Deivathin Kural # 14 (of Vol 2 ) of 21 June 2007.

Om Namah Sivaya.Deivathin Kural # 14 (of Vol 2 ) of 21 June 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, 'Vedathin Mudivum Sankararin Mudivum Onre' that is, 'Veda's and Sankara's Conclusions are One', in pages 102 to 118, of Deivathin Kural, Volume 2. (Unless otherwise specified, 'He' herein includes 'She'.)2. 'Vedantam' means the end of Vedas. That can be interpreted as, either the last chapter, or the final conclusions. Actually the Upanishads are generally called the 'Vedantam', as well as, 'Veda Sir', or the commanding heights of Vedas. They are the end as well as the final, well considered, decisive opinions of whatever is said in the Vedas. If you take each Veda, first there is ths Samhitai, then the Brahmanam and then the Aranyakam, with the Upanishad coming at the end of Aranyakam. That is how they are organised. 3. When you look at the inner meaning, of these Samhitai, Brahmanam and Aranyakam too, having discussed the Karma ( ceremonial actions of Pooja / Yaga / Yagnam and other rituals), Upasana ( methods of invocation and meditation), and Vicharanai (logic and analysis); when it comes to finally take you to the concepts and principles, it is the Upanishads, that have the last say ! Such Upanishads there are more than a hundred. Out of them, Adi Sankara Baghwat Padaal, selected ten and wrote Bhashyam, i.e., detailed explanations and notes. Those are, Easavasya, Kena, Kata, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandookya, Thaithreeya, Aithareya, Chandokhya and Brhadaranyaka Upanishads.4. In these Bhashyams, Acharyal has firmly established that, the Principle of Adwaitam is the basic foundation on which all the other principles, methodologies and procedures rest. Sri Ramanujacharyar, who came later, has also written Bhashyam to the same ten Upanishads, and from his point of view, has proved that it is 'Visishtadwaitam' and not 'Adwaitam', on which this grand edifice of the Vedas are based on ! Then came Sri Madvacharyar, who has claimed that it is 'Dwaitam' that the Vedas are all about and not anything else. There are other sects of Hindu religion, who claim similarly, that Vedas and Upanishads, especially, are conclusive proof of the relevance of their beliefs and principles.5. In support of their own 'Siddhanta' or principled stands and the contension that the Upanishads are not supportive of 'Adwaitam', they mainly point out that, there is no direct evidence in the 'Dasopanishads' (i.e., in the ten Upanishads), for the Acharyal's theory of 'Maya' ! They claim that the Acharyal's stand that the 'Jagat is Maya as per Adwaitam', is not evidenced by the Upanishads. This is wrong !6. At the start and end of each Upanishad, while chanting, we are required to chant a 'Shanthi Mantra'. Even when you do parayanam of all the Upanishads, starting from Ishavasyopanishad and finish with Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, we are still required to start and end with the same 'Shanthi Mantra'. The meaning of that Mantra is "This complete world has come from that complete Brhmam. Thus even after the evolving of this world, that Brhmam remains complete". For the word, 'complete', the Sanskrit word is, 'poornam'.7. Brhmam is referred as, 'atha : ' meaning, 'that' and the world is referred as, 'idam' meaning 'this'. 'Atha :' is like the Tamil word, 'adhu', pointing out something at a distance; and 'idam' is like the Tamil word, 'idhu', pointing out something that is close by. In the state that we are in, Brhmam seems far off and so, 'atha :' refers to that Brhmam, while world seems all around us, very close and so, 'idam' refers to this World.8. We use the first finger after the thumb, to point out someone or something that is located at some distance. That is why it is known as, 'aal kaatti viral', or the pointing finger. Perumal or Baghavan also seems far away only. So, it can be called, 'perumaal kaatti viral' too ! If the same finger is shown to someone and shaken, it means that you are threatening him, as though saying, 'see what I am going to do to you !' Held against closed lips and flared eyes, it conveys the meaning of, 'better shut up !'. The threat is conveyed in both these gestures. The Sanskrit word for 'threatening' is 'tharjanam'. That is why this finger is called 'tharjanee'. I somehow prefer, 'aal kaatti viral', as the finger pointing out God seemingly at a distance.9. Despite being called the 'tharjanee', that it is indicative of the 'Paramporul' , is in our Sastras too. In Vedas and more so in Mantra-Tantra Agamas, many 'mudraas' are in use. These 'mudraas' are the signs made with the fingers. In them there is one Mudraa in which, you point out the 'tharjanee', hold the thumb towards your self, while folding the middle, ring and small fingers inside the fist. The 'thatthvam' or message in this mudra is, 'that - thvam' or 'that is this your self' ! Here the 'tharjanee' finger instead of being used for threatening, is being used to indicate, that Brhmam; while the thumb is used for indicating yourself ! What you think of, as that Brhmam, is this oneself ! This very message is conveyed by Isavaasyopanishad, "thath doore thatvantike", meaning, what is thought of as being far away, is here itself. In Tamil, Thevaaram says, "appaalukku appaalai, ullilangu jyothiyai", meaning, 'farther than farthest, indwelling light'.10. In the 'Shanthi Mantra' that I mentioned earlier, 'atha:', meaning 'that' is Brhmam and 'idam', meaning 'this' is the world. Here, this 'idam', without indicating the 'Jeevan', indicates the world. (Point to note is that, world includes 'jeevan'.) Herein since Paramatma is unseen and the world seems real to our vision, this is also said to be 'poornam'. But this is not really 'poornam'. The fact of its incompleteness becomes evident beyond doubt, if you see the words that follow. The Mantra declares in the following line that, "after deducting this 'poornam-world' that Brhmam remains 'poornam' still". If the 'jagat', (meaning the world) is really 'poornam', this is not possible. Poornam minus poornam should be equal to zero. But if, poornam - jagat = poornam, then jagat has to be a zero, null, void or non-entity. This is Maya. 'What is not there in the end, but seen as real', is the definition Acharyal has given to 'Maya'. Since it is seemingly real, Acahryal gave it a partial approval as, 'Vyavaharika Sathyam'. From this point of view, Upanishad called the jagat 'poornam'. If you look carefully at the meaning of the Mantra, you will see that, the Mantra, is not talking about this seeming poornam, but about that real poornam, which remains undisturbed, despite the deduction. It is as though, the Mantra re-iterates Acharyal's Maya theory. Thus Upanishad's start and end is supportive of Acharyal's direction that, this seeming unreal completeness of Vyavaharika Sathyam / Maya, has to end in the real completeness of Paramarthika Sathyam / Brhmam.11. These ten Upanishads and others such as Swethasvataram, Kousheedakee, Nrusimhadapini too, have all come in to being with the same purpose and take us to the same destination.12. We are Jeevas or living things. We live in the world, known as Jagat. There is Easwara, who is said to have created this Jeeva and Jagat and running it. What are these three entities, Jeeva --Jagat--Easwara ? In this worldly business, Jeeva is alternating between happiness and sadness. Instead, if he is to find permanent happiness, what has he got to do ? To analyse all this and give practical advices is the general purpose of the Upanishads. What is their end or final message ?13. Brhmam, as the Paramporul or original matter, is the cause of both Jagat and Jeeva. The cause and effects are not two different things. Because, there cannot be anything other than Brhmam. This Jeevatma, who thinks of himself as true, carries out an analysis as to who is this, 'himself or me or myself' simply asks his self as to 'who am I ?', and continues this investigation, to its logical end. In this process, he is likely to get answers, as to what he is not, rather than what he is. His answers are likely to be, "I am not this body, not these five indriyas or senses, not this mind", and so on. They are all his body parts, or intelligent equipments or tools; but not his self ! Finally, he is to arrive at or stumble on the answer that he is, some thing beyond the confines of time and space, forever, everywhere, indestructible, imperishable, inscrutable, indescribable; call it the Self or Atma or Brhmam, or Soul or Paramatma. Everything else is a seeming appearance, including his body and the world. Even to say that Paramatma created this Jeevatma, is incorrect, as being a statement in Maya. The whole world is nothing but a play of Maya. Actually, without this apparent dilineation of Paramatma and Jeevatma, it is one and only Atma. With that realisation comes the clarity that there is no logic of doubt, worry, fear and confusion. One total, unalloyed bliss ! Peace !! Moksham !!!14. Being is one. Seeing may be many. Still, practically, innately, know this as the truth. That is this; is the message of the Upanishads. Like this, if I say, that Adwaitham is the final conclusion of the Vedas and Upanishads; other Dwaita, Visishtadwaita Siddhanthis may object. Their great Acharyas have also written the Bhashyams for the same Upanishads. They also claim that, Upanishads confirm / affirm, their opinions. So now how to accept that Upanishad's main message is only Adwaitam ? To a large extent, this problem is solved, once you see or understand that, Adwaitam embraces the other views as the initial steps in the ladder.(To be continued)Sambhomahadeva.