Deivathin Kural Series - 148

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 148 of 08 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.

2. To-day's talk is titled, 'Siva Mayam; Sarvam Vishnu Mayam Jagat' that is, 'The Whole World is Siva/Vishnu', in pages 681 to 683, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.(This is the third e-mail, on the subject of Siva-Vishnu oneness.)

3. All Devatas are the one Paramatma only. Siva and Vishnu, are one and the same. But there is some beauty in their seperateness, when we consider the fact of how we approach them in our devotion. The quintessence of our religion is, 'unity in diversity'. Still despite being totally aware of the oneness of Siva and Vishnu, when we look at them as symbolically representating seperate principles, there is some lingering taste in their differences!

4. When we do this, Siva can be construed as the One basic substrata of all Existance, Awareness and Bliss, in one, Sat-chith-anandam. Vishnu can be taken as the apparent power, in running the show, that is the world. That is, Siva can be considered as Parabrhmam and Vishnu as Parasakthi. 'Ambal and Vishnu, are One', is the practical experience of the Realised. Appar Swamigal says, "Ariyalal devi illai aiyan, aiyaranaarke". The meaning of this line of Appar quoted will be clear, if you look at the statues of, Sankara-Narayana and Ardha-Nareeswara. In both, Right side is Siva. The Left side is Vishnu, in Sankara Narayana; and the same Left side is Ambal, in Ardhnareeswara!

5. 'What is the One existance is shown as many', is the power of Sakthi/Vishnu. That is, 'the whole world is the shape of Vishnu'. Vishnu Sahasranamam, starts with the words, 'Viswam Vishnur'. There is also the saying, 'Sarvam Vishnu Mayam Jagat', meaning that, 'the entire universe is the Vishnu's form'. We say that, managing this world is the task of Vishnu. All the pleasures and feelings about this world are Deified(daiveekam akkap pattadu), in the Bakthi Marga, that is the Path of Devotion. That Bakthi Marg is more connected to Vishnu, seemingly. There is Harikatha and Harinaama sankeerthanam. We do not hear about Harakatha and Haranaama sankeerthanam. Though the word, 'Bagavathar' should mean, a person devoted to God, the word is more prevalent when referring to the devotees of Vishnu. Similarly 'Baagavatham' is either the story of Vishnu or it is 'Devi Baagavatham'.

6. When we forget this world and dwell, in the basic peacefullness of existance, then we are more connected to Siva. Like we have more prevalent words such as, 'Siva Gnanam and Siva Yogam', we do not have words such as, 'Vishnu Gnanam and Vishnu Yogam'! Since the apparent variety of the world is Vishnu, the saying, 'Sarvam Vishnu Mayam Jagat', has come into being. When the variety is gone, with the resultant experience of 'Oneness', then 'Ekam' and not 'Sarvam', will remain. There, only the experiencer remains. World is struck off. Sivam only remains. That is why, it is 'Sivamayam'.

7. In the VIBGYOR, the seven colours of the spectrum, white and black, are not to be found. In truth, the White Siva and the Black Vishnu, are not included in the universal colours; or in other words, they are not 'this worldly', but the stuff of which this world is made of.

8. Whatever is burnt, first it becomes black. The burnt object, will lose its colour. Even the newspaper, if burnt, will be black and the printed letters in it will be more black. Even cloth, when burnt, may still retain its shape. This is the stage before it loses the shape. This is 'Vishnu mayam jagat'. In this stage, all feelings and pleasures have come to NIL. Further subjection to the heat of Gnana, will render it to the whiteness of 'Ash', that is 'Sivamayam'.

Sambhomahadeva.