Dear Sri Sadagopan iyengar Thx for ur messege.Very informative for all Bakthas.Keep it up.Also thx to Anbil Rama Regards Jayaraman. --- sadagopan iyengar <sadagopaniyengar@xxxx> wrote: > > Srimate Srivansatkopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra > Mahadesikaya Nama: > > Kainkaryam-1 > _______________ > > > All human organs, apart from the obvious physical > functions they perform, are also intended to be used > in the service of the Lord. All of us are servants > of > Emperuman,(SEshAs) and it is only appropriate that > our > faculties are utilised for His kainkaryam. In > performing this kainkaryam, shastras and the conduct > of Poorvacharyas are our guiding star as to the > manner > and type of service that is to be rendered. It > should > be done in a manner that pleases the Lord (?SEshi > uganda kainkaryam?), and should be in addition to > the > duties that are enjoined upon us, depending upon > varNA > and Ashrama (like Sandhyavandanam, agnihotram,etc.). > For instance, Emperuman would not like us to light > up > the lamps in His temple in the evening, forgoing our > basic duty of performing Sandhyavandanam. > Based on the foregoing, Acharyas have classified > Kainkaryam into two categories- AgnyA kainkaryam and > anugnyA kainkaryam. Those duties, which we have to > perform compulsorily, (like Sandhyavandanam,pitru > tarpanam,pancha maha yagyas,etc) come under the > first > category, while decorating the Lord?s temple with > lamps, putting together garlands for Him, etc. fall > under the second. One may ask, ?If we are compelled > to > perform an act, how could it be service or > kainkaryam, > which has an in-built element of choice and > willingness?? Our Sampradaya lays down that the > ultimate purpose of all these acts of worship > (including Sandhyopasanam, agnihotram,yagas, yagyas > etc.) is to please the Lord (?SrimanNarayana > preetyarttham or Bhagavat kainkarya roopam?). Hence > Agnya kainkaryam has to be performed before anugnya > kainkaryam could even be thought of. > A father is not pleased with his son, who ignores > whatever tasks have been set for him, but insists on > pressing the father?s feet in an expression of love > and concern. This is illustrated by the following > verse from the Bhagavat Gita- > ?Shrui:smriti: mamaiva AgyA-yastAm ullanghya vartatE > AgyAcchEdI mama drOhI mama bhaktOpi na Vaishnava:? > Guruparampara has it that Sri Ramanuja stood up > with > great difficulty, with the support of his disciples, > even at the ripe old age of 120, to offer Arghya > pradAnam during Sandhyavandanam, thus demonstrating > his respect for the Agnya kainkaryam, even in the > face > of physical inability.. > > Having said this, Azhwars and Acharyas have laid > down > clearly the types of kainkaryam that are to be > performed with each of our faculties. Perhaps the > most > comprehensive prescription is from the Mukunda MAlA > of > Sri Kulasekhara Perumal, reproduced below: - > > ?JihvE keertaya Kesavam Muraripum chEtO bhaja > Sridharam > pANi dvandva samarcchaya stOtra Achuta kathA shrOtra > dvaya tvam shruNu > Krishnam lOkaya lOchana dvaya, HarE:gaccha anghri > yugma Alayam > Jighra ghrANa Mukunda pAda tulaseem moordhan nama > AdhOkshajam? > > This shlOka incorporates the essence of kainkarya, > as > perceived by Azhwars, and is worth going over line > by > beautiful line, to fully appreciate its abundant > significance. > > ?JihvE keertaya Kesavam?- The tongue is an extremely > important part of our physique, and is often the > cause > of embarrassment and trouble, if not kept under > control. It is difficult to keep the tongue idle, > for, > man is a social animal who finds it difficult to > remain silent. Therefore, to canalise its function > into productive channels, Azhwar prescribes chanting > of the Lord?s holy names. And how long are we > supposed > to chant His names? Says Poygai Azhwar, ?sollum > tanayum tozhumin, vizhum udambu sellum tanayum > TirumAlai??.nAmatthAl EtthudirEl nandru?- ?Till your > last breath, as long as it is physically possible, > do > continue chanting the Lord?s names? exhorts Azhwar. > The same Azhwar wonders? You have been blessed with > a > tongue capable of praising the Lord. You also have > an > extremely short, potent and sweet mantra like the > ahstAkshara, incorporating the Narayana nAmam. > Despite > being provided with such infallible routes to > liberation, it is indeed surprising that some still > fall prey to bad ways.? > ?nA vAyil uNdE, namO nAraNA endru-OvAdu uraikkum > urai > uNdE > moovAda mA gatikkaN chellum vagai uNdE-ennoruvar > thee gatikkaN chellum tiram?. > The following couplet reflects the same idea- > ?Narayana iti shabdOsti, vak asti vasa vartinI > tatApi narakE ghOrE patanti kim adbhutam ! » > And how should the Lord?s name be chanted? So > continuous and intense should be the chanting that > it > leaves a scar on the tongue, according to another > Azhwar, who says,? nA tazhumba nAranA endru Etthi?. > ?unnai koNdu en nA agam pAl mAtru indri uraitthu > koNdEn? supplements Sri Periazhwar. > Why is nAma sankeertanam so effective? The Bhagavan > nAma is the essence of all Vedas, (?Madhavan pEr > solluvadE Otthin surukku?-_Bhootattazhwar) and is as > effective, though much easier than performing > penance > (tapas)?Etthi paNindu avan pEr eerainnooru > eppozhudum > sAtthi uraitthal tavam?. > Azhwar?s reference to ?eerainnooru pEr? (2x500 > names) > is obviously to the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, > and its chanting is equated here to performing > tapas. > And the word,?eppozhudum? indicates that the Lord?s > name should be on our tongue always. > > Even while exhorting us to have the Lord?s name > always > on our lips, Azhwars are categorical that chanting > the > name of any other is taboo, and not even to be > thought > of. > Says Poigai Azhwar, ?MAyavanai allAl irayEnum > EtthAdu > en nA?. « Vai avanai alladu vAzhttAdu » he > reiterates > in another pasuram. Sri Nammazhwar is more > categorical > in his refusal to sing the praise of anyone other > than > Emperuman- > ?nA koNdu mAnidam pAdEn?, « en nAvil in kavi yAn > oruvarkkum kodukkilEn »,etc. > Even IlangO adigaL, a Jain hermit, emphasises the > same > idea in SilappadikAram, one of the five great Tamil > kAvyAs- > ?panchavarkku doodu nadandAnai EtthAda nA enna nAvE > Narayana ennA nA ennA nAvE »- Is it a tongue at > all, > which does not sing the praise of the Lord Narayana > who, in all His soulabhyam, made Himself a lowly > messenger of the Pandavas? enquires Ilango > rhetorically. > > In a further refinement of the concept, some Azhwars > aver that chanting the tirunAmam of BhAgavatAs (the > Lord?s devotees) is even sweeter than reciting > Emperuman?s haloed names. In an endearing display of > BhAgavata SEshatvam, Sri Madurakavi Azhwar says, > ?KaNNi nuN siruttAmbinAl kattuNNa paNNia peru Mayan- > ennappanil > naNNi ten Kurugoor nambi ennakkAl > aNNikkum amudoorum en nAvukkE? > For Sri Madurakavi, Sri Nammazhwar?s tirunAmam sits > sweeter on his tongue, than that of that of the Lord > Himself. > The same idea is portrayed in the following > Nanmukhan > TiruvandAdi pasuram- > ?MArAya dAnavanai vaLLugirAl ?MArviraNdu > koorAga keeriya KOLariyai-vErAga > Etthi iruppArai vellumE-matru avarai > SAtthi iruppAr tavam » > Sri Tirumazhisai Piran extolls the virtues of those > pinning their faith on BhAgavatAs, vis-a vis the > votaries of Sri Nrsimha Himself. > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send your FREE holiday greetings online! http://greetings.yahoo.com
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |