Miscellaneous - Religion   

Guide for good conduct

CHENNAI: The Supreme Being has endowed human beings with five sense organs and a mind capable of discrimination. This discerning capacity is meant to be applied to eschew that which distract one from progressing spiritually and follow those guidelines given by the scriptures and preceptors. And, in following both these prescriptions in the nature of dos and don’ts, the mind, speech and the body must act in unison.

In his discourse on the Tiruppavai of Andal, Sri M.V. Ananthapadmanabhachariar said Vedanta Desika in his Rahasyatrayasara had referred to Andal’s prescriptions in this hymn. Andal mentions both the dos and the don’ts of performing a vow during the Tamil month of Margazhi: “Singing the praise of the Lord who sleeps in the Milk-ocean, we shall abstain from milk and ghee, and bathe before dawn. We shall not line our eyes with collyrium, nor adorn our hair with flowers. Refraining from forbidden acts, avoiding evil tales, we shall give alms and charity in full measure, and pray for elevation of the spirit.”

Desika, while elaborating how a Prapanna —a spiritual seeker who has adopted surrender (Prapatti, Saranagati) to God as means to liberation — should conduct himself after performance of Prapatti, states six dos and don’ts.

Control of the senses is the foremost among them. He states that the objects of the senses are more dangerous than poison because poison will only kill the person who consumes it while the sensory objects will destroy one who even thinks of them. It needs reiterating that the root of human sorrows is desire for sensory gratification.

A Prapanna must constantly remember his preceptor as an expression of gratitude for facilitating his spiritual growth. Next, he must never indulge in self-glory however great he maybe, which is actually keeping the ego in check. Further, a Prapanna should be humble remembering he owes everything to God. He should recite the Mantra (Dvaya) everyday, which the preceptor imparted during Prapatti to reiterate his surrender and relationship to the Lord. Most important is service to devotees and never offending them for God will not pardon one who offends His devotees.

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