A quote from kAnchi periyavar

[Chelluri]

                                                    om

Ravi I still  dont understand why he refused to give thirtham to  a girl for
no fault of her, she lost her husband.

                                                              nagy
>From msr at reddy20.tamu.edu Sun Mar  8 12:13:45 1998
Message-Id: <SUN.8.MAR.1998.121345.0600.MSR at REDDY20.TAMU.EDU>
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 1998 12:13:45 -0600
Reply-To: Ravi Mayavaram <msr at reddy20.tamu.edu>
To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
From: Ravi Mayavaram <msr at REDDY20.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: A quote from  kAnchi periyavar
In-Reply-To: <698a05b3.35022829 at aol.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Sun, 8 Mar 1998, Chelluri wrote:

>                                                     om
>
> Ravi I still  dont understand why he refused to give thirtham to  a girl for
> no fault of her, she lost her husband.
>
>                                                               nagy
>
namaskAram

There may be many reasons. It is difficult to answer. You should ask
the AcharyA himself.  I dont know anything about the girl to give an
accurate answer to you. There are many beliefs in our tradition, for
many of us who have strayed away from it may not follow it and
rationalize based on the present way of living. But that is not
correct IMHO.

1) Our tradition requires widows to behave and dress in some manner.
Assuming that someone who does not believe that, but believes getting
tIrtam  in a temple is beneficial (which is again a belief  of our
tradition). There is a contradiction here. You can not believe things
just based on your convenience.

2) You and I may look at someone's well being from a very very short
term perspective. But a jnani is the one who really knows what is good
for someone.

3) For instance, if some Saint refuses to give me an audience or
tIrtam, from an outsider's point of view the svAmi may be
discriminating against me for no reason.  But I do know hundred
reasons for which I could be denied such a thing.(Many times I used to
think that if I meet Shirdi Sai Baba, first thing he will do is give
me a slap). In the case of that girl, there may be many reasons which
are totally unknown to you, but definitely known to a jnani who knows
the past, present, and the future.


That girl could have been denied for many reasons. I can only guess.
Were you present at that scene? or is it a second hand information? In
anycase you should ask this question when you visit kAnchi or other
maThams.


It may be disheartening and sad when you see a young girl becoming a
widow. But I wont say that is unreasonable. God is karma phala pradaa.
I will not agree that someone suffers for no fault of theirs. We all
reap what we sow. As long as we identify ourself with the body and
mind ( even if the tongues claim I am brahman, nothing is reborn etc
despite rest of the organs soaked in duality), one has go though the
cause and effect chain, enjoy and suffer based on our past karma.

I am sorry for not being able answer your question. My ignorance I
think needs no explanation ;-)

with respects,
Ravi