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3.4. You are what you constantly think about…(Kural 4)

A very important lesson I learnt from this Kural is – I am what I constantly think about.  If I constantly engage my mind on –let’s say,  keeping myself fit and if every minute of the day it is in the back of my mind, this Kural says that one day I would be fit.
Instead, if every minute of the day I worry about being fat and unhealthy, and I constantly think about why I am fat, what consequences I would face, the diseases I would get, or how less pretty I would be then one day I would be all of my worries!
I think this lesson would be of great use to all of us.
Kural #4
வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலான்அடி சேர்ந்தார்க்கு
யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல.
Transliteration
Venduthal Vendaamai Ilaanadi Serndharukku
Yandum Idumbai Ila.
Translation
For those who constantly think about the One who does not have any Cravings or Aversion, there are no difficulties.
This Kural says that God does not have any Cravings or Aversion. When we constantly think about God then we will also not have cravings and aversion. As a consequence we will not have any difficulties.
Craving means, more than liking. When I like an orange lollipop, and I get it I am happy.  When I don’t get it, I am momentarily sad but then I move on to whatever is available, maybe a red lollipop.
When I crave for an orange lollipop and I don’t get it, I will constantly worry about not getting it and worry some more. I will simply refuse to let go. That is the difference between ‘like’ and ‘crave’.
Similarly aversion is more than dislike. When I don’t like my boss, maybe I won’t be around her. Or even if I am around her it wouldn’t bother me. But when I have an aversion to my boss, I will boil from inside whenever I see her or even think about her. That is aversion.
This Kural also uses the word “Serndharukku” (just as in Kural 3), and it means “to constantly think about”.  Some people understand it as “to join” (the feet of God), that is incorrect. Parimelazhagar explains that  this word means “ To constantly think about” and because it refers to an action of the Mind, this Kural also talks about worshipping God using our Mind. (Kural 3 and 4 refer to worshipping using our Mind)
In this Kural, the word ‘idumbai’ refers to “difficulties in this life time”. Difficulties in this life can arise by the following three ways:
1.   Difficulties that we bring on us by ourselves by our actions – This also called as Adi Aanmeegam
2.   Difficulties that come from other living beings, eg: when someone hits us. This is called as Adi boutheegam
3.    Difficulties that arise because of our Karma or fate – also called as Adi Deiveegam.
We will be freed from all of the above mentioned difficulties, when we constantly think about God.

Craving and Aversion are the root cause of all our problems. Buddhism also teaches the same thing. In life, if we learn to walk with an equanimous outlook then we will not have any problems.  Lord Rama teaches us just that. 



Prince Ram was to be crowned the following day. King Dasaratha came to tell Ram about the news. The King came to Ram’s chambers and proudly announced with a big smile,  “Tomorrow is the coronation ceremony.  All our people are happy and excited to welcome you our next King”. How would we react to such a situation ? We would have jumped in joy and thrown a party, to inherit a powerful Kingdom? Or we would have felt burdened with the added responsibility? Ram felt neither. He viewed the situation with equanimity. He felt it was his duty as a son to a powerful King, one day he may have to rule the Kingdom and the day has come, writes Kambar in Kambaramayanam. Raman did not feel overjoyed or burdened, he simply replied “Yes, Father”.
It is because of such a neutral attitude that Ram had in inheriting the throne, he was able to stay calm when he was denied the throne the very next day. The night before the crowning ceremony, Queen Kaikeyi asked for her boons from King Dasaratha that Ram should be banished from the Kingdom and her son Bharath should be made the next King. King Dasaratha was heartbroken, so Kaikeyi delivered the news to Ram, “Your father wishes you to go to the forest. Bharath will be the next King”. Ram simply replied “Yes, Mother. I shall do as father says.” No anger, no frustration, no sense of being betrayed…nothing! That is a powerful way to accept things in life. Equanimity.
God does not have craving and aversion and I hope we will also inherit those qualities by constantly thinking about Him.
So that’s the learning behind Kural 4.  


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