DEIVATHIN KURAL # 173 (Vol #3) Dated 07 Jan 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 173 (Vol #3) Dated 07 Jan 2010.
(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 795 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://Advaitam. blogspot. com constantly updated.)

11. So that we may not get too tired in our day to day responsibilities of doing our duties, earning a livelyhood and making ends meet, I suppose our elders have included the apparent non-utility music, dance and drama in Gaandarva Vedam, so as to encourage us and give some respite from the humdrum monotony, to enable us to forget our loads of woe!

12. Why the Name of Gaandarva Vedam? There are many life forms not apparent to our eyes. One of the divine class of people amongst them are the Gandarva-s. Unseen by us but visible to the microscope are the germs. Invisible to the microscope also is electricity. What is not visible to the human eye is seen in X-ray vision. Similarly to the saints such as Rishi-s, Yogi-s and Muni-s with extra sensory perception, these Gandarva Jaathi may be visible.

13. These Gandarva-s are known to be spending all of their time in dressing up beautifully, singing, dancing, decorating, showering flowers, playing in-door and out-door games, shadow play, puppetry and such things. For each such activity, the 'Adhishtana Devata' are Gandarva-s only.

14. The total of such arts is supposed to be 64, 'chatush-shashti-kala'. In Lalita Sahasranama, She has two names as "chathush shashti upachaaraadya chathush shashti kalaa mayee", meaning 'revered through 64 methods of hospitality and embodiment of 64 arts!' All possible methods of entertainment will be found to be included in these 64 kalaa-s. For this Lalita Sahasranama, Bhaskara Raya has written a Bhashyam, that is considered most valuble and authoritative. After referring to all old related texts, he has defined and listed all the 64 'upachaaraa-s' and 'kalaas'.

15. First the Upachaaraas:- 1. Paadyam, water for the feet. 2. Aabharanaavaropanam, removal of jewels. 3. Sughandha taila abhyanga:, smearing with scented oil. 4. Majjana shaalaa pravesha:, entry in to the bathing hall. 5. Majjana mandapa mani peetopaveshanam, being seated on the jewelled seat in the bathing platform. 6. Divya snaaniyodvartanam, being dusted with scented powder. 7. Ushnodaka snaanam, bathing in warm water. 8. Kanaka kalasa chyuta sakala teerta abhishekha:, bathing with waters from various sacred sources brought in golden pots. 9. Douta vastra parimaarjanam, being dryed with a clean dry towel. 10. Aruna dukoola paridaanam, decorating with red saree. 11. Aruna dukoola kuchottareeyam, being covered by a red cloth on the breasts. 12. Aalepa mandapa pravesha:, entering the anointing hall. 13. Aalepa mandapa mani peeta upaveshanam, being seated in the jewelled platform in the anointing hall. 14. Chandana-agaru-kunkuma-sangu-kapoora-kasturi-gorocanaadi divya ganda sarvaanga vilepanam, being smeared all over the limbs of the body with, sandal wood paste, amyris, reddened ochre, sangu an odoriferous bark, musk, camphor, kasturi another musk from the civet cat, gorocanaa a yellow pigment from the hump of the cow. 15. Kesa bhaarasya kaalaagaru dhoopa:, perfuming the hair-locks with the smoke of the kaala agaru. 16. Mallika maalati jaati champaka ashoka shatapatra pooga kudmali punnaga kahlaara mukhya sarvartu kusuma maalaa:, garlanding with flowers of fragrance of all seasons such as, jasmine, maalati, jaati, champaka, asoka, roses of all colours, areca buds, punnaga and kalhaara. 17. Bhushana mandapa praveshanam, entering the jewellery hall. 18. Bushana mandapa mani peetopaveshanam, being seated in the jewelled seat in the hall of ornaments. 19. Navamani mukutam, wearing the crown of nine gems. 20. Chandrasakalam, wearing the crescent moon shaped crown. 21. Seemanta sinduram, placing red sindura on the forehead. 22. Tilaka ratnam, Forehead dot of a gem. 23. Kaalaanjanam, black collyrium for the eyes. 24. Phaaliyugalam, twin circlets on the nostrils. 25. Mani kundala yugalam, pair of jewelled ear-rings. 26. Naasaabharanam, nose-stud. 27. Adhara yaavakam, applying red-lac to the lips. 28. Prathama bhushanam, wearing the main ornament i.e., the Mangalya Sutra. 29. Kanaka chintaakam, Golden necklace. 30. Padaka:, pendant. 31. Maha Padaka:, larger pendant. 32. Muktaavali:, pearl neck-lace. 33. Ekaavali:, a singlular strand of pearls. 34. Channa veeram, an ornament worn as an X, across on the chest. 35. Keyura yugala chatushtyam, pair of two bangles on each hand worn high up over the biceps, numbering four totally. 36. Valaya aavali:, series of bangles. 37. Urmika aavali:, series of rings in the fingers. 38. Kaanchi daama, waist belt of gold with small bells. 39. Katisutram, the inner girdle around the waist. 40. Sowbhagya aabharanam, auspicious ornament. 41. Paada katakam, bangles for the feet. 42. Ratna noopuram, jewelled anklets. 43. Paada anguleeyakam, rings for the toes. 44. Eka kare paasa:., one hand with the noose. 45. Anya kare ankusa:, other hand holding the goad. 46. Itara kare pundrekchu chaapa:, third hand holding the sugar cane bow. 47. Apara kare pushpa bhaana:, fourth hand holding the arrow of flowers. 48. Sriman maanikya paaduke, pair of jewelled auspcious sandals. 49. Swa samaana veshaabhi: aavarana devataabhi: saha maha chakra adhi: aarohanam, entering the great Sri Chakra attended by equally anointed, dressed and decorated 'aavarana' deities. 50. Kameswara anka paryanka niveshanam, sitting on Kameswara's lap. 51. Amrutasava chashaka:, cup holding the nectar. 52. Aachamaneeyam, sipping water. 53. Karpooraveetica, scented betel. 54. Aanandollaasa vilaasa haasa:, smile of happy bliss. 55. Mangala aaraartikam. auspicious saffron-water waved in front. 56. Chatram, umbrella. 57. Chaamara yugalam, pair of whisks made of the hairs of chamari deer. 58. Darpana:, showing of mirror. 59. Taala vruntam, palmyra fan. 60. Ganda:, smearing of sandal paste. 61. Pushpam, flowers at her feet. 62. Dhoopa:, incense. 63. Deepa:, light. 64. Neivedyam, food offering.

16. Now About the 64 Kalaa-s. 1. Knowing the alphabets of 18 languages. 2 & 3. Knowing reading and wrting those without delay. 4. The art of drawing. 5. Knowing the meaning of several languages. 6. Writing poetry in them. 7. Lecturing in them. 8. Gambling. 9 to 12. Knowing the four veda-s. 13 to 16. Knowing the four auxilary Veda-s. 17 to 28. Knowing the twelve Saastraa-s. 29. Knowing Tantra-s, Purana-s, Smiriti-s. 30. Knowledge about Poetry, Aesthetics and Drama. 31 to 36. The black arts of Pacifying, Controlling, Attracting, Enemity, Ruining and Killing. 37 to 43. Stultifying the effect of motion, water, sight, fire, weapons, speech and semen. 44. Sculpture. 45 to 48. Training elephants, horses, chariots and men. 49. The science of divination of bodily marks. 50. Wrestling. 51. Gastronomy. 52. Science of curing effects of poison. 53. Playing stringed instruments. 54. Playing wind instruments. 55. Playing percussion instruments. 56. Keeping time with cymbals. 57. Indrajaala or creating illusion. 58. Dance. 59. Singing. 60. Alchemy. (Converting all that you touch in to Gold.) 61. Evaluating precious gems. 62. Art of theft. 63. Knowledge of reading pulse or naadi. 64. Disappearance.

17. Thus all that is covered by the Gaandarva Veda come under the the second list of 'chathus shashti kalaa mayee'! Some of the effects of those things in the second list are practically seen in the 64 Upachaaraa-s, by which Ambal is revered. Veda-s, Upaveda-s, six darshana-s of Sankhyam, yoga, the 18 vidya sthana-s, riding the elephants, horses, aakarshanam, tiraskaranam, indra jaalam, naadi saastram, garuda saastram for reducing the effects of poison, to be able to read 'saamudrika lakshana', ando so on; are all included. Sense of aesthetics, fair evaluation of music, dance and drama; both the defining marks of the profession of a critique are part of this. Chains, necklaces, garlands, jewellery making and assessing, evaluation of gems, hair styling, massaging, to teach the birds to speak, create and sustain youthfulness, quizzing, puzzles creation and solving, are all there in this. To start a song with the last word of the previous singer, known as, 'andaadi' (anta is end, aadi is start)! One person gives out a line of a poem with some hidden meaning, the other completes the poem, in a manner correct as per the rules of literature, rhyme and reason, while answering the hidden idea, known as 'samasya poornam'. The modern journalism of reporting on news, events, business and entertainment, with its cross words, fill in the blanks, word puzzles, sudoku, cartoons and political comments are all part of this 'Chitra - vichitra' gaandarva vidya only! To speak with verbal wit, pun on words, rhyming, versifying; to bring in vichitram in actions, speech, singing, play on words, or with swara-s in music is all part of this great art of living happily, creating happiness touching on the sense of wonder in others, is all part of Gaandarva Veda!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.