DEIVATHIN KURAL # 158 (of Vol 2) Dated 04 Oct 2008

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 158 (of Vol 2) Dated 04 Oct 2008

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by Periyavaal of Kanchi Kamakoti peetam, over a period of some sixty years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of last century. These have been published in Tamil by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each, as Deivathin Kural. To day we are proceeding from the last paragraph in page number 1,029, of volume 2, of the Tamil original. This e-mail is a continuation of Deivathin Kural # 157 (of Vol 2) dated 04 Oct 2008.)
(Note:- All these Deivathin Kural e-mails are available in ‘http://advaitham.blogspot.com’, which is being updated every time this e-mail is sent. )
118. Since independence, instead of eradicating casteism, there are more number of sub and sub-sub-castes coming into being, creating further divisions within the society, with added number of competitiveness and confrontations. The patient was told not to think of the monkey while taking the medicine. Every time the patient was about to have the medicine, he invariably thought of the monkey, that he had a brand new phobia! Similarly, the very slogan against casteism has been reinforcing the inferiority and superiority complexes.
119. So if all the castes join hands in combined activities such as, repairing and cleaning a temple premises or dredging a lake or pond that has been silted, the evil of casteism will get that much ignored. ‘A lazy mind is a devil’s workshop’, it is said. We should spend all our spare time, resources and energy; in such social service, that there will be no chance for mischief mongering! More time available for entertainment and ‘time-pass’ leads to gossips, scams and conflicts! Some people are in their elements only if there is some excuse if not logic for some agitation. They feel happy only when there is a crowd around them shouting some slogans. Rabble rousing and kicking up a raucous or at least a storm in a tea-cup, is their way of life. They will then look forward to opportunities for exploiting the situation for some personal benefit.
120. Shouting hoarse till their throats are dry, saying ‘down down’ for some thing or other, some people feel happy only when they have tired themselves to exhaustion. The sadistic trend in them can only be satisfied when they have hurt others and themselves in the bargain! If all this man-power can be redirected in the positive direction, much real progress can be made. This can only be done by mutual LOVE and not ever by mutual HATE! To visit temples, getting involved in productive social works, give ones mind to ‘Pravachanam’ by listening to numerous stories of Love and Compassion as in the Puranas, these nefarious agitations and motivated conflicts will vanish.
121. There is no higher and lower castes. Great saints have taken birth in each and every Jaati. Appar, Nammazhvar, Sekkizhar, Nandanar and Kannappar, the list of Non-Brahmin saints is endless! They are deified by being installed in temples as Statues, for being revered by generations yet to be born! Peria Puranam in Tamil, Bhakta Vijayam in Marathi and many other such literatures in other languages are all singing encomiums of praise, for such Saint Devotees. Saastraa-s say very clearly that all are equal. It is a sin to think of oneself as superior to anybody else. The great Mahatma-s have repeatedly shown the same path of humbleness and ’Adakkam’. Self deprecation is OK but not pride and ego! With self effacing humility, Manikka Vaachagar and Thayumaanavar have referred to themselves as “naayinum kadayen”, and “naayadiyen”, and such meaning, ‘the dog that I am’.
122. The problem of the present day world is that, this sense of humility and humbleness has completely gone out of favour! If that, ‘adakkam’ is revived, there will be the difference of Jaati at the functional level, but not in the mind and heart. Once we become equal in our life style and economic status, there can never be any grounds for hate or jealousy.
123. Whether we have the courage of convictions and readiness to sacrifice and create such a state of affairs, at the least if we try to understand such an Ideal state could exist, there may be some hope for us! For this we essentially need the Grace of the Mother Para Sakti! May God’s blessings be showered on us for it! ‘Tadaastu’. ‘Amen’.
Sambhomahadeva.