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Re: Cleaniness

From the Bhakti List Archives

sampath kumar • October 19, 1999 


Dear Sri.Vijayaraghvan Srinivasan swami,

I am very happy hearing that some people like your
good self is seeing some sense in what I wrote about
'cleanliness' in our temples. For sometime I am
afraid my views being misunderstood by respected
elders and other members.

For long time sincerely I have felt that if our
temples and DD and mutt and ashrams were kept cleaner,
quieter and more solemn then more young bright
people will be flock to our sampradayam. 

I am not saying we must keep temples clean like 5-star
hotel, spic and span. I am only saying temple must be
swept clean all time, no cobwebs and litter anywhere,
madapalli must be bright and clean,vessels must be
clean, toilets must be kept always washed with
disinfectant, archakas and kovil kainkarya-kartas must
be dressed properly etc.etc. For this no need for
great amount of money. 

No need for lot of money. Just constant 'aagnya' from
acharyas like azhagiyasingar and others to all sishyas
is enough, I am thinking. All will obey 'aagnya'
especially if they know Azhagiyasingar or Jeeyar swami
will surely ask them whenever they go to him for
samashryanam or baranyasam or for his blessings what
cleaning work they have so far done in life and how
much. Acharya today is asking if sishya is regularly
doing gayatri. Or what contribution made so far for
this cause or for that one. Similarly acharya can also
make it a point to ask if sishya is doing 'cleaning
kainkaryam' regularly at some temple or DD, is it not?


Your thought for forming committee in each DD is very
good. But how to progress in the matter adiyen does
not know. Adiyen is very small man and do not know any
big people to help me start movement. adiyen is also
involved in loukeeka world for simple livelihood and
if I start to talk about cleanliness in temples then
adiyen is afraid even vaideeka people will take
offence at me. They will ask me what qualification I
have to talk about temples and mutt sampradayam? I am
afraid I will get no support. I am not looking for
financial support to the start the idea. But I need
moral support and people-support which is very very
important. How to get that support for adiyen's 'siru'
idea?

That is the question. And I don't know what to do.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

dAsan,
Sampathkumaran

--- Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan
 wrote:
> Dear Sampath and Other BhaghavatAs:
> 
> Your point that 'kaimkaryam' should involve some
> physical labor on the part 
> of the individual is a very valid point.  "Sikhs'
> lay great emphasis on the 
> "kAr Seva".  Most of us usually avoid any physical
> tasks and we implicitly 
> assume that it is meant only for the 'incapable'
> people - people who are 
> incapable of understanding the nuances of ShastrAs
> and who cannot contribute 
> in the mental plane.  Eventhough 'kaimkaryam' in its
> broadest sense involves 
> all kinds of mental and physical activities (such as
> teaching children etc.) 
> it will be a good idea to at least devote some
> percentage of one's time in 
> physical activities (like washing utensils, cleaning
> the temple, serving 
> food etc.).
> 
> Unfortunately, after a student returns from his
> 'Gurukulam' the word 
> "Sushrooshai' is forgotten.  The only way to bring
> home this point is by 
> practicing first and our elders may provide little
> help in this regard.
> 
> Dasan
> 
> Vijayaraghavan
> Buffalo, NY
> 
>
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