Deivathin Kural Series - 175

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 175 of 29 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Ambalin Swaroopam' that is, 'Image of Ambal's Self', in pages 811 to 816, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. "You are Parameswara's body", says Acharyal to Ambal. There is life inside the body. In many bodies, many lifes are there. For all lifes, there is only one, 'common basic source'. That is Parameswara. Then all appearances, all bodies are Parasakthi or Ambal! The whole apparent world is Ambal, you and me, him and her, this and that, here, there and everywhere, included. All life forms, their mind, body, intelligence, buddhi, chittam, ahankaram are all Parameswara. The point about Parasakthi and Parameswara, is that there is no point. To differentiate is human nature. And then we try to differentiate what is already unitary one. Have you heard as to how, Karna in Mahabharatha, had an armour on his body, which was inseperable. If we imagine a body or form or shape to Brhmam, that is Parameswara, and Parasakthi is its 'Kavacham' or inseperable armour.

3. This inseperableness is expressed in another way as, Ardha- Nareeswara, of half male Siva and half female Sivaa. Can we seperate a word from its meaning? Maha Kavi Kalidasa says in the first sloka of his writings, starting with the words, "vak artha viva sampruktou", says, I prostrate before the world's parents, Parvathi-Parameswaras, who are united, integrated and inseperable, as is the word from its meaning. 'Pa' is only a sound and 'su', is another sound. But once they are uttered together, our mind immediately imagines a 'cow' and looks for it. The word and its meaning are so inseperable. Similarly, in the universe, in all the life forms and in their being and thoughts, if you ask, 'where is Brhmam?', though we may not be able to say where and how; but we know that, if they are all words, as their meaning, Brhmam is there.

4. If you ask as to what is Ambal's Swaroopam, answer is that, all that we see are Her shape or form only. Not only shape and form, but also all thoughts, actions, events, things, meanings rational and irrational, body, mind, life, everything is She. Without Her there is nothing. When Acharyal says in Soundarya Lahiri, "sareeram thvam sambho:", meaning, 'you are Parameswara's body', in the next slokam, he says that she is the subtle mind of Parameswara. From that subtle mind, the subtle space or 'akasam' evolves. Progressively, the subtle becomes gross. Thus from space, air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; evolve. All this is You. Without You there is no other thing what so ever! "Thvayi parinathayam nahi param".

5. "Even while saying that, 'For the life of Sambhu, You are the body', without any difference between life and body, You are All in One. You Yourself metamorphed as the 'visvam', that is the Universe. Thvam eva swathmanam parinamayithum visva vapusha." Acharyal's this statement is very close to Ramanujacharyal's, 'all the world is Paramatma's body; the life in it and the indwelling spirit is also Him only'. Even then, there is seperateness as body and life - some Dwaitam. Then Acharyal goes on to say, "Even for the small bits of Gnanam and Bliss in us, you are the 'moolam', the root source of all Knowledge, Awareness and Bliss. To enjoy this Gnanam and Anandam, the 'One You' have seemingly become two and taken the 'bhaava' of 'siva yuvathi'. (The word, 'bhaava' can be translated as, 'becoming supposition'. The word, 'siva yuvathi', means, young woman Sivaa.) Still it is only a becoming supposition. In reality, the body - vishva and its life - Ambal; is all, one and the same with Siva and Sambhu. All one Adwaitam.

6. If one is everything everywhere, how can that one have shape or size or form? Air can go anywhere. Has it got any form? Ambal is subtler than air. People can create airless vacuum. But, they cannot create an, 'Ambal-less-vacuum'. She is in all space, mind and thought. Then how can there be a figure or form for Her? But this statement will not appeal to a normal average mind. If we have all evolved from Her, She is the Mother and we are all Her children, or like children. For us children, it is not enough to know that she is there. We should be able to see Her, talk to Her, play with Her and so on.

7. We are not able to become aware or know, that She is all shapes and forms and figures. We are not able to meditate on the formless, as we lack the maturity and wisdom. It is for people like us, for our love sake, She comes as, 'divya mangala vigraha' of supreme beauty, compassion. love and benevolence. The shapeless melted cow's ghee, when frozen becomes solid. As per the logic of 'ghrutha ghatinyavath' similarly, in the very cool and pleasant atmosphere of the devotees heart, Ambal takes many shapes and forms. Once assured that Ambal is in the devotees' heart, the next question arises, 'how will that 'roopam' be?'

8. If you look at someone doing, 'anna danam', to some poor hungry people, you see the pleasure in the face of the man donating the food. Do not think of business 'give and take' wherein, the one throwing the party may be grumbling inside, cursing the invitees, with a facade of a smiling face. In giving 'annadanam' or alms, the giver feels more thrill than the reciever. There is pleasure in giving than recieving. Many of us may not be aware of this. (KTSV adds:- Some years back, a simple human being like us, looking at the pathetic state of the poor people in Trichy, in Tamil Nadu, one day decided that he should do something about it. He started in a small way, to give Annadanam, at 7 pm, near the temple pond, in the center of the city, once a week. This is going on everyday, till date. When the decision is noble enough, all the powers of Nature assists you.)

9. But if there is thrill of doing 'annadana', one day; (even though we may not deserve to be fed even once, for our sins of commission and omission, done actually or in the mind;) think of Her doing 'Annadana', to zillions of life forms, for millions of years; that is 'Annapoorneswari Ambal'. Think as to, how full of bliss and kindness she must be! Can we measure that level of kindness and grace? Beauty and loveliness of unsurpassed grace and compassion, becoming tangible is Her form. The bodily beauty is too fleeting. We can become ugly with a touch of fever or even anger. To satisfy individual devotee, in the way he looks forward to; She takes many forms as, Durga, Kali, Bhuvaneswari, Rajarajeswari, Annapoorneswari and so on and so on!

10. If you want to review all Her forms yourself, like in an album, for each form there is a 'mantra'. 'Mantra', is a combination of letters of particular sounds. She is of the form all the letters of the alphabet and all sounds of the phonetics. Mahakavi Kalidasa, who bloomed into poetical brilliance because of Her blessings, says in Syamala Dandakam, "sarva shabdatmike, sarva nadatmike, sarva varnathmike, sarva mantrathmike". Varna here does not mean colour or caste, but letter of the alphabet, 'aksharam'. The letters as a shape of sound and form as a shape of colours; are all from the same origin. They are closely related. Experts of Science agree on this. Different sound vibrations, create shapes on the surface of water, like a signature for that sound. A particular sound can create a particular shape.

11. There are sounds such as, one big wave, becoming gradually successively smaller and smaller waves, which is known as 'veesi tharangam'. One sound getting scattered in a blast as many smaller sounds, is known as, 'mukulam'. Like this, a variety of sounds, have been identified and classified into 51 Aksharas. They are known as 'Matruka Aksharas'. All the sound world are derivatives of these Mother sounds. So Ambal is in the shape of sounds and letters too. Amongst these when some combination of letters are chanted, their shape or form becomes visible. These combination of letters is what is known as 'Mantras'. All Mantras are Her form and shape only. When these mantras are chanted with unidirectional concentration of mind, body and intellect, Ambal will give us 'darshan' with all decorations, ornaments and weapons, as 'Sarva alankrutha bushitha'.

12. 'Pranavam' is the spring or source of all Mantras. From it came in to being, the entire universe of names and forms. 'Nadatmike' Ambal is Pranavam. Pranavam is the name of a combination of 'a' 'u' and 'm'. It is chanted as 'aum'. 'a' is creation, 'u' is maintenance and 'm' is destruction or 'samhara'. So Pranavam, 'aum' stands for the job of Brhma, Vishnu, Maheswara. This itself if started with letter 'u', Ambal's main concern of looking after Her children, it becomes, u...m...a. That is 'Uma'. Upanishad calls Her 'Uma Haimavathi'.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 174

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 174 of 28 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Kangal' that is, 'Kamakshi's Eyes', in pages 805 to 810, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. In our body parts the eye is very important. As we address some one whom we love endearingly, 'my darling', we do not say, 'my nose or my ears'! Is it not so? When we think of the Parabrhmam in the form of a Mother, Her eyes automatically gets a special mention. That is why, amongst Mother's names, Kamakshi(eyes full of love), Meenakshi(eyes of the fish) and Visalakshi( wide eyed), are famous. 'Akshi', talks of the characteristics of the eye. Kamakshi holds in Her hands, sugar-cane bow and flower arrows, we say. Adi Sankara says in a slokam, starting with the words, 'puruvow bukthe kinchit', in Soundarya Lahiri, that she holds the same powerful weapons, in Her eyes too.

3. What are you saying? Her eyes are like horizontally held bow! Is it not so that, only when one is worried, the eyes are strained like that? The Mother of the world is worried because of Her concern for the welfare of Her children. Her naturally beautiful eye brows are having the shape of a bow with two curves, with a slight constriction in the center! In the center of the eye brows, at the point where the nose commences, is a gap without hair. Actually, it is a 'samudrika lakshanam' or qualitative requirement for beauty, to have a clean hairless gap between the eye brows.

4. But when comparing Her eyes to a bow, this gap would be an aberration. But Acharyal, gives the reason why it is so. That gap is the fist of the person holding the bow, he says. Who is that person? He is Manmatha. In his bow, the string is made of a number of beetles. Here below the eye brows, there are two eyes which are for ever flitting here and there, out of their concern that, none of Her children may remain without being blessed. Here also the archer is Manmatha. It is his power that, Dakshinamurthy awoke from His 'Gnana Nishta', and looked at Ambal with Love. His Love for the Mother should mean, love for the life forms of all Jeevas. The 'asai illada brhmam, asaindu koduththadu', blessing the whole world. Mother's worries were over!

5. 'Manmatha's fist holding the bow, is the space between Mother's eye brows and his wrist is the lower portion of the nose', thus describes the Acharyal in Soundarya Lahiri. When directed at Parameswara, a glance of those eyes of Kamakshi, are showering the flower arrows of desire and love. When looking at the devotees, the same eyes are capable of imparting supreme Gnana and eradicating the crass desires of 'chirirnbam'. What are these missiles of Manmatha? They are made of Lotus, Jasmine, Karunkuvalai, Mango and Asoka flowers.

6. His arrows of flowers, by form, taste, fragrance and softness have a pleasant attraction for the senses. Their beauty of shape and colours, pleases the eyes, the fragrance captivates the sense of smell, the nectar makes the taste buds salivate with expectation, and their softness invites us to touch them. As for the ear, the bees and beetles are making a wholesome 'Adhara sruthi' of concordant notes, with the dominating 'twang' of the string of the bow. Above all this is the bow of sugar-cane, representing the mind responsible for all the antics of the senses,

7. Now comes the wonderous observation that, with such simple equipments as, flowers, bees and sugar-cane, Manmatha is able to involve all the life forms in the business of 'satisfying the senses' as the primary mission, day in and day out, to the exclusion of all other pursuits to the secondary or even tertiary! This means that, if you have divine sanction, even a blade grass, will do as a weapon. Though Acharyal speaks with poetical licence, that Her eyes are the bow of Manmatha, the purport is that, the preoccupation of all life forms in gratification of the senses and the unavoidability and compulsive involvement in procreation; is all as it should be. It also means that only with Her Grace can you be weaned away from such.

8. It is only with Her grace, can we become aware of these compulsions. Once we are aware, then only, we may take the first step towards controlling of the senses and thereby the mind. That is the first step also towards 'self control'. We become aware that, there are also other purposes, than satisfying the senses and dancing to the tune of the mind. We get the first taste of the fact that, we can control our senses and can and try to be the master of our own mind. Now the only question that remains is, as to how to get Her Grace? 'That is by Her one look', says Acharyal, in Soundarya Lahiri! I am coming to that sloka, shortly.

9. To punish and to protect, both are God's portfolio. All the punishment is also only for our own actions of aberrant behaviour. When it comes to the matter of protection, God as Mother, protects Kaman too, to enable him to drive the life forms in to procreation. When it comes to protecting the life forms, from going astray; to ensure that Kaman does not play his antics, she is all the time concerned of the progressive retrieval of all life forms, from over dominance of Kama's influence.

10. When Kamakshi's eyes are over flowing with Her Love, Compassion and Grace, Acharyal is fully drenched in it, this Slokam was the outcome. It starts with the words, "drusa thrageeyasya daralitha neeloth palarucha...". This song is directly influenced by the Grace of Her Look. In the slokam Acharyal is praying for Her Look of Grace! He is not saying that he should get it. He is saying that he should also get it!

11. He talks about the greatness of Her 'Kataksham'. This word 'Kataksham' can be translated as, a 'side long glance'. He says that Her glance can go very far. A Mother keeps Her children within eye-distance. For this Mother, this eye-distance is infinity. Since we are Her children, we can never be out of range. She is the Mother for all of us, however great or small. Animals, birds, insects, plants, germs, grass; why list them all?; She is the Mother for the entire Universe. They are all within the range of Her sight. So there is no limit to the reach of Her glance too. It can and does extend to the farthest. Those eyes are like the half open, 'neelothpala' flower. 'Neelothpala' is the flower born in Neel or water. They are blue like the 'neel', sky or ocean. 'Neel' in Tamil means 'lengthening or extending'. As the lotus flower is in water, they are pleasantly cool and not hot.

12. Acharyal says, "Amma! Please make me also submerge in your 'side long glance' of Kataksham. (He uses the word, 'mam api', to mean 'me also' with so much humility.) I do not deserve it, I am still seeking your blessings, because you do not lose anything by blessing me. 'na cha the haniriyatha'. But I will benefit immensely. 'anonayam dhanyo bhavathi'." He gives one example for 'blessing irrespective of whether the reciepient deserves or not'. It is night. There is a full moon. It does not differentiate between a thorny bush and emperor's palace. The moon light is impartial. The luxuries of the palace does not accrue to the moon and the thorns of the bush do not prick it. So he says, "Amma! For You no loss and for me all gain."

13. When he said, 'me also', Acharyal spoke on our behalf. Acharyal is not different from God, Parameswara or Ambal. But out of His bountiful love, all the slokas he has written are for us to read, understand and live by. However much we may be undeserving, Mother blesses us all, like the Moon. Her side-long-glance 'Kataksham' is cool and pleasant like the 'Neelothpala' blue lotus flower. Sincere heartfelt prayer is the only Qualitative Requirement.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 173

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 173 of 23 Mar 2007.

(Continued from the previous e-mail.)

17. At the time of Parvathi's marriage all the worlds were happy. At that time, so that the 'nobody' Ananga and his wife Rathi, may not be having a complaint, he was given back his body. The celibate Parameswara married Parvathy and got a son too. Manmatha felt happy that it was somehow his victory too. He wanted that the world should also know that the credit goes to him. After all it was his department's job to get people married. He realised that all that he had to do, to get his desire fulfilled, is to pray to Mother.

18. He came to know of the Parabrhma Sakthi Ambal's presence in Kanchipuram as Kamakshi. If you think of the whole world as a woman, Kanchipuram is like the 'Oddyanam' (a belt like golden ornament worn on the hip, over the dress. Kanchi in Sanskrit means, oddyanam). In that area of the navel, Kamakshi's sanctum sanctorum is located. It is known as 'Bilakasam'. 'Bil' means a cave or niche and 'akasam' means space. As the baby in the womb gets nourishment through the umblical cord, all living things in the entire universe get their sustenence by Ambal's Anugraha from this Bilakasa

19. Akasam or space itself is representative of Atma, as everything is contained in it. The space that is spread everywhere, in all directions, is called 'Mahakasam'. When it is inside an individual, the Maha becomes small -akasam or 'daharakasam', literally meaning the space of the heart. That is 'chidambaram', which is formed by 'chit + ambaram'. When we get to know ourselves, that knowledge of the 'real self', the source of our breath and being, the root of our existance, enables us to experience and enjoy the 'dahara akasa'.

20. If the whole world is considered as the body of a person, the 'virat purusha', his heart is at Chidambaram. If you go to the Nataraja temple, in the city of Chidambaram, in Tamil Nadu, they show you the 'Chidambara Rahasyam', the Secret of Chidambaram. You do not see anything but 'spce undefined.' It is the same truth in Kanchipuram as 'Bilakasam'. "In Chidambaram, it is only in the 'chit sabhai', but in Kanchipuram, it is spread in the entire city", says the purana.

21. Bilakasa roopini, Kamakshi is enthroned there, holding the Sugarcane Bow and Flower Arrows of Kaman. It is this Royal Highness, to whom, Kaman came to and sat in 'Tapasya'. Amma pleased with his perseverence, gave him a 'Darshan'. He prayed to Her, "Amma! Parameswara after reducing me to ashes, took You as His Consort. You had detailed me as responsible for Love, Desire and Passion, in the entire universe. So the credit for Parameswara falling in love with you, should also accrue to me. But the world knows only about my being burnt off. As the Mother of all, You only have to make the world realise that, I am responsible for Your marriage with Parameswara and the birth of Subrahmanya." Amma took pity on this child.

22. Immediately She withdrew Her power from all the Ambal 'Sannidys' and 'Sri Chakra Yantras', from all the temples, wherever Her statues were installed. Like the light of the eyes, the fact was evident by the absence of divinity. Evidently Siva without Shakthi is 'Sava' or a deadbody, so to say. Brhma came forward in support of Siva, who was playing His part to the letter. Brhma said, "Amma Paradevate! Please become omniscient once again." Amma said, "I had withdrawn my power only on behalf of Manmatha. Now that the power of Manmatha, has become known to all, I will re-establish the 'status-quo-ante'." This story is well described in 'Kamakshi Vilasam'. There are also proof of this incident in engravements on stone in many temples.

23. In many of Siva temples, the Ambal Sannidy, is known as 'Kamakkottam'. Chola kings have engraved on stones, whenever they have repaired or refurbished the temples, in places such as, Avinashy, Vijaya Mangalam, Thiruvorriyur, Thirukkattuppalli, Vallam, Thiruppazhanam, Koiladi and so on. In them all, Ambal's temple has been referred as, 'Kamakkottam udaiya nachchiyar' or words to that effect. In Chidambaram, other than Tamil inscriptions, there is a Sanskrit inscription too, in which, 'Siva Kama Sundari', (Ambal's name in Chidambaram), has been referred as, 'Kamakoshta sthithaya'.

24. Puranam says that from all Amman temples all over the world, the life force of Parasakthi had been withdrawn to Kanchipuram and then after a period, Her 'Sannidyam' or divinity, was redirected to those places. Since then, the practice of calling 'Mother's sanctum sanctorum' as 'Kamakkottam', must have evolved; though Her name in that Sthala or station may be different, like Kanchi Kamakshi, Kasi Visalakshi, Madurai Meenakshi or Kamalamba or Karpagamba and so on.

25. Thiru Gnana Sambandar has sung a Thevaram, in which he says, "Kachip podhi kamak kodiyudan koodi". He not only calls the Amman in Alangudi, as Kamakkodi, so that it may not be mistaken as a normal name of Alangudi Amman, he adds the place name as a prefix, 'kachip podhi', referring to Kanchipuram. Similarly, Appar Swamigal in Thiruvadigai Thiruththandagam says, "kozhum pavala chengani vaik kamakkotti". This is clear proof of this fact that, it is the divinity of Kamakshi, which re-invigorated Amman's Sannidy in other stations too. It is the 'Kamakkotti Vasini' or Kamakshi, referred to as 'Kamakkotti'.

26. 'Kama kodi' is different from 'Kamakkotti'. Kamakshi's place in Kanchipuram, is Kama kottam. Kama kodi on the other hand is the place of 'Gnana' from which 'Kama' is crores of miles away. Kamakshi Herself is Kama kodi too. As a form or murthy, She is Kamakshi. As a 'Peetam' or institution, it is Kama Kodi. In the environs of Kamakshi's temple, the Kama Kodi Peetam is located. In Bhagavatham, while talking about Parasurama's theertha yatra, there is a mention that he came to, 'kamakoti pureem kancheem'. Though there are many Siva Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram, from olden times, it has been specially referred to as Ambal's Kamakoti Puri.

27. Having returned the Ambal's Sannidyam or divinity, back to all temples everywhere, She wanted a permanent memorial to Manmatha's victory. Two things were done accordingly. Till date in Kanchipuram, though there are many Siva temples, except for Kamakottam, there is no 'sanctum sanctorum' of Ambal in any of those temples. Secondly, as an indication of Manmatha's victory over Siva, Kanchipuram was given a new name as 'Sivajit' Kshetram. She wanted that people should wonder about, why there are no Amman Sannidys other that Kama Kottam, in Kanchipuram and as to why the place is known as 'Sivajit' kshetram. This purana will be told to them and they will thereby know that it is Ambal's Anugraha to Kama. Such is Her power of 'Anugraha'.

28. Sundaramurthy Swamigal, while singing in 'Ona Kanthan Thali' in Kanchipuram says:-
var irunkuzhal vaal nedunkan malai magal
madu vimmu konraith
thariru thadamarbu neengath thaiyalal,
ulagu uyya vaiththa

karirum pozhil kachchimudoor kamakkottam
undaga neer poi
ooridum pitchai kolvadenne,
onakantan thaliuleere.

29 He means to say, 'since there is no Amman Sannidy in your temple, possibly you have to go with a begging bowl and live on alms. When there is Kamakshi of Kama Kottam, who feeds the entire world, near by, why should You go to all this trouble?' Kamakshi is not only the Mother who feeds the milk of Gnana, but is also, 'Annapoorani'. Tamil literature talks of how by her just look, She can and does meet all your demands, requirements and needs.

30. If we sit and meditate on the 'Siva Kama Sundari', all our desires, needs, necessities, requirements, unavoidables, anger, greed, madness, jelousies, small and big will vanish; and we will know ourself to be completely contented in all respects.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 172

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 172 of 22 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Sarithai' that is, 'Kamakshi's Origins', in pages 790 to 804, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1. 2. (KTSV Adds:- Have the readers noticed that, Periyaval has been going on about, Mother and related Titles, such as Lakshmi, Saraswathi and so on since Deivathin Kural # 156. He goes on, for another 13 to 14 lectures on related topics only. On occassions He may be seemingly repeating some of the anecdotes. I suppose the purpose is to drill it into our heads. Anyhow You may not notice this, unless You have been reading them all thoroughly. Deivathin Kural # 186 will be on Hanumar. That will bring us to the end of Deivathin Kural Volume 1. After that, I may have to take a break, when I will be visiting Kedar Nath and Badri Nath. During that period I would like to hear from You, If you are interested in continuing to recieve Deivathin Kural. To-day's lecture alone covers 15 pages, running into about 40 paras and I may be taking two days to send you in two e-mails.)

2. In Kanchipuram, the Grace and Compassion of Mother has taken tangible form as Ambal, sporting Sugar-Cane Bow (Ikshu chapam) and Flower-arrows (Pushpa Banam). There is one more Devata bearing these as weapons! Manmathan or Kaman, the God of Love, Cupid also has the same weapons. So these two items are 'common' between Kaman and Kamakshi. Manmathan has sugar-cane bow. The string for that bow is made of a number of beetles holding each others legs with their hands and the two beetles at either end holding on to the bow with their hands or legs! With this bow of sugar-cane, string of beetles and five flower arrows
this Manmatha's reign over all life-forms is unchallenged. All the sweet edibles in life is made of sugar / candy / jaggery and that sweetness is Kaman's weapon. How can it be avoided? Flowers are famous for fragrance, softness and beauty of form. They are his arrows! The 'twang' of the bow comes from the very pleasant sound made by the beetles. Thus Kama feeds all the five senses and the minds of all, with euphoria, elation and well being. No one wants to say 'no' to his invitations, but only want more and more of the same. He is so empowered by Ambal's wish to continue Her Leela of Pro-creation! So instead of 'Irumbu vil' he has 'Karumbu vil'! (Irumbu in Tamil means Iron and Karumbu means sugar-cane.)

3. But Ambal does not want everyone to become enslaved by sensual pleasures all of the time either. Even those who are involved in the worldly life, may not be so involved in their pursuits of making money and enjoying sensual pleasures; that Dharma or morality gets ignored. To be involved in their worldly pursuits; with discipline, is only the first stage. This should progress to the ultimate stage, when senses and mind come to an absolute stand still. Then the Individual steps off the cycle of birth - death, as though stepping off a train! At that stage, Manmatha or Kama, has no role to play. The Director of this Leela or Drama, Ambal, has meant Dharma(discipline and morality), as a check on Artha(acquisition of material and wealth) and Kama(gratification of desires), to enable all the life forms to attain Moksha eventually!

4. There was an occassion when she had to take away the sugar-cane bow and flower arrows, for Herself from, Manmatha who was meant for the Kama of all. That also She did, out of extreme love and compassion only. She wanted that the Parabrhma Swaroopam, should shower its 'Anugraha' on all lifes and endow them with Dharma and Gnana. With that aim in view, she had to take the sugar-cane bow and flower arrows and become Kamakshi!

5. That was when Parameswara sat down as Dakshina Murthy, as Gnanamaya Swaroopa. He sat stilling all activities including that of the mind. He is in the form of Adwaita of all in one. Then what happens to all the Jeeva Rasies? Who will care for them? The Still -Awareness-Being should flow as the ocean of compassion and bless all life-forms, She decided out of Her Grace. She was quite capable of doing so Herself. But people had to be demonstrated as to how a gem-of-a-woman, should behave. She is not different from Him. She is the same Siva. Ultimate Gnana should also be all absorbing kindness and love. The time was appropriate for Her to pick up the sugar-cane bow and flower-arrows and become Kameswari.

6. That was the time when Tharakasura and Surapadma, were creating total anarchy in all the worlds. They had done much tapasya and obtained such boons of unlimited power, that they were assured that only Parameswara's own Son only could sort them out. That Parameswara was merged in Atma Anubhuthi as Dakshina Murthy. How to get Him involved in procreative activity? The Devas hounded by the Asuras, could only think of one opportunity. At that time, Himawan's daughter Parvathy was serving as a maid looking after Dakshina Murthy's physical well being, as He was seated in Dhyana. If Manmathan responsible for Kama, could divert the attention of Parameswara towards Parvathy, then the birth of a Son of Siva - Parvathy could be ensured. So they sent Manmatha to show his prowess on Parameswara.

7. The power to bring the whole world under his control, had been given to Manmatha by the same power of Parameswara. His aim could have been achieved had he approached Parameswara with humbleness. But Manmatha was bloated by pride and complacency. He thought that He could make Parameswara enamoured of Parvathy, by His antics! He directed the flower arrows on Parameswara.

8. Parameswara felt some movement. He slightly opened the third eye. Manmatha was burnt and reduced to ashes in a fraction of a second. He had the pride that He was too beautiful and too good to resist. Bodily beauty cannot stand before the fire of Knowledge. From being 'sarva anga sundaran' that is. 'all body beautiful, he became, 'ananga' that is, a 'no body' or a nobody!

9. Manmatha's wife Rathi cried. Parvathi gave her 'Anugraha' that, 'Ananga' will continue to function as a Devata with duties as usual and be visible to Rahti's eyes only. She told Manmatha, "I am the one who had given you the Sugarcane bow and Flower arrows. I am giving them back to you. Your job it is to involve all the life forms in the act of procreation. Otherwise all of them would have remained celibate. Only when they take life again and again, they could progressively get across the ocean of repeated birth and death. Otherwise there would have been a stagnation and chaos. So you had been given certain powers. You have endevoured to show your craft on your employer himself, in vain. He, Parmeswara can be responsive only to Love. I will give you a demonstration of how this can be done." So saying, She took up the Sugarcane bow and Flower arrows, Herself and went and stood in front of Kameswara!

10. She looked at Him with love overflowing, that she got the name of 'Kama + akshi = loving eyes', Kamakshi. There are certain other interpretations too. Let it be. I have given you the direct meaning. This name, 'kamakkanni' has been there in Tamil, from time immemorial. A Sanga period, lady poet was known as, 'Kamak kanniyar nappalaiyar'. Such a name could not have been there, in such olden times, unless 'Kamakshi' was a well known deity. Anyhow, let us go back to the story.

11. Earlier Manmathan had gone to Parameswara, with the intention of making Him the target of his arrows and got burnt to ashes. Ambal on the other hand, offered the sugarcane bow and flower arrows in Parameswara's feet and prostrated in supplication. Parameswara became Her Kameswara. This is the power of Love and Humility. He was overcome with love for her, by one look of Her eyes. The bow and arrows were indicative of Her hold over the entire universe of all life forms! When She offered them, in all humbleness and supplication, how can there be any antipathy in Parameswara?

12. Then followed, Parvathy Kalyanam - Kumara Sambhavam - Muruga's birth - destruction of Tharaka and Surapadma, eventually. Anybody when defeated, feels ashamed. There is one occassion when this does not happen. When you lose to your own son, you will feel proud instead of shame. There is a Sanskrit proverb on this:- "puthrath ichcheth parajayam", meaning, 'we wish to be defeated by our son'. True to the proverb, Parameswara was thrilled by the fact that, the Asuras who could not be vanquished by Him, could be annihilated by His Son. He, who was Dakshina Murthy, as primordial Gnana Murthy, took 'Upadesa' on 'Pranava Mantra', from His Son; there by proclaiming Subrahmanya's Mahima to the entire universe. The reason for the Son to be brilliantly superior to Him in Gnana and Might, is the Ambal's contribution undoubtedly! After Kama's demise, Her becoming Kameswari, and making Him love Her, is the reason for the Son being more than an addition of the two inputs!

13. In evidence of the story from the Purana, in Kanchipuram, inbetween Ekambara Nathar's temple and Kamakshi Amman Aalayam, the is Kumarakkottam. In the 'Somaskanda' statues taken around the temple premises and or the Town on ceremonial occassions, as there is Murugan sitting in the lap of the Mother; exactly similarly, between Kamakshi's and Parameswara's temples is the Sanctum Sanctorum of Subrahmanya, in Kanchipuram.

14. Why did Kamakshi change the Parama Gnana Dakshinamurthy, into Kalyana Sundara? Not only for the destruction of Tharakasura and Surapadma, but to enable the Jeeva Rasis or Life Forms, to get out of the cycle of repeated birth and death, they have to take birth as human beings and mature in to Gnana. Dakshina Murthy steeped in Atma Dhyana, couldn't care less for the Jeeva Rasis, as after all they are only part of the non-existant Maya. This Ocean of Gnana, had to become an Ocean of compassion. For that purpose, She became Kameswari and made Him Kameswara. She is Herself capable of doing so. Though I am saying that She made Him do so, His is to be and Hers is to do. Still She made it seem so, as Her Leela or play. She is the Role Model for all women, to do and give the credit to the Man!

15. Mookar sings, "Amma, how surprising that You who could make a Karuna Murthy out of Dakshina Murthy by making Him fall in love with You, lift the Jeevas from the mire of Moha to Moksha!" (As an aside, probably that is why, we say, 'fall in love' and not 'lift in love'. We fall in love, because we think that, we are supposed to do so and She lifts us from Moha.) As She created 'Kama', in Parameswara, She curtails the 'Kama aberrations' in us. Manmatha uses Sugarcane bow and Flower arrows, to make us go astray in running after sensual pleasures. She holds the same weapons in Her hands, to enable us to bring in discipline in self gratification. She holds the 'Karumbu Vil' indicative of the mind, under control. The five arrows are indicative of the beauty of sound, touch, shape, taste and smell. As we enjoy them we have to be aware that, all the sensual pleasures of life are Her beauty and grace only. She is the Kamakshi of sweetness, softness and fragrance.

16. If the same glance of Her eyes by which She could make Him enamoured of Her, falls on us, all our crass desires will be erased. Whatever we see then will be Her beauty. Everything will become one; Adwaitam! Nothing higher or lower. "Forest and home, enemy and friend, young and old, good and bad, gold and sand; all will become one. All Her Grace accrues, to those who have had the slightest sliver of the glance of Her eyes!", says Mookar.

(To be continued)

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 171

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 171 of 20 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Perumai' that is, 'Kamakshi's Greatness', in pages 779 to 789, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. There is one Parasakthi as the basis of all existance, its creation, protection and destruction. These are not seperate singular events. They are happening all the time in every micro and macro systems. As you are listening to me, worlds are coming into being and going out of existance. In every individual, some cells are being created, some being nurtured and some disappearing. So, when I use words indicative of Space and Time, such as here, there, within, without, in, out, now, then, etc., please try to understand that I am talking about such subtle things, which are not things! Beyond, creation, maintenance and erasure, the Fourth is Thureeyam also known as Chathurtham, Sivam, Adwaitam and Santham; as per Mandukya Upanishad. That is also Brhmam!

3. Since there is nothing other than that, it is Adwaitam. Then it has no colour or form either. It is pure potential. Suddha spatikam, totally transparent. Look at the word, transparent. One meaning is see through. Another meaning is, 'trans + parent' that is, across or beyond + originate. This 'suddha spatika sankasam', is Sivaswaroopam, Red Kameswari, Kamakshi. From the potential one, when it becomes many, it also becomes the protective force of Kameswari, the Mother with intense compassion and grace. She is the power of Maya, which makes one seemingly many. She is also the power which can nullify the effect of Maya and dissolve us in the Oneness of Adwaita Anubhava. Thus She is the Gnana Ambhikai too. There is no end to Her Greatness, beyond human grasp and comprehension.

4. Since Brhmam is Thureeyam, the power of Brhmam, Kamakshi also must be Thureeyam. Adi Sankara, in 'Soundarya Lahiri', says that She is unaffected by the actions of Brhmam. As the power of the executive, She is beyond the influence of that power. Creation, Maintenance and Destruction are within the purview of Maya. 'She deludes the entire universe by the Maya', says Adi Sankara. to quote, "Maha mayaya vishwam bhramayasi, Parabrhma Mahishi".

5. How can she be another person and that person be Brhmam's wife, when there is nothing other than Brhmam? One movement created all these appearances. That seeming one movement in an otherwise immobile Brhmam, is considered as Brhmapatni, Kameswari. The great 'mahanubhavas', who have personally experienced the supreme grace of this Mother beyond compare, have named Her so!

6. Saraswathi is considered as Brhma's wife. As Brhma does creation, She imparts the power of imagination for creation, to all life forms. Mahalakshmi, who gives wealth is rightly considered as the wife of Mahavishnu, who is the Ruler of all. The Samhara murthy Rudra's consort is Parvathy. The one who remains above all these activities, as Parasakthi Kamakshi, has of necessity to be considered as the wife of Parabrhmam. Devoid of traits / gunas; and actions / kriyas; She is the Maha Maya too. There is no end or limit to Her Greatness, says Adi Sankara, using the word, 'Nisseema mahima'. Her greatness cannot be understood either, he says, 'thuradigamam'.

7. If we dissolve ourselves in that power which is moving everything, how can it be that, we will become quiet and peaceful? If you deeply think about this apparent paradox, you will realise that it is because of its static, peaceful and happy state, that it is able to move everything! The individual Jeeva too is doing the three 'kruthyas', of srushti, sthithi and samhara; in dream, wakefulness and sleep awasthas, as I said earlier. You see that, even while He is asleep, there is that power in him, that is awake, without which he will not wake up the next day. So, it is clear that the fourth, is in him too. It is not moving, even when he is moving, you see! So what ever is the basis of all the movement, has to be static.

8. So, the basis of all life forms and things, the Parasakthi is absolutely quiet and peaceful. If we are devoted to this idea even, we can also attain to complete peacefulness.

9. With the passage of time, man changes; life forms change; moving and non-moving animate and inanimate animals, creatures and materials change; worlds, planets, stars, galaxies, all change. The only non changing fact is the basis of all existance; the Brhmam. That does not change. That is called, 'sat' or being.

10. That one being, not knowing that it is, is as good as not being! So this awareness of being is called, 'chit' or knowing. This is Gnanam. 'Sat' is Easwaran and 'chit' is Ambigai. This knowing gives happiness. That happiness is called 'anandam'. So, Easwaran and Ambal - Kameswara and Kamakshi together are Sat Chit Anandam or Sachidanandam. You cannot seperate them, as you cannot seperate the whiteness from milk, flower from its fragrance, honey from its sweetness, and fire from its heat. That is why they are symbolically known as 'Ardhanareeswara'. In one form, one half is Easwara and the other half is Ambal. May be that is why, we refer to the Lady wife as the better half.

11. But, as though, this 50% sharing is also insufficient, Adi Sankara has expressed a modification of this idea, in one of the slokas of his, 'Soundarya Lahari', starting with 'thvaya hruthva vamam'. He says, "He! Ambike! Nirguna brhmam was colourless suddha spatika. In it you took the left half. But as though not satisfied with the 50%, You seem to have occupied the other half of His body too! That is why you are completely red all over the body as Kameswari. You have appropriated His 'third eye', and 'crescent moon' too." There are two principles here. One is that, 'the Siva tatva' is included in Her. Second is that, the actionless Brhmam, for the sake of 'Anugraha' to life forms, takes the complete shape as Kameswari.

12. In the sloka starting with the words, 'gathasthe manjathvam' the 92nd in Soundarya Lahari, when saying that Ambal is doing all the five jobs, he says, "You are seated with Kameswara, in the cot which has Brhma, Vishnu, Rudra and Easwara as the legs. But Kameswara is unseen, since your redness has completely dominated the scene". Her Anugraha shakthi is so effective!

13. As said in the earlier sloka, Ambal also has three eyes; She is also wearing the crescent moon on Her hair; Her eyes are the sun and the moon; the third eye is 'Agni' or fire. This is described by another poem of Soundarya Lahiri, with poetic beauty. "Your right eye creates the day; left eye the night; and the eye inbetween creates the 'Sandya' or the evening and morning twilight. That is why, it is red," it says. She is Herself the creator of Time that means.

14. Kamakshi sporting the crescent moon on Her head is also mentioned by Mookar in Panchasathi. The first 100 slokas in Panchasathi is 'Arya Sadakam'. The Ambal being addressed by the slokas, is 'Arya'. 'Arya' means bestest. (Do not think of 'Arya' as a name for the Race. This Arya, Dravida Racial divide is canard of vested interest of Britishers at a later date.) In the sloka starting with the words 'indu moule', he says, "The wealth and affluence of Chandrasekhara the Indu Mouli is Yourself, Amma." The Easwarahood comes to Him by Her only. The first sloka of 'Soundarya Lahari' too, confirms the idea that, 'without Her, He is inert'. Parameswara being aware of Himself is due to Her, the dynamic idea. Without Her Grace, we can never know Him, though He is 'Omnipresent'.

15. He Himself can have self awareness only by Her. At the same time, He is Her basis. She is the 'Prakriti' or Mother Nature and He is the 'Purusha'. Nature is called 'Maya' and Easwara is 'Mayi or Mayavi'. Easwara's wealth Kamakshi, 'as inseperable Nature, is effugent in the center of Kanchipuram, wearing 'sprouting new born moon', as the essence of Vedas', says Mookar. The words in Sanskrit read, "aindava kishora sekharam", with exceptional beauty of expression. Another child of Ambal, Thiru Gnana Sambandar, said in Tamil, "murtra ven thingal", meaning the same, 'not yet fully mature white moon'.

16 Ambal is Nature. Not only that, She is also the power of Maya and the power that can and erase the effect of Maya. This Kamakshi is not seperate from Purusha or Siva. They are non-differentiable one. Veda's end mesage is oneness of Adwaita. She is the embodyment of the principle of Adwaita. Adwaita the intangible principle in tangible form is She as Kameswari in Kanchi Kamakshi. Mookar says, "Aidambaryam saghasthi nigamanam".

17. "We approach her as the Mother form. There She is having the Father's, third eye and crescent moon. As Pathivrata, she got half His body. Still when you look closely, she has slowly stolen His entire being and made Him Herself." So, says Soundarya Lahiri. With the poetic licence and devotional fervour, Mooka and Adi Sankara, have described Her thus in Soundarya Lahiri and Pancha Sathi. The toal idea is that She is complete power of Brhmam and there is no difference between Her and Paramatma Parameswara!

18. If Adi Sankara says the She has stolen His body, Neelkanta Deekshidar, who was born in the family of Appayya Deekshidar in later years, claims that Parameswara has misappropriated all Her greatness. He charges that, "Parmeswara has got name and fame as having reduced Kaman to ashes by a look of the third eye and as having kicked Kalan by His legs! Both misappropriations! Kaman was burnt by the third eye. Agreed. But this eye belongs to You at least 50%. Let that be set aside. But the leg with which Kalan was kicked, was entirely Yours! The Left leg! Here the credit should go entirely to You only." The message is that, the slightest Grace of Kamakshi, is enough to win over lust, desires and time.

19. "Your greatness is beyond the reach of our speech and comprehension. It is the power that moves the static inert Siva! By the move of Your eye brows, You make Brhma, Vishnu, Rudra, Easwara and Sadasiva, do the Five main duties of, creation, maintenance, samhara, maya and anugraha known as 'Pancha Krutya'. They are like five officers working under You. They cannot do anything on their own. All their power is Yours. All their heads are in Your lotus feet with their hands held in a posture of obedience as buds of lotus. If we do Pooja to Your lotus feet, it will be as though we have done archana in their hands. To do obeisance to You is as good as propitiating all the Gods, since You ae the Mother of all!" So says another sloka of Soundarya Lahiri, starting with the words, 'Thrayanam devanam'.

20. Adi Sankara talks of Ambal's 'mahima' in Soundarya Lahiri: "Amma! You are residing in the abode which is surrounded by nine concentric perimeters. There in the center, You are with Parameswara. No one deserves to get inside. Indra and other Devatas are outside the outer perimeter. Your guards are the Siddhis such as 'Anima'. They themselves grant the various powers to the visitors." The sloka starts with the words, 'Purarathe anthah puramasi..'

21. This palace surrounded by nine 'Avaranas' is 'Sri Chakra'. This is the 'yantra'. The formless Kameswari is in the form of Sri Chakra Yantra. It will look like some lines and angles. Some words which has divine powers are called 'Mantras'. Similarly these designs with divine powers are called Yantras. Kamakshi or Kameswari's mantra is 'Sri Vidya' and yantra is 'Sri Chakram'. In it there are nine 'Avaranas' which are concentric spheres with gates. In the center is a triangular structure with a 'Bindu', in its center. This dot is Parasakthi. In it She is Kameswari with Kameswara. (Our understanding is limited to the three dimentions of length, breadth and height or depth. Can we think of a matrix of nine dimentions? Try.) The outer nine Avaranas are like fortresses, guarded by various Devatas, who are also Her power only. The outer most Avarana, has Siddhis, starting from 'Anima' as I said earlier.

22. Some people are called 'Siddhas'. They do things seemingly miraculous. These powers are, 'Anima', 'Mahima', 'Lagima', 'Prapthi',
'Prakamyam', 'Easithvam', 'Vasithvam' and 'Kamavasayanam' or 'Bukthi'. Anima, is to make oneself powerfully concentrate in to the smallest, like an atom. Mahima, is to become bigger than the biggest. Lagima is to become lighter than a whiff of cotton. Prapthi is to attain anything wanted. Prakamyam is to know everything. Easithvam is suzerainty on all and everything. Vasithvam is highest attractiveness. The eighth one is variously called as Kamavasayanam or Bukthi, or all the other Siddhis rolled into one. By other Siddhis we can do good and or bad. But to go beyond good and bad, is what is to be achieved.

23. This happens only when the mind is won over. You win your mind. Automatically other minds are under your control. The Mother of all Siddhis is Self Realization! When You realize Your Self, you know that all so called siddhis are only your already attainments. If and when you know everything, and you are everything, who is to be told about it and who is to be impressed? Who is to flatter you or give you name and fame? When you are everything, what is to be desired and who is to be attracted? Thayum + Anavar = Thaymanavar, a Tamil poet siddha of Trichy, says that you can do any miracle. You can materialise things from thin air; can make things disappear; enter into other peoples mind or body; but what is most difficult is to do nothing and simply be with your mind under control. In Tamil, 'summa iru', in Telugu, 'oorika undu', in English, 'simply be'; is that ultimate achievement!

24. You can do miracles. But you cannot do miracles, thinking that you are doing miracles. It has to come to you naturally, without a sense of achievement. Beyond Tambaram, there is a Temple complex that has come into being, in memory of Seshadri Swamigal of Thiruvannamalai. There are one temple each for the 18 Siddhas. In Gorkhpur, in the temple for Gorakhnath, there are statues for a whole lot of Siddhas. Their actions will look like pranks. But in reality, having advanced far in the process of Self Realization, they are automatically endowed with Siddhis, which are flabberghasting for the ordinary average human being. In the abode of Kamakshi, Sri Chakra, the Devathas who grant you the powers of Siddhi are like the gate keepers in the outer periphery.

25. Such power of Ambal, on occassions pours forth with uncontrollable spontaneity and ebullience. The Thiruvanaika Akhilandeswari's Shakthi was rather unbearable. Adi Sankara got made two 'thadangas' that is, ear studs in the form of Sri Chakra and Siva Chakra. He reined in the Ambal's power in them and offered them as ornaments for the Goddess. Similarly when he visited Raja Rajeswari Kamakshi, the same Acharya installed a Sri Chakra yantra in front of Her and invoked Her powers to settle in it. Since then, She is a supremely 'Shanta Murthy', imparting Her grace to Her devotees!

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 170

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 170 of 19 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Karunai' that is, 'Kamakshi's Grace', in pages 773 to 778, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. Brhma, Vishnu and Siva, by Parasakthi's Rajo, Sathva and Tamo Gunas, do their respective jobs of Creation, Governance and Destruction, as I told you earlier. We the Jeevas of differing life forms, also have these three traits. We also do all these three jobs in three different 'Avasthas' or states.

3. In sleep when we are dreaming, we do the job of creation. In dream, we create many places and people. It seems that She has created this Dream State, as an indicator of Her Leela. Man has to be awake to work. When Man is tired after work, he has to sleep. So, these two states of Jagrat (Wakefulness) and Sushupti (Sleep), are good enough. What is the need for Dream state? The answer can only be, that out of Her extreme compassion and grace, she has enabled us to dream and thereby realise by comparison and logic, 'that the whole world, universe and all life forms are only Her dream'. So say the Gnanis.

4. We can still have a doubt as follows. "How to believe the Gnanis? We are seeing so many people, animals, creatures and other life forms, interacting in Time and Space. How to think of them all as dream characters?" To remove this doubt we, (that is each one of us,) have the Dream State, in addition to Jagrat and Sushupti. As we are all Her creations, we create, people, places and events, in our dreams! During the dream, do we think of them all as, imaginary? In the dream it is all real. We laugh, cry and do many things. What happens when we wake up? All the scenes, places, people and events are realised to be only a figment of our imagination! In the dream, it was all so real that, we may wake up with a sweat with our blood pressure and pulse rate high! Now, that you know that it was all a dream, the only common denominator, in dream, sleep and wakeful state; is your self. Similarly, the only common denominator for all the worlds, people, life forms and events, then, now, and ever, is Her! She is real, including everything, including ourselves! As we will not know it to be a dream, during the dream; till we are involved in the world affairs, we will remain unaware of it's non-reality.

5. Dream is also a test for self analysis. Our deep routed thoughts and past predilections are what is vaguely replayed in dreams. We do not know as to how clean or otherwise we are, inside. When we go to temples with some pious, saintly people, we feel very good and nice. We think that we have become very clean inside. We need little promptings to turn opposite. A cinema, an advertisement, a word will do, to make us violent or greedy or lustful! Then for a moment we may pause to think, how low we actually are! In truth, Ambal has intended the dream to be a touch-stone for assessing ourselves. Through the dream we can get to know our inner self. Outwardly however much we may show off our devotion and piety, we cannot fool ourselves. We do not have to feel bad, if we are not pious enough. We can remove our deficiencies and inadequacies only if we know about them. For that too, we have to seek Her help only. "Amma! I need to improve immencely. Instill in me the true devotion. Please lift me from the mire of crass desires!" To know our shotcomings, to enable us to correct ourselves, She has created the Swapna Awastha, out of Her Infinite Love and Compassion!

6. Swapna or dream is the creative power of ours. Then we are doing 'Srushti', as Brhma does with our Rajo guna. In Jagrat state of wakefulness, we are doing the job of Vishnu, that is protecting and sustaining our limited area of responsibility. In the sleep state of Sushupti, our senses and mind are as though destroyed, at rest. This is like the Samhara by Rudra. It is said that what is in the macrocosm is also in the microcosm. So the Srushti, Sthithi and Samhara of Parasakthi, are there in Jeeva too. But She is not only having these three jobs. She is beyond too. She is the 'Thureeya', the fourth State itself. That is pure sweetness, like tasting the powdered sugar candy. That is the state of unalloyed joy.

7. In Srushti and Sthithi(creation and maintenance, that is in dream and wakeful states), the permanent happiness is not there. In Samhara(sleep), happiness is there; but awareness that one is happy, is not there, which is not good enough. In Thureeya, all these activities are not there. Only the basic truth of being with total awareness; being knowing happiness; sat chit ananda. If and when relieved of the three states, the jeeva can enjoy the Thureeya, by Her Grace. While involved in the affairs of the world, we pray to Her for various things such as, passing exams, promotions, postings, being cured of desease and so on. If our prayer is successful, we say that, 'God has sanctioned our prayers'. But the real 'Anugraha' of Parasakthi, is relieving us from the involvement in worldly affairs. That is what we should be praying for.

8. Lalitha Sahasranamam talks about Her these five main jobs. It says, 'as Brhma you create, as Vishnu you protect, as Rudra you destroy, as Easwara you screen, as Sadasiva you do anugraha'. Srushti karthree - brhma roopa; gopthri - govinda roopini; samharini - rudra roopa; thirodana kari - easwari; sadasiva - anugrahada; pancha krutya parayana.

9. Regarding Jeeva, I said that dream, wakefulness and sleep are equivalent to srushti, sthithi and samhara. Thureeyam is here too. Have you seen the umbrella like device in some fairs or exhibitions? Elders and children climb on the horse / tiger / elephant seats that are hanging from the umbrella like top. Having collected money from each participant, the manager gets the wheel rotating. The wheel goes round and round. The participants sitting on various mounts, go around in a slightly wavy horizontal circular motion, seemingly overtaking each other. Round and round we all go. But all that remains within the circle. After some time, we get bored. Maya is like that. Up and down, forward and lagging behind; all that within the ambit of Maya. To relieve us of the boredom, sleep is a welcome medicine. But this is also within Maya only.

10. Beyond dream, sleep and wakefulness, is thureeya. Even when we sleep. there is something in us which does not sleep. When we wake up, we say, 'I have had a wonderful sleep! How did we know that fact? There was something that remains aware of dream, sleep and awarelessness too'. That is thureeya. It is outside of all wheels including Maya. It is inside too. That is truth. That is Ambal. Though She is called Maya, she beyond Maya too. Mooka says, "Oh Mother! Maha Maye! I merge in your feet, that is red like the tender sprout of leaves". 'Leeye purahara jaye maye thava tharuna pallava chaaye charane'.

11. Though he is saying that he is merging in Maya, he really means that he is dissolving his seperateness in the 'thureeya aananda', beyond Maya. Kamakshi who is the power of Maya, is also the power that can erase Maya and give us the 'Anugraha' of thureeya. The one who hides and screens is the one who can remove the screen and reveal too.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 169

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 169 of 16 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Karumai' that is, 'Kamakshi's Blackness', in pages 766 to 772, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. The colourless sunlight when refracted, scatters in to the component six colours. It is as though to say, 'if you seperate us, we will rather go our seperate ways!'. It is rather funny. If they all join, the colours become colourless. From that colourlessness, even if you seperate one, others come out too.

3. Brhmam is like the colourless sunlight. Brhmam has no work, no activity. But all the basis and power for all action and for all the dynamism, is potentially in Brhmam. The first job of the actionless Brhmam is to become aware of itself. This is like the first movement in the static Brhmam, like the refraction of light. In this refraction, the first colour to seperate is red. Early mornings, before you see the sunlight, the eastern sky becomes tinged with red. We call it, 'arunodayam'. 'Aruna' means red. When thus clean Brhmam comes in to action, Ambal comes into being. Actionless Brhmam becomes dynamic. Kameswari appears. Brhmam had the desire for self awareness. That desire's form is Kameswari. She is the source root for world's Creation (or Appearance), Sustenance (or Maintenance) and Re-absorbtion (or Samharam). In truth all these three main jobs are from Maya only. By the power of Maya, Brhmam is hidden and in its place appears this universe. This screening of Brhmam and revealing of universe, is called the fourth job known as 'Thirodanam' or 'Thirobhavam'. Other than these four major jobs of, Creation, Maintenance, Re-absorbtion and Thirodanam, there is a fifth job of 'Anugraham' or Grace of Compassion. This last one is to retrieve the devotees from Maya, unto Herself is Anugraham. Because she does these Five Main Jobs, she is called, 'pancha krutya parayana', in Lalitha Sahasranamam.

4. This power of Brhmam is effulgent as Kameswari, on a celestial seat 'Manjam', whose four legs or four chains by which the Manjam is hung; are the Creator Brhma, Administrator Vishnu, Destroyer Rudra and Maya's Ruler Easwara. The Parabrhmam Kameswara is seated and on His Left is Kameswari. Kameswara is Parabrhmam and Kameswari is His Power. They are husband and wife.

5. Once the Red Kameswara and Kameswari, seperate from the Brhmam, other colours of the spectrum have to rush to be revealed, is it not so? By this logic, the red-yellow Brhma and Lakshmi appeared. The Blue Mahavishnu and Parvathi, came in to being. The fair coloured Rudra and Saraswathi were revealed. Amongst these three pairs that appeared from Brhma Shakthi, each is a brother-sister combination. That is, Brhma and Lakshmi; Vishnu and Parvathi; Rudra and Saraswathi; are three pairs of siblings. Brhma and Lakshmi are golden coloured and have Lotus seat. Brhma started His job of creating variety of life forms. Lakshmi started Her action of multiplying wealth and wherewithal, for the use of the so created life forms. The blue-black cloud coloured Vishnu and Parvathi are similar siblings. Their's is to address the administration with Maya. Look at the Durga's sanctum sanctorum on the Northern aisle of the Siva temples 'praharam'. You will notice that she stands alone, sporting the 'Shankam' (conch) and 'Chakram' (wheel), as done by Vishnu. That is why She is called, 'Narayani, Syama Krishna Sahodari,' etc. Siva and Saraswathi, likewise are siblings. In Siva temples, on the Southern aisle, exactly opposite to Durga, will be located Dakshinamoorhy. He will be sporting in His hands, a book and japa mala, as Saraswathi does. They are both representing the supreme state of resignation and dispassion. They are both white!

6. There is logic in the evolution of three different pairs. Each male has to wed a female. If there were only two pairs, it would mean, 'give a girl in marriage and take a boy from the same family', which is not much preferred. When there are three pairs of brother and sister, a more round interchange of Traits that is Gunas and complexions, is possible. Brhma married Siva's sister Saraswathi (Golden and White). Vishnu married Brhma's sister Lakshmi (Blueblack and Golden) and Siva took Vishnu's sister Parvathi as wife (White and Blueblack). Blue and Black are indicative of Tamo guna. White is Sathva and Golden is Rajo guna. Thus there is greater mixing in, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Parvathi; being the consorts of Vishnu, Brhma and Siva respectively. (KTSV adds:- By now your heads must be reeling! His is.)

7. It is one entity or power, call it what you want, that is seen or appear as all this. Calling it Parasakthi, She does / becomes all this. Still, we relate Her to Maya and allude the role of screening or 'Thirodana', as Her main role. Mooka Kavi in Pancha Sathi, while describing crimson-red Kamakshi, refers to Her as being blueblack too. Kamakshi's job is to remove Maya and grant Her Grace as 'Anugraha'. The white Siva, having the blueblack 'Kali', as His consort, does the job of 'Samhara'. 'Kali' means black. But why does the poet, at times refers to Kamakshi as black? Why does he say that Kamakshi also does Samhara or destruction?

8. We all do work. Then we become tired and sleep. Sleep is a 'Tamas' job. It is all darkness. All black and no light. Still, it is in this sleep
that living things find some peace! For the day's efforts and resultant tiredness, some sleep is interposed, to give some temporary relief. So in Tamas, there seems to be much Anugraha.

9. Samhara is big sleep. As there is no sadness in sleep and we find peacefulness and quiet, after death too, till we take a life form again. Jeeva during this, is in a peaceful state of suspended animation. To relieve us from the ties of Karma involvement temporarily, we are being given some interrugnum, between death and next life. Only those who have realized the Self or Atma and completely got rid of the 'Ahankara' or Ego, can permanently escape the paradox of Karma. But temporary relief is available to all, in short spans in sleep and longer spans in the gap between death and next birth. So Samhara or destruction is also with extreme care, consideration and compassion!

10. A great Vaishnava devotee, Nammazhvar, starts a poem, with the words, "muniye naan mugane, mukkannappa...". He says, 'Muni! Four Faced!, Three-eyed Father!'. He is addressing Vishnu, Brhma and Siva. When it comes to Siva, this Vishnu baktha calls Him, 'three eyed father'. As though, a very considerate father tells the son, "My dear boy, you are very tired after much running around, better take some rest", Siva gives us all some rest in doing 'Samhara'. That is why, Nammazhvar calls Him, 'appa' or Daddy! This Siva who does 'Samhara', has the dark Parvathy as His consort.

11. Only when we give up involvement with this world, we can attain to Moksha or eternal peace. When we are aware of being in that state, while still alive, is Samadhi. This is the 'Anugraha' of Parvathi. Next best is peacefulness without awareness, in sleep and samhara. So short of 'Anugraha', is 'Samhara', a most pleasant state for all life forms.

12. Generally, may be because we feel, 'why was I ever created?', none of us pray to Brhma! Though Mahavishnu is much sought after, as the manager, ruler, provider, sustainer, rolled into one, He is too involved in the affairs of the world, as Rama, Krishna, Boar, Fish, Tortoise and Lion-Man Narasimha. Sri Vaishnavas may address each other as 'Swami!'. But for their God, they have the pet name, 'Perumal'. 'Perumal', means literally, 'perum-aal' or Big-man. Even in Vedas, when related to Vishnu, the mantras are 'Purusha Suktham'. Purush means Manush or Man, that is Aasami. So Vishnu is much related to Man or Humans. Siva is rather concerned with Samhara and dispassion, when we leave the world.

13. All these thoughts came to me, when deliberating on as to why, Mooka describes the Red Kamakshi, as Black in some places in his poems? Temporary peaceful state of Samhara, is the closest to the permanent peace of Moksha. So Parvathy being the Shakthi of the Samhara Murthy Siva, her dark complexion could have been put on the Moksha - granting Kamakshi, as an additional colour. 'It is not such a great Anugraha to grant a realised soul Moksha, but giving the sinful mass of people some temporary peace, is a greater Anugraha in Samhara'. So may be he thought of Kali's darkness as Kamakshi's complexion.

14. Parasakthi's Sathva trait, as Mahavishnu, rules over the world. Parasakthi's Rajo Guna, creates the world. Her Tamo Guna as Rudra, cancels out the creations in Samhara. In this state, even unworthy life forms, enjoy temporary peace. That is why, while talking about Her colour, Mooka has thrown light on Her Darkness. Though amongst the traits of Sathva, Rajas and Tamas, Tamas is seemingly lower; when seen from another angle, that Tamas is closer to 'Anugraha', the fifth and higher job of the Almighty; Mooka has found Red and Blueblack as the colours which are very close; though they may be at the two ends of the Light Spectrum!

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 168

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 168 of 15 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Karuppum Sivappumana Kamakshi' that is, 'Kamakshi who is Black and Red', in pages 763 to 765, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. There are many 'Sthothras' on Kamakshi. Amongst them, the 'Soundarya Lahari' by Adi Sankara and Mooka Kavi's 'Pancha Sathi', are incomparably beautiful. They can bring before our eyes the divine form of Ambal, as though drawn by an expert painter; merge our minds in the very salubrious greatness of Her qualities. Those two poems in praise of Parasakthi, have the power of expression that enables us to enjoy, what is beyond the grasp of the senses and mind. 'Soundarya Lahiri', has all the Might of Royalty, while 'Panch Sathi', has the softness and tenderness of gossamer and flowers.

3. 'Mooka', in Sanskrit means dumb. A great devotee of Kamakshi in Kanchipuram, chanced on Mother's Grace, by eating the 'Thambula' left overs. Immediately, he poured out 500 nectarine poems of superlative literary merit that is called the 'Pancha Sathi'. 'Pancha' means five and 'satha' means hundred.

4. In Pancha Sathi, while describing Kamakshi's complexion, he says in many places that She is very red, crimson red. In some places he says that She is black! He says, 'kashmira sthabaka komalanga latha', meaning, 'red and very tender like a creeper bearing a bunch of saffron flowers'. Elsewhere he says, 'pandu jeeva kanthi musha', meaning, 'of the colour of 'Semparuthi' the red hibiscus'. In another place, he says, 'thapinja sathabaghathvisha', meaning, 'of the colour of 'Kayaam poo', that is blue-black! Why does he say that she is of two different colours, nowhere near each other in the spectrum? Let us see what Adi Sankara says in 'Soundarya Lahiri'.

5. 'Jayathi karuna kasid aruna', says Soundarya Lahiri. The source of everything is 'Sambu', or Parabrhmam that is totally inert. When it takes form of benificence, it is called 'Ambal'. The colourless 'Sambu', becomes 'Aruna varnam' of the early morning sky, out of extreme compassion and love - "jagat thrathum sambhoh jayathi karuna kasid aruna".

6. Black is the colour of destruction, indicative of 'tamo guna'. Sleep, darkness and death, are indicated by black. It is reasonable to think of Kamakshi, who is also known by the names such as, Raja Rajeswari, Lalitha Thripurasundari, Srividya and so on, as a 'red brilliance'. So do the 'mantra sastras' also confirm. In Srividya, the Adishtana Devata, is said to be red. As per science also, this is apt. The colourless Sunray becomes Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red, on diffraction. Red is nearer White. On the other end of the spectrum is Black, beyond Violet. White is pure 'Sathva'. Red is nearest, non irritating colour. That is why while developing the negative in photography, they use the red light.

7. So it is proper to describe Kamakshi, as Red / Crimson / Pink. But Mooka who spontaneously burst out with his effervescence of love and devotion, from dumbness; like going from Zero to Eighty mph in 2 seconds; also calls Kamakshi Black! Why? We will see that in the next e-mail.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 167

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 167 of 14 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshiyin Sivappu' that is, 'The Red Colour of Kamakshi', in pages 760 to 762, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. The divine Mother Goddess Kamakshi, who sports Sugar-Cane Bow and Arrow of Flowers, saves the entire creation from the 'monkey tricks', of the senses and the vascillations of the mind, out of Her Love for Her children! The funny thing is that, Manmata, or the God of Love Cupid, is also sporting the same equipments of Sugar-cane Bow and Flower Arrows! But His job is the exact opposite. With the same tools, He incites sensual passions and uncontrollable desires.

3. That is also Her play only. Manmata could not have been empowered to do what He does otherwise. As the fruit that is initially bitter, turns successively in to bland, sour and finally sweet; She has created the forces of Nature, so as to enable the life forms to undergo progressive experiences, unto fruition. We as individuals, should never let us be carried away, by the flood of passions and desires. If we are not able to withstand the pressures and pulls initially, we are not to be heart broken either. If we surrender to Ambal, She will enable us to apply the necessary brakes and balance. We should pray to Her to grant us this moderation. When involved in 'Samsaram' that is worldly life, we should often ponder, if there is 'some saram', (some essence), in all this! To think like this is the 'saram' or essence. Then only 'dispassion', is achieved. Dispassion, is not a negative entity such as ennui.

4. (KTSV adds. Even if you take it as 'ennui', simply as boredom, Oscar Wilde says, "Ennui comes to those to whom life denies nothing'. So dispassion comes after going through the experiences of life, while all the time one is maturing into 'Virakthi'.) As the fruit goes through the process of fruitioning, when it is ripe enough, it seperates from the tree and falls. Like that, let us fruition into ripeness and fall in to Mother Earth, that is Mother's feet and merge.

5. Like us, many lives have accumulated infinite quantity of 'Karma Vinai', that is, good and bad effects of actions. To cancel out these merits and de-merits, they have to take life and undergo the effects of experiences. In the life taken now we have the option to further accumulate the baggage, or reduce the load. The only way to reduce the load, is to go through the process of life with the clarity that, all our intelligence, money, name and fame, power and influence, capabilities and wherewithal; may be used the 'Dharma' way for the common good of all or in aiding and helping, as many as we can. Then we get to the stage of no further cycle of life and death. So, this life is an experiment and the whole world is a laboratory. Life is the Teacher and the whole world is a school. Passion is created to arrive at dispassion and Kama or Manmata or Cupid is one of the administrators.

6. In it everything has to remain within bounds. Mother will not permit, even Manmata, to play His pranks with the devotees and realised souls. She only caused Parameswara to become enamoured of Her. Manmata tried His tricks with Parameswara. Parameswara opened His third eye and reduced Kama to ashes, and returned to His Static State. Now then, how is Her play of the world to continue? She picked up the Sugar-Cane Bow and Flower Arrows dropped by Manmata, Herself and approached Parameswara. She did not come with pride but love and humility. So Parameswara became Kameswara and She became Kamakshi and Kameswari.

7. The thing that is totally inactive, becoming worldly friendly, that essence of Love, Grace and Compassion, is Kamakshi. The 'suddha spatika sankasam' Brhmam (crystal clear cosmosphere), then becomes RED. The red of 'Arali' and 'Lotus' and 'Sandhya', is indicative of Love and Compassion. Red is not all bad and danger only. In Tamil, there are words such as, 'Manachemmai', 'Sevviya Ullam', to mean a 'refined mind' and 'perfect heart', both red. That is the colour of Kamakshi, the colour of Compassion.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 166

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 166 of 06 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Kamakshi', in pages 756 to 759, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. Without an iota of work, the self satisfied in itself, experiencing itself, sans responsibility, sans shape, colour, traits, characteristics and shape; that brhmam is Siva or Sivam. From it, all the universe, galaxies, stars, planets, oceans, mountains, plains, rivers and all life forms of so many types, shapes, sizes, colours, smells, traits; have all evolved by the power of Maya! That Maya power which shows the one reality as many, is Ambal. We have come in to being by that power. Actually we are not different from the Brhmam, that is One. But we think that we are different. This thinking is also due to Maya. To subject us to Her power of Maya, is Her amusement, called Leela.

3. Not only does She thus subject all of us to Maya and keep us bound, if we pray to her sincerely and truely, She can relieve us from all ties, remove the imposition of Maya and grant Brhma Gnanam too. To attain to Brhma Gnanam, there is no other recourse, but Her. It is She who creates this delusion, hiding the existing One Brhmam and displaying the multi various Prapancham. To get relieved from this play of Samsara, this cycle of birth - death, and if we are to get to know our reality, only Her Grace can do. She is the power of Maya. She has to become the Gnanmbikai, for us.

4. 'Maya', means, 'that which is not'. How the non-existant thing, plays merry with our lives! It is never not and it ever is! It is like the play of light and darkness, Till the light of Gnanam arrives, darkness of Agnanam does not go. Till then, looking at all the variety of existance, we think that they are all for real, individually, seperately. Some we like. We desire them. Some we do not like. We hate them. This leads to many actions on our part, some good and some bad. Thus we accumulate a bundle of effects of negative and positive actions, called, 'Karma Vinai'. Since this 'Karma Vinai' is of our making, we have to experience these effects, some good and some bad. To do so, we take many lives. 'Punarapi jananam -punarapi maranam, punarapi jananee jatare sayanam...'

5. By praying to Her when we get Gnanam, we will know that, you, me, he, she, this, that and everything is One only. Though the appearances are many, intrinsically they are all One only! Once we know this, likes and dislikes on the apperances will cease to be. The change is in us and not in the world. Our attention shifts from the appearances to the real. So no more likes and no more dislikes either! Our mind melts in to a non-entity and merges in the permanent, basic reality. The world disappears from our view, as our vision is focussed on the real. So in the Gnana Marga, or the Path of Knowledge, what disappears is Maya, which till that moment was making us dance like a 'puppet on a string!'

7. Ambal is the power of Maya, and She is the one to give us Gnanam too. It is Her Grace. However much She plays with us, She has the power to release us from its effects too. When we think about this indepth, what we see is that, in the Maya world, even when the Truth is staring in our face, we like to be deluded and remain under its effects, seemingly. So the delusion is of our making only. Our mind and the five senses have this propensity to get involved with the unreal. So we give in to the senses and the dictates of the mind, continuing the cycle of birth - karma accumulation - death, birth again, karma again, death again, endlessly! Thus we are unaware of our own reality. To relieve us from this vicious cycle, She comes as Kamakshi.

8. Kamakshi has four hands, In one she holds a bow. That bow is made of 'Karumbu' that is sugar-cane. In the other hand she holds five arrows made of flowers. Normally the Bow is made up of strong bamboo or some metal rod. But Hers is the soft and sweet sugar-cane! Instead of sharp arrows, Her arrows are made of flowers! Ambal with the sweet heart of Hers, attracts our minds in to amiability. Her arrows of flowers, pulls our five senses in to inaction.'Lalitha Sahasranamam', describes this, "....mano roopekshu kodhanda - pancha tanmatra sayaka...." To still our minds and stun our senses, she is using sugar-cane bow and flower arrows!

7. In the other two hands, She is holding 'Pasam' and 'Ankusam'. Pasam is the rope, by which we are tied. Ankusam is the sharp instrument to prod us into submission as used by the keeper of Elephants. We were tied up inextricably with too many connections of involvement, with the world. She relieves us from all those connections by untying all the knots, but connects us only with the Real, by that Pasam held in Her hands. This human mind is worse than a horde of elephants. So the Ankusam is to prod this mind into submission! 'Lalitha Sahasranamam', says, "....raga swaroopa pasadya krodha karankushojwala...."

8. Thus, Kamakshi Ambal, holding sugar-cane bow, arrows made of flowers, pasam and ankusam respectively in the four hands, from the colourless Brhmam, comes as red as morning Aruna of the eastern sky, just prior to sunrise, as red as the safron flowers or the flowers of the tree called, 'flame of the forest', for the specific purpose of granting Gnana to the deluded souls of this world.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 165

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 165 of 05 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Iyarkai Emarrugirathu! Ambal Emarrugiral!', that is, 'Nature Dupes! Ambal is Fooling!', in pages 752 to 755, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. Human beings are subject to a variety of desires, attachments and passions. When desires are fulfilled, it gives much satisfaction. But does the happiness last long? No. Another want has already taken its place. A series of desires are ligned up, like a flow! So, 'running from pillor to post' as a process, carries on. In between, there are some satisfactions and celebrations of achievements. In one way, this is Mother's Grace. From another angle, this is Her sleight of hand. A trick She is playing, to keep us at it!

3. When man loves somebody, and the other respond favourably, he becomes extremely thrilled. He gets married. Begets children and feels that his desires have been met with. When he lifts the baby and talks 'sweet nothings' to it and the baby responds with some peculiar blabber, he touches 'seventh heaven'! He feels that the baby is extremely fond of him and so takes care of the baby more.

4. Man takes this lust, love and passion is all meant for his happiness. That is not the only reason for the existance of desire. Can the tree help producing the fruit and seed? It is all meant for the process to continue. Many 'Jeevas' have yet to be born, work out their 'Karmas', move towards higher and yet higher refinement and finally attain to 'Moksha'. For that purpose there is, lust, love, passion, marriage and progeny. But he thinks that it is all for his sake. One poet even said, 'eththnai kodi inbam vaiththai iraiva!' meaning, 'Oh! God! How many crores of happiness You have kept!'
Thus Mother Nature dupes us. Mother fools us.

5. Man is duped in many ways. What variety of eatables! He eats to his full and feels satisfied. Was it all meant for his tongue only? He has to live. The body has to grow. If it all taste the same, he will get bored of eating. So nature has embedded and made available, a variety of tasty materials, that is palatable. Nature makes him eat and also makes him feel happy for having done so. So, to experience the 'Karma - effects', he conveniently nurtures the body.

6. The pride, passion, attraction and attachment, that he has for his own child, is never felt, let alone shown towards neighbour's child. 'Mine' is a mine, that generates a special love, that enables him to bathe, cloth, feed, and takes all the care. He earns more to bring up the child, educate and even try to give all his best, for its well being. This special attachment for ones family and progeny, is Nature's compulsion on the individual. Ambal has made this happen, for the sake of the next and next and yet another generation!

7. I said that, for one body to be born and grow, Ambal has kept karma and attachment, in him. For the body to grow, She has kept hunger, taste and a variety of palatable materials. You are likely to wonder on the following lines. "What is the use of all this? What for? How does it matter whether man lives or produces another child? Other than working off the effects of old 'Karmas', no other purpose seems to be served. Neither has this man attained to the so called 'Mukthi' or 'Moksham', nor the next generation! Generally what we see is that, everyone seems to go by the same route. Every new born is initially innocent. Then succesively, progressively, there is degression! They all fall prey to all the temptations and pitfalls of passion, anger, greed, delusion, madness and habits. So more bad karma. More life to be born. Ad infinitum, ad nauseam!"

8. You do not have to think like this. A mango tree, gives many fruits. The purpose of the fruit, is to bear the seed for the next tree. If all the seeds become another tree, there will be no place on earth for anything else. Are we not satisfied, if one of the seeds amongst thousands, becomes another tree? Do we feel bad that all the other seeds have been wasted?

9. Exactly similarly, amongst millions or zillions, if one attains to perfection, that is enough. That is the purpose of all creation! That ONE will do. That One Atma, amongst crores raised to the power of crore Atmas, to attain to totality of perfection and fullness; rest of us all are. All the passion and love, desire and preference, is for that to happen. The purpose of all creation, is that.

10. You may or may not have seen, 'Uriyadi Utsavam'. A well polished wooden pole, huge and tall, would have been planted on the ground. It would be dripping wet with oil. Many youngsters in undies, would try to climb the pole. There will be many slipping and falling after much effort. The crowd will enjoy every moment of it, including partial successess, ending in all sorts of contortions and falls. But when one person reaches the top, the entire audience will feel thrilled, as though it is their own success. Like the man who never gave up, despite many falls, let us also keep at it, to reach, 'Atma Gnana / Mukthi / Moksha / Nirvana / Self Realization'. The One to be lifted to perfection amongst us all, Ambal will give him the wherewithal. For that One to be relieved from this delusion, is enough for all of us. It is all fun and play of Mother.

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Series - 164

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 164 of 01 Mar 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Deviyin Thiruvadi Dhyanam', that is, 'Meditation on Mother's Feet', in pages 749 to 751, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. There are three main functions of God. They are Creation, Nurturing and Destruction. The last 'Kruthya' of destruction, may not be misunderstood. Since all that is created is not from an outside source, at the time of 'Pralaya' at the end of creation, all is re absorbed. What is destroyed is not some thing of a material or life form; but the 'seperateness'. To do these three major jobs, the same Paramatma, takes three forms as Brhma, Vishnu and Rudra. With form, it has to have characterstics of colour, shape and distinctive traits. When this figure three is crossed, the cause of all this, is the Fourth, Parasakthi, the power behind all. That is 'turiya'. If we merge our minds in the 'turiya', we are released immediately.

3. As we are too involved in the ways of the world, there is no time to think of the 'turiya'; there is no maturity for 'mantra dhyana' and 'roopa dhyana'. 'Turiya' is anyhow beyond our scope now. Let us look at meditation on 'Mantra / Roopa'. Maturity comes with practice. So to gain practice, we have to start. That is the first step, which will be taken if it is interesting and pleasant. There is such a first step in the direction of 'Adhyatma', meaning, self study! That is the lotus feet of Ambal! We can start this straight away, with no hesitation or second thought.

4. If we can think of its beauty and pleasantness once, our minds will want more and more of it. Thus if we do this all the time, 'Janani' will grant 'Janana nivirthi'. Initially we can read slokas that talk of her qualities and greatness. So the first step is 'parayanam', or reading; then 'japa', that is, chanting mantras. When we are chanting or doing dhyana like this, in our inner minds, the only residual thought should be, "Mother! Let me keep at it, till there is life in this body. You grant me that, even at the moment of death, I should be thinking of Your Feet only." Thus as we carry on doing this every day, at that split second of our death too, the thought will be with us and we will be rid of the cycle of repeated birth and death, merging in Her Feet forever.

5. Devi and Guru are one. Their 'thiruvadi' is one. The adornment in their feet is 'Paduka'. Devi's and Guru's Paduka is the same. As per Sastra, we are to meditate on Guru Paduka, in the 'Chandra Mandala'. As per Sastra, Amirtam pours from the Moon.

6. The Sun may have brightness of its own. He gives us the light. Still that heat, makes us thirsty. It makes us sweat. Ambal's brightness gives light as well as removes 'thaapam', meaning a feeling of 'wanting or missing'. Ambal's light is like that of the Moon. It removes 'thaapam' and makes us feel wholesome. Amirtham does that. Ambal's glance and lotus feet do that.

7. We who live in the tropics have a preference for coolness. Europeans would say the opposite. For them responsiveness is being warm hearted, because of obvious reasons of their avearge temperature being very cold. If not recieved properly, they will call it a 'cold reception'! A person who is cruel would be known as 'cold hearted'. Amma's feet are cool. Ambal removes our fretfulness and cools us, as the rays of the pleasant moon. In many places in the religious literature, Ambal is said to reside in the 'chandra mandala', that is the 'region of the moon'. Let us meditate on Her feet and attain to permanent, everlasting happiness!

Sambhomahadeva.

Deivathin Kural Serial - 163

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 163 of 28 Feb 2007.

1. These e-mails, are chapter wise translations of the lectures given by, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Swamigal, of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Every day, after the daily Puja, He used to talk, on various aspects concerning Hinduism. These are published, in Tamil, by Vanady Padippagam, T.Nagar, Chennai, as Deivathin Kural, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each. To-day's talk is titled, 'Annai Deivam', that is, 'Mother is God', in pages 746 to 748, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.

2. Avvai Patti has said, "Annaiyum Pithavum munnari deivam", meaning that, Mother and Father are the first known Gods. Amongst the two first known Gods also, she places Mother first. Thaithreeya Upanishad also says that, Mother, Father, Guru and Guest are to be treated, respected and known as Gods:-
"Mathru devo bhava; Pithru devo bhava;
Acharya devo bhava; Athithi devo bhava."

3. If we can think of our own Mother as God, in turn, we can also think of God as the Mother! The supreme intelligent power that is creating, nurturing and ruling all the worlds and the Universe, when thought of as the Mother, we call Her, 'Ambal'.

4. The Paramatma, who has become all the varities of existance, can and does come to us, in whatever form we invite and pray, The Paramatma has that capability and grace. If we pray that the very Parabrhmam itself should come to us as our Mother and grant all our wishes, it comes accordingly. There is a special quality in thinking of God as the Mother and ourselves as Her children. You know that in nature, the mutual Mother - Child relationship is something special! So when we think of God as the Mother, the relationship is pure, happy and unconditional love. Anger and passion, disappear on their own. Our crookedness goes and we become child like. We are not doing any favour to God by thinking of Him as the Mother. In reality, He is like a Mother to all life forms!

5. If we have to consider our biological Mother in this life as God, God who is standing by us in all our life times, should be treated as the Mother, certainly. Our biological Mother is the 'amma' of two or three children. 'Ambal', is the Mother for all generations for all life times. She is the Mother for all life forms, from the micro to the macro level; to all birds, animals, humans, worms, insects, germs, grass, plants, trees, creepers and every thing animate and inanimate. When you think of God as the Mother, we will know that She is the only Mother and all of us are Her children. We will feel universal brotherhood towards all life forms and we will want to embrace all, with no exception.

6. Even Devatas(deities), Avatara Purushas(God incarnations), and great Mahatmas have approached God, from this perspective and obtained salvation. Adi Sankara, Kalidasa, Bana, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and many more can be quoted, as examples. Kalidasa got his illustrious literary capability, by Her Grace only. Thiru Gnana Sambandar was breast-fed by Mother Herself and thus got the highest Gnana.

7. Mother who gives all health, wealth, name and fame; also gives Gnana and power of speech. The power of written and spoken expression is Hers because, She is 'Akshara Swaroopam', (ie.,of the form of Alphabets and Phonetics). We are made up of the five basic elements of Space, Air, Water, Fire and Earth, combining in various proportions; superimposed with Satva, Rajo and Tamo gunas; seemingly made of, blood, bones, flesh, nerves, mucus, hair etc. If we are scratched in the surface or deeper, what is revealed is a gory sight! But She is made of Alphabets and Phonetics. That is why, 'Devi Upasakars', (those devotees who approach God as a child would go to its Mother), are endowed with the gift of very powerful, spoken and written expressions!

8. The Mother of all Space and Time or in other words, The Mother of all worlds for all times; Her grace is capable of lifting up any body, however small or down-trodden he or she may be. To earn this Love, all that we have to do is to approach Her with Love. The Akshara Brhmam, should be adored with words. As a child adopts or copies the Mother in speech and style, we will imbibe Her ways and being. As we carry on doing this, we will become Her 'Swaroopa', that, we will become indistinguishable from Her. To this extent that, we will spontaneously be giving the same Love and Happiness, to all people at all times!

Sambhomahadeva.