DEIVATHIN KURAL # 82 (Vol # 3) Dated 04 May 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 82 (Vol # 3) Dated 04 May 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 359 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.)
62. From where they are, adjusting to the state of development of their minds, slowly you have to guide them towards higher and higher goals. Saastraa-s are meant to progressively mature and refine their minds, finally leading to a state of perfect equi- poise and clarity. Enroute there are many not essentially spiritual but banal materialistic returns which are also made available, so as to prevent you from getting carried away in their direction! By this process, they get some of their intended returns as well as, getting the unintended 'Chitta Shuddhi', which is like a by-product initially and the intended end-product finally.
63. Even when you go for worldly aims initially you do get to the final aim of 'Chitta Shuddhi'. What have I been saying all the while, in the past six e-mails? I have been telling you that for the sake of worldly equality and material benefits, to try and change the religious traditions is being irresponsible leading to further pollution of the mind. There seems to be some contradiction here. Let us look at it more closely!
64. Three Types of View Points. One view is that the Religion is meant to enable you to get all worldly benefits upto a certain stage. Through that you raise to higher levels. So there is no need for any reform. Another view is that Religion is meant for the highest esoteric level of the Atma and it's realization; so, all other abstruse rituals and procedures should be got rid of. Third is that Religion should be co-opting material advancement, self respect and should be more amenable to logic, reason, and scientific outlook! Whatever is contrary to this in the Religion should be eradicated,refined and reformed! That is, within the felt need for refom there are two views. One is that, the Religion should be so reformed as to make the 'Atma Anubhava' available to all and sundry! The other is to put an end to these talks of 'Atma' and such subjects, not within the purview of reason and logic! But in the aspect of equality between man and man, the latter two are in agreement with each other. So far in my talks, I have been treating these reformers at par, thereby making an error. Now I have a better understanding, which I wish to share with you! Set aside the party which disapproves of Hindu Religion per say. We are talking about the two sides both of which profess social equality for all as well as being anti-Aachara; one for aims of Atma Lakshyam and the other for material, this worldly Lakshyam!
65. The latter mentioned side which professes Equality amongst all human beings and is Anti-Aachara; is all political. Their reps talk of Labour / Student / Women's movements, but they are mainly interested in the political power. In Independent India, people have come to realize the enormous opportunities for exploitation available in the field of politics. That has been the ulterior motive for all. Though they very well know about the differences between social aims and political aims, knowingly or unknowingly everything has become political. We have Indianised Democracy and corrupted it. We have the greatest amount of freedom in this country, upto some extent. If we have the freedom to do good, we also have the freedom to do bad, more than the sort of freedom available in any other part of the world! It is our bad luck that when the not so very bad have refrained from politics as something to be kept at arm's length, the not so very good have taken to politics as fish to water! Let it be so.
66. These social reformers, having set aside the traditional old duties and Achara-s, have got the people highly interested in more and more material advancement, through hook or crook! As part of the process, strikes, demonstrations, disturbances, physical pitched battles, looting and arson; have become a day-to-day affair! These things are also 'Karyam or Karma'. But, how vast the difference between these 'Karma-s' and the 'Karma-s' mentioned in the Saastraa-s such as, Sandya Vandanam, Surya Namaskaram, Archana, Pooja, Yaaga-s and Yagnas, done with a holy attitude with God's blessings and grace in the mind! Both are addressed towards worldly advantages only. While one is a destructive force, the other is a constructive one of peace, harmony and sacrifice. You be the judge and decide as to which is the better 'Karma', to be retained and which one to reform and done away with!
67. The difference lies in the attitude and perspective. When you do business or your profession or house-hold duties, with a sense of humility and beholdenness towards, God, the Deities, ancestors, elders and Saastraa-s; there is a clear acceptance of your part in the cosmic whole! When you do these very things with the sole purpose of selfishness and personal profit, there is a qualitative difference in the approach. In one you are using the very natural forces for understanding and comprehension of that which is beyond as well as within all dimensions of time and space! This-worldly benefits are automatically incidental! In the other approach, you are mainly interesteed in exploitation.
68. When Saastram says do things within these parameters, we refrain from exploitation, wastage and indiscipline. The under current of belief and trust in God, the inherent humbleness and order, causes our minds to be cleansed. As we progress on the path, you grow and mature in to a stage where you could not care less for the minor gains and pleasures of life. Your goal of life refines in to nobler levels. That is the reform needed towards individual perfection. You will agree that between unbounded greed and crass selfishness as suggested by the reformers and the disciplined approach of the traditional Achara-s, there is a vast difference, as between the high pinnacles of the mountains and the nether reaches of the gutters! Now, you be the judge and say as to who needs to be reformed?
69. Thus doing things with ones thoughts centered on God with a trust in the traditional methods is vastly different from, functioning sans reference to God or traditions sans discipline, direction or principles, purely motivated by narrow selfishness! While the former starts the process of 'cleansing one's mind', the latter makes one more and more self centered uncaring for morality and humaneness. I will give you a small example.
70. Let us say that we do some Karma as directed in the Saastraa-s, with proper Aaachara. But the intended purpose is not served for some reason. We do not become frustrated immediately and lose all faith in the system. We console ourselves somehow that we cannot undo the effects of our own Karma and carry on! In a similar situation when our efforts are a failure in the political fields, our reaction is one of further agitations, strikes, bundhs causing destruction! Think of what happens to the 'Chitta Shuddhi' aspect on both the above scenarios!
71. Continuing with the same logic, let us see as to what happens when there is success instead of failure. We did some pooja or prayed in a temple or did some specific Yaaga and got the desired result like some promotion or appointment or clinched a contract. One the one hand we are thankful and show our gratitude by some donation to charity or something like that. But we are shy of repeatedly going back to God for these gains of worldly life. We upgrade our aims and refine our need to demand more and more favours and say, "God! Your's will be done. Why should I keep pestering you with demands?" (To be continued.) Sambhomahadeva.