Deivathin Kural Series - 27

Om Namah Sivaya.
1 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, 108 to 111, in volume I, under the heading, 'Sakal Madangalukkum Poduvana Bakthi'. (As you know Man herein includesWoman.)
3. As I said before, all the Religions of this world, have come into being to relieve him of all worries. While he has a monopoly on worries; if only he tries, he also has a special capability to attain to Gnanam, not available to any other type of beings, including Angels or Devas. All the Religions of the world proclaim , that Man can be relieved from all worries and fears, if he surrenders to God, who is the creator-sustainer-destroyer. Adwaitam, Visishta-adwaitam, Dwaitam, Saiva-Siddantam, Islam, Juism and Christianity, are all, of one view, on this issue. For all of them, Bakthi or Devotion, is a common platform.
4. Though Buddaha, did not talk about Bakthi, Buddhists have not been able to avoid this. That is why, they have considered Buddha as the God and do Pooja to him, by installing huge statues of Him in their shrines. Even in recent times, many Saints have solely emphasised the importance of, 'Atma-Vichara'. Their followers have invariably,come to consider these Saints as God and direct their Devotion,
towards that Saint. Devotion is such a natural tendency.
5. As per Adwaita, when you pray to God, You are to get over the idea of seperateness. Pray or do the Pooja, as though, He and You are One and the same. In Pooja Vidhanam, You will see this injunction:- 'Deho Devalayaha. Proktho Jeevo Sanathanaha. Tyajeth Andhakara Nirmalyam. Soham Bhavena Poojayeth', meaning, 'this human body is God's temple. The Jeeva is forever. Throw away darkness of agnana, as you would, the used flowers of yesterday, and start the process of Devotion, with the idea, that You and Him are One. Similarly, in the Sandya Vandanam, (that is required to be done by, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas,) is a Mantra, 'Brhma eva aham asmi', meaning, 'I am Brhma'. This is not meant for telling others or for boasting. This is meant to be told to yourself. Here is an apparent paradox. We have an Idea of God, as omnipotent, omnipresent, and so on. The Devotee is known to be limited in all capabilities. How can the two be one?
6. Listen carefully to the answer. If the opposite were true, ie., If God and the Devotee are two different entities, it would mean that there could be things, other than God! Where did they come from?
If their source of origin is different, how could He have control over them? Deep thinking on this will lead to the conclusion that, the One Oceon of Ishwara, is also the water, in the steam, cloud, rain, rivulets, rivers, wells, lakes, utencil, glass and spoon. There can be differences in size, shape, name and capabilities. But basically we are one. Acceptance of this reality is Adwaita Mukthi.
7. It is not enough to say this intellectually. This should become the experience in the mind, heart and being. Till there is an iota of the idea of seperateness, in us, this Anubhava-siddhi, can happen only with God's blessing. Even to be devoted, we need His blessings. As Manikkavachagar says, 'avan arulale avan tal vanangi'. To stop running from piller to Post, and to develop an attraction towards Adwaita, we need His blessings:- 'Easwara anugrahath eva pumsam adwaita vasana'. In the early stages, though feeling of seperateness cannot be avoided, we must tell ourself, 'whatever is God, is also the world, is also me. I am not different. I am not contrary to God. I am not anti God.' Since we all love ourself, our love for Him can only increase in the process.
8. The God who grants the fruit-effect of all our actions, will also fruition our devotion. You take a step towards Him and see Him responding with many steps. We do not have to analyse Him. No need for comprehension. We will be given the necessary understanding, for which He will get down to our level. In Bagawath Gita, He says, 'bakthya mam abhijanathi yavan yachami'. To know him is to Love Him. The Devotee loves to talk about Him in all His Glories. Gnani on the other hand, concentrates on the aspectless-aspect of the potential, and gets dissolved in it entirely. Even that starts from Devotion/Bakthi only.
9. This saguna-upasana or idol worship, has given raise to the concept of individual's special-favourite-god, or 'ishta-devata'. Other religions stop at One God. But our Hindu Religion known as Sanatana Dharma, has given the freedom to pray to God, the way the individual wishes. After all the fact remains that it is the same God, who exhibits Himself in so many forms. The One God only has revealed Himself to so many Great Saints, in so many forms. These forms are not just imaginary. The Saints have inter acted with their God, played with Him, spoken to Him, Realised Him and have also indicated the procedure for prayers and given the Mantra, for the use by the followers.
10. Whatever the procedures, systems, principles, ie., whatever the differences in approach, to Jesus Christ or Allah or Ishta-Devata or Kula-Devata or Grama-Devata or Rama or Krishna or Shiva-Vishnu-Brhma, Bakthi or Devotion, is central to all.
Sambhomahadeva.