On This Day of Thanksgiving !

[Guest guest]

Dear Advaitins :

 

Honestly speaking , who do we thank today. Of Course, our parents

without whom we will not be on this planet earth. In any case , our

Womb mother ( or the mother who gave birth to us physically) is our

Prathama Guru ( first guru) ! No wonder, she is First on the list of

people we want to thank!

 

Janani Janmabhoomicha Swargadapi Gariyasi!

 

Mother and Motherland are dearer than Heaven!

 

Next, comes our Guru, the one gave us spiritual birth ! While our

mother moulds our character and personality, it is the Guru who

gives us real 'education' and grooms us to become .spiritually'

elevated beings. How appropriate that the Advaitin group page should

Honor the Guru and parents by reproducing this beautiful passage

from Taittriya Upanishad (SIKSHAVALI)!

 

"Satyam Vada Dharmam Chara, Swadhyayanmaa Pramadah"

 

In this context , i would like to narrate a story with reference to

the advice - " Dharmam chara " ( FOLLOW A PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS )

 

Sage Mahatapa was meditating on Lord Shiva chanting the Panchakshari

Mantra – Om Namah Shivaya. Once, during his penance he got enraged

and cursed a bird to burn to ashes for dropping on his head

resulting in disturbing his concentration. The Sage having acquired

great powers due to his severe penance went to a nearby village to

exhibit his powers. He stood in front of a chaste woman who was busy

serving her husband. Sage Mahatapa begged alms and the woman

requested him to wait for a while. The Sage, who was impatient and

highly short-tempered, insisted the woman to hurry up responding to

his request. The chaste woman retorted that she was not the bird to

be burnt to ashes. The sage was amazed to know that this ordinary

looking woman serving her husband with single pointed devotion could

know about what had happened to the bird. Upon posing the question

by the Sage the chaste woman replied that it was not necessary the

one should take up severe penance in order to attain knowledge, but

was enough if one could perform his duties with dedication to God.

To acquire more knowledge the Sage was advised to meet Dharmavyada,

a butcher by profession in Mithilapuri.

 

The sage met Dharmavyada, who was busy cutting and selling meat. The

butcher greeted the sage saluting him, "Welcome Sage sent by

Pativrata. The Sage was again surprised beyond words as how could

such an ordinary butcher attain this knowledge who was engaged in

his worldly life, selling meat. The Sage was further amazed when the

butcher told him that he knew how the sage could burn a bird into

ashes with his anger.

 

Dharmavyada further explained that he was devoted to his parents and

serving them in all possible ways as an offering to God which has

won him knowledge - wisdom.

 

(http://www..com/sathyam_vada_dharmam_chara.htm )

 

On this day of Thanksgiving , resolve to

 

1)"Speak the truth and practise the Dharma or the Law.

 

2)Give to your preceptor such wealth and such things as are dear to

him.

 

3)"Never falter from the truth nor from the Law (Dharma).

 

4) You ought not to omit to do your duties towards your gods and

ancestors; commit no mistakes in performing them.

 

5)Revere your mother and your father as much as you revere god. Let

your guru (preceptor) be looked upon as god. Let your guest get the

same respect as is due to god.

 

etc etc ....

 

Finally, we Thank the DIVINE MOTHER Mata Annapurneshweri! She is

the 'mother ' of all 'mothers ! Jagat Janani!

 

Adi Shankara Bhagvadapada prays to Kasipuradeshweri Annapurneshweri

thus :

 

nityánandakarè varábhayakarè saundaryarathákarè

nirdhütákhila doúpávanákari pratyaqkúamáheùvarè

práleyácalavamùapávanakarè káùèpurádhèùvarè

bhikùám dehi krpávalambanakarè mátánnapürïùvari(1)

 

Oh! Mother Annapurna! renderer of the support of compassion, the

bestower of eternal happiness, the donor of gifts and protection, the

ocean of beauty, the destroyer of all sins and purifier, the great

goddess, the purifier of the family of Himavan, and the great deity

of Kasi, (thou) grant us alms.

 

and ACHARYA again prays to her thus :

 

annapürïe sadápürïe

ùañkarapráïavallabhe

jòánavarágyasiddyartham

bhikúám dehi ca párvati(11)

 

Oh! Parvati! Annapurna! always full, the dear consort of Sankara,

grant us alms for the sake of securing knowledge and detachment.

 

Yes! The ACHARYA IS SEEKING THE 'MILK OF KNOWLEDGE' from the

goddess 'jnana paal' not just alms or food! and what other way to

get divine knowledge except to surrender to the goddess in all

humility and seek her 'kataksham' or divine grace!

 

Advaitins ! Join me in thanking our 'birth' mother , our

spiritual 'mother ' ( guru) and gOddess Annapurneshweri for

blessing us with a human body so we can always appreciate our 'role'

on this planet - the only purpose being to bow to the Creatrix and

sing her praises so she removes 'avidya' or ignorance and leads us

on the path of enlightenment! Subbuji , thanks once again for

reminding the audience here the role of bhakti in acquring jnana !

 

Aum Annapurneshwerayaii namaha !

 

Aum Gurubyo Namaha !