DEIVATHIN KURAL #174 (Vol #4) Dated 10 Apr 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL #174 (Vol #4) Dated 10 Apr 2011

(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 middle of page number 976 of Vol 4 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)
130. ‘ParimaLa’ means fragrant. The presiding deity in Sri Rangam is called, ‘ParimaLa Ranga Natha’. ‘Paribhogam’ means what is to be cherished and enjoyed bit by bit. The satisfaction you derive from such an experience never makes you feel sated! What type of happiness is it? Is it a feast? Candle lit or moonlit dinner? No! In Taitreeya Upanishad, it talks about successive levels of happiness. Finally it mentions ‘Brhma Aananda’ as the very ultimate level of happiness. That is the happiness, the feet of Bhagawan is capable of imparting!
131. Brhmam is said to be Sat – Chit – Aananda, which means Being – Knowing – Happiness! Brhmam is the only true existence. So it is the Sat. It is also the knowledge, the thing to be known as well as the one who knows, that is the ‘Chit’! In that state as it is without a second, inclusive of all; it is also the eternal bliss. So, it knows about its being and knows it to be pure bliss. So, you combine these three qualities of being, knowing and bliss; and you have ‘Satchidaananda’! It is this ‘Satchidaananda’ that is showering as a rain of honey and also spreading its fragrance from the lotus feet of Sri Pathi: “divya dhunee makarande parimala pari bhoga sat-chid-aanande sripathi paada aravinde”. If it has to give that ‘satchidaanandam’ it has to annul the fear of the worldly life, ‘bhava bhaya’! So he adds, “bhava bhaya khedachchide vande”. What he said in the first sloka as “taaraya samsaara saagarata:” is the same as ‘bhava’ in ‘bhava bhaya’. This samsaara is the same as ‘bhava’ or the creation that comes into being.
132. You might have heard of ‘bhava vinai’ or ‘bhava saagara’ and ‘Saravana Bhavan’. Bhava simply means to come into being. What came into being in the Sarvana lake is Saravana Bhavan. ‘Udbhava’ is also another word that has emerged from something and is a synonym for the very act of coming into being! Samsaara is ever on the move, appearing and disappearing; coming into being and vanishing. As a thing that has been born or emerged from something else, it can also die or be submerged. So it has a start and an end and not swayambhu or self made. The Parama Aatma Tattva is the source or origin and the end or destination for all things created. That is the only thing without a start and an end!
133. Bhava is a name of God. Bhava, Sarva, Rudra, Pasupathi, Ugra, Mahadeva, Bhima and Easana; are the eight special names of Siva. The consort of Siva similarly has parallel names such as Bhavani, SarvaNi, RudraNi and so on. Using this word ‘Bhava’, Mooka in Panchasati speaks in a lighter vein saying, “Amma! Your feet are causing so much pleasure to Siva the Bhava, while simultaneously destroying the Bhava of the Samsaara! Thus Mookar spoke about the lotus feet of AmbaaL. Here our AachaaryaaL while talking about the feet of AmbaaL’s male form as Maha Vishnu says that, his feet are cutting and throwing off the fear of existence. The fear of life causes sorrow, pain and tiredness. This is what he has called as ‘kheda’. In Urdu and Hindustani too the word ‘khed’ has the same meaning! He says that the divine feet of God destroys all the pain and sorrow of life and that he prostrates before them. “bhava bhaya kheda chchide vande”.
134. Adwaita AachaaryaaL Who Has recommended – Bhakti. In the next sloka of ‘Shat padi’, that is the third stanza, our AachaaryaaL is talking about a great concept.
“satyapi bhedaapagame Naatha tavaaham na maamakeenastvam l
Saamudro hi taranga: kvachana samudro na taaranga: II”
When the words ‘bheda apagame’ come together, it becomes ‘bedaapagame’. The word ‘apagama’ means ‘what goes away’. Words ‘gamam’ amd ‘gamanam’ means to come and join and ‘apagamam’ is the opposite. So, ‘bhedaapagame’ means ‘when all differences have vanished’.
135. So, what are those differences? Now there is a Paramaatma and as different from it there is this Jeevatma, thinking of himself as a separate individual entity. The entire drama of worldly existence is based on this difference in perspective! They are not different but one and the same thing says, Adwaitam! That is the Principle that our AachaaryaaL established as a ‘Siddhaantam’ known as, ‘Jeeva Brhma Abheda Yogam’. This is the real truth. Still, ‘sathyapi’, means ‘despite that’. When such a clause as ‘api’ is added it means that, there is going to be a totally different view point! He says that, “My dear God! Even when all the differences between you and me are gone...” he starts off. He is known as the AachaaryaaL who has firmly established the Adwaita philosophy, seems to be about to say something contrary to his principles it seems!
136. Here he is just talking as an ardent devotee. As a Gnaani he talked of the principle of Adwaita. He clearly advised people who have to progress in the Gnaana marga as to how to go about it! Repeatedly he said that Jeevaatma and Paramaatma are not two different things. Brhmam is the only truth. The whole world of the earth, planets and stars are all unreal appearances. Just because he said so, it seems that there is a person saying it and others listening to it! If the whole world is an imaginary appearance; then who has to tell this to whom?
137. There is nothing not known to Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL. Adwaitam is attained / understood and comprehended; when there is no more to be done or attained or desired! All differences have become cancelled out and total equality obtains. There is no Jeeva – Brhma differentiation whatsoever! The world of actions is unreal. The same Brhmam by Maya has exhibited itself as so many. So the real truth is for us to simply refuse to recognize our separateness. OK! Even if it is not an eternal truth, till we think of the world as real, it does seem to be as though real! Though this Gnaani may be in Nirvikalpa Samaadhi as that Brhmam only that Brhmam itself having assumed the role of Easwara to run this world in all its intricacies is likely to tell this Gnaani, “My Dear Son! Though you may know the intrinsic truth, for the sake of teaching and motivating the common masses, do the needful as a model to be emulated in behaviour, attitude and actions! That is the reason why, our AachaaryaaL did all that in his life time, in terms of Bhashyas, debates and establishment of Sanaatana Dharma over the length and breadth of this vast country! Though he was one with the state of Nish Kaamya Karma; he behaved with utmost humility and in the bargain did more than any actively involved person could have ever done! In the actionless state He absorbs the Jeeva unto Himself, whereas in the world of action, remaining the omnipotent He brings forth only a fraction of His capabilities through these Saints and Gnaanis. That is how AachaaryaaL felt about the whole thing! So, he said here, “the wave belongs to the ocean but, the ocean cannot belong to the wave”, in utter humility!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.