Compassion
(Spiritual Wisdom for Social Transformation) Abstract Today, all over the world corporate fraud, violence, intolerance, jealousy, revenge, and brutal killings take place. Materialistic thought, selfishness and terrorism do worry to all the leading corporate companies and the business world. People believe that the strength of the life lies with the wealth and fame. Outward thinking of this worldly life leads to total lack of conscience or moral bankruptcy. This requires an outside – in approach. To create virtue based society and organizational leadership, nurturing of spiritual wisdom among the youngsters is the need of the hour. The virtue based spiritual wisdom shall build enlightened citizenship and enable the organizations to realize Sarve Bhuta Hiteh Ratah – Welfare and good of all human creatures. எல்லா உயிர்களும் இன்புற்று வாழ்க! This is what saint vallalar has foreseen in the century before Introduction Saint Vallalar has practiced ‘Compassion - Jeeva karunya Ozhukkam’, the greatest philosophy, in the 19th century for eternal bliss and conquering Death (Mortality). Some people think that the saint has practiced ‘compassion or Jeevakarunyam ‘for his personal agenda of Immortality. Though Immortality was the aim of Saint Ramalinga in the 19th century, the mission of Saint Ramalinga was to establish the Rule of Grace and Social Harmony in the society. His teaching of Compassion towards all living beings educated spiritual attainment of Immortality and Integrated Spirituality in worldly life. Many spiritual songs in his work amply demonstrate the social interest and the social vision of him.
Saint Ramalinga’s Integrated Spirituality
Many saints in Tamilnadu have written about the truth of the Divine by their holy songs in their respective works namely Thirukkural, Thevaram, Thirumandhiram, Thiruvasagam, Thiruppugazh and Thiruvarutpa. In this series, many Siddhars, popularly known as, Saint Babaji, Saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsar, Saint Lagiri Mahasayar, Saint Yuktheshwar, and Saint Paramahamsa Yoganananthar had done wonderful contribution to the society. In this line, Saint Ramalinga’s popular teaching- ‘Compassion’ is being taken into study here for further research. Saint Ramalinga declared that the main aim of the pure and the righteous path was Compassion. His teaching emphasized that Compassion alone was enough, which encompassed all the knowledge and spiritual power. He further proclaimed to the world that those who are practicing compassion in their worldly life will not easily be disturbed by Sun light, Rain, Water, Thunder, and Lightning. He also informed that Compassion would lead the soul to Salvation and Immortality by practicing Yoga and Meditation. His initiation of Compassion towards all living beings in the world militated against the superstition of preaching ‘various gods’. His God experience was to integrate all the religions into one roof. பெருகியபே ரருளுடையார் அம்பலத்தே நடிக்கும்
பெருந்தகைஎன் கணவர்திருப் பேர்புகல்என் கின்றாய்
அருகர்புத்த ராதி என்பேன் அயன் என்பேன் நாரா
யணன் என்பேன் அரன் என்பேன் ஆதிசிவன் என்பேன் பருகுசதா சிவம் என்பேன் சத்திசிவம் என்பேன்
பரமம் என்பேன் பிரமம் என்பேன் பரப்பிரமம் என்பேன்
துருவுசுத்தப் பிரமம் என்பேன் துரியநிறை வென்பேன்
சுத்தசிவம் என்பன்இவை சித்துவிளை யாட்டே! Oh, consort! You ask me to utter the sacred name of my consort, He who has immense grace, He who is incomparable, And he who dances in the midst of the universe, I shall call him, God pure, the Enlightened, the source of all, The Divine splendor, the Lord Protector One who has Supreme Power, the source of Bliss, Eternal Felicity, the consort of Sakti, God Infinite, God Supreme, God Absolute, Infinite Bliss, Universe Spirit and Pure Bliss Such is the Divine play. Saint Vallalar’s Social Vision Saint Ramalinga’s Grace Light Experience made him reveal the truth of the Almighty to the world as the people were continuously having imbroglio of rituals and superstitious beliefs. During this time, Casteism and racism developed a rift between Castes and Religions. Communal violence and thereby disintegration of people led Saint Ramalinga into anxiety.
He requested the Almighty for showering His Grace upon him for integrating all the people into one religion. He emphasized that Compassion was the greatest penance and one could realize ‘God experience’ through it.
கள்ளவாதனையைக் களைந்தருள் நெறியைக் காதலித்து ஒருமையில் கலந்தே உள்ளவாறு இந்த உலகெலாம் களிப்புற்று ஓங்குதல் என்றுவந்து உறுமோ வள்ளலே அதுகண்டு அடியனேன் உள்ளம் மகிழ்தல் என்றோ எனத் துயர்ந்தேன் ஒள்ளியோய் நினது திருவுளம் அறிந்தது உரைப்பது என் அடிக்கடி உனக்கே உலகத்திரளெலாம் மருவறக் கலந்து வாழ்வதற்கு வாய்த்த தருணம் இது என்றே வாயே பறையாய் அறைகின்றேன். When will the day come for the World To prosper in bliss and beatitude To become one with god Following with love the virtue of grace And rejecting the sensual pleasures? Oh, divine Giver When will this humble self rejoice at such a sight I know not and I am sad. Oh! Divine Radiance Thy holy heart knoweth my misery Need I tell thee often? This is the hour for the multitude of this world To unite in spiritual love This is my clarion call”
Though many great saints in the world endeavored to bring the whole world under the same moral code, illusion on the other hand isolated them and created many religions. Then, they began to fight among themselves or with others for endearing people into one world and one God. In this scenario, Ramalinga’s unconditional love towards the Almighty made him introduce the righteous path called Samarasa Sudha Sanmarga Sangam. All religions are acceptable was his clarion call. The Greatest Spiritual Wisdom
அருளறிவு ஒன்றே அறிவு மற்றெல்லாம் மருளறிவு என்றே வகுத்த மெய்ச்சிவமே - Thiruvarutpa songs
Awareness of Compassion is intelligence; others rest in the realm of ignorance, asserted so oh Lord -Thiruvarutpa songs
The ancient Pathajali yoga described the eight fold paths to unite the soul with God, which are namely, Iyamam, Niyamam, Asana, Pranayamam, Prathyaharam, Tharanai, Thiyanam and Samadhi. (Virtue, Self Discipline, Yoga Sitting Posture, Breathing, Self-Realization, God Thinking, Meditation and Union with God- salvation). Saint Vallalar clarifies that one can easily realize God experience if one shows compassion towards all the living beings, i.e. Moral brotherhood. He further says how the Almighty taught him in his following songs;
அருளே நம்மியல் அருளே நம் உரு அருளே நம்வடிவாம் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம் அடி அருளே நம்முடி அருளே நம்நடு ஆம் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்மறிவு அருளே நம்மனம் அருளே நம்குணமாம் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்பதி அருளே நம்பதம் அருளே நம்மிடமாம் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்துணை அருளே நம்தொழில் அருளே நம் விருப்பாம் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்பொருள் அருளே நம் ஒளி அருளே நாம் அறிவாய் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்குலம் அருளே நம் இனம் அருளே நாம் அறிவாய் என்ற சிவமே அருளே நம்சுகம் அருளே நம்பெயர் அருளே நாம் அறிவாய் என்ற சிவமே Grace is the nature of us; grace is the form of us Grace is the figure of us, said so oh Lord Grace is the base of us; grace is the peak of us Grace is the center of us, said so oh Lord Grace is the reason of us; grace is the mind of us Grace is the quality of us, said so oh Lord Grace is the origin of us; grace is the goal of us Grace is the dwelling of us, said so oh Lord Grace is the guard of us; grace is the act of us Grace is the wish of us, said so oh Lord Grace is the core of us; grace is the light of us Know that grace are we, said so oh Lord Grace is the root of us; grace is the race of us Know that grace are we, said so oh Lord Grace is the bliss of us; grace is the name of us Know that grace are we, said so oh Lord
( Courtesy: Sri.S.Sivajayakumar, Coimbatore )
How Compassion helps the Business World
John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) wrote in1833 in his prayer song as“ Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me” . Similarly, Saint Ramalinga in the 19th century prayed to the Almighty to shower His grace upon him for inviting all the people to the righteous path of Compassion. That is the only one-step sought by Saint Ramalinga. The only One and Right Step required for today’s humanity is to follow compassion in worldly life, this shall lead a life without Greed, Guilt and selfishness The Rule of Grace To establish Virtue in the business world, Saint Ramaliga prays to the Almighty as: ஒத்தாரும் உயர்ந்தாரும் தாழ்ந்தாரும் எவரும்
ஒருமைஉளர் ஆகிஉல கியல்நடத்தல் வேண்டும் Those that are equal, high and low-all mankind – Should follow social harmony in worldly life கள்ளவாதனையைக் களைந்தருள் நெறியைக் காதலித்து ஒருமையில் கலந்தே உள்ளவாறு இந்த உலகெலாம் களிப்புற்று ஓங்குதல் என்றுவந்து உறுமோ வள்ளலே அதுகண்டு அடியனேன் உள்ளம் மகிழ்தல் என்றோ எனத் துயர்ந்தேன் ஒள்ளியோய் நினது திருவுளம் அறிந்தது உரைப்பது என் அடிக்கடி உனக்கே உலகத்திரளெலாம் மருவறக் கலந்து வாழ்வதற்கு வாய்த்த தருணம் இது என்றே வாயே பறையாய் அறைகின்றேன். - When will the day come for the World To prosper in bliss and beatitude To become one with god Following with love the virtue of grace And rejecting the sensual pleasures? Oh, divine Giver When will this humble self rejoice at such a sight I know not and I am sad. Oh! Divine Radiance Thy holy heart knoweth my misery Need I tell thee often? This is the hour for the multitude of this world To unite in spiritual love This is my clarion call” Saint Vallalar believes that Compassion shall educate Moral Code, Non-violence, Non-Killing, Truthfulness, Altruism, Self-Discipline, Purity, Contentment, Endurance, Self-realization and Dedication. These are more important for social Transformation. Conclusion The real understanding of Spirituality in individual life shall eradicate religious differences and communal discrimination. Compassion thereby shall create virtue based organizational leadership to create good governance in political as well as practices of Management in Business. As saint vallalar sings in his song as; Those with hatred for none And love for others as for themselves Rejoice from within, the fraternal unity. Their hearts, I realized , are the abode Where dances my Lord.......... எத்துணையும் பேதமுறாது எவ்வுயிரும் தம்முயிர்போல் எண்ணி உள்ளே ஒத்துரிமை உடையவராய் உவக்கின்றார் யாவர் அவர் உளந்தான் சுத்த சித்துருவாய் எம்பெருமான் நடம்புரியும் இடமென நான் தெரிந்தேன்....... It is time therefore; we should believe that the need of the hour for management education is to impart Spiritual Wisdom to the students’ community. It is no wonder that the Integrated Spiritual Organizational Leadership (Panacea) shall play the crucial role in this regard. Reference:
- Saint Ramalinga ,Thiruvarutpa Songs
- The Universal Vision of Saint Ramalinga, Ma.Po. Sivagnanam published by Annamalai University, June 1987
- www.wikipedia.com
- www.vallalarspace.com/unisouluniverse
- http://www.vallalarspace.com/kumaresan
- http://www.ramakrishna.org
- http://www.bhagavad-gita.org
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