DEIVATHIN KURAL # 155 (Vol #3) Dated 28 Nov 2009.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 155 (Vol #3) Dated 28 Nov 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 para on page No 709 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.

14. In observing the directions of our religion as of now, the pleasure that we get out of feasts during festivals, bhajans, dance and drama related to devotional music and doing Murthy Puja in temples and home; is not so easily available or noticeably seen to be available in the other end of the spectrum, that is, in mounam, dhyanam, meditation, vratam and such activities. In some odd corner of our minds, we have an idea that, though we do not know this, there must be some sense in doing what our fore fathers have done and what is mentioned in our saastraa-s; and so we are able to do these things. When we do so over a sustained period of time, moderation comes in, on its own!
15. When we mature in doing so, slowly what was not known starts becoming known. What is slightly discernible only to our intuition, that is, the the state of being completely submerged in the Paramatma becomes ‘sahaja’ that is, natural. Our ‘aham kaara’, ‘aham bhava’ is so erased that we do not even notice the fact of losing our seperateness.
16. In Bhagawat Gita, Bhagawan Sri Krishna advices us to avoid the extremes and follow the middle path in all our endevours, in Sloka 16 and 17 of Chapter 6. “naatyasnatastu yogo asti na cha ekaantamanasnata: I na chaati swapna sheelasya jaagrato na eva cha arjuna II yuktaahaara vihaarasya yukta cheshtasya karmasu I yukta swapnaavabhodhasya yogo bhavati du:khahaa II” The meaning of the two Sloka-s is given here. “Glutton will not attain to Yoga, nor will it be available to one who is being harsh with his body by overly fasting all of the time! The lazy, sleepy, dreamy character will not attain to it, nor will it be available to one who is ceaselessly awake. Yoga which rids one of woe is accomplished by the person who is, regulated and balanced in performing actions, recreation, sleep and wakefulness.
17. The word used here for balanced is ‘yuktam’. Tamil word with this meaning is ‘usitam’ that is suitable. Yuktam and Yoga are both from the same root word, ‘yuj’. Yuj means the connection or link. To link Paramatma with Jeevatma is Yoga. The suitable link is, being balanced and that is ‘yuktam’!
18. To go to the extremes is human nature or bent of mind. When we try to tell the mind to be regulated, controlled and balanced, it is not able to do so. That is why the Saastraa-s tell us to go to the extremes alternately. If your mind does not want to stick to controlled diet and the tongue is not able to abide with that, Saastraa-s give you series of occassions to indulge in sensual gratifications through feasting in festivals! You are told to eat a varieties of items of, ‘shad raso bedham’.
19. Then to counter over indulgence, we are told to fast and or observe mouna vratam on certain days. Some days are meant for celebration by singing, dancing and shouting to your hearts content, and some other days reserved for being reserved! Some how everything is made divinely linked on the one hand and then you are told to serve the past generations by Pithru Karyam and serve the present generations by panchayatanam, vaisvedevam, feed the guests, animals and birds. Then you are told also to sit down and do Prana Yama, catching hold of your nose, controlling the breath, with the mind fixed on the idea that, “brhma + eva + aham + asmi”, meaning that I am the same as Brhma!
20. To compensate for the human tendency which is not able to follow the ‘via media’, our religion gives a mix of extremes for practice, thereby bringing us to the mid way mode! Upavasam balances out the feasting. Our effervescent singing and dancing is balanced by the Mounam. Thereby we are herded in to the balanced state of appropriate, suitable ‘Yuktam’!
21. Any resource, power or material is not to be misused. Neither is it to be kept under lock and key, not available for use! We have to use them for our own sake as well as that of the society. Of all the benefits that can be obtained, the highest is ‘Easwara Sakshat Karam’ that is, meeting face to face with God or Self Realization! For that also, this balanced approach is the most suitable. You have to find your level. Only when Jeevatma finds his level as water does, he can reach the ocean of Paramatma. The fact that only by the measured approach can one attain to the supreme truth, has been emphasized by Thiru Moolar in Thiru Mandiram with these words which has the power of a Mantra:- “kanakku arindaarku allaal kaana vonnaadadu kanakku arindaarku anril kai kooda kaatchi”
22. We have to be measured in all our activities, thoughts and speech including the words and tone we select to express ourselves. We should maintain a balance in our dress, food, expenses, with the essential minimum and stop there. We should avoid all wastages, over use and misuse. We can not be uncaring of others or the world. We cannot benefit at the cost of hurt to others! That mental discipline has to imbibed and reflect in all our thoughts, actions and speech.
23. In the present state in which we find ourselves, this balance is attained only by the practice of the two ends of the spectrum of our aachaaraa-s. Initially our practice of the anushtaanaa-s, our understanding of its effects, our calculations and awareness would all be not yet matured. But the two extreme ends will mutually balance out and compensate, bringing us to maturity and fruition of peace. Then all our actions, thoughts and words will automatically be measured, balanced and evened out, proving to be pointers for others.
24. Please note as to how much importance we have given to ‘ganitham’ that is maths and to accounts, in our education system. That importance should be given to the subject of maths and accounts, in our life too! Now-a-days, only money has that priority. Every office has an account section. Then there are so many Accountant General’s Offices related to every department of the Government.
(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.