Deivathin Kural Series - 185

Om Namah Sivaya.

Deivathin Kural # 185 of 27 Apr 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, 'Sivathin Sakthi; Narayana Sahodari', that is, 'Siva's Consort; Narayana's Sister', in pages 869 to 884, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 1. (These 16 pages will be translted and sent as two e-mails #185 and #186.)

2. Parabrhmam's power is Ambal. They are not two seperate entities. Can you think of a flower without its fragrance? Milk and its whiteness are not apart. Honey and its sweetness are coherent. Similarly, Easwara and Ambal, cannot be thought of individually seperately. They are the original couple. For all creation, they are the parents. In that parenthood, we cannot think of Father and Mother, apart from each other. There are two Tamil words, describing this oneness; 'Ammaiappan' that is, 'Thayumanavar'. 'Ardha Nareeswara' is the one form of their's. We need them seperately, for our understanding and interactions. Then with maturity, we have to know that they are not apart! That is the 'Ardha Nareeswara' swaroopa.

3. 'Sambhu the truth is formless and its form is You', says Acharyal, addressing Ambal; 'Sareeram tvam Sambho :'. The formless becoming formly, is Her power. We ourselves wish to see them as Father and Mother, as Siva and Ambal. Then we wish to see them as one, 'Ardha Nareeswara' roopa, with the right side Siva and left side Ambal. This is like the Positive and Negative symbols of + and -, being connected with a line in electricity.

4. When we look at 'Ardha Nareeswara' roopa, we note that, 'Kaman' the cause for birth being burnt by the third eye, is equally Hers; and 'Kalan' or Time being kicked by the left leg, is completely Hers. To overcome the cycle of birth and death, as well as to overcome Time; we need Her blessings. Knowing that they are not divisible, we have to have equal love and devotion for both. We should think of one as the 'Pathi', the basis; and the other as the 'Sakthi' or its power. As against this equanimity of approach, when we have devotion for one and hate for the other; such a situation creates imbalance. Soorpanaka loved Rama, while hating Sita. Ravana loved Sita, while hating Rama. You know what happened to both of them! For a wholesome 'Bakthi', we should think of Siva as, 'madoru bagan', that is, 'one side woman' and Ambal as 'bagam piriyal', that is, 'indivisible half'.

5. Ambal's is the Left part of Ardha Nareeswara. In 'Sankara Narayana', the left part is that of Narayana. This means that, Ambal in one perspective is, Narayana in another. They are the same! What is one in reality, is thought of as this and that, 'in vyavahara'. So in Puranas, Ambal is called as 'Narayana Sahodari'.

6. Both in Ardha Nareeswara and Sankara Narayana, the right side is Parameswara. In Electricity, if we take right side as Positive, the Left becomes Negative. If we take the Positive as the nucleus, the Negative power is circling around it at tremendous speeds. The actionless, awarenessless Parabrahmam, is the nucleus that is inert; all the action and power is happening around it. That is in three dimension. In the two dimensional mode, right is the positive inert Parabrhmam; and left is the dynamic Ambal in Ardha Nareeswara; and dynamic Narayana in Sankara Narayana. The same left, is female Ambal in one and male Narayana, in another.

7. Thirumangai Azhvar a Vishnu baktha, while singing of 'Permal', says, "Pirai thangu sadiyanai valaththe vaiththu", meaning there by that, Perumal is, 'keeping on His right, one who has crescent moon on his matted hair'. That again means tha Perumal is the left half of Easwara.
The actionless Parabrhmam, which is pure Gnana, is Parameswara. This is the right half. The reason for creation of the world of Maya and which is also the one which can relieve us from Maya; is Parameswara's Sakthi or Ambal; which is simultaneously Narayana too.

8. This above truth, when told as per Puranas, Ambal is said to be Easwara's wife and Mahavishnu's sister. Lalitha Sahasranamam, towards the end, gives Her a name, "Siva Sakthi Ikya Rupini", meaning, 'of the form of oneness of Siva and Sakthi'; also calls Her earlier, "Padmanabha Sahodari", meaning, 'Sister of Padmanabha'. Syama Sastri, one of the Karnatic musical Trinity, has called Her, 'Syama Krishna Sahodari', and used this word as a 'mudra', in all his songs.

9. On Krishna Ashtami, She was born as a daughter of Yashoda, 'Vishnu Maya'. On Rama Navami, She was born as 'Gnanambika', during Vasantha Navarathri. That is, both these are one and the same; 'sister of Rama and or Krishna.

10. Andal or Kodai, has sung of a dream, in which she is getting married to Krishna. As per Vaidika Brahmana customs, just before the Tieing of the Knot, the bride is made to wear, 'koorai pudavai'. To assist in wearing of this 'Koorai pudavai' is normally the previlage of the bride-groom's sister. In Andal's dream Ambal does this, as She is the sister of Krishna.
"mandirak kodi uduthi manamalai andari soottak kanakkanden thozhi nan".

11. Thus on the one hand, She is considered as undifferentiated from Easwara, as well as His Wife; and on the other hand, She is considered as undifferentiated from Mahavishnu, as well as His Sister! Once this point is understood, we will stop assessing and comparing the relative merits of Siva and Vishnu. The Saiva - Vaishnava differences will come to an end. No one is higher or lower. The basis is one. There can be no room for arguements, differences and conflict. She as Easwara's wife and Vishnu's sister, has to grant us this, 'sama rasa bhavana'.

12. In the temples, Ambal is depicted in many forms. One of them is the 'Koshta Devata', Durga, in Sivalayas. In Siva temples, around Siva's 'Garba Gruha', or Sanctum Sanctorum, we will see, Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu as Lingodbhava, Brhma and Durga. Amongst them, Dakshinamurthy has no wife. He is purely single. Similarly, for Durga, there is no Husband. She is purely single.

13. Dakshinamurthy will be seen holding Japa Mala and Suvadi,(a bundle of scriptures etched on palmleafs). Saraswathi similarly will be holding Japa Mala and Suvadi. They are siblings, Siva and Saraswathi, both Gnana Murthys. Brhma is seated on the red lotus. He is of the colour of melted gold. His sister, Lakshmi is seated on the red lotus and similar complexioned. The more He creates the worlds and life forms, the more She creates the wealth and sustenanace.

14. Now, how is the lone Durga? She is of the blue-black of the pregnanat clouds of the colour of Vishnu. She is also carrying the Sangu-Chakra or conch and wheel. She has fought and defeated many Asuras in battle. Like Vishnu. she has taken many Avataras. The management of the entire creation of Maya, is that of Vishnu. So He is called the 'Maayon' or 'Mayavi', the magician. Ambal on the other hand is known as Maha Maya Herself. The fact of their brother, sister relationship is more known, as compared to Siva-Saraswathi or Brhma-Lakshmi being siblings. Durga has a name 'Vishnu Durga'.

15. The work of Maya, is traditionally considered as female power. This is rather noticeable with Mahavishnu. That is how when distributing Amirta the Nectar for Eternal Life, He took Avatara as Mohini. As though to further emphasise the point that Vishnu is Ambal's another Roopa, Parameswara took Mohini as His wife and sired the Ayyappa. Amongst Vishnu Kshetras, world famous is Thiruppathi. Here if you look at Venkataramana Swami too, the Ambal connection is rather close. Here Perumal is decorated with a Saree and not a Dhothi. On Fridays He is given an Abhishekam. Instead of Garuda Vahana as in other Perumal temples, here you will find Simha Vahana! Lion is Ambal's vahana.

(To be continued after 08 May 2007.)

Sambhomahadeva.