Deivathin Kural Series - 149

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 149 of 09 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, 'Aranai Maravel; Thirumalukku Adimai Sei' that is, 'Forget Not Siva; Be a Slave of Vishnu', in pages 684 to 686, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.(This is the fourth successive e-mail, on the subject of Siva-Vishnu oneness.)

3. Burnt wood becomes coal. That coal further subjected to pressure and heat, becomes successively quartz, crystal and diamond. While still in the world, when our sight is sanctified enough, the Maya of the world does not affect us, everything including the world, seems as a form of Vishnu; and we experience, 'sarvam Vishnu mayam jagat'. At that stage, our ignorance is burnt off and 'Thirumal is Karumal'. Parameswara is in the state of, 'suddha spatika sankaasam'. Coal and diamond are not different. Mahavishnu and Parameswara, are the same. Neither are affected by the Maya and the pulls and pressures of worldly life. Neither Mahavishnu's blackness, nor Siva's whiteness, is part of Vibgyor. The reality, due to Maya, is seen as different colours. When the truth is corrupted, it is called a, 'coloured version'. How true the expression! Colour is untrue. As long as we keep our minds adhered, to the blackness of Vishnu and Whiteness of Siva, we are closer to the Truth!

4. The followers of Siva, wear the white ashes, indicative of the final eternal remainder, 'neeru, that is, thiruneeru'. 'Vishnu mayam jagat', is indicated by mud, sand, and dust. All trees, plants, creepers, animals and human being, go back to the Earth. So the Earth is also indicative of the final stage. That is why the followers of Vishnu, wear the 'mann, that is thirumann'. Thiruneeru and Thirumann, both symbolically indicate, the same final principle. As there is no difference between Hari and Hara, there is no difference between Saiva and Vaishnava, Thiruneeru and Thirumann. The Namam is worn vertically upwards from down, to show the aspiration upwards. When everything has become equal in Sivayoga, the Vibuthi is worn, flat horizontally. Both are worn on the forehead.

5. It is wrong to impute differences, between Siva and Vishnu. The Vaishnava Aazhvars and Saiva Nayanmaars, have seen their gods as one and the same, at the zenith of their devotion. If an Aazhvaar has sung, 'pirai thangu sadayaanai valaththe vaiththu', (meaning, keeping the one with the matted hair and crescent moon, that is Siva, on the right side), as though echoing the same sense, a Naayanmaar has sung, 'kudam aadiyai idaththe kondu',(meaning, keeping the one who danced with Gopikaas carrying the water pots, that is Krishna or Vishnu, on the left).

6. In Tamil Nadu, from very old times, this mutual accommodation and acceptance, has been there. That is why, Siva's star of Aadirai or Aarudra, and Vishnu's Onam, have both the prefix, 'Thiru' (and are the only stars with that prefix), and are called, Thiruvaadirai and Thiruvonam, respectively. To have this sense of equality from childhood, Avvaiyar has said in 'Aathichchoodi', 'Aranai maravel' (meaning, do not forget, Siva), and 'Thirumaalukku adimai sei', (meaning, become a slave of Vishnu).

7. To be devoted to one God, may seem useful to attain mental concentration. There is justice there. But that does not give you liberty, to decry, other's Gods. We should not even think of them as anything less. You can be devoted to your own God and pray to Him or Her. Through that process, we are being devoted, to the formless, traitless, One only. We should become aware that, our God is also the same as other's God, though seemingly different! Once, this idea comes, we will not look down on other's beliefs. Then there can be no fights on grounds of religious beliefs. Religions have evolved for mutual love and acceptance; not for hatreds and fights.

Sambhomahadeva.