SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Instruction 13
nAhUyath EkavachanAn mahA bhAgavathAn janAn ||
Simple explanation: parama bhAgavathas, great devotees, should not be called or identified in a disrespectful manner. Any bhAgavatha, whether one’s disciple, children, wife, parents, and of course all bhAgavathas, irrespective of their varNa, ASrama, as long as they have great devotion towards bhagavAn, they cannot be disrespected. One has to give great respect to such bhAgavathas. Even while conversing with them, we have to do it in a very respectful manner. We cannot do it casually like we talk to our friends or subordinates. One has to be very respectful and use the proper sampradhAya paribhAshA (the respectful way of conversing). For example, ANdAL nAchchiyAr explains in the first pAsuram of thiruppAvai. She says “selvach chiRumIrgAL”. Towards her gOpikA friends, she is addressing them as “selvach chiRumIrgAL” which is a very respectful way of addressing them. Even though they are gOpikAs, they all are friends of ANDAL nachchiyAr, she is still giving them great respect. This is the practice in our sampradhAyam. Irrespective of age, varNa, a bhAgavatha should be respected. We cannot address someone in a disrespectful manner just because they are younger to us or just because they are less knowledgeable than us. Everyone must be respected. Their devotion, and their great commitment to bhagavAn, is primarily to be observed. And based on that commitment, and devotion, one has to be given respect.
Video link: https://youtu.be/Jw_0N84eYE8?si=6-DsYgdlmhO1482b
Instruction 14
pUrvAnjalim vaishNavAnAm dhrushtamAthrE cha kArayEth ||
Simple explanation: As soon as we see vaishNavas, we must join our palms and salute them. This is known as anjali. Joining our palms and saluting others is an important action which each of us have to do whenever we see SrIvaishNavas. It is a mark of respect for them. The intent here is to show that we should not wait for the other person to perform the anjali first, so that we can return and respond to that. That means that we are expecting them to first honour us before we honour them. But as a SrIvaishNava, we must always rush to honour other SrIvaishNavas. We cannot wait for others to do anjali before we can respond to that. Also, it must be proper anjali. Both palms should be joined, and their hands should be placed right across their chest. When they perform anjali, they should have their hands or palms joined together and placed near their chest in a very respectful manner towards the other person. We see sometimes, person saluting others with one hand or sometimes they do anjali half-heartedly. If we do it half-heartedly or with single hand, those are not considered as proper honouring or respecting other SrIvaishNavas. All of these have to be considered in this.
To summarise, we have to perform anjali as soon we see SrIvaishNavas, we should not expect them to perform anjali first so that we can respond and we have to do it in a very thorough and prefect manner having the hands in anjali posture facing the other person, having them close to our chest. This anjali is glorified as the most respectful posture which can melt others, even bhagavAn.
Video link: https://youtu.be/8TjPGmHzAOM?si=XtbtP2NtN98W_8PW
Instruction 15
harErbhagavathO vishNO: vaishNavanAm cha sannidhau | pAdhau prasArya na vasEth kadhAchith amalAthmanAm ||
Simple explanation: In front of bhagavAn SrIman nArAyaNa and faultless SrIvaishNavas, we should not stretch our legs (feet) facing them. Usually in our culture, in general in sanAthana dharmam, stretching the feet or legs towards someone or touching someone with our feet or kicking someone with our feet is considered as a great insult. Hence, we should not do that towards bhagavAn and bhAgavathas. This one act is shown here, that is, stretching the feet. But this is upalakshaNam (sample) for many other acts. For example, in front of bhagavAn or bhAgavathas, we should not sit without their permission, instead we have to stand in front of them. We should not be indifferent towards them. That is, we should not be doing something as per our desire ignoring their presence. We should not be chit-chatting or gossiping or doing useless talks. We should not be missing out on essential identities such as having Urdhva puNdram, being respectful, being in the proper SrIvaishNava attire (clothes) and so on. All of this etiquette must be maintained in front of bhagavAn and bhAgavathas. For example, when someone goes to an office and there is a uniform, they wear that and cannot avoid it. Similarly, when we go to temples, when we go to see our AchAryas, or when we go to see uththama bhAgavathas, in such times we have to be dressed properly, we have to be very respectful towards them and offer praNAmams (obeisances) in front of them. So, there are so many vaishNava etiquette, basic conduct, which we have to follow. One among those is, showing our feet is considered very disrespectful and it must be avoided.
Video link: https://youtu.be/nVUgP3HZ3WY?si=TX8Kls5O-YhWc7AV
adiyEn vidhyA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading done by – vEnkatESa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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