Deivathin Kural Series - 38

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 38 of 02 Aug 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'. When he adds any personal observations he uses the phrase, 'KTSV adds'.

2. To-day's e-mail is the translation of what is given in pages, 186 to 200, in volume I, under the heading, 'Poruppali Yar? Parigaram Enna?', meaning, 'Who is the Culprit & What is the Remedy?'. (As you know, Man herein includesWoman and vice versa except when specially mentioned.) This chapter being too long, it is being sent in two parts. Up to para 11, to-day and from para11 till the end on 02 Aug. This is the second part. We will continue from para 11.
11. I am very convinced in my opinion that, Brahmin is the main reason for the collapse of the system. Some people give some explanations. The Brahmin needed all the 24 hours of a day for doing his duties. Throughout his life he was to spend all his time in chanting Veda Mantras, Sandya Vandanam, Brhma Yagnyam, Pooja, Tapas, Upavasam and so on; continue his self-studies life-long and teach the next generation so as to ensure the continuity of nurturing Vedas and Brahminhood. Where was he to go for livelyhood and sustenance? If he goes for earning, his life-time-mission will suffer. His main job cannot be done part-time. The intensity in his Brahminic activities will suffer. Then like medication without dieting, the effectiveness of his Mantras will dissipate. If this happens, the society and in turn the world will not get the salutory devine vibrations. Because of this above logic, in Sastras itself, Brahmin was permitted to beg. So as to prevent the Brahmin from wasting his time and energy in begging, the Kings in the past, made it a point to enrich the Brahmin community with various kinds of donations such as, land, houses, cattle and gold. Here too the Brahmin was required to refrain from accepting all that was gifted. He was to constantly guard against greed, and sycophancy. Accepting all the gifts could have taken him down the path of indulgence and becoming so indebted to the donor, that he would have had to interpret the Sastras and Dharmas conveniently flexibly, thereby affecting the integrity of his professional Dharma. Keeping all this under consideration, as per Dharma, he was required to accept only the minimum-unavoidable-essential-least. So they lived under the care of the rulers.
12. One of the samadanam or explanation is like this. 'After the arrival of the Britishers, there were no Kingly donations. Brahmins were compelled to go for English education and Governmental jobs, by the force of circumstances. So they are not to be blamed!'.
There may be some truth in this argument. But total justification is not there. Before the Britishers, there was the Moghul Empire, followed by rule by many Sultans. Though some went to work in the Durbar of these Rulers, did not people survive without kingly previlages? Did they not continue to persevere with their duties as a Brahmin? The desertion of Agraharam, destruction of Village-life, the emptying of Veda-Schools, etc., have all happened in the recent past only, of about 150 years or so. So what is the logic?
13. The logic is like this. It is not only the Hindu Kings who looked after the Brahmins. All the castes in the Hindu society were interested in seeing to it, that Veda Dharmam should not be permitted to dissipate; that the Brahmin community should not suffer due to lack of care; and so have contributed immensely, whole-heartedly. To day there are hundreds of Veda-Patashalas, all over Tamil Nadu going unattended, literally. Who initially contributed the capital for them? Who sustained them with money over generations?
Mostly, Nattukkottai Nagaraththars, Komutty Chettiyars, Pannaiyars and Velalars. There is no end to such people's contributions, for the Temples of South India. They also believed that, so as to retain the sanctity of the Temples, it is essential to look after Vedas and Veda Patashalas. So they ensured that wherever there was a Temple, a Veda Patashala was also run and gave their wealth for that purpose ungrudgingly. So my point is that; had the Brahmins stuck to their duties of Veda-Samrakshanam, instead of running after the mirage of a life of luxury; the whole Hindu Society would have come forward to contribute their might.
14. Even before the society had given him up; the Brahmin voluntarily deserted the Agraharam and Village life and Veda-Patashalas, for the life of luxury and ease, made possible by modern science; newly arrived in India via the Britishers. He transgressed his Dharma, by which he was required to accept only the minimum-unavoidable-essential-least! So I do not agree to the argument that, he let the Dharma go by default, only because of not even having enough to eat. No. The only explanation is that the Brahmin had surrendered to greed!
15. Even after coming to the city, did he remain satisfied with the minimum? Had he done so, I could accept the above argument. What happened in reality? Even if he got a thousand or two in Madras, he was not happy. He had to opt for three or four thousand, at Delhi. With that,whatever little bit of daily duties that were clinging to him in Madras, also went up in thin air. Then, if he can get 4000 dollars in New York, he not only forgets that he is a Brahmin, but feels ashamed to say so. (Periyaval says in Tamil, "kandathai vittu kandam poi kandapadi vazharane!", with a pun on the word Kandam meaning Continent.)
16. 'Are they paying more, in the Army? I will join them,' says the Brahmin, 'does not matter even if I have to taste liquor and non-vegetarian food'. So what we find is that for money, the Brahmin has come to do anything; to go to any length. So I do not contribute to the opinion that, Brahmin's down fall is due to the force of circumstances.
17. I will go one step higher. Let us assume that all other castes had given up their own Dharma, because of being lured away, by the influx of science and machine age, that came with the arrival of Britishers in India. Let us also assume that Aryan-Dravidian divide tactic of the Britishers was responsible for the entire lot of non-brahmins deciding not to look after the Brahmins anymore. Let us assume also that, that the Brahmins were compelled by the circumstances, to look for some sort of education and employment. Even then, I am saying that they should have said, 'Come what may. Even if I have to die in the process, whatever I do or not do, I am not going to forsake my Dharma.' Anyhow, there is no meaning, in saying what the earlier generations should have done. Iam telling You all now, the same thing.
18. That is, even if the only alternative is to die, one should not give-up, swadharma. We are anyhow going to die. But how? Having earned much wealth, and having earned much more jealousy and hatred; and as people who forsake their self-discipline.
Better than this is to die of starvation, doing one's duty. Let the world praise us or ridicule; who is bothered about it? At the least, as long as we are not in competition with others, no one will be jealous of us. Let people laugh at us that we could not adjust to the changing world. Are they not laughing at us now? Instead of being the subject of ridicule without our Dharma, let us be the subject of ridicule, tightly holding on to our Dharma. People are ready to sacrifice their life for the country or language. People are ready to give up their life by self immolation, for even a dispute over land, between two adjoining districts! They call it principled stand, even though it may a worthless cause! Why could not the Brahmins stand up to the temptations, that too for the noblest of cause? Instead of opting for other's way of life and thereby gain some dubious benifits, they could have stood by their Dharma and died of starvation! Bhagawan says in the Gita, that such a death if preferable, quote, 'nidanam sreyaha', unquote. All the attraction of modern luxury consumer goods that came to be available, during the British period, as related to the Moghul rule earlier, can only be lame excuses and not reasons enough, for the Brahmins down fall!
19. Brahmins physical being was not meant for bodily pleasures at all, but for strictly performing the various rites of his profession, for the welfare of humanity. So, that body was not to be polluted by any materials that would increase the craving for sensory pleasures. This part of his dharma was utterly negated, when he fell for ease and comfort. To defend one's own dharma, even in adverse conditions was expected of him. That he opted otherwise is a sad blunder. As a result of it, we are now experiencing the hatred between brothers, in this country. Not only have we brought the whole community down, but have created confusion in others too. Till the village life was relying on man-power, life was peaceful and pleasant. With the increased availabilty of all the modern facilities, the gap between possession and satisfaction has become unbridgeable. Life has become immensely complicated, with a long waiting list for everything.
20. 'Now, what is the remedy? Do you expect them to return to their old way of life?' My answer is that, 'whether I expect so or not, whether You think it is possible or not, I should insist, that they must do so!' I should not keep quiet, seeing our core-dharma dwindling to null and void. For keeping quiet, you do not need a Jagat Guru. These religions and matams are meant only to make the impossible possible. We are there only to ask for that sort of an effort. There were people who sniggered, "What? Struggle for Independance from the Britishers through Satyagraha! Through non-violent means? Forget it." The world has seen many things happening, which were thought to be impossible earlier. My job is not to compromise on Dharma and Truth. Whether it happens or not, is in your hands. All that I can do is to continue to put in your ears, what is in our Sastras, relentlessly, tirelessly. To tell you as to what are your duties as per the scriptures, and insist, that you carry it out, despite the difficulties.
Sambhomahadeva.