DEIVATHIN KURAL # 91 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 May 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 91 (Vol # 3) Dated 24 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 the middle of page 404 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.)

11. If you have to believe in the Saastraa-s then there is no value in arguments. However much the logic in the arguments, whether we understand or not, we have to have faith that there may be truth in the Saastraa-s beyond our comprehension. When it is a matter of faith, it means that it may be beyond our brains and intellectual grasp. In things within our comprehension there is no need for any belief. The very word belief is used when the things are beyond direct evidence. So the belief in Saastraa-s, religion and God are all such that they are not necessarily within the ambit of understanding.

12. Having said so, instead of simply leaving at that unilaterally, let me give some of the logic also for saying that, even within the sub-divisions of the Hindu religion, one must stick to the traditions of the ancestors!

13. First question: Because of our convictions in the principled stands(siddhanta), can we shift between Adwaitam and Dwaitam and Visishtadwaitam? For that reason can we forego the traditional aachara-s of the family in which born? Answer: Conviction in the principled stands is entirely an inner understanding based on either a systematic study or a deep personal experience! That understanding should not be of a peripheral nature. One should be able give a detailed analysis of the logic as to why one has that conviction. This conviction may be due to that individual's 'poorva samskaara' i.e., the good actions of the past. No one can have an objection to this sort of deep inner convictions! But, now listen carefully to what I have to say. If some one develops that sort of a deep conviction on a principled stand ('siddhanta') of a different sub-division of the religion, it still does not mean that he has freedom or license to change or give up the Aacharaa-s to which born!

14. What is this? (Any Para 13 invariably leads to a quandary! That aside!) You are saying that it is acceptable if some one has or changes his belief in a different set of philosophy, but it is wrong to go against the traditional Aachaara-s to which born? There seems to be quite a bit of confusion here! Let us analyze this point in detail. On doing that we will see that there is no direct connection between Aachaaraa-s and inner convictions of Siddhanta! Though there is no direct connection, there is some indirect, long winded connections! When I say this, it does not mean that I have joined forces with the so called reformers of the Hindu Religion, against whose lack of logic I have been talking for the past so many days! Like them, I am not saying, “Siddhanta is a matter of inner convictions, for which there is no need for these outer signs and rituals.”

15. What I am saying now is that, in these Aachaara rituals, generally there is not much of direct connections with the inner convictions of Siddhanta! I have repeatedly emphasized that all the religious rituals are meant for the individual’s laundering of his own mind, which I called, ‘Chitta Shuddhi’! I did not say that these rituals are meant to enable a person to come to a clear understanding of Siddhanta. Whatever Sri Krishna Paramatma has said in the Bhagawat Gita and Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and Saiva Siddhanta Aachaaryaa-s, have talked about various signs to be worn on the body and the Karma-s to be done; are all meant for ‘Chitta Shuddhi’ and not for self realization of the Siddhanta!

16. Whatever the Siddhanta, to comprehend the truth of that aspect of philosophy, one has to attain to such maturity of the mind, free of dirt! That mind which is to reflect the Truth, cannot do so till it is dirty or shaking, whatever the Siddhanta. So, ‘Chitta Shuddhi’ is a pre-requisite in all these various schools of thought. The ‘Siddhi’ part of Siddhanta is directly dependent on obtaining of Chitta Shuddhi. That is done by these Aachaara Anushtana Karma-s. So my earlier statement that Siddhanta and Aachaara Anushtana Karma-s are not directly related; but through the eventual attainment of Chitta Shuddhi, which happens through Karma!

17. The point will be clearly understood shortly. There are many Siddhanta-s in the world. But the Karma-s are approximately similar. If we light up a oil lamp, another lights up a candle, in colder environs. We keep Chandrayana Vratham and the Muslim keeps Ramzan fast. The Pooja done in our temples is similar to what is done in Jain and Buddhist temples. Dwaitins and Visishtadwaitins have similar rituals for inscribing the signs on the body through heat! Their ‘Anubhava’ of Siddhanta do differ, despite the similarity in ritual. (Here this word Anubhava is to be understood as not simply experience but, as the inner conviction beyond the sensual experience!) Some of the present day Acharya-s say for Adwaita Anubhava, there should be no ritual what-so-ever. But they also do, as laid down by the Adwaita Aachaaryal-s and their Matam-s, as far as the rituals of bathing, eating, drinking, visit to temples and yatra, doing tarpanam for the pithru-s and so on. Whether Saiva or Vaishnava, there is no difference between them when it comes to abhisheka, archana and the 64 upachaaraa-s. May be one puts the Tulasi leaves and the other uses Bilva Patra! May be that one has a Saligramam and the other a Shiva Lingam! May be there is difference in the Neivedyam Menu! One keeps a sleepless fast on Siva Ratri and the other does it on Ekaadasi! But the purpose is the same - that of Chitta Shuddhi! Similarly the outer signs too; may be Vibhuti or Namam or Thiruman on the forehead; may be ‘madi-saar’ sari with a left or right twist; even with the Sannyasi, who has gone beyond all Do’s and Don’ts, there is Eka Dandam or Tri Dandam!

18. Despite being adherents of different Siddhanta-s, if we are doing similar rituals such as, Sandyavandanam, Pooja, Bhajan, Fasts, visit to temple towns and religious places of importance, obeisance to the Pithru-s and so on; what does it mean? One is that whatever the inner convictions of Siddhanta, similar basic Aachaara-s are still required. Second point is that Aachaaram and Siddhanta are not directly correlated. Third that minor changes in Aachaaraa-s does not make much of a difference. But without Aachara-s, there can be no understanding or comprehension of any of the Siddhanta-s! Till all his back log of demerits are cancelled, he has to carry on cleansing his self and his accumulated load to be laundered! All the Aachara-s are for this purpose only.

19. It does not matter as to whether he washes his load in the river or well water; in his own washing machine or gets it laundered in a shop for that purpose; Chitta Shuddhi he has to obtain! For that he better do it the way his ancestors have done, 'without disturbing the apple cart!' So, for the sake of Siddhanta, you do not have renege the Aachaaraa-s of the family in which one is born. "...poorvair aasrita: kuryaat...", need not be transgressed and become a fallen 'patitan'! You are welcome to genuinely accept any Siddhanta, if you sincerely convinced of the truth of that. The point is very clear. Aachaaraa-s are about outer behavior. We do not want to have apparent indiscipline there. Siddhanta-s are the inner convictions, which is purely personal and individual.

20. Initially Aachaaraa-s are meant for one's own ennoblement. Once you have attained to a certain clear levels of maturity, they are still required to be maintained and observed, for the sake of discipline in that community. Stick to your Kula Aachaaram even after attaining to your highest level of 'Chitta Shuddhi'. Once you have reached that, you do not have to be told, as you would have become a role model to be emulated! ( To be continued. ) Sambhomahadeva.