DEIVATHIN KURAL # 128 (Vol #3) Dated 22 Sept 2009.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 128 (Vol #3) Dated 22 Sept 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 the last few lines on page 564 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.)

Going Beyond The Three Guna-s.

28. The one who has risen above the three Guna-s, would be in Nirvana or Samadhi, in a natural way, with no assumed airs about him. He knows himself very well. He also knows that it is that one ‘I’ or Self, that is all that is! We ordinary human beings have some hazy notion of who or what we are. We are all mostly identifying ourselves with this body. The phrase in Sanskrit for that is, ‘deha aatma buddhi’, all the wrong notions about ourselves arises from that original sin of wrong identification! But the one in ‘sahaja samaadhi’ , with no thought to separateness, considers himself as a tool in the hands of the powers that be, for universal well being. He is capable, efficient and extremely hard working, much more than any man of the Rajo Guna. What we do with attachment and involvement, he will do much more, efficiently with apparent indifference.

29. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the three Guna-s and the stage described above is called, ‘Tureeya’ or ‘Gunateeta’ stiti. This is the true, real state, much talked about in Saankhya Saastra. Deliberating on the three Guna-s or qualities or attributes, Bhagwan Sri Krishna advices Arjuna in B.G. 2.45., “nis thrai gunyo bhava” - ‘go beyond the three guna-s’! There is a full chapter, the 14th, ‘guna thraya vibhaga yoga:’, in which He clearly defines the nature of the three qualities.

30. Then in the 16th Chapter of the B.G., he dwells on “daiva asura sampat vibhaga yoga:”, that is, The Yoga of the Division between the Divine and the Demoniacal. Whatever He says in describing the Divine Qualities are all either Sattva or Gunateeta. The Asura or Demoniacal qualities are all a combination of Rajas and Tamas! Then there is yet again a 17th Chapter on, “sraddha traya vibhaga yoga:”, ‘The Yoga of the Division of the Threefold Faith’, in which He says that, depending on which of three Guna-s are predominant, all our actions of ‘pooja, Yagna, tapas, daana and so on’, can also be classified as, divine or demoniacal! Then He comes to a discussion of how food is also contributive towards the three types or natures!

31. Here He gives a detailed description of ‘Aahaara’ in relation to the preferable ‘Saattveeka’ Guna. Pure food increases the vitality and strength of those who eat it. It augments the energy of the mind also. Saattvic food produces cheerfulness, serenity and mental clarity and helps the aspirants to enter into deep meditation and maintain mental poise and nervous equilibrium. It supplies the maximum energy to the body and mind. It is easily absorbed and assimilated. A Saattvic man relishes juicy food and other foods attractive in form, soft to touch and pleasant to taste, which are small in bulk but great in nourishment like the words from the lips of a spiritual preceptor. Saattvic food is highly conducive to good health.

32. Eat that food which will develop Sattva in you. Milk, butter, fresh, ripe fruits, almonds, green pulses, barley, parval, tinda, torai, karela, plantains, etc are Saattvic. Abandon fish, meat, eggs etc., ruthlessly if you want to increase Sattva and attain Self - realization. The mind is formed by the subtle portion of the food. It is said that, ’As is the food so is the mind’! If you take Saattvic food, the mind also will be Saattvic.

33. The seven elements (Dhatu-s) of the body (namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen) are formed out of food. Ideas and concepts are generated in the mind corresponding to these seven elements. As is the constitution of these elements so is the constitution of the mind, which again in turn depends on the food intake.

34. I was trying to make you understand as to what is meant by the word, ’Saattveekam’ and I had to explain about all the three qualities or Guna-s. Amongst them, the highest is ’Sattva’. The controlled, peaceful, balanced, considerate, loving, and unagitated mind is indicative of Sattva. Above that too is the ‘Gunaateeta’ or ‘Manoteeta’ or ‘mano nigraha:’ level. All that is beyond our comprehension. Let us first aim at ‘Sattva’! Only after that, much later is the maturity into the ‘beyond’. Let it happen when it does. Let us make it possible by doing the ground work for ‘Sattva’, first!

35. For the ‘Sattva’ noun, ‘Saattveekam’ is the adjective in Sanskrit. I used the word ‘suddha Aahaaram’, which is not only clean and hygienic, served in clean and steamed cutlery and crockery, but also, food that is predominantly ‘Saattveekam’. That is the main requirement for any progress in the spiritual path!

36. This is the reason that it is preferable to have food cooked and served by the hands of Mother and or Wife. However many questions raise here too. Generally they are likely to be loving and kind towards their children/husband! The food cooked and served by them is rendered clean and ‘Saattvic’, because of that. But, at the time of cooking and serving, are their minds overflowing with their love and kindness towards their wards / spouse? If their minds are preoccupied with irritation and hate towards anyone, it is likely to affect the quality of food too!

37. So, even if it is Mother and or Wife, who is the cook /servers, there is cause to be doubly careful here too! (To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.