The bee stores honey only to be appropriated by others; so is your hoarded wealth - mantrA 171

srigurubhyO namahA |
Hope all of you had a wonderful Deepavali ! It is perhaps a bit odd to be celebrating the goddess of wealth with plenty of feasting, sweets, lights and firecrackers on the one hand and trying to fix your mind on the fleeting nature of wealth on the other. Here we are with the 171st mantrA where the sage delivers the message with yet another original metaphor.

ஈட்டிய தேன்பூ மணங்கண் டிரதமும்
கூட்டிக் கொணர்ந்தொரு கொம்பிடை வைத்திடும்
ஓட்டித் துரந்திட்டு அதுவலி யார்கொளக்
காட்டிக் கொடுத்தது கைவிட்ட வாறே. I.3.4.171

The industrious bee from flower to flower hops,
Seeking, scenting, gathering its store of honey sweet;
But soon the subtle thief digs and steals the hoarded wealth;
Likewise, our earthly treasures the same story repeat. I.3.4.171

Com - The industrious bee from flower to flower hops,Seeking, scenting, gathering its store of honey sweet; After careful research and plenty of trips foraging the meadows and forests in search of choice blossoms rich in nectar, the hard working bee gathers the essences of the diverse flowers into a great horde of sweet honey in a hive somewhere. But soon the subtle thief digs and steals the hoarded wealth; Eventually however, someone who is more powerful (than the bee) will come and after chasing away the bee take away the entire horde for his own use. Likewise, our earthly treasures the same story repeat. In a similar way, our horde of material riches gathered through life will only serve to draw the attention of someone (to steal it).

*Through the example given above the sage highlights an important thought and makes us aware of the same phenomenon occurring in nature. Like how the bee after much painstaking effort gathers honey, only to be taken by force by someone more powerful in the end; our attempts at gathering material riches through life’s toil is futile. Not only that, it is also quite a dangerous thing to be doing! The trapper who harvests the wild honey will use smoke or other deterrents (thus causing grief to the bee) and through force take away the honey. The attention of the trapper was only drawn to the hive as it is effectively a large horde of honey in one place. Similarly, all the material wealth and riches accumulated by wasting one’s life in its pursuit will one day be taken away by someone more powerful. The attention of the thief (or the tax man!) will be drawn towards one due to the accumulated riches and one might even be physically harmed or killed as a result. If we read this mantra along with the previous couple, we can understand that not only is material wealth useless it is also the agent of harm and misery.

thirucchitrambalam|