Begging

[Guest guest]

Dear SriVaishnavaites,

 

This is regarding "Begging" mentioned by Shri M.G Vasudevan. I wish to share my

views.

 

Points to be noted are:

 

Begging in general is not accepted. But as a soceity, we have some

responsibilites.

 

1. Iyam is the one given for "thakkaar" meaning "sanyasis" who work to preach

and preserve Dharma.

 

2. Bikshai or Pichai is the one given for Students.

 

Sri Andal also refers only the same words "Iyamum Pitchaiyum" in the 2nd pasuram

of thirupaavai.

 

Both of the above are not for anyone who does not want to work and just wants to

live begging. But in practice, we can see(not now. in olden days) that beggar in

night (raapitchai) used to beg in demanding mode instead of begging mode. And

people used to feed them too without fail to ensure that no one in the village

sleeps without dinner. This could be due to the effect of upanishad story of

Nachikethas. (Nachikethas waited without food for 3 nights at Yamadharman's

place. Yamadharma then apologised to him for keeping waited for 3 nights without

food and grants him boons...).

 

 

Regards,

 

Nanmaaran

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

Thanks to Sri Nanmaran swamy for adding few points on the topic of iraththal -

begging.

 

I wish to add following in continuation of swamy's points.

 

First these two words - aiyam and pichchai - sree perukkaaraNai chakravarthy

aachaarya swamy in his thiruppaavai commentary book named 'sudhaaswadham' adds

for this 'aiyam' - vide page no. 60 para 3

 

* guru mudhaliyavargaLukkuk koduththal aiyam. [giving to guru is aiyam]

* sanyaasi brahmachaari mudhaliyavargaLukkuk koduththal pichchai. [giving to a

monk or a brahmachaari - an young boy who is following the second stage of life

is pichchai].

* alladhu [or] kEtpavargaLukkuk koduppadhu pichchai. [giving to those who asked

it is pichchai.

* avargaL kEtkaamal irukka naamE samarppippadhu aiyam. [giving to one who does

not ask is aiyam]

 

So giving alms to a monk or mendicant is not aiyam but pichchai - this is same

as Bhikshai in sanskrit meaning giving alms to a sanyasin - that is why a person

who receives his food by begging is called bhikshu - please refer page no. 756

col 2 and 3 of Monier Williams Sanskrit English dictionary.

 

Further bhikshu - a 'braahman' who has taken the sanyaasa aasramam or

vaanaprastha aasramam - the fourth stage in his life as a mendicant has to

sustain his life by begging for food. This is not to increase the number of

beggars in the society but to create the vairaagyam or create the renunciation.

 

Also the monks following gouthama bhudhdha are also called bhikshus as per same

dictionary.

 

Next the point stated by sri nanmaran swamy is thakkaar meaning sanyaasi .

 

- this word 'thakkaar' is now used in many of the temples - dhivya dhEsams and

other temples - the person who manages the temples as a 'trustee' is called

'thakkaar' - they are the presiding officers in the temples during celebrations

like brahmOthsavams etc. they are the donors who come by lineage. These persons

are not appointed by government through the HR & CE department. they are also

called aRam kaavalargaL.

 

thakkaar means one who deserves - thagavu is naRgunam or thagudhiyaana upakaari

- as per arum padha urai added in the 'vara mangai naachchiyaar bhaktha sabha

triplicane' published '4000 dhivya prabhandham' book - meaning - one who does

service with good intentions. That is why he is a trustee - in whom one can

repose trust - thagavu ullavar thakkaar- or naRguNam uLLavar thakkaar.

 

The tamil great thiruvaLLuvar has added a chapter containing 10 kuRals on this

topic of iravu - not night but begging - ch no 102

 

There are six kuRaLs where this word 'thakkaar' is used.

1. thakkaar thagavilar enbadhu avaravar

echchaththaaR kaaNap padum

 

this is kuRal 114 in chapter naduvu nilaimai - meaning - naduvu nilaimai

udaiyavar naduvu nilaimai illaadhavar enbadhu avaravarakkup pin enji niRkum

pugazhaalum pazhiyaalum kaaNappadum. [meaning as given by Dr.M.Varadarajan in

his thirukkuRal theLivurai]

 

2. thaaLaaRRith thandha poruLellaam thakkaarkku

vELaaNmai seidhaR poruttu

 

this is kuRaL no. 212 in chapter oppuravaRidhal - meaning - oppuravaaLan

thannaal iyanRa muyaRchi seidhu sErththa poruL ellaam thakkavarkku udhavi

seidhaRkE aagum.

 

3. thaLLaa viLaiyuLum thakkaarum thaazhvilaachch

chelvarum sErvadhu naadu

- this is kuRal no. 731 under chapter naadu

 

4. vagaimaanda vaazhkkaiyum vaan poruLum ennaam

thagai maanda thakkaar seRin

- this is kuraL 897 in chapter periyaarai pizhaiyaamai

 

5. Edham perunchelvam thaanRuvvaan thakkaarkkonRu

eedhal iyalbilaa dhaan

- this is kuRal 1006 in chapter nanRiyil selvam

 

6. irakka iraththakkaark kaaNin karappin

avarpazhi thampazhi yanRu

- this is kuRal 1051 in chapter iravu - meaning begging

 

As you can see thakkaar is dealt in all these 6 places as one who 'deserves' or

big - and not as a sanyaasi as stated by sri nanmaaran swamy.

 

Further - in kuRaL 1054

iraththalum eedhalE pOlum karaththal

kanavilum thERRaadhaar maattu

 

Meaning: uLLadhai maRaiththuk kooRum thanmaiyaik kanavilum aRiyaadhavaridaththil

iRandhu kEtpadhum piRarkkuk koduppadhE pOnRa siRappudaiyadhu. -

 

To ask for alms from a person who does not hide any thing or even dream of

hiding things, even to beg with such a person is also like giving alms only, not

really begging.

 

So vaamanan - that supreme lord in dwarf form - going and begging with mahaabali

who just did not hide his giving or giving with good intentions, even when

stopped by his own guru, is not really begging in its real sense but giving only

- viz vaamanan giving to mahaabali some thing and not begging some thing from

mahaabali.

 

what is that vaamanan gave - we all know that very well - that vaamanan turned

as thrivikraman - avan thiruvadi keezh adaikkalam - asylum under the feet of the

thrvikraman - that great boon - otherwise where is the need for talking about

this mahaabali - whenever we think of that supreme lord.

 

So 'irandha kaLvaa' is absolutely apt - poruththamaana title to my krishNa - for

though he did the drama of begging, he really not begged but gave, as per the

tamil great thriuvaLLuvar also.

 

Dhaasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.