Charma sloka is a mantra .When it is chanted with absolute faith ,it becomes the source of maintenance ,nourishment and enjoyment to '
Jiva'and also the cause of '
Moksha'.
This mantra
focuses on
'Saranagathi'[surrender]as an easy'
sadhan'a[way] to attain
'Moksha'[ freedom from karma and the state of ultimate bliss].
Saranagathi is an important feature of
Visishtadwaita philosophy.Those who worship Vishnu along with his consort Lakshmi are
known as
Sri Vaishnavas. The origins of this form of worship
is traced to
Rigveda,
Purana's, Epics,
Agamas and the hymns of
Aazhwars.
Sri Ramanuja ,who lived 12
th cent AD is the most
important preceptor of
Visishtadwaita philosophy.
Sri Ramanuja was an erudite
Sanskrit scholar . He was seeped with
Bhakthi[devotion] to god
namely Vishnu .
He is
credited with having written
Navarathna's or 9 gems that reveal his
philosophical thoughts , his commentaries on
Bhagwad Gita and
Upanishads, heart stirring prayers on
Ranganatha,
glorious description of
Sri Vaikuntam [ abode of Vishnu] and simple guidelines to devotees.
He was convinced that god was full of good attributes and was therefore worthy of worship. The corner stone of his teachings was the staunch belief in
Bhakthi[ faith and devotion] and
Prapathi[ surrender to Vishnu.
This simple way to ever lasting bliss and peace can be gleaned from
Varahapurana, Ramayana and
Gita. The three avatars of Vishnu ---
Varaha, Rama and Krishna are associated in gifting mankind with this easy way
to salvation.
Varaha is the third avatar of Vishnu . He assumes the form of a boar to rescue the world hidden away in deep waters by a powerful
Asura.After prising the world away from the clutches of the
asura ,
Sri Varahamoorty assures the beseeching
Bhooma devi and mortals, that they
need fear none , once they surrender to him .
The two
slokas preached by
Varahamoorthy are known
asVakya dvaya. An very
easy way of performing Saranagahti.They are...
Stithe manasi suswathe shariresathiyo narehDhatu samye stithe smarta visva rupam cha mama
ajamTatsam mriyamanam thu kastha pashana sannibhamAham smarami madhbakhtan nayami param gatimThe man , who , when his mind is in normal condition , his body not shattered and elementary constituents of the body [
dhatus] are in perfect equipoise , meditates and surrenders to me [
Varaha] , who has the world as My body and
Am not
subject to births , as and when the man lies like a log of wood or a piece of stone in his dying moments , even if he
doesn't remember me then,I will not forget or forgo this devotee of mine and lead to attain the supreme abode!
The 33 rd verse of the 18
th chapter of
Yuddakanda of Ramayana and the 66
th verse of the 18
th chapter of
Gita enshrines the
Saranagathi principle.Vishnu in his avatar as Rama and Krishna states this clearly.
In the
Yuddakanda of Ramayana,
Vibeeshna the
pious brother of the
rakashas king
Ravana , implores his elder brother to free
Sita and hand her over to Rama.
Rama is on the verge of landing on
Lanka to rescue his wife.
His
plea falls on deaf ears and serves to incite
Ravana to anger . He reprimands and castigates
Vibheeshana so
thoroughly that
Vibeeshna leaves the kingdom angrily with
the following words.
"O king who forever speak pleasing words are easy to find . But one speaks useful but unpleasant words , as also the one who listens to them are rare to find".
Vibeeshna decides to
seek refuge in
Rama whom he perceives as a good man , upholder of
Dharma .An avatar of Vishnu.
As he approaches Rama's camp
Sugriva the chief of Rama's army has
some misgivings. He thinks that
Vibeeshna being the brother of the enemy must be a spy and thereby incapable of trust . However
Hanuman differs and opines that a deceitful man would never approach
straightforwardly and with such
obvoius friendliness.
Rama heard the opinion of all and then spoke his mind thus...
Mitra bhaveena sampraatam na tyajeyam kathamcanaDosa yadi api tasyayaat stam etad agarhitam |
By any means
I donot desert any one who arrives with a friendly appearance
Even if if he has a defect
I will accept him
irreproachably ,as would all good men !
Then Rama proceeds to narrate an incident from ancient scriptures
A dove received an hunter who had killed its wife , when he sought refuge under its tree , in accordance with the rules of hospitality , by inviting the enemy to feast on its flesh!
Rama then refers to sage
Kandu's admonishments to kings.....
O kings , even an enemy , who forms
a cup with his hollow hands , that miserable
person , who is begging and seeking refuge
shouldnot be
turned away.
An enemy who is arrogant ,
but seeks protection from others ,must be protected .
If an refugee dies before the eyes of a man who is able to protect him , the former takes
along all the
latter's moral merits and goes.
Reputation,
strength and valour is destroyed if one
doesnot protect a person
seeking refuge.
Then Rama gives the following assurance [ 33 verse 18
th chapter of
yuddakanda]....
Sakrid eva prapannaaya tava asmi iti ca
yaacateAbhayam sarva bhuutebyo dadaami etad vratam mama|
He who seeks refuge in me just once , telling me that 'I am yours'
I shall give him safety against all types of beings
This is my solemn pledge!
According to
Sri Ramanuja the 66
th verse of
Bhagwadgita is the most noble verse ,out of all of the verses in that sacred text.
If an aspirant has no capacity to to perform
sadhanas like Karma,
Gyana ,or
bhakthi yoga , he can perform this alternate and a very simple
sadhana ---enshrined in the '
TheCharma sloka'.
The
Charma sloka says....
Sarva dharman parityajya mam
ekam saranam vraja|
Aham tva sarva papebyo mokshayaishyami masuchaha||
Having given up all
dharmas or rites
unintentionally, surrender to me [
lordNarayana] alone ,
I will release you from all sins and grant
Moksha.Do not despair or grieve!
{references ---
Sapthagiri,
translations of
KMK Moorthy of Ramayana-
internet}
