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3 questions

From the Bhakti List Archives

Kalyani Krishnamachari • October 13, 1997 


NamaskArams!  

I have three questions in my mind:


1)  As I am trying to move on to janma kANdam in Ananda rAmAyaNam, I feel 
the necessity for knowing how Adikavi vAlmIki described
post-pattAbhishekam events.  Since I do not have uttara kAndam with me,
it is impossible to compare vAlmIki rAmAyaNam - uttara kANdam and Ananda 
rAmAyaNam - janma kANdam. I have heard that we should not keep uttara kANdam 
in our houses or read it even (the idea is to remember upto sitA and rAma 
pattAbhishekam only). On the other hand, I have also heard that reading uttara 
kANdam will lead to moksham.  I would like to know if our AcAryas have said
anything about reading uttara kANdam.

2) Another question totally unrelated to the above issue:  Recently, when my
husband was wearing a vEshti and angavastram with sankhu, cakram and 
tirumaN printed on it, he was told that he should not wear perumal's
symbols on him (mainly because of the fact that it is touching the feet).
[The same kind of reason was cited by this friend for his not permitting
his wife to wear saris with rAmAyaNam scenery or bhagavad gItA scenery on them.]

Ananda rAmAyaNam states that Lord rAma loves bhaktas wearing such garments:

manOhara kANdam chapter 12 - 

"SankhAdipancabhir yuktam sadA vastram mama priyam"

RAma also says that the vastram must be worn after taking a bath, during 
japam, vratam, pUjAkAlam, puNya tIrtha kAlam, pitru kAryam etc; He will give
mOksham to such vastradAris:

"aham mOksham pradAsyAmi satyam satyam munISvarA:"

I would like to invite comments on the second issue also.

3)  What is the equivalent term to be used by women to feel that they are
the servants of bhAgavatOttama-s?  (Most of you sign in the end as 
dAsOham, dAsAnudAsan and adiyEn; how am I as a woman supposed to present
myself?)

Thank you,

Kalyani Krishnamachari
(kkrishnamachari@lucent.com)