Deivathin Kural Series - 23

Om Namah Sivaya.
10 July 2006.


1.These e-mails are translations of talks given by the erstwhile Pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, over more than sixty years, published by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, India, in ten volumes, in the Tamil language. The english version is likely to be available very soon. These e-mails are simply an effort on the part of the sender, to share some of his bliss, as it is said, 'Yam perra peru peruga ivvaiyagam'.

2. To-day's e-mail is the translation of what is given in pages, 87 to 93, in volume I, under the heading, 'Dharmame Thalaikakkum'.
3. As an indicator, for the New Year, Mother Nature, causes the Prince and Princess of the Plant Kingdom, 'Arasa' and 'Neem', trees to completely drop all their leaves. Then She makes them green with fresh leaves. To conduct a marriage ceremony of these two trees and instal, 'Pillaiyar' and 'Nagaraja, the snake God', under them, is an age old custom. At the end of winter, these two trees, will be bereft of all leaves. Pilliyar and Nagaraja, will be so situated that, all the sunlight could fall on them. This season is suitable to enjoy the pleasant warmth of the Sun. We need an umbrella to protect oneself against the rain and hot Sun. While in winter, we can not sit in the open, in the fall season and early summer, it is a pleasure to sit in open air. There is a saying that, after Sivarathri, cold will run away, uttering 'Siva Siva', when open air is very pleasant, in the day as well at night. As though to facilitate and enble Pillaiyar and Nagaraja to enjoy the season, Mother Nature renders the trees leafless. Then before it becomes too hot, the trees are again covered by fresh green leaves. Nagaraja can be considered as Subrahmanya Swamy. Actually the Telugu people call the Snake and Subrahmanya Swamy, as 'Subbsrayudu'. It is an age old custom of Tamil Nadu too, to do Pooja to Snakes, on Sashti. The Love Mother Nature showers on Pillaiyar and Subrahmanya, the two children of Parvathi Parameswara, is sybolic of the Love she showers on all of us, who are also God's children only. I t is complete concern and care. To drop the leaves and come out with fresh leaves, is all part of Natural Order; World order;
which does not change even after passage of many Yugas.
4. In the Universe, there is discipline. Human life is possible only because of such discipline. Otherwise everything will be chaos. That is, so as to enable the entire living beings to live comfortably, there is balance, discipline, order and law created by God. When the children have to be protected from Sun and Rain, there is shade and cover. When the children need the tender warmth of the Sun, there is dropping of leaves in the Fall. This is the Love with which, God embraces us. So the plant life has an order.
5. Don't we have to deserve this ? Yes. We have to. The rule for trees and wood, is also applicable to us. We become entitled to God's Love, only when we behave and act for the welfare of others, and the World. This is what is called, 'Dharma". By giving us the power to act within Dharma and also giving us the capability to break the Order, He plays with us. He plays with us by giving us the Brain.
With that brain, we could try to understand all this, or run after imaginary pleasures, resulting in Adharma. But in the end, it is only Dharma, which wins. " Dharmam Eva Jayate ". All the people of the world
have somehow been pulled towards Dharma, by something. That is why, at all times, in all countries, other than endevouring to satisfy His physical and material needs, Man has ever been doing some peculiar things. One holding the, 'Cross and Bible', attends the 'Mass'. Another holding the, 'Quron' attends 'Namaas'. Another holding, 'Bhagawat Geeta', does 'Namaskar'. Another takes some ashes and smears himself, while another takes a white chalk stick called, the 'Namakkatti', and applies on his forehead. Though there does not seem to be any immediate benifit, why has humanity been doing this for generations ?
6. For worldly life Man accumulated wealth and materials. Not stopping with the daily needs, He also amassed for the future. Once you cater for the future, the question arises, as to how far in to the future, do you cater for ? For how many years ? On realization that He cannot live for thousands of years, He catered for a life time and something for the next generation. Then the question arose as to what happens to Him after this life time is over ? It was realized that with the death of the body, the being does not disappear or vanish completely. It was also found that all the wealth and material, accumulated by him are of no more use to him. The great people in various places, tried and identified what would be of benefit to the life in him. This was done in many ways in many countries, as the
symbol of the Cross, the Mass, the Namaas, Prayers, Poojas, the Sacred Ash, the Thiruman and so on.
7. 'Man's Dharma is to do things for the benefit of Humanity, thinking all to be of God's. He or She should act with this aim and not in selfishness. The narrow view of one's own advantage, will push Him or Her, in to more and more away from Dharma. So something should be done to reduce the selfishnesss, and create universal awareness in the human being.' With this as the aim, all the religeons of this world have come in to being. There is no Relegion which preaches narrow mindedness and selfishness. Since, as long as he thinks of him/herself as too big, he/she will be ego centered, all the relions have emphasised on the fact that the human being is infinitesimally small and ethereal, in relation to God. Thereby the effort has been to reduce the pride and head weight and inculcate humility and humbleness.
Once we catch hold of this idea, then you leave it to God, to correct your mind, the way it is to be done. With this purpose, all the Religeons have laid much emphasis on Devotion.
8. But God as an Idea is not easy to grasp. Even when told to be devoted to God, it becomes difficult to practice. To show Devotion, in action is easier. That is how all the rituals, procedures, ceremonies, functions and periodic activities, have evolved. Continue in life, keep following your profession. Do whatever to earn your livelyhood. Simultaneously be kind to others. Do sacrifice. Do service. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Thus evolved Morality side by side. If you lead a life of piety and selflessness, One religeon will say that You will attain to Heaven; another will say that you will become God's beloved; Salokam, Sameepyam, Sayujyam. Salokam means to be in God's world. Sameepyam means nearness to God. Sayujyam is to become one with God.. So some emphasie that reaching the Heavenly abode as the ultimate, while some insist on being a servant of God, and some principles aim at becoming so totally selfless, that there is no I or me or mine, but only Him and His, as does Adwaita. But why fight about the Ultimate. For the present, temporarily, it is enough to know, that the purpose now is to try to attain Him. ( KTSV is reminded of a Tamil Alwar, who says
'Ichchuvai thavira yam poi Indira lokam alum, achchuvai perinum venden Arangama Nagarulane'.
9. If we were to reach anywhere near that state, we should do our duties without fail. That is our Dharma. Dharma is what benifits us in this life and later. We should be doing things not only for now, but also for when we will not have this body. This is more important than Life Insurance. If You take care of Your Self, You may not need any dole. That is more beneficial to others too. This after life insurance gives a sense of peace now and takes care of us later also. There is no need for any confusion as to what is our Dharma. For many many years, many decades, many hundreds of years, there have been many great Mahatmas to emulate. (KTSV adds that, at least in India, there has been a plethora of role models to emulate. There have been 63 Nayanmars, 12 Alwars, Adi Sankara, Ramanujacharya, Madvacharya, and even in recent times, there have been, Thayumanavar, Vallalar, Pattinathu Adigal, Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Nisarga Dutta Maharaj, and so on.) If we think of a new method, we ourselves will be in doubt. That is not to obviate a new invention. To follow established Dharma to one's best ability is enough.
10. Once born as a human being, problems will always be there. There will be bitter experiences. That is why, there is a custom in South India, to eat a dish made of Neem flowers on New Years Day.
We accept bitterness as part of life. Pongal comes at the end of the Year, as per Tamil calender. In Pongal, we taste sugar cane. Start with neem's bitterness and end up with the sweetness of sugarcane.. What starts as sweet can end in bitterness. But when we accept and welcome bitterness as Mother Nature's offering as a medicine of Dharma, then as time goes on, we can develop the attitude to look at all experiences as sweet.
11. Sri Rama, faced many difficulties, during the fourteen years of life in the forest, to which He was banished. When he started out on his journey, His mother Kausalya wanted to give him something, as you would give packed lunch or dinner. What would last for 14 years without getting spoiled ? She deliberated on this. She gave him a parcel of Dharma which could as a permanent guard. She told Him, " Raghava! The Dahrma which you guard with courage and discipline, will guard you."
" yam palayasi dharma twam, dhrutya cha niyamena cha
sa vai Raghava! sardula dharmastwam abhirakshatu ".
12. Rama got his kingdom back with dharma. When any one walks on the path of dharma, the whole of nature holds his hands. The elements ie., space, air, water, fire and earth support him. Animate and inanimate world accompany him. Animals actively participate in his endevours. If you fall in to adharma, your kin will become your enemy. This principle is proved by the Ramayana. Sri Rama was aided by the monkeys. Whereas Ravana was ababdoned by his brother too. 'Dharmam thalai kakkum', says a Tamil proverb, meaning that, dharmam will protect your head. Ten headed Ravana was beheaded. Sri Rama could hold his head high. For everyone in this world, their own ancestors have shown the way of Dharma. Follow it to your own satisfaction with courage of conviction and with love for all.
(KTSV adds. Of course please bear in mind that, anyone teaching intolerance and terrorism, racism and regionalism, parochialism and discrimination based on language or caste or creed; are all on the path of Adharma. If you belong to Voodoo, follow it completely. Learn everything about it. Do not believe in conversion but inversion.)
Sambhomahadeva.