For a man who hardly ate Ramalinga Adigal started the Satya Dharma Salai at Vadalur to feed the hungry. Sri Jeganatha Swamigal is said to have fed the hungry at his cottage in Tapah. In present times Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar who has seen intense fasting and hunger feeds the poor and the hungry in the vicinity of his mission Ongarakudil in Turaiyur. Tavayogi and Mataji carried out regular feeding at their Ashram. Agathiyar too is said to love to cook but hardly ate too. He would serve the hungry instead. He explains that he was feeding the elements.
Ruzbeh Bharucha speaks of these elements as explained by Baba.
Sankalpas or Intentions and Desires says Ruzbeh lead to the creation of the elements. The body that is made of these elements provides a home for the soul to nestle in helping the soul continue its journey, taking birth in numerous bodies over time and space.
First, it starts with the Divine Elements which manifest Themselves as Subtle Elements which then manifest as Gross Elements. For instance, first comes the thought, which gives rise to intent or feelings or desires, which gets converted into effort, which turns into one's attitude, which comes out into action, which then leads to a pattern of habit and eventually that becomes one's personality. So then gradually as all elements came into being, the Ātmās began to multiply.
What is very obvious to us is our physical body made of matter, that is made of five elements. Next, we are told of the subtle or astral body, made of three elements. Finally, the causal body, made of three elements, that covers both these bodies.
BV Narasimha Swami writes in his "Self Realization - The Life and Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi", Sri Ramanasramam, 1985, "People who visit the ashram watch him (Ramana) stitching leaf-plates, cutting vegetables, too."
Ram Dass of "Love Serve Remember Foundation" shared a beautiful statement from his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, that summarizes the benefits gained in feeding people - "When I asked my guru to raise my kundalini, he said, "feed people."
Feeding, we have come to understand is of three kinds. First is where the breadwinner brings the food to the dining table, feeding the family. Next is serving food to visitors to our homes or during events and occasions we hold or host. This is called Virunthu Upasarippu. The third is leaving the home to search, look and seek for the hungry and poor bringing food to them. Although all three are elements of Dharma which we need to inculcate in us and carry out, the first is a responsibility. The second is ethical action or behavior that is expected of us. The third is truly engaging in the act of charity.
A piece of reporting from the Times of India, at https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com traces the act of feeding to the Sangam period.
In Tamil we say undi koduthor uyir koduthor, meaning one who gives food is a giver of life. M Muthuvelu, professor of Tamil at Presidency College believes the concept of annadanam is deeply entrenched in Tamil culture and finds mention in the 2000-year-old Sangam literature. “The act is referred to as Thiru amudu alithal (sacred food serving) in ‘Periya Puranam’ and is considered the highest form of aaram (virtue). In Sangam literature, one who gives Thiru amudu alithal is called the ‘doctor of starvation’,” he says. “In Chithalai Chathanar’s epic “Manimekalai”, a Buddhist goddess gifts the akshaya patra, the inexhaustible vessel of food, to the protagonist, Manimekalai, and asks her to use it to feed the poor. The act of kindness was taken forward by kings. “During famines, kings set up stalls called kanji thotti on street corners,” Muthuvelu says.
In a revelation, during his meditation, Dr VN Jayapalan discloses the history of Agathiyar's temple at Agasthiyampalli. It was built by Kuberan in recognition of Agathiyar coming to save him and his subjects when his kingdom was hit by famine. Agathiyar revealed the origin of his very first temple built by Kuberan in the past, at the start of the present yuga. This temple still stands at Agasthiyampalli, Vedharanyam. Agathiyar at AVM is a bronze replica of the granite statue of Agathiyar at this temple. The temple came to be built as an act of appreciation by Kuberan who was ruling his kingdom fine till famine hit his land. All his subjects were served morsels of food dished out by a stranger on the outskirts of his kingdom. When Kuberan too had exhausted his stock of food grains and was having tremendous hunger pangs that no amount of food could satisfy, he turned towards the stranger, something that the stranger had predicted would happen when he knocked the door to the King's palace much earlier. The stranger turned out to be worshiping Agathiyar.
AVM or ATM at present and its arm Amudha Surabhi with Thondu Seivom merged to register with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia under the name Persatuan Teman Setia has been actively engaged in bringing food, a smile and words of hope to numerous unfortunate souls through several programs.
- Sai Baba Centre - 1st week of the month - 4 Mee Hoon Packets (3Kg/Bag)
- Siddhar Jayanthi Feeding - Sri Machamuni Siddhar Jayanthi - Buns & Drinks (50pax) - 27/07/2019 (Saturday) - Distribution at Hospital Kajang.
- Kampung Sireh Home - Providing Groceries - 12/07/2019 @ 9pm (Friday)
- PPR Kampung Muhibbah, KL - Potluck Annathanam - Providing Groceries - 14/07/2019 @ 6pm (Sunday)
- Provision to Tamilselvam's family - Providing Groceries - 13/07/2019 @ 2pm (Saturday)
- MIAR - Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue - 3rd week of the month - 3 Rice Packets
- Rohingya Education Garden-REG-School - 3rd week of the month - 3 Rice Packets
Theydal Ulla Thenikalai (TUT) have been doing their part in Chennai too. https://tut-temples.blogspot.com/2019/05/blog-post_82.html. Similarly, our partners in this path in New Delhi are doing their part too.
Our comrades in Johannesburg, South Africa too are extending food and aid to the homeless in their streets.
The satisfaction is in seeing them welcome us with a smile and a glow on their faces that speaks a thousand words. We return happy that we could light up their day.