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Thread: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

  1. #1
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    What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Namaste,

    We have frequently encountered that to attain Moksha, one should do 'Kainkarya' to the Lord. I've always wondered what this 'Kainkarya' meant. Today I came across this gem of a find in another list and thought of sharing it with you. Please review the list and add to it what you seem fit.

    The following list has been rendered to us by Swami Desikan in his work 'Rahasya Sigamani':

    1. கோவில் முழுவதும் பெருக்கிச் சுத்தமாக வைப்பது,

    Sweep the floor of the temple and maintain it clean always. This is #1!.

    2. தண்ணீர் தெளித்து மெழுகித் துடைத்தல்,

    Pour water on the floors (of temple/shrine rooms) and wipe it clean.

    3. அழகிய கோலங்களை மனம் கவரும் முறையில் வரைதல்,

    Draw beautiful 'Kolam' (Rangoli-like patterns drawn on the floor with a rice-flour mixture, with or without colors) in an attractive manner (before lord's shrine).

    4. மலர்மாலைகளைத் தொடுத்து ஸமர்ப்பித்தல்,

    Make garlands and offer to the lord.

    5. நெய் அல்லது எண்ணெய் கொண்டு திருவிளக்கு ஏற்றுவது,

    Light lamp using Ghee or oil in the shrine room/temple.

    6. நல்ல தளிகைகள் செய்வித்து அவனும் பிறகு பக்தர்களும் சுவைக்கச் செய்தல்,

    Cook good-tasting food for the Lord and his devotees.

    7. புஷ்பங்கள், துளஸீ - இவை பெறுவதற்காக நந்தவனம் அமைத்து வைப்பது,

    Form a garden for growing flowers and the holy Tulsi which are to be used for the Lord.

    8. கோவில், கோபுரம், விமாநம் - இவைகளைக் கட்டுவது,

    Build temples, rajagopuram, or the 'Vimana' atop the sanctum sanctorum.

    9. அவனையே மனத்தில் இருத்தி ஸ்தோத்ரங்கள் அல்லது திருநாமங்களைச் சொல்லிக்கொண்டு வலம் வருதல் (ப்ரதக்ஷிணம்),

    Keeping one's concentration focused on the Lord, to recite his holy names and going around the sanctum sanctorum in circles (pradakshinam).

    10. ஸாஷ்டாங்கமாக ப்ரணாமங்கள் செய்தல்,

    Do 'Saashtaanga' namaskara - for men, prostrate before the god with the entire body touching earth, for females, avoid the waist and breast portion touching the earth.

    11. பெருமாளின் செவிக்கு இனிய கீர்த்திகளைப் பேசும் புராணங்களைக் கேட்டு இன்புறுதல்,

    Listen to the divine nectar-like puranas of the Lord.

    12. ஸ்தோத்ரங்களைப் பாராயணம் செய்தல்,

    Recite stotras.

    13. அவன் திருநாமங்களைச் சொல்லித் துதிப்பது,

    Pray to him using his divine names.

    14. அவன் குணங்களையும் பெருமைகளையும் பேசுவது,

    Talk about his (her) benevolent nature and his supremacy.

    15. அவனைப் பற்றிய பாடல்களை இசைத்தல் - ஸங்கீதத் தொண்டு,

    Do seva - service singing his songs and compose songs singing his glory.

    16. ஆனந்தத்தில் அவன் நினைவிலேயே கூத்தாடுதல்,

    Dance in divine ecstasy.

    17. பகவானின் திவ்ய மங்கள விக்ரஹத்தை மனதில் இருத்தி நிலைத்து நிற்கும்படியாக நினைவில் தங்க வைப்பது,

    Concentrate on his divine form and contemplate on it in mind.

    18. அவனை த்யானிப்பது.

    Meditate on him.

    * * *


    Thanks.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

  2. #2
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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Namaste Viraja Ji,

    This is wonderful.Thanks a lot for posting this.My humble _/\_ to Sri Swami Desikan.
    He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.

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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Here is a good article on some of the most important 'Kainkaryas' done by various prominent acharyas of Vaishnavam to the lord - including i) teertha Kainkaryam - water for abhishekam ii) Alavatta Kainkaryam - Fanning service and iii) Pushpa Kainkaryam - Gathering and offering flowers for archana and for making garlands fresh everyday.

    http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ar...2002/0232.html

    Namaste.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

  4. #4

    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Namaste

    A comprehensive list of kainkaryam can be found in Chaitanya Charitramrut Madhya LIlA Chapter 22 Verse 114 onwards -- for the vaidhi (regulative) bhakti. RAga bhakti should be woven into it to make it truly madhur (sweet like honey).

    Haribol
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Dear ameyAtmA ji,

    Thank you for the wonderful link. I am going through it.

    Regards,

    Viraja
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

  6. #6

    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Namaste Virajaji,

    Thank you for posting the list of "KainKarya".

    As your list mentioned, the #1 is very important. Just to share, my aunt and uncle started to sweep the temple floors many years ago. And now that they are retired, they do spend a lot of time in the temple performing various services ( basically, any form of help that they can do ).

    When i was younger i thought it was because they had made a vow or something. But it was not.

    As some people at the temple i go to view cleaning as a degrading job ( in reference to where i live ) . However, it is not. There is a sense of peace in the whole process of service ( in any form ).

    Anyway, thank you for your post.

    Hari Om,
    Dhanya

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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dhanya View Post
    Just to share, my aunt and uncle started to sweep the temple floors many years ago. And now that they are retired, they do spend a lot of time in the temple performing various services ( basically, any form of help that they can do ).
    Dear Dhanya,

    Indeed your uncle and aunt have rendered a very superior service.

    Your mention of service at temple makes me think of some other temple related kainkaryas - building and renovating temples, digging tanks, and giving free water and buttermilk to yatrikas (temple-goers) during summer months.

    I wish I am able to offer atleast one of the above kainkaryas on a regular basis.

    Regards.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    * Please note: Lord Shiva is known to be 'Abhisheka Priyan' and therefore this kainkarya is very appropriate for worshiping Sri Parama Shiva.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    The word kaiMkaryam is derived as the act of a "kiMkara". kiMkara-s are those who obey the orders of their masters without any hesitation. kaiMkaryam is the act of a person who acts on the ordinances of the shastra (or Guru) without any doubt or hesitation and executes it with utmost sincerity.

    Since all ordinances of the shastra are directed primarily at paramAtma, all dharmic activities sincerely directed at bhagavAn without any personal motives is called kaiMkarya. kaiMkarya is thus a synonym for karma-yoga, in the broader sense of the term.

    What we do as kaiMkaryam isn't particularly significant (because all these activities are holy and stand on an equal footing), but the motive and inner attitude towards the work makes it a kaiMkaryam.
    Guard your Dharma, Burn the Myth, Promote the Truth, Crush the superstition.

  10. #10

    Re: What is 'Kainkarya' (service to Lord)?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sudarshan View Post
    The word kaiMkaryam is derived as the act of a "kiMkara". kiMkara-s are those who obey the orders of their masters without any hesitation. kaiMkaryam is the act of a person who acts on the ordinances of the shastra (or Guru) without any doubt or hesitation and executes it with utmost sincerity.

    Since all ordinances of the shastra are directed primarily at paramAtma, all dharmic activities sincerely directed at bhagavAn without any personal motives is called kaiMkarya. kaiMkarya is thus a synonym for karma-yoga, in the broader sense of the term.

    What we do as kaiMkaryam isn't particularly significant (because all these activities are holy and stand on an equal footing), but the motive and inner attitude towards the work makes it a kaiMkaryam.
    Namaste, that was very nicely said.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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