DEIVATHIN KURAL # 85 (Vol #4) Dated 13 Oct 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 85 (Vol #4) Dated 13 Oct 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 473 of Vol 4 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that here in 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)
117. Other than ‘Artha Suddhi and Atma Suddhi’, elsewhere in the Saasanam it has debarred anyone who has done any of the Five Great Sins known as, “Pancha Maha Paadakam”! They are ‘Brhma Hatti, Sura Paanam, SwarNastheyam, Guru Dalpa Gamanam and someone who is close to a criminal who has done any one of these’! Brhma Hatti is killing a Brahmin. It is a generic word for any killer or murderer! Second one Sura Paanam means, drinking alcohol. SwarNastheyam is stealing gold, which again means any theft. The fourth one is Guru Dalpa Gamanam, which means, to steal the Guru’s wife’s affection. This again stands for elopement with or stealing the affection of other’s wife! What is mentioned is the worst, inclusive of other similar crimes. For example, Guru’s wife is at the same status as one’s own mother. Even to look at her with lust is a crime. To kill a Brahmin, who has neither the power nor the mind to defend himself is the worst of all murders. These are the four crimes. The fifth is to be close to or be friendly with such a criminal, who has done any one of these crimes. These five together are known as ‘Pancha Maha Paadakam’!
118. Similar is the word ‘Aatataayee’. Arjuna at the start of Gita calls all the Kouravaas as ‘Aatataayee-s’ and expresses his fear that though they are confirmed criminals, since they are his close relatives, killing them would only add to his sins. The arsonist; the one who uses poison to kill; the person who kills unarmed people; the one who grabs and misappropriates other’s wealth or lands or women; are all included in this ‘Aatataayee-s’! Thus any killing is equally an offence, not only killing the Brahmins. Anyone who has done any of these offences loses their right to even stand for elections for becoming a member of the Oor Sabha.
119. In those days, whatever was declared as ‘Paapam’ or sins, were also considered as offences punishable by law. The state of affairs as of now is the exact opposite! Whatever is declared as sins by the Saastraas are the ones considered as indications of progress today! Moreover on the other hand, to do as per Saastraas is being considered as illegal in the present day environment! In the name of progress and forward thinking, on getting Independence, if not in the field of sports, at least in these areas, they want to do big ‘high jump and long jump’! They are in a hurry to bring in laws for divorce, the bane of societies all over the world. Women of India were well known for ‘pati vratam’, being faithful to their husbands come what may. One of the many noble qualities of Sri Rama was remaining faithful to his wedded wife and looking at all other women as his mother! But in today’s world of utter medical necessity of ‘one man – one woman’, in the name of progress, they wish to make ‘divorce’ as easy as possible and legalise prostitution! Contrary to the need for early marriage such as acceptance of the other as a partner for life before the mind starts vacillating, they want to bring in rules against early marriage. Breaking the idea of what was a joint family of many members and the need to treat women folk as especially cared for and protected lot, they wish to bring right to property for women. Against all Vaidic Aachaaraas, in the name of equality, people wish to bring in as much of mixing in as wide an area as possible such as, mixed dining, mixed caste marriage and so on! So whatever is taboo as per the Saastraas is being given special legal sanction!
120. In the olden days, the Dharma Saastram as given by the Rishis and the legal edicts of the Kings were identically the same or similar. They were not two different things then. What was taboo in the Saastraas was forbidden legally. The method of ‘prayaschittam’ that is, expiation as given in the Saastraas was acceptable legally and socially. But in the case of some of these offences, though after ‘prayaschittam’ his past sin has been expiated, for the sake of the social precaution, there was some stigma still sticking to that person’s name. So there were still some restrictions, that person was subjected to. So, for certain offences he was considered fit for election to become a member of the Oor Sabha, while for certain other offences, even after punishment, such persons were forbidden from holding socially responsible offices. For example Brahmins who consumed non-vegetarian food, or done one of the Pancha Maha Paadakam-s listed earlier or those involved in sale of sex for profit and social offenders. Those who have falsified accounts or have been false witnesses will also be disqualified with their relatives, from becoming members of the village Sabha. Taking any unfair gratification or illegal amassing of wealth, is referred as “epperpatta kaioottum kondaan” in that inscription on stone!
121. Those days it was the custom to paint such a person who has done a despicable act with black and red dots all over his body, put him on a donkey and take him around the village for all to see, to subject him to extreme shame, so that he may never do the same act again. If you start treating the confirmed criminals also with respect and humaneness and make the jail as comfortable as a traveller’s bungalow, in these days of rampant unemployment, it will be an invitation for crime! If we get away with our crime we can enjoy the loot and if we are caught we will be the governmental guests! Instead of being deterrence it will be a motivator for a life of crookedness and deceit! The Saasanam says that those who have been punished with a ride on the donkey with black and red dots; or those who have done forgery or fraud; are also forbidden from a membership in the Sabha. The words of the Saasanam are, I quote, “sempuLLi karumpuLLi kuththi kazhudai erinaaraiyum, koodalekai seidaanaiyum kudavolai ezhudip puga idam peraadadaagavum” ! The phrase ‘kooda lekai seidaanaiyum’ means, the one who has done forgery!
122. Election Sans Contender and Elector! Such people who have done these crimes are not permitted to be considered for the elections. That is what is meant by the end phrase “kudavolai ezhudip puga idam peraadadaagavum” ! This much we can guess. But what is the meaning of ‘kuda volai’ and ‘ezhudip puga’? The second Silaa Saasanam makes that clear. Now I am going to tell you about a novel feature of the election those days. So far I told about the Qualitative Requirements of the aspirants for being elected. Now I am going to talk to you about the procedure as to how the election was held, which was unique.
123. There were no aspirants who stood for elections. There were no voters. No one did canvassing. There was no polling. I know that you are bursting with questions such as the following! “What is this? For so long, you have been telling us about some democratic election process supposed to have been held some thousand years back and about the would be member’s qualitative requirements and so on! Now at long last, you are suddenly saying that, there were nobody contesting and that there was no voting! It seems like a war without weapons or guns or bloodletting and killing! How can it be?”
124. Instead of the traditional method, the election of deserving persons was held. Deeply concerned about the social well being, there were many qualitative requirements in identifying the deserving persons, yes! But it is true that no one applied for membership. The election was done without any voters, canvassing or polling. I will tell you as to how it was done, as given in the Uttara Merur Saasanam only!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.