Chapter 26

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sri:

 

dear devotees,

namo narayana

pranamams

 

Chapter 26

 

The mahan took the poonal out of the olai box by saying mantrams and kept

it on the balance. The raja thought to himself on how little the poonal is

going to weigh and the mahan doesn’t even know that and how the mahan

intends to marry his daughter with the amount of gold equivalent to the

weight! So now the poonal is on the balance; the king puts a gold coin on

the balance and the balance did not even move! Then he placed two coins on

the balance, still nothing! He took off all his jewelry and placed it on the

plate, but still no sign of change. He then placed his crown on top of all

the jewelry and said, “I’ve placed everything I possess on this balance…”.

Immediately, the king’s minister advised him not to hurry in this matter and

asked the mahan to come back the next day. The mahan was very afraid at

this moment, since there was the strange happening with the poonal. He left

with this fear and he also feared that the king might put him in jail. The

next day, the king brought the balance and the poonal was placed on the

plate. The king placed a coin and the balance moved! It was the same

balance and the same poonal, but how did the balance move this time and not

previously? So the king asked the minister about this. The minister

explained: “Yesterday, a yagnopavetam was brought by the mahan. It is said

that yagnopavetam paramam pavithram; it is very precious. It cannot be

equaled by anything, let alone gold. We are all called athma. Only

Bhagavan is called paramathma-parama means ‘highest’. The same prefix is

used for the yagnopavetam; since it was so precious, the whole kingdom’s

wealth could not equal it. But it’s quality has been reduced today-it has

lost it’s pavithram. That’s why it could be equaled easily today. “

But why did it lose it’s pavithram? The people who make the poonal cannot

skip any steps, they have to be cautious. But this mahan out of his fear

skipped a couple of steps regarding the poonal, hence it lost it’s

pavithram. This story mentions the specialty of the poonal that is made

properly. This poonal, which is parama pavithramaanathu, was worn by

Bhagavan in Vamana avatharam. I mentioned that Suryan himself did

bramhaupadesam for Bhagavan earlier right…? Parvati devi gives the first

bhikshai to Him! Palaasa dhandam was handed to Bhagavan’s Hands.

What is a Palaasa dhandam? Dhandam is a stick that is given to sannyaasis.

How is it that such a young ‘kid’ got a dhandam during upanayanam? Palaasa

dhandam is a stick from the palaasa tree. Why did they have to give a

dhandam from that specific tree? There is an explanation for that. A

group of veda ‘vithukkaL’ gathered around a palaasa tree. They were

discussing the greatness of the gayathri mantra, and the leaves of the tree

which were listening to this discussion grew into leaves which had three

parts. Gayathri mantra has three parts; since the tree was listening to

this, it showed the mahimai of the mantram through it’s leaves. That is why

a palaasa dhandam was given to Perumal. Perumal is glowing with brahma

tejas holding the palaasa dhandam in His Hand. The sabhdam called maya is

usually associated with Krishnavataram, but it is also linked with

Vamanavataram. Krishnan is mayan, so is Vamanan.

Azhwars praise Him as, “maya vamanane madhusoodha neearulvaai” for vamanan

“mayanai mannu vadamathurai maindhanai” for Krishnan.

This mayan is the One who measures the three worlds as Thrivikraman. This

Mayan who is marked by the visva sabhdam, attends the yagam conducted on the

banks of the Narmadha River,by Prahladan’s grandson, Bali Chakravarthy.

Paramathma is yagna samrakshakan; He is also srAddha samrakshakan. Even

when we perform shrAdham, we bring Him into the yaagam by saying ‘sri maha

vishnum aavaahayaami’. Is He just a srAdha samrakshakan? No, He is the

samrakshakan for everything. Sarvatha rakshakan-He forgives at any time; He

is also Sarvathra rakshakan—He forgives anywhere! They have a story to

display this characteristic of His.

 

There is a man who has ‘just barely made it’-with his income until the 25th

of each month. He says, “if Perumal somehow allows me to operate smoothly

for the next six days, it’s good. Next month, I’ll get Rs.5000 and I will

definitely manage somehow…” It seems he has managed his family until the

25th! It also seems that he only needs Perumal’s help for the next 6 days!

He says that next month the Rs.5000 will save him! Just look at all the

types of ‘rakshanam’ there are! ‘Dhraviya’ rakshanam(monetary) is one of

them. What about Paramathma then…? It seems Paramathma is there only for

those 6 days!

 

Thoughts such as the ones stated above arise due to our own ignorance! In

reality, Bhagavan is the only sarvatha rakshakan. Can we ever think that He

does not save us…? Is it even possible for us to think like that? We have to

realize fully that He is always protecting and saving us. Parasara bhattar

was giving an upanyasam in Srirangam—he keeps mentioning that Bhagavan is

rakshakan over and over again. There was a man listening in the goshti who

said: “Is it enough to just say that He is the rakshakan? Is it enough to

show pramanams from books? Where does Bhagavan save us? It doesn’t seem like

it! I’m the one suffering here to save my family! There is not enough time

for me to even finish all my work! So how is that Perumal saves, protects

and helps us?”

 

So bhattar asked, “so you think Perumal doesn’t shower His Grace upon you?”

and the man replied “well, it doesn’t seem like it. I’m the one suffering…!”

So parasara bhattar said, “I’ll give you the answer for this tomorrow

morning. Please come to my house at 10 in the morning.” Parasara bhattar

was in charge of Srirangam kovil, so he finished all his work in the morning

and went to his house at 10. The man who asked the questions was also

present at that time.

Bhattar asked, “So, did you eat well last night?”

Man replied, “yes, ate well.”

B: “Did you sleep well?”

M: ”yes, slept well also.”

B: ”What time did you go to sleep?”

M: ”9:00”

B: ”What time did you actually fall asleep?”

M: “about 9:30 “

B: “What time do you usually get up?”

M: “around 4:30”

B: “Do you realize anything that happens after 9:30?”

M: “Who will realize anything in their sleep?”

B: “From nine-thirty at night to four-thirty in the morning, do you look

after yourself…?

M: “How can someone look after themselves when they are sleeping…?”

B: “When we are sleeping, our own house can crumble and fall on us. Bad

janthus, poisonous beings can come and bite us…Doesn’t Paramathma protect us

from all of these things…? So if He protects us in sleep itself, isn’t it

evident that He protects us when we are awake also…? “

 

 

 

 

 

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