" The Home is Heaven "

{( Note:- More of Tamil Words are used in this passage for some necessity to develop the topic. However corresponding English words are also given side by side.)}

' Veedu ' in Tamil means Home. Veedu also means 'Moksham' or 'Liberation '. Let us see how ' Veedu ' is linked to 'Moksham' .
One has to place his foot on the ' Padi (s) ' or 'Step(s)' first and cross over it to enter " Veedu ". ' Moksham' refers to lifting one's soul up for which one has to climb some steps. A staircase is also built up of steps for climbing up in a house.

The plan of a house shows " Koodam " in Tamil or ' Living Room ' at a little distance from the entry. The objective phrases like 'Kooduthal', 'Kudiyiruppu' get generated by extending the word Koodam. These words in Tamil spell out how a home is literally made by association of people. ' Live and Let Live' is the message inherent or associated with " Koodam " which therefore gets special significance as a location at home.




A person has to go through the ordeals of different stages as son, student, youth, husband, father, grand father before he gets ready for retirement from the worldly associations. ' Koodam' which is a living place in a home is thus linked to the life of a person in these different stages and ultimately for him to make his journey for ' Mukthi' or 'Moksham'.

The roof gives shelter and security . The word for ' Roof ' in Tamil is 'UCHAM' which is at an elevated level. Ucham in Tamil represents elevation. The heavens are above us like the roof. The roof is built with lots of reinforcement carefully at the time of erection. It is imperative that a person has to fulfill his obligations, lives in an orderly manner before he becomes ready for his last journey.
'Dharmam, Artham, Kamam and Moksham' are the paths available to reach emancipation. If you see the plan of a house, you will see bedroom(s), living room, hall, varandah, kitchen, etc and then the exit. These are known as ' Kakshas' or 'Sections'. Likewise, a person will have to perform varied functions which include Dharmam ( leading an orderly or dharmic life ; Artha which refers to his employment and earnings, Kama which refers to the desires and longings and finally Moksha , the final destination which he would like to seek peacefully.

There is a striking coincidence between the roof and 'Moksham'. As there is a roof over the 'home', the blue sky stands as the roof to the world. The sky is the abode of The Sun God, The Moon, The Stars, The constellation of Seven Sages ( Saptharishi Mandalam)and all Devas. God will help when men may call, for the Blue Sky bends over all. The soul ultimately reaches Devas which is referred as 'Mukthi'.

The ' Exit ' in the house shows the way for a person to leave his home once and for all. As already referred, ' Veedu' also means a place where a person rests finally and peacefully.

Thiruvalluvar brings out the philosophy about home or domestic life under the chapter called " ILLARAM" brilliantly.
Quote : Chapter 5, verses 5, 9 & 10
5) "ANBUM ARANUM UDAITHAYIN, ILVAZHKAI
PANBUM, PAYANUM ADHU "

9) " ARANENAPPATTADHE ILLVAZHKAI, AHTHUM
PIRANPAZHIPPATHU ILLAYIN NANRU "

10) " VAIATHUL VAZHVANGU VAZHBAVAN VANURAI
DEIVATHUL VAIKAPPADUM"

Verse 5 brings out :
If love and virtue in the household reign
This is of life the perfect grace and gain.

Verse 9 extols home or family life as a true virtue which will lead the person to Mukthi. The other states like bachelorhood or sainthood may attract criticism if not lived true to the words.

Verse 10 ponts out the link between home or 'Veedu' and 'Moksham', as illustrated below:-
' He who on earth has lived the conjugal state as he should live, will be placed among the Gods who dwell in the heaven.'

The opposite for 'Veedu' or home is ' Kadu' or forest. A Home is associated with people in a close knit where as 'Kadu'is devoid of people and meant for lonely persons who love solitude and want to perform penance. As Kural which is called a ' Tamil Veda ' brings out in Chapter 5, a person can attain emancipation from his home itself by leading a simple and virtuous domestic life. ' Sainthood ' is therefore not suggested in this passage.

Prayers enhance the way of life. The utterance of ' GOVINDA' nama itself is a form of surrender to God. When Dussasana seized Draupadi's clothes by force, she made a clarion call ' Oh, Krishna, protect me and don't abandon at this critical hour'.



But the Lord did not protect her. In His own words Lord Krishna explains " There is a blemish in each avatar. So also in Krishna Avatar that Draupadi was not protected immediately... but when questioned how Draupadi's robes grew resplendent and got piled up, Krishna admits that He did not protect her, but His GOVINDA Nama . Such is the power of the nama ' Govinda'.

Aandal sings in Thiruppavai, " Kurai onrum Illatha Govinda (Utterance of ' Govinda' leads to a blemishless life ')



'Govinda' literally means ' GO, WIN, & DONE ' --'Govinda'.; like the successful proclamation 'Veni,vidi, vici' of Julius Caesar on his achievement.

We can make home a heaven by singing ' Govinda Nama' !

Home is the place your heart resides
Home is the place that you decide
Home is the womb that holds the soul
Home is the place where one is whole
Be it ever so humble, there is no place like a home.


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