FThe Lord of seven hills, have enough golden crowns to adorn the Divine head for another seven or seventy incarnations and he will be too happy if the money spent on the gem-packed golden head- wear, donated by the Kanchi Aacharya is utilized for alleviating the hunger of millions of his deprived and discarded subjects or to uplift them from the depth of ignorance and ill health. But who am I to comment on the action of His Holiness, the head of a Mutt?
But I can dream. And dreaming knows no boundary and is not governed by the stringent rules of any Agamas or Sastras. Nor those with huge brains can frighten my silly, small brain with any gratuitous display of mental superiority and threaten to pulverize me or call me a psychopath, because dreaming is a purely personal experience.
I see a saffron-robed young Namboodiri, standing in front of a small hut surrounded by lush green landscape in Kerala, seeking a handful of rice just sufficient to satisfy his hunger for the day..The house-lady, paces up and down her small dwelling, struggling to find some eatable material, which can be dropped in the cloth- pouch hanging from the shoulder of the handsome young yogi, but alas, she has none with her. With moist eyes she searches again and thanks to the Lord Vadakkunathan, Siva, she is able to locate a small gooseberry fruit, which she drops, with shaking hands, inside the kamandalu, the pitcher, as the size of the fruit is so small that it will be difficult to pick it up from the spacious pouch.
The young sanyasi, expected to be miles away from emotion and attachment, now weeps silently. What a pity ! He cannot even expel his crushing mental burden by expressing his anguish through tears. He uses the only skill he has, the only language he has learned-he prays.
‘Angam hare pulakabhooshanmasryanthi—“
Thus he pours out his anguish in words after words, eulogizing the ‘karunakataksham ‘, compassionate glance of the Goddess of wealth , again and again and seeking her blessings for showers of wealth.
Right from the first line and first stanza of the ‘Kankadhara’ stotram, poetic beauty and fragrance blossoms and spreads in waves after waves on the ocean of compassion in the tender heart of Adi Sankara
His heart- beats become faster and faster and pearls of tears rolls more and more from his eyes, when he sings:
**“Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam,
Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne,
Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram,
Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.
Please send your mercy which is like wind,
And shower the rain of wealth on this parched land,,
And quench the thirst of this little chataka bird,
And likewise ,drive away afar my load of sins,
Oh, darling of Narayana, by the glance from your cloud like dark eyes.”
(**Translation by sri P.G.Ramachander- copied from his website www.sthothrarathnas.com )
The melody uninterruptedly flowing from the Kaladi river, enthralls the celestial couple in the holy seven hills and they wonder why this aditional head weight , glistening with gems and pearls, for them.
Let this article be my goosebery reverently placed on the devine palms..
———————————————————————————-
| From: | SRINIVASAN S ([email protected]) |
| Sent: | 12 July 2009 21:51PM |
| To: | Sivasubramanian Perinkulam ([email protected]) |
கண்ணில் தாரையுடன் படித்தேன்.
affectionate thambi @ coimbatore
————————————————————————————-
Dear Sri. KVG,
The Lord of seven hills, have enough golden crowns to adorn the Divine head for another seven or seventy incarnations and he will be too happy if the money spent on the gem-packed golden head- wear, donated by the Kanchi Aacharya is utilized for alleviating the hunger of millions of his deprived and discarded subjects or to uplift them from the depth of ignorance and ill health. But who am I to comment on the action of His Holiness, the head of a Mutt?
But I can dream. And dreaming knows no boundary and is not governed by the stringent rules of any Agamas or Sastras. Nor those with huge brains can frighten my silly, small brain with any gratuitous display of mental superiority and threaten to pulverize me or call me a psychopath, because dreaming is a purely personal experience.
I see a saffron-robed young Namboodiri, standing in front of a small hut surrounded by lush green landscape in Kerala, seeking a handful of rice just sufficient to satisfy his hunger for the day..The house-lady, paces up and down her small dwelling, struggling to find some eatable material, which can be dropped in the cloth- pouch hanging from the shoulder of the handsome young yogi, but alas, she has none with her. With moist eyes she searches again and thanks to the Lord Vadakkunathan, Siva, she is able to locate a small gooseberry fruit, which she drops, with shaking hands, inside the kamandalu, the pitcher, as the size of the fruit is so small that it will be difficult to pick it up from the spacious pouch.
The young sanyasi, expected to be miles away from emotion and attachment, now weeps silently. What a pity ! He cannot even expel his crushing mental burden by expressing his anguish through tears. He uses the only skill he has, the only language he has learned-he prays.
‘Angam hare pulakabhooshanmasryanthi—“
Thus he pours out his anguish in words after words, eulogizing the ‘karunakataksham ‘, compassionate glance of the Goddess of wealth , again and again and seeking her blessings for showers of wealth.
Right from the first line and first stanza of the ‘Kankadhara’ stotram, poetic beauty and fragrance blossoms and spreads in waves after waves on the ocean of compassion in the tender heart of Adi Sankara
His heart- beats become faster and faster and pearls of tears rolls more and more from his eyes, when he sings:
“Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam,
Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne,
Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram,
Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.
Please send your mercy which is like wind,
And shower the rain of wealth on this parched land,,
And quench the thirst of this little chataka bird,
And likewise ,drive away afar my load of sins,
Oh, darling of Narayana,
By the glance from your cloud like dark eyes.”
(**Translation by sri P.G.Ramachander- copied from his website http://www.sthothrarathnas.com )
The melody uninterruptedly flowing from the Kaladi river, enthralls the celestial couple in the holy seven hills but alas, the divine ears are suddenly blocked by a huge crown, glistening with gems and pearls, which came like a hurricane, crossing the seven hills, from Kanchi.
Along with the poor Brahmin woman, I search for a handful of rice to drop in the kamandalu of the young Nambudiri , clad in a saffron robe, waiting outside our gate.
Love,
Siva,
from Chennai
July 12th, 2009
Dear Siva,
Radhe Krishna!
Great people are supposed to be the torch-bearers to the younger generation, and if they fail to lead properly, they cease to be qualified to the qualities of a “Guru”. Guru is the one, as per definition, (the syllable “Gu” meaning the darkness of ignorance, and “ru” meaning the light that removes that darkness.) the person who shows the light to remove the darkness of ignorance that shrouds us. But if the Guru himself is shrouded in the darkness of ignorance, how do we call him a Guru?
It is not my intention to insult such heads of mutts and pontiffs, but I feel sorry for the millions who follow such “Gurus” and deify them. So we better leave it there.
My father whom only I treat as a Guru, has written commentary of the Kanakadhara Stavam, which is sacro-sanct for me. It is my desire to make the English version of all the commentaries he has made, and publish them, but I am not able to get any copy of those gems.
Dont just worry about the wordy duel with Shri. NS. His nature is like that. “PRAKRUTIM YAANTI BHOOTANI, NIGRAHAH KIM KARISHYATI ?”
Love
KVG.
Dear KVG mama,
About Mahaperiyaval himself having been a reason for this golden crown, we have so many instances/occassions where Mahaperiyaval has ensured money has reached the needy and for those who were wanting some marriage ceremony to be conducted. We have ample instances where Mahaperiyaval (and he never used to handle money directly, from what we hear) – we should only take it that this incident was perhaps done for some worldly cause, for the benefit of humanity or for a general greater good – compared to normal folks like us (sorry, I take liberty in including you!), Mahaperiyaval clearly knew about such things…
Regards,
Raghav
Dear Raghavendraji and other members of the 4B group,
I beg your pardon if I have offended anybody’s feelings, but it is my contention that we should not be religious fanatics. I have not criticised the actions of Mahaperiyaval Himself whom I respect as equal to God. There is also no dispute that he has diverted moneys for the upliftment of our society, but the point I am trying to emphasise is that these incidents of conversions, etc., only go to show that even the best we have done is not enough. I have quoted the particular incident as an example only to show that our best is still not enough, and the millions of rupees spent on these extravaganza could to have been diverted to the poor. I consider any such extravaganza as something which could have been better utilized for the suffering ones. This includes even the 40 crores that has been recently spent by the minister for another diamond crown for Balaji.
Recently, when the celebration of the Sathabhishekam of my b-in-law was being discussed, we decided to spent the budgetted money by buying the immediate needs of the inmates of the nearest Anadha Asramam at Thane where my b-i-l was living, we visited the place, discussed with the inmates what they wanted most, and as they didnt have even pillows and bedsheets, we ourselves bought and presented them directly to the inmate boys.
You have said “we should only take it that this incident was perhaps done for some worldly cause, for the benefit of humanity or for a general greater good – compared to normal folks like us (sorry, I take liberty in including you!),
I dont understand what that general greater good can be! Let us touch our hearts and confide to ourselves whether all these rash expenditures are actions prompted by our own ego or for gaining some selfish ends? But I am sure, it cannot be, and will not be for any common good. No God has ever asked for a diamond diadem to protect the common man.
I do agree, and I highly appreciate your thoughts that we are normal ordinary folks, including me, but we should not lose the sense of discrimination which differentiates man from animals. But should we not remember that God resides in the hearts of the poor and down-trodden, and not in the diamond diadems presented by the greedy rich?
Regards
KVG.
Dear sRI. Raghavendra,
Place your palm on your chest and tell me honestly-don’t you feel that if a minicule portion of the amount spent on the muti-gemmed head -wear offered to the Lord,had been handed over to KIT funds or Sri.Prakash Muthuswamy, it would have given solace to some aged men and women or some deserving but deprived children would be gong to school today.Have you gone around Tamil Nadu and seen the condition of the numerous dilaidated temples and also the properous worshipping places of other religions coming up in the neighbourhood? When the minority institutions are prospering all around and when our children are denied their rightful place, should not owr religious chiefs, who are the repository of the trust and sometime even wealth offered by their disciples, should not think of constructing SUCH instititutions for comon good?
Dear Siva mama and KVG mama,
So is our point here that HH Kanchi Mahaperiyaval, the saint who was called the walking god and who has done yeoman service to the society did this for his own good or that he had some “venduthal” of his own?? Are we saying that he had some personal motivation behind this all?
laughable, isnt it? The point I am making is this – the jagadguru did not for a moment think of mutt collections or monetary benefits and I am sure learned and knowledgeable people like you and KVG mama (I adore both your posts incidentally) know about Mahaperiyaval more than I do.
My point is this – there are numerous occassions when Mahaperiyaval has routed monies and helped people in need, in this specific case, maybe it was that Mahaperiyaval knew that this would anyway have happened (his intervention or not)..
Dear KVG mama, to your question on what the greater good can be- dont we see varuna homam being performed all the time for public good? so that it may rain? Dont we see Chandi homam being performed for all to participate? Arent there Sundara Kandam parayanams being held? Are these being held for a single persons benefit?
If it was for Chandramouleeswara, maybe HH mahaswamigal would have stopped at bilva patras, but then we are talking about Alankara priyan here, arent we? The grandest of all Mahavishnus!
My humble submission is this – we can possibly think there is a personal motivation or even a lack of humanitarian thought if a minister offers a diamond crown to the lord, but there cannot be any such benefits that a Mahaswamigal can achieve.. Strange are his ways, it is not for normal people like to qualify what he did.
Cho recalls such an incident in his enge brahmanan – when he is a little suspect of one of Mahaperiyavals actions and thinks to himself as to why would the swamiji say that – After he meets the swamiji, HH mahaswamigal smiles at cho and actually tells him why he did such a thing…arent we mere mortals as compared to a mahan who has spent all his life on panchaksharam and other mantras??
With offense to none,
Raghavendra
Dear Raghavendraji and other friends of the 4B group,
Radhe Krishna!
I am afraid we are deviating from the main point. We should not leave the head and catch the tail (?) as the Tamil proverb goes. Again I am repeating to you that I am NOT criticising what Mahaperiyaval did. I am too small to criticise the actions of Mahaperiyaval, who might have had his own reasons. Kindly stop banking on that, as I too respect him as a “Walking God”, “Nadamaadum deivam”. I am only thinking of the millions of Rupees that are being spent for such extravavaganza on Ratna Kireetams and Swarna Kireetams which could feed millions of poor people’s mouths. I quoted to you, the example my own family has set by giving whatever little it could be, to alleviate the woes of the poor, and are also down-trodden by our own so-called Caste Hindus. Most of the caste Hindus are not Brahmanas even by birth or actions, but they are simply haters of the lower classes. We see this everyday in the papers, happening in Orissa, UP, Bihar, etc.
I do Moola Parayanams of Bhagavatam, Narayaneeyam, Valmiki Ramayanams, etc., and group Parayanams like the Bhagavata Sapthaha Satakratu etc., which do not cost millions of rupees. I also contribute my mite to such functions, as they cost some money, but not millions. For information, when the Bhagavata Sapthaha Satakratu came to a conclusion on 13th May 2000 at Guruvayoor where I was a participant, when we were asked by Muralidhara Swamikal to go and take the Apabhruta Snanam in the Rudra Theertham at Guruvayoor, suddenly we could see black clouds gathering from nowhere, and it rained in torrents for the next half hour. The most unexpected rain, and off-seasonal. And then it did not rain till the monsoon set in in the month of June. Was it by Varuna yajnam or offering Ratna Kireetam to Guruvayoorappan?
Bhakti should be in the mind. NO GOD HAS EVER ASKED FOR DIAMOND DIADEMS TO PROTECT THE POOR. The lord has only said ” PATRAM, PUSHPAM, PHALAM, THOYAM, YO MEY BHAKTYA PRAYACCHATI, TAD AHAM BHAKTHYUPAHRUTAM ASNAMI PRAYATATMANAH.”—-He never said, “YO RATNA-KIREETAM VA SWARNAKIREETAM VA VINA BHAKTYA PRAYACCHATI !!!”
Let us, for a change, go back to Bhagavatam where Lord krishna Himself, seeing the preparations being made by His own father Nandagopa and others, to conduct the Yajnam to Indra for ensuring proper rainfall, weaned them against the ritual, and made them perform worship of the Govardhana Mountain!
Kindly dont misinterpret the main point. The topic of discussion was that the Hindu Culture was being stolen by other religions, and many Hindus are being converted to other religions. My point was that we are ourselves partly, if not fully, responsible for this sorry state of affairs. Although heads of religious heads do something to protect the poor, these conversions show that what is being done, is not enough. And instead of Hindus spending millions for making Diamond diadems for balaji and weigh themselves against gold in Tulabharams at Guruvayoor, the Lord will be more pleased if the poor are taken care of.
(The chief of one of the Builders’ organisations in Bangalore weighed himself at my favourite Lord Guruvayoorappan’s temple against 75 kgs of Gold = 75X1000X 1300= Rs. 9.75 crores. The chap at the same time, refused to take care of one of his own contract labourer who fell from the scaffolding and broke his back! Can you beat that? And we spill crocodile tears that Guruvayoor and Tirupati funds are being diverted to Muslim pilgrims who go to Mecca!
I feel I have said enough, and I do not like to continue the discussion further, if my simple argument is not understood properly. The only answer is, “let us continue in the same rut as we are, until the Lord Himself comes to our rescue.!”
Let Lord Guruvayoorappan and Tirupati Venkatachalapathy divert noble thoughts into our minds! “ANO BHADRAH KRATAVAH YANTHU VISWATAH!”.
Love
KVG.