Fw: [Vaideekam] Birth & Shastram

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Dear All: FYI.

You might be interested

in this note I sent to the Vaideekam Group

so ably moderated by Sriman Vaasu VadhyAr

of Chennai . He is also the owner of

ahobilam.com web site .

 

He spends untold hours to help

AasthikAs on Vaideekam matters .

 

Please join Vaideekam@

if you wish to keep up with Vaideeka Matters .

 

V.Sadagopan

 

-

"Dr. Sadagopan" <yennappan (AT) computer (DOT) net>

<vaideekam>

Saturday, February 10, 2007 8:47 AM

Re: [Vaideekam] Birth & Shastram

 

 

SrI:

 

Dear AasthikAs :

 

As Sriman NVS Swamy graciously pointed out ,

(1) theettu is a big subject and (2)SaashthrAs should be

respected (3) JyOthisham and astrology are

different .

 

I will just record a few thoughts in a not too organized

manner to share some thoughts.

 

Our AchAryaas have recognized

the presence of those who want to know more

with questions like Why , How , what for etc .

They have also warned us not to get carried away too

far with such inquiries . As one who has been exposed to

both Scientific , rational method thru my six degrees in Science including

my Doctoral degree from the World's greastest Engineering

Educational Institution , Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

and 26 years work as a Research Scientist at IBM Research Division

and exposure to Vaideeka ways ( Bruhaspathy family for

multiple generations originating from PoundarIkapuram ) ,

I am beginning to understand the reasons for not having answers

to all the questions by following exclusively one route or the other

( Scientific or Saasthraic ) . I will any day trust

Swamy Desikan and his wonderful insights to conduct our lives

and AchAryA's anushtAnams rather than sterile science inspite of

its majesty and sweep . Let us take the best outputs from

Science and blend it with our own AchAryAs' upadEsams

to lead a harmonious life .

 

Yukthi Vaadhams have to be used as needed without stumbling ,

when one rides on these two horses .There may come a time

to some one , who would rather ride on one horse or the other

and feel fulfilled .

 

One has to put things in perspective and roll time back to when

it all started . This will put the necessity for AachAram in perspective .

Our PoorvALs were very compassionate, caring and insightful ones .

They understood personal hygiene and transmittal of infectious diseases ,

when there were no antibiotics and emergency wards .By following their

AchAram and ways laid out by their elders , they lived meaningful and long

lives ( Veda PrAyam) with purpose and KshEmam at every level

( personal, Family , their ancient Village , City and Raajyam) .

 

Now coming back to the scinetific and emotional side of theetu ,

there were a lot of exposure of infection to the Mother , who had

given birth . Purpeural fever and risk to the Mother and infant's lives

were real .The new Mother was confined to prasavam quarters for

ten days to reduce the infection from the relatives ( mingling

with the general population) reaching them . The mother's bodies were

allowed to rest and recoup with loving care in an emotionally

stable environment . The realtives were observing the theettu

in this context .All boils down to the microbes and maintain

an infection free environment as much as possible . Just compare

what is happening today .Modern G&O practises has averted

some of these calamities waiting to happen . Imagine what happened

in Europe from a host of devastating diseases in the middle ages and before

due to crowded society not being able to defend itself thru proper

quarentines .

 

In India ( even few decades ago) many lived in villages and rarely

travelled even farther than 25 miles beyond their places of residence .

Bullock carts had to be assembled for a day long journey to a neighboring

town . Every body knew everybody else and the marriages were organized

in tight circles . Even today , there are villages like NaavalpAkkam ,

where generations of scholars have lived without too much movement

outside except for travel to dhivya dEsams for Veda PaarAyaNam etc.

Students come to these scholars and stay in Guru Kulam mode .

 

Today with the advances in international travel made possible by Jet

travel, drug resistant TB , AIDs , Asian Flu and pandemics

are brought to one's doors very quickly .Our AchAram based on Vaideekam

roots was the first line of defense against these lurking dangers . Not

eating outside ( ParAnnam) was another line of defense . When they say ,

wash your hands often and scrub yourself well before surgery

in hospitals and doctors follow those instructions , the common ground

is the avoidance of infections and their spreadings in the commnity .

It is well established that the best places to be exposed to infections

are the hospitals .

 

Death Theettu : other than the emotional side of coping with personal loss

of different degrees of intensity , there were health related questions

when

some one passes away in joint families , which was in vogue in

those days . Immediate cremation was a necessity and house cleaning

was needed . No food was consumed in the houses untill

the immediate rites were taken care off . The (emotional and geographic)

degrees of seperation from the deceased ( diseased) also guided the number

of days

that one has to observe death theettu . It is very elaborate and sensible .

The Ahobila Matam Ahnikam book authored by the current Jeeyar

has a whole chapter on the Theetus and asouchams . You are

welcome to refer to it . adiyEn will also cover these items

in Ahobilavalli e-books .

 

One can go on and on ; I will however stop here and wait for

the well researched data base that Sriman NVS Swamy is planning

to construct on Theettu in a few months time . Meanwhile , on behalf of all

of us,

adiyEn thanks Sriman NVS Swamy for his single handed , tireless

Kaimkaryams that he does to serve the community of AasthikAs from

such divergent backgrounds ever so patiently .

 

NamO Sri NrusimhAya ,

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan

http://www.sundarasimham.org

http://www.sadagopan.org

http://www.ahobilavalli.org

 

***

> Thanks sriman Sadagopachar swamin,

> He well explained both scientifically and Sampradayam base, everything

> behind the birth and death theetu.

> Swami is supporting me (every one like me) in a critical situation like

> this. Some can understood the facts behind a >thing, but few (like swamy

> Sadagopachar) only can explain it to others in good manner. For me it is

> too dificult to >explain things in English for which I have not practiced

> so far.

> Again thanks to Swamin.

>

> Yesterday I read a Sloka in "Neethi Sastram"

> "Jyauthisham vyvahaarancha praayaschithhtham chikithsanam|

> vinaa shasthrena yo bruyaaththamaahu: braahma ghaathukam||"

> -- Sloka No: 179

>

> It means Jyothisham, vyavahaaram, praayaschiththam, Chikithsai (vaidhyam)

> told without shastram will attain the paapam equal to brahma haththi

> (Killing a brahmnan).

> nvs

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