Clarifications needed - Eating and dress code

June 27, 2003

namaskAra,

, " sripathi_k_s "

<sripathi_k_s> wrote:

> Dear HariBakthas,

> Why do we have to remove our shirts/banian while doing

> SANDYAVANDANEY/LUNCH?

> Why should we wear dhoti while doing SANDYAVANDENEY or having lunch?

Just wanted to keep the ball rolling, my thinking would be as follows.

According to our tradition, stiched dress is not acceptable and all

are supposed to always wear dhothi and salya. That's what many

sadhakas /pandits do even today. The cloth should not be torn or

stiched. It should be a single piece. But it is not possible for most

of us who work in offices. So it is desirable to wear the accepted

dress at least in home. Even that is not possible for many of us. So

at least during japa, tapa, yajna it is desirable to wear the

recommended dress.

Eating is considered as a Yajna. We need to have the anusandhana

that we are giving ahuthi to Vaishwanara agni. We do have a code of

conduct for eating; i.e. When to eat, what to eat, how to eat, where

to eat, what to do while eating etc. So dress code is also a part of

this code of conduct.

Others may please correct me.

namaskAra

B.Gopalakrishna.

> One reason which one of the acharya said is during olden days, when

> young prince used to goto GURUKULA, they were treated in par with

> other disciples by guru. This was done to bring equality among all

> the students. So they were all given the same clothing, same food

and same type of bed to sleep. Though this seems ok, I think some of

you people might have better answers.

>

June 28, 2003

On 6/27/03 6:25 AM, " bgkvarna " <bgkvarna wrote:

>

> namaskAra,

> , " sripathi_k_s "

> <sripathi_k_s> wrote:

>> Dear HariBakthas,

>> Why do we have to remove our shirts/banian while doing

>> SANDYAVANDANEY/LUNCH?

>> Why should we wear dhoti while doing SANDYAVANDENEY or having lunch?

>

> Just wanted to keep the ball rolling, my thinking would be as follows.

>

> According to our tradition, stiched dress is not acceptable and all

> are supposed to always wear dhothi and salya. That's what many

> sadhakas /pandits do even today. The cloth should not be torn or

> stiched. It should be a single piece. But it is not possible for most

> of us who work in offices. So it is desirable to wear the accepted

> dress at least in home. Even that is not possible for many of us. So

> at least during japa, tapa, yajna it is desirable to wear the

> recommended dress.

>

Dear KrishNa bhaktas,

Let me provide my understanding of Sri BG's analysis on this issue which appeals to me. Any errors in the interpretation are all mine.

According to Sri BG’s analysis, all the customs of maDi, cleanliness are “aides” for mental cleanliness and concentration which are essential when

doing sandhyAvandana, pooja, dhyAna etc. For beginners like us, the minds will be very noisy with various worldly thoughts running through all the time.

In order to quiet the mind and make it concentrate on the Lord, it is a good idea to follow a routine which will help in moving the mind from worldly

thoughts to spiritual ones. This is the reason to wash our bodies, wear “ maDi” clothes which are normally worn only when doing pooja and do pooja only in a

separate room in the house. All these actions and routines when followed will help in getting mind from worldly thoughts towards God.

You can verify these things yourselves by seeing your mental state if you suddenly start dhyAna wherever you are and comparing it with your mental state

when you follow the rituals mentioned above.

Once the sAdhana is advanced, these rituals may be dispensed with when you are able to quiet the mind and concentrate on God at will or you are doing it all the time.

This can take a while! .One can measure the effectiveness of the sAdhana, by checking how concentrated one’ s mind is when doing sadhyAvandana, pooja or dhyAna.

Hare KrishNa,

namaskAra,

Vasu Murthy