Deivathin Kural Series - 124

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 124 of 26/28 Dec 2006.
1. To-day's title is 'Nam Dharmathin Moola Purushar', that is, 'Our Religion's Root Man', occuring in pages 551 to 557, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, Tamil version, published by Vanady Padippagam, Chennai.
2. In villages, in olden times, when it used to be dark, in the early part of the night, people used to organise patrolling by some four volunteers. This used to bring down the crime rate somewhat.
3. After Krishna Paramatma left this world, the darkness of Kali, was spreading virulently. In the ensuing likelihood of Adharma, a gentleman took the necessary actions, so as to keep the light of Veda burning, at least in some places, without being switched off. He knew that the people of Kali Yuga, would not be able to study the entire Veda. Still, He thought out of his infinite kindness that, all the living beings in the world could benefit, only if some of the Veda Mantras' sounds were retained. For this sake, to suit the limited capabilities of human beings of Kali Kala, He devided the limitless Vedas, into four parts. So He taught, Yailar, Vaisampayanar, Jaimini and Sumanthu; Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana Vedas respectively. He sent them as though patrolling, with the instructions, " I have entrusted this supreme asset of the four branches of the Vedas, to You Four. Please see to it that they are well protected and propogated, through generations of Sishyas." Thus Vedas, which know no start or end or boundaries, were devided in to four.
4. Those four Sishyas, their Sishyas, then theirs and so on, have gone on for thousands of years, protecting the Vedas, by 'word of mouth', (known as 'ezudaak kilavi', in Tamil), arriving at our times. Because of that, Kali's virulence was somewhat under control. In this century, when Veda Adyayanam, has dwindled, we are witness to how Kali has become well entrenched!
5. That great man, who for the sake of the welfare of the humanity, arranged the protection of the Vedas, is called 'Veda Vyasa'. 'Vyasa', means, to devide. He devided Vedas in to four and so is known as, 'Veda Vyasa'. He had another name, Badarayanar. He was born in an island (dweepam, in Sanskrit), and so was known as 'dwaipayanar'. He was also known as 'Krishna', because of being dark complexioned. So as to differentiate from, 'Sri Krishna', He is called 'Krishna Dwaipayanar'.
6. In reality, He is not different from Sri Krishna. Both are Maha Vishnu's Avataras only. In later times, He came as an old man, seemingly annoyed, to have a playful argument with Adi Sankara, so as to bring out His greatness. When both of them were deeply involved in heated discussion, Acharyar's protegee Padmapada, in his divine vision, could see, who they really were. He is believed to have said, "Sankara : Sankaras Sakchat; Vyaso Narayana : Swayam ! ". This means, 'Sankara is Lord Parameswara Himself and Vyasa is Narayana Himself!' Sri Krishna has said in Bhagawat Geeta, " I am Vyasa amongst Munis." There is a sloka, which says, 'Vyasaya Vishnu Roopaya, Vyasa Roopaya Vishnave.'
7. Dakshinamoorthy is the oldest Guru. But He was a 'Mouna' Guru, who preached through 'Silence'. When it comes to a Guru, who uses the medium of speech, to impart knowledge, in Adwaita Vedanta Smartha Sampradaya, it is Lord Narayana Himself. His son Brhma. Brhma's son Vasishta. Then his son Shakthi. Then Shakthi's son Parasarar, who wrote the Vishnu Purana. His son was Vyasa. After Vyasa, his son Sukha. He was one of the rare souls, whose mind and conscience was not corrupted by being born! So he was a 'Brhma Nishta', from birth, who remained celibate throughout his life. Till then, what was a Father - Son, relationship, between Guru and Sishya, changed in to a new tradition of, purely Guru-Sishya relationship, which could also be a Father-Son relationship and not necessarily so! Sukha's Sishya was Gowda Paadar, who took the celibate vow as a Sanyasi. From here, the tradition started, by which all the Vedanta Guru were Sanyasi only.
8. Gowda Pada's Sishya was Govinda Bhagawat Pada. Our Sankara Bhagawat Pada, was the student of Govinda Bhagawat Pada. Sankara's four students were, Padma Pada, Hastamalaka, Thodaka, and Sureshwara. From this, all the Gurus of Sankara Peetam, are our Gurus. We should prostrate to them everyday, by chanting a Sloka, which lists all their names! I will tell you that sloka:-
" Narayanam Padmabuvam Vasishtam
Sakthim cha tatputra Parasaram cha I
Vyasam Sukham Gowdapadam mahantam
Govinda yogindram athasya sishyam I
Sri Sankaracharyam athasya Padmapadam
cha Hastamalakam cha sishyam I
tam Totakam Vartikakaram anyan
asmat guroon santatam aanathosmi II "
(In this, 'Padmabuvam', is Brhma and Vartikakaram is Sureswara. Other names are known to you.
9. Thus, Vyasa holds a very important position in the Guru parampara. Is it enough to say that he is Vishnu? He is considered all the trinity rolled in to one, as we say, 'gurur Brhma, gurur Vishnu, gurur devo Maheswara'. Similarly, there is a sloka, which describes Vyasa as the trinity. 'Though he has no third eye, he is Siva. Though without four faces, he is Brhma. Though he has only two hands, instead of four, he is Vishnu,' it says!
10. There is no other human being to match Vyasa, in doing social service! He did not stop at the monumental work of grouping and deviding Vedas, into four parts. He also ensured that the Vedas would be Studied and Propogated and Protected. Vedas can only be learnt and understood and protected by a limited number of people, who are ready to apply themselves over a long period assiduously, observing very strictly, many do's and dont's. But Veda's message of, Ahimsa (non-cruelty), Sathyam (truthfulness), Dharmam (morality and justice), etc, should be known and sincerely observed by the common man, He felt. For this purpose, so as to make minute, delicate and subtle points of the Vedas easily understandable; as a magnifying glass enlarges things not easily seen by the eyes; He did the noble service of writing the Eighteen Puranas and Maha Bharatha, which is reverred as the Fifth Veda.
11. To enable every one, to rever their own individual deity as the ultimate supreme power, He wrote the 18 puranas, with Easwara / Vishnu / Subrahmanya and so on, as the leading deity of a particular Purana. Till recently, if there was no thievery, skull-duggery, cheating, corruption of moral values in even the poorest and illiterate sections of Indian society, it was due to Vyasa's Puranas and Bharatham. To say this more positively, If there is some humaneness still ingrained in the people of India, it is undoubtedly, Vyasa's contribution. If there is still some discipline, some devotion to divinity, and some lingering well being and contentment, in people's minds, it is due to Vyasas blessings.
12. Having done all this for the common man's benefit, for the sake of the brilliant brains, he also gave the quintessence of the Vedas in the briefest form as aphorisms, in Brhma Sutras! So, he also becomes one of the the Brhma Vidya Acharyas, called 'Vyasacharyar. In Brhma Vidya, his student is his son, 'Sukha Brhmam'.
13. I have already given you the names of the four Sishyas, entrusted with the job of protecting and spreading the four Vedas. The Puranas and Maha Bharatha, were tought to Suta. Suta was born amongst people who used to drive the charriots, like the modern day chauffeurs. (It is good to remember that, Sri Krishna took up the role of chauffeurhood, [literally took up the reins / reigns], for Arjuna.) Suta was well read, and a great intelligent man of wisdom.
14. Coming back to Brhma Sutra, Sankarar (Adwaita), Ramanujar (Visishtadwaita), Madhvar (Dwaita), Mei Kandar (Saiva Siddhanta), and Vallabhacharyar (Krishna Bakthi Marga), have all interpreted Brhma Sutra, as per their Siddhanta or principled stand. In the Pandita world, Brhma Sutra has its own special importance!
15. We people who call ourselves Hindus, somehow or other, belong to one of the above divisions of Siddhanta. By this, it does not mean that we are devided. Branches of a tree, will grow towards different directions. But, does it mean that they are not one and the same tree? The trunk and roots are the same. For all these branches, the basis is the same great Maha Purusha, Vyasa. 'Moolam' means root. The moola purusha is Vyasa Bhagawan. To-day, the basic reason for our being, at least this much religious, are the seeds sown by Veda Vyasa then.
16. There is nothing wrong in us Hindus, being different philosophically. Let us be holding on to the ideas, such as, "I am Adwaiti, my Guru is Sankara; you are a Dwaiti, your Guru is Madhva; he is a Visishtadwaiti, his Guru is Ramanuja; that man is a Saiva Siddhanti, his Guru is Sri Meikandar; that other man is a Krishna Baktha, his Guru is Vallabhacharya; and so on." Since there are many views and ideas, there is nothing wrong in analysing them. But whatever be the difference, whatever be the branch of philosophy; we are all bounden by the duty to, hang Vyasa Bhagawan's photo around our neck and have a parade around the city streets.
17. We make and install, the statues of many people. We conduct many photo opening ceremonies! I have a sincere desire that, in each county, or pettai or puri or puram; all the Hindus should gather at one place, and conduct a function, in which the common Veda Dharmas, applicable to all sects of communities as propounded by Vyasa are publicised. We should conduct such a 'Vyasacharyal Jayanthi', with added vigour, to make up, for all the years that we have ignored Him!
We Hindus are all beholden to Him, out of gratitude. He is a 'Siranjeevi', like Anjaneya, Aswaththama and Mahabali, spreading His divine blessings, forever!
18. He is like the central basement, for a multi storied edifice, that is Hinduism! Without him, there would have been no Hinduism, to talk about! That great man should be remembered everyday, by every Hindu.
19. Brhmacharis (celibate not-yet marrieds) and Grahastas (house-holders), at the time of Avani-Avittam, before wearing a new 'Poonal' (a triple piece of sanctified thread worn from the left shoulder, across the torso), invocate Veda Vyasa on a Kumbha and do obeisance to him. Amongst Sanyasis, though there are some who still wear the Thread, there are more of them who have cut the 'Poonal'. However, whatever be your Asrama, whatever your caste, whatever your different view point, we are all bounden by the threads of, 'Brhma Sutra'! We all owe him. Even the Renounced Sanyasis, thank him by conducting 'Vyasa Poojai', at the start of the, 'Four Month Vow of Abstinence', known as the, 'Chaatur Maasya Pooja'.
Sambhomahadeva.