AFTER AVANI AVITTAM JAPAM

Mohan,

This is an excellent photograph. The total brahminism - whatever that means - shows up on your face and the make-up. Sometimes one can justifiably be proud of being born a Palghat brahmin. It looks so very different from other communities, even brahmins elsewhere.

Sankaracharya said:

JANMAANAAM NARAJANMA DURLABHAM IDHAM PUMSTHWAMTHATHO VIPRATHA THASMATH VAIDHIKA DHARMAM AACHARA

It is rare to be born a man, and even there as a man and as a Brahmin. Therefore, uphold the Vaidheeka Dharma (the Code of Conduct prescribed by the Rishis. Primarily, the code asks us to be kind to all, generous to the needy and not to hurt anything in any manner to satisfy our personal wants or whims.

Sage Vyasa said:

AATMANI PRATHIKOOLANI PARESHU NA ACHARETH

Do not practise on another what you detest being practised by others on you.

Get going, and be as good a Brahmin as you can.

Appa

Man is a bundle of desires, Without desires he ceases to exist as a phenomenon, and is merged in Brahman, It is desire that keeps him distinct from Brahman, at least, so he imagines.

When desires are fulfilled, he rejoices and is happy. When they are not, he gets angry, frustrated, loses all tranqulity of the mind and becomes imbalanced, starts forgetting his goals and dutues and ends up as a failure. It is the realisation of this philosophy that is behinmd the KAMA AKARSHEETH MANYU AKARSHEETH MANTRA JAPA on Avani Avittam Day. Your mind reminds that it was the desires in you that prompted all your thoughts and actions, and not the Brahman, the life force in you which has no desires of any kind, and is always pure. Very subtly, the Rishis make you suggest to yourself the fault line in your existence as distinct from Brahman.

THE Gayathri japam, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS PHENOMENAL IN THE SENSE THAT YOU ATONE FOR WHATEVER SINS YOU COMMITTED DURING THE YEAR, BOTH ACTAS OF COMMISSION AND OMISSION

K.V.Narayanmurti

2. August 2012