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Written by Sri Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
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[In the chapter entitled, "Sesame and Water: Where do They Go?", the
Paramaguru spoke of the debt to be paid to our fathers, our duty to
worship Paramesvara as well as to feed the creatures of the earth. He
stated that Tiruvalluvar also spoke of the same dharma in his "Kural":
"Tenpulattar deivam, virundu, okkal tan enru angu aimbulattaru ombal
talai."]
Here (in the foregoing quotation)is one good proof that Tiruvalluvar
respected the authority of the Vedas. Some suggest that he did not
belong to the Vedic religion and that he was a Jaina or a Buddhist. And
some claim that he transcended all religions. It is also suggested that
he
openly condemned sacrifices in which animals are killed. In support of
their view they quote a stanza from the Kural.
[The Paramaguru's comment on the Kural passage is contained in Chapter
23, Part Five.]
Tiruvalluvar who composed his Kural, with its universal appeal, was not
an atheist opposed to the Vedic dharma. What he refers to as virundu is
the same as the Vedic manusyayajna.
Every morning a handful of rice (uncooked) must be set apart for the
poor. All the families must do this without fail every day. The rice
thus
kept must be collected from house to house, from quarter to quarter,
cooked offered to the deity of the local temple as naivedya and then
distributed among the poor. With the handful of rice set apart for the
poor, keep just one paisa also. The paisa collected from each family
would be sufficient to buy salt, chilli powder, etc, to mix with the
rice to
make it more palatable. It would also serve to buy firewood and to pay
the rent for the vessels. To carry out such a scheme is to do a great
service to the poor - and to the Lord. Charity like this should
encourage
temple going, not to speak of devotion. Since the food is first offered
as
naivedya, it would mean that the poor will take it as prasada which will
impart them inner purity.
Annadan or the gift of food is one kind of service of paropakara. We
talk
of service to the poor, social service and so on. Today all this is done
with
much fanfare and publicity. In the past the needy were served naturally,
without making any noise. Service comes under "purta- dharma" and it
includes digging wells and ponds for the public, feeding the poor,
building
temples for the spiritual wellbeing
of people, laying our gardens.
Excavating wells and ponds has been mentioned first. The importance of
this word may be gauged from such remarks in ordinary conversation:
"What’s he doing? Digging a well or something?"It is extremely
meritorious to excavate pond outside the village to slake the thirst of
cattle. All the people in a village must join together without the
distinction of poor and rich, high or low - work involving physical
effort. It
will incidentally contribute to greater social harmony.
With education we purify our intelligence, with meditation we cleanse
our mind, with sloka or poetry we clarify our speech. How do we purify
our body? By exerting ourselves in the service of others. As we keep
serving people in this way we will obtain inward purity. When all take
part in the work of digging a pond or well, without any differences,
without one man feeling superior to another or inferior to him, our ego
too will be dug away. More important than the water welling up in the
pond is the love welling up from our hearts. No outward show is needed
in social service; we must not make an exhibition of our work. Collect
pieces of glass scattered on the footpath and keep them away in a safe
place; even this service to people and a means of cleansing ourselves.
We
must try to please the Lord with the very hands and feet that he has
given
us - we must do so by serving others and by looking upon all as himself. |
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