Unlocking The Values 28

October 1, 2008

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The Real Life Examples

Our pUrvAchAryAs were not only thorough in spiritual matters, they were also possessed with good knowledge of social life of their times. They were not only experts in ecclesiastics, they also had thorough understanding of contemporary lifestyles.

The examples gave like these, facilitated easy understanding.

Here are a few.

The Almighty permeates into each Atman. However, the defects of the Atman does not touch Him. Sri NampiLLai explains this as thus:

'The Atman is born due to kArmic effects while Lord descends voluntarily

This is likened to a prince who visits a prison. Though both the prisoner and the prince are inside the prison, the inmate is there because of his deeds while the prince is there out of volition. Similarly, EmperumAn being the indweller of the Atman-which is trapped in the samsAram. However, the Atman is trapped due to karmA while EmperumAn is there voluntarily out of compassion and therefore the defects do not touch Him.

Here it the extract from IDu for pAsuram 'avaravar samayam thORum -thOivu ilan-à®¤à¯‹à®¯à¯à®µà¯ à®‡à®²à®©à¯-à¯©-à¯ª-à¯§0 -à®¤à®¿à®°à¯à®µà®¾à®¯à¯à®®à¯Šà®´à®¿.3-4-10 of TiruvAimozhi.

The translation of the above extract

Both prince and prisoner are in the prison. However,since the prisoner is there because of his deeds, it is sad for him. For the prince, since it is voluntary, it is not sad.

Agriculture practice

swAmi nam-piLLai's commentary is replete with real-life examples which enables one to comprehend intricate meanings instantly and easily.That was royal, here is a down to earth example.This is seen from a pAsuram in the fourth ten. in"thErpArai yAm ini"-à®¤à¯€à®°à¯à®ªà¯à®ªà®¾à®°à¯ˆ à®¯à®¾à®®à¯ à®‡à®©à®¿ 4-6 of thiru voi mozhi.Here, AzhwAr in a extreme emotional distress from pangs of separation from the Lord, talks as parAnkusa nAyaki,becomes sick. The friends and mother of AzhwAr -thAi and thOzhi- try to find out and the reason for this and apply several ineffective methods. Then a solution is prescribed:"yEzhmai piRappukkum shEmam, in nOikkum EdhEa marundhu"-â€™à®à®´à¯ à®ªà®¿à®±à®ªà¯à®ªà¯à®•à¯à®•à¯à®®à¯ à®šà¯‡à®®à®®à¯-à®‡à®¨à¯à®¨à¯‹à®¯à¯à®•à¯à®•à¯à®®à¯ à®ˆà®¤à¯‡ à®®à®°à¯à®¨à¯à®¤à¯ 4-6-9The prescription is - Think of the Lord krishNA's divine feet. Your welfare is guaranteed for seven births.The response is " we are worried about parAnkusa nAyaki's illness. YOu are talking about welfare for 7 births"The reply is " ob! this is remedy for that also- in nOIkkum EdhEa marundhu"swAmi nam-piLLai explains this with a real life example. "ivaL noikkun parihAram anRoa? athaich sollAdhEa maRRondRai sollugiRadhen? enna-Agil sambaRuthArkaikkup pOga vENumA?-à®šà®®à¯à®ªà®±à¯à®¤à®¾à®°à¯à®•à¯à®•à¯ˆà®•à¯à®•à¯à®ªà¯ à®ªà¯‹à®• à®µà¯‡à®£à¯à®®à®¾?

When farmers harvest the paddy, they make into several bundles. They need not go in search of a separate piece of thread or rope to fasten each bundles. They take a thread from the harvested produce and fasten them. Thus the produce itself acts as a fastener also. Similarly, the divine feet which is good for 7 births is also efficacious for this sickness.

The examples from Sri NampiLLai is itself a separate subject to study.

(to be continued)

dasan

vanamamalai padmanabhan