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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00103 Dec 2004

 
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SrI:
 
HH Sri Rangapriya Swamy  is one of the most compassionate
and erudite VaishNavite AchAryaas . Those who are in Bangalore
are fortunate to listen to His anugraha BHAshaNam on
different topics and capture them . These messages need a wider
dissemination since they contain unique insights .
 
As a member of this group , I recieve the anugraha BhAshaNams and I will share them with you and I am sure that  the sishyan or Sishyai who posts these messages would mind
the upadEsams of this great AchAryan benefitting a wider set of saadhakaas.
V.Sadagopan   
 
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 4:09 AM
 

Yesterday Swamiji after morning Pooja gave a short discourse on this subject.
 
There are many practices,he said introducing the subject,
which have been part of our culture since time immemorial
but which are being abandoned by the present generation
for the ostensible reason that they have not been mentioned
in the Sruti or Smriti and hence are without Authority.Not
everything needs to be mentioned by Aswalayana or
Apasthamba.Our elders have established many practices
because they are beneficial to the individual or society.
 
In the South Indian marriages there is a function called Nalangu
where the bride and groom sit face to face to and roll sacred
coconuts towards each other to the recital of Sri Andal's
"VAraNamAyiram" .Swamiji quoted Sri Guru Bhagawan Himself
to clarify that this practice is the tantra manifestation of
the Yajur and Sama mantras (which he quoted) meaning
"I send my heart to you and recieve yours and thus our hearts
become one and we understand each other". This serves the
same purpose as,say,exchanging garlands in the marriage.
Then the recital called "Seer-pADi"which comes alongwith
was meant to acquaint the newlyweds with the various members
of each other's families and their proper relationships.This is
both an individual and a social benefit.And all the more needed
in the present day world wherein all relationships have been
reduced to "uncle and auntie" or what is worse everyone calls
everyone else by their proper names.Such a negligent attitude
has been the main cause for the gradual disintegration of our
once well-knit social structure.
 
Again Seer meaning presents are an essential part of any happy
occasion.They serve to strengthen personal relationships,and
keep reminding the reciever of the persons who showed affection
or respect.Hence the present footnote in most invitations,"Please
avoid presents" is as bad as  insisting that everyone must come
with a present like some societies do.
 
In Ramayana when Lava and Kusa recite the poem in Rama's
court even the Rshis who were there became so emotional that
they showered the children with presents to show their happiness.
Swamiji asked the question as to how the Rshis who had conquered
their senses could exhibit any emotion at all ? and answered by asking
us to note carefully the words used by the poet.Valmiki says that
the boys sang the poem in the mArga mode and not the Desi mode.
Human beings can access only the Desi mode whereas
Devatas and Rshis who have gone beyond their senses could access
the full beauty of the children's singing.
 
Thus giving presents during happy occasions is an ancient and natural
human practice and should not be abandoned based on some fallacious
reasoning.
 
Swamiji next touched upon the practice of Navaratri Kolu (display of dolls)
which is also being abandoned by many people these days.This practice
served two basic puposes.
 
Firstly the display exhibits which used to include people from all levels and professions
from the King downwards would acquaint the children,who were the major
participants of the function, with the structure of our society.It would also tell them that
each person,whatever his profession or station, was an integral part of the
world they would grow up in and hence should be treated with respect.
That is where the Pooja aspect came in.
 
Secondly since the Kolu was kept in all houses and people visited other
Kolus there was a good intermingling of society and amity.
 
Swamiji said,in the past in all villages Ramayana was being recited in every
house and on Pattabhisheka day the whole village was invited for food.The
purpose was the same. He jocularly refered to the case of an extreme
SrOtriya who,it seemed refused to attend Rama Pooja on the apparently
valid ground that Rama was a Kshatriya and he a Brahmin and hence the
direction of the Pooja should be the reverse!
 
Swamiji remarked that this was like a sculptor saying that the consecrated
image was his own product and hence he need not worship that murti in
the temple.Or in the present case that the Navaratri dolls were afterall
bought by us in shops and so they need not be worshipped by us.
He emphasised that it is not the individual but the position he occupies
which creates reverance.Thus when it is said that a king is like Vishnu
(NA-vishNuh Prthvipatih) it means that once he occupies that seat he
should act with the same impartiality towards all.Swamiji asked us to
note that unlike as in English the Sanskrit word PrajAh means both
children and subjects.(Like the Tamil word makkal) Thus the king should
discipline the subjects (Siksha means both teaching and punishment)
the same way he would his children.
 
There are so many aspects of our culture which have stood the test of time
but which are being abandoned by us because we do not bother to inquire
into their purpose.
 
SRI RANGPRIYA MAHAGURAVE NAMAH!    
 
 


"Of all activity, this is the supreme dharma: to perceive the Self through yoga." -- Yoga Yajnavalkya



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