Vairagyam

[Guest guest]

Pranams Advitins,

 

The seminal role that Vairagyam, dispassion, plays in Spiritual

sadhana needs to be reiterated often as it is this that adds

strength to whatever mode of sadhana we follow. It is a member in

the four-fold qualification that a spiritual seeker is required to

be equipped with so that the enquiry on Brahman will be fruitful.

Without this, Adi Shankara says in the Vivekachoodamani that all

other virtues are but a mirage. That is, the other virtues will

remain just a seeming ornament and would not come of any real use.

With a view to remind ourselves of the need to strengthen this King

of virtues, dispassion, i propose to post now and then messages from

a variety of scriptures, books of recent times, sayings of the

Elders, the Wise, etc. This is another yajna on the List in which

all members are welcome to participate by posting messages limited

to just one piece at a time, as far as possible short and crisp, say

once a week. This self-imposed quota will help keep the number of

posts in regulation. The variety that we all will thereby get to

read will have a salutory effect in giving a boost to our sadhana.

This is a satsangha. I trust the List Moderators will not mind my

not seeking their prior permission. Here is a verse (just the

meaning) from Bhartrihari's Vairagya Shatakam:

 

The objects of enjoyment, even after staying with us for a long

time , are sure to leave us sometime; then what difference does

their privation in this way make to men, that they do not of their

own accord discard them? If the enjoyments leave us on their own

initiative, i.e. if they tear themselves from us, they produce great

affliction of the mind; but if men voluntarily renounce them, they

conduce to the eternal bliss of self-possession. (verse 12)

 

 

Pranams,

subbu

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> Pranams Advitins,

>

> meaning) from Bhartrihari's Vairagya Shatakam:

>

> The objects of enjoyment, even after staying with us for a long

> time , are sure to leave us sometime; then what difference does

> their privation in this way make to men, that they do not of their

> own accord discard them? If the enjoyments leave us on their own

> initiative, i.e. if they tear themselves from us, they produce

great

> affliction of the mind; but if men voluntarily renounce them, they

> conduce to the eternal bliss of self-possession. (verse 12)

>

>

> Pranams,

> subbu

 

Namaste S-ji,

 

This is so right!

 

I thought I was doing well until this last few days when my pet dog

died, or rather had to be put to sleep. He had slept on our bed for

sixteen years through thick and thin. I was taken aback at my

reaction to little Jai-Jai's death. I have had major grief in my

earlier life as a young man, loss of a child, spouse etc and I

thought I would be fine. But the emotions aren't listening to the

intellect, it was just as bad, grief is grief no matter what kind.

So I'm resolving to recover and Vairagya is so important to develop.

 

However in the end we only think we know where we are at on the

path. I accept Ajativada intellectually but emotionally I was bowled

over in grief for a dog. Kind of like the Brahmin and the cow or

the Raka and the deer stories.................ONS...Tony.

[Guest guest]

Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

 

subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v wrote: Pranams Advitins,

 

The seminal role that Vairagyam, dispassion, plays in Spiritual

sadhana needs to be reiterated often as it is this that adds

strength to whatever mode of sadhana we follow. It is a member in

the four-fold qualification that a spiritual seeker is required to

be equipped with so that the enquiry on Brahman will be fruitful.

Dear sir,

There is a Tamil saint by name, 'Bathrihiri,' ( not

Barthihari, the author of Vairagya Sathakam ), a contemporary of, "Pattinathar,"

a saint of a very high order, whose works are full of dispassion. Even a

cursory glance of these two great saints, the devotees of Lord Siva, will

produce great vairagya in the minds of even a confirmed libertine. Vairagyam,

whether you are an advaitin or any other world view, is the sine qua non for a

religious life. Without it, everything is merely a verbiage.

Sankarraman

 

 

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Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

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[Guest guest]

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> Pranams Advitins,

>

> The seminal role that Vairagyam, dispassion, plays in Spiritual

> sadhana needs to be reiterated often as it is this that adds

> strength to whatever mode of sadhana we follow. It is a member in

> the four-fold qualification that a spiritual seeker is required to

> be equipped with so that the enquiry on Brahman will be

fruitful.

 

 

Dear Sir,

 

It is not only a pre-requisite but also be used as a test to

ascertain the spiritual growth of a person/preceptor/aspirant. It is

a nice idea to start a discussion on this topic. We will not achieve

anything by mind boggling dialetects untill it is backed by real

viveka and viragya.

 

JAI JAI RAGHUVEER SAMARTHA

 

Yours in the lord,

 

Br. Vinayaka.

[Guest guest]

advaitin, Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran

wrote:>

> Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

>

>

> Dear sir,

> There is a Tamil saint by name, 'Bathrihiri,'

( not Barthihari, the author of Vairagya Sathakam ), a contemporary

of, "Pattinathar," a saint of a very high order, whose works are

full of dispassion. Even a cursory glance of these two great saints,

the devotees of Lord Siva, will produce great vairagya in the minds

of even a confirmed libertine.

> Sankarraman

>

Namaste Sir,

This information delights me. I am somewhat familiar with

Pattinathar's teachings but am totally ignorant about the other

Saint. May i request you to give us an English rendering of a

selection of the two Saints' teachings? Just one or two at a time

with your valuable comments will be of immense advantage to all of

us here.

 

Regards,

subbu

>

[Guest guest]

subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v wrote: --- In

advaitin, Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran

wrote:>

> Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

>

>

> Dear sir,

> There is a Tamil saint by name, 'Bathrihiri,'

( not Barthihari, the author of Vairagya Sathakam ), a contemporary

of, "Pattinathar," a saint of a very high order, whose works are

full of dispassion. Even a cursory glance of these two great saints,

the devotees of Lord Siva, will produce great vairagya in the minds

of even a confirmed libertine.

> Sankarraman

>

Namaste Sir,

This information delights me. I am somewhat familiar with

Pattinathar's teachings but am totally ignorant about the other

Saint. May i request you to give us an English rendering of a

selection of the two Saints' teachings? Just one or two at a time

with your valuable comments will be of immense advantage to all of

us here.

 

Regards,

subbu

>

Respected Sir,

I am moved by your eagerness to know about these two great saints.

If this forum permits me, I shall render in English a few verses each day of

these two great saints, of course, with my limited command over both the

languages, especially English. Unfortunately, with the Tamil Brahmins, one

shortcoming is the neglect of their native language, and the pursuit of the

glamour of a foreing language to which I am also very much a prey. But, truth

transcends the barrier of language, being only silence, the source of all words,

all ideations. These two great saints do not have any particular philosopy, but

are devoted to the worship of Lord Siva, more so in the nirguna aspect. One can

equate their teachings with Saiva Siddhantha philosophy of the four great

Saivaite apostles, Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manickkavachakar. The

outpourings of Pattinathar and Bathrahari are rapturous, full of vairagya of the

highest order, soul-elevating, bedewing our cheeks with

tears of devotion. Bathrahiri is the disciple of Pattinathar. Pattinathar is a

great merchant, who renounces the entier life in a trice, the truth brought home

to him through his son, who, after return from a voyage, brings only a

sack-cloth, dry cow-dung, and eyeless needle, contained in a basket, when

Pattinathar is hoping that the enitre wealth of the world will be his

possession. Suddenly, there is an onrush of devotion and dispassion in him

making him understand the evanasence of the entire life- land, lucre and lass.

Pattinathar abandons home and hearth singing the praise of the Lord, decrying

the worldly life in a very intense language. He visits all the temples of Siva.

In one place- I have forgotten the name of the temple-Pattinathar is in

Nirvikalpa Samadhi, when some robbers happen to come there sharing their

booties. Mistaking Pattinathar to be Lord Vinakaka Himself, in view of the

extreme trance position of Pattinathar, they throw a jewel on his neck which

adorns him. The robbers run away. The jewel was the property of the king. The

king's spies apprehend the saint mistaking him to be the robber. The fact is

reported to the king, who immediately orders the saint to be hanged without any

enquiry being conducted. When Pattinathar was woken up from the trance to be

executed, understanding his predicament he sings: " Nothing lies in my hands;

everything is ordained by the immaculate Action of Lord Siva. I do not seem to

have perpetrated any evil act in this birth to deserve this end. But, I ought to

have performed some heinous sin in my previous births to deserve this ignominous

end. Since not an atom is stirred into activity without the behest of the Lord,

let me accept my fate." But Pattinathar in a divine remonstrance against the

punishment meted out to him says, " If it were true that I did not steal the

ornament of the king, let it be proved by these scaffoldings meant to hang me be

burnt to ashes. Lo! A bit conflagration

engulfs every thing and the king's officers realizing their sin of having

accused an innocent man, and understanding his santliness, run and report the

matter to the king

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

 

subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v wrote: --- In

advaitin, Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran

wrote:>

> Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

>

>

> Dear sir,

> There is a Tamil saint by name, 'Bathrihiri,'

( not Barthihari, the author of Vairagya Sathakam ), a contemporary

of, "Pattinathar," a saint of a very high order, whose works are

full of dispassion. Even a cursory glance of these two great saints,

the devotees of Lord Siva, will produce great vairagya in the minds

of even a confirmed libertine.

> Sankarraman

>

Namaste Sir,

This information delights me. I am somewhat familiar with

Pattinathar's teachings but am totally ignorant about the other

Saint. May i request you to give us an English rendering of a

selection of the two Saints' teachings? Just one or two at a time

with your valuable comments will be of immense advantage to all of

us here.

 

Regards,

subbu

>

Respected Sir,

My account is incomplete that on account of my having

clicked the, 'send' box, instead of saving the text. I shall resume the thread

of the narrative tomorrow as it is getting late in the night, which time I

reserve for contemplation. If the moderators permit me, I shall, God Willing,

render the poems of these saints in English.

yours in Lord Siva

Sankarraman

 

 

 

Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin, Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran

wrote:

> >

> Respected Sir,

> My account is incomplete that on

account of my having clicked the, 'send' box, instead of saving the

text. I shall resume the thread of the narrative tomorrow as it is

getting late in the night, which time I reserve for contemplation.

If the moderators permit me, I shall, God Willing, render the poems

of these saints in English.

> yours in Lord Siva

> Sankarraman

 

Namaste Sir,

 

The account is wonderful. Your English is excellent. Your

selection of suitable expressions is amazing: For the Tamil 'Penn,

Pon, Bhoomi', you have used 'land, lucre, lass'. How poetic is your

rendering. You must go ahead and do this work. Maybe, it will

remain as the only English rendering of these immortal outpourings

of those Saints. Many thanks.

 

Regards,

subbu

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamiji

I am reading a lot abt Sri Pattinathar/ pattinathu adigal on the net. Some classify him under 18 sidhhars. if so then under what name is he called. Also i will be much obliged if u can mail a picture of Sri Pattinathu adigalr to my mail id tals20@

Jai sreeman narayana

Lakshmi dasyai