SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Instruction 28
sprushtvA samsAriNa: pUrvam vaishNavAnnathu samspruSEth ||
Simple explanation: After touching samAaris, materialistic people (avaishNavas), we should not touch SrIvaishNavas. Usually, we should not touch anyone because there may be impurity in us which may get transferred to the other person whom we touched or if that person is impure that will transfer to us by the touch. So, it is always better not to touch anyone. But here specifically it is said that after touching materialistic people we should not touch SrIvaishNavas. That is because materialistic people will not maintain internal purity. They may be externally pure as they will have taken bath, applied perfumes, but internally, they may not be pure. On the other hand, SrIvaishNavas would be always pure. So, if we touch materialistic people then we also become impure. Basically, by physical touch one’s purity gets disturbed if the other person is not pure. After becoming impure if we touch SrIvaishNavas then we cause that impurity to them also. So, we should be very careful not to touch SrIvaishNavas. We often see nowadays people shaking hands, embracing each other, patting on the shoulders, which are not required. As SrIvaishNavas, we must maintain dignity and we should respect others purity and not disturb that. Hence, we should not unnecessarily touch anyone. Here specifically it is talking about not touching vaishNavas after touching materialistic people.
Video link: https://youtu.be/srGLvYRz5rU?si=HUn7ftiv8TCCJm7j
Instruction 29
vaishNavAya dharidhrAya pUrvam vandhana kAriNE | anAdharANi kAryANi bhavEyu: pAthakAni vai ||
Simple explanation: If we remain indifferent and ignore a poor vaishNava who is offering obeisances to us, that is considered as a great sin. In general, it is said that whenever vaishNavas meet, they have to offer obeisance to each other. And it is also said that when two vaishNavas meet and offer obeisance to each other, bhagavAn remains in the middle. So a vaishNava whoever he may be as long as he is following the principles of SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam, and he/she considers bhagavAn to be the upAyam (means) and bhagavAn to be the upEyam (goal), if such person offers obeisances, we have to do the same and return the same respect to them. If we see the nature of the SrIvaishNava, that is – this person is poor, or not so famous, or doesn’t have a lot of influence, and based on that decide not to offer our obeisances to him then we commit great offense. That is because SrIvaishNavas are to be respected just for their nature of being a SrIvaishNava. We need not check any other qualities whether they are rich, or learned, or they are male or female, or if they are knowledgeable or not so knowledgeable. If they have that total faith in bhagavAn that bhagavAn is the upAyam and bhagavAn is the upEyam then they have to be considered as vaishNavas and we should respect them and offer our praNamams (obeisances) as well.
Video link: https://youtu.be/7VvLncuThnA?si=VkAJazEThwoiF8wB
Instruction 30
yathi praNamathE pUrvam dhAsOhamithi vaishNava: | anAdharANi kAryANi thasmin apachArO mahAn bhavEth ||
Simple explanation: When a vaishNava comes across us and says “adiyEn dhAsan”, “dhAsoham”, and when they offer obeisances, if we remain indifferent, or ignore that person, then it is a big offense. This instruction is an extension of previous point. Previously it was said that if a poor vaishNava offers obeisances and if you don’t reciprocate then it’s an offense. Here it says, it doesn’t matter whether it is a poor person or a rich person or whether it is a young person or old person. In some cases, there may be a young scholar who is only 20 years old and there may be another person who is 50 years old. If the 50 year old person sees the young scholar then he has to offer obeisances. Similarly, the young person may be a scholar but if he sees another SrIvaishNava then he has to offer obeisances. So here when a vaishNava comes across us and says “adiyEn dhAsan”, “dhAsoham”, and if they offer praNAmam (obeisances) to us, and if we remain indifferent and ignore that then it’s a big mistake because we have to treat vaishNavas with great respect. We have to think about them like bhagavAn himself. We must think about them like a big emperor. That is how we have to deal with vaishNavas. But if we remain indifferent and don’t offer obeisances to them then it’s a big offense. thirumangai AzhwAr says “madakkiLiyaik kai kUppi vaNanginALE” because the parrot which was raised by parakAla nAyaki was humbled and it was reciting bhagavAn’s divine names. parakAla nAyaki was worshipping her own parrot. So, such is the mood of our AzhwArs and AchAryas. We have to offer obeisances to all SrIvaishNavas, all bhAgavathas with great reverence.
Video link: https://youtu.be/xfyi3I-IYzg?si=NSV_ypQof9VceHe-
adiyEn vidhyA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading done by – vEnkatESa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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