caring for body: sAttvic?

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

 

adiyEn has been thinking of this question for sometime

and wants to know general opinion of others on the

matter.

 

In present day, a lot of people, including modern

SriVaishnava families, are placing lot of stress on

"physical fitness". People are so particular about

going for jogging, walking. They are all the time

weight- and calory- conscious. Many are joining

"health" clubs and "beauty" clubs. Some go for

"fat-trimming", "liposuction", naturopathic and herbal

treatment of skin or hair. They go for "pedicure",

"manicure" etc. Then there are so many more new and

exotic ways in which everyone wants to take "good

care" of the body and make it "glow" or make it "fair

and lovely". Even young men these days spend a lot of

time in "gyms", "beauty parlours" and

"exercise-centers" and seem to really enjoy

"building-up a good physique". The care of the

physique (making a "good impression") has become top

priority these days and so it has become big business

too.

 

But one thing is clear. All these people who go for

it, adiyen is thinking, they all truly look "healthy,

happy and heavenly". They appear at peace with

themselves and with the world, besides looking

efficient and ever cheerful. They all say that taking

such extremely zealous care of their bodies makes them

"feel good".

 

The questions adiyen sometimes therefore asks myself

are something like this:

 

(1) Has "looking after the body" now become something

akin to a "new religion"?

 

(2) The new "religion" seems to be quite effective too

because its young and ardent adherents are definitely

deriving a lot of mental happiness out of it, is it

not?

 

(3) The old (Vedantic?) religion emphasised the

primacy of cultivating the spirit over the body as the

key to "peace" and "mental well-being" (sAtvic

guNA-s). But the new religion seems to be easily

achieving the same wonderful results by doing the

exact opposite i.e. stressing the primacy of "body

care" over "spiritual husbandry"! It almost seems to

be telling us: "take good care of the body and the

mind will take care of itself"!

 

What is the real position of spiritualists and

spiritual leaders on this matter? Does the zealous

pursuit of bodily fitness produce 'sAttva'?

 

If so, then we (who are Truth-seekers) have as much to

learn indeed from our gym-going, muscle-flexing

teenagers as from our wizened and "spiritual-minded"

elders, is it not?

 

Any comments?

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

=====

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sampath:

 

I think spirituality and maintaining 'good health' are two sides of the same

coin. Our forefathers laid great emphasis on 'ahAra Niyamam', temperance in

food, YogAbhyAsam, taking a walk ('nidham bhuktvA shatam gatvA'), taking

oil-bath on saturdays, periodically drinking castor oil with kadukkAy,

keeping upvAsam on Ekadasi etc., etc. These were best known practices for

good health and it was greatly emphasized.

 

However, least importance was given to 'looks'. Looking at a mirror was

discouraged. They thought looks only contribute to our ego. I think Shri

Chandrashekaran's comments can be viewed in this context.

 

To conclude, any activity that promotes good health is in line with

spirituality.

 

Vijayaraghavan

Buffalo, NY

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Sampathkumaran,

Personally I think your question is a vibharItham. But still these kind

of questions sometimes help to rake up related dormant doubts in the inner

minds.

In this context, it would be good to turn our attention to a verse in

"Bhaja Govindham" which reminds us of the transitoriness of all this around

us. The verse goes thus.

 

" mAkuru dhana jana yavvana gharvam

harathi nimEshAth kAla sarvam"

 

This verse is really powerful in inspiring wisdom in us. This means

"one's pride based on his/her wealth, kith and kin, and youth will be all

eventually destroyed by time." So it's not worth to consider it happiness if

it is derived from something transitory. We know anyway we are going to lose

it in the end. It only leaves us with more longing and ensuing agony and

hence sorrow.

As to the muscle flexing youth are you sure they are truly happy all

the time. They can't be. Because they have developed a notion that they have

to look handsome in this world to live. So they will be constantly thinking

about how they look etc., This leads to fear of loss of beauty which leads

to sorrow when they do lose it (I am sure you will agree with me that they

will at some point in time in their life). It comes very naturally to say

that if we live simple there is nothing to lose and nothing to worry about.

This is very true if we realise the truth that our mind is a "kONal" one. If

you expose to some comfort it will hook onto it and would never be happy if

it loses it. So definitely the vibharItha idea of body-centric religion

etc., would be only an effect of avidhya. To really appreciate what is said

above, one should realise that we are all bound to lose everything at one

time. This is a bare Truth and the wise respect the Truth. Even the one

that's closest to us, this body, is going to be carried to the pyre in the

end and will be let to burn there till the blood (which WAS young and hot)

becomes tar and vapourizes, and the bones of which we FELT our strength and

youth breaks in heat and becomes ash. The jIvA which was all so active and

body-conscious till its sojourn in the body - the body that has by now fully

burnt on the pyre, now is left with nothing but itself and its vAsanAs. Now

is the moment of Truth; the Truth that the jIvA was either ignorant of or

was neglecting to abide by.

 

This leaves out one question unresolved. I will place this to the forum.

One basic observation I have made so far in many instances is that generally

people don't seem to be really afraid of rebirth even after so many agonies

in this mundane life. Only the people who are exposed to vEdantha texts

(even the slightest) talk about prevention of rebirth etc., But a layman for

example would say in some context "let me see at least in my next birth I

will achieve this .." etc., not really fearing the rebirth. Do the members

see this a valid observation? Especially since the modern life has brought

in unbelievable amount of comforts, people have forgotten that

transitoriness is worthless and don't really see that this life in itself is

worthless to live in the way we do.

 

There is a beautiful tamizh krithi by Ambujam Krishna in this regard (sung

by Smt. MS)

 

"kuthagaiyAi eduttha pala piRavi kODAnu kODi inum

etthanaiyO thunbham allAdhu inbham thAnum eLLaLavum

idhu varai yAn irukka kANEn".

 

adiyEn,

chandrasekaran.

[Guest guest]

[Krishna Kalale] Chandra sekharan has written a very good article regarding

the stark truth of life regarding : ma kuru yauvana dhana jana garvam -

harati nimeshath kalah sarvam.

 

If there are so many (including me) who have so much ajnana regarding

yauvana, dhana etc., it is fairly obvious that the problem of rebirth does

not bother many folks. Most people, I guess are busy solving their day to

day needs of body, mind and intellect which keeps them busy with work,

family, entertainment etc. After taking care of all these, what time is

left for the thought of re-birth and related agony? Not only those who read

the shastras but even those who teach shastras sometimes will not be able

to grasp the very deep truths what they try to teach. What I mean here is

that while teaching they may remember, but in practice of life they forget

what they have taught. (I mean people of lower capacity like me). No

wonder it said "shastra jnanam bahu klishtam buddheh chalana karanam" - ie.

(shastraic knowledge is very difficult and it many times causes confusion

even among pundits). This being the case it is tough to blame anyone in

particular, the shastra educated or the shastra uneducated ; It is just

the power of avidya which cannot be taken for granted by anyone. Hence,

one should meditate constantly on the meanings of the upanisads and trust

God. In this regard one needs to meditate on the meaning of this verse :

Please remember that I did mention the term meditate. That means that one

has to note that there are deeper meanings of this verse than what is given

below :

 

indriyani parani ahuh indriyebhyah parahyarthah artheybyascha param manah

manasastu para buddhih buddheratma mahan parah

mahatah param avyaktam avyaktat purushah parah

purushanna param kinchit sa kasta sa para gatih

 

In regards to difficulty in controlling, objects of senses are more

difficult to control than senses themselves. ie. if the objects of senses

are available to the senses sense control becomes difficult. Hence one

should first remove the objects of senses from the senses so as to control

senses. mind control is even harder. harder than mind is the control of

intellect. If intellect itself misguides a person, what can mind do?.

more important than intellect is the jiva itself who is the "doer". More

important than the jiva is the body, since if body fails to do, even a

willing jiva cannot do anything. More important than the body is purusa or

the universal Lord. Only controlling Lord can help us. Control of lord,

according to sri Ramanuja is only possible by surrender to Him.

 

When people's attention is captured by the external world, how can one

think on higher truths such as rebirth, or avoidance thereof? Most people

lose their battle of control in the very initial rounds. No wonder

re-birth issue does not surface to most.

 

adiyen Krishna Kalale

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas

 

This question is quite relevant.

Almost all AzhwArs and AchAryas have been dinning into our ears that that it

is vipareetham to confuse body as Atma as it leads to our concentration on

grooming the sareeram to the detriment of spiritual development.

 

This is true because we can see for ourselves how when we make an incision

say, of the size of a quarter on the skin and leave it as it is, it starts to

stink. Also, the body generates all unpleasant odors and secretions like

perspiration, phlegm, spittle and the like and is the receptacle of all waste

materials like urine, feces etc. Even a newly washed and dried cloth becomes

"Vizhuppu" (contaminated) on merely coming into contact with the body.

Therefore, no doubt, it is despicable.

 

May be for the very reason that these are inevitable so long as we live

clinging on to our bodies, that we take bath to keep our body clean to the

extent possible. By extension, there does not seem to be anything wrong in

grooming also to make oneself 'presentable,' let alone engendering a feeling

of '"freshness" if not '"beautification" and a sense "wellbeing."

 

I entirely agree with Sri Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan when he observes-

" I think spirituality and maintaining 'good health' are two sides of the

same

coin. Our forefathers laid great emphasis on 'ahAra Niyamam', temperance in

food, YogAbhyAsam, taking a walk ('nidham bhuktvA shatam gatvA'), taking

oil-bath on saturdays, periodically drinking castor oil with kadukkAy,

keeping upvAsam on Ekadasi etc., etc. These were best known practices for

good health and it was greatly emphasized"

 

Judging by the standards of downplaying the "appearance" part of it, I do not

know if there are any Pramanams for "self-shave' which we religiously resort

to daily (?). How many of us would be prepared to forego this morning ritual?

People who are prepared to forego Sandhyavandanam would not like to give up

this. Because, appearance "maketh the man"in a society!

 

There is another dimension to this issue. If the body is to be so despised,

the very institution of "Grihastasramam" for the purpose of begetting progeny

will be taboo because this involves the most intimate "Sambandam of

Sareeras." But, our Sastras lay down this Asrama as a "Dharma" -

"Grihastasrama Dharma"

 

This needs a reconciliation.

 

Also. there have also been references as to how Bhagavan lives at the very

center of the heart of individuals as Antharyami in the form of a lotus

flower (Hridaya kamalam) and we are asked to meditate on this form. If this

were to be accepted, does not the body become, ipso facto, a temple of the

Lord, whether we realize it or not. If it were to be a temple, does it not

become necessary for us to keep it clean? As in the words of Rabindra Nath

Tagore-

"Life of my Life! I shall keep my body pure

Knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs"

 

If we develop this consciously, may be even when we take our shower, we would

do so not so much as doing it for ourselves but as a kind of "Tirumanjanam"

for the indwelling Lord. When we do "Parishechanam" do we not meditate on the

Lord and presume to offer the food to the vital airs representing the very

same Lord?

 

There have been references that without this body we have acquired by Poorva

Punyam, we cannot do any Bhakti or Prapatti or observe any other chores laid

down in the Sastras.

 

Keeping "healthy" for the sake of enabling us to our duty to the Lord may

involve cleanliness of the body. That is why, when one is not able to take

bath with water (e.g. when one is too sick), the Sastras have prescribed

several other types of Snanam like "Manseeka Snanam"

 

If a conscious effort is made to tune our attitude in the right direction of

"Satvika Thyagam", everything will fall in place.

 

May be the other erudite members of the forum will be able to throw better

light on these issues.

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

[Guest guest]

--- Ramanbil wrote:

> Dear Bhagavatas

> > This question is quite relevant.

> People who are prepared to forego Sandhyavandanam

> would not like to give up > this. Because,

appearance "maketh the man"in a> society!

>

> There is another dimension to this issue. If the

> body is to be so despised, > the very institution of

"Grihastasramam" for the> purpose of begetting progeny

> will be taboo because this involves the most

> intimate "Sambandam of > Sareeras." But, our Sastras

lay down this Asrama as> a "Dharma" - > "Grihastasrama

Dharma"> There have been references that without this

body we> have acquired by Poorva > Punyam, we cannot

do any Bhakti or Prapatti or> observe any other chores

laid > down in the Sastras.

> Dasoham

> Anbil Ramaswamy

 

 

Dear Sriman Anbil,

 

How nicely you have explained things! Hats off!

 

adiyen is really thankful to you for explaining my

position in such a convincing fashion on my behalf.

 

adiyen was trying to say that the pursuit of

'sareera-shuddhi' (even 'sareera-soundaryam') need not

necessarily be always an un-"sAttvika" endeavour. In

fact it can positively promote "sAttvika" pursuits.

 

Our dear AndAl-pirAtti we know as a young damsel spent

hours before the looking-mirror "beautifying" herself

for the sake of her divine beau, Ranganathan.

'Guru-parampara' records say that Parashara Bhattar

was one of the most handsome achAryas of his times in

SriRangam. His presence at the head of "gOshti-s"

during "utsavams", it seems, lent a certain air of

"vaideekaglamour" to the proceedings. The idols of

Sri.Ramanuja and Desikan clearly show them to have

been extraordinarily handsome.

 

Present day young boys and girls adiyen sees are all

truly conscious of their "looks". But adiyen believes

it is one way very good. In earlier generation of

adiyen's times it was horrible. At that time looking

"grimy", wearing long-hair, unshaven, smoking, and

generally appearing "sloppy" and looking like a "lousy

hippie" was considered to be height of fashion. It led

to very bad attitude later in life. adiyen believes

that it is that generation that has today caused the

ravage of the world's forests, rivers, air and

water... the Lord's great "sareeram" of Creation.

 

At least today's youngsters are not like that. They

take good care of their grooming. Their attitude

therefore is much better. adiyen is sure that in good

time when they mature and become wiser in life their

"atma-s" will receive the same care and attention that

their "sareeram" received in youth.

 

This is what adiyen meant by saying that the "care of

the body" is also, in a certain sort of way, truly

"sAtvic".

 

Unfortunately some members misunderstood. adiyen is

very sorry to have replied to them a little sharply.

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Srimathe Narayanaya Namaha

 

Today morning adiyEn was listening to the upanyAsam of Sri Velukkudi

Krishnan swami in the FM channel on "nAlAyira divya prabhandam" in

which he touched the pAsuram of "vEda nool prAyam nooru..." from

ThirumAlai of Thondaradippodi AzhwAr. Actually this pAsuram is sung

in a state of virakhti by the AzhwAr, asking Ranganathan, not to give

him any more births in this materialistic world.

 

A rough translation is,(vEda nool prAyam nooru) the life time of a

human, as laid down by the vEdAs, is 100 years, (pAdhiyum urangip

pOgum), we lose a precious 50 years just by sleeping, (ninRadhip

padhinaiyANdu), hence what is left over is only 50 years. (pEdhai,

pAlagan, adhu) Of the remaining, in the earlier stages of being a

baby, young boy and teenAger, we never try to realise and reach

emberumAn, (piNi, pasi, mooppu ) and when we realise Him and want to

reach Him, then comes the stage of Sickness (piNi), and Old age etc.

 

Here as the AzhwAr says that Sickness and Old age sickness are one of

those reasons why we cannot reach perumAL, it is quite evident that

we should try to maintain our health also in a good condition. Only

when we are healthy we will be able to move out and do any kainkaryam

to perumAL.

 

Apart from the above reasons, we should maintain a good health for

the reasons, clearly bought out by Sri Anbil swamy in his posting.

Yes, pEyAzhwAr says in his MoonRAm thiruvandhAdhi, "manathuLLAn,

mAkadal neeruLLAn..". His No.1 residing place is within our

Hearts, only then AzhwAr says He is residing in ThiruppARkkadal. So

it is necessary that for Him to reside within us, we need to keep

ourselves neat and clean and maintain a good health.

 

On a lighter note, for the above ThirumAlai pAsuram, when AzhwAr

says, the remaining no. of years after sleep is 50, somebody said, as

quoted by Sri Velukkudi swamy, that this 50 years remaining is only

if that man sleeps during the night time alone. If he sleeps both

the time in a day then the remaining will be 15 years only

("padhinaiyAndu", here is considered as 10+5=15 instead of 10x5=50)

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

 

Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh

Regards

 

T.V.Venkatesh

E-mail : TVV

Phone: 91-44-4960455 extn. 5243

Fax : 91-44-4960913

Visit : http://www.sanmargroup.com

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[Guest guest]

Sri,Sampath Swamy Wrote,

 

'Guru-parampara' records say that Parashara Bhattar

was one of the most handsome achAryas of his times in

SriRangam. His presence at the head of "gOshti-s"

during "utsavams",

 

Dear Sampath Swamy,

your account on SriBhttar was quite Right.

 

Bhatar used to quote the Pasuram

 

"Varai chadana Kuzhambum, Van kalanum pattum....."

(2nd Thiruvandhathi)

 

In the above pasuram, Azhwar says, we should pray Our Dear God with

applying sandal paste, wearing pure Silk and good jasmine flowers.

 

Sri.Bhattar says that while we go and prostrate to Rangan who is Akila

jagat Swamin and most beautiful, at least we must ensure that our bodily

beatuy or cleanliness in line with his level (though no one can match His

beauty)

If a person vists a Raja of land, will he not go well dressed?

if that is the case, if you meeting Rangarajan who is Raja of all Raja how

should you go?

 

Further, i had alaready mentioned in my earlier posts, for an ordoinary

person cleanliness of body is vital to get atma sudhhi.

 

it is imeprative that we keep ourselves healthy and clean even while

clearly understanding the impermenace of the body always realising that we

need to be healthy to do nitya kaimkaryam to Emperuman.

 

Best Regards

 

K.M.Narayanan

 

 

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[Guest guest]

--- narayanan.k.m wrote:

> Sri,Sampath Swamy Wrote,

> > 'Guru-parampara' records say that Parashara

Bhattar

> was one of the most handsome achAryas of his times

> in> SriRangam. His presence at the head of

"gOshti-s"

> during "utsavams",

> > Dear Sampath Swamy,

> your account on SriBhttar was quite Right.

>> Bhatar used to quote the Pasuram

> > "Varai chadana Kuzhambum, Van kalanum pattum....."

> (2nd Thiruvandhathi)

>

> In the above pasuram, Azhwar says, we should pray

> Our Dear God with

> applying sandal paste, wearing pure Silk and good

> jasmine flowers.

 

Dear Sriman K.M.Narayanan,

adiyen read your extremely apt quotation of Bhattar.

It is simply superb. Your observations are very valid.

Thank you so much.

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

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