Second Limb of Śaraṇāgati
Prātikūlyasya varjana (Sanskrit: प्रातिकूल्यस्य वर्जन — 'the abandoning of the unfavorable') is the second constituent of śaraṇāgati.
Meaning
Prātikūlya means 'that which is contrary or unfavorable to the Lord' — actions, thoughts, associations, and intentions that go against Bhagavān's pleasure. Varjana means abandoning, avoiding, renouncing.
Prātikūlyasya varjana is the complementary pair to ānukulyasya saṅkalpa: where the first resolves to do the favorable, this resolves to avoid the unfavorable. Together they define the total reorientation of the prapanna's will.
What Is 'Unfavorable'?
Ācāryans identify several dimensions:
- Actions prohibited in śāstra — violations of the Lord's ordinances
- Harm to the Lord's devotees — any offense to a Vaiṣṇava is a grave transgression
- Pride and self-will (svātantrya) — acting as if one were independent of the Lord
- Approaching other deities as ultimate refuge — maintaining Nārāyaṇa's supremacy
- Dishonoring the ācāryan — the most serious offense
The Vaiṣṇava Apacāras
The specific offenses to be avoided in Śrī Vaiṣṇava practice are the Bhāgavata-apacāras (offenses to devotees) and Bhagavat-apacāras (offenses to the Lord). Piḷḷai Lokācārya's Srivachana Bhushanam extensively analyzes what constitutes an offense and how a prapanna should guard against them.