satvika tyagam

[Guest guest]

Srinivasa ParabrahmaNE nama:

RAmanujaya nama:

Sriman Nigamantha Vedantha Maha DEsikaya nama:

 

 

Dear Mani: Thank you for your correction and pointing out the first part of

Satvika

Tyagam. At the same time how do you interpret the words swasmei and

swaprityei?

One can derive pleasure in serving God.

AdiyEn

Narasimhan

(Nedathur Narasimhachari)

 

Dear Bhaktas: I have been follwing the discussion on the Number One Spot for

Divya Desam and the votes for it. I have in my last 2 trips to India made

pilgrimage to Divya Kshetrams in Srirangam, Kumbhakonam and around

Tirunelveli. I went to the temple from the top of which RAmAnuja declared the

Ashtakshara Mantra. Each

place evoked the rich history and the grandeur of the place. We all have our

own Ishta Devathas and Sriman NArAyanA is the presiding Deity in each of these

PuNya

Kshetrams.

 

I am very much impressed with Sri Sadagopan's description of his Anubhava and

spiritual experience in Guruvayur, Srirangam and Thirumala. I have had a

similar experience in Thirumala when I stood almost in a trance before the

Lord, the temple servants did not push me off and allowed me to stay

undisturbed for 5 minutes.

I was a volunteer priest in our local temple in Richmond VA and occasionaly I

substtute for the regular priest now. When I do the Abhishekam and Shodasa

Upachara Puja for Lord Venkateswara I can feel his Vatsalya. I see the glow

in His

eyes. The bhaktas are able to appreciate my sincere devotion and

concentration

during the Puja.

I am sure most of you might have heard of this story of Nedathur Ammal, uncle

of

Swami Desikan. He got the title or name Ammal because of Matru vatsalya he

showed in his service of the Lord. Bhaktas may please correct me if this

story

I have heard is wrong.

AdiyEn

Narasimhan.

[Guest guest]

> Dear Mani: how do you interpret the words swasmei and

> swaprityei?

> One can derive pleasure in serving God.

> AdiyEn

> Narasimhan

> (Nedathur Narasimhachari)

 

Dear Sri Narasimhan,

 

The sAttvika tyAga as said before the commencement

of any religious ritual is "bhagavAn eva ... sva-seshabhUtena

^^^^^^^^^^^^

.... svasmai svaprItaye svayam eva kArayati."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Here the meaning is:

 

bhagavAn eva -- God Himself

sva-seshabhUtena -- through His servant as His instrument

svasmai -- for Himself

^^^^^^^^^^^

svaprItaye -- for His own pleasure

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

kArayati -- is having this performed

svayam eva -- by Himself

 

 

The operative particles here are "sva", which

refers to the first word "bhagavAn". Our pleasure

plays no part at all, except insofar as we derive

pleasure from seeing bhagavAn pleased. Such is

the meaning of sAttvika tyAga as I have understood

it.

 

In the Prabandham, the Alvars have expressed this

feeling countless times. In "siRRam siRukaalE" in

the thiruppaavai, Andal requests the Lord "maRRai

nam kaamangaL maaRRu" -- change all our remaining

desires, other than our desire to serve you ("unakkE

nAm AtchEyvOm.") I have been told more than once

that even the desire for pleasure should be left up

to the Lord.

 

Mani