Chapter 25-kurai ondrum illai

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sri:

 

 

Chapter 25

 

The son is bad-he always fights with his mom and dad. So the dad beat his

son; but the son became angry and left the house. His mother is now worried

about him; she does not know where he is or how he manages to eat. His

father said easily, “If he’s hungry, he’ll automatically come home. At this

time, a visitor to their house mentioned that he saw their son in front of a

choultry. The mother immediately thinks of running there and giving him

food. But she knows that if she directly gives him food, he will not accept

it. Hence she opened a food stall in front of the choultry; she covered her

face and sold idlis and dosas. Her son sat down in front of the choultry.

His mom asked, “You look hungry, why don’t you eat something?” but he

mentioned that he had no money. She said that he could eat now and pay her

back once he had money in his pocket. Hence, the son’s hunger was

vanquished. Just as how his mother was hiding and helping him, our

Mother-Mahalakshmi hides and helps us.

When we don’t listen to what Bhagavan says, He punishes us-but Thayar takes

mercy upon us. Afterwards, Bhagavan Himself helps us through someone else!

Vedam says that instead of helping us directly, Bhagavan helps us through

someone else. When the devas could not stand Mahabali’s ‘attakaasam’

(pomp), Aditi prayed to Bhagavan for help. But what did Bhagavan do? He

mentioned a vratham and if that vratham is completed, all troubles will go

away. Aditi prayed through that vratham since Narayanan Himself is the one

praised through all vrathams and yagams. Even when we do aaradhanai for

pithru devathas, everything ultimately goes to Narayanan.

A servant smears sandal on the king sitting on a throne. The king has

shielded his body with armor, and on top of that he’s wearing silks; on top

of that there’s another layer of clothing. Are the silks and the armor the

ones accepting the sandal? No, it’s the atman inside which accepts it. The

same way, Aditi’s vratha palan goes to Perumal. So He Himself became the

son of Aditi. In a marriage, during ‘kodi uduthal’ there is a mantram which

says, “I should have this man as my husband in all my lives...” Mahalakshmi

resides in the houses where the husband and wife get along and lead a

harmonious life. The couple should follow Ramar and Sitai as an example.

Ramar and Sita are at the banks of Godavari River. They’re both silent,

but suddenly Ramar starts laughing. Sitai wanted to know why, but was too

shy to ask; so She asked the question within Herself. After they walked for

a bit, Seetha laughed, but this time Ramar asked why. Now, Sitai got the

courage to say, “Why did you laugh?” Ramar replied, “No, you first”. So

She said, “Look there…!” There was a herd of elephants standing in the

direction She pointed. It seems that all the elephants were ashamed of the

way they walked after they saw Ramar’s ‘gambeeramaana nadai’ and compared

their walk to His! “I saw this and laughed,” said Seethai. Immediately

Ramar replied, “I laughed for the same reason. Before, when we were

walking, I saw a bunch of swans that had their heads bowed down (due to

shyness or ‘vekkam’). It was evident that they had lost to your beauty in

walking (anna nadai). I started to laugh after seeing that.” He laughed!

She laughed! Neither of them knew the actual reason behind each other’s

laughter. But both of them used their walks as the mutual reason! From this

it is clear that they are ‘karuthorumitha dhampati’. Bhagavan blesses

couples that lead a harmonious life. One couple wanted to reach the stage

where they attain yoga siddhi; so they did a lot of penance and Bhagavan did

bless them. But after seeing Bhagavan, the couple changed their mind.

Instead of asking for yoga siddhi, they wanted Him to be born as their

child. Bhagavan fulfilled their wish and was born to them as

‘prachnigarban’. The same way, He was born as Vamanan for Aditi. The same

Aditi was born later as Devaki and Krishna was born to Devaki (Hence, the

moolavataram for Krishnavataram is Vamanavataram). Azhwars have especially

sung a lot of pasuram on Vamana and Krishna avatarams.

Bhagavan has a special upanayanam during Vamana Avataram. Suryan himself

gives Gayatri mantra upadesam for kuzhandai Vamanan! It just sounds so

pleasant! But what is the reason that Perumal came to this world and

performed upanayanam? He did it so that the people in this world should

practice this samskaram. Just the thought of Vamana avatharam by small boys

will lead them to have their upanyanam immediately. Among the forty

samskarams, upanayanam is the highest. What do the upanayanam mantras say?

Mantra: Do your karma…

Child: I will do my karma…

Mantra: Should be a good disciple for your Acharyan…

Child: Will be a good disciple…

Mantra: Have to hold umbrella for Acharyan…

Child: Will hold umbrella…

Mantra: If Acharyan sits about, you should sit below. You should only sit

after Acharyan tells you to…

Child: Will do…

Mantra: You should pay your obeisance to your Acharya’s Acharyan if He’s

present at the time…

Child: Will do…

 

So Upanayanam gives advice on life and how to lead it. The poonal that is

worn is also very precious. In olden times, a mahan made poonals by

profession; he didn’t know anything else. When making the poonal, mantras

have to be said and the poonal has to be kept at Perumal’s Feet. Then it

has to be kept carefully in an olai box. The mahan was very dedicated to

his work. One day his wife asked him, “You’re always working! Don’t we have

to perform our child’s wedding? There is a king who has come to the next

town. If we ask for his help, he’ll definitely give us a lot of things.

Why don’t you go see him?” So this mahan went to the king. Even the king

rose after looking at the mahan-since Brahma tejas could be seen from his

face. In Duryodhana’s sabha, Sakuni told everyone not to get up if Bhagavan

Krishnan enters. But Duryodhan was the first one to stand up, with out even

realizing it! After him, Duchathanan, Karnan and even Sakuni rose! Bhagavan

had that kind of tejas! The same way, Raja also payed respect to the Mahan.

The raja then said, “What do you need swamy? Ask for anything you want; I’ll

provide it for you. “ The mahan was very poor, he didn’t even know how to

ask! He said, “I’ve brought a yagnopavetam. You just have to give gold for

the weight of the poonal. Whatever the Poonal weighs, just give that amount

in gold. I can perform my daughter’s wedding with that.” The king made

sure that the mahan wanted nothing else. Then he ordered for the balance to

be brought out.

 

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