पूर्णमिदं- Purnamidham

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते

पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpurṇamudacyate

pūrṇaśya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate॥

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ॥

- Ishavasya Upanishad 

From the Whole - purnam,

We derive the solace.

Yet, the Whole remains whole.

Currently into reading volume 3 of Mahaswami's -  தெய்வத்தின் குரல், though into it on and off and reading just a page or two or at the most one topic at a go, I humbly submit Mahaswami remains Whole, never exhibiting even an iota of a trace:  That I'm all powerful.

We come across others' writing, narrating about the miracles from their experiences from Mahaswami.

Yes, Miracles do happen, though Mahaswami Himself may not claim any credits. The Jnani, that He is He transcends all recognition, craving for credits.  

Throughout His volumes, you will see a homogeneity.  He keeps emphaizing on upholding of Sastra, adhering to the codes of Dharma Sastra. You'll see subtle positivity all through, never a trace of giving up, any negativity.

I'll wrap this with an occurance which I have had a direct knowledge of and with another incident which I read about elsewhere.

First, in a village near Tiruvarur, a renovation work in a temple was underway. The date for consecration was fixed and fast approaching.  The organisers faced fund crunch.  One gentleman from a nearby village suggested that the organisers visit Mahaswami.  The organisers reached the Math and with Prayers to Mahaswami they explained to Him about the shortfall.  Mahaswami didn't say anything but asked them to wait.  In a few minutes, a duo Directors from a Car Manufacturing company with their Offering of RS. 50000/- sought the blessings from Mahaswami.  Mahaswami without touching the offerings directed the Directors to give the money to the organisers.

Another incident, parents of a girl about to get married came with invitation and prayed before Mahaswami. Parents didn't say anything. But Mahaswami could read their sadful faces.  He instructed the assistant to take note of their train coach, journey details and seat numbers. Their train was in the night. Just about an hour before the departure time of the train, a philanthropist came with an offering of RS.50000/ - to have darshan of Mahaswami. Mahaswami blessed and told the philanthropist to rush to the station and give the money to the parents of the girl waiting for marriage.

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpurṇamudacyate

pūrṇaśya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate॥

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ॥

Mahaswami remains Mahaswami.

சரணம் சரணம்.

Godwards

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu

Gurur Devo Maheshwarah

Guruh saksat Parabrahma

Tasmai Shri Guruve Namah 🙏

குரு பிரம்மா குரு விஷ்ணு

குரு தேவோ மகேஸ்வர;

குரு சாஷாத் பரப்பிரம்மா

தஸ்மை ஸ்ரீகுருவே நமஹ 🙏

The Guru is in and out.

Guru split :  Gu,  Ru.

Gu : Darkness, ignorance.

Ru : Remover of ignorance.

 

Who is Guru?

The God is a Supreme Magician.

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi was once asked, 'how does one find Guru?'.

God graces the devotee to find the Godliness in his Self. The God is out and He pushes from outside and facilitates the evolution of Godliness in a devotee. And The God, from inside pulls the devotee and make him see, self-correct when he indulges in wrong doings and REALIZE HIS SELF - the Godliness.

Brahma : creator of SELF - knowledge, making us the Godliness in our self.

Saksat: Exactly that : God Himself 

Parabrahma: the Supreme Consciousness, Godly SELF.

No difference between a preceptor, the Guru - the Teacher and the one who learns, is taught AND the GOD Himself.

The Guru handholds the disciple till the latter evolves, blossoms into Godliness Himself. All the God, the GuRu, the Remover of ignorance does is push an earnest seeker from outside and pulls him from inside towards Godliness, the Godward journey.

Tasmai Shri Guruve Namah: Salutation to You Guru.

Eternal Awareness...

'நிரந்தரமானவன் அழிவதில்லை - எந்த நிலையிலும் எனக்கு மரணமில்லை!'

கவியரசரின் வீரமிகு அற்புத வரிகள்.

' எனக்கு ' என விளிப்பது யாது?

சாக்ஷாத் ஆன்ம ஸ்வருபமே.

உடல், மனம்

ஆன்ம நிலையில்

நிலைபெறச்

செய்யும் உபாயங்கள்.

தேக, மனோ நிலையிலேயே

ஆன்ம நிலையில்

திளைத்திருந்தால்

பயமேது?!

இதோ மஹா கவி:

"ஆன்ம ஒளிக்கடலில் மூழ்கித் திளைப்பவருக்கு

அச்சம் உண்டோடா? – மனமே!

தேன் மடை இங்கு திறந்தது கண்டு

தேக்கித் திரிவமடா.”—(பாரதி பாடல்).

Who is to cook?

Those era our - when we weren't nucleus families - Grandmothers, Mothers and daughter in law were helming the kitchen.  Or, to say it bluntly, the patriarchy destined women in the family to kitchen.

Times changed. 

Though the bastion of patriarchy still is around, they slowly wither away and our sisters come up with flying colours and captain their realm.

But food, can we afford to give up?

The quintessential thing to carry on the juggernaut of life!

Then who will, has to cook?

Oh!

There shouldn't be any gender bias.

All Gentlemen, 

The kitchen welcomes you.

Mahaswami dedicates an exclusive paragraph of 20 lines on 'swayambakam'  - cooking by oneself:

ஆஹாரத்தோடு ஸம்பந்த்ப்படுபவர்களின் சுத்தத்தைப் பற்றியும் சொன்னேன். ஸம்பந்தப்பட்ட வியவஸாயி, வியாபாரி ஆகியவர்களின் பரிசுத்தத்தை நாம் கவனிக்க முடியாவிட்டாலும், பண்ணிப் போடுபவர்களின் தன்மையை அவசியம் கவனிக்க வேண்டுமென்றேன். இதனால்தான் ஹோட்டல் கூடாது, ஹாஸ்டல் கூடாது என்கிறேன். அகத்திலுங்கூட தாயாரோ ஸம்ஸாரமோ பண்ணிப் பரிமாறினால் தோஷமில்லை என்று வழக்கமிருந்தாலும், நமக்கு நல்ல ஆத்மாபிவிருத்தி ஏற்பட வேண்டுமானால் சாப்பிடுகிற ஆஹாரம் நன்றாக தெய்வ ஸம்பந்தமுள்ளதாக யிருக்கவேண்டுமாதலால், மற்றவர்கள் எவரும் அப்படி தெய்வ நினைப்போடுதான் சமைத்துப் போடுவர்கள் என்று நிச்சயமாக வைத்துக்கொள்ள முடியாததை முன்னிட்டு, வேறே யாரையும் எதிர் பார்க்காமல் அவருவரும் தன் சாப்பாட்டைத் தானே தயாரித்துச் சாப்பிட வேண்டுமென்று முடிவாக உத்தரவு போடத்தான் இத்தனையும் சொன்னேன். ‘ஸ்வயம் பாகம்’ என்பதாக இதை விசேஷித்துச் சொல்லியிருக்கிறது. இந்த ஸ்வயம்பாகத்தைத் தான் இப்போது முக்யமான topic ஆக எடுத்துக் கொள்ளப் போகிறேன்.

May God bless you - have a healthy food.

no to non veg

Mahatma's promise to his beloved Mother:

That he will not eat meat.

Let's make a shankalp and we would follow atleast one of this value from Mahatma.

Listening to Maha Swami:

"இன்றைக்கும் நமக்கு ஏதாவது துளிப் பெருமை ஒட்டிக் கொண்டு இருக்கிறது என்றால், அது லோகத்திலேயே மிகப் பெரிய ஜனஸமுஹம் vegetarian களாக ulla தேசம் நம்முடையதுதான் என்பதே."

If Bharat has one pride, our Nation tops the list of the one having the biggest population adhering to  only vegetarian food.

Note the following don't consume nonveg:

Elephant

Goat

Deer

Cow

Horse

SEEKING GOD'S PARDON?

 

Seeking God's pardon?

There is this word, 'INADVERTENTLY'.

 

Looking for its meaning, the dictionary dishes out:

 

inadvertently

/ˌɪnədˈvəːt(ə)ntli/

adverb

without intention; accidentally.

 

Ofcourse,

Many a mistake we do inadvertently.

Is there no Gospel to tell

What is good

And, or

What not.

 

There's no dearth of Gospels, Sastras.

But are we making an effort to refer to them?

Yet God plays tricks.

Certain aspects He keeps away from human’s ken.

Still, yet to bring it to the level of ordinary human grasp,

God does it through Maharshi, Saints, Sages  etc.

Alas,

When we make efforts to know not just what we ought

To know, 

but also to know all trivia, pointless matters,

The pertinent question is,

Why should we not listen to such Great Souls.

The Sages, Maharshis carry all of God’s dictum,

Sastra of

What we should do?

And what we not to do.

Sans that

If a question -  that

Would God pardon all inadvertent deeds –

Is raised,

Does it meet any fairness?

The premise:

With pranams to Maha Swami: 

His 

உணவும், அதனுடன் தொடர்பு கொண்டோரும் : தெய்வத்தின் குரல் (மூன்றாம் பகுதி)- Chapter: ஆசாரமும் ஆஹாரமும்

Sastric way to live

Time and again, 

Why, all the time

Mahaswami insisted

We should live the way

As Sastras prescribe,

Or at least,

Try and

Start to live so.

The irony is

We brush aside

Such sagely Advices

Citing lame alibis,

Like it's impractical

In this new age.

But Sastras leave out

Practically nothing.

Example,

It even says 

How to brush tooth,

What days to shave, etc.

And every single

Aspect of life.

If we look deeply,

We may see 

How shallow such

Excuse is!

The next big

Question:

Where do we find

Any codification of

The Sastras.

Having said that

We should lead the life

Sastric way,

Would Mahaswami

Leave us in the lurch?!

He Himself recommends

The sources we can

Refer to.

A few of them here:

If you are looking for a stupendous treatise on Sastra, the choice is " ஸ்ம்ருதி முக்தாபலம்" a.k.a "வைத்தயநாத தீக்ஷிதம்" - 6 volumes.

If you want some concise form, "தர்ம சாஸ்திரச் சுருக்கம்" by R. முத்துசுவாமி அய்யர், கொடவாசல்.

Other sources:

ஸதா சாரம் by Shrivasta Somadeva, Bavani Book centre, 19 Station Road, Chennai - 600033.

நித்யகன்ம நெறி - தருமபுரம் ஆதீனம், மயிலாடுதுறை. (For Saivites)

For Vaishnavites - ஶ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ நித்யாநுஷ்டானக் கிரமம், Liffco Publishers, T Nagar, Chennai 600017.

Our தமிழ் literatures:

திருக்குறள்

ஆச்சாரக்கோவை, both find superior status in தமிழ் literature. Mahaswami says you can find all Sastric codes in these.

நன்னெறி .

Thank You for your patient reading.

Let me wrap it with a stanza from

ஆச்சாரக்கோவை:

வைகறை யாமம் துயில் எழுந்து, தான் செய்யும்

நல் அறமும் ஒண் பொருளும் சிந்தித்து, வாய்வதின்

தந்தையும் தாயும் தொழுது எழுக!' என்பதே

முந்தையோர் கண்ட முறை. . . . .[004]

Begin your day's work getting up early and praying for parents' blessings.

God bless.

Sastric prescriptions - a few healthy and holy ones...

Maha Swami cites a few Sastric rules from a book on Dharma Sastra.

The compiler Shri Ra. Gana footnotes that the name of the book is not known.

Coming back to Maha Swami's references to certain codes and His remarks here and there:

- don't blow out the fire - for, the saliva shouldn't sprinkle on The Agni, the Fire God while blowing out by mouth.

- The husband should not put out the holy 🪔 lamp.   

- Woman should not break pumpkin.

- there are days prescribed for shaving.

- the same way for having oil bath also, it should be on prescribed days only.

- don't bite 💅 nails.

- don't spit.

All above are hygiene oriented.

Yet more, Sastric codes:

- don't gamble.

- no to alcohol.

Sastras aren't just strict restraints. They encompass ethics, good health, harmony in family etc.

He goes on:

When can a couple - husband and wife - eat together?

Sastra's answer: during eves of marriage, time of pilgrimage, Yatra - travel.

Curd is heavy for digestion. Avoid it night times. Instead buttermilk is ok. And skip milk mid noon.

Jaya Jaya Sankara.

Does direction matter while bathing?

Yes.

It does.

Who points to it - about which direction to face while bathing?

Maha Swami.

Where He premises this at?

Our Sastras.

In our Hindu philosophy and culture, way of life, every single thing, almost none left, in life is as prescribed in Sastra. Right from bathing till the final rites, and even beyond - instance: pitru darpan, need to feed birds on Amawasya days, etc.

Here we focus on bathing directions.

In olden era our elders, Rishis took bath in rivers. When times changed and people had to migrate to cities and live in apartments, bathing in rivers evaporated from memories. The bathing now happens under showers and in bathtubs.

Sastras go or has to go compatible and flexibilities are the ways.

How did our elders and Rishis in aeons bathe in rivers? Especially in what direction?

General saying is 'go with the flow'. But while bathing in river, the rule is just the other way round. To face the side, direction the flow is coming from.

Back to our apartment life, face Eastward while bathing. East is the best to do any good deed - Karma.

Why these Sastric prescriptions - on bath in particular?

Bathing is not just to cleanse the body. It's to elevate feel-good spirit of the soul - ஆன்ம பலம் பெறவும் தான்.

Many realtors advertise that their wares are vastu-tailored. If shower is not positioned in such a fashion - to enable facing East while bathing -, time it's to change.

May you be in Bliss

And 

Be in Almighty 's shower of all good 👍.

குறள் references by Maha Swamy

Throughout all volumes in His title, தெய்வத்தின் குரல், Maha Swamy keeps referring to தெய்வப் புலவர் திருவள்ளுவர்'s திருக்குறள்.

One such is in Volume 3, Chapter title: ஆசார விஷயங்கள்.:

நன்றிக்கு வித்தாகும் நல் ஒழுக்கம் - தீயொழுக்கம்

என்றும் இடும்பைத் தரும்.

He goes on to expound:

"...ஒழுக்கம் என்பது பிரத்யக்ஷமான திருஷ்ட பலனைத் தருவது மட்டுமில்லை;

அத்ருஷ்டமாக நல் ஒழுக்கமே புண்யம் என்பதாகி, என்றோ ஒரு காலத்தில் நல்லதைத் தரும்: தீய ஒழுக்கம் பாபம் என்பதாகி எந்நாளும் கஷ்டத்தைத் தரும்.'

Good conduct reaps the visible  - திருஷ்ட -fruit.

And as well, not so visible - அத்ருஷ்டமாக - adds to your புண்யம், that's out of doing good.

May Almighty bless us eternally.

What's the apt time to take bath?

Maha Swamy keeps emphasising the way to live is shastric way.

But how many of us do that, despite being so staunch in our devotion to Him, is not a million dollar question.

Saving grace is, thanks to His grace and our Darsn of Him even if that was just a glimpse, we do try to follow His advices, if not all, at the least a few.

The very first thing, He quotes a sloka stressing on the need to take bath very early in the morning, that's 90 minutes - 3 and 3/4 நாழிகை - before Sunrise.   நாழிகை = 24 minutes. The sloka is:

'ப்ராத : ஸ்நானம் ப்ரசம்ஸந்தி த்ருஷ்டாத்ருஷ்ட பலம் ஹி தத்'.

People need motivation to do anything. This sloka also refers two benefits - the first is so visible and immediate and the other is not so but may happen later either within one's lifetime or beyond.

The word,

த்ருஷ்டா here is what is visible and you can feel instantly.

Whereas

அத்ருஷ்டா here doesn't denote luck, but to one which is not visible. Because it's invisible, it doesn't mean it's not there at all.

Coming back to the right time to take bath, as referred to above, is 90 minutes before Sunrise. Supposing Sunrise is at six o clock, the time to take bath is before 4.30 in the morning. This time is referred to as Sunrise period, ப்ராத காலம்.

Should you switch on your geyser?

No.

Use  the chill water.

Should you bathe your head?

Yes. From head to toe.

Mandatory for male all days.

Women may bathe head on fasting days and pitru darpan  days(the day on which we pay obeisance to late parents). The other days, they must sprinkle turmeric water over their head.

Benefits of ப்ராத ஸ்நானம்:

You can feel cleanliness instantly.

Sleepiness goes away and you become alert.

You feel a kind of loveliness and become brisk.

Your mind is clear.

Your nervous system gets strengthened.

Psychologically, you feel very balanced.

When you chant the name of God wholeheartedly while bathing, the value addition is you get more spiritual.

The sastra lays more emphasis on invisible benefits of ப்ராத : ஸ்நானம்.  Just because we may not derive any instant benefits, it doesn't mean The Almighty holds back. He's Almighty and knows the right time, right mode to deliver - the reason why true Maharshis, Saints incarnate and live as contemporaries.

May we try a leaf,

Leaf of living the sastric way.

God bless.

Newton's Third Law- a holistic view

We, all Bharatvasis, can lift up our collar.

For, no where else in the universe, would you have heard such all embracing:

"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam";

"Let noble thoughts come to us from every side."(Rigveda 1-89-1) - आनो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वत: | ऋग्वेद – 1.89.1

Why these Vedic references? 

Oh!,

Let's go right away to:

Newton's Third Law: - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. 

Newton may or may not acknowledge it.  Maha Periyava cites the premise of this Newton's third law was our timeless theory of Karma.

But, to anyone not aware of, not in entirety, even a glimpse of our Vedas, there is every likelyhood that one may take Newton's Law literally.

Supposing one is doing a good deed, going by Newton's law it may mean opposite effect, bad one has to happen.

It's not so with Karma theory. When one does a good deed, it only adds to his/her punya, good effect.

Time we look later centuries theories through the prism of our timeless Vedas. 

May All live blissfully.

A Hindu's Gospel... தெய்வத்தின் குரல்.

A Hindu's Gospel 

The problem is every other Religion has its Holy Book to go to. Alas!  Where can a Hindu turn to? 

Is there a dearth? 

No. 

The problem is problem of plenty. 

We have 

Veda

Upanishads 

Bhagavad Gita 

Thirumurai 

Divyaprabandam

Plus Maha Epics 

Ramayana 

Mahabharata 

And etc.,  etc. 

Which one in particular out of above will you single out and say this is my Gospel? 

With all reverence to myriads of all spiritual,  divine literatures all on the Religion Hindu,  Hindu philosophy,  innumerable Deities, I'm afraid even if a Hindu can't turn every single leaf of all Hindu scripts,  texts, surely there always is  தெய்வத்தின் குரல்   -Divine Voice of Maha Periyava. The compilation by Shri Ra. Ganapathy. Wow! His meticulous compiling is superb.  Maha Periyavar's  தெய்வத்தின் குரல் Title is in 7 volumes. His Title has been running into multiple editions. Evidence that people are finding their Gospel. Don't reserve it for your read-list - post retirement. It has everyday life lesson. It's not a page turner. To be taken like you consume honey. You just take a spoonful. A few pages,  a few paragraphs, a few lines. It may take quite long to complete one volume. Don't worry. 

Just having completed reading of volume 2, felt like sharing a few profound lines. About invoking the blessings of Lord Hanuman.  Before that a bit of context. 

Many would have gone to Rameswaram. 

The first you do after settling down is your visit to the sea to have and start your ஸ்னான் bath.   The 22  தீர்த்தம் ஸ்நானம் is after the sea bath only. 

You wouldn't have missed the Sankara Math on the sea front. There has been a small shrine for Lord Hanuman in the entry point to the Math,  with Lord Hanuman facing the ocean. This shrine has been there even before Maha Periyava established the Math in 1963.

Well,

let's move over to the last paragraph in Volume 2 and be showered with Lord Hanuman's blessings :

ஆஞ்சநேய ஸ்வாமியின் தூக்கிய கைக்குக் கட்டுப்பட்டு ஸமுத்ரம் அடங்கி நிற்கிறது. நாம் ஸம்ஸார ஸமுத்ரத்தில் தவிக்கிறவர்கள். நம் மனஸ் அலையடங்காமல் ஓயாமல் அடித்துக் கொண்டேயிருக்கிறது. ஆஞ்சநேய ஸ்வாமிதான் மனோஜயம் பண்ணினவர்; இந்திரியங்களை ஜயித்தவர். “ஜிதேந்த்ரியம் புத்திமதாம் வரிஷ்டம்” என்று சொல்லியிருக்கிறது. தூக்கிய கையோடு அவர் நிற்பதை தரிசனமும், தியானமும் பண்ணினோமானால் அவர் நமக்கு அபயம் தருவதோடு இந்த ஸம்ஸார ஸமுத்ரத்தை, மனஸின் அலை கொந்தளிப்பை அடக்கி ஸெளக்யமும் சாந்தியும் தருவார்.

May God bless. 

The Path to Stillness….

 

The Path to Stillness….

Conscious, deliberate effort is needed

To attain that effortless

State of STILLNESS.

 

-          Bhagavan Shri Ramana Maharshi

-          Day by Day – 11/01/1946

Yes.

 

The way has to be conscious.

Does it mean you have got to push yourself?

No.

No Effort of Herculean sort is required.

 

Gentle shift suffices.

What holds you back from that gentle shift?

 

Maha Periyava reasons it out and attributes the same to the past birth – purva janma.

Those accumulations – purva karma  weigh you down.

How will you undo the past misdeeds?

 

By doing good – punya- deeds in this current birth and eschewing any misdeed now.

How do we do?

 

The God shows the way.

To engage in doing good karma, duty now;

To observe prayer and follow the way of devotion- i.e., the Bhakthi Marga.

 

What is punya karma?

The swadharma, the nature of a bee is to collect honey from flowers.  No other creature can do it. It’s unique to Bees.  The same way, Vedas prescribe a particular way of living to everyone.

 

As Mahatma points out there is everything for one’s need but not for greed.

 

Indulgence in greed steers one away from the path of righteousness and the indulgent one keeps adding to accumulation of hate, sorrow and fear.  Even when one engages in one’s own duty to make his own living, still he has a duty to mind the welfare and good of others as well. The bee does not gather honey and keep all for itself. Neither the river flows for itself nor the Sun rises for itself.   It’s here the volunteering for good public causes, helping others play a vital role.  Such engaging keeps the mind pristine pure and leads one to the God Consciousness.

 

Mere cajoling, commanding one to pray, sing in praise of Lord would not work. That’s why there are rituals, prayers, namas in religions.  Involving in this marga, the Godward journey happens.

 

Once born, all are subject to constraints, struggles, obstacles etc.  Only to feel it, there is a           tradition in Tamil community following Tamil calendar from Chitrai to Panguni that at the      beginning of the new year on first day of Chitrai, the neem flower is cooked and consumed      and on first day of the month Thai, sweet pongal is cooked and consumed along with juicy          sugar     cane. This is to indicate what begins with bitterness would end in sweetness.

Maha Periyava blesses:

 

“May everyone follow one’s dharmic – the righteous way in all fairness and be in eternal bliss”.

 

 

 

 

Welcome fast..... to fast.......at least on Ekadashi

Maha Swami never missed to emphasize how and which way we need to lead our life.

He pinpoints Dharma Sasthra. 

He never imagines any deviation and never advocates also. 

But,  citing myriad alibis, it's quite obvious that there's stark reality of obliviousness to live the way Shasthra mandates. 

Well

Is there only hopelessness? 

Thank God. 

Even if we don't live every inch of our life the sasthric way,  I'm afraid if one commits and determines,  one can begin at some point. 

For,  as Chinese proverb bodes, 

'The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."

In this piece, let's take one leaf from Dharma Sasthra. That strangely is about  not leafful nor your plateful. 

Dharma Sasthra has room for feasting and celebrating and at the same length stipulates fasting, vrada விரதம்,  உபவாஸம், on various sthithis,  occasions. 

Here our concern is on The Need to Fast and occasions to fast:

○Ekadasi - fasting throughout the day 

○Sunday - fasting at night 

○Amavasya - fasting at night 

○Full moon day - fasting at night. 

○Ashtami - no food during day time 

○Sathurthasi - no food during day time 

○Ramnavami - fasting throughout the day 

○Gokulashtami - fasting throughout the day. 

Besides above, though not in Dharma Sasthra,  in propitiation of Lord Balaji At Tirumala

○Saturday - night fasting. 

Of all the vradas, the cardinal one is Ekadasi vrada.

Who have to fast on Ekadasi? 

Those between the ages of 8 and 80.

It's not to strain those outside this age gamut,  the Sasthra exempts these children below 8 and seniors above 80 from the vrada. 

Even if I may incur the wrath of everyone, I can't help citing Mahaswami's reference how strict and mandatory it is to observe full fast on Ekadasi :

No redemption at all for the sin of not fasting on Ekadasi. 

Your murmur, question, whisper falls on my ears deafeningly :

"hey,  are you fasting on at least the Ekadasi day? "

My honest answer is  No. 

But once having learnt and known it,  let me make a vow,  shankalp:

Rest of my bonus life,  I would go sans food on my remaining Ekadasis.

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. 

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 a translation 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