Page 24 - Bhakthinivedana 2012 January English Magazine.pmd

A:GAMAS

THE NAME REVEALS IT ALL

Pa:mchara:thra - Learning its meaning in depth
Telugu article by Srima:n Madhusu:dana:cha:ryulu, Pradha:na:cha:rya, A:gama Pa:tthasa:la, Jaggayyape:ta.
Translated into English by Ramakrishna Toopurani

Those who recognise that the This leads to further accumulation level and pure renunciation, it
soul is different from the five of negative tendencies. This brings to us the clarity that our
elements of nature like Earth, etc, is how an eye responds to the sense organs are also objects

the five organs of knowledge like world. Similar traits are displayed belonging to the Lord. This
eyes, etc and those who strive to by other sense organs while ensures the feelings of ‘me and
attain the blessed state are called interacting with their respective mine’ (ego and attachments)
pamchara:s. The scripture which objects. do not arise in us. The scripture

protects them is known as the also tells us the significance of
In general, the worldly objects of
‘pa:mchara:thram’ worshiping an idol as archa and
nature are harmful to us, in the
thereby makes us realize that the
Pa:mchara:thra is a scripture sense that they make us dwell
entire world is filled with God.
which prevents the sense organs upon them and drown in them,
from taking up a wrong path. making us forget God. The scripture reveals various
Though we all know how our methods of preparing an idol
The pa:mchara:thra does not
senses lead us astray, let us for worship--by using a stone,
ask us to restrain the nature of
consider how the scripture wood, mud, cloth, any metal or
our sense organs. It encourages
remedies the situation. For even a paper or a sketch. By this
us to use all our organs to the
example, all objects pleasing to it it gives us an idea that we can
maximum. The scripture purifies
are considered ‘good’ by the eye. attain the Lord by worshipping
the objects which the senses
And those objects which it does Him, the ‘All-Pervader’, in any
encounter. It does so by helping
not like are recognized as bad. of the objects that we find in the
us to recognise that all the objects
These were some ideas that were world around us. Not only this,
are pervaded by God. It reveals
discussed in the earlier article. the pa:mchara:thra also devises
to us that Lord manifests Himself
Now we shall look into these various methods by which all the
in the forms of para, vyu:ha,
more closely. objects related to the five senses
vibhava and archa. It also brings
are used in the worship of the
Though some objects are to us that the Lord in the form
archa-form of the Lord.
approved by the scriptures, the of antharya:mi resides in us and
eyes turn away from them if they makes us His own body. The pa:mchara:thra tells us how
don’t ‘like’ them. Due to this, we to decorate the Lord of the Lords
By making us perform spiritual
tend to develop intolerance and using various objects that have
practices like worship at mind
hatred even towards right things. colours and shapes pleasing to

24 Bhakthinivedana • Jan 2012