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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00042 Mar 2003

 
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Priya Bhagawatas,
Jai Srimannarayana

Adiyen would like to put forth some more points on the importance of
traditional dress code for any devotee before the Lord of the Universe

Many of our traditional customs/attire/do's/don'ts etc which we follow
are directly taken from our elders/acharyas/Jeeyars etc., without a
question, because we cannot go on looking for proof/reference etc.
before we start following/implementing. For example use of shoes
within the temple. We may not immediately find a quote from sastras
barring shoes while in the temple. But barring shoes within the temple
is not only from hygienic point of view but also as a respect to the
place of worship, One may say that if one is supremely pure at heart or
totally innocent/illiterate, God will not punish but pardon such
violations like entering with shoes. Really God is so merciful because
of which we are still living happy inspite of our huge
innocence/illiteracy/ignorance etc of our past. But everyone should
not just live but uplive (i.e. not just jeevit but ujjeevit) from
time to time. A child will not only be pardoned but chuckled, if
it eases on its parent, but it cannot go on for ever even after
growing up (though a parent still may not punish, but a child should
realise with growth such improprieties). Similarly though people may
be ignorant in the beginning but should try to improve from time to
time in their attire while having darshan.

Thus sporting a Sikha, wearing oordhwapundram, wearing dhoti, etc
is recommended only for people who like to join the Sattumorai goshti.
It is followed with love and reverence and anyhow is not mandatory for
others. But it does'nt mean others should not wear such traditional
attire while having normal darshan also. If true love for the Lord is
there, one automatically switches over to the simple but traditional
attire after voluntarily enquiring their elders/acharyas as to what
else one should don which is befitting to have a darshan of the
ever-merciful/mighty Lord of the Universe. True love for the child
(atleast for one's beloved) automatically results in so many actions
which cannot be hidden by 99% of the people. If one says that tons
of love is within and that need not be exhibited does'nt hold much
water.

Our traditions/rituals are so set that one can start off with
actions (karma yoga)right from birth, befitting the occasion without
knowing the inner truth but one can cherish more if the reason
behind such traditions get clarified from time time. As Lord
SriKrishna said in Srimadbhagawadgita that of all the Yogas, Karmayoga
(with total surrender of fruits/doership of all actions to Him) is safe
and superior than other yogas like Gnanayoga, Bhakti yoga etc. Thus
all actions are inevitable for our survival and which we never
compromise even an iota like food/drinks/dress/comforts etc in our day
to day life; if it is so why one should go for compromise sporting
ignorance/innocence while attending to the kainkaryams for the Lord in
the home/temple.

Though a dress code for military people may not directly affect
their performance during the warfare but no excuses are permitted in
their dress code throughout their peace time activities. Because dress
code has lot of advantages like discipline, uniformity, identity,
appearance-value, ease of operation etc. Similarly a dress code before
the Lord of the Universe as advised by our elders/acharyas should be
revered and followed one day or the other.

Another example is wearing shirt in front of the Lord (w.r.t. the
machos) in the sanctum sanctorium though not barred in majority of the
temples except a few like Sri Ananthapadmanabha swamy temple
(Trivandrum), Sri Kanyakumari temple etc. Is it not befitting to appear
before the Lord heart to heart without the hindrance of a cloth between
?. It certainly gives positive feelings both for the devotee and the
Lord. Adiyen may be pardoned but the truth is that when it comes to
personal bond even the most innocent/illiterate/ignorant people
would prefer to abandon all obstructions between them during love
making.

When the Lord is fully present in the Archa moorthy as the
Isavasyopanishad states 'Poornamidam poornamadaha......' and when all
our highly learned acharyas/Jeeyars of the past and the present are
behaving in full faith throughout their life till the last second of
departure, it is high time for atleast the members of this type of
forums to totally try to get convinced with the traditions/practices
followed in the temple or home-sannidhis.

Jai Srimannarayana

Sarvaaparaadham

Dr.Kilambi Ramakrishna Ramanuja Dasan


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