DEIVATHIN KURAL # 208 (Vol #3) Dated 07 April 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 208 (Vol #3) Dated 07 April 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. Today we are proceeding from page 974 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.)

17. Just by eating the Amrita He causes us to partake, thereby giving us immortality. That is why, in this form He is known as ‘Mukunda’, a name specially used only for Sri Krishna. In Ashtotra Sata Nama, we say, “Bhishma mukti pradayakaya nama:”, which means that He gave liberation to Bhishma. Rama also gave liberation from the cycle of repeated births followed by deaths, to Jatayu, when he was lying on the way, holding on to his life, after being mortally injured by Ravana, so as to inform Rama about the fact that Ravana had forcibly spirited Sita away in his Pushpaka Vimana.
18. So why should, only Krishna Paramatma be called Mukunda? The reason is that, only Krishna Paramatma, as a suckling baby, gave relief that is, ‘vimochanam’ to Putana who came to Him with the specific intention of killing Him. Then at the end of His physical life journey, the hunter who accidentally pierced Krishna’s leg with an arrow, thereby causing the end of His life journey as Krishna, a hunter named Jara, was also given ‘mukti’! In between, He gave liberation to many, including Sisupala, who spoke so crudely derogatively against Krishna in the full royal assembly! He is so full of abundant grace, kindness and compassion!
19 He eats butter in a great hurry. Cow is the most evolved of all ani-mals. The most important contribution of that animal is the milk. That milk matures in to curd. That matures into butter, which is His favourite food or ‘aahaaram’ Navaneetam. This ‘aahaaram’ or food is called ‘achanam’ a basic need. Another basic need is ‘sayanam’, that is, sleeping! Achanam is butter and sayanam is on banyan leaf. Even then he continues achanam by tasting the big toe of the left leg!
20. As the cow is the most advanced in evolution amongst animals, Banyan is the most evolved amongst ‘sthavara’ that is, species which are fixed on ground and so static. It is called ‘vata vruksham’ and also ‘nyakroda’, one of the names of Maha Vishnu in Vishnu Sahasranama. In the Sraddham done under the banyan tree in Gaya, specially mentioned as the ‘Akshaya Vatam’, departed souls are offered ‘pindam’! This is Karma Kanda. Dakshinamurthy silently imparting His advice of ‘Atma Gnaana’ is doing it under the Banyan Tree only. This is Gnaana Kanda.
21. Thus in both Gnaana and Karma Kanda, Banyan Tree known as Akshaya Vata is important! However much high the Karma may be, it is still related to the Maya of Non-Reality of the world. That is why after giving Markandeya a glimpse of what is Maya, He came and took the prone position on the Banyan leaf. The one Lakshmi Narayana on the Adisesha, the Father of Brhma, came as a baby suckling on His left toe! If His food the butter is indicative of end maturity, the banyan leaf is indicative of the starting point for all. First the sprouting of the leaf, then come the blooming of the flower, coming in to being of the fruit, later maturing into ripening of the fruit! From the tender banyan leaf, to the essence of all maturity the Navaneetam, He is all in all, everywhere, all of the time!
22. The ‘Aal + ilai = Aalilai’, the banyan leaf has a special characteristic. It has much of the life force. However much it may be dried, it does not crumble and wrinkle. It remains somewhat soft even then. Sprinkle some water and it will regain most of its softness, flexibility and greenness too! That is why this God Baby has selected that leaf as a bed for itself, probably! He is the Light of Life, of all which can never be put off. ‘PraNavam’ too is ever ‘nava’ that is, new; its food is ‘navaneetam’, He is ever beyond stages of diseases and old age. He displays His everlasting newness, by sucking on the toe and by being positioned on the banyan leaf – vata patra sayee!
23. Dakshinamurthy who is, seated below the banyan tree - vata vruksha moola nivaasi - is also depicting the state of changeless youth and ageless maturity! Here floating on a leaf, this baby is too young, like the sprouting tip of the hanging roots of the tree, still trying to reach the Earth; the tendril that is ‘kozhundu’; ‘aayar tam kozhunde’ - says Thondar Adippodi Aazhvaar! He Dakshnamurthy is absolutely static like the root which has taken roots! This baby is like the tendril, moving for the lightest breeze, playful and fetchingly beautifully attractive.
24. The banyan tree has many uses. A whole army can rest under it. It is a personification of service to others. For such a big tree, this small a seed! The fact that, such a huge, massive tree emerges from such seed which is as small as an atom, is indirectly telling us that He the Paramatma is the stuff of the atom as well as the cosmos! All trees are like that. But, only the banyan has the capacity to grow endlessly! Other trees may be planted. Banyan finds its own place, like the God who is self created – swayambu !
25. Wherever the banyan trees are, all over the world, are tourist spots! They keep expanding in all directions all of the time. In Calcutta for example, the original spot where the main centre tree used to be is a big hole now! Is this not a clear indication of continuity of existence? Even if one part is finished and reached the decline stage of its life cycle, other parts carry on. Paramatma is not dependent on others; that is independent. So is the banyan tree ‘niralamba’! He, the God is the Father and Mother too. So is the banyan tree. It is indicative of Life’s interdependence, interconnectivity and brotherhood of all humans. To our minds which are forever lolling about in this ocean of existence, by resting on the banyan leaf, He is showing us the principle of independence and permanency of life despite the changes, this vata patra sayee!
26. He is a far greater ever expanding principle. However big the tree may be, there is a limit to which it can expand, space wise as well as time wise! He is indivisible expanse of eternity and infinity. Hiding His Greatness, He is adorable as a baby, an embodiment of innocence, as though telling us, “Do not worry, be happy. Life is a play. Take it easy. Light le le! Learn to float in this ocean! As the butter floats in the butter-milk, without getting agitated despite the churning, He is telling us as to how to come out of it, taking ourselves lightly and thus floating in it!
27. In our somewhat idiotic stage of limited understanding, to the extent of our comprehension, with some devotion, faith and sincerity, we are looking at that child as mischievous, stealthy and playful. But, if only we slowly start thinking about that child, steadily our thinking will mature in to clarity. All our shrinking roughness will smoothen out and slowly like the banyan tree leaf, we will become ever green and soft and delicate. Then He will come to sleep in our hearts too! We call Him as ‘vata patra sayee, kshirabdi sayee, sri ranga sayee’ and so on, beseeching Him to come and rest in our hearts saying, ‘ramataam mano me’!
28. Aadi Sankara in ‘Sri Ranganatha Ashtakam’ says, “sachchitta sayee bhujagendra sayee, nandaanga sayee, kamalaanga sayee I kshiraabdi sayee, vata patra sayee, sri ranga sayee ramataam mano me II”. Let me translate word for word. ‘Sat chitta sayee’ = the one who rests in a clean and pure heart. What I have arrived at, at the end of my lecture, Sankara Aacharyal, uses as the first word of the sloka. ‘Bhujagendra sayee’ = the one lying on the King of all snakes, the Aadi Sesha.
29. ‘Nanda anga sayee’ = the one sleeping on the hands of Nanda. A scene from Brindavan. Nanda is the Father and King. Krishna as a baby is sleeping on his hands! ‘Kamala anga sayee’ = the one sleeping with His head on Kamala’s lap. ‘Ksheer abdi sayee’ = the one who is resting in the ocean of milk. ‘Vata patra sayee’ = the one resting on the banyan leaf. ‘Sri Ranga sayee’ = the one in the prone position in Sri Ranga on the banks of Kaveri river. ‘Ramataam mano me’ = may He be pleased to be in my mind.
30. That softness of the baby’s body by its touch will cleanse this mind of ours to the purest white of innocence with the softness of butter, by continuous ‘smarana’ of it! One of his Padigam-s ( ten songs put together is known as Padigam ), Manikka Vaachagar has named as ‘kuzhaitha paththu’. ‘Kuzhaitha’ in Tamil means the act of mixing softly but vigorously, like you mix rose water with sandal wood powder, to make a fine paste! Once our mind is of the consistency of butter, which does not hurt the throat while swallowing, He will just gobble us up. Then we, no more as we, will know and be Him!
31. First requirement on our part is constant ‘smarana’ of God in all our waking moments. That will lead to cleansing of our minds and hearts to the purest white! Then in the ocean of our hearts, He will be the butter floating, finally leading to our total absorption!

Sambhomahadeva.