Deivathin Kural Series - 130

Om Namah Sivaya
Deivathin Kural # 130 of 05 Jan 2007.
(Continued from the previous e-mail.)
17. After losing the war of words, Amara Simha, accepted defeat. He had written much in support of Jain philosophy, as much as Adi Sankara had written, on Adwaita and Devotion. Having lost, he felt that whatever he had written earlier, should be destroyed. There are people of truth and integrity, in every religion. Especially amongst Jains, truth, honesty and integrity, were held very high. When the Jains had an argument with Thiru Gnana Sambanda Murthy, they had declared that, if they lose the argument, they will self destruct by sitting on the 'Kazhu Maram'! (Kazhu Maram was a well oiled spire of wood, which pierced through the arse hole and the person died a very painful death.) They lost the argument. Sambanda Murthy willingly exhonerated them. But the Jains were insistant, that they will keep up the vow. That is how particular, they were, in living up to their words!
18. Once his principled stand was disproved, Amara Simha sincerely felt that his books were irrelevant. So he lighted up a big fire and started throwing his 'Suvadis' one by one into the fire, what he had written over the years, with Saraswathi's Anugraha. Acharyal came to know about this. He did not feel happy, even one bit. He came running to Amara Simha. " Oh no! What are you doing? In the world, different opinions will be there. Only when opposing views exist, ones own views can be analysed by comparison and contrast. Whatever be your religion and view point. I have great regards for your vast intellect. You have written your books with much erudition and logic. Let the reality be different. But that is no reason for destroying your writings. There is beauty of presentation and literary merit in your writings. Please do not destroy them by burning," Acharyal pleaded with Amara Simha. Amara Kosam was saved by Acharyal's pleading. All his other books of Jain Religious Siddhanta, had already been burnt off. Thus Amara Kosam was saved for posterity, true to its name of being, 'Amara'.
19. When a book like a dictionary or encyclopedia, is written, the writer should guard against falling prey to parochialism and partiality. Even words of other religions, should be described with absolute objectivity. There should be no discrimination, condemnation, decrying and passing of judgement. He should remain true to words and their meanings. Amara Simha, despite being a Jain, has written this, 'Amara Kosam', with such perfect balance that even to-day, students of Sanskrit, learn it by-heart!
20. 'What? Learn a dictionary by-heart? Is it a Sloka or poem or literary work? How to commit a dictionary to memory?', you may wonder. But Amara Kosam is like a literary piece, full of beautiful poems, easy to commit to memory. Those days all sastras, why only Philosophy and religious books, but, Ayur Veda(medicine and health), Dhanur Veda(Archery), Carpentary, Music, Jyotisha(including Astrlogy) and even dictionary were written in the poetic form only! Reason was, that printing was not known, those days. You could not make as many copies as there were students. To memorise was the 'in thing'. Prose cannot be remembered easily. But a poem, with meter, rhyme and rhythm, can be committed to memory easily!
21. That is the reason that, all Sastras were committed to memory. The more you exercise the brain, more it can be made to memorise and recall. There were great Maha Panditas, who could store and retrieve vast amount of data, much more than and much faster than, modern day computers, with clarity, logic, intelligence and all that with reference to the context! When you have books for ready reference, we have nothing absorbed and learnt in depth! There are more Libraries now. But then there were more walking, living libraries amongst humans! Memorising has the advantage of enabling concentration and mental discipline. When a student spent more time in memorising, he or she was automatically prevented from letting the mind run helter skelter in to matters not related to the subject under study. So accordingly, all Sastras were written in Padhyam(poetry), and not in Gadyam(prose).
22. Amara Simha had written, 'Amara Kosa', in beautiful poetic form. In that while referring to the names of Hindu Gods, he included all other names meant for that particular Devata. Without an iota of indifference or lack of care, he kept listing all the names for that particular deity. If you hear it, it will not sound like a dictionary. It will sound like as though chanting the Sahasranama Archana. Listen to what 'Amaram', says as the meaning for the word, 'Sambu':-
Sambu: Eesa: Pasupathi: Siva: Sooli Maheswara: I
Easwara: Sarva Easana: Chandra Sekhara: II
Bhudesa: Kantaparasu: Giriso Giriso Mruda: I
Mrutyunjaya: Kruttivasa: Pinakee Pramadadip II
23. The way Amara Simha has handled the words, he seems to say it with love. He has placed the words as though adding flowers to a garland!
He has made it easy for the students to memorise. ( The ' : ' at the end of the words may be read as though ending in a 'ha', the Sanskrit Visarga.) When it comes to the word, 'Indira', he literally flows:-
Indira Lokamata Ma Kshiroda-Thanaya Rama
Bhargavi Loka-janani Kshira-sagara-kanyaka
Lakshmi: Padmalaya Padma Kamala Sri: Haripriya...........It goes on more like a Stotra in praise, than a dictionay meaning!
24. Though Amara Simha is so impartial, when it comes to Buddhism, he could not help being slightly sarcastic? He had every reason to be more critical of Hinduism than Buddhism. Not talking about God; and not subscribing to the practice of Yagna, because of cruelty to animals; are two point of views, common to Jains and Buddhists. There are more commonalities too.
25. It is human nature, to ignore our 'janma vairy' (life-time-enemy), who may be living somewhere far away, but be more critical of the next door neighbour! There may not be much enmity, but more intolerance and disapproval. One would be looking forward to opportunities, to put him in his place. Likewise, when it came to give the meaning for the word, 'Buddha', he has not done justice. 'Thathagathar' meaning 'some one who remains steadfast in his mission', is noticeable by its absence. Actually, 'Thathagathar' and 'Sakhya Muni' are attributed to the Jain's Mahaveera, than Buddha. When it comes to Hindu names, he has not shown any prejudice, not even to the extent that Vaishnavites and Saivites within Hindu religion, show each other. So, to commit 'Amaram' to memory by-heart, has been common for, Saiva / Vaishnava students, learning Sanskrit.
26. In 'Amara Kosam', Amara Simha refers to Lord Subrahmanya, as 'Swami', a word not used for any other God! So we have to accept.
'Deva Senapathi: Soora: Swami Gaja-Mukha-Anuja:'.....says 'Amara Kosam'.
Sambhomahadeva.