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A dangerous snake -- vaarththaamaalai 11

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Mani Varadarajan • March 2, 1999 


vArttAmAlai 11:

	Egotism is a poisonous snake;
	possessiveness is its body;
	passion and hate are its fangs.
	Break these fangs and you cross
	over the rest.


Notes:
-----

1. ahamkAra -- egotism, the undue feeling of "I"
   mamatA / mamakAra -- possessiveness, the feeling of "mine"

   These two are constantly mentioned by our acharyas
   as _the_ obstacles to spiritual progress.  From egotism
   proceed all our unholy tendencies, the foremost of which
   is the appropriation of ourselves for selfish purposes
   instead of performing kainkaryam, service to God and God's.

2. A Sri Vaishnava should constantly practice the virtues
   of Sama and dama, tranquility and self-control.  
   Diametrically opposed to these are rAga and dvEsha, 
   passion and hatred of any sort.  Break these "fangs" 
   and the "snake" of "I"-ness and "my"-ness is rendered
   harmless.

aazhvaar emberumaanaar dEsikan jeeyar tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Mani

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Original (p. 17, puththUr svAmi's edition)
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	ahankaaramaakiRadhu oru sarppam;
	mamathaiyaakiradhu adhinudaiya udal;
	raagadhvEshangaL adhinudaiya paRgaL;
	ippaRgaLai muRikkath theerum.