Page 29 - November Cover 2017.pmd

térthé kurvanti térthäni tértham. The names of the Lord,
sukarmékurvanti karmäëi His léläs, knowledge about
sacchästré kurvanti çästräëi. (69) Him and devotion to Him are
térthé kurvanti térthäni – all térthas. And all these are
enhance the sanctity of sacred found in the great saints and
places; sukarmékurvanti karmäëi devotees; so they are also
– add glory to all actions; mobile térthas.
sacchästré kurvanti çästräëi – lend Tulasidasji has said: muda
authority to the scriptures. maìgalamaya santa samäjü jo jaga
5
jaìgama tératha räjü – saints and
They sanctify the sacred
places of pilgrimage, add glory sages are the actual tértha kñe-
tras. The place where they live
to actions and lend authority
to the scriptures. becomes a tértha. Arunachalam
was always a holy place, but
When River Ganga came after Ramana Maharshi went
down to the Earth, she was there, the place gained great
worried that the sinners bathing spiritual importance. Very few
in her waters to purify them- knew about a small place called
selves might sully her condition. Shirdi, until the advent of Sai
However, she was reassured Baba. Similarly, for Chinmaya
that when the mahätmäs bathe Mission members, the small
in her waters, she would be village of Sidhbari is a tértha,
purified. The word tértha comes because Gurudev stayed there.
from the Sanskrit root tå – tara, The river Ganga flows from
meaning to cross over. Taranti Gomukh in the Himalayas to
anena iti tértham – that with the Ganga Sagar, but its entire bank
help of which a person goes is not considered to be tértha.
beyond mäyä and also helps
others to cross over is called 5 Ramcharitmanas, chaupai 4 after doha 1

All those who allow the
In memory of engine of life to run over them
Smt. SANTOSH AGARWAL and crush them down are
termed samsarins.
Kanpur
Swami Chinmayananda

Tapovan Prasad 29 November 2017