[sportbos]

[QUOTE=Raghy;34247]
.........I used to think 'why think about God only at the death bed? (sAkum nErathil Sankara, Sankara enrAl pOdhumA; adhu vazhkkai muzhukka vendAmA?) (Is it enough to think of Sankara at the time of death; should it not be throughout the life time?).


The poem itself has reference to this.
Baalasthaavad Kreedaasaktah
Tarunastaavad Taruneesaktah
Vridhastaavad Chintaasaktah
Parame brahmani kopina saktah

Chihood is involved in playfulness, youth goes by attraction to young women(opposite sex) Old age goes in thoughts nobody gets any time for getting involved in the Supreme(God).

For conveying a good message an example or pointer or allusion is required.Here the old man is only the spark. Sankaracharya was a youth in the peak of his knowledge.He has voluntarily sought sanyasa. A person who can see god as one manifest ,and attained sarvajnapeeta , will not scoff at learned old men.Here the old scholar could have been only an ignition for Sankaracharya to convey his message.

I feel it may be relevant in this context o remind that in earlier days children were named after gods’ names like Narayana,Krishna,muruga,lakshmi,uma etc etc so that every time one calls the child , god’s name is recited.So when end nears God’s name naturally comes to the lips in one way or another.

The following happened my auntiy’s home many years ago. Aunty’s maamanaar was bedridden and used to have some serious stomach pain coming in bouts.At that time he used to shout and yell. One late night when he had a sudden bout of pain he shouted with fell downmaximum voice “Krishna, Rama, Adiye Adiye”…

A thief was waiting to enter the house , and when he heard this he felt that the old man has seen him and is calling his two sons Krishna and Rama and asking them to beat him.The thief ran for his life,tripped on something, and was caught by neighbours who heard the sound.

The old man was actually calling God and calling his wife involuntarily by habit.

Jokes apart, Naama smaranam is made a habit with the aim that God’ name should always be in our action and thought.

Sai followers usually greet with words Om Sri Sai Ram, People who follow Maata Amritanandamayi greet with Om Namashivaya. .A section of North Indians greet with Jai Sri Krishna ,Some others as Hari Om,. Many Maharshtrian now a days greet as Jai Ganesh..

Even after sneezing people say , Hari Krishna, or Oh Jesus etc.



Greetings