Deivathin Kural # 25 (of Vol 2 ) of 08 Sep 2007.

Om Namah Sivaya.Deivathin Kural # 25 (of Vol 2 ) of 08 Sep 2007.(Continued from Deivathin Kural # 24 (of Vol 2 ) of 03 Sep 2007.)18. Why Religion? Why should we listen to what the priest has to say? We go to him to lessen our burdens and problems and find solutions for them. If we feel no deficiency, lack or need for fulfilment, we may not go to him at all. More the problems, more visit to temples, meeting elders and listening to advices. To remove the doubts, we go to knowledgeable elders; read books, visit to holy places and take bath in holy waters and so on. By doing such things, our minds get the feeling that we are on the right lines, that we are progressing on the spiritual path and feel somewhat satisfied. Our mind gets some peace. Those who have attained to total equilibrium of mind, are not affected by bodily inconveniences and remain serenly happy, whether others decry or praise them. We try to get this atleast temporarily by meeting the Guru and reading the scriptures. In all societies, such great souls do evolve attaining to perfect harmony and peace within themselves, with the society and the world. The way to such state of peace that they have lived and shown, is called, 'Religion' in English and 'Madam' in Tamil. Another synonym for Madam in Sanskrit is Dharmam. It is interesting to note that Dharmam also stands for 'rightness or correctness or the norms of morality'. Dharmam is the way or means of individual and collective ennoblement.19. Dharmam initially, is strictly observed for the sake of worldly wellbeing. When you go beyond desiring one's own wellbeing, but control one's own behaviour scrupulously as per the dictates of Dharma, that takes you to Moksha. That is Religion. Once you step across narrow, parochial selfishness, you are on the way to 'Self Realization' . That is Religion. Actually in the Hindu Religion, 'Dharmam' as a word, meaning and ideal to be achieved, is more important, than the word Madam. For life to be wholesomely fulfilled, Dharmam is to be lived by. There are books in the Hindu Religion, which tell us as to what is Dharmam, on various situations in life. These books have the generic name of 'Dharma Pramanas'.20. 'Pramanam', means to say with authority that, 'this is truth, in the rightness of things'. Thus, in what is known as 'the Hindu Religion', it has had from time immemorial and continues to have till date, 14 basic scriptures as, 'Dharma Pramanas'. (Please note that, Hindu Religion is a word coined in recent times. 'Sanaatana Dharma' is the more appropriate word!) The books of Dharma Pramaanas, clearly spell out, 1) what this religion stands for; 2) what are its principles and confirmed view-points; 3) what are the actions / rituals / anushtanas to be observed; and finally 4) duties and rights in various life~like situations of all and sundry.21. "angaani vedaach chatvaro meemamsa nyaaya vistara: Ipuraanam dharma saastram cha vidya hyetaach chaturdasa II", says Manu Smruthi. 22. "puraana-nyaaya- meemamsaa- dharma saastra-anga misrita: I veda : sthaanaanee vidyaanam dharmasya cha chaturdasa II", says Yagnyavalkya Smruthi.23. Both the slokas end with 'chaturdasa' , which means fourteen. We have 14 basic scriptures. All the knowledge is contained in these 14 Books of Reference. 'Wit' is the root word for 'know' from which evolves the word Vidya. The true knowledge is made known by these 'Vidyas'. Since there are 14 such books, in these two slokas, it is stated, 'vidya hyetaach chaturdasa' and 'vidyaanam dharmasya cha chaturdasa'. they are all books of information as well as morality. Our culture has evolved all the time keeping the requirements of morality as a binding force in all our thought processes and actions. That is how these books are 'vidya sthanam' and 'dharma sthanam'. 'Sthanani vidyanam dharmasya cha chaturdasa', would indicate that, these books will not contain all sorts of materials such as, gossip, innuendo, allegations and snide remarks! from the root word, 'wit' comes the word, 'Veda' as well as the English words, 'wit and wisdom' as well as the Tamil word 'viththu', which means seed.24. These fourteen are 'vidya stahana' or encyclopedia as well as 'centers of morality'. Thus in our understanding, knowledge that is 'vidya' and morality that is 'dharma' are synonyms and synchronous.The 14 Books of Authority.25. These fourteen books are:- Four Veds, Six 'Angas' or parts of Vedas; Meemamsa, Nyaya, Puranas and Dharma Sastras. You may have at the least, heard of Vedas and the six Angas. Thevaaram talks of Siva as having become Veda and the Six Angas:- "vedamodu aarangam aayinaanai". Other than these, there are four; namely Meemamsa, Nyaayam, Puraanam and Dharma Saastram. 'Chatur dasam' means fourteen. Chatur-four, dasam-ten; so these fourteen are authorities in dharma, also referred as "chaturdasa vidya". In 'Naishadam', which describes to life history of King Nala, there is a mention that he learnt all these fourteen vidyas. The poet puns with the words, when he says that, "Nala gave 'chatur dasas' to 'chaturdasa vidyas'!" Those 'chatur dasas' are; reading, understanding what one reads, living by the directions of what one reads and making his citizen obey those rules. So these fourteen are not only depository of knowledge but also rules and regulations for sensible and orderly living. 26. There are four more 'vidyas'. If you add them also, the total is eighteen or 'ashtaadasam' . There is nothing not included in these 'ashtadasa vidyas'. Whatever is said in the first fourteen, are closely related to Dharma as the under current. The last four namely, 'Ayur Vedam, Artha Sastram, Dhanur Vedam and Gandarva Vedam', are not directly, but indirectly concerned with the Dharma aspect. So they are 'Vidya Sthanas'. The earlier fourteen are both 'Dharma/Vidya Sthanas'.They are all meant as guide rules for ways of life, for all members of the society, with the main purpose of understanding the why and how of existance.27. Dharma Sthaanam and Vidya Sthaanam, have the generic common name of 'Saastras'. Saastra, stands for decrees or orders. Like the G.O.stands for Governmental Orders or Saasanam. In Maha Bharatha, Bhishma from his bed made of arrows, while he was waiting for the 'Uttaraayana' or Northern Solstice, gives a resume of all edicts on Dharma to, Dharmaraja. The chapter itself is known as 'Anushasana Parva' or the Chapter on Rules and Regulations! 'Iyanaar' the deity in Sabari Mala is also knon as 'Dharma Saastha', because He is in control of all the 'Bootha Ganas' of Parameswara. So Saastras are Books which contain the orders, to keep all the human beings, on the correct path with discipline.28. Though all of the first 14 are the basic books on Dharma, Vedas are the 'Authority'. Like other religionists have the, Bible, Quran, Tripitaka, Zend Avestha and Guru Granth Sahib, we have the Vedas. The Ten Vidyas have evolved around the Four Vedas. They are all the Saastras of our religion.Exalted State of the Past and Present Doldrums.29. From time immemorial, till the Britishers came to rule India, all these Fourteen Vidyas had been taught to children in this country. In this let me tell you an interesting observation . Fahiyan and Hyuan Tsang are two Chinese tourists, who visited India and have authoured travelogues, as you would have heard from the History books. They visited Nalanda and Daksha Sila, which were Centers of Studies and Education of those days or Universities of Yore! We get to know about these Universities form excavations too by archeologists. These places were thriving when Buddhism was in ascendancy. When we look in to the syllabus of those Universities, we find that, the books on Chatur Dasa Vidyas were the basic books! Then only the Buddhist books were prescribed. This was done due to the fact that, the 'Chatur Dasa Vidyas' were useful for both Knowledge and Morality; to students, whatever the Religion they may belong to! Naturally Buddhists considered these as essential to be included in the basic syllabus.30. Here in South India too, the Tamil Kings established what is known as, 'Katika Sthanam or Vidya Sthanam, where Chatur Dasa Vidya were taught. Between Kadalur and Pandicherry, there was a 'Pagur', which was a center of learning, mentioned in 'five copper plates', of the period around the year 868 B.C. The copper plates mention that the syllabus was based on Chatur Dasa Vidya. Similarly, between Vizhupuram and Dindivanam, there was a place called 'Ennayiram', where there was a Kalasala where 340 students were studying Chatur Dasa Vidya. This is revealed by a Sasanam by Raja Raja Chola, dated the 11th century B.C.31. Now a days, there are many writers, who are taking up detailed research in to our past, especially history of South India and writing many articles, stories and fiction, about Chola, Pandiya, Chera and Pallava Kingdoms. But as far as I can observe, none of them are talking about the fact that, those Kings were highly conscious of the need to encourage the teaching of Chatur Dasa Vidyas; look after the Brahmin communities in conduct of Yagas and such activities; and caring for the various functions in Temples and renovation of Temples which needed major repairs, followed by Kumbhabhishekam!32. They talk much about 'Scientific Outlook' and not being parochial! But when it comes to practice, only vested interest is being catered for. Buddhists, who were against this religion, still considered it necessay to have the books on Veda Dharmas as part of their syllabus. But these modern day scholors do not want to acknowledge that, Chera, Chola Pandya and Pallava Kings were highly supportive of Veda Dharma and its practice! It is alright if they do not do so now! But not to acknowledge historical facts is a blasphemy of monumental proportions! So, the condition obtaining now is that, the modern day educated youth are not able to answer the question as to, 'what is or are your basic religious scriptures'? Not only that, the moment they hear the word, 'vidya', they think of, 'voodooism, magic and misuse of powers by mantra'.33. Vidya and Kalai are one. The words stand for arts and sciences and all sorts of knowledge. What successively grows towards fullness, as the done by the New Moon going on to become the Full Moon. Now the word 'kalai' represents only the entertainment business. We should not remain in the condition obtaining. To make our people realise some of the greatness of the past, I was talking to you about these 14 / 18 Vidyas. I have not fully covered all the issues. At the least we should know the names of the Vidyas. May be that, some of you may be motivated to know more.34. Amongst these, when I talk about Meemamsai, Vyakaranam, Sikshai, Nyayam and so on, you may be getting bored. "What is the use of all this?", may be your question. These things being of information value, may seem to have no other relevance neither to modern living, nor to 'atmartham' i.e., individual ennobling. Are we doing everything for 'Atmartham'? We read the news papers, as though our whole life is dependent on being informed of whatever happens, wherever. What does it contain? Some politics, some business, some accidents, some sports and a lot of gossip about the so called 'people in the news!'. One or two pages of sports. In some country, somebody won or defeated somebody in some sports! What is its value really? One day I was coming along the road. There was a big crowd gathered in front of a shop. The radio was giving commentary about a cricket match being played in some country, thousands of miles away. Like this, are you not spending hours of your time and money just because you like to do so?35. All I am saying is to request you to try to get to know about your Vidyas. Amongst them, even what is seemingly not 'Atmartham', will in the end take you there. For the correct attitude towards life, these are necessary. They will help in refining your mind and intellect. Our mind and intellect are God given largeese. If you sharpen them by reading and research in these Vidyas, the 'paramartha satyam' will suddenly reveal itself in all its brilliance!36. Like your mind and intellect, 'the power of speech known as 'Vak / Shabdam', is a God given endowment, available only to human beings. For using that power correctly, the Vyakaranam, Niruktam and Sikshai have been evolved. My wish is that all of you should have atleast the awareness and some knowledge about these things.Sambhomahadeva.