kAmya karmas (was Re: [Advaita-l] Animal sacrifice)

[Abhishek RK]

Namaste,

Apologies for butting into this discussion. But could the members also
discuss Sankaracarya's words in sAdhana-pancakam:

vedo nityamadheetAm tadutitam karma svanushTheeyatAm|
teneSasya vidheeyatAm apaciti: kAmye matistyajyatAm||

Study the veda daily. Perform the duties enjoined in those vedas. Worship
Ishvara by doing so. Take your mind off those desirous actions.

Here does the AcArya ask us to reject kAmya karmas or to reject the desirous
thoughts in our mind? (I do not know sanskrit very well but am relying on a
translation here).

Also we must understand that not many actually perform the nitya-karmas as
Karthik pointed out. For instance I know that the vaidikas living in Mattur
and other places where shrouta practices are followed today have not heard
of Ganapati Homa, Chandi Homa etc. But even these homas are not kAmya karmas
as understood by the AcArya. But he was speaking of putrakameshThi,
agnisThomam etc. This is what I feel. The performance of such karmas only
gains puNya for us. But the non-performance of these does not result in
pApa.

There is a nice anecdote regarding this in "Sparks from a Divine Anvil"
wherein a person wanted to clarify with the AcArya candraSekhara bhArati
whether the accidental ommisions of rAmAyaNa pArAyaNa would not cause bad
effects. His Holiness replied it wouldn't but would result in the disciple
not obtaining the blessings of Sri Ramacandra. Then the disciple humbly
accepted that he could not do without such grace.

Regards,
Abhishek

--
bhava Sankara deSika me saraNam

sadASiva samArambham SankaracArya madhymam
asmadAcArya paryantam vande guru paramparam