DEIVATHIN KURAL # 100 (Vol # 3) Dated 19 June 2009

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 100 (Vol # 3) Dated 19 June 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 457 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.)

46. There was a proverb in vogue to the effect that, ‘come what may, we should not be sleeping with our heads towards North!’ As usual we rediculed all our old habits and beliefs and so this was yet another cause for a dig at our ways, as recently as some two decades back. Now people have come to realise that in the human body, maximum electro magnetic activity are centered around the brain and spinal cord, forming the nervous system. The Earth itself is a magnet with a powerful flux around the North Pole. When you lie in your bed with the head towards North, the small magnetic field around your body is in some way adversely affected by the bigger magnetic field of the Earth. It has been found by the scientists that this can lead to avoidable aberrations of the human brain! This has not yet been analysed fully.

47. However it is noticed that when you sit for Japa, Dhyana and or meditation, it is best done facing the North. In the English language, mind is said to be the seat of awareness, thought, volition and feeling. In Sanskrit, this mind is identified variously as, ‘manas, chitta, buddhi and ahankara’ with different functions. In sleep the body is tired. The buddhi and manas without being under our control, imagines all sorts of things causing the dreams. At such times if this small human magnet is affected by the earth’s magnetism, imbalances are likelyto occur.

48. Whereas when you sit down for meditation, though we may not be able to keep our minds under control, as the intension is divine, God who is all natural universal powers makes the magnetism of the Earth beneficial to us humans! The same electrical power which gives us shock when imperfectly connected, can do many useful functions when properly connected. Similarly there is much difference in the passage of Prana Shakti, between the power centers of the body while asleep and while sitting for meditation. So when you face towards North, you are getting the benevolent vibrations of all the Yogi-s and Gnani-s said to be in Mount Meru in the North. Thus our inner being spreads love and compassion without any apparent equipments for their broadcast. It is possible for the mind to mind contacts sans phones through telepathy! These things have now become acceptable to science. There is so much meaning in doing meditation facing towards North and not sleeping with ones head towards North!

49. But in Saastraa-s it would not talk about magnetism. In Purana-s there will be some allegorical story about this. It will say something like, 'there was a man living in a no-land country, who lived without life and went to sleep with his head towards North and so he died without death and his fame and name were never known to the world'. It will not dilate upon the scientific principles involved. A knife is useful for many things. But you should not be giving it to a child as a play thing! Similarly, all the scientific principles and their applications should not be made known to all. We are to think of these stories of Purana-s also to be true in some not easily understood ways. Purana-s include the known and some not yet known principles of science also!

50. As more and more ideas and cocepts not known earlier become known to science, more and more rituals which were the cause for ribald jokes, become matters for surprise, admiration and appreciation! Drinking bed-coffee without brushing one's teeth, wearing suit and coat without taking a bath are all against the atmospheric conditions of this country, that can only lead to sweat, dirt and diseases. Saastraa-s are not only meant for preventing diseases; but it is the medicine for the most dreaded disease of repeated birth and deaths. That this is the most important effect of Saastraa-s, is never to be lost sight of! If the only reason for observing the aachaaraa-s is it's concern with health, then we are likely to observe those suitable for good health and let go by default those not so suitable.

51. For example, when there is a gathering of many people for some reason, there is a likelyhood of infection. So it is good to cleanse oneself with a bath when you come back home. This is an acceptable habit recommended by Aachaaraa. But when you meet for 'Rathotsavam', where a mass of people are involved in the massive task of pulling the huge temple chariot with 'Utsava Moorthy' around the outer environs of the temple, you are not to wash of the dirt, with a bath! Here the Saastraa-s are contrary to the requirements of hygiene! In the temple pond, however full it my be of moss, you are not to hesitate in taking a bath. However dirty,a Mahan's (great human being's) dust of his feet is welcome to be sprinkled over oneself! There is a custom that where Bhagawatha-s (those poets and singers who happen to be devotees of Vishnu), have partaken their food, people used to wallow in the left overs to smear their bodies with it! That was the level of veneration extended to the devotees of God! These aachaaraa-s cannot be very acceptable to the rules of health and hygiene!

52. Aachaaram is meant for 'Punyam', spiritual merits. That is not within the comprehension of Buddhi and Science. Not to keep physically touching others in day to day activities, keeping a distance form others, not to eat anything in a house where there has been a death, to wash one's clothes after visiting a patient; are all Aachaaraa-s highly appreciated by Dr. King I.M.S. ( Like the I.A.S., there used to be this all India Medical Services. )

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.