Deepavali,
the festival, is all about happiness ~ this year amidst Corona fears too,
it was not muted, but was celebrated grandly.
Science
does offer realistic explanations – yet over the years, the findings could
undergo a sea change and we could have another theory challenging the existing
one and totally changing the perception that humans had. One oft
discussed is the origin of Universe and lives on earth. Approximately
4.6 billion years ago, the solar system was a cloud of dust and gas known as a
solar nebula. Gravity collapsed the material in on itself as it began to spin,
forming the sun in the center of the nebula. With the rise of the sun, the
remaining material began to clump up. Small particles drew together, bound by
the force of gravity, into larger particles. The solar wind swept away lighter
elements, such as hydrogen and helium, from the closer regions, leaving only
heavy, rocky materials to create smaller terrestrial worlds like Earth.
An
astonishing observation was made in the late 1920's. The light from distant
galaxies is shifted to lower frequencies (red shift) similar to the way the sound
of a horn on a passing train or car shifts to a lower pitch. The light
frequency shift can be explained in the same way; the distant galaxies are
moving away from us. In fact, all of the galaxies (clusters of billions of
stars) are moving away from our own Milky Way Galaxy and from one another, and
the farther away they are the faster they are moving away from us. This is
exactly like a gigantic explosion.
In
the first second after the universe began, the surrounding temperature was
about 10 billion degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 billion Celsius), according to NASA.
The cosmos contained a vast array of fundamental particles such as neutrons,
electrons and protons. These decayed or combined as the universe got cooler. This
early soup would have been impossible to look at, because light could not carry
inside of it. "The free electrons would have caused light (photons) to
scatter the way sunlight scatters from the water droplets in clouds," NASA
stated. Over time, however, the free electrons met up with nuclei and created
neutral atoms. This allowed light to shine through about 380,000 years after
the Big Bang. This early light — sometimes
called the "afterglow" of the Big Bang — is more properly known as
the cosmic microwave background (CMB).
The best-supported theory of our universe's origin centers on an event known as the big bang. This theory was born of the observation that other galaxies are moving away from our own at great speed in all directions, as if they had all been propelled by an ancient explosive force. It is also thought that the extremely close quarters allowed the universe's very first particles to mix, mingle, and settle into roughly the same temperature. Then, in an unimaginably small fraction of a second, all that matter and energy expanded outward more or less evenly, with tiny variations provided by fluctuations on the quantum scale. That model of breakneck expansion, called inflation, may explain why the universe has such an even temperature and distribution of matter. As time passed and matter cooled, more diverse kinds of particles began to form, and they eventually condensed into the stars and galaxies of our present universe.
இந்த அகண்ட பிரபஞ்சத்தில் நாம் ஒரு மிகச்சிறிய துணு - நாம் புரிந்துகொண்டதை விட பல விஷயங்கள் உள்ளன. நாம் புரிந்துகொள்ளாததால் அவை தவறான கோட்பாடு ஆகிவிடாது. மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் என்ற பெயரில் தேடல் நல்லது; ஆனால் நாம் அறியாதவற்றை கேலி செய்தல் அறிவீனம். ஞானம் என்று நாம் நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருப்பது உண்மையின் தரிசனமா? ஏதோ கொஞ்சம் புத்தகங்கள் வாசித்து விட்டால் பழங்கால வாழ்க்கையே தவறு, நாம் மட்டுமே அறிவியல் நவீனத்தில் மெய்ப்பொருள் அறிந்தவர்கள் என கொள்ளலாமா !! நாம் அறிந்ததாக நினைக்கும் சொற்ப ஞானத்தை வைத்துக் கொண்டு எல்லாம் தெரிந்த மேதாவிகள் போல் பேசுகிறோம், நம்மை விட கொஞ்சம் குறைவாக தெரிந்தவர்களை ஏளனம் செய்கிறோம்.
நவீனம், நாகரிகம் என்ற பெயரில் பண்டைய ஒழுக்க முறைகளை உதாசீனப்படுத்தி வருகிறோம். "வாழ்க்கையோடு, கால சூழ்நிலையோடு அனுசரித்துப் போக வேண்டும் " என்று எல்லாவற்றையும் நம் விருப்பத்துக்கு வளைத்துக் கொள்கிறோம். அழுக்கான உடம்பு. வியர்வை சுரந்து கொண்டே இருக்கும் உடல், பொய் ஞானம், பொல்லாத ஒழுக்கம் உள்ள மனிதகுலம் "கடவுள் இல்லை' என்று சொல்வது எவ்வளவு அபத்தம்.
Deepavali, the festival, is all about happiness .. .. the way to celebrate is a simple routine. The purpose of the festival is to be happy and make others happy by sharing – sweets, food, crackers and more – simply spread the happiness. Deepavali brings cheers and happiness. Right from our childhood days, we have enjoyed this festival. The expectation would start a month or so, earlier. Those days, getting the new cloth in time stitched from Tailor was a task – then a week or so earlier, father would come home with a bagful of crackers. More than bursting them, taking them out of bags, placing them on the verandah and seeing them gave so much of happiness. Deepavali Eve would provide opportunity for some testing ! ~ night would be full of expectations. In the morning, would have pureficatory oil bath (Ganga snanam), wear new clothes, pray to God, pay obeisance to elders at home – rush out with ‘oothuvathi’ and bagful of crackers. Lakshmi vedis, kuruvi vedis and bijili gave us unbounded happiness. Those days taught us of having little, remaining contented and happy and above all sharing whatever we had with near and dear.
Pattasu, crowds, everything else is surreal - to us is always it is the supreme Sriman Narayana, worthy of worship who outshines all brightness. Swami Nammazhwar starts Thiruvirutham divyaprabandham stating:
பொய் நின்ற ஞானமும் பொல்லா ஒழுக்கும் அழுக்குடம்பும்,
இந்நின்ற நீர்மை இனியாமுறாமை, உயிரளிப்பான்
எந்நின்றயோனியுமாய்ப் பிறந்தாயிமையோர் தலைவா
மெய்நின்று கேட்டருளாய், அடியேன்செய்யும் விண்ணப்பமே.
Though one bestowed with great knowledge and more importantly the chosen one by Emperuman, Nammalwar expresses his humility stating that we possess knowledge which is of no good, we possess no discipline, we are born in womb and are dirty - and for protecting souls like us, the greatest Lord of Celestials takes birth to guide us and lead us to salvation. Azhwar prays to Lord seeking His attention and beseeching grant that one may not be born again in state of faulty knowledge, wicked actions and filth-ridden body. The posterity knows that Azhwar was granted all wishes and was taken along by Perumal – for us the path is certain and easy – follow what Azhwar did and surrender to the Lotus feet of Emperuman.
Deepavali pervades happiness – every festival is intended to permeate happiness to mankind whose immense benefit rests in falling at the feet of Sriman Narayana.
At
Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, Deepavali would be double bonanza with Sri Parthasarathi
Perumal purappadu and Swami Manavala Mamunigal uthsavam. This year, Mamunigal
uthsavam preceded and there was to be no purappadu for Deepavali due to
Corona. Perhaps Temple authorities
should have initiated some measures to ensure that devotees had a glimpse of
Emperuman, alas, at a time when everything else is open – there is no
purappadu.
In yesteryears, the grand purappaud would commence around 7 pm and last till 11.30 pm. As Emperuman Sri Parthasarathi purappadu occurs, thousands of crackers would be burst, rockets, flower pots and many other items light the sky – one would see the skyline with hued colours .. .. .. there were crackers this time too, but sadly we missed darshan of Emperuman.
Fall at the feet of all Sri Vaishnavas, especially those doing kainkaryam and pray our Emperuman to give the intellect of mind in being humble and never criticize or speak ill of those involved in every type of kainkaryam. The first 3 photos show the skyline of Triplicane yesterday; next 5 photos are of Deepavali purappadu 2019 and the ones below are from Deepavali purappadu of 2010 (5th Nov 2010)
Azhwar Emperumanar Jeeyar
thiruvadigale saranam
[Thiruvallikkeni divyadesamvaazh Srinivasan Sampathkumar]
15.11.2020
Yes we miss deepavali purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi permal. Very sad
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