Deivathin Kural Series - 60

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 60 of 06 Sept 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, 'Ella Uyirgalin Thrupthikkaga', ie., 'For the Satisfaction of All Living Beings', in pages 319 to 323, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural. Unless specifically mentioned, he or man includes, she or woman.
3. Yagas addressed towards Gods, Tharpanam and Srardham addressed towards departed ancestors, should all be done without let. Individual _expression of devotion, in the form of daily Pooja; looking after Guests whenever they arrive; 'Vaisvadevam' a Yaga done for the benefit all living beings; were the things done quite regularly by our ancestors. Whether You do these things or not, at least get to know about the fact that, this Nation's ancient history was full of such activities. You have known many things. You read much about other countries and their past. When it comes to our own country's history, you only know what 'you have been permitted to know'. You should at least know the names of Yagas, that have been prevalent in this country, for thousands of years. You should know the names, why and how they were conducted, if only for the sake of information. 'Vaisvadevam' was one of them. I will tell you about it.
4. We have a body and look after it with care. By doing so, are you aware as to how, we make life miserable for many life forms ! We claim with pride that we are keeping our house clean, dirt free, spick and span. On a careful study we will find that our houses are nothing more than a 'butchery'. Not one, but five butcheries ! I am not saying this, but a dharma sastram does. What are those five butcheries? 'Pancha suna grahastasya vardante aharaharah sada ! Kandinee, Beshinee, Sullee, Jalakumba Upaskaraha!' Whether vegetarians or not, we all use, the knife, peeler, mixer, grinder, juicer, heater, micro oven etc. Earlier there were much simpler implements in the kitchen. In them we cut, peel, pare, grind and boil or fry, vegetables and cereals and thus make their life miserable. (Now-a-days we use many more implements and germicidals, detergents, repellents and so on ! We use them in the house, in the offices, on the roads, and in the very fields of cultivation. So it would seem that we have made this whole world into a huge slaughter house ! )
5. Here I have to give answer to an objection raised by non-vegetarians. They ask the vegetarians, "Similar to the goat, sheep, pig, fowls and fish, your vegetables also have life ! Are you not responsible for killing them?" Yes. I agree that plants also have life, to which we are being cruel. Yes, plants also have life and feelings. What they do not have is the element of 'pain'. If at all, they have any capability to feel pain, not to same intensity This has been scientifically proved. More over, we do not take the life of the plant, but its leaves or fruits or seeds. This is like cutting the hair of human beings in a hair cutting saloon. If you consider paddy and such, anyhow, they are harvested when they have become dry and finished their living ! Even if we do not harvest, they will shortly be falling to the ground.
6. We can make people understand, that vegetarian food is better than non-vegetarian, in another way. Now they prefer only certain varieties of meat. They can have beef. But they detest eating horse meat. During the second world war, when horse meat was under consideration for being issued to soldiers, this was seriously objected to, even by vegetarian soldiers, as a poor substitute, being proposed to be issued to their comrades. 'I have myself said 'no' to issue of horse meat, when the matter was referred to me !' Now non-vegetarians, prefer meat and beef, fowls and fish. But when it comes to eating of human flesh by some tribes in Africa, they are considered to be, 'despicable, uncivilised, brutal', and they are branded as 'cannibals'. So, when they make fun of vegetarians saying, 'Don't the plants that you eat, have life as the animals and birds, that we eat?'; we should ask them in turn, 'Yes. When it comes to being cruel to living things, You and We are one. Why don't You catch hold of human beings and eat them? After all, human flesh is also animal flesh only. You are differentiating between other animals and human beings. Similarly, we are differentiating between, plant and animal life.' That aside, Vegetarian food is more suitable for the calm and quiet 'Sathva' humane qualities, that we prefer. Of necessity, unavoidably, we are using, 'kandinee' (ie., 'arival manai', or knife;) and 'Beshanee', (ie., 'Ammi and Ural' or grinders made of stone and moved by hand,).
7. The third butcher's shop is 'chulli', or the fire place, where the food is cooked. Many insects are victimised by the kitchen fire, intensionally or otherwise. Next one is the 'jala kumba', or water-pot. We just may keep the water-filled pot somewhere, and an ant may be crushed under it ! May be you want to keep the water clean, and may swat the flies hovering about. Though Jala Kumba does not much deserve to be kept in the category of another Butcher's shop ! Last one is the 'Upaskaram', ie., the sweaping brush. many ants and flies are destroyed by this, with its modern counter part, the vacuum cleaner, wet/dry. Thus there are five types of butcheries, in our households, just to maintain this human body.
8. Actually it is adviced that, we should not hurt even those animals, that hurt us. Here we are making a virtue of uniformly destroying many insects and living things, without any partiality ! Come to think of it, it is a very sad thing, that we have to kill others, to live ourselves ! Anyhow these five household implements are the unavoidable minimum. We are not intentionally killing. For these type of unintended errors, there is a Yagna of expiation, by the name of, 'vaisvadeva'. This is a Yagna with the prayer that, 'all life forms, which might have been killed or harmed or in some way troubled by any of our actions, may be relieved, benefitted, replenished, rejuvinated, and restored.' (KTSV adds. For this, a sacrifice of a living animal, used to be made, in 'vaisvadeva'. But in the past six decades, no sacrifice of living animals has been noticed. Now-a-days, a coco-nut or a pumpkin, is sacrificed, symbolically. Hinduism permits many,'in-lieus', and is ever ready to adjust and accommodate the majority views on any subject. Periyaval has not touched this fact, in this talk. But He is likely to mention this aspect of sacrifice, 'in-lieu', somewhere or the other.)
9. Bootha yagnam is Vaisvadevam. Deva Yagnam is Poojas and Yagas. Manushya Yagnam is Athithi Satkar or Guest-Care-Taking. Pithr Yagnam is Tharpanam. Brhma Yagnam is by Brahmins only involving teaching the Vedas to the next generation; and by other caste people, by practicing their hereditory professional duties. These Five Yagnas have been going on unbroken, from the time of Rishis, till as recently as our grand-fathers. But in our life time, we have the dubious distinction of being responsible for, not only dis-continuation; but preventing the benefits from reaching the subsequent generations.
10. I am listing many things required to be confirmed to and complied with. Think about what You are keeping upto, and what could have been complied with; and what are the practices going by default ! Even if You cannot do all of them, while involved in making a living; You must stick with what ever is within your capacity and time-frame to adhere to; and at least sincerely regret not being able to comply with.
Sambhomahadeva.