Deivathin Kural Series - 117

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 117 of 15 of Dec 2006.
1. To-day's title is 'Mukthikku Mundiya Nilayil Bakthi', that is, 'Devotion Prior to Mukthi', occuring in pages 524 to 526, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, Tamil version, published by Vanady Padippagam, Chennai.
2. There is a father. He wishes to get a suitable match for his daughter. He tells his fiends and relatives. He searches for matching horoscopes. He gets an eligible batchelor. Marriage is fixed. After the marriage, the would-be son-in-law is to take the daughter away to a foreign country. What would be the state of his mind, at the time of handing over the daughter? More than all the happiness and satisfaction of conducting successfully his daughters marriage, and meeting an important obligation, the sadness of being seperated from his daughter, whom he had bred and nurtured for so many years, will be felt intensely. It is he who had searched for a match. He would have mortgaged his valuable possessions, to raise the funds. But at the time of 'Kannika Danam', his mind would feel like the sugar-cane going through the wringer, with over flowing tears in his eyes!
3. The person who has become worthy of liberation is known as, 'Mumukshu'. By constant devotion to God, one attains this worth. At the time he is just about to be liberated from being bound, he reaches a quandry. His condition at that moment is exactly like that of the father, about to hand over his daughter. Like the father who was searching for a suitable match for his daughter, this man too, had been trying his level best, and observing all the required 'anushtana', in the path of devotion. By that process, his mind has been cleansed. He is on the verge of dropping his separate identity and merge totally in the divine. Like the father about to hand over his daughter, this 'sadhak' or aspirer feels great agony, as he is about to hand over himself to the divine. One poet expresses this agony by a sloka, starting with the words, 'basmothdoolana badramasthu bavathe'.
4. He says:- "The Lord God is pleased to grant me moksham. From now I do not have to apply the Vibuthi ashes on my forehead. I do not have to wear the Rudraksha beads. I do not have to climb the steps of the path of devotion by doing Pooja and Japam any more. You, Sacred Ashes, Rudraksha Mala, Pooja and Japa; who have given me devotion and through devotion, taken me so close to experiencing the bliss of divine self; I am going to be seperated from you all. I am just about to be submerged in the supreme Maha Moha of Moksham!"
5. Moksham is being relieved of all 'Moha', or delusion. But compared to the bliss of devotion, he feels, Moksham is super delusion! There is a sloka in, 'Krishna Karnamrutham', with similar sentiments. As Bakthi matures, Leela Sukar finds that he is not attending to the 'Nitya Karmas', of Sandya Vandanam, Pithru Tharpanam and Brhma Yagyam. So he is reluctantly bidding 'good bye', to Nitya Karmas. That sloka starts with the words, 'sandya vandana badramasthu bavathe'. ( KTSV says:- Of course, in the modern times many brahmins have willingly bid good-bye to Sandya Vandanam. That is another matter!)
6. In the earlier stages, without raising questions 'why?', we should do all the 'Nitya Karma Anushtana'. This slowly but steadily, brings balance, reduces passion, anger and hate. Cleanses the mind of dust and dirt. The mind becomes one-pointed. With it's own inexhorable logic, Bakthi matures into Gnana. We do not have to leave Karma or Bakthi. They will drop off on their own! Till that happens, we should continue with dogged determination and perseverance. We do not have to directly make an effort to attain Gnana. Keep at Bakthi. As Gopala Krishna Barathiyar sang, 'Bakthi pannik kondirunthal mukthi peralame!'.
Sambhomahadeva.