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New year resolution for inculcating Athma guNAs- a loud thinking...

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • December 30, 1999 


Sri:
Srimathe Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya Namah:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

I was greatly inspired by the audio upayasam cassette received (as a 
blessing gift) from Sri U Ve VeLukkudi Krishnan Swami, considering even this 
lowly self, as a person of worthiness for being the recipient of his 
upanyasam cassette on Sri Kooratthazhwan.

The upanyasam (for the subject as well as the speaker) is simply superb. 
Excellent. Very inspiring. It really brings great joy as well as tears while 
we listen to the greatest qualities of Sri Kooratthazhwan. What a great 
Srivaishnava smapradayam that we are blessed with! What a great AchArya 
lineage that we are bequeathed with! If we keep on uttering our SadAchAryaÂ’s 
name from this minute and keep praising our AchArya from this moment till 
our last breath, even then, it will NOT equal to a peck of dust compared to 
what They have done to us..

Sri Velukkudi Swamy took a nice Gita slokam to explain the AthmaguNAs of Sri 
KooratthAzhwAn. I would like to mention that here so that we can attempt to 
ape and inculcate a fraction of these gunAs. That can be the new year 
resolution, isnÂ’t it?

amaanithvam, adhambithvam, ahimsaa, kshaanthi:, aarjavam/
aachaarya upaasanam, saucham, sthairyam, aathmavinigraha:// (GitA- Ch 13- 8)

Very simple slOka: (since Velukkudi Swamy explained it so beautifully, I 
would like to share) I am not going to explain how it refers to Sri 
KooratthAzhwAn (it should be heard from SwamyÂ’s cassette- then only one can 
enjoy). Let me just say what it means:

1. amaanithvam: Vidya garvam, dhana garvam, kula garvam, etc.. is the 
feeling of pride for oneÂ’s intelligence or knowledge (education), or wealth, 
or kulam (that he is from great thatthachariar family, Bharadwaja gOthram 
etc..), and that one is good looking, is all called “maanam” One who has it 
is maanee. Amaanee  is the one who does not have these prides. Means: the 
moment one has this pride, other Bhagawathas will be looked down, by him, 
means- he commits BhAgawatha apacharam.

2. adhamibithvam- no dhmbam- no blowing of oneÂ’s own trumpet: If one does 
some good deed, dharmam, like contributing to some Divya Desam or for CD ROM 
of Ramanuja, he shall not blow his trumpet.. It is His money, He takes it 
for His temple.. We are only instrumental, as a messenger.

3. ahimsaa: not only in action, also by speech, and thought, we need to 
avoid hurting other “beings”; not just human beings,- all beings...

4. kshaanthi: patience- At any point of time, one should avoid anger. We can 
cultivate anger- i.e. pretending anger.. but not getting angry.. (Here, I am 
not able to resist referring to KooratthAzhwAnÂ’s asking the Lord for the 
same good for Nalooran (who was responsible for even the loss of AzhWanÂ’s 
eyesight) too, as his..

5. aarjavam- manas, vaak, body (kaayam)- all shall be same working in 
tandem.. What the mind thinks, the mouth shall speak.. (not vaay 
vaazhaipazham, kai karuNaikkizhangu.). what one speaks, the body shall act.. 
uLLonru vaitthu puRamonRu pEsaadhirutthal.. Otherwise, it will be kapatam.. 
That is the lakshaNam of dhuraathmA; not mahAthmA.

6. Aachaarya upaasanam- praising oneÂ’s AchAryan at all times- thinking of 
Him at all times- having a thought that whatever jnAnam that one possesses, 
(sathvishayam) is all due to being His Thiruvadi. We need to prostrate Him, 
very many times, ask, enquire respectfully, and get our “doubts” clarified. 
We need to perfrom kaimkaryam to Him (of not physically, at least 
monetarily..- by allocating some funds from the earning..). We need to 
celebrate His Thirunakshathram, in a grand manner at our home, with family 
and children, recite His thaniyan, and saying … SrimathE “…………” Namah: as 
many times as possible on that day at least (108, 1008 times..)

7.  Saucham- parisuddhi.. one shall be pure.. means: one has to perform 
necessarily the nithya karmas like sandhyavandhanam. We need to be pure, 
physically and mentally.. dhVesham (feeling jealous), telling lies.. is all 
asuddham (dirt to our mind..) what is said as anAchAram, to be avoided in 
Ahara niyamam, one needs to avoid as much as we can.. Avoid “as much as 
possible”, para annam (hotels- eating outside) not that we disrespect, but 
that it may contaminate our already contaminated minds..

8. sthairyam: being steady.. Firmness- That is essential. This can be 
achieved only when we have no confusion or be influence by non-vedic 
thoughts /arguments. (Sri Velukkudi Swamy said “just by a simple reading of 
the meaning /commentary of Sri AlavandharÂ’s SthOthra Rathnam, one can get 
all their doubts clarified.. Very true.. There are commentaries of Swamy 
desikan, Periya vaachanpiLLai. On this great hymn.. Really marvellous.. all 
our queries on tatvatrayam, Vishitadvaitham, anya dEvathA will all vanish..) 
the best option is: Just stay as AchArya Thiruvadi.. means: What our 
AchAryan says is TRUTH.. Close your ears for other things.. Where goes.. is 
where the Thiruvadi will go.. It can not go separately..

9. aathmavinigarah: - means: Other than the knowledge of actual swaroopam of 
jIvAthmA (which is being dhaasabhootham / sEshan / servant  of  Emperumaan 
Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan), any other jnAnam / longing for any other 
shall be KILLED (or in other words, CURTAILED..)

Please forgive adiyEn, if it sounds preaching. That is not the intent. I was 
so inspired by this slOkam when Sri Velukkudi Swamy referred to, I wished to 
share and would like to remind ourselves for inculcating the above nine 
qualities and start (if not already being followed), as NEW YEAR 
RESOLUTION..

Regards

Narayana Narayana
AzhwAr Emperumaanar Desikan Jiyer ThiruvadigalE saraNam
AchAryan Thiruvadi..





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