Swayambakam - Self help

Swayambakam - Self help

Many would have heard an incident in President Abraham Lincoln's life. 

The story goes that an English aristocrat was shocked to see Abraham Lincoln polishing his shoes. “In England , no gentleman polishes his own shoes,” the aristocrat remarked. Pat came the tit for tat, President Lincoln,  “Whose shoes does he polish then?”

In this contemporary era, the IT legend Mr Narayanamurthy is admired as Corporate Gandhi.  For,  we learn he takes care of home hygiene himself. 

Well, 

Our yester years, about 7 decades ago,  may reflect back. Rajaji, then the Prime Minister of Madras Presidency,  washed his clothes himself. 

Maha Periyava cites Sastras that it's not keeping in with Sastra Dharma to leave our basic personal care and depend on someone else to do it. True there would be seniors, aged parents at home who may not be able to handle their personal care. Sastras enshrines on young ones in the family to be of service to them. 

It was at a time when Maha Periyava was in a discourse and time and again emphasized on paropakara,  that's helping others and society.   One day a senior couple walked into the Mutt and were looking to have Dharsn of Maha Swami. Their faces exhibited some hesitation and sadful look. Maha Swami let them pour down. 

The lady began:

"Swami,  we are worried about our only son. He doesn't care for us, the aged parents. He is always concerned about and has been engaging in only social service.'

The accompanying spouse opened up his pent up emotions, 'Swami,  he doesn't mind home needs,  my wife only washes my son's clothes."

The lady picked up and said, "never mind his not washing his clothes. He doesn't buy necessary provisions and vegetables also. It's only my husband in his advancing age takes pains to go to shops and markets for buying home essentials. "

Here is a wrap up with the following lines from தெய்வத்தின் குரல் :

"லோகத்துக்கு நல்லது பண்ணனும் என்றே ஆர்வமிருந்தாலும் நமக்கும் நம் குடும்பத்துக்கும் செய்தேயாக வேண்டும் என்ற நிர்பந்தம் இருப்பதை உணர்ந்து இந்த ட்யூட்டிக்கு ஹானியில்லாமல்தான் லோக ஸேவை செய்ய வேண்டும். "

You May have a heart to do good for society. Yet do it without any hiccups to your responsibility to your family and home. 

Maha Swami has a rider as well :

"சொந்த கார்யம் என்பதையே கவனித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தால், அலை ஓய்ந்துதான் ஸமுத்ர ஸ்நானம் என்கிற மாதிரி பொதுக் கார்யங்களை எவருமே எப்போதுமே செய்ய முடியாது."

It's kind of balancing act. 

The Need to help - பரோபகாரம்

○Regardless of how much one earns,  at least a little out of it one must use to help a needy and any good public causes. 

○When a part of the body aches and you feel the pain,  your eyes shed tears. Isn't it? The same way if anyone suffers in any remote part of the world, we need to be compassionate and it's obligatory on our part to do our bit to mitigate the suffering. 

○There is nothing to take any pride in so doing. Nor do we have to feel any compulsions in doing. 

○The whole universe is the very form of God,  the Almighty. When we realize this, we will with full heart involve ourselves in redressing the suffering elsewhere in the world. 

○In so doing if any strain arises,  we won't feel strained. That kind of selfless service, indeed, would make us feel the fulfillment and bliss. 

○When you see the suffering redressed and his face blossoming smile,  all the strain while serving pales and fades away. 

A little attempt to present an English version of Maha Periyava from His தெய்வத்தின் குரல் -

Volume 3, chapter title பரோபகாரம் pages 251 para last and para continuation on page 252. Edn 27, Nov 2021 Publisher: Vanathy Pathippagam 

Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah

Of all the Saints, 

My gravitation

Was instant 

The moment I

Put my foot 

For the first ever 

Time in 

Ramanashram

About thirty years ago. 

I just stood 

There in the

Entry precinct 

To the shrine of

Matru Bhudeshwar

In front of

About 3 feet

Cloth screen placed

- you can see it even

Today -

On the right side 

Before you enter the 

Inner temple housing 

The Sanctum

Of Matru Bhudeshwar. 

What's so special about 

The screen?

It carries the 

Very narrative of 

Bhagavan's 'aatma vichara'-

Best known to 

All his devotees as

His,  'Who am I? '.

That time 

My comprehension was 

Not up-to the mark. 

Yet I read the narrative from 

The very first to the last. 

Despite this constraint, 

I could feel some sinking in. 

Ever since that, 

Must say, 

Found the Gnana Guru,

Whom Paul Brandon 

Was directed to by

None other than 

The Kanchi Maha Swami.

Nonetheless my going back to 

Is Bhagavan time and again, 

My Bible is

Maha Swami's -

தெய்வத்தின் குரல் -

Now I am in Volume 3.

Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah

Whom to serve first, Humanity or God?

Maheswara Seva 

 There is a confusion. 

Should we do service to God first or to humanity. 

Many fancy in quoting திருமூலரின் popular following stanza from the Sage's திருமந்திரம் :

நடமாடக் கோயில் நம்பர்க்கு ஒன்று ஈயில், படமாடக் கோயில் பகவற்கு அது ஆமே.

Whereas,  Mahaswami quotes yet another stanza from திருமந்திரம் :

யாவர்க்குமாம் இறைவற்கு

ஒரு பச்சிலை;

யாவர்க்குமாம் பசுவுக்கு

ஒரு வாயுறை;

யாவர்க்குமாம் உண்ணும்போது

ஒரு கைப்பிடி;

யாவர்க்குமாம் பிறர்க்கு

இன்னுரை தானே.

(திருமந்திரம் 252)

Where the former is interpreted in convenience to mean, 'First do service to man.'

The latter as Mahaswami says:

ஆக ஈச்வர ஸேவையில்லாமல் மநுஷ்ய ஸேவை என்பதில்லை. 

See the order in யாவருக்குமாம்...  Stanza. 

The first is to serve God. 

Every Muslim begins the day with Namaz. 

Every Christian begins with reading from Bible. 

But there is an army here working 24x7 to misguide every Hindu. 

Those days there was no such concept to keep away divine activities that people concentrated only on economic activities. Population was less. The people were contended. There was self sufficiency. No cheap entertainment to lure away people to get distracted from their duties either pertaining to family or divine services. 

Rather than Kings engaged them in constructing massive temples,  though the Kings paid wages monetarily or in kind,  people wholeheartedly took active involvement voluntarily. 

With the onset of development,  in the name of secularism,  we keep away divine part. This has become the malaise and thus leading to robbing peace and harmony.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu 

लोकः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु)

Essence of Sanatan Dharma

Essence of Sanatan Dharma 

The essence of Sanatan Dharma or Vaititka dharma is comprised in five yajnas,   பஞ்ச மஹாயஜ்ஞங்கள். 

What are these five yajna? 

1. ப்ரம்மயஜ்ஞம்- Bhrahma yajna :

The true charity - Vidhya Dhan - consists in chanting Veda and making one learn Veda. 

2. பித்ருயஜ்ஞம் - Pitru yajna :

Remembering our deceased elders, forefathers by doing shraptam,  darpan. 

3. Deva yajna - ஈஸ்வர ஆராதனம். -

 Prayers.

All yajnas culminate with the last of the above 3.

We have referred to five yajnas. What are the other two? 

4.  Bhuta yajna - பூத யக்ஞம் - 

We, the human in this universe are not here just to care for only humanity. Imperative it's and a human is obligated to serve all other species - like feeding dogs,  crows and all species. 

5. Nru yajna - ந்ரு யஜ்ஞம்  -

This is honouring the guest - Athithi Devo Bhava.  Even today, you can see when we go to someone's house,  first thing they offer you is a glass of water. To quench your thirst, relax  and feel at home.

With the Missionaries setting up hospitals, educational institutions etc.,  we were made to imagine that there were no such thing as helping others in our Vaititka, Sanatan culture. 

In fact it's not so. 

The Vedic culture goes a step further. If we don't do all the above yajnas, it's deemed as doshas -  தோஷங்கள். 

Does Sanatan Dharma confine only to above five yajnas? 

No. 

It talks of yet another Dharma,  viz.,  பூர்த்த தர்மம். To do this it calls for collective efforts.   Instances of பூர்த்த தர்மம் :  

Digging wells, 

Establishing and maintaining waterbodies,  sheds - like குளம் தூண்டுதல்,  நீர்நிலைகளைப் பராமரித்தல் etc. 

Laying roads,  pathways 

Planting trees

Well can be used by only human beings who can pull water out of it. That is the reason for digging waterbodies like ponds,  குளம்,  lakes etc where not just two legged beings but also all four or multi legged,  winged species could easily reach and quench their thirst. The name in Tamil ஊருண்ணி came into vogue as all God's creatures can reach out to the water bodies. Ironically we have Lake Roads,  Lake View Roads,  River View Roads etc.  But where are the lakes,  rivers?  

It's interesting to note Hon'ble PM Modiji's Government brought in to the term,  'charitable activity'  the maintenance and establishing of waterbodies, environmental protection activities like tree planting etc. 

Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavanthu !

பரோபகாரம் ஹிதம் சரீரம்....

தர்மம் சாஸ்திரங்களில் 32.

முதலில் அன்னமிடுதல். 

முடிவில் தண்ணீர் கொடுத்தல். 

இடையிலே மற்ற பிற தர்மங்கள்.  ஆலய நிர்மாணம், வைத்ய சாலை நிறுவுதல்,   குளம் அமைத்தல்,  பசு மற்றும் சகல ஜீவராசிகளைப் பேணுதல் போன்றவை.

நம் முன்னோர்கள் தண்ணீர்ப் பந்தல்,  அன்னச் சத்திரங்களும் நிறுவியதின் தாத்பர்யம் சாஸ்திரங்களைப் பேணி அனுசரித்து வாழவேண்டும் என்பதாகத்தான். 

ஏன்? 

எல்லோரும் இன்புற்றிருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதே. எங்கோ ஓரிடத்தில் சிறு அசௌகர்யம் இருந்தாலும் அதனுடைய வீச்சு உலகளாவிய அளவில் இருக்கும். 

அதன் பொருட்டே இயன்றவரை, இயன்றவர் ஏதும் செய்ய இயலாது இருப்பவர்களுக்கு பரோபகாரமாய் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்காகத் தான் நமது சாஸ்திரங்களில் 32 வகையான தர்ம காரியங்கள் சொல்லப் பட்டிருக்கின்றன. 

இந்த தர்மம் பாராட்டுவதில் பாரபக்ஷ்ம் பார்க்கலாமா? 

க்ருஷ்ணா in Gita, verse 5.18:

विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि |

शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिता: समदर्शिन: || 18||

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne–equipped with knowledge and gentle qualities; brāhmaṇe–within a brāhmaṇa; gavi–in a cow; hastini–in an elephant; śuni–in a dog; ca–and; eva–indeed; śva-pāke–in a dog-eater; ca–and; paṇḍitāḥ–the enlightened (jñānīs);sama-darśinaḥ–have equal vision of the soul.

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.

True Seva

ஒரு

உண்மையான 

சேவகர்

பிறர் ஒருவரின்

மேன்மைக்கே 

தன் முழு முயற்சியையும்

பயன் படுத்துவார்.

ஆங்கே

பிறர் மனம் நோவதற்கோ, 

நேரம்,  சக்தி

விரையமாவதற்கோ

யாதொரு இடமும் இல்லை. 

தெய்வம் மனித 

ரூபத்திலேயே என்பது

சேவகர் பிறர் 

மேன்மைக்காக தன்னையே

முழுமையாக அர்ப்பணித்தலலிலன்றி

வேரொன்றிலும் அல்ல.