Pursuit of Wealth & Sri VaishnavA's stand : Part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

One of the most important questions that concerns all

of us at different stages of life was posed recently

by Sri Mani Varadarajan . This was about the pursuit of

wealth or otherwise and how it relates to us in

the modern day context . For some , this question poses itself

early in their lives and for others , this question never

shows up in their mental horizon .

 

Many thoughtful answers have been presented by the members of

this list to Sri Mani's Question . Listening to the wonderful

Tele-upanyAsam of this morning by Srimadh Azhagiya Singar ,

a lot of thoughts crossed my mind . I will share them with you

for keeping the discussions going .In the final analysis , this is

an equation to be solved at a personal level in dialogs

with one's own AchAryan in the context of the intensity of

one's own saadhanA (spiritual pursuits) .These observations of

mine are more like stream of consciousness comments for

generating a sharper analysis by you all later.

 

Ours is a Vaidhikha Matham , which holds Vedams

sacred and fundamental . In this context , I wish

to state at the outset that Vedam does not frown upon

the acquisition of wealth .It encourages the accumulation

of wealth by righteous means and gives clear pointers as

to the usage of that accumulated wealth for our spiritual

benefit .

 

The idea of property is referred to in the Vedam at many places

as Vittam, Dhanam and rayi . A paasage of Vedam specifically

states: " without wealth , a man does not have an honorable

position in the society ( etavAn khalu vai parusha:

yavadasya VITTHAM ).The Vedic statements have to be intrepreted

at many levels . Here , "honorable position " does not mean

ostentatious-status , marked by crude & jarring display of wealth .

VedAs attribute divinty to the circulation of wealth

in a way far different from "shop unitl you drop" .

Vedam says that the circulation of that wealth/money

should be as WIDE as possible , based on a strong foundation of

ethical and moral values . Miserly Hoarding and mindless spending

for purely selfish purposes (self-gratification )

are not recommended .One of the important connections

that Veda manthrams makes is between accumulation-disbursement

of wealth and family as the first and fundamental social unit.

We will come back to the (NaarAyana )kuDumbam /family aspects in

the next posting in the context of familial responsibiliites

and Brahmacharya-gruhasthAsrama dharmams .

 

 

VedAs stress the importance of work in a man's life and states

that a man or woman should not be ashamed of their work and

shirk it . The adage that" much is expected of those to whom

much is given " certainly applies. Man is described as getting

divine blessings and ultimately divinity only by work

( na ruthE srAntasya sakyayA devA:). The wealth accumulated

from dharmic (righteous) means and sharing of that wealth for

the welfare of THE FAMILY and SOCIETY at large is recommended

STRONGLY .

 

I will start with some definitions and background information

items to provide text and context for this important discussion:

 

Definitions and Commnets

************************

 

(1)PrEyas: That pleases one ; worldly gains

like " strong investment portfolio " , estate

in Beverley Hills , Posssession of a Lambherghetti

auto ,travel by Concord plane , beautiful

children and spouse , silken garments et al

 

 

(2)SrEyas : That which is auspicious and truly beneficial .

The Upanishads make a clear distinction between PrEyas

and SrEyas.One is warned by the Upanishads (Veda Siras)

not to be lured by what is merely pleasing and appears

to give material and fleeting sense of security , since there

is no end to the pursuit of that kind of pleasure and

consequent insecurity as well as anxiety over losing

that prEyas .

 

Comments :During Our stay on this earth, we have

the capacity to set our " thermostat /rheostat "

between PrEyas and SrEyas .Our goal through a clear

understanding of the Tattva Trayams , Four PurushArthams ,

Artha Panchakam doctrines is to move that setting towards

PrEyas end incrementally through SadAchArya anugraham and

ceaseless Bhagavath /Bhaagavatha kaimkaryam .

 

(3) Tattva Trayam (The three realities):In one half of

a SlOkam of Srimadh Rahasya Thraya Saaram , Swami Desikan

has summarized for us , the tattva thrayam and

the magnificience of Sriman NaarAyaNA as

our Supreme Lord :

 

Sriman NarAyaNO nah pathi: akhila-

tanu: MukthidO mukthabhOgya:

 

The three tattvams --Achith/insentient/achEttanam ,

Chith/sentient/chEthanam and Isvaran-- and their

relationships are covered by this half slOkam .

The salient points referred to here are :

 

3.1: NaarAyaNA , the consort of Sri Devi , is our

supreme Lord , who has sentients/beings and

insentients/Prakruti as His body .

 

3.2: He is the only one , who can bless us with

mOksham or freedom from the cycles of birth

and Death .

 

3.3: He is the object of the blissful enjoyment

for those , who have attained Moksha Siddhi .

 

Comments: The Tattvathrayams have to be understoood well

and reflected upon in the context of the enhancement

of our SrEyas and use that as a compass to mOksham

thru Bhakthi or Prapathti Yogam .

 

(4) PurushArthams :The Four goals of Human Life

 

These four values are (a)wealth/arthA

(b) desire/kamaa ©righteousness/dharmA

and (d)liberation/MokshA .

 

Some have described arthA as the economic value ,

kaamA as the psychological value , dharmA as

the moral value and mokshA as the spiritual value.

All these values are considered vital and effort

should be taken to integrate them on an appropriate

personal value scheme .

 

Among the four values of life , arthA and kAmA

( the hedonistic and the acquisitve ) values

have been described as the SECULAR values of Life.

DharmA (the ethical and moral ) value teaches us

how that secular life should be lived. Dharma and

MokshA are considered as SPIRITUAL values .

 

ArthA and KaamA are considered as instrumental

values for life's goal ; DharmA is considered

as the regulative and integrating value ; MokshA

is recognized as an " intrinsic and end value ".

Even mahAthmAs get confused by the interplay

of the four purushArthams .

 

In the above context ,we can study the statement of

LakshmaNan (LakshmaNO Lakshmi sampanna:)in Srimadh RaamAyaNam

(Yuddha KhANDam ) .Here , the remarks about property ,

the value of dharmA are being made by LakshmaNan .

Hence , it is nothing new .Here the embodiment of

kaimkaryam , LakshmaNan , is in a mood of anger

and frustration and questions his brother tightly.

This is When Indrajith cuts off the head of maayA SitA

in front of AnjanEyA .RaamA and LakshmaNA hear about it .

RaamA is choked with grief and LakshmaNA in great anger

rails at the embodiment of DharmA , Sri RamachandrA .

 

Laksmanan lectures his brother indignantly :" All people

including You follow dharmA and You ask other people

to follow dharmA . But none is able to know that dharmA

is intangible . Even assuming that there is dharmA ,

it only threatens people of weak mind and obeys those ,

who stand courageously against it. Dharma has driven you

to thr forest and made you lose Your wife because You have

a weak mind . On the other hand, RavaNA , who stood against

DharmA has attained all prosperity . Seeing RavaNA ,

DharmA disappears. Dharma is therefore nonexistent , for

which you are sacrificing your whole life.DHARMA HAS MADE

YOU A POOR MAN WITH NO PROPERTY.PEOPLE WILL NOT HONOR

A MAN ,WHO HAS NO PROPERTY.Only people with wealth can

stand in the society and command respect . Relatives also

surround him . He can claim anything. People also

believe him . Alas! You have lost all property. No one

will appreciate You ---Get up , Oh Tiger among men !

Why don't You recognize Yourself to be the Supreme Spirit

endowed with vast intelligence , who have kept Your vows ?

This submission has been made by me to win your pleasure

( tava priyArtham udhitha:).Enraged to learn about

the destruction of JanakA's daughter, I shall completely

destroy with my arrows the entire LankhA with RavaNA

and his kins and wealth "--Srimadh VaalmIki

RaamAyanam : Yuddha KahANDam: 83.31-44.

 

Lakshmana is expressing these doubts to

the DharmAthmA for whom he left his riches

and family behind to perform uninterrupted

service in the forest . LakshmaNA is articulating

these doubts for our benefit . Sri Raama ordered next

Lakshmana in to battle with Inderjith and Lakshmana ,

destroys Inderjith in a fierce battle on his brother's

behalf. Lakshmana appears before his eldest brother

afterwards and falls at his feet and tells the good news of

the destruction of Inderjith . Sri Vaalmiki describes

that happy scene this way :

 

sa tham bhrAtharam aasvAsya parishvajya cha Raaghava:

 

( Having restored His brother to equalibrium , Sri RaamA

embraced His dear brother and ordered SushENA , the physician

to free LakshmaNa from the pain caused by Inderjith's

saharp arrows ).

 

This chapter starting with the discussion on artham and

dharmam concludes with the death of Inderjith . Adhi Kavi

says at the end of this sargam , " That high-souled son

of DasarathA appaluded the feat of LakshmaNA , which was

exceedingly difficult for others to accomplish (Sudushkaram ):

 

apUjayath karma sa LakshmaNasya sudushkaram DaasarathirmahAthmA

 

Relections on the moving appeal of a Lakshmi Nrusimha BhakthA

***************************************************************

 

artham anartham BhAvaya nithyam

naasthi tatha: sukhalEsa: satyam

 

Please reflect on artham (Wealth/prosperity/sampath)

and anartham (poverty/alakshmi)always. Think about

what they truly are . There wont be even a particle

of "sukham " at the end from both .This is satyam !

 

Here , this great Nrusimha BahkthA seems to hint

that the ParamArtham or Parama purushArtham is

Sriman NaarAyaNA Himself and to perform SaraNAgathi

to Him .

 

Elsewhere in the same sthOthram , this VedAnthin

gives us the recipe for Paramaartham with the statement:

 

" Guru CharaNAmbhuja nirbhara Bhakthi " is the route.

 

Extended persaonal Comments: With deep devotion at

the lotus feet of your AchAryan and thus getting rid

of the burden of samsAram through Bhara samarpaNam ,

Govindham Bhaja ! NaarAyaNam Smara !

DaamOdharam darsaya ! KrishNam keerthaya !

Maadhavam manasA archaya !Sridharam sEvaya !

HrushIkEsam hrudhayE thishtaya!

You will achieve serenity and contentment

in the spirit of " pOthumenRa manathE ponn

seyyum marunthu " in this world and matchless

nithya kaimkarya Isvaryam (paramArtha prayOjanam)

in the other world .

 

He sums up later the observances for deliverance :

 

"Recite the GitA . Chant the thousand

names of the Lord ( Sri VishNu SahasranAmam),

meditate ceaselessly on the divine consort of

Sri Mahaa Lakshmi , lead the mind towards

Bhaagavatha sathsangam , give away your

wealth in charity to those in need and

who are poor and be rid of your bharam( load

of SamsAram )".

 

I will conclude this series of two postings with

a discussion on NaarAyaNa KuDumpam next and the centrality

of the Family as a social unit in the context of the acquisition

and orderly disposition of wealth.

 

V.Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

 

Sadagopan [sMTP:sgopan]

Sunday, July 18, 1999 9:04 AM

bhakti

Pursuit of Wealth & Sri VaishnavA's stand : Part 1

 

[Krishna Kalale] Another excellent posting by Sri Sadagopan. I cant wait

to see the next in this series. The vedic citations are very apt. The

analogy of the thermostat/ Rheostat is very good. One has to suit one's

nature and capacity, keeping the goal towards the idealistic end of "artham

anartham bhavaya nithyam".

 

thanks,

 

Krishna Kalale