Deivathin Kural Series - 40

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 40 of 07 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, 206 to 232, in volume I, under the heading, 'Vedarakshanam Ane Ayudkalat Tozhilaga Vendum? ie., Why Should Protection and Practice of Vedas Become a Profession?'. (As you know, Man herein includes Woman and vice versa except when specially mentioned.) Since there are 26 pages to be translated, it is likely to take two or three days.
3. "OK. We understand that there is some logic in division of work on traditional and hereditory grounds, for the whole society. But what is the use of what a Brahmin does? Why should protection and practice of Vedas become a profession? What does the society get out of that?" This is to be answered.
4. Pot maker, dhobie, cloth maker, shepherd, carpenter, shoe maker, farmer and such are doing things, directly useful to the society, for their daily life. They eat the rice and vegetables produced by the farmer. They wear the clothes produced by the weavers. What is the Brahmin providing? What are his duties? Brahmin is required to hear the Vedas and commit it to memory. That is called, 'Adhyayanam'. What he has learnt, he has to teach others. That is, 'Adhyapanam'. To chant is adhyayanam. To make others chant is adhyapanam. In addition he should do his daily chores known as, 'nitya karma anushtanam', and yagnyas. His duties have been clearly delineated in the scriptures.
5. Vedas have esoteric, subtle meaning. The modern world may accept, if we say that its esoteric meanings, are to be protected. Society needs knowledge, arts, etc. Since Vedas provide much knowledge, people may be tempted to recommend, that it's meanings and interpretations should be spread in the whole society. But the scriptures do not encourage such wide dissemination. It says that, 'Brahmin is required to protect the SOUND of Vedas. Then he should directly, personally, spread it in the society.' When we say that the sounds of Veda should be made known to all the people of the society, it is welcome. But when we say that, it should be kept in the custody of some, it becomes unwelcome. We can not see as to how the society can be affected adversely, if Veda adyayanam is stopped, as it would be, by the stoppage of essential services?
6. To understand this, we have to understand the Vedas. It is futile to try to understand the Vedas by brains. It is better to have belief and faith, in the words of experienced. The moment I say this, there would be objections from the so called, 'rationalists'.
'How can it be Sir? We are rationalists. We will accept only what is understandable to our reasoning.' Then what can be done?
All things cannot be grasped by human mind. Everything cannot be understood by everybody! What a scientist does in a laboratory
cannot be understood by a buffalo for example. If it says that, because it is not within it's grasp, there can be no physical laws, what can you say? We do not have to go down to the level of a baffalo. Even amongst human beings, those who have not learnt Physics
Science, cannot understand the Laws of Physics. When the well read in Physics say something about it's laws, the unread accept them as true. When they see the practical application of Physics, in day to day house-hold goods, everybody accept the Laws of Physics. Similarly, you have to accept the words of people trained and well versed in Sastras. You have to accept them based on the noticeable practical benefits and evidences available. The biggest evidence is that, this Hindu Religion has survived the test of time, and how beautifully! Despite the opposition from within and without, it has not wilted but rejuvenated. It is not only the oldest religion, but also has the unique record of having given birth to the greatest of thinkers, seers, philosophers, mahatmas, maharishis and gnanis. This quantitative and qualitative excellence has been achieved without competetiveness!! This has happened, without the people asking that it should be within their grasp of understanding and because they believed and had unquestioning faith.
7. The basic belief is that Rishis are those who have crossed the outer borders of human comprehension. It is through them that the Veda Mantras have become available to human beings. If one holds that human beings can never reach such levels, there can be no further discussion. If we point out the existing greats, one could say that, 'They are all cult leaders, frauds and opportunists'. But to say that there can be nothing beyond human comprehension, itself is a blind and narrow view. One can only hope that the rationalists, (who call themselves, 'paguthu-arivu-vaalars' in Tamil), may understand what I am saying.
8. I will now tell you as to why, the Vedas should continue to be nurtured and looked after, in the traditional way. Since you have come to listen to me, ignoring a variety of political meetings to which you could have opted for, even if you are interested only in my word-play, I can only hope that you will not claim to be all 100% paguthu-arivu-vaalars. There is a chance that even some of the paguthu-arivu-vaalars amongst you may think, that there is some sense in what this Samiyar is telling, hopefully.
9. You are likely to wonder as to why, I am using the word veda-sabdam and giving importance to the sabdam or sound of Vedas. OK. How is the sound created? Wherever, there is a vibration or a motion or a movement, there is sound or sabdam. This is a rational scientific fact. The spoken word is composed of a variety of sounds. The sounds seem to be heard by the human or animal ear. From radio and telephone, we know that the sounds can be converted into electrical impulses, not audible to the ear. Even the sight is based similarly on waves only. Not only hearing and seeing, but in the nervous system and brain function is through electrcal impulses only. This is what science says. Let it be aside. We will come back to this.
10. In the world, have come into being, crores of inanimate objects, mountains, earth, rivers, oceans and so on. So many life forms have come in to being. There has to one primordial being or thing, from which all this have been created. That one thing-or-being moved and there was sound. Many movements, motions, vibrations; gave birth to many sounds; and creation happened. In the creation, between inanimate and animate things-or-beings, there is a lot of inter and intra give and take. All this movement will and do create sounds. Not only this. Science has found that even the very thought process is an electrical movement only. So every thought of ours is a vibration and has to have a sound. Since all these sounds are very subtle, they cannot be heard by the ear. The bacteria cannot be seen by the eyes. Similarly there are many subtle sounds which are inaudible. Whether physical or mental, a movement must create a sound too.
11. For each move there is a sound. That can be said as, for each sound, there has to be a movement. An artist sings. If we have to reproduce the same sound, we have to make the same or similar movement of the vocal chords. Actually the movement and sound are simultaneous. After this creation of move/sound combination, come in to being, material or mood. So all said and done, it is clear that creation is from sound. This age old principle, is proved by scientific reasoning too and so should be acceptable to the rationalists / paguthu-arivu-vaalargal also.
12. From the time of creation, ( if there is something like a start point for that,) the sounds of all that has happened, all actions, all thoughts, reside in space. When we clap our hands, the sound of the clap lodges in space. For all good and bad events, for each and every event, there is a movement and a corresponding sound. If we can create the sounds for good thoughts, people will think good thoughts. If all the people of the world, can have noble thoughts, what else can be better than that? The Veda Mantras have that power to influence people's mind to have such noble thoughts.
13. Not only that. For life forms to live, they need food. For this rain is essential. For a rain to happen, there are many preparatory actions, such as evaporation, collection and condensation. If we can make the sounds for those vibrations, rain can be induced. Similarly, the essential needs for life, can be created through sounds. Even non-essentials and bad events can be caused to happen, through sounds. But Veda sounds are concerned only about universal wellbeing.
14. When we look wide and deep, we note that, all the sounds and the vibrations for the sounds, and the actions or events in consequence, all over the world, are all not happening randomly in nature. Without a guiding and controlling power, random sounds can only be chaotical cacophony. But what we see in the world and universe, is systematic, disciplined and inter-connected orderliness. This indicates the presence of some supreme power, whose movement and vibrations are responsible, for the creation and sustenance of the universe, including the Vedas. That is why, we say that Veda Mantras have come from God. We have to take care of them, preserve them and propogate them.
15. The above statement is likely to give raise to a doubt, as to, 'how can it be that, Veda Mantras are audible to our ears, while the sounds of Space are not. How can they be same or similar?' Let me answer this. What is in the Universe is in the Unit too. This is true mathematiclly also. Every part contains the whole and the whole anyhow contains the parts. This is also proved by science. Whatever is in the Prapancham, is also in the Jeevan. There is a Tamil saying, which goes like this,'andathil ulladu pindathil'. So, by chanting Veda Mantras accurately without blemishes, through the responses in the human body, we can catch those corresponding vibrations for, human well being. This may sound implausible. Are not there instruments in the human body to grasp the vibrations in space? Think as to how we are recieving the Sun's rays? This is indisputable even to non-believers. When there is Sun in the space, our body recognises the fact, seeing with eyes and noting the temperature difference by skin. If there is a flower somewhere nearby, our nose cognises it by smell. If there is sugar cane outside, there is the mouth with it's tongue, to know the taste. The eyes note the colours and variations of colour. The softness or lack of it, is sensed by touch. Thus the human body has many sensors to cognise the world. Unless the 'andam' and 'pindam' belong to the same system, this inter-connectivity and compatibility, cannot be there. In other words, the life-forms can neither live in, nor be dependent in/on the world. One step higher is the awareness that, not only the andam and pindam, have been created by the same being, but, the creator is also the creation, which is also his recreation! Yogis knew this innately, intrinsically, and so could say with authority, 'andathil ulladu pindathil!'.
( To be continued)
Sambhomahadeva.