Vastu Shastra - Ilaiyarrakkudi sathas

Vastu Shastra - Ilaiyatrakkudi Sathas

Vastu Shastra comprises of sculpture - சிற்பம், architecture - கட்டிட நிர்மாணம்.

One Shri B.N. Shukla from Punjab participated in the ஸதஸ் - a meet where scholars assemble, discuss and debate on various disciplines - at the time Maha Swami was staying in இளையற்றக்குடி to observe sathurmasya vratam. Shri Shukla said Vastu Shastra is a upaveda - coming under one of the four prime Vedas, viz , Atharva Veda. He cited Prugu Veda Rishi wrote on Vastu Shastra.

Vastu Shastra as many are aware, though not in minute details, is concerned with building, construction, building plans and town planning as well. By the term building all edifices are covered, ranging from Temple, palaces, school, colleges, choultries, and houses of Am Aadmi.  We have all heard of Bhumi Puja while starting to construct a house. In fact it's to pay obeisance to Lord Vastu.

Every building activity is equated to a human anatomy. Like a human being has head, body and various other parts of body, a building should similarly sync in all aspects.  Vastu Shastra narrates all these meticulously. 

Many in real estate and building construction activity claim their projects are vastu compliant. I don't know if any Engineering college teaching civil engineering cares to derive from Vastu Shastra. We are clamoured to go copycat in building too.  What other Nations adapt, the same style is craved for.

Overall, holistic well being, good physical and mental health in a household has much to do with how vastu compliant one household is.

Imperative it's to have a vastu check of any household by an expert Vastu consultant.

Info courtesy: 

தெய்வத்தின் குரல் 

Vol 3, edn 27, Nov 21 pgs 730-732

Need vs Greed ....அத்தியாவசியம் vs பேராசை

Need vs Greed...

அத்தியாவசியம் vs பேராசை

'The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.' 

- Mahatma 

Mahatma was staunch believer in our Dharma Sastras.

Mahaswami, on the title of this, draws from our Sastras and saintly sayings from Our Rishis of yore. Here are a few nuggets from His quoting:

○Dharm Sastra:

Sastra stresses on 'अपरिग्रह , aparigraham, அபரிகிரஹம்.

What's அபரிகிரஹம்?

Sometimes we learn a term from the antonym of it. The same applies here to . பரிகிரஹம் means accumulating possession, wealth. Now you can deduce meaning of அபரிகிரஹம், i.e., not adding anything.

The logical corralary would bang on your ears, "Should I have not having anything at all?". The problem lies not with the metaphor but in our tendency to go literally at anything. But the spirit leads to some senses. Again to derive home, Mahaswami refers to Dharma Sastra.

According to Sastra,

' நீ ஜீவிப்பதற்கு எது அத்தியாவசியமோ அதற்கு அதிகமாக ஒரு துரும்புகூடச் சேர்த்துக் கொள்ளதே.". When translated, it means don't accumulate anything beyond your life's necessities.

○Patanjali in Yoga Sutra gives 5 stipulations, 'yama', யமாs:

Ahimsa - non violence 

Satyam - Truth

Asteyam - refrain from stealing 

Brhamacharyam and finally 

aparigraham

○Manu repeats the first three yamas, Ahimsa, Satyam and Asteyam and adds a fourth one viz., சௌசம், the cleanliness, which our Honourable PM time and again emphazises on. Perhaps Manu might have used சௌசம to mean aparigraham.

 

Maha Swami elucidates as Many might have thought, 

' தனக்கு அத்யாவசியமானதற்கு அதிகமாக ஒன்றைச் சேர்த்துக்கொண்டால் அதுவே திருட்டுத்தான்.". Meaning if one adds to his possession anything beyond his bare necessities, that tantamounts to theft.

In this sanchara, if we attempt to question Dharma Sastra, whether it's practical, Maha Swami emphasizes, " lest we incur any Dosha, anything incompatible to good living, we must follow aparigraha Dharma."

மௌன மனோலயம் - The beauty in Silence

மௌன மனோலயம் - The beauty in Silence

In some back piece, we were speaking of Mahaswami 's stressing on upavasam - vratam - உண்ணா நோன்பு.

Mahaswami just doesn't restrict to fasting. He advises on to observe yet another vratam - vratam of observing Silence, மெளனம்.

Like as per Sastras there are special occasions on which all - except children, elderly - have to compulsorily observe fasting, examples - Yekadasi, Maha Shivratri, Gokul ashtami, Ram Navmi etc., -, the Sastras prescribe special occasions for observing Silence.

Mahaswami goes on to say, while taking food, it's advisable not to speak. The mouth has two jobs, consuming and talking. Better do only one at a time. In doing so you control your taste buds. And you don't find fault in the food.

Best days to observe silence are Monday, the சோம வாரம், Thursday, the குரு வாரம், again the day of Yekadasi.

As Monday and Thursday are working days, one may choose the weekly holiday, Sunday.

Mahatma had very hectic schedule during his days as a freedom fighter. Yet, he never failed to observe silence at least once in a week.

Fasting and observing Silence complement each other. It's a double whammy. Takes you closer to your spiritual experience.

When we fritter our energy engaging in small talks, spreading trivialities, we indeed offend Goddess Saraswati, the deity for granting ability to learn good in life. The nakshatra, star of Goddess Saraswati is மூலம். This Moola nakshatra day too is a good occasion to observe silence.

And what's best, as Maha Swami says, is do dhyan, meditate at least for half an hour each day.

"Mediation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body."

 - Deepak Chopra