(no subject)

From the Bhakti List Archives

• July 31, 1998


Dear all,
  Namaskarams.
> The Alvar was unfortunately quoted in the wrong context,
> in my opinion, and has been given a bad name.  But please
> think about it without getting emotional, and while you may
> not necessarily agree with his sentiment, accept them as
> the feelings expressed at one time of a great devotee of
> the Lord, said out of a desire to defend Him.
>  
> thondar-adip-podi aazhvaar thiruvadigaLE saraNam
>  
> Mani

  Sri Bhagavadhothamas, pls. let me tell you that I didn't really 
mean to cause bhagavatha apacharam to Srimad Thondar-adi-podi and 
other bhagavathas. But I only wanted to express a general opinion 
in the existing present scenario. I can definitely feel the ardent
devotion that the azhwar has for the Lord. Yes. sometimes true bhaktas
go to such extents. But only thing is that this sounds similar
to Islamic doctrine which holds the same thing. ie. if anybody abuses
or causes dishonour to their darma or to their Lord, they can be 
killed. But we chide such policies of other darmas as being unduly 
harsh. [ Of course obviously Islam on the whole will not stand on 
par in its spiritual maturity and in preaching Universal Love to 
sanatana darma. ] But here, we DO feel a kind of immature partiality/bias
showed by individuals towards what their community follows. How do 
jeevathmas take birth in families following different religions? What 
decides this?
  I beg forgiveness from the pure azhwar for not having expressed 
clearly what I felt and hence causing apacharam and making bhagavathas 
feel bad.

thondar adi podi ennum uyar gunak kunRE!
   ninnadip podi yAn siram ittEn un padhatthE
agilANda kOdi brahmANda nAyagan 
   pugazh siram EtRuk kAtthu ninRu
meitthoNdu AtRidum sIriya utthamA!
   unnidam vENdinEn pala kOdi mannippu
endhan siRu manam seidha pizhaiyinai
   maRandhuvandhu poRuppAi nAraNan than aNiyE!

  adiyEn,
  chandrasekaran.