everyone has the right to reach Vaikuntam. Sri Krishna is mentioning these categories not in any inferior context but to remind Arjuna that in the society certain wrong propaganda are done against these categories. There are many instances to prove this point. When Mahabali was trapped to give away all his possessions, even his grandfather Prahalada opposed; but that was pardoned and he got the supreme place. Dharmavyada, a butcher by profession, was considered as a source of reference for enquiries on Dharma as he performed his duty of caring for his parents sincerely. Jatayu was after all a vulture, but it got Moksham. It could not do Karma yoga nor Gyana yoga. Sabari, a woman born in hunter's family, was able to reach Moksham and the Lord Sri Rama consumed the fruits offered by her. Nammalwar says that from Ayodhya everyone, including tiny ants and plants, accompanied Sri Rama to Vaikuntam. Many of the Alwars were not born as Brahmins. So, there is no reason to think even whether a person belonging to any sex or community is eligible to attain Moksham. Bhakti alone is the one and only criteria to qualify for Moksham. There are many born because of past papa karma. But by seeking shelter in the Lord, they also attain Moksham, the supreme place. Here the Lord uses the word specially holding to Him. Mere holding is performing Bhakti yoga. But holding on to Him specially is saranagathi - ultimate surrender. Because Bhakti yoga is possible only for certain people;but to surrender, everyone can do. The finest example for this sloka is Gajendra, the elephant. We will now take leave of this Kshetram.