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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00114 Jan 2003

 
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This ignorant writer always continues to be amazed by the depth of the fora
members' knowledge which again can happen only due to their utter devotion
to THE ONE AND ONLY MAHA PURUSHA.

To add to what Shri Sudarshan has mentioned on the social aspect. This
writer's personal interests are Yoga and studies of the Vedas and related
subjects. It is a great coincidence and a fascinating one at that. The
path outlined by the Great Patanjali (who is none other than the Great
Adiseshan) for Yoga to be realised is called "Ashtanga" or 8 part.

Each of the 8 components are important and one has to start from 1st and
proceed to the 2nd. No short cuts. You cannot go to the 3rd ignoring the
first. Many people are under a wrong notion about this aspect.

The 8 components are :Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana,
Dhyana and Samadhi.
In layman's terms these are : Social musts, personal musts/habits, physical
culture, breath regulation, withdrawal of sensual requirements, preliminary
focus, single point focus, liberation.

Most people jump to the conclusion that starting from the 3rd component
i.e. asana and 4th Pranayama are enough. This is sad and incorrect. If we
just ponder to think for a minute, why has the Great Patanjali not put
asana and pranayama first ? One may argue that only thru the body and mind
one has to achieve all, so first one has to master one's body etc. But this
argument is fraught with misconceptions.

Yama is first. What is another meaning of Yama ? Lord of Death. Is then
Death first step to Yogic realisation ?
No, the meaning is :if this first step is improper or not properly
established, then all the other steps will fail surely. It may take years
to become successful in this first step. Literally this means that this is
the most criticial step and one is as good as dead if one thinks one can
successfully perform so-and-so asana or perform so-and-so breath control.

What does this Yama comprise ? It covers the man's relationship with
society. His social responsibilities. The all knowing Patanjali and the
sages before him always have therefore considered man not as a singular
being, but as a part of society/surroundings which includes nature also.
If man tries to isolate himself then he is doomed.

Yama comprises of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Aparigriha and Brahmacharya. All
are connected to man's relationship with society i.e. not to harm, not to
be greedy, not to covet etc. Which is what is also covered in the Old
Testament much before the birth of Jesus, but much much after Patanjali
Yoga Sutras.

Imagine !!over 2000 years back, someone has already given us a clear
direction. First adhere to society's rules, modes, requirements. Consider
yourself as part of the human-team. Then cultivate your personal habits.

Even the most ancient of Vedic diktats of Sandhavandanam is for social
good, all round benefit and well being.

So it is not surprising what Shri Mukundan has analysed about the
Tirupavai....It is indeed team work....What is the point of worshipping
alone? who benefits? Even assuming the worshipper benefits, then he still
continues to be alone. If there is a second person on this blessed earth,
then the worshipper has a reason/rationale/logic to worship for he/she then
seeks the Lord's intervention to help his/her fellow being/creature. The
Lord of course obliges and this pleases all three (Lord, the worshipper and
the receiver of benefit). There is all round thanksgiving and good will.





"M.K.Sudarshan" 
<sampathkumar_2000 To: Tiruvengadam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
@yahoo.com> cc: Srirangasri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, 
Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
12/31/02 02:12 PM Subject: [t'vengadam] "tiruppAvai": Personal 
Please respond to "anubhavam-s" -- why they should be shared with 
tiruvengadam others 







> >
> >Dear friends,
> >
> >In the "tiruppAvai", AndAl has the "aayarpAdi" girls
> >waking up each other and first congregating and only
> >then proceeding in assembled procession to God's
> >doorsteps.
> >
> >The principle of "worshipping together" is greatly
> >stressed through the phrase: "koodi-irundu...
> >kuLirnthu...mahizhirndu..." etc.
> >
> >In the whole of the "tiruppAvai" adiyen notices that
> >the girls never even once speak in the first person
> >singular! They all speak in one voice but never
> >individually!
> >
> >The pursuit of God according to AndAl cannot be
> >undertaken in solitude. Like most things in life,
> >achieving God too requires "team work"... the ability
> >to work with other people, communicate with other
> >people and share with other people even one's personal 'anubhavam'
of inner delight. The TiruppAvai is like the Himalayas. Nobody can
trivialize it even if one attempts to. A child may make an awkward
drawing of the Himalayas on a piece of paper at school. Can we say
that the child is trivializing the Himalayas? No! The child is only
expressing its wonder and delight at picturing the Himalayas in its
own tiny mind.

> >Mahatma Gandhi, who may not have been a SriVaishnavan
> >bearing the marks of "samAshrayanam", but who was
> >deeply religious in outlook, once seemed to echo
> >exactly the very same sentiment of the "tiruppAvai".
> >He said, "I want to find God, and because I want to
> >find God, I have to find God along with other people.
> >I don't believe I can find God alone. If I did, I
> >would be running to the Himalayas to find God in some
> >cave there. But since I believe that nobody can find
> >God alone, I have to work with people. I have to take
> >them with me. Alone I can't come to Him."
> >
> >It is amazing how some of the truths of SriVaishnavam
> >... and of the poetry of the "tiruppAvai" ... are
> >actually grounded in universalism... The TiruppAvai does not
belong to SriVilliputtur or SriRangam alone!

> >adiyen hopes that my drawing this parallel between
> >Gandhi and "tiruppAvai" will not hurt the sentiments
> >of orthodox members on the lists I am posting to.
> >
> >dAsan,

Sudarshan

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