Re: The Art of Giving/ Use of MahAbala as adjective
From the Bhakti List Archives
• June 6, 2002
ShrImathE RAmAnujasya Caranam Sharanou PraPadhyE NamasthE Shri Sadagopan DAsyan AvarkaLE. I appreciate your discourse on Giving. The model of MahABali as an outstanding example for giving helped me to get clarified on a line in NAdhaJOThi Shri MuthuSwami DIkschithar's KIrthanais. The KIrthanai on BruhasPathi ( as Lord of GuruVAram) begins with "BruhasPathE BrahmAJAthE NamosthUthE": I pay obeisssance to BruhasPathi, who is born of BrahmA. The first line and the last line of the CaraNam part of the KIrthanai read in part as follows; MahABalaVibhO GISPathE . . . The last phrase of the last concluding line reads in part: NiramshAya MahaPradhAthrE. The traditional meaning of MahABala as the Super Strong Man does not fit in with the character and image of BruhasPathi. If you say that about the Sun, yes. The last part above says, "You, who gives greatly and effectively without holding any part" . That is, he gives the whole and not just a part and that he does it in such a manner to be useful. Also from a look at all the NavaGraha KIrthanAs, Lord BruhasPathi emerges as the best of all givers. AashrithaJaNo KalpaThaRO: Like the KaRpaka Vruccam, he gives to those who seek his refuge. I have not been comfortable with the first line until now. And from your commentary, I conclude that he is a giver like MahABali. Being the opening line of CAraNam, its significance comes out when you interpret MahABala as an adjective for MahABali. MahABali + VibhO will become MahABalaVibhO: One whose appearance is like that of the giver MahABali. As you say, people have to be comfortable to approach one who is an alms giver. The appearance is the key. Now I feel comfortable with, "One, who has the demeanor of MahABali [in giving], and one who is the Lord of Speech". I know that the KErala festival "OoNam" celebrates the giving of MahABali. I wonder if they use the word "MahABala" in MalayAlam as an adjective meaning "highly charitable". Thank you for the connection. Naha SvIkurvaka AsmAth KrupAm: May He endow us with Grace here and now. Visu [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------------------------------------------- - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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