Deivathin Kural Series - 84

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 84 of 10 Oct 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. On line version of this book in Tamil is available at 'www.kamakoti.org'. 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 lecture, titled, 'Vakkin Payan', ie., 'Value of Spoken and Written Expression', in pages 409 to 412, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural. Unless specifically mentioned, he or man includes, she or woman.
3. Though there are many kinds of life forms, God Parameswara, has given the power of speech only to human beings. There are 'n' number of languages in the world. From speech, the 'script' of letters and characters, have evolved, enabling writing and printing. There are still some spoken languages, without a 'lipi' or script of their own. With the 'word', as the capital, there are many schools, colleges, universities, libraries, newspapers, magazines, documents and so on, everywhere.
4. In the animal world, there are no schools and colleges. They do not have the power of speech. By not having the power of speech, are they in a 'worse off' condition, as compared to human beings? No. It does not seem so. They do not have as many diseases as we have; they do not accumulate wealth and property and experience anxiety (for having too much and fearing or not having enough or the lack of it); they do not regret the past and worry about the future! They also get food. Somehow they survive. Despite killing and eating mutually, all animals are thriving and growing in numbers!
5 Even if you come back to the human world, the uncivilized aborigines and tribals, who do not have colleges, libraries and printing presses, seem to be comparatively more peaceful and better behaved! Amongst the natives of African forests and American Red Indian Tribes, there are neither colleges and libraries, nor courts of justice! That is, the unread aborigines are not prone to committ offences, as much as we civilized beings are. More civilized, comes to mean, more sophisticated the crimes! With more education, we seem to excel in finding ways and means of duplicity and effrontery. Greater and higher the education, greater the avenues opening out for committing sins. With increase in wealth and wherewithal, the tendency to want more and dissatisfaction and deprivation increases.
6. Speech and the written word, is being extensively used in spreading this tendency. Peter Drucker is said to have coined the Marketing Management Mantra, 'find a need and fill it'. The modern multi-nationals companies seem to follow a newer vertion of the Mantra, 'if you don't find the need, create one to suit your product'!
7. The educational system, news-papers/media, and modern fiction, instead of giving satisfaction, peace and wholesomeness, seem to lead man in to dissatisfaction and disgruntlement. So it all makes you wonder, if this special power of speech that God has endowed humankind with, is a blessing or a curse in disguise?
8. When we think of all this, I wonder as to, why do we say that, the animal world without the speaking power, is lower to human beings? From the time of it's birth, the animal lives on instinct only. So it is not held responsible for any act of sin or wrong doing, which is related to the 'buddhi' or mind. It is only Man who makes God keep endless accounts.
With more education and modernization, we gain expertise in deception, deceit, fraud and skullduggery and keep Mr Chitra Gupta and St Peter busy.
9. I thought deeply as to why it is said that, 'to be born as a human being is not easily attained and it is the highest of life forms'. I stumbled upon the biggest draw back of the animal world. Though animals do not and cannot committ sin, they have fear! They have no 'Papam', but have 'Bayam'. 'When and who will kill me!', is the fear of death. Not simply dying, but being killed. Even a tiger or lion have this fear. Man also has a variety of fears. But he and only he, has the means of overcoming that fear. Animals cannot do that. How to become fearless? Once you go beyond the dichotomy of birth and death; once you realise that you and all others are one; you will have no more fear. After such realization, if the body falls, no more birth for you. This is Gnanam. This opportunity to attain Gnanam is available only to human beings and not for animals. The Saints and Maharishis used the power of speech, only so that human beings may attain the state of Gnanam. The whole gamut of Veda, Vedanta, Itihasa, Purana, Dharma Sastras, all came in to being, only for this purpose.
10. Once I understood that Language / speech / writing / printing and human mind, have this primordial purpose, I felt somewhat relieved. (KTSV adds. Here I am reminded of Ramana Maharishi. People used to ask him, "OK. I will become a Gnani. But please tell me, as to what will happen to this world, after that?" His reply was, "First realise your self and then see if this question remains".
11. By using this God given capacity of Mind and Speech, without inflicting injuries to oneself and others, we can do much good. Not hurting others, itself is a positive step. But you can also do enormous good, in terms of relieving people of their propensity for sin, fear and sorrow.
12. Bakthi / devotion is the background. All our powers should be used for devine purposes. That is why at the time of 'Akshara abyasam', ie., the first time the child is formally introduced to writing, the Father catches hold of the childs fingers and writes, 'Om Namo Narayanaya'. God keeps watching as to, 'how is this man using his tongue'. If we do not use it for our 'atma kshemam' and others benefit, God will deny this previlage, in our next life. That is, we will be born again, as an animal!
Sambhomahadeva.