beauty - a medicine? - post 1

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer'

 

We have used many medicines to get remedy or relief or cure from the many types

of ills we suffer from time to time. We also have heard that there are certain

medicines, which are simply useless and cause many side effects. Similarly we

also know there are certain diseases for which we do not have established yet a

medicine.

 

We, through the study of scriptures, sthOthrams, 4000 paasurams etc, know that

the supreme lord sriman naaraayaNan is the medicine and the doctor rolled into

one.

 

See this familiar slOkam

'thrisaamaa saamagas saama nirvaaNam bhEshajam bhishak'

in sree vishNu sahsasra naamam 62nd slokam

 

meaning: the lord sriman naaraayaNan is

bhEshajam - the medicine and bhishak - the doctor.

 

We are also familiar with the slOkam in the dhvaadhasa naama panjara sthOthram

at the concluding portions of sree vishNu sahsra naamam -

 

"achythaanantha gOvindha naamOchchaaraNa bhEshajaath

nasyanthi sakalaa rOgaa: sathyam sathyam vadhaami aham

 

meaning: when I say or utter the naamaas - viz- names - achyutha, anantha,

gOvindha, these crush all the diseases or destroy all diseases -viz - these

three naamaas are the medicines. This is sathyam truth, truth and nothing but

truth I say.

 

In the same sthOthram another slOkam says -

oushadham jaahnavee thOyam vaidhyO naaraayaNo hari:

 

meaning: the medicine is the water of ganga and the doctor is hari, sreeman

naaraayaNan.

 

All these establish beyond doubt that sreeman naaraayaNan is the doctor and the

medicine for all ills. For nammaazhvaar kaNNan is the medicine - see paasuram

 

marundhE nangal bOga magizhchchikku enRu

perum dhEvar kuzhaangaL pidhaRRum piraan

karum dhEvan emmaan kaNNan viNNulagam

tharum dhEvanaichchOrEl kaNdaai manamE - 9-3-1 - thiruvaaimozhi

 

"karum dhEvan emmaan kaNNan marundhE" - the black god and my uncle kaNNan, that

krishNa - the shyaama sundhara - is THE medicine. Please note the eKaaram -

which shows that assertion.

 

We also have another reference from same nammaazhvaar - for that love on that

krishNa the medicine is the words which praise the feet of that lord krishNa -

naaraayaNan

 

madhuvaar thuzhaai mudi maayap piraan kazhal vaazhththinaal

adhuvE ivaL uRRa nOikkum arumarundhaagumE - 4-6-2 thiruvaaimozhi

 

In moonRaam thiruvandhaathi - another aazhvaar - pEi aazhvaar says

- the feet are the medicine, of the lord who measured this world - 'ulagam

thaayOn'.

 

marundhum poruLum amudhamum thaanE

thirundhiya sengaN maal aangE - porunthiyum

ninRu ulagam uNdu umizhnthum neer ERRum moovadiyaal

anRu ulagam thaayOn adi - 4th paasuram

 

See anRu ulagam thaayOn adi marundhum poruLum amudhamum thaanE - the feet are

not only medicine, but also poruL - the wealth, amudham - the nectar to drink.

This word thaayOn - is another special [- on that we will have a separate write

up].

 

Ok. Agreed. My krishNa - he is the doctor, his name is the medicine, his feet

are the medicine, wealth etc etc.

 

But a person claims "the beautyramaNeeyathaa" - is the medicine. Of what?

 

Before that - Is beauty a medicine to cure for ills, if not all at least for a

few? This is a question lingering in my mind and I want to discuss with you all.

I feel the answer is difficult to give out.

 

First let us take a 'YES' answer. because "think positive" that itself cures to

some extent. The doctors many a times advise the patient to go to a hilly resort

or some such place, for, perhaps the change in environment helps to cure. The

natural beauty there, the fresh air, new surroundings etc helps the patient to

recover largely. So the 'beautiful face of mother earth' in the form of 'nature'

helps in curing the ills.

 

Now let us take the 'NO' answer. Many a times we see beauties even in urban

surroundings or even in village outings, like

* beautiful young children,

* blossoming flowers,

* nice paintings,

* nicely constructed buildings,

* the beautiful sunrise and sunset,

* good music etc.

 

But I do not think these any way help in curing the ills in urban or even

village surroundings. If they are really curing, why we have so many hospitals

and clinics plus umpteen number of medical representatives hanging around with

large stuffed bags selling all kinds of medicines.

 

One more reason comes to mind - May be that because we see them quite often

these do not serve as a medicine. Or to put it in other way, perhaps seeing

these quite often itself is a reason for the ill. So is beauty a real medicine?

 

It is difficult to judge. So we have to consult experts.

What the experts have to say on this.

That we will see in next post considering the length of this one.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.