SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Instruction 64
nAnarpithAntham harayE kadhAchith apibhakshayEth ||
Simple explanation: We should never consume food which is not offered to bhagavAn SrIman nArAyaNa. This is an important principle emphasised in many places. Whatever food we eat, it must be first offered to bhagavAn SrIman nArAyaNa and then we must consume that food as prasAdham. We should not just cook food for our own happiness and consume that food without offering it to bhagavAn. In SrI bhagavath gIthA third chapter 13th SlOkam, bhagavAn explains this concept saying “yagya SishtASina: santhO muchyanthE sarvakilbhishai: bhunjathE thE thvagham pApA yE pachanthyAthma kAraNAth” – ”those who consume food which is not offered to bhagavAn as part of yagya, such people are just consuming sin in every handful of food they consume.”
So this is a clear indication by bhagavAn and he says in that SlOkam that good and noble people will partake only the remnants of yagya. Here yagya refers to thiruvArAdhanam performed by SrIvaishNavas. As part of the thiruvArAdhanam we offer the bhOgam (food) and by bhagavAn’s acceptance it becomes prasAdham and then we consume that prasAdham. This is how we should eat anything.
However, It also implies that we must offer only what is ordained to be offered in SAsthram. One cannot offer prohibited food and say that they will consume that as prasAdham. That is prohibited. So, we must follow the proper procedure and offer what is allowed to be offered by us to bhagavAn and then consume that prasAdham. There are many examples in SAsthram that indicate this. For example, when thArA gives fruits as an offering to lakshmaNa directly, at that time lakshmaNa replies that without offering first to SrI rAmA he will not partake anything. So it was clearly refused by lakshmaNa.
Video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/S-_pUw6yM2I?si=prFVqiUgLyR3GSlx
Instruction 65
pushpa chandhana thAmbUla vasthrOdhaka palAdhikam |
nAnarpitham thu harayE kadhAchith apidhArayEth ||
Simple explanation: All items including flower, sandalwood paste, betel nuts and leaves, clothes, water, fruits, etc, should not be used for our purpose without offering it to bhagavAn, hari, SrIman nArAyaNa. This is similar to the previous instruction which talked about food but in this instruction, it includes everything else as well.
In bhagavath gIthA 9th chapter 27th SlOkam, krishNa says “yath karOshi yadhaSnAsi yajjuhOshi dhadhAsi yath | yath thapasyasi kaunthEya thath kurushva madharpaNam ||” – “whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever penance you do, whatever you give as charity, all of these, whatever it may be, first dedicate that to me, offer that to me and then you pursue that, you consume that, you use that”.
Everything belongs to bhagavAn. Hence we have to first offer that to bhagavAn and only then we have to accept that as his prasAdham. prasAdham not only means food items but also bhagavAn’s mercy. It may come in different ways. Hence everything we consume and use must be first offered to bhagavAn. We can even offer to the picture of bhagavAn or even mentally offer to bhagavAn. By offering to bhagavAn prior to consuming, the sins associated with them in various stages of production of those items will be eradicated and we will just accept that as prasAdham from bhagavAn.
Video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/AYebpZTZeIc?si=zRkDAr8uvZIDJWav
Instruction 66
sAdhanAnthara samprAptham arthakAmAdhi hEthunA |
ayAchithamapi prAptham na gruhNIyAth kadhAchana ||
Simple explanation: We should not accept money that was earned by greed or by dishonest ways even if we get it without asking for it.
Often we all need money to live in this world. But the money that we obtain should be acquired in proper ways. sAdhana means proper means. sAdhanAnthara means improper ways. If people earn money by stealing, or cheating others, or out of greed and then if they give that money to us we should not accept it because there is a price attached to everything that comes to us.
There are sins involved in earning money too. If we accept money which was earned through sinful means, then that money will hurt us. That sin which was committed while earning the money or the greed which was there while earning the money or the cheating which was done while earning the money, that will come and hurt and harm us. We have to be cautious of what money we accept from others. If money was acquired in an improper way, that should not be accepted by us. This is the reason why our pUrvAchAryas have often said that we should lead a very simple life with very basic necessities. When we have less needs, then we don’t need so much more money. If we simplify our lifestyle then we can avoid accepting money from others unnecessarily.
Video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/yjju3V6SGiM?si=2yHmtKPD1j4WgWes
adiyEn vidhyA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading done by – vEnkatESa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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