Deivathin Kural Series - 97

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 97 of 09 Nov 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, 'Yogathin Thodakkam Karmame' ie., 'Start Point of Yoga is Karma', in pages 458 to 460, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, as part of a series of lectures under the Heading, 'Karma Margam', or 'The Path of Action', from pages 436 to 466. Unless specifically mentioned, he or man includes, she or woman.
3. People have the impression that Yoga means control of breath and sit around doing nothing. The direct meaning of 'Yoga' is 'joining'. We join with many things in life. None of these associations are for ever. But only the mind is constantly oscillating. Instead, if we join permanaently with the only real thing, without and within, leaving no trace of separteness, that is real Yoga. For all our minds, the source and origin is Parama Atma or God. To submerge the mind in that source, Yogis control the breath. Because the root point of mind and breath is the same. So when the breath reaches the source and subsides, mind also subsides there. This last word, 'there' is slightly a misnomer, because, that source is not-bounden by space and time.
4. The opposite of 'yoga' is 'viyoga'. To leave is viyoga. When some one dies, we say that 'avar dega viyogam agivittar' meaning that, he has left the body. Bagawan Sri Krishna says in Gita, that 'Yoga' is also a type of 'viyoga'. If you leave one thing, that itself is Yoga. What is that one thing? That one thing is 'sadness'. 'If you leave sadness forever, that is Yoga', He says. "Tham vidyat duhka samyoga viyogam yoga samhitam". All the worldly pleasures and happiness is sadness only! As long as You are apart from God, You are not a part of God, and sadness is the result.
5. Because the mind is all of the time, running hither and thither, we experience happiness and sadness. But as and when, the mind is static, these experiences also stand still. One ponted 'Ekagrata' or concentration, is what we have to practice and perfect. This is cleansing the mind and this is Yoga. Even great Yogis, do not straight away, get in to Samadhi or Nirvana. If you directly try to control the mind, it will rebel and run helter skelter. But instead, if you get involved in some activity, the oscillations of the mind lessen.
6. In olden times, people used to wear a metal ring around the neck, called 'arikandam'. Once 'arikandam' is put around your neck, you cannot sleep, come what may! Like that, we should so get involved in 'sat karya' ie.,individually and socially useful activities, that the mind has no chance for it's normal proclivities.
7. With many 'Niyamas' (ie.,rules and regulations, with dietary and behavioural controls), to conduct elaborate Yagas, or to construct Huge Temples, dig wells or make ponds; the purpose of such involvement did not finish, after that particular task is completed. The main aim was control of the mind. Construction of the Temple was only incidental! When we get involved in 'Satkaryas', there will be problems, hurdles, criticisms and so on. You have to carry on, brushing aside the pin-pricks! Because, the aim is not to win the hearts and minds of others, but to win over one's own heart and mind. Then You can go on to, Pranayama and Dhyana.
8. Like the non-stick-coating of utencils in the modern day kitchens, we should not let any of worldly dichotomy of good and bad; happiness and sadness; likes and dislikes; love and hate; stick to us, but inexorably progress towards our divine source. That joining with the source is Yoga. That is our starting point; and that is also the end point. In between we are so unidentifiably changed, that we can neither recognise ourselves nor Him. To go back to God, we have to start with Karma or action; such action that will not bind us further, but enable us to rejoin Him.
Sambhomahadeva.