I love to clean and move things around, for only after you move them do you see the amount of dust that has come to accumulate over time behind these things. Agathiyar says a clean home invites Kuberan, the guardian of wealth. Dirt and squalor or the state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, that is said to be due to poverty or neglect, on the other hand, can be symptoms of unhappiness or illness. We stand witness to seeing the strong bond or relationship between squalor and poverty as we make our rounds distributing food and groceries to the poor. Agathiyar says it is not enough that we feed them. Although it keeps them alive for another day, he adds that we need to help raise these souls too to a higher level.
The great sage Agathiyar then gracefully further informed to the gathered seers & sages of Tamil Sangam, that the ‘’no. 4 work’’ [chatush karma] for a human being is to dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings upon this planet earth...
Shoukei Matsumoto, a Shin-Buddhist monk who belongs to Komyoji Temple in Tokyo, says that the cleaning practice is not a tool but a purpose in itself and that there is no end to cleaning.
Matsumoto in his book “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind,” espouses the fact that cleaning is transformative and restorative both for the environment and for us. "Matsumoto outlines the importance of cleaning in the monastic setting, how he cleans and why it’s good for the heart."
Cleaning applies to the mind too. In Japanese Buddhism,
Cleaning applies to the mind too. In Japanese Buddhism,
It is said that what you must do in the pursuit of your spirituality is clean, clean, clean. This is because the practice of cleaning is powerful. Cleaning practice, by which I mean the routines whereby we sweep, wipe, polish, wash and tidy, is one step on this path towards inner peace.
Similarly, right after I feel peaceful with my ego-less mindfulness, anger or anxiety begin once again to emerge in my mind. The ego endlessly arises in my mind, so I keep cleaning for my inner peace.(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/05/buddhist-monk-cleaning-good-for-you)
He is of the opinion that a respectable religion does not exist to bind one’s values or actions. It is there to free people from the systems and standards that order society, exactly what Tavayogi said too, that we cannot be caged but allowed to fly free.
There was a culture among Malaysians to come together and clean, called bergotong-royong in the neighborhood and budaya rewang at weddings. But it is slowly fading away. Off course you cannot expect someone who employs a servant or maid to wash the cup that he drank from to come together in public to wash the plates of others, right? People rather call in the caterers to cook and serve at their events.
I had a neighbor and friend who had lived in Kumbakonam, India and would tell me that the local community of different faith would come together to clean and wash the places of worship. Doing this chore unites people. Similarly, Matsumoto who had returned from Hyderabad in India where he had completed his MBA, reached out to temples and monasteries across the country, wanting to help the younger generation of monks to better manage their temples. He wanted it to be an interfaith effort too.
Rakesh and his team at Thedal Ulla Theynikalai (TUT) go about doing a similar service at temples and ashrams regularly. https://tut-temples.blogspot.com/2019/07/blog-post_24.html
Bala Chandran and his team at ATM have always lent a hand in doing chores during prayers and other events, never shying away from hard work.
Sri Krishna and his team at Pothihai Dharma Chakram to come together to collect excess food at functions such as weddings, birthday parties, house warmings, etc, and repack and deliver them to the hungry on the streets, in the old folk's homes, and children homes. http://www.astroulagam.com.my/news/article/112304/food-going-to-waste-call-the-food-rangers
To all of them, I raise my hands in salute.
Moving within we have a need to clean our thoughts too. Mahakavi Bharathi laments at not knowing the means to cleanse his soiled heart, hence surrendering to Ma praying that she should do something about it. He sings that he is disillusioned by all that he has read and pleads for Ma to come within and clarify, telling her of his surrender to her and asking refuge at her feet.
உலகத்து நாயகியே, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
உன்பாதம் சரண்புகுந்தோம், -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
கலகத் தரக்கர்பலர், -- எங்கள் முத்து
மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்துமாரி!
கருத்தினுள்ளே புகுந்துவிட்டார், எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
பலகற்றும் பலகேட்டும், -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி! பயனொன்று மில்லையடி, -- எங்கள் முத்து
மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
நிலையெங்கும் காணவில்லை, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
நின்பாதம் சரண்புகுந்தோம், -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
துணிவெளுக்க மண்ணுண்டு, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
தோல்வெளுக்கச் சாம்பருண்டு, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
மணிவெளுக்கச் சாணையுண்டு, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
மனம்வெளுக்க வழியில்லை, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
பிணிகளுக்கு மாற்றுண்டு, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
பேதைமைக்கு மாற்றில்லை, -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
அணிகளுக்கொரெல்லையில்லாய், -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
அடைக்கலமிங் குனைப்புகுந்தோம், -- எங்கள் முத்து மாரியம்மா, எங்கள் முத்து மாரி!
We understand that devotion or Bakthi does not come without His grace. Manikavasagar mentions that Lord Siva came to stay in his thoughts and with His grace he pays homage to His Holy feet. He begins to pen or sing the Sivapuranam that he says shall bring the soul to a blissful state and end all past karma.
சிவன் அவன் என்சிந்தையுள் நின்ற அதனால் அவன் அருளாலே அவன்தாள் வணங்கிச் சிந்தை மகிழச் சிவ புராணம் தன்னை முந்தை வினைமுழுதும் ஓய உரைப்பன் யான்.