Kainkaryam-1

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Srimate Srivansatkopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra

Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

Kainkaryam-1

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All human organs, apart from the obvious physical

functions they perform, are also intended to be used

in the service of the Lord. All of us are servants of

Emperuman,(SEshAs) and it is only appropriate that our

faculties are utilised for His kainkaryam. In

performing this kainkaryam, shastras and the conduct

of Poorvacharyas are our guiding star as to the manner

and type of service that is to be rendered. It should

be done in a manner that pleases the Lord (“SEshi

uganda kainkaryam”), and should be in addition to the

duties that are enjoined upon us, depending upon varNA

and Ashrama (like Sandhyavandanam, agnihotram,etc.).

For instance, Emperuman would not like us to light up

the lamps in His temple in the evening, forgoing our

basic duty of performing Sandhyavandanam.

Based on the foregoing, Acharyas have classified

Kainkaryam into two categories- AgnyA kainkaryam and

anugnyA kainkaryam. Those duties, which we have to

perform compulsorily, (like Sandhyavandanam,pitru

tarpanam,pancha maha yagyas,etc) come under the first

category, while decorating the Lord’s temple with

lamps, putting together garlands for Him, etc. fall

under the second. One may ask, “If we are compelled to

perform an act, how could it be service or kainkaryam,

which has an in-built element of choice and

willingness?” Our Sampradaya lays down that the

ultimate purpose of all these acts of worship

(including Sandhyopasanam, agnihotram,yagas, yagyas

etc.) is to please the Lord (“SrimanNarayana

preetyarttham or Bhagavat kainkarya roopam”). Hence

Agnya kainkaryam has to be performed before anugnya

kainkaryam could even be thought of.

A father is not pleased with his son, who ignores

whatever tasks have been set for him, but insists on

pressing the father’s feet in an expression of love

and concern. This is illustrated by the following

verse from the Bhagavat Gita-

“Shrui:smriti: mamaiva AgyA-yastAm ullanghya vartatE

AgyAcchEdI mama drOhI mama bhaktOpi na Vaishnava:”

Guruparampara has it that Sri Ramanuja stood up with

great difficulty, with the support of his disciples,

even at the ripe old age of 120, to offer Arghya

pradAnam during Sandhyavandanam, thus demonstrating

his respect for the Agnya kainkaryam, even in the face

of physical inability..

 

Having said this, Azhwars and Acharyas have laid down

clearly the types of kainkaryam that are to be

performed with each of our faculties. Perhaps the most

comprehensive prescription is from the Mukunda MAlA of

Sri Kulasekhara Perumal, reproduced below: -

 

“JihvE keertaya Kesavam Muraripum chEtO bhaja

Sridharam

pANi dvandva samarcchaya stOtra Achuta kathA shrOtra

dvaya tvam shruNu

Krishnam lOkaya lOchana dvaya, HarE:gaccha anghri

yugma Alayam

Jighra ghrANa Mukunda pAda tulaseem moordhan nama

AdhOkshajam”

 

This shlOka incorporates the essence of kainkarya, as

perceived by Azhwars, and is worth going over line by

beautiful line, to fully appreciate its abundant

significance.

 

“JihvE keertaya Kesavam”- The tongue is an extremely

important part of our physique, and is often the cause

of embarrassment and trouble, if not kept under

control. It is difficult to keep the tongue idle, for,

man is a social animal who finds it difficult to

remain silent. Therefore, to canalise its function

into productive channels, Azhwar prescribes chanting

of the Lord’s holy names. And how long are we supposed

to chant His names? Says Poygai Azhwar, “sollum

tanayum tozhumin, vizhum udambu sellum tanayum

TirumAlai…….nAmatthAl EtthudirEl nandru”- “Till your

last breath, as long as it is physically possible, do

continue chanting the Lord’s names” exhorts Azhwar.

The same Azhwar wonders” You have been blessed with a

tongue capable of praising the Lord. You also have an

extremely short, potent and sweet mantra like the

ahstAkshara, incorporating the Narayana nAmam. Despite

being provided with such infallible routes to

liberation, it is indeed surprising that some still

fall prey to bad ways.”

“nA vAyil uNdE, namO nAraNA endru-OvAdu uraikkum urai

uNdE

moovAda mA gatikkaN chellum vagai uNdE-ennoruvar

thee gatikkaN chellum tiram”.

The following couplet reflects the same idea-

“Narayana iti shabdOsti, vak asti vasa vartinI

tatApi narakE ghOrE patanti kim adbhutam ! »

And how should the Lord’s name be chanted? So

continuous and intense should be the chanting that it

leaves a scar on the tongue, according to another

Azhwar, who says,” nA tazhumba nAranA endru Etthi”.

“unnai koNdu en nA agam pAl mAtru indri uraitthu

koNdEn” supplements Sri Periazhwar.

Why is nAma sankeertanam so effective? The Bhagavan

nAma is the essence of all Vedas, (“Madhavan pEr

solluvadE Otthin surukku”-_Bhootattazhwar) and is as

effective, though much easier than performing penance

(tapas)”Etthi paNindu avan pEr eerainnooru eppozhudum

sAtthi uraitthal tavam”.

Azhwar’s reference to “eerainnooru pEr” (2x500 names)

is obviously to the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram,

and its chanting is equated here to performing tapas.

And the word,”eppozhudum” indicates that the Lord’s

name should be on our tongue always.

 

Even while exhorting us to have the Lord’s name always

on our lips, Azhwars are categorical that chanting the

name of any other is taboo, and not even to be thought

of.

Says Poigai Azhwar, “MAyavanai allAl irayEnum EtthAdu

en nA”. « Vai avanai alladu vAzhttAdu » he reiterates

in another pasuram. Sri Nammazhwar is more categorical

in his refusal to sing the praise of anyone other than

Emperuman-

“nA koNdu mAnidam pAdEn”, « en nAvil in kavi yAn

oruvarkkum kodukkilEn »,etc.

Even IlangO adigaL, a Jain hermit, emphasises the same

idea in SilappadikAram, one of the five great Tamil

kAvyAs-

“panchavarkku doodu nadandAnai EtthAda nA enna nAvE

Narayana ennA nA ennA nAvE »- Is it a tongue at all,

which does not sing the praise of the Lord Narayana

who, in all His soulabhyam, made Himself a lowly

messenger of the Pandavas? enquires Ilango

rhetorically.

 

In a further refinement of the concept, some Azhwars

aver that chanting the tirunAmam of BhAgavatAs (the

Lord’s devotees) is even sweeter than reciting

Emperuman’s haloed names. In an endearing display of

BhAgavata SEshatvam, Sri Madurakavi Azhwar says,

“KaNNi nuN siruttAmbinAl kattuNNa paNNia peru Mayan-

ennappanil

naNNi ten Kurugoor nambi ennakkAl

aNNikkum amudoorum en nAvukkE”

For Sri Madurakavi, Sri Nammazhwar’s tirunAmam sits

sweeter on his tongue, than that of that of the Lord

Himself.

The same idea is portrayed in the following Nanmukhan

TiruvandAdi pasuram-

“MArAya dAnavanai vaLLugirAl –MArviraNdu

koorAga keeriya KOLariyai-vErAga

Etthi iruppArai vellumE-matru avarai

SAtthi iruppAr tavam »

Sri Tirumazhisai Piran extolls the virtues of those

pinning their faith on BhAgavatAs, vis-a vis the

votaries of Sri Nrsimha Himself.

 

Sri Periazhwar doesn’t mince his words, while

castigating those whose tongues are strangers to the

Lord’s names-

“naraka nAsanai nAvil koNdu azhayAda mAnida sAdiar

parugu neerum udukkum kooraiyum pAvam seidana »

Those who do not chant Emperuman’s tirunAmam are

sinners- even the water they drink and the clothes

they wear must indeed have sinned, to be consumed by

such heretics, according to Sri VishnuchitthA.

 

True to its nature, the tongue has indeed been

long-winded, and adiyen craves the indulgence of

bhagavatas for continuing on “ Mura ripum ChEtO bhaja

“in the next posting.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrsimha divya paduka sevaka Srivan

Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

------------dasan,sadagopan..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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