Deivathin Kural Series - 75

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 75 of 27 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, 'Panathai Vittu Gunathai Kolga' ie., 'Character > Wealth', in pages 374 to 376, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural. Unless specifically mentioned, he or man includes, she or woman. (Yesterday's mail was rather long. To-days is much shorter.)
3. I have to stay temporarily in many people's houses or make-shift accommodations, during my travels. In some places, the kitchen will be rather incorrectly located. Smoke from the kitchen will spread upto the Mandapam where arrangement for the conduct of Pooja by me, would have been done. This would force me to go looking for a place, where the smoke is less. Then I will find that the smoke is least in the kitchen and end up doing my Pooja next to the Kitchen.
4. I used to stay in villages, avoiding the towns and cities, because, in the name of modern sophistication, I thought the town people were ignoring religion. I used to think that villages would be comparatively more amenable to 'acharam', ie., religious 'Dos and Donts'. I started visiting the towns because they kept inviting that I should visit them. As I started visiting the towns, I was quite impressed with the town people's involvement, keenness and interest, in all religious activities, even more than what is obtaining in villages.
5. Village people are not so busy as the towns people are. They have all the time in the world, for all the religious requirements. But they tend to waste their time. Comparatively, in the towns, despite their being busy, despite office work, social service, games and many opportunities for entertainment, they seem to be more keen. At least they seem to regret not being able to fulfil all their religious duties. They are sticking on to some minimum daily, 'anushtanams' such as Sandhyavandanam, Visit to Temples, attending some Pravachanam, or religious discourse, individually and collectively. It is heartening to see all this.
6. The more you do such things, more will be the inner satisfaction. The very life in towns and cities, is motivated by the lure of lucre. This passion for more and more money, should go. All of us should be aspiring to improve our life qualitatively, which does not mean, necessarily 'money wise'. We keep changing to job which gives more salary or income and fringe-benefits. More tension filled jobs, more pressures, more indulgenses, leading to more diseases, and more need for money; is all an endless cycle.
7. We must genuinely make an effort to live a life of contentment and satisfaction. Even organising a religious function, could be done to make money. We must guard against such temptation. The mind can easily get side-tracked, into inconsequential areas, such as, feeling proud about, how others are appreciating the conduct of the function organised by us; or how people are appreciating our mastery of many languages and so on. Because all this is staple diet for the human 'ego', called the 'aham bhavam'. Happily with humbleness and humility, we should do everything, as an offering to the God Almighty. That 'Easwara Arpana buddhi', can save us and help us to help others.
8. I feel pathetic to think as to how, in the name of a modern sophistication, we have let go by default, many good things of
our Indian methods. Many Westerners, after much running after the so called pleasures of the modern life, come to the conclusion that real satisfaction is still elusive. Their dispassion leads them to India, in search of a Guru to know about, Bakthi, Yoga and Vedanta. Where as, we Indians, ignoring the Golden Nuggets of Indian Wisdom, are madly runnig after what they are discarding?! The reason for this madness, is 'panathu aasai', or the 'lure of lucre'.
9. At least now we must try and master this weakness, if we are to reap the benefits of being born as a human being.
Sambhomahadeva.