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.