DEIVATHIN KURAL # 81 (Vol # 3) Dated 26 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 81 (Vol # 3) Dated 26 April 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 353 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.)
53. Even if you go by pure logic and reason, there are many occasions when we have to do many things not exactly relevant to the job in hand! You do not recognize a police man or an Army man unless he is wearing a uniform! That is alright. But what relevance do the women sparsely dressed and making all sorts of contortions in the name of 'Cheer leaders' have in a game of Basket Ball or Cricket? When they wear black and red bordered dhoties, with flags and banners, go in a procession by walk or cycle or in bullock carts, have you noticed as to how contrary to common sense, logic and reason are such activities!? In the same place if someone is wearing the Dhotie in 'Pancha Kacham' and go singing Bhajanai songs in praise of God, it becomes something to be laughed at and ridiculed! For the cause of political and labour interest if someone pours kerosene oil on himself and immolates, he is called a martyr and when you sacrifice ghee and cooked rice in the fire of a Yaaga, they call it superstition and blind belief!
54. “We are great and elders; we need the status; we should not be under anyone’s orders; there is nothing beyond our understanding; we will not agree to anyone’s Lordship; we may do things unreasonable, but we cannot be questioned”, this is the mind set of these people claiming themselves to be reformists of this religion! They think on these lines and cause others to think similarly! Net result is that they are neither practical for this worldly life nor for future. This is the effect of giving up the traditions of our religion.
55. They are telling the people to wake up from believing these stupid Saastraa-s. When looking at their misbehavior of such wakefulness, I wishfully dream as to how far better it would be if somehow they were to be administered the sleeping tablets of the very stupid saastraa-s! I regret as to how in the name of reform they have spoiled what was orderly and systematic! Having benefited themselves in some materialistic, narrow parochial ways, they have caused confusion in the minds of many! In truth religion is not opium given with the idea of dulling their senses! (It was Karl Marx who said that Religion is the opium of people!) To think this world to be real and the sense objects to be real is the greater delusion! Religion is the medicine that wakes you up from such illusion! It is only since these reformists have had their sway that the common people have become blind to the reality to which they were waking up! To think of an imaginary sense of equality without refining oneself to be worthy of such, is the real delusion!
56. With all this reform, not only the connection or any reference to God is gone but, all connection to Dharma (the sense of rightness and morality) is also gone. They claim that they are believers in God, Atma and Soul! What ever it is, it is that inner power that inspired the Veda-s, Bible, Quran, Zend Avesta and or Guru Granth! Is it not so? The original authors of these were great sacrificers of intense sincerity and integrity! Many thousands, nay millions, nay crores have practically imbibed, inhered and adhered to those great ideals and concepts! That path has the weight of tradition! To follow that is discipline and orderliness. If you believe in God of Faultless Perfection, then even the act of your being born in a particular religion is part of that perfection. Is it not so? Then accept it and follow it. That is why this Hindu Religion believes in intense inversion and NO conversion to other religions! {once you have studied and mastered your own religion to which born, you are free to imbibe and absorb the ideas and ideals from other religions too. Because by then you have risen above all limitations and confines!} This is how He the God meant it to be!
57. That is why it is said, "samayaacharameva cha poorvai : aasrita : kuryaat I anyataa patito bhavet", meaning, 'do as your elders have done lest you fall by the way side!' How does he fall? Say that you are standing in some step in the ladder. Saastraa-s are there for you to climb step by step. The reformist tells you simply jump to 'equality' and he breaks the ladder. You neither have the power nor the procedure. You simply fall flat, anyhow much lower than what you had gained till then! That is why, 'anyataa patito bhavet! '
The Duty of the Leaders: as Given by Gita.
58. Bhagawan has warned us already in the Gita about this pitfall! He has said, "If you go against the norms in the ways of the world, (even if you were to forego the 'Kula Aachaara-a',) you will prove to be a mis-guiding post. Looking at your example, they will also follow suit. Though you may improve by your maturity, the common man your follower, will be left in the lurch! He would neither have the maturity nor the strength of tradition; and so fall further down!" Putting all these ideas together are the sloka-s 25 & 26 of B.G. Chapter 3! "...saktaa: karmanya vidvaamso yataa kurvanti bharata I kuryaat-vidvaam-stataa (a)sakta: -chikeershur-lokasangraham II na buddhi bhedam janayet agnaanaam karma sanginaam I..."
59. Generally people are only 'Karma sanghi-s', that is, 'people bounden by duties'. With them if you talk of 'Atma, Dhyanam' and such things you will get nowhere! They have been assigned many duties in the Saastraa-s. For each of those actions some results are given as seen and some as unseen, (drushtam and adrushtam). Many of the daily and periodical rituals given in the Veda-s have these sort of effects (as karma phalam) only! 'There will be rains', or 'there will be increased mental acumen', and or finally 'you will attain to Heaven' and such would be the karma phala. 'Swarga Vaasa' the stay in heaven is only the happiness you can get by sensual pleasures! Veda-s do not talk of going beyond these mundane pleasures of the senses to the unity of Jeeva-Brhma or about Man-God oneness!
60. Because, if you talk of Liberation and Moksham, right from the beginning, no one will come any where near. It is like the carrot before the horse. All the material benefits promised as 'Karma Phala' are so that you may do your duties meticulously thereby attaining to 'Chitta Shuddhi'! Once that happens, you are on 'auto mode', self motivated to achieve the further goal of 'Brhma - Atma - Aikyam'! It is with this purpose that all the Karma Duties have been ordained for us. In later days, Yagna Karma-s became less and some easier methods were suggested.
61. "Go to Rameswaram. Go around the Arasa Maram. You will be getting progeny. Do Surya Namaskara, you will get better eye sight. Chant the Kanakadara Stotram. You will get much wealth. Go around the Thiruvanna malai hill and attain better life!" So on and so on! Saastraa-s talk of many karma-s so as to get material benefits, mainly. If you tell these people not to look for material benefits and talk of esoteric goals, they will not be motivated! They have to be progressively weaned from worldly desires and ambitions.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 80 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 80 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 April 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 348 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.)
43. Not only when you leave the mind to it’s own confabulations, even when you are doing ‘Nama Japam’ or chanting stotra-s, given the slightest chance, it will take you far away before you know that you have been whisked away! So by mind, speech and body, (‘mano-vaak-kaayam’), are these traditional rituals to be performed, to keep the mind pegged down! By chanting the mantra-s by mouth, while mulling over the meaning of the mantras; are the activities such as Yagna, Archana and Pooja are to be done!
44. Even when you chant ‘Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Thrivikrama and so on‘, the mind is not getting involved in the greatness of God’s attributes! So the elders have ordained that while chanting the 12 names of Bhagwan Vishnu, you are to touch each part of the body and apply the sign of Naamam with thirumann. Thrivikrama measured all the three worlds with his bare feet. The same God as ‘Sweta Varaha’ the Pig lifted the earth from the primordial flood waters with his white teeth projecting forward! Wherever that white teeth touched the earth, the whitish clay known as ‘Sweta mruttika’ is to be found. The mud under the Tulasi plant is also similarly very holy. That is reverentially called the ‘thirumann’. If you use this fine clay to make the signs on your body while chanting the names of God, you will experience the humbleness of feeling, “Oh! My God Thrivikrama! That part of the earth which was sacred enough to be touched by You, is being worn as a sacred sign on my body too!”
45. As You progress in this inner path, in later stages for total concentration of Dhyanam, even these activities such as, chanting of stotram and mantram; will all be hurdles. Then these things come to a stand still on their own. For this the example is a frog. Initially the mother frog lays the eggs in water. Then the eggs hatch and tadpoles emerge. They move around in the water like fishes only. At that stage they do not have the lungs to breath in open air! They have gills through which they absorb the air dissolved in water. Then as it grows further, the gills disappear and they get lungs for breathing like other animals. Similarly as you reach the higher rungs of Dhyana, automatically all the adjuncts of chanting and archana, drop off! But at the very beginning if you start saying that there is no need for all these Mantra, Archana, Pooja, Chanting and so on, then you will neither be here nor there! All the adjuncts for Dhyana and Nishtai should drop off on their own and not ignored by your will and volition! If you say that I do not want these things; all I need is a clean mind; then you will be like the tadpole who refused the use of gills!
46. Outer signs, actions and differences have a role to play in inner cleansing towards total dropping of all separate identity, action and differences! Instead if you tell your mind to go deep into dhyanam, without 'manasa, vaacha, karmana' aids, it will either put you to sleep or make you run from pillar to post! The cleansing of mind does not happen without inner and outer discipline! Unless you pay attention to the intricate details of the ritual, how can you ever hope to achieve perfection and concentration of the mind?
47. Though some of the modern neo-religionists may say that the will only pay attention to the 'Manas Shuddhi' and not bother about the rituals, some rare individuals may be able to do so! Others will prove to be slaves of their minds and not masters! I do not have to cry hoarse about this. It is apparent to all that ever since reforms have been introduced things have only gone from bad to worse, in terms of individual and collective discipline! Only that none is ready to accept the fact.
48. Let us leave these non-believing Nastik-s! They are only small in numbers. There is a concept that not believing in God, in some way is also 'Aastikam' only! More problematic are those who claim themselves to be the Real Hindu-s! They claim that, "We have objection only to orthodoxy. We are the true interpreters of the Veda-s and it's message! We are trying to bring it out of the clutches of orthodoxy!" It is these who in the name of reform are deforming the religion! This is more painful to me! Being host to a plethora of crass desires and unfounded ambitions themselves, they further spoil the sincere efforts of others in the path. Being neither here nor there, they are responsible for deterioration of all norms. The common man in India was famous for the disciplined outlook, believing in the rule of the law of the land. It is his respectful fear of God that has been the casualty.
49. Talking of human rights all of the time, shameless selfishness has become alright! The natural humility of the common man has been lost forever! In the resultant burning social cauldron, grab as grab can has become the social dictum! Their claim that they true believers in the religion is all a facade. In the name of religion they are prompting all actions which are anti-saastraa-s! What they are preaching is actually irreligion! "No saastraa-s, no rituals, only clean minds", is the hypocrite's front!
Modern Day Superstitions.
50. Looking at the physical effects only and not caring for the the 'Adrushta Phala' of unseen salubrious effects of chanting of Mantra-s and Veda-s, many things are being discarded in the name of 'superstitions'! Having done so, these national leaders insist on everyone responding to shouts of, "Jai Hind", at the top of our voices. 'Jai Hind', means victory to India. Victory in what? Against whom? In what field? You simply shout hoarse and feel mighty thrilled!
51. Not only in our country. In all other countries too, 'faith and belief' are becoming words to be abhorred. In it's place introduce so called Reason / Logic. This has degenerated to simply shouting of "Ho! Ho!" with promptings of 'Louder, Louder!' with some gadget showing the decibel levels on the screen as it happens in Basket Ball matches in U.S. of A! After all what is a Flag? It is alright to respect the National Flag. But now every Tom, Dick and Harry of every political party of infantile policies has a Flag, which has assumed significance of Life and Death! If someone spits on the flag, he is put in jail! How has a piece of cloth obtained such symbolic significance? Now when I invoke the presence of God in a piece of statue or icon, how does this become 'Superstition'?
52. Having criticized 'Punya Kaalam and Punya Kshetram', (sacred timing and sacred place), they prefer to conduct Nastik propaganda on the birth day of Buddha or Ambedkar in a place such as Eeroad or Kanchipuram! We may celebrate a birthday of Thyagaraja in Thiruvaiyaru and Sadasiva Brhmendra in Nerur. But visit to the 'Somali's' (place of burial of Gandhi, Nehru, Anna, EVR Periyar, Ambedkar statue, MGR and so on and so on!) of their leaders before swearing -in, is a must for every politician, if he wishes to survive in power!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 79 (Vol # 3) Dated 22 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 79 (Vol # 3) Dated 22 April 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 343 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.)
33. The leaders of reform movements having separated religious virtues and moral ethical values, though have objections to the former, set very high standards for themselves of the latter! So they create a new set of traditions in the name of reform! Virtually this becomes a religion by itself, like the Sikh, Radho-Shyam and Goudiya Mutt movements to name a few! Their own followers would not be ready to accept that their leaders were reformers. Let the leader's matter be set aside. Let us now consider the followers' state of affairs!
34. Mostly the followers join these leaders for the immediate material gains and social advancement. Yes there are likely to be many sincere and ardent followers also. But the majority of the followers are more attracted by the new found liberalism. They are unlikely to have either the maturity or the commitment of their leaders. Thus there is a sudden loosening of control and discipline. They may not be bound by the earlier religious restrictions or by the later ethical value systems!
35. Once the reform leaders teach them as to how to break the religious taboos, they become enamoured of the new found liberty and develop the knack of bypassing and breaking rules. We have seen clear examples of this! Once the national leaders started asking as to why should all the rituals be conducted only in Sanskrit, the mass of India turned against the National Language of Hindi also! Having got some taste of Satyaagraha and civil-disobedience, the same tactics were applied even to worthless ideas and concepts. Then from a disciplined civil-disobedience movement, it was only a short hop to Rasta-Roko, burning of buses and trains and destruction of national property!
36. There is a story on this. The man who had lent money filed a case in the court against the man who had taken a loan from him and refused to pay much beyond the due date. The defending attorney taught the a trick to the man in debt. He told him to play as though he had gone mad and reply every question put to him with a simple, "Beb beb bey!" So, in the court that was his stock reply. The judge had to rule in favour of the man in debt! When they came out of the court, the lawyer asked him to pay the fees. His reply was, "A beb beb bey to you and another beb beb bey to your father too!"
37. Exactly similarly, having obtained some advantages like that man in debt, the followers of reforms could tell their leaders, "A beb beb bey to the rules of the saastraa-s and another beb beb bey to the rules you have created too!" On such occasions those leaders who are sincere to their cause having ticked off some mainly resort to fasting and such self abnegation to register their disapproval in people's minds. Some times this leads to political gimmicks such as party hopping of 'Ayaa Raam Gaya Raam' situations and expulsion from the party on grounds of discipline in some cases. By now there is no discipline and that leads to mutual expulsions and creation of new parties. From the religious grounds the stage has shifted to political manipulations and becomes, 'kissa kursi ka'!
38. These are all what we have practically seen in this century! But for thousands of years, this Hindu religion has withstood differences of views, opinions and conceptual ideologies! Sankyam and Meemamsam are far apart. Karma, Bakti and Gnaana Yogas are rather parallel than similar paths. But the beauty of this Hindu Religion is that there have been such great thinkers who would somehow see some inter connections, some balance and some acceptance between paths poles apart! Adwaitam and Visishtadwaitam and Dwaitam are totally different approaches. But to a Hindu the Nirguna Parabrhmam and Saguna Vishnu and Unni Krishna are equally welcome. That is how Sufi Sants and Sai Baba and Kabir Das become equally acceptable! That is how the 'nireaswara waada' (non-God movements of) Buddhism and Jainism have become acceptable to all. That is how this country of India has become the host country to diverse ethnic and religious diaspora from other countries over the centuries.
39. Most of the Hindu traditions were based on Apasthamba, Aasvalayana and such soothra-s, Manu Dharma Saastra and some Nibandana Granta-s. Whatever the difference in the subtle points of understanding, the procedural traditions have generally been the same or similar with some additions or subtractions. But the Vaidik Aachaara have mostly remained undisturbed for many thousands of years. But these reform movements of the Hindu religion of recent genre have undergone enormous changes and trans-mutations to be totally unrecognizable from their origins!
39. Those movements which came into being initially on the platform of religious reforms and then conveniently bifurcated in to the political milieu have shown utter lack of stability and undergone many transformations. This itself is clear proof of the lack of truth in their philosophy and purpose. It is the truth of their philosophies and intensity of purpose of the Saints and Rishi-s of yore that has saved and protected the Vaidik Sanatana Dharma Aachara from dissipation over thousands of years. Proof of this is evident in the fact that despite the onslaught other religions from elsewhere and so many of the so-called reform movements, Hinduism still stands firm on its own merit!
40. Even those who pay lip service to the reform ideas, inwardly remain loyal to the religious aachaara-s which is flowing in their bloods as though. The rituals that are called ‘superstitions’ outwardly, are still being followed on the quiet. I am aware of many such instances. For paying the election deposit for example, despite claiming oneself to be a rationalist, they still consult the astrologer for the right time and date!
41. Do we need the old traditional rituals of aachaara to continue or do we need the reforms? This question can be answered by simply looking at one statistic. What was the condition in this country when it was supposed to be superstitious, and after all the enlightenment of reforms, in terms of social indiscipline, corruption, bribery, fraud, murder and prostitution? If this is our reformed condition, we may as well have been better off with our old blind beliefs!
42. Many of the traditional rituals are set aside by the reformers on one simple logic. They ask, "You are interested in the 'cleansing of heart and mind'. What is the need for rituals and formalities for this?" Here is the crux of the problem. To oscillate between all grades of selfishness and aggrandizement is the in the nature of the mind. Very rarely, one in ten million will have the mind in control directed towards the goodness of all. Rest of the people can hope for 'manas shuddhi', only when it is completely handed over to the Guru or God and involved in 'aachaara anushtaanam and paropakaaram'! That is the value of Hindu dharma aachaara Anushtaanaa-s!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 78 (Vol # 3) Dated 20 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 78 (Vol # 3) Dated 20 April 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 338 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.)
23. Let us see as to what exactly did Bhagwan Sri Krishna say about leaders of men not saying things to confuse the common man's trust, belief and faith. "Na buddhi bhedam janayet agnaanaam karma sanginaam I Joshayet sarva karmaani vidvaan yuktas samacharan II" [B.G. 3.26.] There by He says, "Even if there were some apparent errors in the traditional way of doing things, the leaders of the society, ignorant of the logic of those traditions, should not out right desist from those actions lest the common man may not get confused."
24. That is to say, even when the leader may be convinced that he has risen above the need to follow certain rituals, since he is in public notice all of the time, his refraining from doing the ritual will create a conflict in the minds of the common man! If you as the leader transgress the saastraa-s, the simple folks who are the followers of the leader are likely to come to a conclusion that, 'Since after all our leader himself has given up these things, why should we continue to unnecessarily follow these rituals?' So the leaders should show and display that they are subservient to the dictates of the saastraa-s. These days when every body is quoting the Bhagawat Gita for all sorts of things, they conveniently ignore these injunctions of the Gita!
25. In yet another place He says, "tasmaat saastram pramaanam te karyaakarya vyavastitou I" [B.G.16.24.] He says, "When you have to decide as to do or not to do and what to do, let the Saastraa-s be your guiding line." Saastraa-s are the authority. Do what it tells you to do and refrain from doing what is forbidden in the Saastraa-s. Reformists do need the Gita. But when it comes to some embarrassing areas they will simply not mention about these things or say that these were later interpolations!
26. Leaders of Reform. In the name of reform what has really happened is to let loose all control with no discipline whatsoever. We cannot blame all leaders as being irresponsible and indisciplined. Since they have reneged on traditional rules of Saastraa-s, we as the Heads of Sanaatana Dharma Organizations, have not accepted or agreed upon them! But it is a fact that many of them have been followers of the principles such as truth, honesty, sacrifice, sincerity, integrity, universal love and compassion! To quite an extent they are well-read and knowledgeable. Their sincerity in intending to guide people in the right path cannot be doubted either. But their greatest error is to think that what appeals to their mind as OK is alright and what does not appeal to their minds as OK is all wrong. They may be well read and well intentioned. But those Saints, Sages and Rishis of the past were not lacking in knowledge or sincerity or comprehension and sacrifice. In fact they were far more greater in each aspect under consideration! If we approach these matters with that humility, our own understanding and comprehension will vastly improve!
27. The present day leaders do not have that sort of a respect for the past. They are ready to believe in the canard created by the so called western analysts of Indian Vedas and Saastraa-s. Some of them like Sir John Woodroff alias Arthur Allen, were sincere in digging deep and bringing out the hidden treasures. But mostly others, out of a sheer sense of superiority as to how can these ancients be so far advanced in thinking and conceptualizing, came to the conclusions that Vedas were mostly inane, repetitive, meaningless mumbo-jumbo! If some of them believed so, some of them had their own axes to grind on behalf of the erstwhile British Rulers of India who wanted to sustain themselves in power at all costs. So, it was in their nefarious purpose to loosen the hold of the Veda-s on the minds of people of India itself, let alone outsiders!
28. Then there is, what is known as, 'adrushta phala', 'the unseen effect' in abiding with the saastraa-s. The westerners and following them some of the so-called reformists, never being aware of or blind to this unseen effect, have looked forward to only the apparent effects! Beyond the apparent, there is the divine effect of the methods of the saastraa-s, which may not be immediately known or directly relatable! Our actions and thoughts could have effect in some other dimension of space and time, may be in this life or in some other re-incarnation. The reformers generally have no belief in such things. Their education and perspective is exactly similar to the views of the westerners! So, instead of accepting that all differences in social, financial, physical and material fields are with an inviolable logical purpose by one's own past actions of Karma / Nature / God, they talk about some impossible imaginary non-difference and equality!
29. So, they make fun of Yaagaa-s and Yagnaa-s as wasting good material as sacrifices in to the fires. They ridicule our conduct of Tarpanam and Divasam for the Pithru-s as superstition and blind belief! Forgetting that there is a God beyond time and space who is the optimal provider of the fruits of all effects of our actions, they presume authorship and doer ship on themselves! They want to see the world changed within their life time with no respect whatsoever to the existing order of things! Such people are so full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance that Sri Krishna calls them ’damba maana madaanvitaa :’. [ B.G. 16.10.] As though taking a video snippet of such people’s behaviour, He goes on to say that they claim, “This has been gained by me to-day; this desire of mine I shall fulfill; this is mine and this wealth shall continue to be mine in future too!” [B.G. 16. 13.] Further He says that such people will not have the cleanliness of heart, mind, speech or action! In short they will be lacking in the important quality of ‘Aachaaram’!
30. In the Katopanishad {1.2.5.} and Mundakopanishad {1.2.8.} too, such people are compared with the blind followers of the blind! "swayam dheeraa: panditam manya maanaa:" , meaning, 'self proclaimed as all knowing experts!' Between these reform leaders and their followers there is a slight difference. Let us look at that.
31. These days it is the in thing to differentiate between religious virtues and ethical excellences. It is funny that such a differentiation is being made at all! Religion and morality after all are inextricably inter twined. But people of the modern day, especially of the English education system have got it in their minds and managed to instill in people's minds that religion and morality are to be kept in separate compartments. Thus it is below their status and prestige if they have to function subservient to the Saastraa-s! So they are questioning all that is not apparent. They are ashamed of whatever is called blind-beliefs that, it is a fashion to be seen weeding the religion of these things in the name of reforms!
32. In very recent times however, the western world has woken up to the real values of Yaaga and Yoga and such things about which it was normal to make fun of. They have started saying that there is value in Homa-s and Mantra-s. Thus it has become more acceptable to our Doubting Thomases too. So what happens now is some traditions are taken and some dropped off in the name of reform. The leaders draw some strict moral codes and what evolves is a hotchpotch mix of yet another religion, with its own pecking order and codes of conduct. Though they know not that having rebelled against an existing order; they are now falling into another groove! Further problem in this is that while the leaders have rather strict codes of conduct because of their commitment, the followers are made up of a wide spectrum of fanatical hard core cum piggy-back riders and jetsam and flotsams!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 77 (Vol # 3) Dated 14 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 77 (Vol # 3) Dated 14 April 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 last para on page 332 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.)
10. Differences in distance from the equator also causes certain changes in tradition. Depending on the availability of certain type of grains and pulses, the material used as 'Prasadam' also changes.
The Tradition To Which Born Is Meant For You
11. Despite the differences in the location, status, position, religion, branch of that religion in which a person is born, whatever his ancestors have traditionally evolved as a way of life for that set or community or caste of people; is the best for him. Other wise he becomes a fallen person. sikhaam soothram cha pundram cha samaya achaaram eva cha I poorvair aasrita: kuryaat anyata patito bhavet II
12. 'sikhaam' :- How should the hair be? Muslims shave their hair in the head and have a beard. Sikhs have long hair in the head and beard. Hindu-s have partially shaved of head with a knot made of the balance hair known as 'Kudumi'! There is a ceremony mentioned in the Saastraa-s, for the wearing of the Kudumi. Even in this wearing of Kudumi, there are varieties. 'Sozhiyan, Namboodiri, Chidambaram Deekshidar-s and so on!' Some tie it in the side, or in the front & let it hang on the fore head, and some let it hang in the back. So, the saastram says that you are to cut your hair as per the customs and traditions of your clan!
13. 'soothram':- This does not refer to the 'poonool'. This refers to the detailed works of, Aasvalayana, Aapasthamba and Bhodayana soothra-s which talk of the traditional methods and procedures to be adopted for each branch of the followers of the Veda-s! We are to follow that soothram of that specific branch of the Veda-s to which we are born!
14. 'pundram':- Pundram is what is worn on the fore head. It could be One the Vibhuti ashes in three horizontal lines or Two Gopi Chandan, which is the fine clay of the river bed, worn as a vertical U with its sides extended upwards or Three Namam worn as a the Vaishnavites do with the U made of white lines with a red line in the center or Four a Black dot of the coal! Again there are more than one way of doing all this mainly guided by tradition. Very simply these outer signs do go a long way in imbibing a rightful pride in ones lot, as it does in the Army!
15. 'samaya aachaaram' :- is strictly observing the do's and don'ts of the religion. Hindu religion is like a huge banyan tree, with its roots and branches spread over a vast area. In this you are to follow the customs and traditions of that particular sub-sub-branch in which you are born. Your birth in that community, in that particular family, is not accidental random choice event!! It is precisely meant to be so. Whether you believe that it is as per the laws of nature or an act of God, in this religion, it is one and the same and not something to be rebelled against but accepted and implicitly abided with!
16. 'poorvai : aasrita kuryaat' :- This means, "do as your elders have done!" The direction is to be strictly followed not only in 'sikha, soothram and pundram' but in all other traditional ritual observances too!
17. 'anyataa patito bhavet' :- Otherwise, you become a fallen entity! If you do not follow the ways of your fore fathers and undertake some different wearing of outer signs or start following some other 'sampradaaya', then you become 'patita :'! In Sanskrit, patanam is falling. Patita : is the fallen entity. A woman who is faithful to her marriage vows is 'pati vrataa naari'. If she has slipped and fallen from the straight and narrow path, she is known as 'patitaa', meaning that she has been unfaithful to her husband. Similarly, this man who has deviated from the path of his family will fall further in this and next life too, is the warning of the Saastraa!
18. God has situated us in some place in certain social and family environment of some traditional value system. What does that mean? As a wife has to be obedient and complimentary to a husband, a man born to a certain set up, should try and raise and improve himself from that starting point. He should follow his family traditions and customs. If he says, "No. I will not follow these traditions. I will leave these and adopt some other system", then that is rebellion. Then if he says that he will follow some other 'samaya aachaaram', that is traditions of some other religion then, it is tantamount to prostitution! That is why the saastra says, 'patito bhavet'!
19. It is very important to guard against this. The reformist when he talks sweetly of improving your lot with some cosmetic changes, he does not realize the greater risk that he is subjecting you to! But strictly abiding with the customs and traditions of your family and clan will take you to the highest advancement, that is the very presence of the creator! The weight of generations of refinement is behind tradition, that is known as 'sampradaaya'. When you abide with that, you are controlling your mind, senses, sensory organs, thoughts and actions and disciplining them all. This takes you to the first entrance towards liberation and opens the gates of 'Moksha Dwaar' i.e., 'Chitta Suddhi'. Instead of believing in the established traditions, distrusting them if you keep questioning every step, it only results in a futile interrogation with no functional alternative.
20. Mahatma Gandhi, was a stickler for discipline with a high sense of purity, with devotion to God and traditional values of simple living and high thinking. He could eliminate some of the old rules for Aachara and instill a few new ones of his own in his Ashrama. Having done that, he had to keep a strict watch on the inmates of the Ashrama. Even then there were occasions of blatant transgressions of rules and regulations that, he had to publicly lodge his objections by going on indefinite fasts!
21. Reason is that, the moment you play around with the rules and restrictions in well established systems, one minor change or loosening of control has a cascading effect as though on the overall propriety! The 'adakka gunam', that is the sense of discipline, suffers. Saying that it is a vice like straight-jacket on human independence, the tendency is to break all rules. In such a situation, chaos can be the only outcome! In that too once one reformist is changed or dies, his own followers break whatever control he exercised! They all become reformers themselves! So, the reform movements of reckless, undisciplined leaders as well as those movements with very strict leaders; both eventually suffer the same fate! Nationalism, honesty, sacrifice and such may be the stepping stones. But once in power, we are observing how such movements fritter away their ideals and become monstrosities of selfishness, anarchy, parochialism, nepotism and hypocrisy!
22. That is why Bhagwan Sri Krishna in Gita emphatically stated that, even if there were some things which look like faults, we are not to create confusion in the minds of the common man! Instead those who are leaders should show their trust in the saastraa-s, by personal example. More about this point in the next edition of the e-mail!
(To be continued)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 76 (Vol # 3) Dated 10 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 76 (Vol # 3) Dated 10 April 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 329 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.)
AACHAARAM
VAJRAM PAAYNDA VRUKSHAM

1. The title 'Aachaaram' means to strictly observe the Traditional Methods. The second title, 'Vajram Paaynda Vruksham' means a tree trunk which has been ingrained with extreme solidity of the hardness of 'Vajram' the thunderbolt, which is said to be the weapon of Indra the king of all Devata-s! As the belief goes, when a tree is struck by lightning and the tree is not burnt off, it is said to have been hardened to a high degree! Adhering to the time tested methods of our forefathers is Aachaara. If we base our lives on such strong foundations, our life too would be strong and long lasting with abiding value systems!
2. Our ancestors strictly abided with the dictates of our saastraa-s always and every time! It is that strict adherence from time immemorial due to which this country has been famous for Gnanam, Arts, Crafts and Fine-arts such as Dance, Music and Literature. The science of medicine, surgery, astrology, mathematics, deductive logic and analysis, have all benefited immensely by contributions of Indian scholars. Painting, sculpture and architecture are our special areas of expertise. To care for the visitor or tourist was not business in India, it was Dharma! In the fields of Ayur Veda and Yoga Asana the whole world is being won over now-a-days! More than any other field, in the field of spirituality, people from other religions from all other countries have always flocked to these shores and are continuing to do so! What can be the reason for this? It is the momentum of the traditions of the past that is continuing to influence the rest of the world.
3. In recent times, say in the past two to three centuries, many reformists of a variety of degree of sincerity and some with vested interest, have all suggested a whole array of reforms. If you take them all on face value and remove those things as weeds in the field, there will be no crop left behind for harvest. You will end up in having a barren field! So, it is prudent for us to simply follow implicitly, the directions pointed by those Rishi-s of yore, who were far more intelligent, aware, knowledgeable, beneficent and capable of extreme perseverance! Whatever those Rishi-s have told us in the Dharma Saastraa-s should be followed completely with no let! For this purpose, we should pray to God to give us mental strength and perseverance!
4. We should pay attention to another fact. Though so many reformists have had their say for more than some four or five centuries, how many Rishi-s have evolved by such movements. You can call anybody Mahatma, Avatara or messenger of God! But in reality how many of them have had the power to quaff the spiritual thirst of the aspirants? Can such things ever replace the traditional Guru-Sishya Parampara, in effectiveness? For the sake of these modern reformists, can we afford to cut the tree of tradition? A tradition which has proved to be an eternal source of a whole series of a galaxy of Mahatma-s? I am not asking this question.
5. Some ten or twelve western foreigners have been approaching me on this. They are all well read about the subject and have done much 'Atma Sadhanai' themselves under suitable Guru-s. Their question was on the following lines. "If those in the position of an Adhyapak i.e., a Guru, lead their personal life of total purity of attitude and behaviour, then their teaching and sparsa / nayana / mantra upadesa deekshaa-s are more effective. This in turn cleanses the disciple too, without which you can never hope to experience 'Atma Anubhava'! However much you may bring in reforms, without the blessings of the preceptor, the Guru, no one can come anywhere near Self Realization! Is this not so?"
6. Yes there are differences between the Atma Anubhava that the pioneers of various sects and religion have gone through. Hence the differences in the priorities and procedures of the followers of various religions! Whosoever, belonging to any religion, if only follows the ways and procedures of his own religion to which born; he can rest assured that he will also attain to the pinnacle of Self Realization through that religion. So we in this Hindu religion are never interested in converting anybody to our way of thinking! But, the point here is that it was the westerners who were defending the traditional value systems of our religion and it is the Indians who want to dismantle the traditions and methods of this religion in the name of REFORM! Yes these reformists can and do become famous and moneyed. But they cannot contribute even a single individual of the caliber of the Rishi-s of yore! (Subrahmanya Bharati was an exceptional reformer! But his handicap was that he was born a Brahmin like U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, the Tamil Thathaa! At least in Tamil Nadu it is better not to talk about them! But undoubtedly Bharati is exhilarating reading for his National fervor, songs of devotion and his deep understanding of the subtle nuances of this religion. Especially you may give a try to his poems on Thaiyumanavar! I do not have to certify the greatness of the Tamil Thathaa! If nothing else, his research in collecting and collating many scriptures of Tamil literature especially Kamba Ramayanam is enough to give him a Bharat Ratna if not a Noble Prize, even now!) Anyhow, the whole argument was that of the foreigners!
7. I have no axes to grind. If you ask a judge as to which side does he belongs to, what answer can he possibly give? He is there only to give an impartial view after referring to the laws of the land relevant to the case in hand! My job is to relate the case to the ‘Eternal Law’ of Sanatana Dharma and give my opinion! I must try my level best to abide with the stipulations of the Sanatana Dharma and tell you to do the same! Your listening to my directions depend on the level of sincerity that I have myself! When I have the power of absolute abidance with the dictates of Dharma, means that I would also have the power to influence you accordingly.
8. These traditions not only differ between the religions. Within each religion too, the sub and sub-sub branches have entirely differing rituals and procedures! In Buddhism, there are Hinayanam, Mahayanam and Zen. In Christianity, Roman Catholic and Protestant and Greek are the major sub-divisions. Then there are a whole lot of divisions such as, The Amish, Baptist Churches, Chaldean Churches, Christadelphians, Church of England, Coptic Orthodox Church, The Orthodox Church, Exclusive Brethren, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pentacostalism, Quakers, Salvation Army and Seventh Day Adventists. The list is not complete by any strtch of imagination! In Islam, There are three major divisions called Shias, Sunnis and Ahmedias and some more! They will become one when it comes to interaction with other religions. Within themselves they have all the differences that you can think of!
9. In Hinduism too there are differences galore between the six major divisions of Saktam, Saivam, Vainavam, Souram, Koumaram and Ganapatyam. It was Adi Sankara who brought them together as a family. Within a few years of course, with the advent of Ramanujacharya followed by Madhvacharya, Visishtadwaitam and Dwaitam got fresh life once again, to a large extent off setting the unification process that Adi Sankara had set in motion! (To be continued.) Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 75 (Vol # 3) Dated 08 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 75 (Vol # 3) Dated 08 April 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 middle of page 321 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.)
18. On our own we may not give Daanam to anybody. Even when someone asks for loan, we may refuse to give. We may say, "Have you deposited any money with me? Why should I give you? This is my money. Whether I give or not, it is my sweet will and pleasure!" But when we are indebted, we cannot afford to give such replies, when the one who has given the loan is asking for it to be returned! Whatever the efforts we may have to undertake, we have to somehow or the other, return the loan. This is exactly the basis on which the Veda-s have enjoined on us to pay back the loans of Five Daily Yagna-s (Pancha Maha Yagna-s)! We have no right to say, “Sorry, I can’t do that!” We have to help and satisfy other human beings and birds and animals, as a duty! This Paropakaaram is a over due debt.
19. Debt in Tamil is Kadan. From that word has evolved the word 'Kadamai', which means Duty. You will notice that Debt and Duty are also closely related. Duty also has the meaning of moral, legal and financial obligation; other than being a cess or tax! God has created man as a highly evolved species; which evidently would mean that he would receive many benefits from other life forms starting from seemingly lifeless forms to plants, germs, insects, birds, animals, fishes, to ancient sages to ancestors, to Deities. This also means that in turn he owes them all in terms of gratitude, service and in kind! He is indebted to them all, which instead of being paid back only under duress, if returned with the compliments of love and affection, will only improve his life that much qualitatively!
20. Once we get this understanding, that to help others is an order of the God, then however bad our condition be, we will still find time and resources for doing the same. People will quote the proverb, 'thanakku minji dharmam', meaning, 'dharmam is after having catered for the self' and say, "When you are your self in a pathetic condition, why do you persevere for others sake?" Our response should be on the following lines. "I am afraid, there is a mis-understanding here. If I am poorly off presently, it means that I am being punished for some misdeeds of the past, of this life or some earlier birth by the law of Karma. May be because of the possibility that I was too selfish in my previous life! This condition is my balance account, i.e., 'thanakku minji ulladu'. To offset this state of affairs, the only recourse is to try my level best, as much as I can, whenever I can, wherever I can; I should do Paropakaaram! That is the understanding that I get from the quotation, 'thanakku minji, dharmam! So now, I should say, I have to go beyond myself, 'thannaiyum minji', and help others!"
21. Despite all the hurdles the way Ilaiyaan Kudimaara Naayanaar did Paropakaaram, should never be forgotten. Whatever our problems, to excel ourselves is what is, 'thanakku minjuvadu'! That is the true meaning of this saying! This is a very high level. Slightly at a lower level, we should so control our expenses that we save something to be able to help others. That is the meaning of, 'thanakku minji dharmam'!
22. Even modern economists say in a lighter vein, but quite seriously that, 'Expenditure has a tendency to catch up with the income and over take it!' So the stuff to be controlled is the expenditure and not try to increase the income to match the expenditure! That will only lead to unsocial, unethical and illegal methods of earning! I suggest the following methods of cutting down ones expenses:-
a) Stop this habit of drinking coffee, whose expenditure is easily overtaking expenses on the food!
b) Abstaining from use of Silk, which is not simply costly but also responsible for being the major cause for making it difficult for every householder to make ends meet! In addition, this so called natural silk is responsible for killing of millions silk worms for each Kancheepuram Pattu Saree that is made. By stopping the use of silk, we will save so many lifes! As far as the families dependent on that business, we may have to find some alternate industry for them!
c) Depend on self cooked food and avoid eating in hotels.
d) Stop visiting cinema theaters. (You can update this list to suit the present day)
23. These four self imposed restrictions are enough to make a noticeable difference towards saving! These are the daily commitments. In addition, if we get over the habit of paying and expecting dowry, we would have overcome a very detestable social evil! Then there is no need to do the marriages and upanayanam with unnecessary pomp and show. Invitees can pay in kind to offset the expenses instead of dumping them with unwanted presents and gifts of odds and sorts!
24. What is an inescapable necessity? What are the things unwanted for us to lead a happy life, as led by our parents and forefathers? Should we have some item of expenditure just because others in the society are having that? How sensibly can we cut down on expenses? These are questions that have to be sincerely raised and answered! Initially there will be difficulties. There will be pulls of whims and fancies. With the prayers in your heart to Ambal to guide us through this maze of pulls and pressures, we can win over our flimsy fancies! Then we can become aware as to how satisfying and pleasureful such a simple life can be! If we keep increasing the number of things as wanted and necessary, we will only end up increasing the expenditure multi dimentionally! Then how can we have funds for the important task of Paropakaaram? If we do not do that Paropakaaram, then how are we to reduce our indebtedness? When we cut down the unnecessaries, we will also be happy and be able to make somebody else’s life more liveable! Ambal is the Mother of all of us. We are the children of the same family of Ambal! To help ourselves mutually is in the nature of things. Like the cells in the human body, if we help each other unconditionally and automatically, we will all be able to live a pleasant life, caring for each other.
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 74 (Vol # 3) Dated 06 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 74 (Vol # 3) Dated 06 April 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 321 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.)
10. Here 'Kadankaaran or Kadankaari' means somebody whom we owe in our previous birth. He might have given us money or material. He is born as our son or daughter, so as to be able to collect their earlier investments! He causes the parents physical labour and expenditure. The account cancels out once all the dues have been paid off! Though it is used as a word for an expression of reluctant complaint, there is some truth in the statement.
11. I was observing that by this process of becoming indebted, along with the man who takes a loan, the giver of the loan also suffers. In the modern trend, it is the lender who seems to suffer more! Since the governments themselves are taking loans and basing many of their big plans on such public loans, it is the man in debt who seems to receive all sorts of special privileges! Our Government's targets seem to be, to make available, all the modern amenities and luxuries of the world. If the nation is to advance spiritually and the satisfaction levels of the masses is to be increased and the jealousy levels is to be brought down, then there is a change required in our priorities. Once you have decided that the standard of life is to be brought at par to the so called advanced nations of the world, then you have already put the cart before the horse! That means that you have already opted for an endless running after a mirage!
12. Having decided that the standard of life in India is to be raised to be at par with rest of the countries of the world, a whole lot of unnecessary things have become necessary inescapables! For making these things available for the common man, the Government goes on planning, endlessly planning, raising more loans within the country and outside the country in the name of balance of payments! Having created the want and dependency on many things unwanted, the population of the country has been trained to constantly fight for more and more pay and income. This leads to inflation, that the more the income more is the need for it! So, the whole lot of people are encouraged to take more and more loans. More banks are opened in all the villages and people are being trained in the art of the intricacies of taking loan, leading to lies, bluffs, fraud, bribes, corruption, and so on! Take loan for one thing and use it for something else. Then corrupt the inspecting staff. Thus is created a parallel economy of black money! This is closely related to vote banks of the politicians! Then there is a campaign for writing off of loans. Whose money is this after all?
13. Not withstanding that, write off of loan becomes applicable even to cases in which individuals have given their personal money to others on loan, through declarations of moratorium and ordinances. We have no objections to helping the poor. But the poor who are normally humble and simple, are being taught the cheap tricks of cheating and corruption on the one hand and on the other are being encouraged to go against their ingrained Dharma that, a loan once incurred should be paid off by the dint of labour and perseverance. From the position of people who were God-fearing and dharma-conscious, they transfer their trust and allegience to the vote-bank and political manipulations, uncaring for moral uprightness! This is the real loss.
14. I am very much aware of how the money lenders used to charge very high rate of interest and fleece the poor unlettered farmer by keeping fictitous accounts in which whatever money was returned, was always entered as interest paid while the capital never reduced but kept appreciating! One mistake of taking loan leads to so many social evils that when unjustifiably the government declares a moratorium, honest money lenders too suffer! So it is best to learn to live within ones income! Many people resort to unfair means, duplicity and stealing, because they took a loan initially without much deliberation! Some become pseudo sannyasi-s, while some who care for their name and reputation end up committing suicide, not only as individuals but the whole family, which makes painful news!
15. As I said earlier, other than the person who has taken a loan and the one who has given the loan; the general public too gets affected for the fear of the risk of being ‘touched’ or ‘contaminated’ or negatively get motivated to play the same game! Cosidering all this Acharyal declared this as the ‘theettu’ to be avoided at all costs! While talking of Paropakaaram, we have to tell the common man as to how not to do ‘para apakaaram’ which corrupts the society. For example all the ‘Ten Commandments’ of the Christians are negative Don’ts instead of the positive Do’s! Similarly, Acharyal clearly warned all and sundry against ‘taking loans’!
16. Amongst the samanya dharma, applicable to all castes at all times, there is 'astheyam'. This means, not stealing! Then there is 'aparigraham', which means, not accumulating and not doing forcible unauthorised occupation! These two negative injunctions too form part of Paropakaaram. Once you guard against these two , you automatically obviate miserliness, splurging and becoming indebted! You help others by obviating the need to be helped yourself!
17. I am going to say something now which may sound odd! Paropakaaram itself is an existing loan! Saastra-s themselves talk of 'runa thrayam', three debts! Anyone born as a human being,already owes Deva-s, Rishi-s and Pithru-s. Yagna-s and Yaga-s clears the outstanding loans due to the Deities. By Veda Adjhyayanam, the debt owed to the Rishi-s is cleared. You have to pay off the loan towards one's forefathers by way of conduct of Srardhams and by siring the next generation who will assist in paying off the debt to forefathers! That is also the reason for adding 'Nru yagnam and Bhoota yagnam' as part of the daily return of compliments to other human beings and other life forms! Thus all the aid, help, paropakaaram that you can do to all others, such as Devata-s, Rishi-s, Pithru-s, other human beings, other life forms static, such as plants and trees and moving, such as crawlers, swimmers and flyers, is all to be considered as paying off of one's debt only! Seen in that light, it does not sound too odd, is it not so?
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 73 (Vol # 3) Dated 04 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 73 (Vol # 3) Dated 04 April 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 316 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.)
THRIFT AND PAROPAKAARAM
1. Thrift is an essential personal quality, which enables us to live within means and be able to help others. If we start making non-essential luxuries and material benefits in to necessities, we will only end up copying the so called western developed nations and never be satisfied. Then we can not do real Daanam and Dharmam, because they will only be so many heads under which we will be trying to fit in 'Tax Deductibles' in the accounts books.
2. We need a motor cycle to be able to move. Then we need a car. Then we need a bigger car, air conditioned with power windows, power steering, and all other modern facilities. We need a roof over our heads. A house could cost you from a lac or two to a few crores of rupees, as you up the ante from cement to mosaic to tiles to marbles; and white washing with lime to oil based distemper; airy and breezy to air conditioned; and so on! The more conveniences we go for, we run the risk of the greatest inconvenience of never knowing what is satisfaction! Not only that. However much one may earn, it will never be enough! That is why all rich people are in debt. They call it in a respectable way as over draft and or deficit financing! If one is already indebted, how can he ever think of doing Dharmam?
3. The pathetic condition existing is that, on the one hand, the person who is carefully thrifty, is too miserly who neither enjoys nor lets others enjoy. The spend thrift on the other hand is running after more and more comforts that. he is in debt and so can never extend a hand in help! (Periyaval could not have been talking about the economic melt down that we are facing presently. But his analysis is very close to the truth! The Western countries, especially the US of A, are a classic example of the entire population, individuals, corporate world, industries, and the Government; being in debt!) If only everyone follows the lofty ideal of controlling expenditure, so as to be able to save, so that he may be able to help others of the society! That is Punyam, that is peace and that is social service to humanity at large! Unless one is carefully controlling one's own spending, he can never save to be able to help others. Modern scientists are stressing the importance of conserving the earth's resources as against over exploitation, as the earth's resouces are not unlimited!
4. The Dharma Kshetra being mentioned in the first sloka of Bhagawat Gita, is this human body! For an agricultural land to be productive, it needs fertility of the earth, suitable manure, weather and irrigation or rains. What is the similar input in to the human system? Good food, working body parts, functional sense organs, brains and intelligence! In this body that is the cultivatable land the crop to be sown and grown is Dharma. Thus the body becomes the 'Dharma Kshetra'. When one is fit enough physically to be able to do hard work and has a logically thinking buddhi i.e., brain, is the right time for cultivation, that is the sowing or planting season. To let the weeds grow uncontrolled is similar to incurring unbridled expenditure. To look at the weeds and feel very happy is similar to being thrilled with our preoccupation with material luxuries and facilities. As we carefully remove the weeds, we should cut down our unnecessary expenditures.
5. To be in debt is equally bad for individuals, organizations and nations! Thrift is not for oneself, but to save for others sake. Similarly, we should avoid taking loans so as to be able to help others. Otherwise, we work hard to pay back a loan or take another loan to pay back an old one and so on, becoming a habitual loan taker. Thus we create a sense of 'abhaava' i.e., scarcity in our selves. When such is the case, how can we ever be in a position to help others? Adi Sankara Acharyal in 'Prasnottara Ratna Malika' a book in the form of questions and answers, asks the question, "How do we become unclean? 'kimiha aasoucham bhavet?" " Suchi is clean. Asuchi is inclean. Aasoucham is unclean condition (11 days after a death in the family or a child birth, known as 'theettu',) unsuitable for divine activities. Here the disciple is asking the question and the Guru answers, "To be indebted is being unclean!" To say it in the Sanskrit, 'runam nrunam'. runam means debt. nrunaam means for human beings. The biggest unclean state for human beings is to be indebted, says the Acharyal! Why did he say so?
6. What do we do at the time of 'theettu'? At these times we do not do anything of importance. Of course now-a-days people do not bother about such traditional restrictions, calling them all as superstitions and participate in all sorts of activities, including visit to temples! In the bargain we are seeing a lot of aberrations such as new and new diseases of exotic origins, accidents during religious festivals and natural calamities which are rather unnatural! Let me explain the meaning of what Acharyal has written, based on our practices in vogue till as late as some 50 years back. Those are the customs and traditions which were prevalent five decades back as well as two thousand years back, at the time of our Acharyal.
7. When a person is in 'theettu', others would not come near him. For that period he becomes an 'untouchable'! If you happen to touch him or her, you have to take a bath to cleanse yourself. The same thing happens when some one is in debt. People avoid him as they are afraid of the fact that he may 'touch' you for another loan! He also hides and evades, afraid of being caught by the one who has given the loan! So as not to be identified, he would go about hiding his face from being noticeable to the public, covering his face by some means or the other. Thus he becomes an untouchable of his own volition!
8. One man's bad habit of taking loans troubles every body else too. Kambar's classic phrase, "kadan pattaar nenjam pol kalanginaan lankai vendan", to mean, 'the King of Lanka felt demeaned like a man in debt!' The occassion was when Ravana had been virtually defeated and disarmed with his entire army killed or scattered. It was already evening time. Rama told him to go back home and come back to fight another day! He had been given a reprieve like a begger being given alms, by his enemy who after all was a mere human being!
9. The man in debt is afraid of the man who has given the loan and tries to avoid meeting him in person. He lies, aviods and evades. If he can not earn enough money to return the loan, he may be tempted to steal or rob or adopt some other unfair means! The one who has given the loan is also in great quandry only! He is the greater sufferer in the modern times. That is why one of the most often used curse word in Tamil is 'Kadan kaaraa!' This word can be applicable to the one who has taken a loan as well as the one who has given a loan!
(To be continued)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 72 (Vol # 3) Dated 01 April 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 72 (Vol # 3) Dated 01 April 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 311 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.)
34. So, instead of simply concentrating on that one God, this Hindu religion has given its followers a multi layered tasking of taking care of Deva-s, Pithru-s, other human beings and many other life forms small and big that, the Hindu if he does all his ordained duties ends up as the most prolific contributor for Paropakaaram. God appreciates this contribution of his for social service and bestows on him the highest wisdom of 'Atma Gnaana'! That is the reason for the fact that Hindu Religion spins off more Mahatma-s than can all the world's religions put together! Another way of saying this is that, since in this religion the majority of people are taking care of so many of the other life forms uncared for by other religions, that in recognition of its contribution, God creates a greater percentage of people who go for the Ultimate Reality!
35. There is another way of looking at it. God is the ruling, administrating, organizing Power in being. All the other Deities and various life forms are part of the divine beuracracy. So evidently, the King would not be interested in every Tom, Dick and Harry, approaching Him for every odds and sorts of minor matters! We know God to be Omniscient with unlimited capabilities. It is man who has to be trained in approaching God. For minor benefits, man has to be trained to approach the minor powers in being. Till he goes beyond his natural tendency and pre-occupation with the world and its affairs, he has to approach only these minor office bearers.
36. He has clarified this beyond any doubt in the Bhagawat Gita (B.G.). “Pack up all other Dharma-s and take refuge in Me” He says, in the 18th Chapter. This has become famous world over. But before this, He has said in the 7th Chapter of the same Bhagawat Gita, “To satisfy many of their desires, people approach many of the other Devata-s. On those occassions, it is I who instills their firm belief in those Gods! The devotee should realize that I am the indweller in those Gods too, lest he remains stuck at that limited level of satisfaction! But, the devotee who knows that, through all those Gods, he is addressing Me only, eventually attains to Me!” It is worth remembering here that the final position of Visishtadwaitam and Adwaitam is beyond even the comprehension let alone attainment, of most of the Sadhaka-s i.e., perseverers!
37. So, what is said in the 18th Chapter of the B.G. is for the rarest of rare, that is, 'leave all other Gods and surrender to me'. What is said in the 7th Chapter is for the 'half way stage Sadhaka-s'. For people like you and me, He talks not even touching the fact of His being the Indweller in all Gods, much earlier in the 3rd Chapter of the B.G., “At the time of creation Brhma created two species, Human beings and Divine beings. They are to be mutually inter dependent and supportive, 'parasparam bhaavayanta:', thereby attaining to high advantage. For this reason were created mehtods and means for Humans to do Yagna-s for propitiating the Deva-s.” 38. For life on Earth, it is the Gods who provide, Sunshine, Air, Fire, Rains and so on. By the conduct of Yagna-s we are to fulfill their requirements and they in turn provide our needs and necessities. Their is a mutual Give and Take contract here. Those who enjoy these benefits without 'Deva Pooja' are actually thieves! They are not eating food but Sin! Thus the same Krishna who ends advicing, “Surrender only unto Me”...'maam ekam saranam vraja'.., recommends, propitiating all Gods and Devata-s, for people like you and me! 39. Thus Hindu religion recommends a structured custom made approach for each individual, mainly related to that individual's level of understanding and maturity! The purpose is to successively but gradually, raise the individual to the highest levels of maturity, of oneness with God! The non differenciation of 'Jeeva-Brhma abhedam' comes at the end. Before that is the 'multi theism' and 'Pithru Aaradana'. Before all that is the basic moral duties of every member of the society. Without understanding all this, I am afraid people from other religions are too quick to level charges of lack of sophistication and liberal mindedness!

40. Having clarified the situation, let me stress the need for humility. Our minds are capable of very subtle thoughts and our brains are capable of a very fine comprehension. But that is not to give us head-weight! The human beings may be endowed with very fine mental brilliance and effulgence. But with all that, it is still limited. Between God and ourselves, there are many subtle life forms and powers in being. Thus Kaththavarayan and Karuppannan and such deities are also important. That is why on certain days of the year, such deities were venerated by all people irrespective of castes.
41. Similarly, the Dharma Sastra-s having given all their directions and injunctions go on to say, “That is not the end of all instructions. On occassions of quandry, you may have to take advice from, old ladies and old people of the fourth and fifth castes”! This clearly proves that their advice and propitiation of all village deities were accepted and agreeable to the Saastraa-s. We believe in propitiating the whole range of life forms in being as God's creations! We try and pacify the make them beneficial to all. If people without understanding end up criticizing, we are not to think low of our own religion.
42. All their criticism to me looks like Certificates of Merit! The same religion which extols Adwaitam, is also accommodating 'multi theism' and 'Pithru pooja'. It is able to carry all sorts of people of different gradations of maturity and sophistication, with equal felicity. That is why, Paropakaaram as a concept, instead of remaining restricted to taking care of human beings only, has gone on to include all life forms in its ambit, in Hinduism! That results in benefits not only to this country but to the whole world. That is the reason for there being more Saints and Sages in this country. That is the reason for this religion becoming popular all over the world, irrespective of caste, creed, nationality and languages!
Sambhomahadeva.