DEIVATHIN KURAL # 34 (of Vol 3) Dated 27 Dec 2008

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 34 (of Vol 3) Dated 27 Dec 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 middle of page number 145, of Vol 3, of the Tamil original. The readers are reminded that herein the word 'man' includes 'woman' too. )
(Note:- These e-mails are all available at http://advaitham.blogspot.com constantly up-dated.
183. Amongst 'poorta dharmam' activities, I dwelt on 'teerrta dharmam'; that is to dig a well or pond in a place where there is water shortage, that has been spoken of very highly in our saastra-s. Rajasthan is a desert area. There you will come across a well as far apart as eight or nine miles. That would have been got dug by some King or tribal chief. In such places water may be found only after very deep digging, requiring much labour and expenditure. There on a stone slab, details of who and when the project was commissioned would be found etched for posterity. These etchings on stone are known as, 'Vaapi Prasasti'. 'Vaapi' means well; 'prasasti' means praise. Now the Rajastani-s have spread all over the country as retail shop keepers, known as Marvari-s. Wherever they are, these Marvari-s will be found to be contributing their bit for such welfare activities, as they are acutely aware of the problems concerning scarcity of water.
184. In villages people could collectively dig a pond or remove the sediments in an existing pond and make it deeper. It is important that people should work together uncaring for social and financial status, level and position. Everybody should be using a pick-axe or a crow-bar or a spade. That is what is given in the saastra-s. Saastra-s do not mention about installing stone slabs containing inscriptions and cutting of tapes! However big he may be, he should be working hand in hand with others, to participate in a poorta dharmam. This is exactly like participation in pulling the mammoth chariots of the temples in the yearly 'Rathotsavam'.
185. God's Service and People's Service. If some politicians tell us, 'leave Rathotsavam aside and come forward for social service, that would be not very correct! We need both. Those who tell us to leave all God's work and enter into social service, quote Thiru Moolar's Thiru Mandiram, which goes like this:- "nadamaadak koyil nambarkku onreeyil padamaadak koyil bhagavarku adaame". That means, 'if you give something to the human beings (who are the mobile temples of God), it is as good as offering to the God in the static Temple. In Srimad Bhagavatam too the same idea is expressed.
186. But, this does not mean that the rituals of daily prayers and peridoc festivals in the temples have to be stopped. What is the use of only feeding human beings, without enabling them to progress in the path of God-realization? Thiru Moolar and such saints would not subscribe to such ideas. The true and effective utilization of life is to move ahead in the direction towards Godhead! All the other things like feeding, providing clothing, medical care, education and training in arts and crafts for learning a trade in earning an income etc., are only props for the main purpose of enabling human being towards God realization!
187. Actually in Ayur Veda Saastra, it is clearly stated that, "if you provide medical care for an agnostic, you are only enabling him to continue living in sin and so, do not do so!" So all the service to humanity is to take human beings nearer to God only. If people join hands in combined activities like cleaning up a Temple premises or repairing the existing structures and or walls, that would be an appropriate 'srama daanam'. There are many spiritual service activities like distributing the works of saintly persons such as Avvaiyar, Vallalaar, Thayumaanavar and such; books about the life of such saints; stotra-s and prayer songs in various languages; conduct of Bhajan-s and Katha - Kaalakshepam and Sat-sanghs; etc., could be done.
188. The Inner Purpose of Such Service. One should not think as to, 'what is the purpose of such activities'! The squirrel of Ramayana is a shining beackon before us. In such a huge bridge across the ocean space between Sri Lanka and India, that small squirrel couldn’t have made much of a contribution! That too without hands it could have only carried a few grains of sand sticking to its body! Whether it helped in the construction of the bridge or not, It helped itself the most. Instead of feeling diffident about doing ones bit, if we just do it, whether we make a dent in the situation or not, we will make a very important dent in our own minds and win God's blessing.
189. Like the squirrel of Ramayana, I think of two persons. In 1944 Feb, we were conducting Kumbabhishekam for Kamakshi Amman. Then one gentleman from Thirunelveli, who was running a small shop, sent me Rupee One by money order, regretting in detail about his inability to send more. Similarly in 1962, when we were conducting 'aagama-silpa-vyasa-bharata-gramakala-vidvat-sadas', one gentleman from Madras had sent Rs.5/-, with the request that, 'I should approve of his this humble contribution along with all the bigger ones that I may be getting'! I may forget many things in my life. But, these two contributions can never be forgotten!
190. As I have said repeatedly before, by our daanam and service, whether others benefit or not, our own level of pride and prejudice should and will lessen. Combined activities will reduce tensions in the community. When we dig the earth for a pond, we are chiseling some of our 'aham bhavam'. More than the water that springs from the well or pond, it is the love and compassion that gushes forth from our heart by such actions that is more important. This wetness, love and compassion in our hearts; will enable us to gradually enable us to understand Easwara Swaroopa. Our hardened hearts and minds it is that have to be mellowed, melted and matured to imbibe devotion to God! Through 'Paropakaaram' we will get real devotion as well as God's blessings!
191. Running of Orphanages, feeding of poor people, prevention of cruelty to animals, taking care of old and forsaken cattle and animals, are various ways in which we could physically contribute; instead of only talking about such activities; we could partake of God's blessing! God's blessings are forever flowing everywhere! But, it is not visible to us, because of our hard heartedness! Next e-mail we will start from this point of, "God's grace being available everywhere all of the time!"
Sambhomahadeva.