Deivathin Kural Series - 52

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 52 of 25 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-days chapter is from his lecture, titled, 'Sanatana Dharmame Sankarar Tharum Neri', ie., 'Sankara Also Recommends Sanatana Dharma', in pages 282 to 284, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural. Unless specifically mentioned, he or man includes, she or woman.
3. In English, there is a proverb which says, 'Give the dog a bad name and hang it'. Dog is an animal which has a sense of gratitude and loyalty to the Master. Nobody will accept it's being hung. So someone possibly, gave it a bad name, before hanging it in the gallows. The new modern reformists, are doing the same thing with our Dharma Sastras. That which was supremely responsible for the glory of this country and it's, culture, arts and civilization, is being given a bad name, of being the cause for all the social evils; (some true due to individual aberration and some imaginary, but both of them accruing out of the very dubious progress of modernization); so as to be packed off. Some people do not want the Varna Dharma, as delineated by Sanatana Sastras. So some untoward happenings are being wantonly attributed to the Sastras. It is being alluded that, because people were devided by their work as per their castes, they had no unity and so foreigners could invade and rule over them, many a time. Nothing can be farther away from the truth, than this.
4. Faced with a common enemy, the Kings of this country could have had their differences. But there is no evidence of people having mutual enmity and helping the outsider. Actually now only, when everyone is talking of removing the differences; there is more rupture in the fabric of the society. Contrary to this, till very recently, we have seen evidences of mutual co-operation and concord. If there was a difference of opinion, on some land dispute, between two villages; the whole village stood as one. A man of a particular caste from one village, will not join hands with another man from the other village, even if he is of the same caste. If this was the condition in village loyalty, when it came to the matter of the country loyalty, you can imagine.
5. Small societies had self discipline and self pride. So they could live amicably among themselves and solve their disputes, within themselves. Each community had it's supervisor, called the 'Nattanmaikkarar'. Within the community, everybody respected, obeyed and feared him. Other than advicing and ticking off, he had the power to punish. If need be, he could banish people from his caste! Because people had self respect and love for the community, this banishment was much feared. This kept them from open defiance and indiscipline and guarded them from going astray. Now there is no social control at the 'grass-roots' levels. Resulting in crimes being committed with a devil-may-care attitude, that the work of the Police is ever increasing. Those who are against the Sastras and Varna Dharma, may give this aspect, the attention it deserves.
6. There will always be some opposition for anything. It is good to have opposition. Our real good and bad points will be confirmed either way, by there being an effective opposition. Opposition has an important role to play in guarding against complacency. But in the name of opposition, one should not resort to non-existant untruths, to decry the good and noble and send it to the gallows.
7. One more example of ill founded un-truth is about wearing of Namam or Vibhuthi; the three vertical or lateral marks on the forehead, done by, applying the sacred clay or ashes. There is no caste distinction in wearing this. This may indicate that you are from the Hindu religion. The idea is to think of God, atleast at the time of wearing it. Vaishnavites wear the Namam, with the fine white dust collected from the earth, as they see Vishnu in every speck of dust, as the first name in Vishnu Sahasranamam sloka, is 'Viswam', meaning the 'world'. The Siva bakthas wear the Vibhuthi, which is made in a special way, collecting ashes by burning cows-dung with some additives or simply from the Yagna fire. Siva is known to wear ashes all over his body. So you think of Siva, whenever you wear the Vibuthi. Then is the idea that, 'from ashes unto ashes', so as to remind ourselves not to get too proud and rember our ephemerality. Where is the caste thing in this? The westerner may call it, 'the war paint', with disdain, out of ignorance. But when the real reason is explained, even he will not flinch from doing so. Can you hang such a meaningful religious symbolic act, by the neck, giving it a bad name?
8. We have been ordered by Adi Sankara, to guard the old Dharmas without a break. Since I bear his name, you have come to listen to me. I am duty bound to inform you of his directions. Whether you wear the Namam or Vibuthi, or do not wear it; setting that aside; I am at the least trying to make you understand that, Scriptural requirements have come into practice, keeping individual and collective well being of the society, in mind only.
Sambhomahadeva.