A dangerous snake -- vaarththaamaalai 11

[Guest guest]

vArttAmAlai 11:

 

Egotism is a poisonous snake;

possessiveness is its body;

passion and hate are its fangs.

Break these fangs and you cross

over the rest.

 

 

Notes:

-----

 

1. ahamkAra -- egotism, the undue feeling of "I"

mamatA / mamakAra -- possessiveness, the feeling of "mine"

 

These two are constantly mentioned by our acharyas

as _the_ obstacles to spiritual progress. From egotism

proceed all our unholy tendencies, the foremost of which

is the appropriation of ourselves for selfish purposes

instead of performing kainkaryam, service to God and God's.

 

2. A Sri Vaishnava should constantly practice the virtues

of Sama and dama, tranquility and self-control.

Diametrically opposed to these are rAga and dvEsha,

passion and hatred of any sort. Break these "fangs"

and the "snake" of "I"-ness and "my"-ness is rendered

harmless.

 

aazhvaar emberumaanaar dEsikan jeeyar tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Mani

 

----------

Original (p. 17, puththUr svAmi's edition)

----------

 

ahankaaramaakiRadhu oru sarppam;

mamathaiyaakiradhu adhinudaiya udal;

raagadhvEshangaL adhinudaiya paRgaL;

ippaRgaLai muRikkath theerum.