INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

INDIAN PHILOSOPHY – BRIEF PHILOSOPHY OF SRI VEDANTA
DESIKA’S BHAKTI
(when, of course, any other person or guru is not
available or unwilling) or through the mediation of an
eminently qualified acharya (acharyanishta)
Similarly bhakti can be utilized as a subsidiary
(anga) to the other yogas like Jnana or karma or this
can be the angi and they could be made angas of this
bhakti. Sri Vedanta Desika reveals an acute
understanding- of the interdependence of the three
modes of human consciousness, cognition, conation
and affection. He reveals however that the other two
modes culminate and find fulfilment in Bhakti (supreme
devotion to God).
Even prapatti or Sharanagati is shown to be an
anga of bhakti though again with an acute
psychological understanding Sri Vedanta Desika points
out that prapatti can become the end of those yogas,
for human effort cannot avail and surrender is
necessary to gain the grace of God.
Prapatti at the beginning need not have devotion
but that becomes added to it when the Divine answers
to the sharanagati. This is resulting bhakti (phala-
115