DEIVATHIN KURAL # 66 (Vol # 3) Dated 13 Mar 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 66 (Vol # 3) Dated 13 Mar 2009
(These e-mails are translations of talks given by Periyaval of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. To day we are proceeding from the second para on page 289 of Vol 3 of the Tamil original. The readers are reminded that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too, mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://advaitham. blogspot. com constantly updated.)
51. When I used to give lectures, I have often quoted the proverb which means, 'If you take care of other's children, your own child will grow on its own'! It is true that there is such a proverb and it talks of a very high level of service attitude. Though literally it does not mean to deprive your own child of any benefits, their serious involvement in social service may have resulted in their own family being ignored. There have been cases of Nayanmar in their extreme devotion, totally becoming unaware of the normal state of affairs. When they do go to that extreme state, their own affairs are automatically taken care of by God's grace!
52. I have heard of an incident about this in a lighter vein! A wealthy woman much interested in social service, incurring much expenditure goes to a slum in a car and feeds a baby with milk powder from Scandinavia while her own baby at home is breast fed by her Ayah Amma, who is actually the mother of that child in the slum! That is, we should not dupe ourselves that we are doing much by assuming some greatness for ourselves about this idea of social service!
53. For all this, one basic awareness is necessary. We should never be under the impression that this world is running better because of our service! One who planted the tree irrigates it too. The creator of this world knows how to take care also! We are only a tool in his hands. Paropakaaram is only a method by which we can get rid of our accumulated load of demerits. Instead we are not to assume that we are so essential that in our absense all social service will come to a stand still! Our duties towards ourselves and our families too enable us to cleanse our own minds. Domestic duties are priority one. Only after completion of domestic duties, can we think of social service duties! By God's grace some of us have lesser responsibilities at home. For them social service is the only method for 'Chitta Shuddhi'. Some of us may be too overloaded with domestic duties. Normally on the average, all of us will have some time and resources for social service.
54. Anyhow, leaving one's own work in others hands, neglecting our duties towards the family, if we go for so called social service, instead of 'Chitta Shuddhi', it would have only added avoidable dross! Instead of giving good result, Paropakaaram in that boy's case has had deleterious effect! For having ignored his duties as given in the Saastraa-s, he has been punished thus.
55. Service is a mental attitude. I have quoted a few proverbs. One more occurs to me now. That is, “than kaiye thanakku udavi”, meaning 'our own hand is our help'. That hand should be extended for others help also! But if it is not of help to oneself, and we prove to be a burden for other members of the family; then to make a big show of involvement in social service, is nothing but, 'poodle faking'!
56. If you are working for the world, we are likely to be praised. Doing ones duty at home we are not likely to get much of praise, yes. Having failed to do our duty at home and having dumped our own work on others, then to be getting annoyed with other members of the family, it is nothing but deplorable bad behaviour! Such a person does not have the right attitude towards service!
57. The ideal service mentality is defined by love and humility! There is a Tamil word for people in social service, 'thondar'. Tamil literature is full of encomiums of praise for them. Others can be so. But the person in service, should not think too high of himself! He should not have even an iota of self-importance! He should be an epitom of humbleness. If he had love at heart, he would not have been irritable with his own parents!
58. We should be carrying others load and not push our load of work on others. That is an insult to the very idea of service! Our hands should be extended to others help and not expect others to do our work load. Any one who thinks of doing social service, should take a vow that, having taken care of my duties towards myself and my family, then only will I get involved in service to others! That includes your duty towards parents, wife, children, brothers and sisters.
59. Our daily prayer should include the following:- “Oh, God! Enable me to do my duties towards the members of my family. While doing so, also enable me to be of use to Your Universal Family of Vasudeiva Kutumbakam”.
Sambhomahadeva