Oh My God! Episode 11

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

OH MY GOD!

A Series By Varalotti Rengasamy

Episode 11

There were more than three hundred people assembled in the community hall in Nanganallur. Arvind, Yamini Janaki and another lady by name Padma were seated on the dais.

It was the fourth anniversary of WomenWorldWide.com. Padma, a fifty-year old Officer in a Public Sector Bank, had organized that meeting. She had expected an attendance of about fifty to seventy-five people because the meeting was early in the evening on a working day.

She had posted the announcement only that morning. Even then more than three hundred people had come. In spite of her best efforts she could not provide seats for all. The women did not mind standing in the periphery. They treated Arvind and Yamini as if they were celebrities.

There were also a few men scattered among the audience. Yamini was not sure whether they were members in their own capacity or had just escorted their wives to the meeting.

A few members including Padma spoke high about the community and about the efforts put in by the moderators like Janaki and Bala. They did not fail to mention KG’s religious forum which was now amongst the most popular ones in the site.
Arvind did not want to talk at the meeting.

In fact he did not even want to sit on the dais with Yamini. But Yamini had threatened that either they both sit or none sits. Yamini thanked the lady who organized the meeting praised the work of her moderators and briefly indicated the future plans she had for the community. The meeting ought to have ended at that point. But then a hand shot up from the audience.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

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Part 2
“Yes… do you have any questions?” – Yamini asked.

A person in his early sixties stood up. The religious symbol on his face was quite prominent.

“Who’s this KG who writes all the rubbish about our religion?”

Yamini got worked up and was about to blast the person. But Arvind pre-empted her move.

“I am, Sir. My name is Arvind. My father’s name is KG. K.Gopalan. Yes, I do write in the religious forum in my father’s name.”

“Young man, how dare you deface and defile our holy tradition? Looks like you know all the right stories which have been handed over from a Master to his disciple for the past several hundred years.

“You should have come across these rare stories by stealth. You write on the hidden meanings of the Azhwar’s works as if you have properly studied them. Why are you so presumptuous? What qualification do you have to write about these stories and those rare meanings?”

Yamini was furious. But Arvind pacified her. He started to respond to the man; but the questioner would not listen.

“And what qualifications do these ladies have to know about these stories? Does not our tradition dictate that these stories and songs should not be taught to people who are not fit for them, the anadhikaris, as our sasthras say?

“You even seem to preach the Thirumanthiram to these ladies, something that has been forbidden to ladies all these years?”

“With due respects to your age and scholarship, let me request you to confine the discussion to my qualifications to write. It’s not fair to drag in these ladies.”

“Don’t you know that the ladies are clearly forbidden from knowing the hidden meaning of the scriptures?”

Yamini was stunned. ‘How can he make a statement like that in a hall full of ladies!’ The old man continued.

“Don’t you know that in our tradition we don’t even teach the Pranavam, the <st1lace w:st="on">Om</st1lace> sound to the ladies? Even when they take up the samasrayanam the ladies are asked to utter Am Namo Narayanaya instead of the usual Thirumanthiram?”

“I have heard my father telling about that, Sir. That’s a sad state of affairs and reflects very poorly on us, men. And mind you sir, these chauvinistic practices are not sanctioned by any of the scriptures.”

“How do you say that?”

“In one of the principal Upanishads the teacher says as an interlude, “If there are any pregnant women in the audience, they may please stay away for a while.”

“That only proves my point.”

“No, Sir. The teacher was discussing an intricate issue. Out of his loving concern for pregnant ladies the kind teacher might not have wanted them to strain themselves on that issue. If he had chauvinistic tendencies then he would have told “All women go out.”

“The mere fact that he had requested pregnant women to go out proves beyond doubt that women were already there in the audience.”

“But then..”

“I need not tell you that one of the 12 Azhwars was a women, Andal. And if you are doing the Thiruvaradhanam, your daily pooja, as ordained by Sri Ramanujar then you should be chanting at least two songs from Thiruppavai, composed by Andal.

“And Ramanujar has laid down that when we bless somebody we should chant the third paasuram in Thiruppavai. You mean to say Andal is inferior to us? Looks like if the God comes to your place with his wife Mahalakhsmi, then you will admit God in but will make the Holy Mother stand outside.”

“You still..”

“LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT THE LADIES ANY MORE. UNDERSTAND?”

Even Yamini was taken aback by Arvind’s outburst.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 3

Nobody spoke for a while.

“Sorry, Sir. Sorry, everybody.”

The old man was still standing.

“Sir, as to my qualification, I owe it to by father, the one and only, KG. I learnt everything from his scrapbooks. Materials he collected over a life time. In every other page my father – blessed always be his soul – has written ‘The desire to know is the only qualification’. Ichaiye athikaram.”

“Don’t you know, young man, that those things cannot be taught to those who have not accepted our religion completely, by wearing the symbols and all ?”

“I don’t know that, Sir. But I know this. That simply because somebody wears the symbols it does not mean that he has the love that those symbols represent. Isn’t it obvious, Sir?”

Arvind’s stress on the word obvious ignited a round of fiery applause.

“It is not for nothing that our elders have said that in Kali Yuga all our noble tradition would go to dogs.”

“Precisely to avoid that danger I am entrusting our tradition to these women. Do you know that we have more than a hundred and twenty thousand members and we have more than 75000 young mothers?

“When these young mothers read those stories they are sure to pass on the tradition to their children. As to our tradition going to dogs, I don’t think any member of the canine species is a member of our community at present. Do you, Yamini?”

There was another round of applause.

The old man felt defeated. He was now trying to salvage his reputation by exhibiting his knowledge and exposing Arvind’s ignorance.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 4

“Presumptuous young man, let me ask you a simple question on our tradition. If you can answer it.. well.. I will accept your learning and let you write about our tradition.”

“Sir, with due respects to your erudition and your authority in these matters, we do not require your permission to write on religion. If you find that I have erred on the question of fact you are most welcome to correct me any time.

“I have not even been properly ordained in our tradition. Whatever I know is my dear father’s gift. So it is better we just stay away from challenges and arguments.”

“I want to test your knowledge. I want to know whether you are the right person to write about our hoary tradition.”

“But.. Sir… I don’t know…”

“Why don’t you indulge an old man?”

“If you insist, Sir. I will try my best to answer your question.”

“Ok. You know that there are several branches in the Srivaishnava tradition.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“In one branch they say that when you prostrate before God you will have to do it several times. In another branch they say
it is enough if you prostrate once. Which do you think is right?”

Arvind’s eyes became full with tears. Yamini noticed it and ran up to him. “You need not answer it, my dear. I’ll throw that idiot out of the hall. I don’t need anybody. I will do it with my own hands.”

If only Arvind had accidentally winked his eyes Yamini would have made a mincemeat of that old man.

“No need for that Yamini. In one of his scrap books KG has discussed this point beautifully. And I read it only yesterday. I am simply bowled over by His grace in making the old man ask a question exactly on this point.”
Arvind whispered to Yamini. Yamini returned to her seat. Arvind now talked to the old man in a soft, yet majestic voice.

“To prostrate before God is an act of overflowing love. How can that be wrong, Sir? I would say both are right.”

“Come on, explain.”

“One branch sees the omnipotence, omniscience and the omnipresence of God. They realize that before such a Great God we are not even a speck of dust. And to such a Great God, even if we prostrate a million times, it will not be enough. So they symbolically do it 4, 8 or 16 times.”

“But then do you say that the other branch do not respect God’s omnipotence, omnipresence etc?”

“No sir, they do. But they see another aspect of God. His immeasurable, unimaginable love for us. To them the God is so full of love that even to prostrate once before him is unnecessary. Still they do it once because they can’t forget his glory. None of them are wrong. And the good God sitting above accepts both the forms of worship.

“The first group is overwhelmed by their love for God whereas the second, by God’s love for them. That in essence is the difference.”

The audience gave a standing ovation.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 5

Janaki went up the podium to propose a vote of thanks.

“I am sure all of you ladies will not want to end the meeting in a bitter note. Before I start to thank everyone responsible for the meeting let me share a story with you”

The person who had questioned Arvind had slipped out of the hall when Arvind was being given a standing ovation.

“To me that person seems to be a nice man but for his pride. That’s why I am going to tell a story on pride, which my Guru KG Sir sent to me a few months ago. His words were simple, yet powerful that at my age I am able to remember most of them. I am going to tell the story in KG’s own words.”

Janaki could not bring herself to call Arvind by any name other than KG.

The ladies were quite eager to listen to the story. The silence was so deep that even heart beats were audible.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 6

Nampillai is one of the greatest commentators of Nammazhwar. Nampillai’s commentary on the 1102 songs written by the Azhwar is considered to be the most comprehensive, the most emotional and the most authoritative.

Nampillai was a disciple of Nanjeeyar who in turn was the disciple of Parasarar, son of Koorathazhwar.

At the time this incident happened Nampillai should have been 25 years old and his teacher, Nanjeeyar should have been in his early fifties.

One day when Nanjeeyar was alone in his room a person by name Pillaiathan approached him. He was about forty years old. He prostrated at the feet of Nanjeeyar and asked him to teach any one padhikam (a set of eleven songs) of Thiruvaimozhi.

The Thiruvaimozhi written by Nammazhwar has 100 padhikams.

Nanjeeyar was busy with some writing work.

So he told Pillaiathan,

“I am a little busy now. The best person to teach you Thiruvaimozhi is my disciple Nampillai. Go to him.”

“But Swami, there is a delicate problem in that.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Our sasthras dictate that a student should prostrate at the feet of his master. You see I am a forty year old man. I can fall at your feet because you are a sanyasi and you are older than me. But Nampillai is much younger to me. And he is a householder. How do you expect somebody of my stature to fall at his feet?”

Nanjeeyar now knew where exactly the problem lied.

“That’s not an issue. Our sasthras allow us to waive that condition in exceptional cases. Your case appears to be quite exceptional. I will tell Nampillai not to expect the usual formality of the disciple falling at his Guru’s feet. You may start the classes from tomorrow.”

Pillaiathan went back happily.

Nanjeeyar called Nampillai and reported the conversation verbatim.

“My dear boy, Nampillai, as teachers we have a moral responsibility for the long-term welfare of our disciples. I have told you what is there in his mind. It is up to you to make him realize what is right and what is wrong. I am sure you will teach him without hurting him.”

“As you wish, Acharya.”

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 7

Next day Pillaiathan went to Nampillai’s house. Nampillai had already made the seating arrangements for the classes.
A seat was placed two steps above the ground level. Another seat was placed at the ground level.

Pillaiathan now knew the trick. He thought: ‘This boy is offended because I won’t prostrate before him. That’s why he has made a high seat for himself. What a pride! I should make it a point to tell this to Nanjeeyar.’

Nampillai came near Pillaiathan, took his hand in his and led him to the high seat. He made Pillaiathan sit there and he sat at the ground level.

That was probably the only one-to-one class in the whole world where the teacher sat at a lower level than his student.
If Pillaiathan was shocked he did not show. ‘What a nice boy! He has given me the proper seat respecting my age, erudition and my position in the society.’

A teacher’s role is not just to fan the ego of his student. Nampillai remembered his Guru’s words.

I have told you what is there in his mind. It is up to you to make him realize what is right and what is wrong. I am sure you will teach him without hurting him.”

The lessons started. Nampillai had cleverly chosen the 27<sup>th</sup> padhikam in which Nammazhwar talks about his love for the devotees of the Great Lord.

In the third song in that padhikam Nammazhwar melts;

The heaven and the earth always sing praises about the Great Lord, Sriman Narayana, the one who loves Tulsi leaves. The Lord has a shining golden disc about him and he is more than a father to me.
Many fall at the feet of that kind Lord. Even greater are those who fall at the feet of those who worship that Great Lord. And I am a slave to those who worship the devotees of our Lord. I am a slave to them not only in this birth, but all my births to follow.
[FONT=TSCu_Veeravel]
நாதனை ஞாலமும் வானமும் ஏத்தும் நறுந்துழாய்ப்[/FONT]
[FONT=TSCu_Veeravel]போதனை* பொன்னெடுஞ் சக்கரத்து எந்தைபிரான் தன்னை*[/FONT]
[FONT=TSCu_Veeravel]பாதம் பணிய வல்லாரைப் பணியும் அவர் கண்டீர்*[/FONT]
[FONT=TSCu_Veeravel]ஓதும் பிறப்பிடை தோறும் எம்மையாளுடையார்களே*[/FONT]

Even now Nampillai’s exposition of this padhikam is considered to be the best available to us. All the eleven songs in this padhikam talk about the love the Azhwar has for the devotees of his Lord.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 8

As Nampillai was quoting from the scriptures, from Ramayana, from many religious texts and emphasizing the importance of selfless love and the total absence of pride, Pillaiathan was transported to a different world.

He now realized his crime of refusing to prostrate at the feet of this great man. He started crying for what he had done.

He could not sit in the high chair any longer looking down on one of the greatest teachers of his time, of all times.

He stood up from his place.

Nampillai misunderstood the meaning of that gesture.

“I know Pillaiathan, that you are a true devotee of God. Now come and stand here facing East. Let me fall at your feet and get your blessings.”

As Nampillai prepared to prostrate at his feet, Pillaiathan prevented it with all his might.

“Swami, you are my Acharya. You have made me realize the dangers of pride. I had never known about this padhikam of Namazhwar. By deciding to teach me this, you have reformed me. Now please stand there. Let me fall at your feet. Please forgive me, Swami.”

Now it was Nampillai’s turn to block his move.

“Pillaiathan, my Guru, Nanjeeyar has clearly told me that you will not prostrate at my feet. I am a householder and I am younger to you.”

“Oh, Swami, please do not kill me with my own words.”

“No, Pillaiathan I wont let you worship me. It’s against the orders of my Gurudeva.”

“Ok, Swami. Then grant me a favour. Please come with me.”

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 9

Pillaiathan did not even wait for Nampillai’s answer. He grabbed him by his hand and walked out of the house. He virtually dragged Nampillai to Nanjeeyar’s place.

Nanjeeyar was taking classes at that time. There were more than fifty students in the class. Pillaiathan begged Nanjeeyar to stop teaching for a while. He then told him what had happened.

He fell at Nanjeeyar’s feet. He stood up and amidst tears begged him,

“Swami, please instruct your disciple Nampillai to accept me as his disciple. Please tell him that I am going to fall at his feet in your presence and that he should accept and bless me.”

Nanjeeyar was very happy with his disciple. He then nodded to Nampillai.

Pillaiathan then fell at Nampillai’s feet in the presence of Nanjeeyar and all the students in his class.

Nampillai lifted him up and hugged him.

Thereafter Pillaiathan learned the entire Thiruvaimozhi from Nampillai. At the beginning and at the end of every class he would fall at his young teacher’s feet.

varalotti · Jun 5, 2009

Part 10

“If only you had let me have my way, I would have torn him to pieces. I will find out if that person is a member in our site. I will ban him for ever.”

They were driving home in their Honda Accord. Yamini was fretting and fuming. Arvind placed his left hand on Yamini’s shoulders.

“Like that Rex this man is also our friend, Yamini.”

“How do you say that?”

“It’s only because Rex posted that stinker did Angel come to my protection. But for Rex we would not have known about that nice lady at all.

“This man appears to be a learned man. Our tradition is so vast that he could have asked me about a million things I don’t know. He chose to ask probably the only thing I know thanks to my father. I think God sent him our way.

“And thanks to him Janaki told the Nampillai story which I had totally forgotten. I was just wondering what story I should post this week. And that great man made Janaki remind me that wonderful story.

“The man is our greatest benefactor. Let’s leave him alone.”

Yamini looked at her handsome husband with all the love in the world.