Qualities of Devotees - II

[Guest guest]

Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE Sharanam

Srimathe Ramanujayanamah

 

Jai Srimannarayan.

 

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to devotees' association.

 

In this mail, H.H. explains more about

the last quality (free from envy) and

then H.H.describes the 6 diseases that

attack jnana and how to practically get

rid of them.

_______

 

Envy is the blackest of all qualities.

The nature of envy can be found by the

absence of service attitude. An envious

person not only harms himself but also

the whole society. Envy becomes manifest

by one's desire to harm others or pull

others down. Another characteristic of

envious person is that he always tries

to find faults in others. A devotee

should be completely free from this very

deleterious and detrimental quality on

the path of devotional service.

 

The consequence of harbouring envy in

our heart will be unhappiness. Envy leads

to jealousy which inturn leads to anger.

And anger leads to havoc. We are welcoming

envy into our hearts.

 

So, how to cleanse our minds, which

are infested with this bad quality?

 

Mother Andal, so mercifully has

bestowed the best of all vrathas

"Thiruppavai" upon all of us.

She is the mercy and tolerance

personified. So the best way to

remove this bad quality is by

observing this Vratha under the

perfect guidance of our Acharya,

by being always in the association

of devotees and expressing one's

gratitude towards them profusely.

One should shun the falut finding

tendency. The spirit should be to

see good qualities in others,

appreciate them and render service

to them. Express gratitude so that

your heart gets softened.

 

When you become distressed, when

all the bad qualities starting

with envy attack your heart, you

should go to devotees who are old

by intelligence and by knowledge

("Jnana Vrudhulu", "Vayo Vrudhulu")

and listen to their wonderful lectures

very attentively. In fact, one

should listen on a VERY REGULAR BASIS

to the teachings and instructions of

Acharyas. One should become "Bahushrutha",

always attentive in grasping good

things.

 

The best way to get rid of envy (in fact,

all these detrimental qualities) is to chant

Ashtakshari and render service to devotees

who are free from this quality. H.H., through

out the pravachanams makes this point, that

chanting the Ashtakshari very regularly, in

a surrendered consciousness, is the definite

way of getting rid of all these bad qualities.

When you chant in a submissive mood, as a

service, you understand that you are not the

body, you are the soul, soul belongs to

Lord and thus gradually all the inauspicious

desires in the heart flee.

 

Our nature is, we don't have taste for what

is good to us, but we have taste for that

which is bad to us( in every respect). We

shoud try to get rid of this propensity.

Another way of minimizing envy is to enjoy

whatever we have, as the mercy of Lord. For

instance, before eating, you should think that

Lord has given it to you so mercifully and

you are giving it back to Lord as service to

Him. By doing so, slowly you will become

unaffected by any of these detrimental

qualities (envy, lust, greed etc).

 

The realization that we should proceed only on

this path of Bhakthi, is not strong enough and

hence these bad qualities manifest in us. Nonethelsess,

it should form the inspiration for us to

overcome them. We should try to implement the

good things we have learnt in the association of

Bhagavathas.

 

The Holy name of the Lord is more

powerful than the Lord Himself,

as It is always accessible to everybody,

irrespective of their qualification,

eligibility and the circumstances.

It protects you from imminent dangers,

both spiritual and material. The

Name of the Lord is non-different from

the Lord. So, whenever you become angry,

please chant "VISHNU SAHASRANAMA."

 

The 6 diseases that attack jnana are:

 

1. The illusion that we are the body (soul is the body)

2. The illusion of independence (I am free, I can do anything I want...)

3. The illusion that you can live and develop yourself,

in all kinds of ways. ("Athmathraana parayanatha")

4. The illusion of love on relatives. (Bhandhu Preethi)

5. The illusion that everything is for my enjoyment.

I should enjoy everything good and beautiful in this

world etc. This is called "Theevra Vishaya Vancha"

6. (I couldn't note this down.)

 

Each disease has a pernicious effect on your

intelligence. It is said that if your knowledge

is like a sack, then each of these diseases

makes a hole to that sack and through them,

your knowledge leaks out. This darkness of

ignorance is so terrible that soon after

you leave the association of Bhagavathas,

it attacks your intlligence again and brings

you back to your previous state of consciousness.

However, until you take full shelter at

Acharyas' lotus feet, it will not go away.

 

We need a mind full of love towards Lord and

that is the crop to be produced in our mind.

If you chant Ashtakshari, you shall reap that.

The best season is Dhanurmasa. So, one should

chant as many times Ashtakshari as possible in

Dhanurmasa.

 

In next mail: How chanting "Ashtakshari" removes

practiacally all of our "Agami" and "Sanchitha"

Karmas. And, then H.H. describes how to remove

even "Prarabdha" karma also!

 

_______

 

"Tharathi Shokam Athamvidh..."----Narada.

" One who has Bhagavadh jnana, will never

have sufferrings or disappointments in life."

 

---H.H. Pravachanam on 7th Pashuram, Dec 22nd 2000, Hyderabad.

 

" You have not learned what you have heard now.

But you will actually know it when you implement

it. Then only you can derive real happiness and bliss."

 

---H.H. Pravachanam on 8th Pashuram, Dec 23th 2000, Hyderabad.

 

" When you don't have an opportunity to listen

to great devotees, recollect their behaviour,

speech, their daily routine, their way of living ,

conversation etc. You will feel purified. "

 

---H.H. Pravachanam on 9th Pashuram, Dec 24th 2000, Hyderabad.

 

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[Guest guest]

My thanks to Seshagiri Chary, the articles are very inspiring and educative for

all members,

Jai Srimannarayana,

Jeevan Pulijala.