Tulasi Aaradhanai

[Guest guest]

Srimatey Nigamanta Maha Desikaya Namaha

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

The article on tulasi worship was indeed excellent. The restrictions pertaining

to tulasi that have been mentioned therein pertain to men. This is not to mean

that there are no restrictions for women.

 

WOMEN SHOULD NEVER PLUCK TULASI LEAVES. THEY ONLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP. IF

THEY CONTRAVENE THIS RULE, THE SOUND OF VERY LOUD CRYING WOULD VERY SOON HAPPEN

IN THEIR HOUSES.

 

This is not to threaten any of the ladies here but is only a reproduction of the

shastraic principles mentioned by Muktatma Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhachariar

during one of his famous discourses.

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Srimatey Nigamanta Maha Desikaya Namaha

Dear Bhagavathas,

I hope we are not here to discuss whether shasthras are applicable to 100%

brahmanas or to 98.643679% brahmanas.(Just for the record - if anyone were to be

100% brahmana then he would already be abiding by all the shastras. It is for

the lesser mortals to come up in spiritual life that shastras have been framed.

To put it differently, each one should continuously strive for achieving 100%

even though it may not be possible). We are here to discuss what we have on our

hands by assuming that shastras are supreme(Shastrayonitvaat as the sutrakaara

puts it). In such a scenario, we have the following choices:

Try to follow the shastraic principles to the best of our capacity (which is

not impossible atleast so far as women being prohibited from plucking tulasi

leaves is concerned)OR

Such souls that consider themselves as super human and equal to the rishis or

better than them in knowledge could modify the already laid down principles in

accordance with the time,place etc (or in accordance with their level of comfort

and keep justifying it)OR

Rubbish the entire shastras as dated and irrelevant for current days of

loukika dharma and take the risk of Phalanubhavam. As Swami Desika rightly puts

it, Naasthi chaet naasthi mae haanihi asthi chaet naasthiko hathaha(hope I got

that right)

 

The choices rest entirely with the readers. We are not here to pass judgements

on whether our society is male chauvinistic or whether it has ended or whether

it is right. Even amongst the Divine Couple, Lord Narayana is considered as

Pradhana by Swami Desika in his Pradhana Satakam, inspite of all talks of Both

of Them being equal in various aspects and respects. The Bhagavad Geetha has

also been given to us by the Lord and not by Piratti. There is not even a

mention of Piratti - any of them - in the Bhagavad Geetha. We cannot raise these

issues and say that Lord Krishna is male chauvinistic too. Hence my feeling is

that we need to confine ourselves to the realms of available knowledge which

have been given to us by our great Poorvacharyas and not deliberate on the

genuineness of the same.

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan

 

sri mani ganth <srimani wrote:

Srimathe Nigamantha Deshikaya Nama:

 

Swamin,

 

Shasthras were formed for the well-being of the society. In olden days,

Bhramhanas were doing bagavath Kainkaryam as a fulltime profession. They ahd

more money & ewlath. These days, in addition to doing thier loukika karmas, we r

doing also bagavath kainkaryam. So, the Shasthras, which were targeted for 100%

Bhramhanas would'nt apply for us.

 

For that matter, Sri Thulasi & Periya Piratti themselves are women. Male

chauvanism has not ended yet. If women are not in their periods, they elgible

for doing Bagavath kainkaryam.

 

 

Adiyen,

 

Daasan.

>Vasudevan VK >Srirangasri >

Tulasi Aaradhanai >Mon, 24 Feb 2003 20:52:47 -0800 (PST) > > >Srimatey

Nigamanta Maha Desikaya Namaha > >Dear Bhagavatas, > >The article on tulasi

worship was indeed excellent. The restrictions pertaining to tulasi that have

been mentioned therein pertain to men. This is not to mean that there are no

restrictions for women. > >WOMEN SHOULD NEVER PLUCK TULASI LEAVES. THEY ONLY

HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP. IF THEY CONTRAVENE THIS RULE, THE SOUND OF VERY LOUD

CRYING WOULD VERY SOON HAPPEN IN THEIR HOUSES. > >This is not to threaten any of

the ladies here but is only a reproduction of the shastraic principles mentioned

by Muktatma Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhachariar during one of his famous

discourses. > >Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan. > > > >

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[Guest guest]

Shrimathey Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha

As I said earlier, it is your choice to follow or not to follow. Even in the

case of Periyar E.V.Ramaswamy Naicker who made a garland of slippers for Sri

Rama, he was very fine till the end of his life. He used to have one full

chicken every day. So do we have to emulate him too? In case ladies who pluck

tulasi leaves are doing fine, we do not know what is in store for them in

future. It is their look out whether to continue to do it or not.

It is no sin if you do not offer flowers to The Lord. But it is a certain sin if

you do offer flowers that are prohibited from being offered or if you offer them

the wrong way for eg. by tying flowers on a cotton thread instead of the

fibre(or naaru as it is called in tamizh). There are plenty of examples which

are similar to this.

Shastras are no exception for anyone. Even for the Lord Himself. After all, if

He Himself doesn't abide by it, He cannot expect others to follow it. He

definitely leads by example. For having tested an old Brahmin as a young boy,

Sri Rama had to undergo testing himself when Sugriva tested his strength by

asking him to kick a skeleton and release arrows to chop off trees. Similarly

for Vali vadham, He Himself underwent a similar exercise at the end of Krishna

Avataram. For having lied that He did not steal butter, he was accused of having

stolen the Syamantaka Mani and so on. Such cases are innumerable. So also all

acharyas have followed shastras to the letter and spirit. Bhagavad Ramanuja at

the ripe old age of 120 lifted himself up with the help of sishyas to perform

argyapradanam. Sri Vidura also refused to recite the Vedas since he did not

belong to the castes that were eligible to do so. There are numerous instances

which can be quoted with reference to the Azhwars too.

There aren't any exceptions. Different people may have different injunctions to

follow - for eg. different rules for brahmins, kshatriyas etc. Shastras could

also change with times - eg. yagams and homams were a must until dwapara yuga

but nama sankirtana takes its place in kali yuga etc. But nobody is exempt. Just

that some people have the capacity to overcome their flaws. It doesn't mean that

other people have to follow them and commit the same flaws. As Swami Desika puts

it, they are "vyakti viseshangal". It doesn't mean that everyone has to follow

Thondaradippodi Azhwar for all that he did. It doesn't mean that all children

have to follow Sri Krishna and steal things from other houses. They are

exceptions themselves. They are not exempt from Shastras. Even the great Periya

Nambi who was our Bhashyakarar's acharya had to suffer loss of eyesight. It was

not preventable. Even Dasaratha who was Sri Rama's father did not attain moksha

but only swarga.

Hence it is ideal that we try to follow all that is possible by us even if it is

not 100%

As for Sri, The Lord is Seshi for Her too just like He is Seshi for all of us.

Your own narration of Tulasi's charithram shows that even the Lord is not exempt

from curses. The curse did have the impact, isn't it? As The Lord declares in

the Geetha "Shruthismritir mamaivaagnaa yasthaam ullangya varjayet.

Aagnachchedhi mama drohi madbhaktopi na vaishnavaha" meaning that the Shastras

are His order and anyone who forsakes them is a drohi to The Lord even though he

is a Bhaktha to Him.

I would also like to mention that to a very large extent, we follow the

Manusmriti and in kali yuga we follow Parashara smriti. "Kalau Parashara

Smritihi" as the saying goes.

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan

sri mani ganth <srimani wrote:

Swamin,

 

Adiyen's intention was not to find fault with Sasthras or fight with you. For

great people, Shasthras would be an exemption.

 

 

The whole center of Sri Vaishnavism, & how it is dif. from other Vaishnavite

cults is that, it signifies "Sri" as Lord's consort & also includes Sri Devi as

a part of Paramathma.

 

Sri Lakshmi astotharam calls her as 'Namami Paramathmikaam".

 

So, it's upto you to agree or not. For that matter, Sri Thulasi herself is a

lady!!

 

Let me narrate ri Thulasi Charitham.

 

Sri THulasi had did Thapas to attain, Lord ion her previous birth. She was

married to Shanka Chooda , a demon, who was helping Sishubala. But due to the

power of the virginity of Thulasi, Lord Krishna couldnt kill Shanka Chooda. SO,

Lord went in his disguise & touched her , as her virginity would be lost. Sri

Thulasi knew thtas by her power & cursed Lord to become a stone. Lord told her

that, he was awaitinf for that monet & became stones in Kandaki nadhi. Sri

Thulasi became a plant & Shanka chooda became the panchajanyam, which is used

for pujas as shankam.

 

Thus, Sri Thulasi is available for us for aradhanam. Sri Thulasi was married to

Shankachooda as he ahd done a thapas in his prev. birth to attain her.

 

I cant dare to comment on Shasthras. But, I have seen lots of women, collecting

Thulasi leaves & they seem to be pretty happy. So, it makes us feel that, some

of the shasthras cannot be really followed 100%

 

For that matter, we r following the Drvida Vedam, which was composed by a

Sudra/Farmer.

 

Adiyen,

 

Mani.

 

>Vasudevan VK

>sri mani ganth , Srirangasri >Re:

Tulasi Aaradhanai >Wed, 26 Feb 2003 01:57:13 -0800 (PST) > > >Srimatey

Nigamanta Maha Desikaya Namaha >Dear Bhagavathas, >I hope we are not here to

discuss whether shasthras are applicable to 100% brahmanas or to 98.643679%

brahmanas.(Just for the record - if anyone were to be 100% brahmana then he

would already be abiding by all the shastras. It is for the lesser mortals to

come up in spiritual life that shastras have been framed. To put it differently,

each one should continuously strive for achieving 100% even though it may not be

possible). We are here to discuss what we have on our hands by assuming that

shastras are supreme(Shastrayonitvaat as the sutrakaara puts it). In such a

scenario, we have the following choices: > Try to follow the shastraic

principles to the best of our capacity (which is not impossible atleast so far

as women being prohibited from plucking tulasi leaves is concerned)OR > Such

souls that consider themselves as super human and equal to the rishis or better

than them in knowledge could modify the already laid down principles in

accordance with the time,place etc (or in accordance with their level of comfort

and keep justifying it)OR > Rubbish the entire shastras as dated and irrelevant

for current days of loukika dharma and take the risk of Phalanubhavam. As Swami

Desika rightly puts it, Naasthi chaet naasthi mae haanihi asthi chaet naasthiko

hathaha(hope I got that right) > >The choices rest entirely with the readers. We

are not here to pass judgements on whether our society is male chauvinistic or

whether it has ended or whether it is right. Even amongst the Divine Couple,

Lord Narayana is considered as Pradhana by Swami Desika in his Pradhana Satakam,

inspite of all talks of Both of Them being equal in various aspects and

respects. The Bhagavad Geetha has also been given to us by the Lord and not by

Piratti. There is not even a mention of Piratti - any of them - in the Bhagavad

Geetha. We cannot raise these issues and say that Lord Krishna is male

chauvinistic too. Hence my feeling is that we need to confine ourselves to the

realms of available knowledge which have been given to us by our great

Poorvacharyas and not deliberate on the genuineness of the same. > >Adiyen

Ramanuja Dasan > > sri mani ganth wrote: >Srimathe Nigamantha Deshikaya Nama: >

>Swamin, > >Shasthras were formed for the well-being of the society. In olden

days, Bhramhanas were doing bagavath Kainkaryam as a fulltime profession. They

ahd more money & ewlath. These days, in addition to doing thier loukika karmas,

we r doing also bagavath kainkaryam. So, the Shasthras, which were targeted for

100% Bhramhanas would'nt apply for us. > >For that matter, Sri Thulasi & Periya

Piratti themselves are women. Male chauvanism has not ended yet. If women are

not in their periods, they elgible for doing Bagavath kainkaryam. > > >Adiyen, >

>Daasan. > >Vasudevan VK >Srirangasri >Subject:

Tulasi Aaradhanai >Mon, 24 Feb 2003 20:52:47 -0800 (PST) > >

>Srimatey Nigamanta Maha Desikaya Namaha > >Dear Bhagavatas, > >The article on

tulasi worship was indeed excellent. The restrictions pertaining to tulasi that

have been mentioned therein pertain to men. This is not to mean that there are

no restrictions for women. > >WOMEN SHOULD NEVER PLUCK TULASI LEAVES. THEY ONLY

HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP. IF THEY CONTRAVENE THIS RULE, THE SOUND OF VERY LOUD

CRYING WOULD VERY SOON HAPPEN IN THEIR HOUSES. > >This is not to threaten any of

the ladies here but is only a reproduction of the shastraic principles mentioned

by Muktatma Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhachariar during one of his famous

discourses. > >Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan. > > > >

> > Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, and more >

> > > >

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