based on the vyakhyanam of Sri Periyavaccan Pillai
by Smt Sumithra Varadarajan

Paasuram-27(contd)

Before doing anything we all think twice. Is it really beneficial to us? Is there going to be some advantage for us because of the work we do? All our actions are based on the result and hence even while doing thiruvArAdanam or kainkaryam to bhagavan we expect something as the result of it. Even while helping others we see to that, that there will be some use from the other person later, else we never even look at the person crying for help. But the small tiny squirrel did Rama kainkaryam just for the sake of doing it and never thought about the result. The squirrel was a true Srivaishnava which did kainkaryam for the happiness of the bhagavan and for nothing else. Atleast in the case of the monkeys they were grateful to the lord for killing the arrogant king vAli, who was a terror to all of them and blessing them with a satvika king, sugreeva. But the squirrel had no such reason. And even after the construction, the squirrel is not going to get the lanka kingdom like vibheeshana. Still the squirrel did a non stopping kainkaryam("Dharmaprochitha kaitapa: says Srimad Bhagavatham). So this pure minded kainkaryam did surely attract chakravarthi thirumagan and he sent lakshmana to fetch the squirrel to him. Even when lakshmana tried to catch the squirrel, it still rushes out of his hands busy with its kainkaryam. But still lakshmana caught it and brought it to perumal, who with love kept the tiny creature on his lap and with pity massaged its body appreciating it for its wonderful tireless kainkaryam. He placed his fingers at the back of the squirrel and told it to stop the kainkaryam, as it has been too much strain already for the small squirrel. But by then the whole bridge had been constructed. Many people will join to do a kainkaryam but the base strength behind the kainkaryam will be just the tears of a true bhakthan who wishes for the kainkaryam to be done. Here though many big monkeys involved themselves in the kainkaryam still the small squirrel's part was an atmost essential thing to finish the construction quickly.

marangal pOl valiya nenja vanjanEn, nenju thannAl: Alwar now feels bad that he doesn't have the kainkarya buddhi like the squirrel. Instead he is hard at heart. Our mind is like a unmoving tree, so hard. Inspite of hearing about the kainkaryam of the squirrel without even a little bit of tiresome(salamilA anil), still our mind is hard that even now we don't get ready to do kainkaryam to the bhagavan, who is filled with krupai.

aranganArkku AtseiyAdhe aliyeththEn ayarginrEnE: Even after all these I still don't go and fall under the feet of the lord ranganatha and beg for his service. Others may think probably it is my svabhavam to laze out. But 'NO!'. When it comes to lowkika activities I am the most active person. I want to earn, live a lavish life but when it comes to bhagavat/ bhAgavata kainkaryam l become lazy and both physically and mentally tired. I claim myself to be very poor and physically weak when it comes to bhagavat vishayam and when it is lowkikam it is totally reversed, says alwar(All these suite us exactly but alwar is talking due to his naichyam). 'Anna pannagaluku agrakanyarAgi' says dasar(We are all so active when it comes to eating and drinking).

Thondaradipodi alwar in this prabhandam repeatedly talks about the importance of nAma sankeertanam and bhagavat/bhAgavata kainkaryams which alone can show us the path to the divine feet of emperuman in this gOra kali yugam. So let us all join to do what ever kainkaryam possible by us with the repeated chanting of the bhagavan nAma. When we say possible kainkaryam we shouldn't choose the minimum limit we should do kainkaryam like the squirrel without thinking of any of the consequences or results and do kainkaryam just for the sake of pleasing bhagavan. Bhagavan doesn't need our kainkaryam but then we will miss the joy of seeing his smiling face when we do kainkaryam with love(padiyai kidandhu vun pavala vAi kAnbEnE). So let us all pray to him to bestow us with his kainkaryam day in and day out and remove all ahankara mamakArams from our mind and make us all pure in thought, body and speech.