Fwd: Thank you for the 3 part on Mukkur Swami-(PART 1)

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tiruvengadam, "Sudarshan M.K." <sampathkumar_2000>

wrote:

> --- Asset-Enterprise Technologies <ofu_1999> wrote:

> > Please send more.

> > Everyone of these Swami could have applied to

> > me equally.

> >

> > Thank you again

> > --

> > RK

------

 

Dear Sri.RK,

 

Here is one more example of the delightful manner in which Mukkur

Swamy used to drive home subtle points of doctrine and theology. In

the story re-produced below Swamy illustrates the

VisishtAdvaitic concept of "body and soul", 'sariri-sarira'. If soul

is real and body is unreal then what should one's attitude to the

body be? Should we reject the body? If we all were to reject the body

as unreal, then is the entire world unreal too? If the world is unreal

then what is the purpose of our earthly journey? Is that unreal too?

 

All such questions are sought to be answered through Mukkur Swamy's

narration of a story whose main character is the great 11th century

SriVaishnava leader of SriRangam, the son of Kurath-AzhwAr,

Sri.Parashara Bhattar. (Bhattar is known for his celebrated

commentary on the Vishnu-sahasranAmam entitled

"bhagavadh-guna-darpana" which is considered even today to be a

masterpiece).

 

Hope you enjoy the following story as much as you enjoyed the others

I have posted before:

 

*********** **************

 

Bhattar was one afternoon engaged in 'kalapshEpam'

(discourse) with his band of disciples at one of the

many "mandapam-s" (a sort of amphitheatre) in the

SriRangam 'veedhi-s'(outer courtyards of the Temple).

 

He was holding forth on the subject of the grossness

of the "sarira" (the body), its impermananent nature,

its similarity to the phenomenal world and how both

deserved nothing better than utmost "virakthi" (

philosophical rejection).

 

Bhattar, it seems, then went on to exhort his

'sishyA-s' (disciples) to renounce ('vairAgya') and forsake

the tending of their bodies, its pleasures, its upkeep

and indulgence; he pointed out to them how

pre-occupation with the gross material body ("sthUla-prakruti")

is the biggest hurdle to attaining awareness of the subtle

nature of one's soul ("sUkshma-tattva"); and so on ...so forth...

 

It is said that Bhattar was exceptionally eloquent

during that evenings's discourse which extended to a

couple of hours during which time he kept his

disciples spell-bound. Some of them were so enthralled

and moved by the central theme of the 'kAlapshepam'

they began to shed copious tears of remorse for being

unable to personally observe in their own lives the

ideal "virakthi" and "vairAgya" their guru,

Sri.Parashsara-r, stirringly described.

 

Sri.Bhattar eventually wound up his lessons for that

evening and dismissed his disciples many of whom came

up to him before departing and bowing before him

remarked, "Sir, thank you for your 'upadEsam' (exhortation).

We have resolved that from this very moment we shall observe

'vairAgyam' and 'virakthi' in our personal lives with

renewed vigour. We shall spurn this body of ours just

as we shall reject the "material" world. With your

'anugraham' we shall progress in our spiritual

pursuits."

 

Sri.Parashara-r blessed them all and wished them

god-speed in their new-found endeavours.

 

The morning after marked the dawning of a very

auspicious day. There was an 'Utsavam' (a processional

festival) at the SriRangam temple accompanied by

the usual religious fan-fare in and outside the temple

precincts; crowds milled under large "pandal-s"

(make-shift canopies); there were festoons and

banners strung everywhere; there were "gOshti-s"

(teams) singing the "veda-s" and the 'prabhandA-s';

there were pipers and drummers; and there were throngs

of devotees on the streets of SriRangam eagerly

awaiting the procession of the Lord Ranga to emerge

out of his sanctum-sanctorum and grace them all with

His Beatific Vision.

 

Now, the disciples of Sri.Parashara Bhattar also

assembled at a street corner to have "darshan" of Lord

Ranga's procession. Some of them were still in a state

of spiritual daze -- a hangover from the previous

night's discourse on "virakthi" and "vairAgyam" handed

down to them by their guru, Sri.Parasharar. That they

had yet to recover from the grim lessons of the

previous evening was obvious from their slovenly

demeanour. In their deep and all-pervasive mood of

'virakthi', they looked singularly dishevelled.

They had unkempt stubbles on their chins, their

garments were ungroomed, their "kUdUmI-s" (tufts of

hair) were untied; their eyes were red-rimmed

from lack of proper sleep and some of them had even

begun to look severely starved as a result of the

fasts they had commenced ardourously in the spirit of

true "virakthi" and "vairAgyam" preached by their

guru, Sri.Parashara Bhattar !!

 

As they stood there at a street-corner waiting for the

Lord Ranga's procession to arrive, very soon they

chanced upon their guru, Sri.Bhattar, at a distance.

He too was awaiting eagerly the arrival of the Lord's

procession.

 

The sight of their preceptor simply astounded the

disciples !

 

Sri.Parasharar, they saw, was dressed in the finest

silk ("pattu") raiments, his "mEl-vastram"

(upper-cloth) was of even finer fabric and embroidered

intricately with the holy designs of SriVaishnava

emblems; he had smeared his body all over with

sweet-smelling sandal-wood paste; his body and

forehead shone with a dozen mighty 'urdvapUndra'

marks; his 'kUdUmi' he had ornamented with exotic and

fragrant flowers !!

 

His disciples saw that Sri.Parashara-r had even

adorned special ear-studs ("kadukan") made of

glittering diamonds and, perhaps, for that very reason

he seemed to be turning his head vigorously, this way

and that, just to draw the attention of everyone

around to their razzle-dazzle!!

 

When they saw their guru bedecked in all that finery,

Sri.Bhattar's 'sishyA-s' could not help the

uncharitable thoughts that arose immediately

in their minds.

 

"Ah ! there, indeed, is a guru whose sermons roar and

whose deeds squeak.("upadEsamO periyadhu; anUshtAnamO

siriyadhu")!", they said to themselves.

 

"Yonder is the man who exhorted us all last evening to embrace

"virakthi" and "vairAgyam" in life. He taught us to all spurn

the material body and to cease its indulgence. And yet

the very same man now stands there swathed in his

finest silks, "dressed to kill" (to use a modern

phrase), his body bathed with perfumes and his hands

bedecked with dazzling-gold rings on every little

finger!!"

 

"What a sanctimonious humbug, this Parashara Bhattar

is !!", thought the disciples as they watched their

guru from a distance. "He teaches us one thing and

himself practices the very opposite!"

 

After a while Lord Ranga's great procession arrived

and journeyed through the assemblies on the streets of

SriRangam. Everyone, Parashara Bhattar as well as his

disciples, had 'darshan' and then slowly dispersed to

go their ways.

 

One disciple, however, who could not cease being

intrigued by Sri.Parasharar's appearance, decided to

confront his guru with the latter's hypocrisy

and to demand an explanation for it. He therefore

walked up to the guru and folding his hands queried :

 

"Honourable Sir, I have heard that the true mark of a

guru is his credibility. In the light of the grand

sermon you gave us all last evening on the virtue of

"virakthi" and "vairAgyam", how do you explain, Sir,

your own gaudy conduct and demeanour at this moment? Do you

know, Sir, you are dressed like a street-shop

mannequin ("marapAchi-bOmmai")! And do you know, Sir,

that great souls who perorate on "vairAgyam" and who

lecture others to loath the body look awkward in the

sort of fine outfit that you, Sir, are presently

turned out in?"

 

Sri.Parashara looked at the disciple, smiled and said

nothing.

 

The disciple was enraged and exploded:

 

"What do you take us all for, Sir? Fools! You dare

pontificate to us what you so blatantly mock in your

own behaviour? And you expect us, Sir, to take you

as our guru? Why do you call yourself a preceptor ?

You are nothing but a humbug and all that you teach

us, Sir, is nothing but bunkum!".

 

Sri.Parashara Bhattar listened patiently to this

outburst and at last deigned to reply to his disciple.

 

"kuzhandAi (My Pet), Let me explain to you the nature

of true 'virakthi'! It's time now for a

practical demonstration. The sermon last evening was theory.

Come with me".

 

So saying Sri.Bhattar proceeded, with his disciple

following, to deliver a practical lesson on

"virakthi".

 

**************************

 

(CONTD)

--- End forwarded message ---