Margazhi maasam

[Guest guest]

If we need tips this Margazhi month for 'enlightenment of Bhagawath anubhavam',

they are readily made available to us by Sriman Sadagopan Iyengar in an article

that he sent two years back, which is reproduced below:

 

The Temple-Goer’s Guide

The beauty of Tiruppavai is that apart from elucidating esoteric and

complex philosophical concepts, it also serves as a practical guide

in matters of devotion. Unlike other scriptural texts, which presume

a basic level of knowledge (which may or may not exist) on the part

of the peruser, Tiruppavai instructs us in the ABC of Bhakti and is

hence a veritable manual of devotion.

The initial pasurams of Tiruppavai contain several tips to the

uninitiated to prepare themselves for the enlightenment of Bhagavat

anubhavam. Everyone would agree that it is extremely important to

observe the preliminary and preparatory steps, so that one gets into

the proper frame of mind for worship. Such groundwork is essential

especially in the context of the extremely unconducive and

off-putting atmosphere obtaining today. The present day environment

of unmitigated materialism and Mammon-worship, apart from causing

spiritual decay, also prevents us from taking any steps, however

little, towards emancipation. Hence when we try our hand at devotion,

we start with a terrific handicap, like a person attempting a race

with his feet chained to an iron weight. It is here that the

preparatory steps advocated by Tiruppavai come in handy; for they

serve to offset the handicaps we face and make us more inclined

towards the spiritual path.

First and foremost, Sri Andal stresses the importance of a purifying

bath. “SnAna moolA: KriyA: sarvE” says the Smriti, emphasizing that a

bath is an essential prerequisite for all action in the spiritual

sphere. This Ablution purifies not only the body but the mind too.

All of us have experienced the invigorating effect of a bath on the

physique and the psyche. Sri Andal specifies when we should

bathe-“nAtkAlE neerAdi”. We should bathe before sunrise, preferably

in cold water. While some people have the habit of finishing off all

their morning chores and then bathing leisurely, so that the feeling

of freshness and cleanliness lingers longer; some postpone bathing

till the last moment, out of sheer laziness. To the devotee, however,

it is essential to bathe early, so that it makes him feel clean in

body and mind. While bathing, uttering the mantras meant therefor

would make the bath much more than a physical chore. The aghamarshaNa

sUkta is supposed to be recited during the ablution, praying the Lord,

as the antaryAmi of VaruNA, to rid one of all dirt, physical and

psychological, and to bestow on one the degree of purity essential

for worship. There is also a preliminary prArtthana to the holy

rivers to bless us with their purifying presence in the water we

would be using for the bath-

“GangE cha YamunE chaiva GodAvari SarasvatiNarmadE Sindhu KAvEri jalEsmin sannidhim kuru”.

If every measure of water we pour on ourselves is accompanied by the

chanting of the Lord’s haloed name, it has the effect of washing off

not only the physical filth but also the KArmic grime, which encrusts

our soul.

After bath, how should we enhance our appearance? Sri Andal prohibits

the use of decorative and perfumed ingredients like mascara (“Mai

ittu ezhudhOm”), which incite the senses. By implication, this would

preclude application of cosmetics of whatever type and description.

The only cosmetic we are supposed to apply is the Urdhvapundram, the

symbol of the Lord’s tiruvadi, on our forehead. A correctly applied

Urdhvapundram, with the Srichoornam in the middle, enhances our looks

(such as they are) substantially, as many would have experienced.

Women too are supposed to wear the Srichoornam in the centre of their

foreheads, in the form of a “deepa rEkha”. All other cosmetic

adornments are made fun of as “Puram suvar kOlam”(TirumAlai).

When we visit temples, Sri Andal has detailed guidelines to offer as

to how we should comport ourselves. “ThooyOmAi vandhOm” says She,

telling us to go the Lord with purity in body, thought, deed and

word. How do we achieve purity of thought? Is this not easier said

than done? While a ceremonial bath does wash off some unwanted

thoughts, only continuous meditation on the Lord would endow us with

purity of thought.

Our mind is a dynamic mechanism, never still for a second, always

thinking of something or the other-even the focussed Arjuna finds it

so (“Chanchalam hi mana: Krishna! ….vAyOriva sudushkaram”). And more

often than not, the mind tends to wander off into frivolous and

unproductive by- lanes, and fill itself with thoughts that are

neither uplifting nor inspiring. The mind behaves much like an unruly

child, dwelling at length on subjects we specifically forbid it to

think of, and even if we order it to refrain from this, it still

continues to be wayward, uncontrolled and uncontrollable.

The Mind is a truly terrifying creature, for its damage potential is

immense. Even the Shruti considers it to be so-“BhIshmO hi mana:”.

This is why Yogis try hard to keep their minds blank, to rid it of

all thoughts, so that it ceases to be a raging battlefield of

conflicting ideas and resembles more a calm pond than a choppy sea.

This however is beyond ordinary mortals like us. Since it is

difficult to keep the horse still, we should ride it in the right

direction. Thus instead of trying to keep our mind blank, if we fill

it with thoughts of the Lord, it automatically gets purified. This is

also the fun-way to attain purity, for thinking of the Lord is

extremely pleasurable. This is what Sri Andal means when She talks

about “ThooyOmAi vandOm” and ”manatthinAl chintikka”. Thus when we go

to a temple, we should prepare ourselves for the mangalasasanam by

emptying our minds of all accumulated rubbish and spraying it with

the perfume of bhagavat guNa anubhavam.

“VAyinAl pAdi” says Sri Andal, advising us as to how we should use our

tongue. At least while we are in temples, only the Lord’s holy names

should be uttered by our tongue, which should refrain from social

interaction with friends, acquaintances etc. Chanting the Lord’s

tirunamam is equal to the exalted chanting of the essence of the

VedAs, avers an Azhwar-“MAdhavan pEr solluvadE Otthin surukku”.

“Pottri yAm vandhOm pugazhndu” reiterates Sri Goda Piratti,

emphasizing the importance of confining our speech to utterance of

the divine names. Another important aspect is that more than the

Lord’s names, we should sing the praise of His holy feet which

traversed all the worlds during the Trivikramavatara, touching and

purifying everyone and everything without exception-“Paraman adi

pAdi” says Sri Andal, repeating the idea for good measure with “un

pottrAmarai adiyE pOttrum poruL” and “andru ivvulagam aLandhAi adi

pOttri”.

The sort of worship that is to be performed at the temple is described

by Sri Andal thus-“thoo malar thoovi thozhudu”.

Pure and beautiful flowers should be acquired for adorning the Lord’s

tiruvadi. The flowers offered should be befitting the Lord’s stature

and our own station in life. If we can afford to offer Him a lotus,

we should not be content with a cheap, nondescript bloom plucked from

a neighbour’s hedge. And whatever be the flower, it should be offered

with sincerity and devotion: only then does it become “thoo malar”.

Further, the greatest floral tribute we could offer the Lord is our

Atma guNAs like ahimsa, shoucham, indriya nigraham, dayA, etc., for

acquiring which we do not have to spend a cent.

The word “thoovi” indicates that the flowers should not be just thrown

at the Lord’s tiruvadi, but showered gently with bhakti, with the

consciousness that these are no ordinary feet, but extremely tender

ones which redden even at the touch of the soft and supple palms of

Tirumagal and Manmagal, who endeavour constantly to relieve them of

the strain of traversing the three worlds during Trivikramavatara and

of roaming barefoot constantly in the course jungles, during

Krishnavatara.

The next time we visit the Lord’s abode, if the aforesaid lines from

Tiruppavai run through our minds, it would transform our experience

from its current prosaic and unremarkable form into a delectably

divine one. We should then be able to get a whiff and a taste of the

incredibly intense devotion which Sri Prahlada, Sri Dhruva, Sri

Sabhari, Sri Uddhava, Azhwars and our Poorvacharyas were blessed

with.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Dasan, sadagopan