DEIVATHIN KURAL # 121 (Vol #3) Dated 27 August 2009.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 121 (Vol #3) Dated 27 August 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 the 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 533 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.)

231. Now-a-days it has become the custom in South India to calll only those brahmins who do the Karya-s for others and take Dakshina in return as 'Vaidika-s'. This is a misnomer and an aberration. First of all, brahmins also have to earn in some way to cater for the creature comforts of themself and their families. That is their profession as well as livelihood. Other brahmins have come to adopt other professions. There are brahmins in the Army, Air Force, Navy and the Police; as well as in all walks of life. They do a reduced set of aachaaraa-s, as per their whims and fancies. So they cannot expect to be treated as deserving the respect and veneration due to their caste, which essentially comes of the brilliance and radiance that accrues by years of sincere 'Tapasya' of ascetic observance of the aachaaraa-s!

232. Those who are doing it as a profession, are not likely to be very sincere in the observance of the aachaaraa-s and so may not be able to bring forth perfection in their actions or evoke and command the respect from others. They are generally at the bad end of the butt of less than fair jokes! They get paid reluctantly and that too, less than even the waiter in clubs and hotels! When there are other jobs available, some opt for this not so very respectable job. We should be thankful to them that, they accept whatever Dakshina they get, and still contribute to the survival of Veda-s in this ambient atmosphere of aridity and disrespect!
233. Still, whatever the profession, when it is not being done with an innate keenness and avidity, it looses its charm and life! So when the Saastri or Vaadyaar are the only people noticeable as Vaidikaa-s, they do not command the respect due normally. Not all of them may be simply money minded. There are people in that profession too, some who are easily able to evoke a sense of respect from the community, by their brilliance and brightness that comes of their sincerity of purpose and application, in the practice of the Aachaaraa-s! But the fact still remains that the very word 'Vaidika', leads to an inferiority complex. That is because you see them only on rare occasions, when they come and do some thing whose value is not seen or known by the society and they get paid for it reluctantly with evident disrespect, but still accepted! It is like throwing bones to the dogs!

234. So, instead of being done as a profession for earning an income, we should all be living our life as per the Veda-s, following the Saastraa-s for the sake of their intrinsic value and the Aachaaraa-s in them observed for their innate purpose! We should all be doing that, not for any other ulterior motive. When that happens, all of us would be living life as per the Veda-s and we could all be considered as Vaidikaa-s! Simply abide with the Saastraa-s, not for Upaadyaayam, not for Purohitam or any other purpose. Those purposes will also be automatically be served.

235. Then that will be real. Then the power that fetched a position of eminence to India in all walks of life will become apparent once again! That power can speak once again. The entire lot of people of this country would be followers of the 'Sadh Aachaaraa-s', i.e., Good Conduct! In that the particular caste meant to sustain and propagate the Veda-s, will all be Vaidik-s. Then all the causes for feelings of upper / lower; jealousy and hate; will all vanish. Then and only then will there be real and true integration within the country.

236. To day, in the name of integration, in the name of up-lifting the downtrodden; what is happening is actually exploitation by differentiation. Real integration can come only from a sense of unity sans hate and jealousy. That can happen only by a clear decision on our part to pull together with all our might, towards one direction, with discipline. Otherwise, it will remain only a play of words by politicians for amassing the votes, to sustain themselves in power, so as to benefit themselves temporarily at, permanent loss to the entire social fabric!

237. I can foresee your likely reactions to my saying this. "How can everyone become a Vaidik, especially when considering the way the world is moving now! What is the use of talking about things completely impossible?" If you ask me like that, let me tell you something feasible and possible. But what I am going to tell you now, should be put into practice immediately.

238. There are some people presently called Vaidik, who are standing apart from the society. They are made to feel isolated by others on the one hand and on the other are feeling inferiority complex! I am interested in changing that state of affairs. Yes I agree that You cannot give up your school and college education. You cannot give up your company / office / businesses / trades /professions, as long as it is not skullduggery! Let them do their own thing. But let them spend an hour together as a family, everyday in the morning or evening in prayers.

239. Bathe, wear clean clothes, apply some Vibhuti ashes or Namam. Meet in a common place, do Veda Abhyasam or learn sloka-s or sing Bhajan-s. Others who are not brahmins, should also get fully integrated in this effort. There is an ocean of literature in all our Indian languages of exceptional literary and religious merit. For example, there is wonderful Thevaram, Thiruvasagam and Nalayira Divya Prabhandam in Tamil. These could be learnt by children of all castes. It is very important to inculcate this interest, from childhood. All children could learn Sanskrit too, since all the Saastraa-s are in that language only. Instead of listening to others' interpretation of, what is in our Saastraa-s, over a life time we can learn about the greatness of our religion, ourselves!

240. So the younger generation, though may not be able to follow a total Vaidik Aachaara Anushtaana procedure, will at least have some love and respect for our religious and cultural heritage! This arrangement may motivate at least some to adopt a 100% Vaidik package. The profession of Purohitam will regain relevance and respect. Those Saastry-s and Pundit-s of today, who are convinced that their profession is in the throes of death due to irrelevance and irreverence; may be motivated to let their sons continue the line!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.