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.