Deivathin Kural Series - 155

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 155 of 18 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, 'Siruvar Iruvarin Sirappu Vakku' that is, 'Great Sayings of Two Youngsters ', in pages 705 to 708, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1.(This is the 10th successive e-mail, on the subject of Siva-Vishnu.)

3. Parameswara and Mahavishnu are known by more than a thousand names each. Still during a discourse, so as to draw everyone's attention, or at the end of a ceremony, the speaker will say loudly, "Namah Parvathy Pathaye", and all others will respond with, "Hara Hara Mahadeva". Alternately, for a "Sarvatra Govinda Nama Sankeerthanam or Gopika Jeevana Smaranam", the response would be, "Govinda Govinda". I started thinking as to why, despite having many names such as, Siva, Rudra and Nataraja, people should respond with, 'Hara Hara'? Similarly, despite having many names for Maha Vishnu, why should people respond with, 'Govinda Govinda'? What is the special significance of Hara and Govinda? Why should the crowd respond with these two names and not other names?

4. Children's voice has a special power. The innocent expressions of children, who have no guile, are equal to the utterings of great sages and saints! If all children's voice has special power, the voice of divine children have even more validity and appeal! This 'Hara' and 'Govinda' are two such names, which have the stamp of approval, from two great kids. After some search, I stumbled on the fact that, amongst many names of Easwara, 'Hara' and amongst many names of Vishnu, 'Govinda', have been ordained to be apropriate for mass response and collective chanting. Who are those two children of divine power?

5. One is Thiru Gnana Sambandar. Because he was 'breast fed', by Parvathi Herself, He is venerated as Subrahmanya. In Madurai, he had to compete with the Samanas. 'Punal Vaadam and Kanal Vaadam', were to be the basis of assessing the validity of each other's 'Siddhantam' or principled stand! As per 'Punal Vaadam', both the contestants should write their argument on palm-leaf and place it in the Vaigai River. (Those days evidently, the Vaigai was a flowing river.) Which ever palm-leaf was washed away, that would be considered as lost. As per 'Kanal Vaadam', the palm-leaf from both the opposing sides, were to be put in fire. Samana palm-leaf was washed away by the floods of Vaigai and burnt to ashes in fire. Sambandar's palm-leaf swam against the current and remained untouched by the fire! What did Thiru Gnana Sambandar, write in his palm-leaf? What was the logic, that could make the palm-leaf withstand the floods of Vaigai river in 'Punal Vaadam' and was untouched by the fire, in 'Kanal Vaadam'? What is the 'Siddhantam', that could defeat the Samana's principled stand?

6. This is what He wrote:- (The Tamil original is given in bold letters and the meaning is given in parenthesis.)
'vaazhga andanar vaanavar aaninam
(long live brahmins, celestials and cows)
veezhga thanpunal / vendanum onguga
(let there be rains, / let the king's reign thrive)
aazhga theeyadelam / aran namame
(let evil go down, / name of 'Hara')
soozhga / vaiyagamum thuyar theergave'
(surround / the world be rid of sorrows.)

7. Carefully study the meaning. He says in the last line, let the world be rid of all sorrows. When you say in Tamil, 'vaiyagamum thuyar theergave' you are expressing the noblest of sentiments and best wishes towards the whole Universe, expressed five thousand years back, by the great rishis and saints of India, who said, 'Lokah samasthah sukhino bhavanthu; sarve janah sukhino bhavanthu'. How is this to be achieved? He first says, 'long live brahmins, celestials and cows'. 'Vaanavar' are celestials. They need to be nourished by 'Yaga', which is done by brahmins, with the help of provisions from the cows, such as, milk, ghee and dried cow-dung cakes; all used in Yagnas. So that the celestials may be looked after and nourished; who in turn will shower their blessings through the rains and so 'veezhga thanpunal'. When the land is so productive, rule of law will thrive and so, 'vendanum onguga'. When the Kings reign is thriving, 'anti social elements will perish', and so, 'aazhga theeyadelam'. Now comes, 'aran naamame soozhga'. Let the atmosphere be surrounded by the sounds of 'Hara Hara' says that child of divine prescience, Thiru Gnana Sambandar!

8. It is this direction given by Sambandar, that till date, when somebody says, 'Namah Parvathi Pathaye!', that sounds of 'Hara Hara Mahadeva' envelops all the directions of the compass and the atmosphere! We all join to say at the top of our voices, 'arohara', 'annamalaikku arohara', 'dandayudha panikku arohara' and 'araharohara'.

9. Who is that divine child which, directed us to chant the name of 'Govinda'? He is our Bhagavath Paada, Sri Sankaracharya. At the age of eight, he took 'Sanyasa', from the Govinda Bhagawath Paada. So the name of His Guru, 'Govinda' had special attraction for Him. Then 'Govinda' is the Jagatguru Krishna, the Geethacharya. When he was in Kaasi, that is Varanasi, one day he came across an old pandit, who was still mugging by-heart some grammer, instead of thinking of God! The young Sankara's heart was melting at the plight of the old man. He thought, "what is the use of such knowledge of grammer? Should he not be happily chanting the name of Govinda?" Keeping that pandit in the foreground, Sankara addressess the whole of mankind and says, "Baja Govindam, Baja Govindam. Govindam Baja mooda mathe. Samprapthe sannihithe kale, nahi nahi rakshati dukringkarane!"(Chant the name of Govinda! After all is said and done, as the end approaches, committing grammer to memory will not save you!)
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10. It is the order of these two divine children, Thirugnana Sambandar and Sri Sankaracharya; that till date, we respond to 'Namah Parvathi Pathaye' with, 'Hara Hara Mahadeva'; and respond to 'Gopika jeevana smaranam', with 'Govinda, Govinda!'

Sambhomahadeva.