Study of Vedas

[Ravisankar S. Mayavaram]

--- Vaidya Sundaram <Vaidya_sundaram at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>  The logical introspection that causes the removal of ignorance is
> done
> using the antahkarana. This antahkarana can have the strength and
> resources
> needed for such high level of reasoning only when it is totally pure;
> such
> purity comes only though the performance of karma. karma is bad.
> karma is
> dirty. but it the is the only means of removing the dross that covers
> the
> pure ... you don't use gold to clean a dirty gold vessel do you? you
> use
> dirt to remove it. karma is the THE only way.
>

vaidya

Probably you can express (what you intend to convey) in the above by
better words. Using your same analogy, if karma is like the soap then
upasana is like water. Just karma alone will lead one to blinding
darkness and the upasana alone will lead to even greater darkness. The
ignorant should use them both to overcome death and attain amRtattva.

It is best to follow the dharma what is enjoined on a person. But when
it is not possible - there are some alternatives. When I say, when it
is not possible, it may be due to different reasons.  Most important
reason is lack of mental/inner strength. Such a person, typically
covers up his/her inability by speaking lofty ideals.  On the contrary,
one's inability to do the enjoined karma should bring the spirit of
humility and realize one's kaarpaNyam. That leads to sharaNagati to
God. Essentially, what sharaNagati will do is, it will open up  oneself
and help receive  God's grace. Which in turn will give the necessary
strength to do the duty in future and the coming births.

Some of the other things we can follow is saamanya dharma. I understand
that perfection is saamanya dharma typically will come with
concurrent/simultaneous observance of visheshha dharma. But it is slow
and nonlinear process. One strengthens the other and it helps each
other.

Also changes will not be abrupt. This takes time. When Rama pointed out
the incorrectness in not doing maadhyAhniikam, i made a resolve that I
will try to do it.  I had made this resolve one year ago also. Now it
is on and off. I know it will take time. Because, I was a agnostic from
age 13 till 23*. Even though I was initiated to upanayana when I was
10. I stopped everything for all those years. In fact, I did not enter
a premise of temple during that time. I used to waste my time reading
books written by charlatans and hypocrites like Jiddu Krishnamurti.
But when I went by chance into Sri Meenakshi amman temple in 1991 as a
tourist, I came out as her bhakta. But to start the process and doing
sandhya etc. (just morning and evening) took me a good 5 to 6 years.
During those days, I used to spend 2 to 3 hours in the evening and
probably 30 minutes to 1 hours in the morning in prayer, but still I
will not do sandhya. I will meditate, chant shloka-s, etc. I was such a
stupid.  Also dur-vaasana-s do not die that easily.

Even now, other than sandhya and some basic devataaradhana, I do not do
any thing. Even in sandhya, I do only morning and evening regularly.
What I am trying to say is, this whole process of transformation is
very very slow (attn Ashish). I am confident, that in next 50 years I
am going to be on this earth, I will learn reasonable portions of my
shAkha.  But now, I am just learning to perfect my sandhya. The key
thing is sharaNagati to lord -- it is pretty effective. One can
understand and focus on God and one's dependence on God whatever he/she
is doing. And God will direct them to right course. There is nothing
more efficient than understanding what sharaNagati means and what its
consequences are.

I am sorry for babbling so much.  Dont hesitate to flame me. I have a
thick skin. But probably, I will not respond.


Ravi

* astrologically, my father later told me, that I was going through the
worst period. In fact I was getting confused reading books like JK
(whom I think is a charlatan) and others like Osho, Robert M pirsig and
so on. It was the peak of my raahu dasha raahu bhukti -- potentially I
could have gone mad :-)) But guru being in a strong position saved me.


=====
ambaaL daasan

Ravi

sharaNAgata raxakI nivEyani sadA ninnu nammiti mInAxI

http://www.ambaa.org/  http://www.advaita-vedanta.org

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