DEIVATHIN KURAL # 64 (Vol #4) Dated 30 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 64 (Vol #4) Dated 30 Aug 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 the second para on page number 351 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
525. Vastu Saastram should be consulted even before planning to site a township and locating a house in it. It takes in to consideration the prevailing winds, seasonal changes to it, availability of water and tendency to drought or floods and so on. Then when constructing individual houses, the availability of wind, water and sunlight, and how the effluents have to go out of the house and the township; are to be planned. More than all this, it is necessary to work out as to how the divine radiations are to be made available for the township and individual houses. Then the house location and positioning of living area, pooja room, bath room and the kitchen, has to be suitable for the conduct of Nitya Karma Anushtaana and periodical rituals. Vastu Saastram tells us about all this. The modern, uniform constructions of box like structures I am afraid, do not take the Vastu requirements in view.
526. Shilpa Saastram. When you think of construction of temples, this Shilpa Saastram comes in to play. We in this country are bequeathed to an awesome endowment of enormous sculptural heritage which is the envy of the world over. Instead of titillating, these divine sculptures and structures are meant for cleansing the inner dirt of our minds. It is not enough to praise our heritage. We have a responsibility to nurture and protect the rare breed of existing experts known as Sthapathy-s. Then we have the task of encouraging and streamlining the learning and training of the next generation of Sthapathys. For this purpose we have been inviting such people and honouring them in the Aagama Sadas meetings. Ever since we started this gesture, by God’s Grace their lot seems to have made a remarkable turn for the better! Since every day a new temple is coming up somewhere or the other here in India as well as in foreign countries, the very discipline of Shilpa Saastra is gaining name, fame and recognition!
527. For this too the Government has started a school of learning with a workshop. The teaching for this trade was in the hands of Brahmins in ancient times. Later it has become a family trade of a separate caste of people, not identified as Brahmins. So there is no chance of any mixing up of the Saastra’s purity. The job requires an input of extremely strenuous physical hard work the whole day with a deep sense of commitment and devotion. Brahmin or whosoever, if for once he gets on with this job, just could not have had time for any other Anushtaana! So it is in the rightness of things that it has become a separate caste of its own known as an Aachaary or Aacharya. (So also is the case of Aachaary or Aacharya as a caste who are practicing as gold / silver smiths or carpenters!) Otherwise he could not have done justice to the professions of being a Brahmin as well as Sthapathy in Shilpa Saastra.
528. Similar is the case of Brahmins who taught the Ayur Veda Saastra. If he has to do his personal Nitya Karma Anushtaana and then teach the theory for recognition of diseases and suggest the treatment and dietary taboos known as Patyam, he could not have had the time for doing justice to his being a Brahmin. Here again was a coming into being of a separate caste of Vaidyar or Vaidya. (In North India this caste of Vaid being capable of wielding a knife and do surgery, over the years for the sake of livelihood ended up being the barber! The Vaid was the one who cared for the sick people, prescribed herbal medicines, carried out surgeries and prescribed Ayur Vedic medicines as the village doctor. Then he was also the one who gave a quick shave as the village barber!) Anyhow, having branched out as a Sthapathy or Aachaarya or Vaid, with practice they could teach the profession of being a sculptor or smith or vaid quite efficiently to the next generation of students.
529. Coming back to the caste of Sthapathy-s, having sufficient knowledge of theory, they were capable of assessing and selecting the stones, cutting them and sculpting the required statue and building up the required edifice. Their Saastra was known to them by heart! Even now there are such people who can surprise you with a non-stop rendition of their portion of the Saastra, for an hour or two. The Brahmin was consulted only when there was a doubt in interpretation. These people called themselves as Viswa Karma as a caste. Mostly you will find that these people believe in a God known as Viswa Karma, which can be literally translated as, ‘World Work or the one who works the World, which should mean the Creator’!
530. Till very recently, they used to keep the ‘Kudumi’, wear the dhoti with a ‘Katcham’ and wear a Yagnyopaveetam like a Brahmin does, maintaining a strict disciplined behaviour socially, morally and in being vegetarians! They never had any hatred towards Brahmins and or the language of Sanskrit! But, nowadays in the name of Equality and Sama Dharma, there are schools being formed by the Government agencies. The situation is not likely to remain as conservative of ancient traditions as before! I am afraid that there will be a watering down of traditions! But, that will not affect the sanctity of the temples much. Let me explain.
531. Very strict observance of Do’s and Don’ts would mean that any slight deviation is going to cause much changes in the level of purity of the work, as it happens in the case of chanting of the Veda-s. In the case of the work of Sthapathy-s the Rules and Regulations are not so strict. So there can be some aberrations in the fineness of the work. Even then when he has somehow sculpted the stone and constructed the temple, it is the Aagama Saastraa-s by which Kumbha Abhishekam is done, that is going to invoke the divinity in each and every part of that temple! So these minor deviations in the level of Aachaaram of the sculptors get covered up!
532. Village Arts. By tradition if the village ‘Poosaari’, (Tamil variation of ‘Pujari’, the man who does the devotional work in a small ad hoc temple, not exactly constructed as per Aagama Saastraa-s), is playing on the ‘Udukkai or Dholak’ and telling ‘Bharatham’, his work is also an art to be protected and saved from extinction. We should make arrangement for saving his art form so that, he may be able to teach his art form to his son or somebody else. Similarly Karagam and Bommala Attam etc should also be made to survive. U.S. of America prints on its Dollar, ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’. In our country all these village art forms are somehow deeply related to our belief and trust in God! It is our duty to see to it that these art forms do not become extinct due to lack of care!
533. There are many more Saastraas. Today we have Physics, Zoology, Geology, Engineering and so on. There are the root Saastraas for these too in ancient India. If we look into Varaaha Mihira’s ‘Bruhat Samhita’, Bhoja Raja’s ‘SamaraangaNa Sutra’, we can know about them. But once the Western sciences came to be known in India, these ancient studies have gone out of fashion due to lack of awareness and knowledge. So there are no knowledgeable people in these things and so no teachers! At least people could take up research in to these areas, bring out the facts and become expert teachers or masters! We must encourage such studies for Master of Philosophy and Doctorate. Then they can train others. That will be real Re-search! That will also be real Doctoration as we will be taking care of areas of knowledge that have become sick!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 63 (Vol #4) Dated 28 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 63 (Vol #4) Dated 28 Aug 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 the page number 347 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
518. Comparative Studies of Principled Stands of View. (In today’s e-mail PeriyavaaL is talking about formation of such a modern University on the ancient lines.) In this we should be making a fresh start. There is a comparative study of all Philosophies being done in the Universities wherein they take up a number of systems and compare them as to where they are running parallel and where they are divergent. This is a research that should be appreciated. Even in the traditional method of debate, it has been the practice to first explain a Principled Stand Point of View and then put across the criticisms and then counter points of view of one’s own Siddhanta. That is how the arguments were presented. First the Poorva Paktcham, that is the other side’s point of view, is explained. Having developed that idea fully, you go over to your own Swapaktcham point of view. That is how Adi Sankara had argued and won over many opponents who belonged to other systems.
519. But, now whosoever is reading these things in the universities are only paying attention to whatever the author has to say about any side of the story or whatever is being quoted and do not see for themselves as to what is given in the original document. A quotation out of context can mean something entirely different from what was really intended. Instead we should go into more details and make up our own minds by reading the Saastraa-s first hand. We should endeavour to read and understand different viewpoints and know for ourselves, without being prejudiced by our own opinions and hazy ideas of notions. Actually depending on one’s own level of development and maturity, one may agree with Sankara or Ramanuja at different points in time! Whatever conclusion one may come to by an intellectual exercise may not be fully acceptable to one’s inner self! At the end point the differences between Sankara and Ramanuja are very subtle. Some time it may look like a very thin line and some other time it may seem to be two different peaks with an unbridgeable chasm in between! Something may appeal as correct to ones intellect and the exact opposite may ring true to the inner self! The reality is beyond all intellectual arguments. But still, when you undertake study of the scriptures, to get a thorough grounding, it is necessary to get to know one’s own Sampradaaya thoroughly and other principled stands sufficiently well to be able to appreciate other’s point of view also. We should not have a narrow vision that only our view point is good and other’s views are short sighted! When we form universities of higher studies thus, in the ancient style of Guru Kula, there could be some learned masters, with deep knowledge of English who could study the world view on these subjects, research, write books and act as the visiting lecturers for the student’s benefit!
520. National and Foreign Comparisons and Parallels. Similarly our ancient Indian sciences, semi-sciences (we will shortly talk about these semi-sciences PeriyavaaL says) and allied subjects should also be studied, researched and compared with modern sciences. We should encourage such studies in a big scale and make the result of such studies available to the students. We should carry out a comparison of what is stated in our old books with the present day scientific theories on the same and try to bring a confluence wherever possible. For example there could be much exchange of information between Ayur Veda and Allopathy enhancing and improving both lines of discipline.
521. Amongst the Veda Upaanga-s PuraNa-s have spread wide as novels, Hari Katha, Pravachanam, comics, and even TV Serials. Thus they seem to be much publicised. But, if you look carefully, amongst the 18 PuraNa-s, not all of them have come to the limelight. The 18 Upa-PuraNa-s and Sthala PuraNa-s are all on the wane. There was a time when the people conducting these Hari Katha in the temples and public places known as Pouraniks were the main force for disseminating nuggets of Dharma to the common folks. We must make special efforts to take care of such people and cultivate the profession of Pouraniks in a big way.
522. Poorva Meemaamsai, Tarkam / Nyaya Saastram and Dharma Saastra-s should also be taken care of similarly. In these the Dharma Saastra-s should be made part and parcel of our day to day life, as they are true indicators of our culture in all its glory. In an intellectual point of view, Meemaamsai and Tarka Saastraa-s should find their appropriate place in the wide spectrum of studies, for Master of Philosophy and Doctorate in all the Universities of the world as well as the one I am recommending.
523. Aagama Saastram. Beyond all this, Mantra Saastram is like an ocean. Actually there is a book on Mantra Saastram known as ‘Mantra Mahodhadhi’, meaning ‘an ocean of mantra-s’! With Mantra Saastra comes the Aagama Saastraa-s. When you make a temple of stones, it is the Aagama Saastraa-s which makes it possible to invoke the divinity of that particular God in the stone, in the environs and the enclosed space! So the Aagama Saastraas are important in terms of construction of the temples and their sanctification! It tells us as to how to build a temple, its measurements, sizes, materials, engineering, installation of the statues, method of their pooja and devotional activities, which particular God to be venerated with which mantras and which material and so on and so on! It is the temple that makes it possible for the common man to establish a direct one to one relationship with God. So I am mainly concerned about the re-vitalization of this particular line of learning.
523. So, I have been calling forth all the knowledgeable people in this line such as Sivachaaryaa-s, Bhattar-s and Sthapathy-s, giving importance to the science of Aagamaa-s, conducting big meetings and recording the proceedings. The Government too have given importance to this subject. But instead of going by the Saastraa-s, the attention is being given more for unnecessary issues of equality of castes and giving of pride of place for the Tamil Language, that the whole issue has been thoroughly muddled beyond recognition! Even now if we hand over the responsibility for revival of these Aagamaa-s to some worthy, well qualified Bhattar or Sivaachaariyar to conduct a classic Guru Kula with at least half a dozen students, we can hope for a recovery in a few years time.
524. Vastu Saastra. Aagama Saastraas talk about how to construct a temple. But before that, there is Saastra already existing which talks about where to construct a temple, in which part of the city and more than that, delineating the town planning and details of how to go about constructing a house; is all available in Vaastu Saastram. It is today more used by individual claimants of expertise, consulted by the well to do only. The teaming millions of people in India just cannot afford such a luxury!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 62 (Vol #4) Dated 26 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 62 (Vol #4) Dated 26 Aug 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 the second para on page number 343 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
509. There are some Brahmins in some places who have done Adhyayanam. Their numbers are rare nowadays. If I ask any of them as to why should they not start a Guru Kulam of their own and teach somebody the Vedas, their reaction is something on the following lines. “We may agree to pick up the begging bowl, but we will not do this. Even if we are ready to take the plunge, there is no one willing to become our students. When you know that there is no future in this profession, I do not know as to why you are calling us! Even if someone becomes our student, we doubt if we will be able to remember as to what is to be taught!” Instead of providing them with the facilities to remember and enhance their knowledge base, if we let them forget the Vedas, there can be no greater self inflicted insult and injury!
510. Vedabhashyam, Vedaangam & Vedaantam. All Vidya finally is to be included in Brhma Vidya only. When Bhagawan Sri Krishna describes Himself in Bhagawat Gita in Vibhuti Yoga says, “I am the Sama amongst the Vedas, Meru in mountains, Aswatta amongst trees, lion amongst animals, eagle amongst birds, jasmine in flowers and the month of Mrigaseersha amongst the parts of the years; also says that He is Brhma Vidya that is the Atma Vidya, amongst all sorts of knowledge. His words, “adhyaatma vidya vidyaanaam”!
511. This Matam has been created for the very specific purpose of spreading this knowledge of the Vedas! Not only Veda Adhyayanam but also, Veda Bhashyam as a means of knowing the meaning of the Vedas, then Vedaangam as the parts of the body of the Vedas and finally the summation of all Vedas, namely the Brhma Vidya as Upanishads that is known as Vedaantam; are all the interest areas of this Matam. This is our mission! We have to do much more as, what we have done is just not enough. I wish that in all such schools so far created for the study of Vedas, all these Saastraa-s of Veda Bhashyam, Vedaangam and Vedaantam should all be taught. We should be creating more such schools in all townships all over the country.
512. In the past few generations all studies of Veda Vidyas are on the down swing. There is one part that has become completely on the decline. That is, while there are some schools teaching the Vedas, where they are being learnt more by rote and reiteration, there is hardly a place where the meanings of Vedas are being taught! Many GaNapaatis (a Title for those who have mastered learning of Vedas up to the level of GaNa Paatam), themselves may know the Vedas and not the meaning! That is why after learning the Vedas, now there is facility for them to learn the Veda Bhashyam too. In this there is a need for every body’s co-operation.
513. This is directly about the Vedas. Similarly, the Veda Angas should also be brought under the plan of wider assimulation. Especially grammer that is Vyakaranam and as off shoots of Jyotisham, Vaana Saastram of Astronomy, Astrology and GaNitam (that is Mathematics), should also get much publicity. Amongst the four Veda Upa-Angas the fourth one is Meemaamsai. In its end Uttara part is ‘Vedaantam’ or Philosophy, which contains all the 108 Upanishads. The principles as expounded by Sankara, Ramanujacharya and Madhva are all covered under Vedaantam or the concepts of Philosophy. As far as this Matam is concerned, its main role is to nurture and spread the word of the Adwaita Philosophy. For this sake we conduct special conferences. Since the end of the last century, (that is, the 19th Century) we have been conducting Adwaita Sabha. We have also made arrangements for recording, printing and publishing these discussions in book form. So also the Ramanuja and Madhva Siddhanta followers too have made arrangements for publication of books on Visishtadwaitam and Dwaitam philosophies. Actually to tell you the truth, those Madhvas and Vaishnavas have much more attachments to their line of philosophies than what Smarthas have for Adwaitam.
514. Though we differentiate between Vedantam (end of Vedas that is Philosophy) and Siddhantam (that is, a principled stand of a particular line of philosophy), Saiva Siddhantam is a line of thinking that has emanated on the basis of the Vedas only. (In Saiva Siddhantam, totally observing the Vaidic concepts verbatim, albeit in a Tamil version, it is similar to Vaishnavam in which instead of Vishnu, you have to read Siva!) That is what is nurtured and cultivated by various Mataadipathy-s (heads of institutions known as Aadeenam-s) in Tamil Nadu. Then there are traditions of followers of Chaitanya, Nimbalkar, Vallabha and others in our Hindu religion.
515. What is taught in the Universities for a degree in Philosophy is based on Adwaitam, Dwaitam and Visishtadwaitam. All over the world, since more than the procedural methodology, the theoretical aspects have gained greater importance; it is Vedantam that has won every body’s attention! Within these theoretical principled stands too it is Adwaitam that has attained universal fame, to the extent that if you say Vedantam or Philosophy, people think of Adwaitam, in some way irritating people of other traditions! Anyhow that aside, I came to say that more than all other things, philosophy is a much sought after subject of study today in the Universities.
516. But, here too, without any scope for observing the rules and regulations of taboo as per the Aachaaraa-s, in the name of research, many things are bandied about, against the views and directions of our ancestors. Though it is claimed that they are doing the analysis with an open mind, their views are biased due to their lack of Samskara and existing preconceived notions! Thus their theories are not fully acceptable as they are ill conceived! Thus the Vedanta theories of these universities are leaving much to be desired.
517. In Adwaitam also, let these foreigners genuinely practice these theories to the extent possible. Some of them with previous Samskara of positive merits accumulated in previous lives may be able to attain to realization with little efforts, may be! Since after all it is this past life connections that is pulling them in this direction, first of all! But mostly, any efforts on the part of anybody for that matter, without Vaidic regular systematic Aachaara and Karma Anushtaana, if people are looking for short cuts, I am afraid, no amount of lectures or writing of books naming oneself as ‘Adwaita’, is going to help! Without the individual personal Anubhava, it will prove only to be a case of mental gymnastics and verbal diarrhoea! AachaaryaaL who established Adwaita as a concept had directed that the Adwaita Anubhava comes from systematic successive preparative efforts of Karma Anushtaana and one minded devotion of Easwara Upaasana. Here too he had said that instead of exclusive devotion to any God, he had recommended devotion to any God as inclusive of all Gods, as the representatives of the One God. With such devotion when he attains to clarity of mind, then and only then he gets the Adhikaara for Philosophical analysis! Where is the scope for such self ennoblement in the university curriculums? So my point is that
in these matters of Vedanta Saastra, traditional practitioners of Vaidic Aachaara are the best to be supported and given all help to teach the next generation.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 61 (Vol #4) Dated 24 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 61 (Vol #4) Dated 24 Aug 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 the second para on page number 337 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
502. When there are no students, how can there be any teacher? So, in today’s world when people are afraid of coming anywhere near our Veda-s, Saastraa-s and culture, from the time they start attending their classes, they will have to be paid some substantial income so that they will be motivated to join such classes and their parents will be encouraged to put their children for such learning! When they complete their learning, they should become entitled to a stipend that will enable them to at least keep their hearts and soul together. In this too, it should be made available as a fixed deposit with access only to the interest and not the capital! We are already doing these things in a small way. Having made the interest available throughout one’s life, we have seen to it that his family will continue to get the interest. The idea is to motivate the future generations too, to join this profession which is becoming virtually extinct! Every young child born in the family should be automatically motivated to learn the Vedas, while making it possible to earn some income for the family!
503. Of course, the ideal is for the Guru to teach for the sake of Vidya and for the student to learn purely for its sake, uncaring for income! Vidya for the sake of Vittam also, that is money is only the middle level. But when all over the world the outlook has become purely income oriented, we cannot be impractically idealistic! So, some reasonable assistance of Vittam has to be made available for both Guru and Sishya, to enable the growth of Vidya! I am of that opinion. Simultaneously at least in one or two places the ideal situation should also exist, as I keep harping upon!
504. Bikshaacharyam. The highest is the education in Guru Kulam, uncaring for money whatsoever. Nothing can ever match a Guru Kulam where, the Guru and Student are both ready to face all the odds of penury and poverty, for the sake of giving complete attention to only learning of Vidya! When there is such total oneness of mind and heart on one’s studies, only then can they attain to superlative achievements of Vidya Vilaasam. But even if the Guru is ready to do so, the student as a young boy, should not be made to starve! At least till the regional kings were taking care of Brahmins with endowments for life once he completes his Adhyayanam, the Guru could at least avoid total starvation. These days in the absence of such endowments, when he himself is barely able to manage, how is he to ensure that the student avoids starvation? It is here that the students’ Bikshacharyam comes in handy. He should take care of himself by that and take care of his Guru’s requirements to some extent. The Guru is not to be given cooked food obtained through begging. For his sake the student should obtain uncooked cereals, pulses and vegetables. As the Guru’s only aim is to impart education, the students’ only aim should be to learn and absorb all that the Guru could teach! Such a disciple will utilise the stay in Guru Kula for gaining Vidya and Bikshacharyam for imbibing Vinaya optimally!
505. The Ideal Should Not Be Let Go By Default. “Who in the world is going to do this? What is this impractical lecture?” That may be the reaction by some of you. In reply, I as the one with the title of a Guru, should at least quote some real life examples and not let such ideal go unnoticed and unmentioned. When Jesus Christ asked us to offer our second cheek, when slapped once, He did not wait to think if others are going to follow him or not! When the whole world was enamoured of automation and industrialization, Mahatma Gandhi had the courage of his convictions to suggest that we take up ‘Swadeshi’ as a mass movement and start making our own yarn individually, personally from cotton, to offset the arrogance of the British Industrial Empire! When people were in the sort of mind set as though things can materialise simply by snapping one’s thumb and fore finger, Gandhi was praising the sanctity of human labour! To cause the machines of the rice mills to come virtually to a grinding halt, he suggested that we eat ‘hand beaten rice’!
506. If we keep on fidgeting as to whether our plan of action will succeed or not, we will never get going in any venture. So many teams tried to climb the Mt Everest in vain, but finally it was proved that it could be done by the dint of perseverance! When the going gets tough, they say that, the tough get going! So, the system of Guru Kula Education, which is good for the whole world, should not be permitted to vanish but globalised and universalised! Instead of going to many houses every day, the student could go to one house per day of the week. People giving Biksha will also not feel that he is pestering them every day, but only sharing the responsibility of taking care of the student once a week! If he has to collect for the Guru also, may be a few households could be combined. These things will depend upon the condition of the Guru Kulam, the town’s people’s attitude and other conditions. All told, it is best to revive the Guru Kula system with Bikshacharyam.
507. Like this if there is one Guru with one student, it is enough. There will surely be a renaissance! The inner motivation of Atma Shakti will do wonders to influence the participants as well as the onlookers! That disciple will also absorb the good quality, mantra shakti and Brhma Tejas that, he will be self driven to similar or even greater achievements, uncaring for money, material, name and fame! For this level of sacrifice, there is nothing that we are required to do! If we do and it is accepted by either of them, then they cannot be said to have sacrificed. So this ideal can only talked about and encouraged theoretically.
508. Then comes the other schemes that I have been talking about. That is to create a fund with trustees to manage the same. This is where we can do some sacrifice of our own. We can also do some sacrifice in terms of materials to be contributed, time to be spared and labour to be offered; so as to do things to protect the Vedas from becoming archaic, thereby become worthy of the Grace of God! As I have been extolling the Bikshacharyam and the qualities that it inculcates in the student, within the scholarship schemes we have included a ‘Niyama Adhyayana’ plan so that such a student will get some additional pecuniary benefits. Somehow, with the intention that Guru Kula system with its high ideals may continue, we have worked out methods for each Guru to have at least some ten students sticking to him. While saying so, I do not mean to say that we are doing something on our own. Though we have not got much support, it is all being done with your contribution only. But let me emphasise that there is no greater cause for which you can put your money to!
{Note: Please read also Deivathin Kural # 54 of (Vol 2) of 30 Nov 2007 and subsequent e-mails to relate to the subject of Study of the Veda-s!}
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 60 (Vol #4) Dated 22 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 60 (Vol #4) Dated 22 Aug 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 the first para on page number 333 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
484. Education becomes true only when all the acquired knowledge makes you beholden to God and instils a sense of gratitude to Nature and devotion to the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent power of God! That also automatically means that you acquire humility. The more maturity and wisdom that you acquire the more you become humble! Without the dietary control of ‘Vinaya’ the medicine of ‘Vidya’ will not be effective at all! That is why starting from Sri Krishna Paramatma, every Guru have tied up these two things ‘Vidya and Vinaya’ together. Uncaring for income when the Guru fed the disciple from within his capabilities, this ‘Vinaya’ was generated. When the student was made to go and beg for alms for himself, his co-students and the Guru’s family, annulling his pride, his humbleness was complete.
485. Whether being devoted to God or respectful to Guru, these things are meant to control the student’s pride, egotism and arrogance! Education which does not annul ones pride can be dangerous. When education is combined with religious practices, service to ones Guru and devotion to God, their combined effect is to cleanse the individual of his natural tendencies of pride and prejudice! When these very things are done without understanding this purpose they have a negative effect. Education will enhance ‘vidya garva’, meaning, ones pride to make you feel, “I know more than you!” Religious practices and devotion to God can become simply a ritual to show off.
486. It is not enough if you are seemingly very devoted and doing service to ones Guru. Still such a person could be too proud about the fact that he is highly educated and pious! Many learned Pundits thus are very pious and religious, hiding a huge mammoth pride of self deceit that they are ‘well educated’! It is targeting them that Thayumanavar says with a double certificate that the “kallaada pergaLe nallavargaL nallavargaL”, meaning ‘unread are good, very good!’ Having said so, he further laments, “kartrum arivillaada en kanmattai ensolgen?” That means, “Where to go and whom to tell about my fate when despite all education, I am so foolish as not to be devoted to God!” Instead of being seemingly a pious and devout person, if we are sincerely devoted to the high ideals of the religion and God, as taught by the Guru, such a person will be truly well educated, well behaved with the right attitude! The reason for a well read person being more criminally oriented is due to the fact that, the education system is wrongly prioritised ignoring the important aspect of character building!
487. Guru Kulam to Eradicate Ahambhavam. For the eradication of pride and egotism, the most useful and effective was the Guru Kulam! As a student when you join these Guru Kulam at a very young age, to believe and be devoted to a God who is neither seen nor understood is difficult. It is further a tall order to obey the Saastraas, which we do not know as to who wrote them and when! So these things will not eradicate the ‘Ahambhavam’ of pride and egotism and remain only at a superficial level! But when an elder man is pointed out as the Guru to be obeyed, followed and emulated; daily you are exposed to his words of wisdom; you are witness to his practical ‘nitya karma anushtaanaa-s’ of daily observance of devotional duties; these things get in to your very being as second nature! That is the best way of eradicating ones pride that is, ‘Ahambhavam’!
488. Why Not Possible? The general tendency is to simply set aside any consideration of running such Guru Kulam-s as impossible straight away, these days! I ask the question, “Why not?” It is not correct to throw the idea out of contention without due deliberation. Some of these Saastraa-s and art forms have survived and even thrived and flourished, till date through the Guru Kula system only, though in a small scale!
489. Our ancient system of music mentioned in Bharatha Saastram and Silappadigaram, the classical Indian Music has been saved, nourished and cultivated through this Guru Kula system only. In the south it is known as Karnatic Classical Music, while in the north, it is known as Hindustani Classical Music. For the past five to six centuries, these two traditions have thrived mainly through the Guru Kula system by the personal efforts of many experts and maestros known as Vidwaan-s and Ustaad-s, who have become famous all over the world. Their disciples have come from various countries forming an international pool of rich talent. They have done much to regain name and fame to these two fine art forms, thus proving to be treasure houses of Indian culture! Schools and colleges for music and dance have come into being only very recently, say within the past four or five decades. Before that there were only Guru Kula system for dance and music!
490. The miniature drawing works of Tanjavur (in which pieces of glass are pasted over a drawing of divine figures), Pazhukka Velai, Netti Velai, Pattamadai Paai, are all things that is valued by the royalty in England. These are some of the village handicrafts of one district of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu. Similarly there are such works of art which are famous emanating from every nook and corner of rural India. These have all been taught in those respective places by the Guru Kula system only till date. Any effort to bring modern techniques into them, have only been in areas such as finance and marketing. The teaching and learning have remained in the household Guru Kula system only, till the present generation! Individual Maestros have continued to teach and guide their kith and kin, not letting the system to die, creating the next one to take over as Guru! So, please note that the Guru Kula system is not totally dead and is continuing to be effectively functional.
500. So, I am not asking for the Moon, when I say that we must revive the Guru Kula system. More than any other subject, in the area of Veda Adhyayanam and Adhyaapanam, we should bring back this system of Guru Kula. The teacher has to accept all responsibility for the student’s food, clothing and other comforts, without expecting an iota of return or contribution from the student. The trouble is that such a Guru with the required qualifications, right attitude and financial where withal, to take care of himself, his family and the students, is not easily available, in these days of crass materialism. In the absence of royal endowments as was available in the olden times, it is the responsibility of the well to do part of the society to create the funds for their running. After all, in a democratic republic like India the common man is supposed to be King! So it is the duty of each one of us to take care that this wonderful system does not vanish from existence!
501. Instead of an ad hoc arrangement, leaving it to the whims and fancies of individuals at random, we have tried to centralize the efforts by creating a corpus fund for the protection of the Vedas. It is named, ‘Veda Rakshana Nidhi’, located at “Sreyas”, 2, VI Main Road, Nanga Nallur, Chennai, India, Pin – 600 061. It is your duty to contribute your might for this fund, so as to participate in the growth of Veda Saastra Vidya, in the same way as it was done in the ancient past. What to do? Since you are anyhow born in this country and do suffer by heat and cold depending on the altitude, latitude and seasons of this land mass; bear with a little more of your commitment as an Indian, and listen to my directions as your Guru!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 59 (Vol #4) Dated 20 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 59 (Vol #4) Dated 20 Aug 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 the last para on page number 328 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}
475. The tribal aborigines end up in some family feud or fights between tribes, that too very rarely! Even those will not be premeditated murders but some confrontations happening on the spur of the moment. (KTSV adds: - One day in 1969, I was walking around in Bhutan high up in the Himalayan hills. I came across a teen ager in a village far away from the roads. He had studied in Delhi. He was bemoaning the social effects of so called progress! This is what he said. “Dear Sir! Till very recently we never closed our doors of our houses except against rain and winds. Even then we had no system of locking the doors! Thefts were never heard of in our villages. There were no roads, only foot paths. So if you happened to be in another village by night fall, you just stayed there. Any such guest was always welcome, to all our comforts at our homes including our women! There was never any sex related crimes, as you could never consummate sex with a woman, against her will! Rape was never an option! Things are going from bad to worse now!” He was sounding like a sad old man! Similar has been the situation in places like Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya too!) Cheating and organised crimes have never been part of the scenario in tribal areas!
476. Why the conflict? Does it mean that we should not make any effort to improve the educational standards in a society? “eNNum ezhuththum kaNNenath thagum” says a Tamil proverb meaning, ‘letters & numerals are as important as the two eyes’! Avvayaar has said something more! “kavai aagi kombaagi kattagathe nirkum avai alla nalla marangal – sabai naduve neettolai vaasiyaa ninraan; kurippariya maattaadavan nan maram”, meaning, ‘those fertile trees with many branches, leaves and under growth in the forest are not the great trees but – the one who stood in the centre of an assembly of people and could not read the page in his hands, HE is the TREE!’ Bartruhari went one step beyond. He said, “the unread is as good as an animal -vidya viheena: pasu:” !
477. The learned seem to be more corrupt as we have observed. But Avvayaar and Bartruhari, who are highly respected for their views, seem to highly appreciate education. Why this apparent disaccord? If you carefully analyse, you will see that there is no difference of opinion. The education they were talking about and what is being taught in the name of ‘secular education’ are two different things. If the education is on the lines of what they have recommended, there will be no growth of criminality. Actually crime will vanish from the scene. What were they talking about? They did not talk about education that causes only growth of brain power, intelligence and inference capability. They talked about education that would increase devotion to God, (in addition to the above benefits of brain power, intelligence and inference capability,) as the source of it all! ThiruvaLLuvar says, “kartradanaal aaya payan enkol? vaalarivan nartraaL thozhaa(ar) enin”, meaning, ‘what is the use of any education, If you do not believe in devotion to the omniscient?’ When you make education totally unrelated to belief and devotion to God, it will lead only to mischief!
478. Western and Muslim Countries. You can say that indiscipline and immorality is universal in almost all countries of the world, whether they are secular or not. In the Western nations there are some prayers or Sunday Mass that some people attend, read and distribute Bible. Mostly those who are following some such regular devotional procedures are generally well behaved. But their per capita ratio is rather limited. This is not enough. Once the children are brought under some regular observance of meaningful rituals such as prayer meetings, it results in reduction of crime statistics. There is a saying in Tamil which goes like this. “Aindil vaLaiyaadadu aimbadil vaLaiyuma?”, meaning, ‘what does not bend at five years of age, will it do so at fifty?’ The trouble is that, in these western countries in the name of freedom, they do not make the children follow any regular procedures. In addition, in their sense of priorities, religion comes after science! Their intelligentsia and the older generation and even the middle aged are not happy with the way things are going! But they do not seem to know as to what they can do to correct the imbalance!
479. Comparatively the Muslim countries are better off! Crimes that are normal ‘run of the mill type’ in other countries are rare in the Muslim countries. Yes, toppling of governments seems to be their pastime! Majority of the masses being regular with their daily dose of prayers five times, are positively motivated against crime! Then they have what is known as ‘Shariyat’, which gives punishments for each possible crime. In the countries where they have ‘Shariat’, they do not have any separate Jurisprudence. Though in some cases these punishments seem to be too inhuman and get adverse publicity, mostly they are being followed with discipline in those countries.
480. In the west, in the name of fashion, there is more shameless display of physical allure instigating prevarications and permissiveness. Comparatively in the Muslim countries, they are sticking to their old habits in dress and restrained behaviour! Though the Muslim invaders in this country have done much harm to our Religion and Culture, destroyed our temples, killed people and looted their properties, I cannot but speak highly of the Muslim’s fervour and discipline in Anushtaana!
481. Similarly in countries like China and Russia, where communism is in force, where there has been total negation of religion too, we find that there has been comparatively less occurrence of crime! I am not trying to make a case for an irreligious political form anyhow. But my observation still stands that they came to power on the grounds that they are releasing them from the tyrannical clutches of the Church and State, by making all the people equal as comrades! Once they realised that loosening of all control will lead to inevitable chaos, they imposed much stricter checks and balances of a totalitarian regime!
482. But, if a society is obedient to manmade laws being afraid of the likely punishments, because of which there is less criminality, it is nothing to be proud of! But, if we obey the God’s rules and laws, seeing God as Nature and Humanity and if that discipline is as taught by elders by word of mouth as to what is right and wrong, then that sort of discipline is what is much preferable! As I always say that, discipline is never transgressed if it is applied by one self voluntarily with a clear understanding of what is Dharma! Since everyone will not be able to raise to such levels, the younger generation was brought under the control of God’s laws in the form of Dharmic rules and regulations imposed by the Gurus who displayed equal amount of strictness and compassion, while running the Guru Kula Paathashaalaa-s and thus demonstrated that good education means learning with discipline!
483. It is a regrettable fact that, in this highly religious country, the democratic leaders elected by the common man, in all good intentions opted for a secular arrangement, possibly so as to appease the non Hindu population from untoward apprehensions. But what has happened is a monstrosity. Having decided that they will impart only such education as not religiously oriented, they have under mined the teaching of morality at the grass root level! Then in a country where there is no draconian enforcement as in the communist countries, we have made it free for all, to do right or wrong. From a religious country, we have become not secular but ‘irreligious’ or even anti-religious!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 58 (Vol #4) Dated 18 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 58 (Vol #4) Dated 18 Aug 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 the last para on page number 323 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

466. The most important point about starting a new school for Arts, Crafts, Sciences and Saastraa-s of ancient Indian Culture is that, instead of being on the lines of a modern day school or college, it should be on the lines of what it was in olden times. (KTSV adds: - It may please be noted that Shantiniketan in West Bengal started by Rabindra Nath Tagore initially as Patha Bhavana and later turned into a University, was based on his vision that education should be in an environment closer to Nature! Similarly Kala Kshetra in Adyar, Chennai started at the behest of Rukmini Devi Arundale, is a centre for ancient Indian Fine Arts run in rustic surroundings. The Central Hindu College in Varanasi which later became the Benares Hindu University, started on the initiative of Madame Anne Besant was another such creation that came into being, keeping similar ideals as this above point expressed by PeriyavaaL in view!)
467. If the subject being taught is of old vintage, the method of its teaching should also be based on ancient concepts and principles. When visiting our temples, do not we see even western ladies wearing saris? Similarly things have a life force in their natural environs, which would be lost when placed out of its context! The temple may be located in America. But the ‘Neivedyam’ offered cannot be Pizza or Pasta but, Puliyodara! Bharata Natyam will not jell if the dancer is going to wear a jean pant but the classic dress of a danseuse as depicted in our temple walls! Similarly, if you have a school of learning for the Hindu Vidya Saastraa-s, it has to have an ambience of Indianness, as far as possible!
468. The old Guru Kula-s of ancient Rishis were located in forests. You cannot go for creating a college deep inside a forest now, agreed. But it does not mean that you can have a college for Saastraa-s in the middle of the hustle and bustle of modern life inside the concrete jungles of today, with students in fancy dresses flitting between flirting and dating! The education in those Guru Kula-s was conducted in complete celibate environment without a chance for sensual diversions. Then of course, there were very few townships anyhow. Instead of being stuck inside buildings, their life was closer to nature. All around was greenery with rivers flowing with some wild animals sneaking in! Some of the domestic cattle were grazing around peacefully. The sky was the roof and earth was the floor. There was no lighting, no fans and no Laptops! In such an environment the students sat under the canopy of ever green trees and chanted the Gayatri Mantra, to be echoed by the jungles. There was a vibrant life force making a real happy experience of every moment of living. Appreciating this very fact, Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate, established his Forest University of Viswa Bharathi. Even when they were not as huge to be called a University, when in the olden times these Rishis formed their ParNasaalai-s, as each one was a Guru Kulam, the whole of India was dotted with such, to become a Land of Vidya. You had Scotland and Ireland elsewhere, here it was pure Vidyaland!
469. In the conditions obtaining nowadays, we should establish such schools as far as possible, outside the cities in an area of natural scenic spot. We should form such schools with discipline in mind, thoughts and action, as against the concept of total freedom that exists in academic circles these days! We should endeavour to form at the least some schools and colleges for teaching Arts, Crafts and Sciences originating from Hindu Saastraa-s, on the lines that I have described here.
470. Village Statistics. As I keep roaming about from place to place in India, I have seen some information boards at the village borders. (PeriyavaL walked around every nook and corner of India, covering remote villages and hamlets for more than 60 years.) Some of them, I have noticed contain information about the Population, Area in Square Miles, Details of Agricultural Land under cultivation and what is planted, Details of ‘Padittavar’, that is, people who have had some education and number of people who are Unlettered. Not only that, it also gives similar comparative data in other countries such as Japan, U.S.A., U.K., China and so on; showing how poorly are we in comparison. Evidently those in government at the village and higher levels, seriously concerned about improving the education levels in our country, in comparison to all those countries only, are likely to have put out such statistics. It is true, that the unread may never be able to read these details. But, whosoever put up the boards must be looking forward to making an impression on the minds of those who can read, who may feel ashamed enough to favourably motivate others!
471. But, something else occurs to my mind. If it can be somehow found out as to what is the percentage of people who are honest, sincere and truthful; and if that data can be put on notice boards, how much better that could be. In every city, if they can give information of how many are educated and against that data, can it be shown as to how many amongst them are honest? I would rather agree with you if you say that it is an impractical suggestion! You are likely to wonder as to, “How can that be? How and who is to get these figures?”
472. I have an alternate suggestion. May be you cannot list out as to how many are honest and how many are not. But, we can do something else. Police department and civil courts people can give us some information on the number of Pick Pockets, Tax Evaders, people caught stealing and or conducting robbery, prostitution, murders, frauds and so on! So, in these notice boards if they can show as to how many are involved in various criminal activities, it will be an eye opener. Even if it is not possible to directly relate as to who has done which crime, at least the statistics could be given on these notice boards at the entrance and exit of the villages, it will be useful.
473. That is, this information will clearly point out that, all over the world, where there is more of this so called modern education, crimes are also on the increase! Where there are more high schools, colleges and universities, there are more criminal activities too. In areas where there are more primitive unsophisticated people of tribal origins, there is very little work for police and lawyers. With more education, there is an increase in the number of crimes too. Actually with more education, more of these crimes never get detected. Sophistication leads to not only fraudulent transactions but also into painting a false picture in the eyes of the public. Corruption has become all pervading involving the executive, administrative, investigative agencies and the judiciary and communication media, in its fold! So, many crimes do not even get reported because, even when noticed, a massive cover up operation comes into effect immediately!
474. With more education, it does not mean that only cleverer crimes are being committed increasing the civil cases only but also increasing the blatant crimes of open robbery, abduction of women for prostitution and such. People have become more confident of fooling the public. Then public too have become inured to a daily dose of such news, which are forgotten in the next wave of crimes inevitable the very next day! To add fuel to the fire, journalism thrives on sensationalism!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 57 (Vol #4) Dated 16 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 57 (Vol #4) Dated 16 Aug 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 the second para on page number 318 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, of the size of a School or College or even University, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

458. Aalayam & Vidya. I talked of conduct of classes in the temples. I have to explain this a little more. About a thousand years back, ‘Later Day Sozha Dynasty’ was on the ascendant, while the influence of Pallava and Pandya kingdoms were on the wane! Vijayalayan was the King who pioneered this revival of Sozha-s. He was followed by Parandakan, Rajarajan and Rajendran, as kings of the Sozha-s, who spread their dominance over the whole of South India. More than the area wise spread of the empire, their name, fame and culture spread far and wide. During the time of Pallava-s the temples constructed were of small and medium sizes. During the Sozha-s’ reign big and huge temples were constructed. Simultaneously there was much progress in education, crafts, sciences, and fine arts of music, dance and drama! The beauty of it all was that, these progresses instead of being individual spikes at random were all conceptually centred on the idea of devotion to and celebration of God, around these massive temples that came into being!
459. Directly in the temples were these schools established. In many of the Siva Aalaya-s we see even today what is known as, ‘VyakaraNa Daana Mandapa-s, which were meant to conduct Sanskrit Grammer classes. These temples were huge, covering many acres of land and so could easily accommodate many of the social and cultural activities. This proved to be the ideal location for centres of higher education. In places like Chidambaram and Tanjavur temples, flush with the inside of the outer periphery walls, you can see even today two storied constructions known as ‘Thiru Churtru MaLigai’, where these schools were housed and classes conducted. In these buildings were also located the ‘Saraswathi Bandaar’ or libraries. Bandaar in Sanskrit and Hindi means a store or depot and Bandaari is a Store Keeper. In the King’s court Dhana Bhandaari was the Finance Minister and Dhaanya Bhandaari was responsible for agricultural produce. Such a one would ensure continuous supply, unlike these days when we have to lodge a complaint daily! So if you had a store for Saraswathy, the very God for all knowledge, it had to be a library and nothing else!
460. Because these schools were located within the temples, it does not mean that only subjects related to religion were taught. I told you only a few minutes back that there was a separate hall for Grammer classes. Somehow, it so happened that all education in our culture was directed towards discovery of the reality without ever forgetting the ultimate reality of Godliness. So, all general education was for this main purpose of awakening a natural awareness. So a temple was not only a source or spring of divinity but also of knowledge! All that teaching was within the premises of a temple including Ayur Veda. So, a temple was also a medical college, where the physical as well as spiritual therapy was available.
461. All these stories clearly indicate the high ideals and standards of what was education in ancient India. Many things in it are based on my personal research into books, scriptures and stone / metal plate inscriptions. I am myself quite surprised at the enormity of the findings, that have fallen into place like a jig saw puzzle finally resolving itself! You may be aware of the Ellora where temples have been created by carving into sheer rocks of monumental sizes with astounding craftsmanship. Amongst them the most famous is the Kailasa Nathar Aalayam, which instigates a feeling of deep admiration and awesome wonder, in the minds of the onlooker.
462. The chief Sthapathy (that is architect) of this temple wished to create another such master piece, it seems. Reportedly when he started, he was suddenly overcome with wonder at his own earlier creation and felt that he cannot do it again! He tried and failed to make any progress. He visited the Kailasa Nathar Aalayam again. He was nonplussed as to whether he did it himself or it was some other alien power that got it done through him! This fact is recorded for posterity in what is known as the Baroda Copper Plates in The Indian Antiquity, Vol. XII pages 228 to 230. It says, “booyas tataaviv krutou vyavasaaya haane: etan maya katam aho krutam it-yakasmaat / kartaami yasya kaly vismayam aapa silpi ”. Like that Shilpi, I am also wondering as to whether it was me who had done all that!
463. Simultaneously I am also aware of the fact that it is a matter to be ashamed of and not something to be proud about! It is just pathetic that what was widely prevalent in our country for about 2,000 years from the Fourth Century Before Christ, till as late as the 15th Century A.D., was just not known to me, who holds the position of a Jagat Guru of the Hindu Religion! The fact that the so called ‘Learned Pundits’ whom I consulted were equally blank and ignorant, is a further indicator of our lack of involvement and commitment to our own legacy! That is also an indicator of how much our standard of education of our own Saastraa-s has gone down to unfathomable depths! All those institutions with the name of Gatika Sthanam-s and those sans that name, which were dynamically resplendent for 2,000 years flying the Indian flag of knowledge high, have all just disappeared from records, memory and conscience of a nation! Can there be a greater ignominy?
464. In our country that is Bharath Desh, when there was no system of transportation existing in the years gone by, people have travelled more than 2,000 miles, from even friendly foreign countries, assembled in Gatika Sthanam-s in numbers exceeding 2,000 for the sake of education, and such a thing has been going on for more than 2,000 years! Then today, is it not ridiculous that there are no worthwhile educational institutions of repute in this country, when all facilities are available for travel and we are making trips to foreign countries for education? That too, for training on subjects such as, ‘Care of Visitors’!
Let 95% of all the topics be considered as too ultra modern in sciences and other such subjects, for us to be experts in. At least there must be some 5% of the topics at the least such as, Study of Religions and Religious Concepts, Grammer, Logic, Ayur Veda, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Engineering, Yoga and such subjects in which we should be able to run courses of authentic International Reputation! Somehow I feel that we have not correctly identified our own strengths in many of these areas! We ourselves have given too much importance to these Certificates of Excellence from outside India and possibly their Dollars and Pounds! Can we not do something about correcting this imbalance at least now?
465. Plan for Educational Excellence. From the time we got released from foreign yoke and got Independence on 15 August 1947, our Indian Government has spent crores of rupees on planning so many things. We also talk much about our Indian Culture. A fraction of that could even now be spent on research of our own Saastraa-s and related studies, at least to revive and regenerate! Slowly such ventures are bound to grow bigger. It is better that such an effort should be as true to the guide lines and restrictions of our Saastraa-s. When we think of the fact that, in the name of reform, all political parties are more interested in exploiting the lack of oneness amongst Hindus, it is better that instead of being Government sponsored, it should be done by people sincerely interested in a revival of our religion and culture!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 56 (Vol #4) Dated 14 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 56 (Vol #4) Dated 14 Aug 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 the second para on page number 313 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, and possibly bigger than a school, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

448. Without the name of Gatika Sthanam, there have been huge educational institutions in Tamilnadu in the districts of North & South Arcots and Chengalpattu. Between Pondichery and Kadalur, there is a place called Bahur. Here five copper plates were found one after the other, which contained a royal edict that there was an institution in Bahur with 14 departments for 14 Veda Vidyas, for which the King Vijaya Nrupatunga was making a donation of three villages as signed by the King’s Minister. This is dated in the latter half of 9th Century A.D. Near Bahur, there is a village Tribhuvanam, in which there is Varadaraja Perumal Koil. On its East, West and Northern walls, there are inscriptions on stone dated 1048 A.D., of the period of King Rajathirajan. From the inscription it is gathered that in Tribhuvanam, there was a fairly big educational institution in which there were 190 students and 12 Teachers. 60 students were learning Rik Veda while another 60 were learning Yajur Veda. 20 students were learning Sama Veda while the other students were learning other Saastraa-s. Out of them 70 were specializing in Vedantam and Grammer of rarity known as ‘Roopa Avataram’. The syllabus included RamayaNa, Maha Bharata and Manu Dharma Saastra.
449. Vaikanasa is a Vaishnava Aagama. Out of the important Vaishnava centres such as, Sri Rangam, Kanchipuram, Melkottai and Thiruppati, only in Thiruppati, the devotional procedures are conducted as per the Vaikanasa system. The other three places follow the Paancharatra Aagama. In the Tribhuvana Patashala, this Vaikanasa Aagama is one of the subjects taught. An important point in the inscription is the fact that, the students and teachers were forbidden from practicing into any other business or occupation other than education!
450. Between Vizhuppuram and Dindivanam, there is a place ‘ENNayiram’ also known as Rajaraja Chaturvedi Mangalam. From the very name we can understand that the village and its lands have been donated by the King Rajarajan for the Brahmins of that village who knew all the four Vedas. There is a Saasanam of Rajendra Sozha in that village as per which, there was a school with 340 students and 14 Teachers. Amongst them, 270 were in the Lower classes and 70 in the Higher classes. Amongst them, there were 75 studying Rik Veda; 75 learning the Krishna Yajur Veda; 20 learning the Sandogya Saakai of Saama Veda and another 20 were learning the Talavakara Saakai of Saama Veda; 20 were studying the Vajasaneyam or Sukhla Yajur Veda; 10 were studying the Atharva Veda with 10 doing the Bodayana Gruhya Kalpam and 40 doing the Roopa Avataram as specialization!
451. Atharva Veda in Practice. For many generations the Atharva Veda has gone out of practice. Only some portions of this Veda such as, some Upanishads and procedural matters are still known to some people. In this school of the Veda that I am talking about, in Tamilnadu, there were 10 students of this Veda. When I started this story about Gatika Sthana (some six e-mails back), I quoted about Atharva Veda teaching as mentioned in ‘Kalpa Taru’. So also in the school in Bahur, as it had a department, for each one of the14 Veda Vidya-s, there must have been one for Atharva Veda also. Kasakudi Saasanam too mentions that this Veda was being taught there. For some reason its followers and students seem to have vanished!
452. Out of the 70 in the higher class, 25 were specializing in VyakaraNam and 35 were studying Poorva Meemaamsai, (slightly different from Kumarila Bhatta’s,) known as Praabhakara Siddhantam and 10 others were studying Vedantam. (KTSV adds: - Poorva Meemaamsai is that line of Philosophy (or Siddhantam) giving more emphasis on ritualised activities. Kumarila Bhatta (an Avatara of Lord SubrahmaNya) was the fore most exponent of this line, who had done much to refute the Godless (Nir-Easwara Vaada) Religions of Buddhism and Jainism. Later Adi Sankara refuted this over dependence on Karma Kaanda of Kumarila Bhatta, to go beyond Karma Kaanda to higher principles of Bhakti and Gnaana of Adwaita. Uttara Meemaamsai is the same as Vedantam, which means the End of Veda-s or in other words pure and simple philosophy which goes beyond all religion! These concepts have been explained long back in Deivathin Kural # 74 of (Vol 2) of 21 Jan 2008 and subsequent e-mails!)
453. In KumbakoNam Nageswara Swami Koil also I have come across a stone inscription by Aditya Karikaalan, giving Maanyam or Endowmwnt to Prabaakara Meemaamsai. According to another such royal decree, in this Vaidic School in ENNaayiram, for the educators and students endowments had been made for the daily feeding of 506 Brahmins of all types.
454. There is a place by the name of Seevaram, 12 miles from Kanchipuram. Near that place, on the banks of Paalaar River, there is a village by the name of Thiru Mukkoodal, with a PerumaaL Koil. There is a Saasanam there of the year 1067 of King Veera Rajendra Devan. As per that decree, from the temple’s earnings, there were a Vaidya Saalai (Hospital) and a Vidya Saalai (School) being run. In that school the student’s distribution was as follows: - 10 in Rik Veda, 10 in Yajur Veda, 20 in VyakaraNam and 10 in Paancharaatram, 05 in Vaikanasam and another 03 doing studies in Saiva Aagama.
455. Veda Aagamaa-s. A point to note here is interesting. In these Stone inscriptions and copper plate carvings, having talked of Brahmins there is a distinction being made of followers of Vaidic procedures and Aagama procedures. People being called the Paancha Raatri-s, Vaikaanasa-s and those who observe the Siva Aagama Tantra-s, have been thus differentiated, while not treated as totally different either! Veda-s and Aagamaa-s have thus been treated as part and parcel of the same Sanaatana Dharma, it seems!
456. Near ENNaayiram there is a place PaNaiyavaram, where in the inscriptions we find that, there was arrangement for the daily feeding of 50 Brahmins and 10 Siva Yogis, thus differentiating between followers of the Veda-s and Saiva Aagama-s. In Kerala, even now during festival times, the first Pankti (that is the set of people who are fed) is supposed to be the Brahmins and Yogis. This system of feeding them is known as Agram! Similar must have been the custom in Tamilnadu too!
457. Equality. Unity in diversity is the most important classic principle of this religion as can be made out of many of these stone and copper plate carvings of edicts by the kings of yore. As pointed out already, under the same roof, these Veda-s and Aagamaa-s have been studied, taught and practiced. Not only that, at the level of education, we have not treated these differences as reasons for alienation. Saivam and Vaishnavam have thrived together and so have Veda-s and Aagamaa-s as well as Paancha Raatram and Vaikaanasam within Vaishnavam! More interestingly, the school might have been based on a Siva temple, in which Vaishnava students have studied may be Paancha Raatram or Vaikanasam system. Similarly, in a school based on a Vaishnava temple, Saiva Veda and Aagama subjects could have been taught. They were all treated as equally acceptable approaches to God!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 55 (Vol #4) Dated 12 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 55 (Vol #4) Dated 12 Aug 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 the second para on page number 307 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, and possibly bigger than a school, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

439. Bhatta Someswara has written a Bhashyam for the Tantra Vaartikam that Kumarila Bhatta has authored, in which I read the logic of why these educational institutions are called Gatika Sthana-s. Try and follow the meaning of what it says in the Bhashyam, which I will give you verbatim in Sanskrit. This is the explanation for the original sloka in the ‘Tantra Vaartikam’, “anuyogeshu gatika marga vruttishu”. Bhatta Someswara explains like this, “veda koushala jignyasaartam tat tat veda bhaga chihna lekayaani gatikaayaam kumbhakhyaayaam nikshipya, tat tat veda bhaaga parikshaa kaale taan-yakrushya, aakrushta lekhyachihnitam vedam pata it-yatyedaara: anuyujyante iti gatika marga vartino anuyoga:”.
440. Let us try and understand this clearly! The Gatika’s method of teaching is ‘Gatika marga vrutti’ and those who follow that method are evidently, ‘gatika marga vartina:’. The method of testing their grasp of the subject is ‘anuyogam’. That is the way the examination or tests were carried out. Here Someswara is explaining as to how these tests were conducted in the ‘Gatikaayaam’ using ‘Kumbaakyaam’. In the Gatika-s the exam was held using the pots. How? What is this method of exam? How does the word pot occur here? Committing it to memory without understanding is not much appreciated anywhere in education. It is referred deprecatingly as to ‘beat the drum (or Gatam) by rote’! But, we cannot be looking at such a name for educational institutions, which has a connotation of flippancy!
441. The student of Vedas is supposed to know it so thoroughly, that at the slightest indication as to where to start from, he should be able to rattle it out, like a spring gushing forth! The test is of his memory and the promptness of his response and speed of retrieval from memory. Instead of talking in abstract terms, let me give you an example. We are testing a student of how well he remembers a Mantra somewhere in the Rik Veda, let us say for example! If you tell the first word, he will anyhow come out with the whole series of mantras! That is how they all have committed it to heart. Instead of even that one first word of the mantra, we should be able to test as to whether he has grasped, by giving a number or some sign. How is this done?
442. In Rik Veda there are more than ten thousand mantras. You cannot give the Rik-s numbers in serial order without confusing and it will have no relation to its meaning! Luckily the Veda is divided into many parts, sub-parts, with each having so many Sukta-s, and each Sukta having so many Rik-s! Each Rik is like a Sloka of two lines of one Mantra. There are two methods of this division. In one method, there are ten Mandala-s, with each Mandala having sub divisions of Anuvaagam-s and sub-sub divisions of Sukta-s. In the other method, there are eight Ashtangam-s, with each Ashtangam having sub divisions of Adhyayam-s and sub-sub divisions of Sukta-s. Some Gatika-s followed the Mandala method and some the Ashtangam method. Now it becomes easy to identify exactly as to which mantra is being referred. Now if you are given a number, 2-3-4-5; it would mean, 2nd Mandala, 3rd Anuvagam, 4th Sukta and 5th Rik in one school and 2nd Ashtangam, 3rd Adhyayam, 4th Sukta and 5th Rik, in the other school! The student will have to give that particular mantra being asked for! Still, what is the connection with Gatam?
443. For the examiner, it is easier to give this question in writing than to ask the student verbally. Then to ensure randomness of the question being selected and to avoid all possibility of intended or alleged partiality, they placed a number of these questions in a pot, written on palm leafs. These would be picked out either by the examiner or the by the examinee himself at random and answered in the hearing of all participants and marks given. The same method of examination was used for all such tests for the other Veda-s too with suitable adjustments or modifications.
444. This system can be used for all random selections. In South India, following this method, in various civic organizations many decisions of equal weightage used to be decided by asking a child to pick up a palm leaf from the pot, known as, ‘kuda olai therthal murai’! Anyhow, whether the examiner was the same teacher who taught the boy or a third party, the system was much above board, not giving any chance for corruption as well as allegations of partiality. It is from this Gatam, which was used for the examination that the school itself derived its name of Gatika, as per the explanation given by Bhatta Someswara. I felt as happy as having got a hidden treasure!
445. Since I have been talking about teaching and education, let me teach you some Sanskrit. Let me explain the meaning of what I quoted from the writings of Bhatta Someswara in para 439 above. “veda koushala jignyasaartam” – ‘to assess as to how much the person has learnt of the Veda-s’ ; “tat tat veda bhaga” – in those parts of the Veda-s; “chihna lekayaani” -- ‘pieces (of palm leaf bits) indicating the reference’; “gatikaayaam kumbhakhyaayaam nikshipya,” – ‘having placed in the pots in the school’ ; “tat tat veda bhaaga parikshaa kaale“ – ‘at the time of tests of assessment as to how they have been grasped or learnt; “taani aakrushya,” – ‘taking those pieces of palm-leaf’; “aakrushta lekhyachihnitam” – ‘as per what is indicated there’; “vedam pata iti” – ‘chant the Veda-s’ thus; “atyedaara: anuyujyante” – Adhyaapaka-s
conduct the tests’.
446. It is in the rightness of things for Veda Vidya to be so intimately related to Kumbham. As I said earlier, Veda Dharma is like an ever green tree of thousands of years. Its roots are these Veda Mantras and their learning is known as Veda Adhyayanam. Fruits of such a tree are the practical opportunity to get closer to God through these temples. The fruitfulness of the Veda Dharma is that the power of these Mantra-s are instilled into these statues of God in these temples, its Gopurams and Vimanams. On top of these rectangular spires, from afar you can see the Kumbha-s of five metals, or Pancha Loha. These Kumbha-s or metal pots are made of Brass, Zinc, Copper, Silver and Gold. They are meant to act as the receiver transmitters of the power of the Veda Mantras. These are anointed with sanctified Mantra Jala, by chanting of these Vedas many crores of times, at the time of Kumbha Abhisheka done once in 12 years! These pots or Kumbhas as Gatams are also used for testing the students as to how well he has grasped the teaching in Gatikas, while also giving its name to the schools and colleges! Thus when I realized the way this word Gatika Sthanam has evolved, it gave me such immense pleasure as though I have also passed the examination with flying colours!
447. While doing this research, I also came to know of many such Vaidic Patashaalaa-s in South India, which however did not carry that name of Gatikai! Normally we are of the opinion that Chera, Sozha, Pandya and Thondai Nadu are all rather famous as having been well nurtured by the Kings of those Dynasties and so are well known for Vaidic culture. We also believe that the middle area of the districts of South and North Arcots and Chengalpet Districts are not likely to be so well off in terms of Vaidic education! I am going to correct this wrong understanding of ours!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 54 (Vol #4) Dated 10 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 54 (Vol #4) Dated 10 Aug 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 the second para on page number 301 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, and possibly bigger than a school, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

427. In Karnataka, in the 11th and 12th Century A.D., there have been such educational institutions called ‘Gatika’ as revealed in stone inscriptions, referred in Epigraphica Karnataka volumes. In the second half of the 12th Century, there was one Tribhuvana Mallideva ChoLa Maharaja, whose stone carvings are to be found in Hemavathi Doddappa temple in Kamakondana HaLLi in Tumkur district. In this it is given in the Kannada language that there is a NoNambeswara Swami temple in the Gatika Sthana that a village was bequeathed to some recipients. Near Mysore in Mandya district, in a place known as HeLagere, a Saasanam by one Siva Maraman, a Prithvi Konkani king, has been found. It is about making a donation of land to one Madava Sarma of Hari Dasa Gothra, one of the students or staff of a Gatika of a thousand students. I am quoting from Epigraphica Karnataka of Mandya Taluqa, Vol III, page 108, which says, “gatika sahasraya haridasa gothraya madhava sarmaNe”.
428. There is a stone cutting of Chennaraya Pattinam of the year 1442 A.D., i.e., the middle of 15th Century. First look at the date of the inscription. We have come a thousand year from the story of the early 4th Century, in which we observed the movement of King Mayura Verma from Karnataka going to Kanchipuram for studies, with his Guru! In the intervening period, a number of Gatikas have come up in Karnataka. In one of the stone carvings of this period, it is stated that the Gatika was started in the Badrapada month of Dundubi year. Instead of saying just Gatika Sthanam, it adds more respectful aura by calling it ‘Gatika Ashrama’! As the Guru Kula of the ages gone by, evidently this institution was also run in the cleanest manner.
429. In the ChoLa (Sozha) Kingdom too, they believed in maintaining the highest standards of religious studies, somehow the word Gatika is missing. But inTanjavur district, in Vembartrur there were great Pundits of erudition in a school by the name of ‘Gatika Sthanam’, as noted on the wall north of the ‘sanctum sanctorum’ of Thiruk Kazhith Thittai, Vedapuriswarar Aalayam by the first Rajendra Sozha. This is the southern limit of these ‘Gatika Sthanams’.
430. When I started talking about Gatika-s, I mentioned the name of one Amalanandar of Devagiri, (the author of Kalpa Taru in which I found a reference to Gatika). His place is named Doulatabad in Maharashtra. He talked about Gatika as there must have been such an organization in his place or during his time of the middle of the 13th Century, the fame of the Gatikai at Kanchipuram should have reached so far away! We can presume that in that institution, they must have taught Atharva Vedam too that, in passing a question is asked, “Don’t you know what is taught in the school in Atharva Veda about the defining characteristics of how a Sanyasi is supposed to be?”
431. OK! So far we have been talking about Gatikai as an educational institution. I also mentioned that it has a meaning of a ‘Nazhigai’, a measure of time of 24 minutes in Tamil! Now, let us come to this connection. Is there any connection between the word Gatika and Gatikaram and Kadigaram (the Tamil words for a clock or the Wrist Watch or Timepiece?) Instead of answering this important question, I am simply going on praising my own research work, as though I have studied through so many inscriptions! Let me start this chapter!
432. Gatam means a pot, as you all know. A smaller pot is a Gatika. Lata becomes Latika and Patra becomes Patrika, likewise. But, what is the connection between a pot and a school? I also pointed out the connection as to how; ‘Katikai’ has some relation to ‘Nazhigai’, a measure of time. In the times gone by, time was measured by the drops of water coming out of a pot, drop by drop. So, you got Gatikai to indicate the time of ‘Nazhigai’, from which you arrived at ‘Gatikaram’ for a watch or timepiece! “So OK, it is alright! Still, you have not clarified as to how you got it connected to a school? Does it mean that even in the olden days the students were so bored with studies that, they were all the time looking at the time?” You must be tempted to ask this question, as a corollary. But evidently we cannot be flippant in talking about the very serious subject of education! So, what is the logic?
433. There is a place by the name of SoLingar, earlier known as SoLa Simha Puram also known as SoLalingapuram! There is a hill with a temple of Nrusimha Swami. That hill was also known as Gatikachalam or Katigai Malai. That is a place where even if you happen to stay for a period of just one ‘kadigai’ or ‘Nazhigai’- by the power of the resident God Nrusimha Swami, all your problems of whatever variety, will vanish, they say. But this information did not in any way satisfy my research.
434. Then there was this Tamil literary piece known as ‘Naan MaNik Kadigai’. I looked for the meaning of the word ‘Kadigai’ in it. I was told that here, the word ‘Kadigai’ has a meaning of small pieces. Since the literary work contained poems of four lines each and each line was an aphorism of wisdom. Still, this in no way clarified as to how the word Kadigai or Gatika could mean an educational institution.
435. I searched a lot, here, there and everywhere. Asked many learned people. It remained an enigma. The futile search only increased the urge to solve the riddle somehow. In the end I got the answer to my question. As I got the first reference about Gatika in Kalpa Taru, a book on Uttara Meemaamsa, the connection to educational institutions was found in a Poorva Meemaamsa book. I was happy about the fact that the necessary clarification came from within the Saastraas and that too in one of the 14 Chatur Dasa Vidya Sthanams!
436. One of the most important authority on Poorva Meemaamsa was Kumarila Bhatta. He has written a book ‘Tantra Vaartikam’. In it, in the portion known as ‘Kalpa Sutra AdhikaraNam’, there is a sloka (1-3-6). We are not concerned with the meaning of the sloka. In it there is this phrase, “gatika marga vruttishu”, which is important! From the 4th Century A.D., I was showing you how for the next thousand years, there have been evidences for the presence of such educational institutions in many parts of our country, with pride. Now I am quoting the very words of Kumarila Bhatta, a contemporary of Adi Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL, as evidence of the fact that, education was well organized as far back as 2000 years, in India! That is, in the 5th Century B.C., there were educational institutions with a team of instructors with multiple courses, curriculum and syllabuses, in which Vedas and Saastraas were the main subjects with the 14 Vidya Sthana-s!
437. In Hinduism, it was Adi Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL who brought order and institutionalised the religion. But in its educational field we had grown from single Adhyaapaka Guru Kulam-s to what was run by a team of Teachers, even then. ‘Necessity was the mother of invention’, they say. In this case as Buddhism started making its presence felt, exponents of Meemaamsaka and Tarka, must have identified the need to counter the spread of that religion by strengthening our own religion! So they must have got like minded individuals who were also well qualified in Saastraa-s together and created these Gatikas!
438. In addition to being so far back in time, Kumarila Bhatta’s statement also indicates the extent and spread of the Gatika Sthana-s. He was in Prayag, now known as Allahabad. From his statement we can make it out that these Gatika-s were part of the ‘run of the mill’ thing. There may have been some other such schools in the West, North and East of Prayag too. Anyhow in South, Gatika Sthanam-s were there right down to Veppathur of Sozha Kingdom. OK, that about settles the issue about the origin, historical time and geographical spread of these Gatika Sthanam-s. But we were on to the logic of its name, were we not? That is what we are coming to now!
(To be continued)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 53 (Vol #4) Dated 08 Aug 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 53 (Vol #4) Dated 08 Aug 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 second para on page number 296 of Vol 4 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 updated constantly)
{Note: In these talks, PeriyavaaL is talking about Educational Institutions of yore, which were bigger than a single Guru Kulam, and possibly bigger than a school, with a number of teachers, curriculums and syllabuses. These were called variously as Gatika or Gatikai or Katika or even Kadigai. As per English grammer rules, a pronoun can be spelt differently based on the pronunciation. In these translations, I am sticking to Gatika and Gatikai.}

418. Maintaining the traditions of kings like Nrusimha Varma, in later periods there have been rich land owners and business people like the Chetty / PiLLais of Nattukkottai and Nagaraththaar-s, who have done much for the upkeep of this religion! They also used to repair and refurbish the temples by turn, while doing which; they have renovated the ‘Paata Saalai’ connected with it. Thiru VaLLuvar says clearly, “kartradanaal aaya payan enkol? vaalarivan narraaL thozhaa ar enin!”, meaning there by, “Tell me as to what is the use of education if they are going to be agnostic and not devoted to God?!”
419. While talking about educational institutions, for Thiru VaLLuvar to be referring to God as ‘vaalarivan’ is absolutely appropriate. This word means ‘Omniscience’. The one who knows all that is to be known is ‘vaalarivan’! However much you may learn, instead of adding to your pride and conceit, it should make you realize that all your knowledge is only an infinitesimal fraction of His Omniscience! We should be devoted to God and be doing, ‘narraaL thozha vendum’, in all humbleness! This is what is said in Sanskrit as, “vidya vinaya sampanna”! This phrase means that, a learned person will be naturally endowed with humility!
420. 8th Century A.D. There is another inscription on stone that the Gatika Sthanam in Kanchipuram was in good condition in the 8th Century too. Refer South Indian Inscriptions, 4th Volume, as found in the pillar in Kanchipuram Vaikunta PerumaL Koil. At one time the Pallava dynasty ended without a legal heir to the throne. There was a period of uncertainty when there would not have been any prince in waiting, as heir to the throne! At that time amongst the branch progenies with a lien on the throne, there was a Hiranya Varma as a king of a vassal state. All the elders of the state went to him and requested him to let his son Parameswara Varma to be the King in Kanchipuram. He agreed to the request and sent his son accordingly. Then the Vaidic experts conducted the ‘Rajya Abhishekam’ to Parameswara Varma to be the King. The stone inscription on this event lists the names of the dignitaries who went on representation and then those who conducted the religious ritual anointing Parameswara Varma as the King include the Instructors of the Kanchipuram Gatika Sthanam. This is a clear indicator of the high respect at which the Gatika Sthanam and its instructors were held in the society.
421. The Chalukyas ruled from ‘Badami’ also known as ‘Vatapi’! They used to name themselves as Vikrama Aditya or Satya Ashraya. There have been wars between these Chalukyas and Pallavas. Then there have been friendly ties between these States with marital relationships sealing the friendship treaties. There is a record of some philanthropic donation made by one Vikramaditya Satyashraya, (a combination of both the names given in the second line above), inscribed on stone, in the northern most pillar in the series of pillars located west of the Maha Mandapam in the Kailasa Nathar Koil. In it, a reference is made to the teaching staff in the Gatikai in Kanchipuram with due respect, while mentioning that to go against these directions would be tantamount to the sin of committing murder of such great souls! This inscription in Sanskrit is to be found also in Epigraphica Indica, III part, page 360.
422. Generally the Royal Saasanam has three parts. First part is known as ‘Prasasti’, meaning ‘a word of praise’, for the people making an endowment in the name of some great human being who is no more! Having made some endowment, it will talk about the greatness of his fore fathers and the nobility of the one making the gift. Then is the second or ‘Madya’ part containing the details or main contents of the decree or edict. Then finally are the Vyasa Gita Slokas, the end part. Normally this part will be saying as to how those who abide with the instructions as per the proclamation are likely to benefit and those who act against it are running the risk of accumulating much horrendous sins! Normally, the highest or worst such sin is killing of a lactating cow on the banks of the Ganges! To act against the edict, as etched in the stone pillar in Kailasanathar Koil is as great a sin as killing the great souls of the Gurus of the Gatikai in Kanchipuram, it says! From this you can clearly make out as to how great be the respect with which they were revered!
423. From another such edict on stone, we can make out as to how surprisingly huge was the Gatikai sprawling like a small township on its own! There were seven thousand students in that Gatikai. In North Arcot district, near Gudiyatham Taluqa, near Tiruvallam village, on a rock face in the river Niva, was this Saasanam found! It is found published as part of South Indian Inscriptions, First Volume, Part I. Having talked about another such endowment, it ends up saying, that the one who acts against the edict would be as much a sinner as the one incurred by “killing all the 7,000 people in the Gatikai”! That is indicative of the size of the institution!
424. In Nandivarma Pallava’s “kasakudi cheppedugal”, meaning copper plates of Kasakudi, as mentioned in the South Indian Inscriptions, 2nd Volume, 3rd Part, the Brahmins known as ‘Bhudevas’ (meaning, that they were as good as angels on ground), these kings were so devoted to construct and take care of the Gatikas. These Gurus in these Gatika Sthanams, though not running their own Guru Kula, were knowledgeable in all the four Vedas, very good in personally observing the Karma Anushtaanaa, maintaining such high standards to be revered at par with Gods on Earth, as revealed by these Saasanaas!
425. Like this Gatika with 7,000 students, we get to know about schools with 3,000 and a thousand students, also. In North Arcot, Cheyyaru Taluqa, there is a village by the name of ‘Brhma Desam’! The very word ‘Brhma Deyam’ means what has been donated to a Brahmin. In that village there is Chandra Mouleeswarar Aalayam. On the northern wall of the Garba Gruha (sanctum sanctorum) of that temple, it is inscribed, “thrai rajya katika madyasta moovaayiravar”, is indicative of the fact that the Gatikai was located in the centre of three states and that there were 3,000 students studying there. There are such inscriptions with words such as, ‘ezhaayiravar’ meaning seven thousand and ‘Gatika Sahasram’ which means that it had a thousand students. Even if some may think of it as an exaggeration, I do not see any logic as to why anybody should over state the numbers, to carry a falsehood as a message to the future! It is not likely to be an exaggeration, in my opinion.
426. Like in Kanchipuram, in the 6th Century itself the Kings of the Telugu speaking lands had cared for and nurtured such Gatikas. There were such Gatikas on the banks of Godavari River. In Tuni Taluqa, in a place known as Chikkulla Agraharam, while digging for a pond, a copper plate Saasanam was found. It was mentioning about a Vikramendra Varma II of Vishnu Kuntina Vamsa or dynasty, who accumulated a lot of meritorious PuNya (merits as opposed to Sins), by establishing proper facilities for a Gatika; Quote, “yataa vidhi vinirmapita katika vaapta puNya sanjayasya” Unquote.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.