Namasthe- Njanappaana 37

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Njanappaana 37

 Mathebham kondu kachavadam cheythu

Uthama-thuragangalathu-kondumAthrayumalla kappal vechittu-

methra nedunnithardham siva! siava!Vrithiyum kettu dhoortharaayeppozhum

Ardhathe kothichathre nashikkunnuArdhamethra valareyundaayaalum

Thripthiyaakaa manassinoru kaalam 

Some people do business with elephants and the best breed of horses ( line one and two) and some others use ships for business (athrayumalla kappal vecchittu). Alas! alas! how much money they earn like this? (ethra netunnithartham siva siva) Extreme attachment towards wealth makes them forget about their own jobs and responsibilities and they become spendthrifts l(lines five and six). Some minds are never contented even if they have abundant wealth ( line seven and eight).

This fact of owning elephants and horses solely for the purpose of making money is more true now (especially in Kerala) than in Poonthaanam's time. We see that elephants owned by private citizens are shuttled back and forth in trucks from temple to temple during festival season. Most of the time they are deprived of sleep and enough food and are on their feet continuously for days together. Many see the elephants as a source of income and during other seasons, they are used for moving tree trunks from forests and other heavy objects around. If Poonthanam lived today, not being able to see the atrocities he would have definitely gone to Himalayas never to come back. (he would have attained moksham there by doing penance). Then we would never have been fortunate to read this beautiful poem describing the essence of vedaantha!!

 

We know how horses are used for races and they persuade people to gamble until they are broke. Of course using ships for business also is more popular in recent times. With the globalisation, now business across oceans is flourishing and as Poonthaanam exclaims, they all are million dollar businesses!

The definition of greed is " an extreme or excessive desire for resources including money " . Rabindranath Tagore says:

" The greed of gain has no time or limit to its capaciousness. Its one object is to produce and consume. It has pity neither for beautiful nature nor for living human beings. It is ruthlessly ready without a moment's hesitation to crush beauty and life out of them, molding them into money " .

Money is never enough for greedy people and that is what Poonthaanam says in the last two lines. There are a few sayings about what money can and cannot buy. In this context, it is interesting to go over and contemplate on the meaning of those words:

" Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can buy a bed, but not sleep. Money can buy a clock, but not time. Money can buy a book, but not knowledge. Money can buy food, but not appetite. Money can buy position, but not respect. Money can buy blood, but not life. Money can buy medicine, but not health. "

Let us add what Poonthanan says to the above sayings. Money can buy all transient pleasures, but not eternal happiness and peace of mind! What can buy eternal happiness and shaanthi or peace? Bhagavan is the only person who sells eternal happiness and peace and he sells it to all who surrender to Him irrespective of their status, title, birth or anything. Poonthaanam says that the first and last step of surrender is Naamasankeerthanam. A forest dweller like Ratnakaran who was at the lowest step of the spiritual ladder became sage Valmiki by the power of Naamam, and Jeevanmukthas like Sage Narada and Sanaka brothers who are at the top of the spiritual world residing with Bhagavaan also chants Bhagavaan's divine names continuously.  

Let us chant Bhagavaan's divine names along with Shri Poonthaanam and millions of other devotees around the world: 

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!

Krishna! Govinda! Naaraayana! Hare!

Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava!

Sachidaananda! Naaraayana! Hare!

Samasthaaparaadham Kshamaswa

Sreekrishnaarpanamasthu

Regards and prayers

Savitri