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Would like to add to the wonderful exposition on Time:

1. Time is one of the key components, the other being Energy i.e. THAT
which enables us to live, breath, perform our daily duties as living
beings.

2. Again like Time, energy is a mysterious concept, but in the human
context, only with ENERGY (somewhat closely the Yoga system describes this
to be the PRANA or vital force) the basic difference between all beings and
humans is distinguished at a gross level, repeat gross level.

3. The tiger has got time and energy, though it is not aware. It eats,
kills, procreates, and dies.while the human does all this and also is
conscious/aware/knows - which is nothing but operation of his mind,thought,
feelings, emotions, which in a simple term can be reduced to "thought
processes"

4. With this sole equipment i.e. "thought process" /mental faculty he/she
tries to know about time and also with the help of the same "mental
faculty" attempts to increase energy and make time and energy meet for his
goal i.e Moksha, nirvana, Samadhi or call it by whatever name. God is part
of this attempt to link and therefore God is percieved as timeless, without
Gunas, who is all pervading, cannot be destroyed, is beyond and full of
intelligenct, mental faculity etc.etc.and so on all the attributes

5. Without a shred of doubt the Vedas are the basic foundation blocks for
humanity. The Vedas are the source of creation and the Vedas which
themselves are without beginning or end have clearly recognised this grand
design of things, materials,creation.

6. How can one say that the Vedas have already concieved this ? Simple.
The Vedas declare a Upasana i.e. nitya upasana, which latter day
Rishis/seers etc.have always insisted on for strict adherence. Yes, the
most important Upasana of Sandhyavandanam and Gayathri.

Every other upasana is concieved by the Rishis,Seers etc. AFTER THE
VEDAS!!!

7. The Sandhya upasana is the one and only upasana where the Rishis have
made solemn, affirmatory and loud
declaration not once but many times "Satyam Satyam Satyam" i.e.
Sandyavandanam is the sole mandatory requirement for everyone's benefit and
is a Must until one breathes the last.

8. What does Sandhyavandanam comprise ? All that Shri SadagopanIyengar
has outlined as 'action plan' in his exposition in the last para "moral of
the story", is covered in the Sandyaoupasana. Gods, time, death, fear,
reverence, purity, cleanliness, duty,social responsibility, Yoga, health
matters,spiritual matters, navagrahas, universe, the primal building
elemental building blocks, Sun,energy, mental powers, killing of
asuras/evil,saving lives, for rains. Everything.

9. And without Sandyaoupasana, no point in doing various things - WITH DUE
RESPECT TO ALL THE BHAKTAS AND SCHOLARS IN THESE E-LISTS AND THE AUTHOR OF
THE ATTACHMENT THE ERUDITE SADAGOPANIYENGAR
- are mentioned like reading the Gita, chanting the Lord's name etc. may
seem to take second place. PLEASE, WITH FULL SASHTANGA NAMASKARAM, I HOPE
NO ONE IS OFFENDED. PLEASE PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF THIS SEEMS INCORRECT OR
HURTS SOMEONE'S SENTIMENTS. THIS IS NOT THE INTENTION.

IF POSSIBLE LET ALL DISCUSS AND MAYBE CORRECT THIS IGNROANT WRITER.





"sadagopaniyenga 
r" To: "SriRangaSri" <SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 
<sadagopaniyenga <malolan_net@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "bhakti-list" 
r@xxxx> <bhakti-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "tiruvengadam" 
<tiruvengadam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Oppiliappan" 
01/10/03 10:15 <Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "radha jagannathan" 
PM <radha@xxxx>, "j.srinivasan" 
Please respond <j.srinivasan@xxxx>, "cs.srinivasan" 
to bhakti-list <chetlurvas@xxxx>, "padmaja" 
<ayodhyarama@xxxx>, "mythily ramadesikan" 
<r_mythily@xxxx> 
cc: "sadagopaniyengar" <sadagopaniyengar@xxxx> 
Subject: "On Time" 






Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

"On Time"

The supply of almost all natural resources in this world can be
augmented. Land, though its total extent is limited, can be made
available in larger quantities by reclaiming it from the sea, as has
been done at various places. There are numerous ways of increasing the
supply of water. Similarly, the supply of material resources can also
be augmented by adopting suitable strategies. There is, however, one
element, which pervades our daily lives and dictates our activities,
the supply of which can never be increased. When we come to this
earth, we are allotted a fixed quantity of this magical element, and
no amount of endeavour on our part can increase it by even a
negligible percentage. While the shortage of other resources can be
made good by borrowing or buying the same from those who have an
abundant supply, this unique element can never be bought or borrowed
or even stolen.

This exceptional element is nothing other than TIME. Everyone will agree
that its supply is limited and that not even a single extra minute or
second can be acquired by us from any other person or source, for whatever
consideration. Even if we are prepared to pay a fortune, we cannot buy
ourselves one more second than we are entitled to. It is the only asset,
apart from wisdom, that is burglarproof, for no one can steal it from
anyone else. Much as we would like it not to, Time is always on the move,
and ticks on and on, irrespective of our preferences in the matter-it
waits for nobody, however important he be. "Time and Tide wait for no man"
says the adage.

Realising the value of Time, management gurus have come up with any number
of strategies for Time Management. Since no fresh supplies of Time can be
created, we have to manage what is available efficiently, without wasting
even a second of it.

Another unique feature of Time is that unlike other resources, whose use
and left over stock can be measured and monitored, one can never tell how
much Time we have left on this earth. No expiry date has been stamped on
human beings, when they are turned out of the factory of Creation. Counting
from now on, the time we have left in this birth could be five seconds,
five minutes, five hours, five days, five years or fifty- no one can tell,
though astrologers make a good buck professing to predict how long people
would live.

However, though this ticket of Time has no return journey date specified on
it, it is not valid forever and return we must, one day or the other. And
unlike normal tickets, where we have the option of choosing the return
date, the Airline of Time doesn't afford us that privilege, and we must
rush back the moment we are called, irrespective of our readiness to
undertake the journey. Time is also the Great Leveller, and treats Prince,
pauper and famed politician alike-all have to obey its call, irrespective
of their social, political, economic or spiritual status. The all-knowing
Gyani and the unlettered idiot, the good man and the bad, the great artiste
and the prosaic pundit-all are equal in the eyes of Time, with no
preference shown to anybody on any ground.

This element of uncertainty as to the remaining time and the time and place
of departure, make it essential that we regard every living second and
minute as precious and make full and profitable use of it, since no
recycling of Time is possible, as might be with other resources. A minute
lost is lost forever, beyond recapture and reuse.

Befitting its stature and influence on human lives, Time is allotted a high
pedestal in philosophy. It is counted as one among the principal
subdivisions of Matter.

Shastras indicate a realistic appreciation of Tatthvatrayam (the Three
Elements) as a prerequisite for any spiritual sAdhana-these are the Lord,
the individual soul (Jeevatma) and the non-sentient matter ("achit"). This
'achit' is again classified into KAlam ,TriguNam and SuddhaSatvam. It is
the KAlam(Time) about which we are concerned now.

It is Time which acts as the principal aid, whether it is Creation or
Cosmic destruction. The Lord awaits the appropriate Time to undertake
Creation. In this sense, Time is an indispensable element of creation.
The MahApraLayam or Cosmic Destruction, is also undertaken at the
right time, thus making time an essential component of all activity,
constructive or destructive. If creation and destruction have Time as
the deciding factor, can "stitthi" or existence be far behind? The
changes created beings undergo are also due to the Time factor. This
is evident not only from the Scripture, but also from what assails our
eyes, which show us a baby growing up first into a boy, then into an
adult, pass therefrom to middle-age and old age, all due to the
inexorable passage of Time. Time is thus the instrument of all change,
small or big, good or bad.

Time, which determines the beginning and end of all created things, is
itself Timeless. It has neither a beginning nor an end, and is, like the
Lord Himself, "anAdi".

"anAdi: BhagavAn KAla: na antOsya dvija vidyatE"

In this sloka, Time is glorified as "Bhagavan", signifying the importance
accorded to it.

Those who have distaste for Mathematics would do well to skip what
follows-

We are aware of the various divisions of time, based on the Roman
calendar-seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. The Shruti
speaks of many more components of time _"kalA muhoortthA: KAshttAscha
ahOrAtrAscha sarvasa: ardha mAsA mAsA Ritava: Samsavatsarascha
kalpatAm" says the TaittiriyOpanishad.

Sri Vishnu Purana expounds this concept in detail and enumerates the myriad
measures of Time.

Fifteen "nimEshAs" make one "KAshttA" and thirty such KAshttAs one "KalA".
Thirty KalAs comprise of one "Muhoorttham" and thirty Muhoortthams make a
day and a night ("ahOrAthram"). Thirty such days and nights make one month,
which consists of two "PakshAs" or fortnights. Two mAsAs or months make one
"Rithu" and three such Rithus one "ayanam". Two ayanAs (DakshinAyanam and
UttarAyanam) make a Year or Samvatsaram. This is Time by the human
calendar.

However, when it comes to the DEvAs, our one year is equal to their one
day, our DakshinAyanam being their night and UttarAyanam their day.

Thus the Divine Year consists of 360 human years. 4000 such Divine Years
(or 14,40,000 human years) comprise of the Krita Yugam, 3000 Divine Years
consist of one TretA yugam, 2000 Divine Years form a DvApara Yuga and a
mere 1000 Divine Years (3,60,000 human years) Kali Yuga. These four Yugas
together form a Chatur Yuga or "MahA Yugam". 71 Chatur YugAs make one
"Manvantara" and fourteen ManvantarAs one "Kalpam". A Kalpam forms
half-a-day in the life of BrahmA. BrahmA"s Ayu: consists of hundred years
of such days and nights- a really mind-boggling figure by our standards.

We are now in the latter half of the BrahmA's life ("Dviteeya ParArdham"),
in the ShvEta VarAha Kalpam, Vaivasvatha Manvantaram, and the 28th Kaliyuga
- figures fail us if we try to calculate at which point of time we find
ourselves in, now.

When we consider our own lifespan in the background of a BrahmA's, we feel
quite insignificant, as inconsequential as a speck of dust among the
millions highlighted in a shaft of sunlight.

While Time is indeed constant and neither stretches nor shrinks, it appears
to drag on when we are doing something uninteresting and to simply fly away
when our occupation is a gripping one. Novelists are fond of saying, " the
Bird of Time flapped its wings twice and two years rolled away in a trice".
When two lovers meet and their eyes lock, romantic writers tell us "Time
stood still, for what seemed to be aeons". Irrespective of what anyone
might say, Time neither stands still nor flies away, but takes its measured
steps spaced out uniformly. This is a world characterised by constant
change, things never remaining the same in every succeeding second.And it
is Time, which is the catalyst of such change. When we speak of the
"Ravages of Time" we are only paying tribute to the inexorability and
inevitability of this extraordinary element.

The Time available at our command is limited; the obstacles to learning
and good deeds are many. We should hence absorb what is of the essence,
just as the Swan imbibes pure milk out of a mixture of milk and water
("alpascha KAlO bahavascha vignA: yat sArabhootam tat upAdadheeta, hamsO
ksheeram ivAmbu mishram").

And what is the moral of the story? Just as most of us plan our business
day, we ought to chalk out a spiritual calendar too, resolving to learn and
abide by one Gita sloka a day, recite and draw inspiration from one Desika
Sreesookti a day, to flavour one ThirumAlai pasuram a day, to set a day
and several others apart at the earliest to undergo KalakshEpam and to
imbibe from our Acharya the essentials of our Satsampradaya, and to reserve
a day, a golden day, to surrender ourselves to the Lord through the
Acharya.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Dasan, Sadagopan.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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