Deivathin Kural Series - 129

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 129 of 04 Jan 2007.
1. To-day's title is 'Swami Enral Kumaraswamie', ie., 'Swami refers to Kumaraswami only', occuring in pages 572 to 585, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, Tamil version, published by Vanady Padippagam, Chennai. (Note:- In the previous e-mail, that is Deivathin Kural # 128, the page numbers under reference, should have been 568 to 571 and not as given. Please correct them.)
2. "Swami" is considered as a common name for God. Parameswara is Swami, Mahavishnu is Swami, Vigneswara is Swami, all Gods are Swami. Not only thus the Saguna Brhmam, but also Nirguna Brhmam, which has taken the form of so many different God's and even the Gods of other religions, are referred to as Swami.
3. But the word, 'Swami', is truely applicable to one God only. It is as though, the other Gods have only borrowed or misappropriated. That true Swami is Subrahmanyar; Murugan, Muruga-p-perumal, as He is lovingly referred; is this Child God, Kumara Swami. If you ask me, 'as to how can I make such a statement and what is the authority?', I would quote, 'Amarakosam'.
4. Agarathi, Nigandu, are words for dictionaries. The famous Sanskrit Dictionary, is 'Amara Kosam'. It is also referred as 'Amaram'. Here I should first say a few things about the author of Amarakosa. Though this matter is not directly connected to, 'why Swami means Kumaraswami?', it has certain other relevance; such as the fact that it brings out how differing religions related to each other; and it clearly brings out the greatness of Adi Sankara!
5. The book under reference, I said is 'Amara Kosam'. 'Kosam' means a 'Treasure Chest'. Since it is a treasure chest of inestimable value, giving meaning to words and combination of words, the word, 'kosam' is most apt. Though there are many dictionaies, it is 'Amara Kosam', that is most famous. How did the word, 'Amara' evolve. Undoubtedly a dictionary in the Sanskrit language, since it is the language of the Gods, it is appropriate that it is 'eternal or amara'. Moreover despite all the efforts to declare it a 'dead language', it continues to not only survive but flourish! So it is in the rightness of things that a dictionary in Sanskrit be called, 'Amara Kosam'.
6. But this book was called 'Amara Kosam', because it's author was 'Amara Simha'. Amara Simha was an intellectual giant. His knowledge of the language was vast and deep. Not only that, he has a clear grasp of any and every subject he touches, in addition to his grasp of the language. He was not a Hindu. He belonged to the Jains.
7. Jains were great scholors. They have a special place in literature, in almost all the languages of India. Books such as 'Chintamani' and 'Valaiapathy', of exemplary literary merit in Tamil, are all works of Jain authors only. In Sanskrit, Jains had their own 'Pancha Kavyas', as was already existing in the Hindu Religion! Amara Simha had written many books on Jainism. But the only work that survived the test of time, is the non-religious book of 'Amara Kosam'. And the man who saved it from destruction was, our Adi Sankara Bhagawat Padar!(Though the Jains considered him as Enemy No 1.)
8. You know that during his life time, Adi Sankara, walked around the whole country and put-down 72 of the so-called religions and re-established the Vaidika-Sanaathana-Dharma, (later named by the West as the Hindu Religion!). During this he also met Amara Simha. It was Adi Sankara's stand that, there is only one Truth, that is seen as many. If we understand this, we can also merge back into the One and become that, with no seperateness remaining. This stand of Adwaita, is not the same as, Buddhism's Sunyata. They hold the view that, everything is Sunyam or Maya. "Dhrishtim Gnana mayam krutva pasyata Brhma mayam Jagat", to mean, 'Parvaiai punidam akkik kondu, parppadu anaithum Brhmam enru therindukol', or 'having sanctified your vision know that, all that is seen is Brhmam'. The difference is in the end point, which is not 'Sunyata', but the wholesomeness of 'Poornata".
9. Bhuddism, stops at 'Sunyata'. Adi Sankara, arrives at 'Poornata'. Buddhism says, 'Na Asti', or 'Not there'. Adi Sankara says, 'Asti', or 'Is There'. For the Jains and their Religious Guru of Jeenar, the end point is, 'Asti-Na-Asti', on the lines of, 'Is and Isnot' or 'May be - May not be'.
10. Amara Simha who had this sort of Jain view point, had a war of words, with Adi Sankara. He said that he will talk only from behind a screen. Adi Sankara agreed to this, without analysing the reasons for his condition. The war-of-words between Adi Sankara and Amara Simha started, in front of a huge audience of learneds. Adi Sankara started asking a series of questions. Amara Simha gave prompt perfect replies. Adi Sankara, was quite surprised. For a second, he paused. He could immediately catch on to the truth.
11. His questions had been answered not by Amara Simha, but by Goddess of Learning and Knowledge, Saraswathi Devi, speaking in Amara Simha's voice. For long he had been Saraswathi's devotee. Jaina religious beliefs do not approve of such worship of individual Gods. But he had taken Saraswathi Devi's blessings, even in writing the books in support of Jain Religion. This was hypocrisy of the worst kind!
12. There are many in this world, who call themselves Agnostics or Ratiionalists and Non-believers in blind beliefs! But when confronted with the problems of life, they first run to Thiruppathy Balaji or Mariamman. Then they claim, "I had to respect the feelings of my better half, though I do not subscribe to these things. He he!" Amara Simha, on such grounds, had become a devotee of Saraswathi Devi. He had sought and taken her 'Anugraha', in writing all his Anti-Hindu propoganda materials. Depending on the sincerity of the prayers, Gods grant your wishes.
13. Behind the curtain, he had invoked Goddess Saraswathi in an earthen pot of water, known as Kumbha. He knew before-hand that, however learned he may be, all that would be tantamount to a candle before the brilliance of the Sun, in front of his opponent, Adi Sankara! So he had already surrendered to Vagdevi Saraswathi. Her invocation in a Ghatam, and Her answering questions on his behalf, were all with Her blessings only. Adi Sankara could divine the truth in no time!
14. He prayed to Saraswathi. "Mother, You have helped a man, whose very religion is anti-gods. If your blessings are based on the intensity of his prayers, don't You have to draw a line, as to how much to help a nefarious purpose? You have helped him to write his anti-devotion books and now have helped him so far, in withstanding my arguments! Mother You have helped him enough." She vanished. The curtain fell down. Amara Simha accepted defeat.
15. 'Saras'- that is, 'water source or level'. Goddess of that is Saraswathi, 'water source or level', meaning, 'source and level of Knowledge'! When that is not clear and turbid, Saraswathi has no place there. What was the condition existing, when Acharyal came in to this world? Seventy Two irreligious view points, in the garb of intellectual beliefs, were masquerading as Religions, creating chaos out of confusion. 'Saras' had become a mire of dross. By His Adwaita doctrine, He dredged the mire and salvaged, Saraswathi Devi Herself! There is a Sloka, on these lines, starting with the words, 'Vaktharam aasadya'.
16. Thus, to make Saraswathi, regain Her original splendour, He had to remove Saraswathi. Then Acharyal also blessed Amara Simha. That is the story of 'Amara Kosam' and 'how only Kumara is Swami', in the next e-mail!
(To be continued)
Sambhomahadeva.