DEIVATHIN KURAL # 70 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 Mar 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 70 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 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 page 304 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.)
21. Our own life and the lives of our wife and children are the wards entrusted to us as our responsibilities by Easwara. To take care of them and do the correct Samskaara for them at the right time, is our entrusted duty. What ever we do for their welfare is also in some way a Paropakaaram only, till we have come to realize our oneness. To draw a line that all our duties are towards the individual self and family only, saying “There ends my Paropakaaram' would be wrong!” When we can, where we can, without drawing any line of demarkation, we should do our bit for the welfare of all others. When you direct all your efforts only for the welfare of your self and your family, you will never find any time or resources for Paropakaaram. At the same time it is also true that, if you take care of your self and your family reasonably well, you will always find time and resources for Paropakaaram!
22. We must take care of ourselves and our relatives. While doing so, we should also endevour to detach ourselves and enable our relatives to detach themselves, from the worldly involvement. As we are in a physical body which is a home or house for the Jeevatma, we are concerned about the physical body and the relatives. Similarly, this body is a resident in this world. So we have our duties towards the world and other inhabitants of the world. This responsibility is never to be forgotten! Other than this seen world, there are other unseen worlds too. We have our obligation towards the inhabitants of those unseen worlds too. After death we are transients in Chandra Loka, Pithru Loka, Naraka Loka, Swarga Loka and so on and then after a period are back in this world again. Divasam and Tarpanam and such activities meant for the known and unknown residents of these varying Loka-s. Seen in that light, these should also be considered only as Paropakaaram! 23. You will be surprised if I say that, “The 'many Gods concept' by which this Hinduism is flogged, ridiculed and looked down upon, is also an aspect of Paropakaaram only!” Like the Jeeva of human beings and other life forms in this seen and many unseen worlds, there are many Divine Life Forms with varying powers, good and bad. Though all are one only, in practical experience this is not known to us. So also except for some Devata-s such as Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathy, Ganapati, Subrahmanya, Siva, Vishnu and some such, not all of them are aware of their oneness with the Paramatma! Having their own name, shape, weapons, decoration and characteristics, they are like so many appointment holders of the heirarchy of the Government of God. What we call the power of Nature are governed and exhibited by these Devata-s.
24. As there are people of varying degrees of good and bad qualities, so are there animals and all life forms of varying shades of good and bad qualities. So are there amongst Gods too. Some who do good on being adored and cherished, some who are benignly or malignantly natured, some who are satisfied by Satvik devotioanal practices and some which are pleased by Rajasic and Tamasic offerings suchas beheading of animals and offerings of liquor! Some who come under the influence of specific mantra-s and so on. Kaththaayi, Katteri, Karuppanna Swami, Veera, Muneeswara, Irulan, Ayyanar and so on are all such manifestations. Some of these are capable of responding according to your that is, the devotee's nature and approach too. 25. If we pray to them for some exclusive benefits, it is being selfish. But if we pray to them for the welfare of the whole village or community, then such prayers are only part of Paropakaaram! Let me go one step higher and say that, these prayers are done not only for our well being but, also for their well being! They are also in some way or other, not fully mature enough to have realized their own fullest potential. They are also so many more life forms only. They too have their aspirations and desires. So to satisfy their hunger and desires is PAROPAKAARAM only! It is believed in this religion that, all these have to one day or the other in future, manifest in the human form to attain to Gnana! That is the greatness of the human life form! With this point in mind, the order of protocol can be, God, Man, Deities, Mobile Life forms (Jangama), Static Life Forms (Sthavara) and Inanimate (Jadha). 26. If other religions talk of Social Service as a noble responsibility of human beings, plese note that, it involves doing your duty only towards the members of the seen world. Whereas Hinduism addressess its concers towards members of the seen and unseen world too! Going a step beyond all other religions, Hinduism is concerned with the One Supreme Power in all its manifested(seen) and unmanifested(unseen) forms! From the Vaidik's Yaaga and Yagna, to the Poojary's Padayal; it expands the far reaches of Paropakaaram! The Pancha Maha Yagna addressed to the Devata-s, Rishi-s, Pithru-s, Seen-manifested-s and Unseen-unmanifested-s; the sacrifices in Homam, Bali, Mantra Adhyayanam, Tarpanam and all such offerings; are all part of the system of helping others, that is Paropakaaram only!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.