Kama can refer to "desire, wish, or longing". The concept of kama is found in some of the earliest known verses in the Vedas. For example, Book 10 of the Rig Veda describes the creation of the universe from nothing by the great heat. In hymn 129 (RV 10.129.4) it states:
कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः परथमं यदासीत | सतो बन्धुमसति निरविन्दन हर्दि परतीष्याकवयो मनीषा ||[14] Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire the primal seed and germ of Spirit, Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.— Rig Veda, The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest Upanishads of Hinduism, uses the term kama, also in a broader sense, to refer to any desire: Man consists of desire (kama), As his desire is, so is his determination, As his determination is, so is his deed, Whatever his deed is, that he attains. — Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Ancient Indian literature such as the Epics, which followed the Upanishads, develop and explain the concept of kama together with Artha and Dharma. The Mahabharata, for example, provides one of the expansive definitions of kama. The Epic describes kama to be any agreeable and desirable experience (pleasure) generated by the interaction of one or more of the five senses with anything associated with that sense, and whilst in harmony with the other goals of human life (dharma, artha and moksha). Kama is often used to refer to kamana (desire, longing or appetite). Kama, however, is more than kamana. Kama includes desire, wish, longing, emotional connection, love, appreciation, pleasure, and enjoyment. K Rajaram IRS 61124 On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 at 11:14, venkat giri <[email protected]> wrote: > *Respected sir/s,* > > * SUBJECT:* MATERILISTIC COMFORTS.. KANCHI PERIVAA...” 'What > Life Has Taught Me” > > Rarely do saints like our Paramacharya talk about themselves. > But he did so and what he said was marked by 'VINAYA', humility of which he > is never tired of speaking. Said the Acharya: > > *"God has created some souls to live for others only”* > > *विद्यां ददाति विनयं**,* > > *विनयाद् याति पात्रताम् ।* > > *पात्रत्वात् धनमाप्नोति**,* > > *धनात् धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥* > > *It means “**Knowledge makes one humble,* *H**umility begets worthiness, > worthiness creates wealth and enrichment**,** Enrichment** leads to right > conduct, and **R**ight **C**onduct ushers in **COMTENTMENT.**”* > > * The first two experiences remembered as having > occurred in the third or fourth year of my life, are dreadful to think, as > they were interwoven with temptation, a greed avarice* *(**பேராசை**), > deceit, groaning, loss, lamentation and the likes.* > > * A 'mara naai' * *மரநாய்* *as they call it in Tamil or **teddy cat (an > animal which generally climbs on trees and destroys the fruits during > nights) somehow got into a room in the house and thrust its head into a > small copper pot **containing **jaggery**. **The animal was not able to > pull out its head and was running here and there in the room all through > the right with its head stuck in the pot.* > > * People in the house and neighbours were aroused by > the noise and **thought that some thief was at his job. But, the > incessant noise **continued even till morning**,** and **some bravados > armed with sticks opened the door of the room and found the **greedy** > animal. It was then roped and tied to a pillar. Some experienced men were > brought and after being engaged in a tug-of-war, they ultimately succeeded > in removing the vessel from the head of the animal. The animal was > struggling for life. It was at last taken to some spot and set free. The > first experience of my life was this dreadful demonstration born of **greed > **causing all our neighbours to spend an anxious and sleepless night.* > > * The next experience relates to a **MAN** in the street > who **entered the house seeing me alone with tiny golden bangles upon > which he began to lay his hands. I asked him to tighten the hooks of the > bangles which had become loose and gave a Pre-remptory and authoritative > direction to him to bring them back repaired without delay.* > > * The man took my orders most **obediently and took leave of me > with the golden booty. In a glee of having arranged for repairs of my > ornament, I sped to inform my people inside about the arrangement made by > me with the man of the street who gave his name as PONNUSWAMI; hurried to > the street to find the **culprit.* *But the booty had become his property > true to his assumed name, **PONNUSWAMI (master of gold).* > > * These two experiences at a tender innocent > age **are recurring successively in some form or other even at this > tottering age, nearing seventy, reminding me of being liable to be duped or > eagerness to get by some short cut some **MATERIA**L GAIN.* > > * In an attempt to judge the **objective world**, with this kind of > selfishness and **superficiality of mine* *which has rightly earned me > the **reputation** of being a **CLEVER SWAMI, I am **compelled** to > conclude that THERE **LIVES* *NONE* *without **predominantly **selfish > motives.* > > *But with **years passing b**y, an IMPRESSION, **superficial** > one **true to my nature**, DAWNED **on me that there are “**BREATHS”* */* > *some > souls* *on this globe firmly rooted in MORALS & ETHICS * > > *“Who live exclusively for others voluntarily **forsaking** not only > their material gains and comforts** “* > > *but also their own **SADHANA** towards their spiritual improvements.* > > * Further the revered Acharya went on narrating ….* > > *In** the beginning of the year 1907, when I was studying in a > Christian Mission School at Tindivanam, **I heard one day that the then > Sankaracharya of Kamakoti Peetam; attained siddhi at Kalavai, a village > about 10 miles from Arcot and 25 miles from Kanchipuram. Information was > also received that a maternal cousin of mine who, after some study in Rig > Veda, had joined the camp of the Acharya offering his services to him, was > installed on the Peetam. The erstwhile PITADIPATHI was the only son of the > widowed and destitute sister of my mother and there was not a soul in the > camp to console her. At this juncture, my father who was a Supervisor of > Schools in the Tindivanam Taluk planned to proceed with his family to > Kalavai, some 60 miles from Tindivanam in his own bullock cart. But on > account of an educational conference at Tiruchchirappalli, he cancelled the > programme.* > > * My mother with myself and other children started for > Kalavai to console her sister on her son assuming the Sannyasa Ashrama. We > travelled by rail to Kanchipuram, and halted at the Sankaracharya Mutt > there. I had my ablutions at the Kumara Koshta Theertha. A carriage of the > Mutt has come there from Kalavai with persons to buy articles for the Maha > Pooja on the 10th day after the passing away of the late Acharya > Paramaguru. But one of them, a hereditary maistri of Mutt, asked me to > accompany him. A separate cart was engaged for the rest of the family to > follow me.* > > * During our journey, the maistri hinted to spend that night and not > return home lest, that the rest of my life might have to be spent in the > Mutt itself. **At first I thought that my elder cousin having become the > Head of the Mutt, **it might have been his wish that I was to live with > him**. I was then only 13 years of age and so I wondered as to what use I > might be to him in the mutt.* > > * But the maistri gradually began to clarify as miles > rolled on, that the Acharya, my cousin in the Poorvashram, had fever which > developed into **delirium** (**Delirium is a mental state of confusion > that can affect a person's awareness, thinking, judgment, behavior, and > sleeping patterns**). It could be caused by a number of things, and **that > was why I was being separated from the family to be quickly taken to > Kalavai**. He told me that he was commissioned to go to Tindivanam and > fetch me, but he was able to meet me at Kanchipuram itself**. I was > stunned by this unexpected turn of events. **I kneeled in the cart > itself, shocked at the turn of events;* *repeating RAMA RAMA, the only > spiritual prayer I knew, during the rest of the journey.* > > * My mother and the other children some time later only > **came > to know this. Instead of her mission of consoling her sister, she herself > was placed in the state of having to be consoled by someone else.* > > *My robes of Sannyasa were not the result of any renunciation on my part, > nor had I the advantage of living under a Guru for any length of time. From > the very FIRST DAY of SANYASA, I was deprived of all the comforts and had > to assume **reluctantly** responsibilities of the gorgeous court.* > > * But, it so happened that **Tummuluru Rama > Krishnayya** and **Adayapalam Pasupati Iyer** both of them serving in the > District Court of South Arcot and ardent disciples of my Gurus, were there > in Kalavai when I took **SANNASA ASHRAMA.** Later, it became clear that > they were assigned to mould me at my young age.* > > * Ramakrishnayya being burdened with family issues, it fell > upon Pasupati to engage me in solitary meditation and reading Vedanta > Prakaranas of Treatises of Sri Sankaracharya. Pasupati, retired from > Government service; soon after my ascending the PEETAM** lived with me > always, watching carefully my every action, speech and twinkling of the > eye. He even curtailed his mediation in order to devote some time to the > supervision of the secular administration of the Mutt.* > > * He would meet me in private periodically, point out every > weakness he had observed during the intervening period and **implore / > cajole me to heed to his suggestion to overcome them. When he was very > harsh at me, he would tell me that for all these **APARDHAS **he was > committing, **he would make **amends** when I **grew up as a full-fledged > saint.* > > * He used to persuade everyday every friend of his to turn his > mind to self-introspection and would argue with him freely as to what > permanent values he had gained by being materialistic and would bluntly > point out to every one of them his points of weakness and ask him to ponder > whether the remedies contained in the Upanishads and Sankara's Prakaranas > might not be given a trial.* > > * He would meet even unacquainted persons in the street and > enquire into their worries and woes and would succeed in transforming them > into true devotees of God, true followers of Vedanta and true sishyas of * > *SANKARA**.* > > * He sat close by me while partaking in my Sankara Bhashya **PATA > till 1926, or a period of 18 years. He lived for my sake in Kumbhakonam > notorious for its mosquitoes and elephantiasis and became a victim of > filariasis and fever. Nevertheless, he would not leave me. INSPITE of the > fact that he was bed-ridden in his house at Cuddalore for some months, I > was received in Cuddalore in the course of my tour and when my procession > was going on in the town, he patted the Mutt elephant and He breathed his > last the same night.* > > * His life was with intense love for others without the least reaction > of fear or favour.* > > *On tour to TIRUCHCHIRAPALLI District in 1923, I > halted at a village when I heard a girl of about **12 yrs**; admonishing > her younger brother for having uttered a LIE Her advocacy of truth and > her love for her brother which prompted her to see that he was not spoiled > far.. surpassed… a **saint's direction**.* *I cannot forget this incident > after the lapse of so many years.* > > * When touring in Kerala, I happened to camp in a public > halting place **where in one room some elderly Namboodri Brahmins were > talking together. One of them opened his Puja box in order to begin his > Puja, yet took part in the gossip. He realized his mistake later, and then > turned his attention to the Puja, but his inner consciousness did not allow > him to perform the Puja that day.* > > *This incident which is still fresh in my memory; spells the need for > honesty of purpose in one's own religious pursuits.* > > * In 1929, I met a Sannyasi in a border village of North Arcot. He knew > neither Tamil nor Telugu. He knew only Marathi and Hindi. He told us that > he travelled to Rameswaram by Mail and lost his danda during the journey. **He > fasted till the taking of a new danda**. **He was duly given a > consecrated danda. From that time he regarded me as his guru, because I > saved his Ashrama Dharma. He was then more than 80 years old. Soon after he > joined us during the Chaturmasya of 1929; I was laid up with malaria fever > for about 40 days. Till then none was in the habit of touching me. But then > I was not able to stand or walk without help. This old man, being a > Sannyasi, took upon himself the duty of serving me. He was a very short > tempered man. His voice was authoritative. He was dread to all in the > vicinity. He had been in the Revenue Department in the Dewas State in > Central India. Neither Nanasaheb nor Jhansi Rani Could complete with him in > his authoritativeness.* > > * On no day would he fail to do Puja to my feet and none would > **DARE** him stopping this. Tears would roll down his cheek during this > Puja.* > > * Once in Kanchi, a relative of his, who had been on > yatra, came to me and after talking to him returned to me and took me to > task. He expressed wonder how I could be so cold without the least > reciprocity towards one, nearing the 100th year, who regarded me as his > sole spiritual refuge high above any God. My natural superficiality did not > **react** to his admonition. **Once we had been to Tirupati. The aged > Swami was in our camp. I went up the hill to worship BALAJI. Just as I was > returning from the temple after darshan, the aged Sannyasi who had managed > to arrive at the top of the hill confronted us. The temple authorities, in > deference to his old age, Ashrama and connection with out Mutt, offered to > arrange for his darshan. He fell at my feet and exclaimed: for me "This > is BALAJI” Pardon me. I cannot accept your offer". He returned without > Balaji's darshan.* > > * I came into contact with two other persons; both of them > quite in contrast with this age old Swami. They were not acquainted with > each other. They were full of ecstasy in the adoring my **PADA,** > absorbed in thought of me all day and night, which gave them immeasurable > strength to bear any calamity or temptation. But when they came to know of > my shortcomings and natural unsteadiness, not only did they discontinue > their worship of my **PADA; **but also did their best to prevent anyone > from gaining access to me, since they thought that adoration of my feet by > devotees contributed in a degree to my limitation. They too renounced all > other responsibilities of their life and resolved to spend the rest of > their life in either entreating or imploring me or being engaged in > austerities and prayers for my correction. * > > *LIFE has taught me only this**.* > > *"God has created some souls to live for others only."* > > *--------* > > *SOURCE**: BHAVAN’S JOURNAL.* > > *When > this article appeared in the **'Bhavan's journal',* *RAJAJI **was > the first to congratulate us on **securing** an article of this kind from > His Holiness**.* > > *Regards* > > *V.Sridharan* > > *Trichy* > *PS: Respected friends, kindly pardon me for this long unwinding post. > ....As I my conscious did not PERMIT to curtail!!!!* > > > On Wednesday 6 November, 2024 at 04:23:21 am IST, Jambunathan Iyer < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > Desire is like an unquenchable fire which consumes everything cast into > it. It is not content with the available comforts but continues to expand > its search for more and more. You can see this discontent and the resultant > crimes in Earth. > > Smart people who live have started realizing that sacrifice of material > comforts can alone lead to mental peace. So they have started turning > their attention towards Yoga, meditation, and devotional songs. > > – Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal > N Jambunathan Rengarajapuram-Kodambakkam-Chennai-Mob:9176159004 > > *" What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you > become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a happy life, tie it to > a goal, not to people or things "* > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZor%2BugD-UDdKP3FNY2XprDV-eabiJUCEJUPuNfp79gok3Q%40mail.gmail.com.
