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Re: Material Pursuits - my one cent worth..

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • July 11, 1999 


Sri:

Dear Sri Mani,

You couldn't have said it better.. You explained it so well. I am happy that 
you brought home the same point that we were in fact discussing on Saturday 
at our home. It reflects just the same points we had shared and talked.

As Sri Ramanujacharya had advised us: "Live in a small hut in 
ThirunaaraayaNapuram." If we choose to live in Singapore or Sanfrancisco, 
for various reasons, we need to incur the expenses it warrants.. Living in a 
hut, and in a Divya Desam like Srirangam,
and living a "simple" life with no TV, no Aircon, no PC, no internet, 
etc.... and having our children get eductaed in a local "theRku Ranga" high 
school, or Ku Si Patasalai (simulateneously teaching them all sthOthrams, 
and Prabhandhamns, our learning too..), we may able to make both ends meet 
with a meagre salary (that one can earn teachning in a local school, or 
working in a nearby company.) We are not doing that; I am not...

The Lord has blessed us with little independence and freedom to choose our 
actions and life.. That we have mistakenly considered as complete absolute 
freedom.. and chosen something else.

The 18th Chapter Gita, 48th sloka says:
(Rough translation)

It's always correct and more appropriate to perform one's swadharmam (own 
occupation) even if it is performed imperfectly, than perfroming someone 
else's. If done, accridng to one's swadharmam, there are so
sinful reactions from doing so, which affect them.

Emperumaanaar uttered Dwayam in Saranagathy Gadyam followed by
Pitharam, maatharam...(meaning):

O BhagawAn! I have left the bonds of bodily relations like father, mother, 
wife, children, bhandhus(relatives), friends, Gurus (teachers who teach 
material pursuits), RathinangaL(wealth), danadhAnyangaL. Properties, Houses, 
DharmangaL, and all others, and have surrendered to your feet, TrivikramA..

Swami Desikan's Vairagyam is reveberating in his Vairagya Panchakam..
He considered only Lord of Hastigiri (PeraruLaaLan) as the wealth...and 
despised all others as earthly...

As you rightly indicated all mumukshus should aspire for at least an
inch towards the Vairagyam of Swami Desikan..

To survive, we need money.. But, Mani, do we need to live the way we live- 
earn the way we earn for such survival?

You wrote: Could Desika have survived today?

Why Desika? There are even few Srivaishnavas, Mani, who have declined their 
alluring offers in US, and have chosen to stay at Chennai in front of their 
AchAryas to study Bhagavadh Vishayam (as commanded
by the AchArya, and in spite of their parents' pestering them to go to 
US..), and some who leave their US stay and migrate to Chennai for studying 
our Sampradayam. There is a Singaporean Srivaishnava who has sold his 
property and has decided to stay at Melkote.

We may wonder what would they do for mummum...? It may appear foolish for 
us, ... But we should admire their guts and determination.. At least, I am 
not able to do it.. ..  Alavandhar had left the kingdom... Thirumagai mannan 
could have said "now that I am married and have become Srivaishnava after 
perfroming Pancha samskarkaram, I feel I can not feed 1000 brahmins 
everyday, as promised. I am sorry.. I am not going to do.. what do you want 
to do?"
and tried to convince Kumudhavalli for a compromise. Then we wouldn't have 
been talking gloriouly about them even today (or even centuries later)..

Why don't we put or educate one of our children (or the only child) in a 
Patasaala and let them learn Sampradaic works.. (now that we have saved 
enough for a decent living in India..) When
I told my son once, "I should have studied Samskrit, Vedas, Prabhadhams, 
sporting Kudumi etc,, and not engineering, earning like this.. my father 
should have put me in a patasaala". he replied
"Then, why appaa?, you are asking me to undergo again the same type of 
education?.." That was a "netthiyadi" for me..."

It is a lot easier said than done. ("solludhal yaarkkum eLiya ariyavaam 
solliya vaNNam seyal..")  I wish we are blessed with an iota of such 
Vairagyam by Divya Dampathi and our Greatest AchAryas,
(who were and are the personification of Vairagyam. )

Sri Ramanujar is our invaluable wealth. (Iraamaanusan enRan maanidhiyE..") 
Sri Atthigiri Varadhan is our Pithraarjitha sotthu..

In the final stage...we should give up everything...". But, final stage... 
is when, Mani?? Is there any age for that? or Is that the maturity?

Vaayoru pakkam vaanghi valippa, vaarttha neerkkuzhik kaNgaL mizhaRRa,
thaayoru pakkam, thanthai orupakkam, thaaram oru pakkam alaRRa, theeyoru 
pakkam vandhu sEra....

We will pray to Them for blessing us reciting Vairagya Panchakam..

Just a loud thinking.

Regards

Narayana Narayana

Narayana dAsan


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