పాడిపంట (cattle and crops) are both necessities for basic living. No matter how wealthy one is, they cannot be eating money, gold, or properties. Unfortunately, rainfall these days is becoming very unpredictable and irregular. Scientists have been researching on ways to enhance yield of crops with techniques that minimise the need of rainfall. Governments are working on ways to preserve water and channelise for right purposes at right times so that wastage is minimal. Is there anything we all can do from our end too?
The answer is Yes! Vedas recommend an austerity for holistic happy environment to carry on our lives, which includes enough rainfall for healthy sustenance.
A quick note before we get into the austerity…
There are only TWO scriptures in Vedic literature that are considered UthamaKavyam, the highest form of literary work. These scriptures depict a sequence of events which describe a beautiful story. The sequence of events also carries a deeper intriguing knowledge for eternal prosperity. The scriptures are Ramayanam and Thiruppavai… [Refer to the coloured text in brackets to know the internal hidden meaning of the story]
In Dwapara Yuga, Sri Krushna was in Nandagokulam growing up amid cowherds (gopalas) and herdswomen (gopikas). Krushna would happily play with all the gopikas. The worried elders began to put them away from Krushna. There were no rains since then. [When anyone is restricted from worshipping the Supreme – the nature reacts negatively] Elders approached Nandagopa (father of Sri Krushna) to ask for supporting a ritual, an austerity called Kathyayanivrathamfor improving the condition of rainfall. Nandagopa [represents an acharya] calls onto Sri Krushna [Lord] and asks him to lead the activity.
The austerity requires the girls to be the main participants [Girls represent humble, loving nature.Anyone of this nature who are genuinely interested in worshipping Krushna are fit for this austerity, the gender is only a representation of such nature]. They will need to wake up very early, join each other not missing anyone, chant the name of Lord, begin preparing for a sacred bath with pure and pious material required [this entire sequence represents all the women working together for a common goal despite many differences in their attitudes and habits, learning to speak good, help each other, expand self beyond body, being transparent with each other, trusting in God and His supremacy, realising that we all belong to one eternal family and acting accordingly.]
The herdswomen performed the austerity for a day during Dwapara Yuga in the direct presence of Sri Kurshna. Rains began pouring, elders were happy. The gopikas did not mind about the rains – their only desire was to be united with Krushna. [When people set their hearts on God and perform their deeds, prosperity becomes an automatic result without even trying for it. Those God loving people are at peace all the time and that condition is a trigger for prosperity in nature]
Well, that’s all nice. This is not Dwapara Yuga. Krushna is not here to lead us in person. Is there anything we can do now?
Yes, absolutely. Goda Devi performed the same exact austerity for 30 days. She had the same goal of being united with Lord like the gopikas. Her intense imagination took her to Dwapara Yuga and she transformed her to a gopika. That intense devotion towards Lord put her in a very elevated state. With that elevated state of mind, she gave away 30 songs teaching us the hidden meanings of the austerity. At the surface, the songs show sequence of events where she was awakening each gopika, her friends to reach Krushna. Internally, those songs carried the essence of life and the goal.
Goda Devi recommended a procedure in these 30 songs, called Thiruppavai. Follow it, and rains will just pour. In third song, she talks about one rainfall for every 9 days.
Learning Thiruppavai enhances one’s abilities at physical, intellectual, mental and spiritual planes. Following her lessons will please nature, thereby giving us enough rainfall. Just like the intensity of her imagination being gopika, one must have that level of trust in the activity. Like we all know, believing in oneself is the first step to one’s success. Believing in it brings the change.
– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
Join Swamiji’s discourses live on Thiruppavai at JETWORLD YouTube Channel.
