Dear Mr, Sarangarajan ,
Repeating the messages sent earlier. Kindly ack.
Adiyen. G.Sampath.
Quote.
Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha !
Srimathe Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha !
Srimathe Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Divya Paduka sevaka Srivansatakopa Sri
Narayana Yatheendra Mahadesikaya Namaha ! !
1-4-2006.
Queries from Sarangarajan and clarifications.
Your Query Nos .2 and 3.
I am basically an aiyangar. I also have poonal. I still doubt why we call it as
Brahmobathesam. Is it possible that anybody can teach what is Brahman . Is it
so simple, then why people strain so much by going to forest and watch the tip
of their nose?
I really forget what sloga they said while Brahmobadesam. Also I forget the
meaning of that. Can anybody tell me about that?
Clarification.
According to Sruthis and Manusmritis in our Hindu culture , every Brahmin
individual is supposed to have the basic exposure to the Vedas . Upananyanam
is a ceremony performed to young boys of 7+ years of age in this Hindu
system , to make the boy eligible to enter the Brahmacharya asramam of his
life and to understand the importance of the ultimate truth . Upanayanam
literally means , bringing the ultimate truth nearer to the sight.
Brahmopadesam is nothing but , the initiation to the Gayathri Manthram , which
is supposed to be recited by the individual , who has been thus initiated ,
constantly all through his life there after . The young age was chosen because,
it is in that age the children stop getting the benefits of the karmas from
their parents and so will have to learn and perform their own Karmas for their
life .
Some of the Brahma Gjnanis like Parasara, Vyasa, Sathyakama and Padmapada
are not born in the so called ' high caste ? community but , as per the will
of the Almighty , they were responsible for codifying and organizing the
Vedas and compiling all the karmas for the Upanayanam ritual .
The Upanayanam function starts with the holy bath of the ward and his
parents as well , for purification of the outer body . After that , Yajnam is
performed , with the assistance of the priest .Then the Yagnopaveetha Daranam
( putting on the holy thread across the chest ) is done. From then on , the
ward is supposed to wear that sacred thread .
It consists of three threads with a knot , called ?Brahmamudi? symbolizing
Brahma ( the creator ) , Vishnu ( the protector ) and Siva ( the destroyer) .
Also the three threads would remind him of his duty towards his forefathers ,
the second towards his Acharyas , sages and saints and the third towards his
Deities and natural forces. Then the Gayathri Mantram is taught to him by his
father or teacher as under :
? Om ! Bhoor Bhuva Suvaha ! Thath Savithur Vareneeyam ! , Bhargo Dhevasya
Dheemahi ! Dhiyo Yo naha Pracho dhayath !! ? .
This literally means , ? Oh ! triple wonder of creation, protection and
annihilation , splendor of the three interlinked worlds here , around and
beyond ! Oh! adorable spotless One , May You , that Supreme Divine Being ,
stimulate our intelligence for our self -wakening , so that we may realize
the Supreme Truth !! ?.
Gayathri recitation leads to intense sadhana towards God and sadhana leads
to success.
Thus one can note that the Gaayathri manthram has all the three elements ,
which figure in the adoration of God : description, meditation and prayer. The
first nine words of the mantra represent the attributes of the divine , Om
Bhur-Bhuvas-Suvah Thath Savithur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya . Dheemahi pertains
to dhyaana (meditation). Dheeyo yo nah Prachodayaath is the prayer to the Lord.
The mantra is thus a prayer to God to confer all the powers and talents to
the individual concerned . By virtue of being initiated to this Gayathri
Manthram ,on the Upanayanam Day , one?s intellectual rays will dispel the
ignorance which has been pervading through the mind of the individual. The
darkness will be driven away and the person will be endowed with
intelligence. The person , then , is expected to recite the Gayatri Mantram ,
learnt and perform Sandhya rituals three times every day, all through his life
.
Then the student symbolically asks for alms of rice from his mother and
other women . This is only to make him come out of that superiority complex
and learn to develop humbleness in him . He is then supposed to have been born
again , in the sadhaka World and have become ready to learn the Vedas in the
proper way .
The above process of Upanayanam is supposed to have reformed the student? s
mind , purified and rebuilt it , towards the understanding of the Almighty ,
Sriman Narayanan . Thus this day of Upanayanam is very significant in the
lives of the people concerned and they must be proud to remember this day
with joy and thankfulness to Almighty for having bestowed that opportunity to
them . They should never try to run away from God. This is the prime
responsibility of a Brahmin.
Every human being is a guru unto himself. All the required potentials are
within him . Gayathri mantra emphasizes this very clearly . The Lord is
supposed to be within us as ?Antharvyami?. We all have to be aware of this.
When we help or feed some one we should feel that the Divine within us is
helping or feeding the Divine in others. Once we develop this feeling , there
would be no cause for concern in this world. All our problems are due to the
egocentric desires we all have developed since childhood . Despite knowing
these, we are unable to overcome it , because of our Vasanas and poorva Karma.
Understanding of the Almighty and surrendering to His Holy feet alone can
help us to attain liberation.
In Srivaishnava Philosophy , no one is required to go to the forest and watch
the tip of their nose to see or understand Brahman. However, ? Brahman ? is
not a commodity to be picked up from shelf and display to all . Ours is a
simple doctrine. The ? Brahman ? is all pervading and all powerful . He is the
father of Brahma and also the father of all species of life. There is none
equal to or greater than Him. Still He is in the minds of every one as ?
Antharvyami ? . Since no one can see or observe within himself , the best way
to understand Brahman is to fall under the Holy feet of the Almighty , Sriman
Narayanan, as ? Saranagathy ? , with a total implicit faith that He alone
will take care of us , as we are all His property. The Ithihasas and Puranas
have enough material to prove the existence of ? Brahman ? . One should have
the perseverance, interest , faith and devotion to read those writings.
Constant thinking of Lord Sriman Narayanan would lead to ? Para Bakthi ? .
Constant reading and analyzing the Thirukalyanagunas of Sriman Narayanan would
lead to ?Para Gjanam ?. Holding the feet of the Lord in mind , praying Him and
seeking liberation would lead to ?Parama Bakthi ? stage , the stage Prahlad and
Droupathi reached . Once we get there , we would be able to visualize the
?Aathma Saashathkaaram ? , with HIS blessings. Remember . Lord Krishna gave
Arjuna the DIVYA Chakshoos , for Arjuna to have Darshan of his Universal Form
. So without the permission of the Lord , seeing or understanding he Brahman is
next to impossible.
Since you are quite young and have the eagerness to understand our culture ,
try to devote your free time to read and understand the books , mentioned
above . Believe me . It would stand you in good stead. When it has done to
others and me personally , it should do it to you as well.
Your Query No. 1.
I learnt that Maha kavi Subramaniya Bharathi and Swami Vivenakanda has
objected anybody falling in their feet. I am asking this as a doubt and not to
wound anybody. Why do we still follow this tradition. I think that we have to
take blessings by falling in the feet of our parents, even if our parents are
culprits, I think we have to continue this for the reason that without whom we
would have not been in this world. Similarly we should fall to god, but why do
we do this to acharyas (They are gurus no doubt, but still they also are not
exception from 3 gungas) .
Clarification .
The writer feels sorry to state that there has been a complete
misunderstanding on the subject here . The reason why Mahakavi Bharathi and
swami Vivekananda objected to falling on their feet , is to make people aware
of the importance of worshipping the ever lasting ? Brahman ? instead of the
human race. It is prescribed in our Sastras that one can prostrate to his
parents , his acharya , who has done Gjana Upadesam to him , other elders ,
who are God fearing individuals and even young Bhagavathas ( if they are not
related to the individual ) , who excel him in the knowledge of the Supreme
. By doing this one?s life time improves , his strength also increases , he
becomes famous, he inherits the right type of wealth and he brings forth to
this world , only good children. On this , if one closely follows up the
readings in Ramayan , where Lord Sri Rama had clearly exhibited to the world
, how one should conduct himself in this world , in situations like
this , it would help a great deal . Please go through the same.
As per our Srivaishnava Philosophy , Lord appreciates more a person , who
gives respect to His Bhagavathas instead of Bhagvan Himself . So prostrating
to Bhagavathas , who are devoted to God is desirable. No student has authority
to question the integrity or Gunas of his Acharya. This Almighty hates to the
core. Acharya? s Gunas would be evaluated by his Acharya. So why should we
bother ?
Thus , you would note that , our Srivaishnava Philosophy is very simple and
easy to understand and follow. It is only the WILL from our end , to read and
learn that is required. Being a clever software Engineer , try to use your
computer and internet knowledge , to understand and conceptualize the doctrines
of our culture , instead of merely arguing for the sake of argument . It
will never take you any where. Take it from me.
While the writer fully appreciates , your willingness to learn these , hope
the explanations given above are in a way clarifying some of the basic doubts
you had on the subject. You need not be very apologetic about your youthful
days and the surroundings there in. The lives of many Acharyas and Alwars
would reveal that one need not be in the best of surroundings to understand the
Lord . It is all an excuse for not doing a thing . Bon in the ?Paanar Kulam ?
, Madhurakavi Alwar attained fame and glory as the best disciple and devotee
. It is one?s mental make up and that is , in our hands.
Understanding and appreciating your anxiety , the writer is marking a copy of
this to all the members of Srirangasri group , so that , your friends, who
are a bit shy to ask clarifications on this issue , can also be benefited.
Trust you agree with me on this.
Pardon me to add this. For your kind information , the writer is an Engineer
from IIT Chennai , after B.Sc. and has retired from service in 1997 , having
worked as The President of a multinational Engineering company . But all
those are not going to help the writer to attain salvation. Holding tightly
the HOLY feet of the Lord Sri Lakshmi Narasimha alone would help .
Trust this note would be of benefit to you .
God bless you .
Adiyen , Ramanuja dasan
G.Sampath.
1-4-2006
Dear Mr. Sarangarajan ,
Further to my reply , clarifying your query , please note that in the last
portion of the clarification note , a mistake has happened . Instead of ?
Madhurakavi Alwar ? , it should be read as ? Thiruppaanaazhvar ? . He was the
one born in ? Paanar Kulam ?. Please read accordingly.
Regret the error. Regards.
Adiyen , Ramanuja Dasan ,
G. Sampath.
Unquote.
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