[t'vengadam] "tiruppAvai": Personal "anubhavam-s" -- why they should be shared with others

[Guest guest]

This ignorant writer always continues to be amazed by the depth of the fora

members' knowledge which again can happen only due to their utter devotion

to THE ONE AND ONLY MAHA PURUSHA.

 

To add to what Shri Sudarshan has mentioned on the social aspect. This

writer's personal interests are Yoga and studies of the Vedas and related

subjects. It is a great coincidence and a fascinating one at that. The

path outlined by the Great Patanjali (who is none other than the Great

Adiseshan) for Yoga to be realised is called "Ashtanga" or 8 part.

 

Each of the 8 components are important and one has to start from 1st and

proceed to the 2nd. No short cuts. You cannot go to the 3rd ignoring the

first. Many people are under a wrong notion about this aspect.

 

The 8 components are :Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana,

Dhyana and Samadhi.

In layman's terms these are : Social musts, personal musts/habits, physical

culture, breath regulation, withdrawal of sensual requirements, preliminary

focus, single point focus, liberation.

 

Most people jump to the conclusion that starting from the 3rd component

i.e. asana and 4th Pranayama are enough. This is sad and incorrect. If we

just ponder to think for a minute, why has the Great Patanjali not put

asana and pranayama first ? One may argue that only thru the body and mind

one has to achieve all, so first one has to master one's body etc. But this

argument is fraught with misconceptions.

 

Yama is first. What is another meaning of Yama ? Lord of Death. Is then

Death first step to Yogic realisation ?

No, the meaning is :if this first step is improper or not properly

established, then all the other steps will fail surely. It may take years

to become successful in this first step. Literally this means that this is

the most criticial step and one is as good as dead if one thinks one can

successfully perform so-and-so asana or perform so-and-so breath control.

 

What does this Yama comprise ? It covers the man's relationship with

society. His social responsibilities. The all knowing Patanjali and the

sages before him always have therefore considered man not as a singular

being, but as a part of society/surroundings which includes nature also.

If man tries to isolate himself then he is doomed.

 

Yama comprises of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Aparigriha and Brahmacharya. All

are connected to man's relationship with society i.e. not to harm, not to

be greedy, not to covet etc. Which is what is also covered in the Old

Testament much before the birth of Jesus, but much much after Patanjali

Yoga Sutras.

 

Imagine !!over 2000 years back, someone has already given us a clear

direction. First adhere to society's rules, modes, requirements. Consider

yourself as part of the human-team. Then cultivate your personal habits.

 

Even the most ancient of Vedic diktats of Sandhavandanam is for social

good, all round benefit and well being.

 

So it is not surprising what Shri Mukundan has analysed about the

Tirupavai....It is indeed team work....What is the point of worshipping

alone? who benefits? Even assuming the worshipper benefits, then he still

continues to be alone. If there is a second person on this blessed earth,

then the worshipper has a reason/rationale/logic to worship for he/she then

seeks the Lord's intervention to help his/her fellow being/creature. The

Lord of course obliges and this pleases all three (Lord, the worshipper and

the receiver of benefit). There is all round thanksgiving and good will.

 

 

 

 

 

"M.K.Sudarshan"

<sampathkumar_2000

Tiruvengadam

@> cc:

Srirangasri,

Oppiliappan

12/31/02 02:12 PM [t'vengadam]

"tiruppAvai": Personal

Please respond to "anubhavam-s" -- why they

should be shared with

tiruvengadam others

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> >

> >Dear friends,

> >

> >In the "tiruppAvai", AndAl has the "aayarpAdi" girls

> >waking up each other and first congregating and only

> >then proceeding in assembled procession to God's

> >doorsteps.

> >

> >The principle of "worshipping together" is greatly

> >stressed through the phrase: "koodi-irundu...

> >kuLirnthu...mahizhirndu..." etc.

> >

> >In the whole of the "tiruppAvai" adiyen notices that

> >the girls never even once speak in the first person

> >singular! They all speak in one voice but never

> >individually!

> >

> >The pursuit of God according to AndAl cannot be

> >undertaken in solitude. Like most things in life,

> >achieving God too requires "team work"... the ability

> >to work with other people, communicate with other

> >people and share with other people even one's personal 'anubhavam'

of inner delight. The TiruppAvai is like the Himalayas. Nobody can

trivialize it even if one attempts to. A child may make an awkward

drawing of the Himalayas on a piece of paper at school. Can we say

that the child is trivializing the Himalayas? No! The child is only

expressing its wonder and delight at picturing the Himalayas in its

own tiny mind.

 

> >Mahatma Gandhi, who may not have been a SriVaishnavan

> >bearing the marks of "samAshrayanam", but who was

> >deeply religious in outlook, once seemed to echo

> >exactly the very same sentiment of the "tiruppAvai".

> >He said, "I want to find God, and because I want to

> >find God, I have to find God along with other people.

> >I don't believe I can find God alone. If I did, I

> >would be running to the Himalayas to find God in some

> >cave there. But since I believe that nobody can find

> >God alone, I have to work with people. I have to take

> >them with me. Alone I can't come to Him."

> >

> >It is amazing how some of the truths of SriVaishnavam

> >... and of the poetry of the "tiruppAvai" ... are

> >actually grounded in universalism... The TiruppAvai does not

belong to SriVilliputtur or SriRangam alone!

 

> >adiyen hopes that my drawing this parallel between

> >Gandhi and "tiruppAvai" will not hurt the sentiments

> >of orthodox members on the lists I am posting to.

> >

> >dAsan,

 

Sudarshan

 

 

 

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