Providing alms for beggars

[Guest guest]

Dear Rajesh:

 

I am sure you have received the standard periyavas answers by now

(in case you have not let me know I will send it to you)

 

But you are right about the fact, Karma theory is the only one that

can & will explain all the actions reaction that happen to us in this

material world

(All the ans. from Periyavas have included Karma as the main source and

built their answers on it.)

 

I will try to explain this as I would to a non-vedic person, as that would

make the

most sense to the scientific mind.

 

I will try to explain with the answer that made the most sense to me:

 

=== Rajesh Wrote=====

Message: 2

Tue, 16 Jan 2001 13:29:20 -0800 (PST)

Rajesh Elayavalli <earajesh

Providing alms for beggars

 

1. When all are created equal - why is that some

suffer and other's don't. I have difficulty

understanding "poorva janma" theories - and feel that

opportunites have not been presented in the current

life for them to redeem them.

===================================

 

======This is along winded story but please read it with patience=====

 

Here is a story that throws some interesting light on this subject?

==============================================

 

Example:

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a

small opening appeared. He sat and watched

the butterfly for several hours as it struggled

to force its body through that little hole.

 

Then it seemed to stop making any progress.

It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could,

and it could go no further.

 

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took

a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining

bit of the cocoon.

 

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had

a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

 

The man continued to watch the butterfly because

he expected that, at any moment, the wings would

 

enlarge and expand to be able to support the

body, which would contract in time.

 

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the

rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body

and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

 

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not

understand was that the restricting cocoon and the

struggle required for the butterfly to get through the

tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the

body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be

ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the

cocoon.

 

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need

in our lives. If God allowed us to go through

our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

 

We would not be as strong as what we could have been.

We could never fly!

 

 

I asked for Strength.........

And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

 

I asked for Wisdom.........

And God gave me Problems to solve.

 

I asked for Prosperity.........

And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

 

I asked for Courage.........

And God gave me Danger to overcome.

 

I asked for Love.........

And God gave me Troubled people to help.

 

I asked for Favors.........

And God gave me Opportunities.

 

I received nothing I wanted ........

I received everything I needed!

 

May God Bless you with unspeakable joy, not only

in the world to come, but in this world also.

 

May your path be bright and full of light everywhere you go.

 

And, I pray your feet will never stumble out of God's plan.

 

May the desires of your heart come true,

And may you experience Peace in everything you do.

 

 

 

"The Lord did not promise that life would be easy,

but He did promise to go with you every step of the way."

 

===========================================

 

Pain and suffering that we see is just the journey the soul needs to take

(in the physical body) to get to understand the true nature of

the soul. (Involves eternal bliss, selfless service & total surrender to Lord)

 

The suffering we see in this life is just a miniscule of the journey the

soul has been through.

People under hypnosis have revealed the reason for rebirth is spiritual

purification,

(for more info: just search at google.com with reincarnation & hypnosis)

 

============================================

2. What is our role from a religious and vedic

perspective. I do provide alms, but where do we stop

or are we supposed to?

============================================

Sri Vaishnava prespective: We are automatically supposed to feel the pain

and suffering

when we see others in pain and do whatever we can to help. (Not be dictated

to do so by a book

or other periyavas)

 

Here comes the catch: We are all probably attached to our

money/status/position/bodies/

hence we have the problem letting go of what we have. - If we have the

money to give? Which I am sure

we all have living in the US, we have some to give.

 

Some people will say I will only give to SriVaishnavas, (some more will say

only to Kancheepuram etc

etc, some more say only to this sect or that sect.)

"As a Sri Vaishnava we are automatically supoosed to feel the pain and

suffering of every Jeevan

and do all that we can to help right then and there." - If not we cannot

honestly say we are trying to

be Sri Vaishnavas.

 

Practically: We do not let go of our wealth easily (There is always that

bigger house, & better car

etc etc that you need your money for.) - And we dwell in the samsara.

We can at least try to give a set percentage of our earnings (say 25%, at

the minimum)

and try to live within the rest 75%. Even the other 75% we are supposed to

beleive in our hearts

as to be the wealth of the LORD, Acharyan and his devotees. And should be

ready for their use in anyway they want. (Our needs are automcatically

taken care of by HIM, Infact all that we have is because HE gave it to us.)

 

(Again long Q. .......... Perhaps this has been addresses in the list,

please search archives)

who really is LORD is he only Sriman Narayan?

who is the Acharyan: Is he only your direct Acharyan?

who is the real devotee of the Lord & Acharyan?)

 

There is so much more to this, please reply to me at danp and we can

take it off-line.

 

 

AzhwAr EmberumAnAr Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE saranam

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mukundan Vankipuram Pattangi

[Guest guest]

Dear Mukundan:

 

Thank you very much for a wonderful response. I would

like to know more about periyavas answers and some

more of your thoughts.

 

Karma theory make sense and certianly atleast helps

explain action-reaction concepts that can be explained

even to a child.

 

You have also highlighted a very interesting fact -

that sampradayam and loukikam seem to have taken

precedence over basic human values. I truly beleive

that ONLY true human values have stood the test of

time and if infact there are Sri Vaishnavas still

around, they have been able to practice fundamental

values and not just lead a life defined by "rules".

 

Thank you very much again.

 

adiyEn,

Rajesh Elayavalli