DEIVATHIN KURAL # 59 (Vol # 5) Dated 29 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 59 (Vol # 5) Dated 29 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 354 of Vol 5 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)
110. There were many books on the line of thoughts such as Nyaayam and Meemaamsai and there are people till date who study these. But after AachaaryaaL there is none who call themselves as a follower of those as a religion. There are many who follow different types of Yoga, but none of them consider themselves to be different from the Hindu Religion, isn’t it? Out of the 72, if some of them have disappeared without a trace of even their names, it is AachaaryaaL who has driven them out of existence. Some of these religions we are able to identify from books and some because they are in vogue in some foreign lands. Some broken statues and ruins stand as mute evidence of their having been there. Had that one man not come on the scene, those religions would not have been difficult to locate but, it would have been the Hindu Religion which would have become difficult to locate!
111. AachaaryaaL’s Astonishing Achievements. That one man has driven so many religions out of existence! It is just amazing and astounding to think of the fact that, a simple individual renunciate singlehandedly with the power of the Atma Shakti, intelligence, knowledge of the Vedas and Saastraas, and his capacity to debate, alone all by himself, could do all this within a matter of only 32 years of existence! Yes it is true that today all the people of this country are not followers of the Adwaita tradition. After him many others like Ramaanuja AachaaryaaL, Madva AachaaryaaL, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Sri Kanda AachaaryaaL, Meikandaar and such have created their own traditions. But these traditions are also clubbed together within the Hindu Religion only. For a period the Adwaita tradition that he established was the only one whose flag was flying high. The subsequent traditions did not make much dent in what he had firmly established.
112. As he had wiped out the religions of the past, later ones did not. Ramaanuja’s advent did not do away with Adwaitam. After him when Madva came, Adwaitam of Sankara and Visishtadwaitam of Ramaanuja continued as before. There was no sea-change as it happened with Sankara. Only during the time of Sankara, everybody accepted his advocacy and he got the name of ‘Jagat Guru’! That was not simply a title of only veneration, but in fact the true state of affairs! When the word ‘Jagat’ is used, we do not have to think of other countries. It is only this India, the Bharat Desh which is the Karma Bhoomi for Karma Anushtaana, like the heart of the earth. What we call India used to be known as Bharatha Khandam which is said to have 56 states or geographical divisions. Our AachaaryaaL visited all of them, disproving all other religions (niraakaraNam) establishing Adwaita Vedanta and that supreme achievement rightfully entitled the sobriquet ‘Jagat Guru’!
113. AachaaryaaL’s Vaidic Religion is the Only All Inclusive One. Whether they accept the Vedas or not, the religions that were there in his time and those established by people like Ramanuja AachaaryaaL, Madva AachaaryaaL and others in India and the religions that are current all over the world; a detailed study of all of them will prove the fact that, whatever good principles, ideas, concepts and point of views are there in all of them, for all living beings at large; will be found to be already mentioned in the Vedas. Not simply mentioned but, correctly and appropriately fitted in to a groove, to be applicable to specific occasions, with all of them put together forming a homogeneous wholesome picture! Whatever the religion anywhere in the world, if you take the spirit of that religion, the vital essence of it will be found to be based on what is already said in the Vedas. I am not only talking about the principles, but also the procedures or rituals or functions! You may take a custom in practice in a village deep in Africa or South America, which may look and sound completely alien to the Vedic traditions and practices. The essential spirit behind even such a function will be found to be already spoken about in the Vedas. In other words if you can think of a thought which is seen today as an essential religious principle or function anywhere in the world, it has already been thought of and put in to words in the Vedas! Not all the inconsequential peripherals but the essential spirit, in parts not the whole, are to be found in the Vedas. That is, I would not say the whole of those religions are completely based on the Vedic Religion but in parts. Do you get the idea?
114. If you look at the Vedas, there will be some connected to Siva and some connected to Vishnu. In Visishtadwaitam and Dwaitam, all ideas related to Siva would have been left out and taken only what is related to Vishnu. In Sivaadwaitam and Saiva Siddhaantam it will be the exact opposite of Visishtadwaitam and Dwaitam, delinking totally with any mention of Vishnu. All said and done, some portion of what is given in Vedas will be included and some others excluded. They may leave Vishnu or Siva, but they cannot leave out Vedas completely! The Meemaamsaka-s took the Karma Marga and kept aside the Karma Yoga and Gnaana Marga. Buddhists for example have picked up some of the disciplines of the Ashtaanga Yoga ideas such as Yama and Niyama with Nish Prapancha Tatva.
115. {KTSV adds: The Ashtaanga Yoga defining the eight fold discipline a Saadhak is required to follow has in it Yama, Niyama, Aasana, PraaNaayaama, Pratyaahaara, DhaaraNa, Dhyaana and Samaadhi. I am not describing them all here. Let us just take the two adopted by the Buddhists as an inherent part of their approach. Yama in itself includes the idea of Ahimsa (of not being cruel to other animals and not killing), Satyam (being devoted to truth and abstaining from lying or bluffing), Astheyam (not coveting and thieving), Brhmacharyam (celibacy), and Aparigraham (abhorring greed and not owning property). In Niyama there are five disciplines namely, Santosham or Saantam (being happy and contented), Soucham (cleanliness of the body, mind and heart), Swaadhyaayam (study of scriptures with sincerity and deep concentration), Aarjavam (sincerity and honesty), and Atma SamarpaNam (total self-sacrifice by which your selfishness is only concerned with public well being). Thus we can see as to how many principles have been completely adopted into Buddhisnm.} With the above there also traces of other disciplines such as DharaNa and Samaadhi included in their approach with special place for Nish Prapancha Tatva from the religion based on the Vedas.
116. It is only in AachaaryaaL’s Madam or Religion that Vedas have been completely absorbed. To say more correctly, it is not just AachaaryaaL’s Madam but, the original Veda Madam or Religion only, that he re-established inclusive of Karma, Bhakti, Gnaana, Yoga, Dharma of moral discipline, with Prapancham and Nish Prapancham, inclusive of all Gods as Siva, Vishnu and so on, without any thing being left out, acceptable to all Gods and accepting all Gods, as one and only God eventually, encompassing all approaches culminating in Oneness! That is his way!
117. There is still something more to be said about the incomplete religions that he fought against. I told you about the Meemaamsai in which, only the principle of Karma was included as something like, ‘for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’ and ‘you reap what you sow’, with no consideration of Easwara as the Phala Daata. They do not consider that a God has created this world. So, there is no SaguNa or NirguNa Brhmam, no prayers, no worship, meditation or Atma Dhyana or Moksham or eternal heaven. They claimed that they were followers of the Vedas and considered any talk of Gnaanam as anathema and it was a sin to even look at the recluse, mendicant Sanyaasis!
118. But amongst the six branches of religions which claimed to be based on the Vedas, only followers of Meemamsai could show sufficient proofs from within the Vedas for their views and practices. Yes, all the Karma Anushtaanaas that they swore on were completely as given in the Vedas only. The Veda Mantras used for those rituals were all correctly translated, interpreted and understood by them. Nyaayam, Vaiseshikam, Sankhyam and Yogam as different disciplines did not object to the primordial nature of the Vedas; but could not show direct authority for their principles and practices in the Vedas to a large extent. Thus the Meemaamsai though an off shoot of the Vedas remained a truncated, incomplete religion. When you went far through the Karma Kaandam and did not go beyond, it was something like remaining at the primary and school level never aspiring to progress to the college and post-graduate levels at all! After 13 years of education, when you got the University Degree, it used to be known as Graduation. Nowadays, when the child finishes Baby Class also, they call it the Graduation and celebrate the same with much pomp and show! But I am sure that nobody thinks of it as the ‘be all and end all’ of education! The Meemaamsai religion was something like that, calling it quits at the primary levels, without recognising the higher levels of Gnaana Kaandam pointed out by the very Vedas!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 58 (Vol # 5) Dated 27 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 58 (Vol # 5) Dated 27 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 348 of Vol 5 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)
101. Even in this reign of Kali, including in the time of our AachaaryaaL, there were and are some good, sincere people doing their Karma Anushtaanaas meticulously but without any aspirations for reaping benefits out of such Karma. (That is, people who are doing their Karma not as those classified as Poorva Meemaamsaka did, but as Karma Yoga.) With true devotion to duty and clear comprehension of ‘what all this is about’, have been there and will continue to be there forever. The Guru – Sishya tradition has been going on without a break in all the paths of Karma, Bhakti, Yoga and Gnaana. Without a Guru there can be no Adhyayana in the early stages and no Sanyaasa Deeksha at the end stages. The tradition of Guru as a student in his youth, taking instructions from his Guru and then passing on the Upadesa to their own disciples has been going on for ages, without a gap.
102. In many places in his Bhashyas, our AachaaryaaL has reiterated that education obtained by this system of Guru – Sishya tradition only will have real value and none other. That would mean that till his time such a tradition was continuing. It is not only true that he got Adwaita Vidya thus from his Guru Govinda Bhagawat PaadaaL, but it is a fact that, till his time there had been many other teachers of Adwaita Vidya too. For example there were, Kasakrutsnar, Dravida AachaaryaaL, Brhma Nandi, Bartru Prapanchar, Bartruhari, Brhmadatta, Soundra PaaNdyar and such who were all instructors of Adwaita in their own rights. Similarly, in his time there were many temples where the daily and periodic poojas were going on as per the Vedic and Aagama systems. Though it is said that, while going around the whole of India thrice, he did correct the crude, fierce and violent procedures for worship that were in vogue in a number of temples and installed more civilized methods; not all temples needed such corrections! Before his birth, his own parents had gone on a visit to a number of temple-towns including Trichur and are said to have got him as a Vara Prasada (as a blessing from God).
103. Then why is it touted that, ‘Gone, everything is gone. Even if something is still there, that will also disappear with passage of time’ and things like that, by these PuraNas? May be the reason for the PuraNas to cry foul is, so that we may be well prepared for all such changes likely to happen, instead of being too complacent. May be because, we are not easily motivated to act positively. It is wrong to say, ‘If Kali Yuga is full of Adharma, let us also be like that’. If the police announce that there is a greater threat of dacoity, what will we do? Will we simply put all our property on the road to abet and encourage the thieves? To the extent we will endeavour to ensure our protection isn’t it? That is the purpose of the police notification too. Similarly, when the Saastraas say that there is a general loosening of values in the society in the Kali Yuga, we should be a little more observant of the rules of the Saastraas and not become more careless.
104. If someone stands firm like a rock against the flow of Adharma in this Kali Yuga, his actions will be many times more beneficial than in the other times. (With a slight smile) Periyava says, ‘In the earlier Yugas, God is likely to be surrounded by many of the ardent devotees and he may not have time for each one, to enquire about their welfare. But now, in the Kali Yuga, he is likely to be waiting to receive and take care of their needs, as their numbers are likely to be less. So, our prayers are likely to be more powerful now. Because of the fear of total collapse of systems lest people may completely give up all efforts of Saadhana, in the same Saastraas, there are some encouraging indications about the value of sticking to our Karma Anushtaanaas. If much elaborate procedures are to be followed in the other Yugas, in the Kali Yuga, simple repetition of God’s names (naama Sankeertana) itself will bear much fruits. So in the Saastraas where we are warned of much chaos, we are also told “Kali Saadhu: Kali Saadhu:” as reiterated by Vyasa Bhagawan.
105. Sankara Vijayam. We were considering how the Kali is not very Saadhu. I told you about how the people were being confused by as many as 72 non-Vedic religions, which were prevalent as given in the books, at the time of arrival of Sankara on the scene. Those books are about Sankara Vijayam, talking about his birth and exploits. ‘Jayam’ means victory and ‘Vijayam’ means special victories on the lines of, ‘He came, he saw and he conquered’! In the earlier days, the Kings used to visit other states in all directions and if need be, fight and win. That was known as ‘Digvijayam’. On the same lines nowadays, when some leaders visit places and win over people’s minds by the power of their talks, sense, intelligence, erudition and sincerity of purpose, it is called a ‘Vijaya Yatra’. Throughout one’s life, if one has fought a relentless battle with the internal enemies of negative and nefarious thoughts, not letting their heads to raise that is a great victory of ‘Aatma Vijayam’. With ‘Aatma Vijayam’ if someone has also won over the hearts of erudite scholars as well as the unread or not so well read common man, by their bearing, speech, love and compassion; their life history is called a ‘Vijayam’, rightfully so! So also, the life history of our AachaaryaaL is known as ‘Sankara Vijayam’.
106. Many people have written this ‘Sankara Vijayam’. In some of them, this matter of there being 72 anti-Vedic religions at the time of his birth is mentioned. So also, in the ‘Ashtottara Sata Namaavali’ addressed to our AachaaryaaL, there is this mantra “dvisaptadi madochchedre namaha”, meaning ‘the destroyer of 72 religions! Despite all the search and research, not all the names of those religions could be discerned. Please do not object at once that it is our practice to create myths sans proof, instead of writing authentic history! Though we do not know the names of all 72 of them, we could identify at least 45 of them. Many of them have a number of books on which they are based. There is also irrefutable evidence that they have been in practice some time or the other in the past. Amongst them as some of them like Meemaamsai, Nyaayam, Vaiseshikam and so on are even now referred on occasions in this Vedic Religion itself, we can safely assume that they must have been in vogue in the past. As more than half of those 72 are known even now, we can safely assume that there may be no bogus fictitiousness about them.
107. Amongst the books of his time which talk about his life, there are many names of religions mentioned which are said to have been repudiated and abrogated by him, there are for example, (like Saivam taking after Siva and VaiNavam with Vishnu as the Primordial God), religions that considered Brhma, Indra, Kubera, Manmatha (the Cupid) and even Yama (the God of Death) as the ultimate God! Then there were religions which followed Pithrus (ancestors), Ghosts and Ogres, GuNas (that is, defining characteristics of Rajas, Tamas and Saatvic as God), with elaborate procedures of worship for those as the God Incarnate! There was for example one which considered Kaala the Time as God!
108. Other than these about which much was unknown, there were some 20 or 25 religions about which all the details of principles and procedures of Saadhana and worship were known. In this our AachaaryaaL revitalised six off shoots known as Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaaya, Vaiseshika and (Uttara) Meemaamsai. Then there were Pasupada, Kaalamuka, Bhagawata – Paancharatra; the last mentioned always clubbed together as one. The six that he combined as ‘Shanmada’ were namely GaaNaapatyam, Koumaaram, Saaktam, VaiNavam and Souram; till then these were being considered and pursued as separate non-Vedic religions; whose followers would not see eye to eye with each other on any issue! He established these six as inherently part of the Vedic Religion. Then there were Buddhism and Jainism which had started virtually on the basis of severing all relation to the Vedic Religion. Then there was the ‘out and out’ materialistic Lokayatam (this worldly) religion also known as Saarvaaka or Barhaspadam. All told these religions will add up to some 40 in number. Out of the balance thirty or so, we do not know even the names and amongst some whose names are known, the basic books or scriptures are not available. Whatever it is, none of them are in practice in the country today as a religion by itself!
109. Though Buddhism has spread all over the world, there is hardly any who are practicing it as true followers of that religion in this country any more. The Jain religion is there but having accepted most of the Hindu religious methods of worship. There are many with the name as ‘Jain’ rather freely mixing with Hindu society, participating in their customs and traditions. In AachaaryaaL’s Bhashyams we will not see much of discussion of the Jain religion’s philosophy, traditions and customs. Even the Buddhist religion is not much criticised, surprisingly. Similarly even Saivam and VaiNavam are not exactly as they were at his time. May be some of the defunct methods of the past might have been refined and given a fresh look subsequently. In the VaiNavam as revived by RamanujachaaryaaL some of the Paancharatra ideas have found a place. Anyhow all these have a new look as given by some of the later day leaders of those religions, different to what it was at the time of our AachaaryaaL.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 57 (Vol # 5) Dated 25 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 57 (Vol # 5) Dated 25 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 343 of Vol 5 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)
94. There are two words in Sanskrit which we must understand, while discussing the subject of criticism. One is ‘dosham’ and the other is ‘dvesham’. The first word ‘dosham’ means fault or error and the second word ‘dvesham’ means hate, grudge and or enmity. When we point out the dosham in others’ way of doing things or views or methods, we have to be factual without any dvesham. Sankara Avatara and other greats of the Vedic tradition before and after him could not help pointing out the fallacies in the other avowed points of views. There is nothing wrong in pointing out the dosham in other’s points of view or traditions. As I said earlier, mistakes should be pointed out. But neither in the act of criticism nor in the person being criticised should there be any dvesham, because of this. We may not go out of our way in criticising others point of views. However when others do so, we have a duty to clarify the situation.
95. It is not enough to just mention the names of some founders of religions which were against the Vedic religion and traditions as the cause of Kali Yuga’s trends. If there is a thorny tree there has to be a seed for it as well as ground conditions suitable for such seeds to take root and grow, isn’t it? Similarly, for those founders and missionaries, whatever seeds of ideas and concepts they may plant and grow, the conditions in the society were appropriate for those anti-Vedic religious movements to be nourished and cherished. This is what I meant when I said that the Aasuric and Rakshasic tendencies had already entered the people’s minds. The Kali Purusha had cleverly made a show as though these religions and their missionaries were more righteous than the native ones. Even after the advent of Kali by the power of what Sri Krishna Paramatma and Vyasa Bhagawan had imparted, for some 2000 to 2,500 years, the Indian Sanatana Dharma had gone on, not willing to give up totally. Thus in the mean while, Kali Purusha had started enforcing his sway rather vehemently, as though he was suddenly aware of being slothful and not very active. He was suddenly over active like a filled soda bottle just broken. In that period there were in all, some 72 religions which sprouted against the Vedic Sanatana Dharma, as given in some of the books of that period! Each one came up with tremendous force with much fanfare. In fact what is good and true will quietly come into being. Those that are abnormal and awkward will always start with a bang of audaciousness. As though to prove that Kali Yuga is unrighteous, 72 such religions came into being, say the books.
96. Is Kali meant to create unrighteousness? Here we must make one observation. ‘In what is the universal stage, in each Chatur Yuga, Kruta Yuga starts all pleasant and good, becomes faded and jaded in Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yuga, becoming completely bad and unrighteous towards Kali Yuga, isn’t it? It seems to be the way the drama on the world stage is meant to happen. Why meddle with how God directs the picture? Why blame Kali at all? Once Kali Yuga is meant for Adharma, why should we try to reform Kali Yuga like the Don Quixote’s fight with the wind-mill?’ Such a question is quite likely and I have to answer that doubt. We may not know about what are God’s intentions and plans. Still when we are informed through the Saastraas that there will be a dominating influence of Kali Yuga in the direction of Adharma, we should not presume that, ‘that is how it is supposed to be and we should also go with the tide’, in my opinion! ‘I know the whole world is God’s stage. He is the story writer, camera man, makeup artist and director. To cater for the variety of tastes and to add to the pathos he may be bringing in so many twists and turns. Still his kindness and compassion will not let things go beyond reasonable limits. When limits are crossed instead of being tasty it is likely to become unpleasant and disagreeable. So, people of this age as well, though not so religious and disciplined, though they have some liking for slight deviations of Adharma; will not be permitted to go totally astray. Though they may try all sorts of stunts, God the Director I believe will have his own checks and balances, to create the countering influences in the form of a back lash from within the people of the world themselves!
97. There was a time when ‘justice was done and justice was seen to be done’! Now there is corruption and noticeably more so in all walks of life! Despite the fact that, with the nature of what Kali is, while there is a preponderance of Adharma, there are also counter currents. There are more cases of cheating, bribing, gambling, prostitution and murders on the one hand. But there are also more homes for destitute persons and orphans with free boarding and lodging; conduct of Bhajan, Keertan, Saptahas (reading of scriptures explaining the meaning and message), temple festivals and religious celebrations such as Kumba Abhisheka and so on! When Kali comes to an end (4,26,000 years later), all the morally correct and religiously perfect people are not going to disappear from the face of the earth! It is a prediction that at the end of Kali, on the banks of TamrabaraNi River, in Thirunelveli district, to a Brahmin gentle man named Vishnuyasas a son by the name of Kalki will be born, who will be the last Avatara of God before the Pralaya. So, it means that there will be some Brahmins still in this world who will be religiously observing the Vedic Aachaaraas at the end of Kali Yuga too, isn’t it?
98. I feel that the barbarity and depravity of Kali has been over played in the descriptions given in PuraNas. Even before the Avatara of our AachaaryaaL, there is a description as to how the Devas went to Siva and complained that the Vedic Dharma had completely been wiped out on the earth. But later it is seen that our AachaaryaaL was born in a pure Vedic Brahmin family, which had been like that for generations! We also get to know that he did proper Adhyayana in a Guru Kula environment. Those with similar background like Padma Paada became his disciples. Such Veda Dharma was never extinct from India. We do not have to repeat the phrase, ‘Veda Dharma’, as the real Dharma is Veda Dharma. That has never been, not there!
99. “It is said that this being the reign of Kali, people are expected to be ‘alpa sakthaas’, (that is poor in their determination and observance of Do’s and Don’ts), with the required amount of self discipline and severity of following the strict rules and regulations of Karma Anushtaana, isn’t it? Such being the case, can we expect them to abide with the requirements of conduct of Agni Hotra and Sanyaasa Ashrama without any blemish?” This question was asked at the very start of Kali Yuga, when the Dharma Saastraas were being streamlined. Agni Hotra comes in Pravrutti Marga in Karma Kaanda and Sanyaasa Ashrama Dharma comes in Nivrutti Marga of Gnaana Kaanda. If these two are lost, there is no chance of redemption for human beings. So the question arose if there is a way out for the ‘alpa sakthaas’ of this Kali Yuga. What was the answer or clarification given by the authors of Dharma Saastraas?
100. “We need not confuse ourselves about Kali Yuga and Kruta Yuga and things like that. Till such time a trace of VarNa Vibhaga is still there and some people are is doing Veda Adhyayanam, till then there will be continued observance of Agni Hotra and Sanyaasa Dharma.” That was their considered declaration. So, even when effect of Kali is total, there will still be somebody relentlessly pursuing their paths of Pravrutti and Nivrutti. So the light though dim will never go out. Towards the end, this Maha Purusha will arrive on the scene, causing the dying embers to burn bright at least for a short period, making people wonder if this is Kali Yuga at all! It may look as though we have been transferred to Kruta Yuga without a Sandya of a Pralaya in between! Then it will go on for some time alternating between relapse and revival.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 56 (Vol # 5) Dated 23 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 56 (Vol # 5) Dated 23 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 332 of Vol 5 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)
85. When I am very clear in saying that no religion should be simply criticised out of hand as good for nothing, the question arises as to how can we hear such downright wrong and fallacious criticisms about this Sanatana Dharma without refuting it? The refutation is not because it is ours and we feel offended as to how dare anyone raise a finger against it? If you compare it impartially with any other religion of the world, as I said a short while earlier, more than any other religion, it is in this religion that there has been an abundant flow of a continuous stream of great Mahatmas, who have attained to the highest level of Gnaana, understanding and comprehension of existence. More than any other religion, for long it has nurtured and saved a highly refined society and culture. Instead of making the same dye cast arrangement for all, it is this religion that accommodates dynamically to suit as much variety as there are people in the world. This accommodation has gone on to such refinement that each man or woman could have their own Ishta Devata!
86. It is only in this Sanatana Dharma that an aspirant or devotee starting from the level of a simple human being can successively rise to being one with the ultimate. In all the religions, the God is some entity outside whereas only here, we can have the realization of (Jeeva – Brhma Aikyam), that is experience the inner indwelling spirit not subject to the confines of space and time, which fact has to be identified and appreciated. When there are such unique features and wholesomeness in it, when people from other religions without even the slightest modicum of understanding of this religion’s traditions and message start criticising it, how can we keep quiet without trying to explain? Actually to understand the noble concepts and principles of this religion is to become an admirer of it. When all other religions consider it their business to convert others to their fold, Hinduism advices them to first learn everything they can about their own religion first. After that only, it suggests inversion, to look into oneself to try and find answers to questions such as, ‘Who and Whence Am I?’
87. In a religion which claims the oneness of ‘Jeeva and Brhma’, that is the oneness of the ‘individual and God’; instead of making an effort to study and try to understand as to why there are so many differences based on ‘VarNa – Ashrama’, if people come to a wrong conclusion that it is a ‘Religion of Differentiation’ and criticise it, do we not have a responsibility to correct them? Buddha is great and so is Mahavira Jain. But even they did not quietly go about expounding their own point of view. They thought it necessary to blame the Vaidic religion for many wrong reasons. When we know that their criticism is fallacious, we have a duty to make an effort to put the record straight isn’t it?
88. Countries in which there is no ancient religion, depending on their level of maturity and culture Buddhism or Christianity or Islam gives some inner fulfilment. Whatever it may be, we have no objection to it. But when there is already an existing religion in this country, which caters for the varied requirement of all type of people and usher them successively to higher planes of understanding and comprehension, what is the need for other religions to come and make inroads here in this country? Are we expected to sit and watch doing nothing against their transgression? Like in a fair or fete, in this world of marketing and salesmanship even religion seems to have become another saleable commodity. It is alright, let it be! There is a need to market this indigent religion also, today. But we cannot be denied our right to object the virulent marketing and missionary tactics employed by these outside religions!
89. We are sitting down to hear the story of our AachaaryaaL. His name and fame is known throughout the world as a great man. Even people who have difference of opinion about what he preached and what he stood for, agree and praise him that he was a dedicated soul who worked hard day and night with missionary zeal, in his short span of 32 years of life. What was the most important thing that he did? He countered all other lopsided religions (which were off-shoots but a spike of this religion only), of his time and re-established the balance of Vaidic Sanatana Dharma, isn’t it? His very Avatara was for that purpose, isn’t it? Then how can we talk about his life time achievements without criticizing those other religions (including those that are offered in lieu)? There is nothing wrong in criticism if it is based on truth and sincerity. If our arguments are based on fictitious points and cooked up evidence, it is not fair. When there are genuine points and justifiable logic, there is nothing wrong in being critical of other religions and have to listen to other people’s similar criticism also about our religion or our practices.
90. In criticisms there can be two types of errors. One is to be critical without showing genuine reasons just for the sake of some vicarious pleasure. The other is to do so, with hatred in our hearts for the sake of false propaganda! When we argue with people with difference of opinion, our criticism should only be directed against the opinions and not against the person. ‘In their point of view, it seems like that. Let us put across our point of view. Let us also listen to their side of the logic. Let us evaluate each against the other.’ That should be the approach from either side. There should be such an attitude of balance, mutual love and respect in the approach and not in our view point. Instead in the name of ‘Sama Rasam’, that is equality, if we are quietly accepting the other’s view point, it will end in the others sitting on our heads and make us duped idiots only! With love in the heart, we should be fighting for what we see as the truth.
91. Objecting to this religion of Sanatana Dharma which has in itself all possible shades of viewpoints or having picked up any one aspect of it and saying that to be the whole thrust of that religion, people with knowledge and discipline in them will spread their own viewpoints as a counter to what the religion stood and stands for. Such a scenario has been described as a mischief by the Kali Purusha in our Saastraas. It is clearly said there that, what is not good, in the garb of being good and attractive will cause people to go against the Vaidic Religion and ignore its practices and make them follow some exotic ideas.
92. We may not say that Buddha and Mahavira nefariously prevented people from following the methods of this religion with some ulterior motivation. As far as they are concerned, we may not say that all their viewpoints were wrong. With complete observance of Ahimsa, Love, discipline and ‘never say die’ attitude, if someone is going to sit in deep meditation and ‘Tapas’, negating the promptings of the senses; for him there is no need for the Vedas and Vaidic Anushtaanaas at all! The very Vedas have said so! “For a Gnaani there is no father or mother; no world, no deities and even the Vedas have no relevance for them”, says the very ‘Veda Siras’ an Upanishad (BruhadaraNyaka IV. 3.22). But in these Upanishads which talk of the highest ideals of ‘tatvamasi’ (You are that) and such, at the end while talking about how such a person reaches the stage of non-return, describes the gradual evolution of the process. It says, “Having lived a life of strict discipline as per the rules of Veda Adhyayana Anushtaana, having lived as a family man, having controlled his sensuality without any let, having observed Ahimsa in all his actions except where permitted by Veda Karma; by long assiduous and continuous perseverance; then only is that pinnacle of status is achieved”.
93. Further please refer to Chandokya Upanishad Chapter VIII.15.1., which says that, what is normal for (a Buddha or Mahavira or) a Gnaani, is not applicable for all and sundry. The common man has to start from the bottom and climb the ladder step by step, stage by stage, while progressively refining oneself. The greatness of this religion lies in this very process of progressive refinement like the way a raw stone is cut and polished, that it becomes a diamond of brilliance and effulgence! Moreover, the greatness of this religion lies in the fact that, starting from the lowest rungs of the existence you are guided with love, care and compassion, from where you find yourself to start with. Especially in Bhagawat Gita Sri Krishna has emphasised this fact that in our religion even a Gnaani has to live a life for the common man to be able to emulate as a guide post. Against this, if the common man is made to follow what is normal for people who are far advanced spiritually, and make that the norm, it will create avoidable confusion and chaos; which needs to be objected to.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 55 (Vol # 5) Dated 21 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 55 (Vol # 5) Dated 21 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 332 of Vol 5 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)
78. Ahimsa or non-cruelty when made into universal Dharma to be adopted by all people of the society, it is likely to remain more utopian and never achieved in practice. So, if you keep it as an ideal for a small portion of the populace, they would strive hard to live up to the expectation. In the bargain others may also be motivated to follow such ideals – that is how the duties had been distributed in the Sanaatana Dharma arrangement. In fact we notice that though in the Buddhist religion, ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma:’ is claimed to be an important injunction, in all those countries where Buddhism is the main religion, even the Bikkus (Buddhist Monks) eat all sorts of animals, birds, reptiles and even insects! In those countries also at the military, governmental and individual levels, all varities of war, dacoity, murder, and slaughter are taking place. Even in India other than Ashoka none else gave up fighting wars on principle. Later when Buddhism was on the ascendant, the rulers of this country were in a quandary as to how to relate this principle to their needs of governance. After Ashoka, instead of there being a central power in the country, there were many smaller regional rulers all over the country. Requirements of national defence and protection against foreign invaders were nobody’s responsibility and there happened to be a power vacuum which was exploited by a variety of foreign invaders to the nation’s peril! The equality thus was achieved in everybody becoming irresponsible and ill disciplined. In trying to follow the one principle of ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma:’ all dharma was lost for everybody.
79. Let me put the same thing in different words. The fact that in the Vaidic Religion, where the Anushtaana of Karmas, duties and rights had been distributed amongst people based on eligibility, suitability and sustainability, had given greatness to the whole society, can be discerned by a few simple irrefutable evidences. Despite subsequent destruction by marauding invasions by crude vandals, ravagers and plunderers; the temples of this country are mute evidences of the greatness of Vedic culture. More than that, it was the Hindu Vaidic culture which could sire and nurture a whole endless series of Mahaans, Saints and Rishis, not all Brahmins but from every one of those so called CASTES AND SUB-CASTES, that India was called the Land of Saints! The process continues till date! It is a fact that only in India the social life was well established, with clear delineation of rights and duties for each castes and sub-castes that the whole nation progressed in all the fields of human endeavour to the highest pinnacles of achievement, because of such delineation! There was mutual respect, co-operation and appreciation between the members of the various castes, that having progressed from within the parameters of that caste, once the threshold of Self – Realization is crossed, with irreversible momentum one could take wings and fly off as though the sky is the limit!
80. Babylonian, Egyptian and Greek civilizations having had their flags flying high at some point in time, having come into being and gone; this Hindu Indian civilization has been the only one, which being older to them all, has continued refusing to die, despite many onslaughts from outside and erosions from within, challenging the rules governing the reasons for their longevity and self destructing diseases! If you carefully analyse in an impartial manner, as to what is it that this civilization had that others did not have, one will clearly see that it is the VarNa – Ashrama set up that made all the difference! It is this system only that contributed to the development of every individual from the physical and mundane levels, nurturing the Aatma Abhivruddhi, creating so many Saints and Mahatmas from this one portion of the whole world. When you have one set of people morally compelled to idealism in attitude and behaviour, it is but natural for many from others to emulate and develop optimally. Once such a zenith is reached, they naturally without even trying to do so, radiate motivation to all the people around, paving the way for more and more such gems to come into being. There is no gainsaying the fact that the Varna – Ashrama Vibhaga acted as the spring board for so many Mahatmas to come into being continuously!
81. Now let us consider the aspect of Himsa (that is cruelty) in Yaaga. If this element of Himsa had been allowed to that particular part of the society that was normally entrusted to live a life of strict self regulation, vegetarianism and many sided abnegation, by the very Vedas, there has to be some genuine logic in permitting the element of cruelty as a special case, isn’t it? Saastraas say that, “The animal sacrificed in Yagna appeases some divine, superhuman powers, causes Loka Kshema and the animal itself attains Satgati (good destinations)”. If we are told to prove this and if we counter with a challenge of our own to disprove it, what will the so called reformers do? When it is true that the Saastraas have come into being for the benefit and welfare of the world and talk about the highest principles of kindness, truth, integrity and individual attainments of a superlative, spiritual experience; could it be possible that they would recommend such oblation of an animal in fire?
82. In the name of Yaaga if Brahmins had slaughtered a whole lot of animals and eaten them, that would have been indefensible. Though on a rare occasion, just for show off some king like Bimbisara might have conducted a Yaaga and got many animals killed. But normally there is no need for any animal to be sacrificed at all in Yaaga whatsoever. Actually in Bhagawatam there is a story about how it is wrong to cruelly kill animals in the pretext of conducting a Yaaga. There was a king by the name of Prachina Barhis. He conducted a Yaaga in which a whole lot of goats were slaughtered. Narada came there to put some sense into that king. He showed him a scene as it happens in the Heavens. In that scene there was a huge collection of goats. Each goat had horns made of iron. Instead of being docile as goats normally are, these animals were ferocious like the lions and tigers. These animals were violent and ready to attack. Prachina Barhis asks, “Oh! Why are these animals behaving so abnormally? They seem to be ready to fight!” Narada replies, “My Dear Sir, they are all waiting for you only! The countless goats that you have sacrificed over the years only are these. Yes, it is true that they got sent to the heavens. But there they are waiting for your arrival just so that, the moment you arrive, they could take revenge on you!” On the rare occasions when an animal is sacrificed in a Yaaga, the occasion is not meant to be treated as a feast. What the Brahmins eat at the end of such a function is only a very small piece, the size of a grain of corn, as Yagna Prasada. This is made much of, just to substantiate their case by the so called reformers of Hinduism! I just wished to elaborate as to how in the name of Ahimsa and Equality, people are making much of the Buddhism and Jainism as though they are far superior to the Sanatana Dharma!
83. My intension is not to criticise those religions at all. No Religion should be criticised just for the heck of it. If thousands of people have followed a religion, for so many years evidently they must have found some peace, fulfilment and satisfaction. Almost all religions advice that we should not be selfish, that we should cut down our desires, be truthful, be kind to others, should not covet other’s wife and or other’s properties, be honest, respect your parents, not lie or bear false witness, not to steal, not be cruel to animals and so on. Though the emphasis may vary, all the religions uniformly have similar Do’s and Don’ts, is it not so? In all the religions there have been and are great Mahatmas who have stood out as an epitome for experience, knowledge, attitude, behaviour and for propounding intricate principles of philosophy, by following the path of their own particular religion. Actually I am myself very keenly interested in studying the writings of the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna.
84. When I say that no Religion is wrong by itself, I have to make two more observations. One is that there are many who without deeply analysing or studying their own religion, without practicing their own religion, are not only ready to fight for it but also look down on other religions! The second point is that, the grounds on which this Sanatana Dharma called the Hinduism is being criticised, are not based on true understanding of its principles and philosophies or due to some misunderstanding or due to vested interest with some ulterior motive! As I showed earlier, it is this religion more than any other that a profusion of great Mahatmas have evolved and continue to be evolving through it!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 54 (Vol # 5) Dated 19 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 54 (Vol # 5) Dated 19 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. Today we are proceeding from page No 327 of Vol 5 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)
69. Greatest Danger of Kali Yuga: Stupefying Disguise. You know what is the biggest danger of this Kali Yuga? It is the seeming innocence with which we are duped in to acceptance of the really dangerous stuff or practice! If you know what is really dangerous, we can guard against it or if we are courageous, we can fight against it and keep it under control. But when danger happens to be seen as a welcome diversion, we fall easy prey to it. In the earlier Yugas, when the Asuras appeared and their cruelty became apparent, people tried and avoided them. But then when the Asuras went out of their way and interfered in the daily life, people aware of not being able to directly face the calamity, went to God and prayed for his benign intervention. God also responded with taking Avataras to correct the situation. Like a thorn removed, with the removal of the Asura from the scene, the situations reverted back to normalcy immediately. The Devas and humans could resume their normal life instantly. In Krishna Avatara too, the villains who could cause harm in the path of Dharma could be easily identified and sorted out such as Sisupala, Kamsa, Jarasanda, Duryodana and such.
70. Thus in the preceding Yugas, a set of mischievous characters would make life miserable for others for some time and Bhagawan had to come as an Avatara and get rid of them and life will go on as before. There were many great saints those days who would guide the common folk on the right lines. There was no necessity for God himself to advice or be a model for emulation. Of course had the Avataras did not come about, the nefarious elements would have virtually done away with both the Pravrutti and Nivrutti Margas! Thus the Avataras saved and protected the Veda Dharma. But the point to note is that those days, the bad elements did not wear a disguise as though they were good and bring the common folk under their control. The odious and detestable elements were not attractive or beguiling. The bad was clearly identified as bad and so the common man was clear about what to follow and what to avoid.
71. In Kali Yuga, there is no clarity as to who is bad and who is not. The good, bad and ugly are all part of human beings only these days. It is all in the human mind itself. Instead of being evil forces from outside, now the best friend and the worst enemy are both here within oneself, as Bhagawan says in Gita, chapter VI, Sloka 6, “uddharet aatmanaa aatmaanam na aatmaanam avasaadayet I aatma eva hi aatmanor bandhu: aatma eva ripuraatmana: II” meaning, ‘One should raise oneself by one’s Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alone is the friend of oneself and the Self alone is the enemy of oneself.’
72. The Founders of New Religions. Many came along to exploit the situation. They also did not seem to be cruel characters. They seem to be caring for the general populace and one could not question their sincerity and veracity. Some of them were well read, qualified in the Saastraas and capable of intellectually arguing and establishing their view point quite ably. There were some good points in their ideas and concepts. But, whatever they said and maintained were against what the Veda Dharma advocated for the ‘Aatma Abhivruddhi’ that is, the intrinsic inner progress of individuals. Though superficially their paths seem to be good, on an in depth analysis, were found to be not helpful in matters of neither Iham nor Param!
73. Still, we should not be talking ill of those who propounded these theories. We should not doubt their sincerity either. Some amongst them at a personal level may have been highly experienced. But by thrusting their ideas on others, they have caused them to leave what was the royal path of Veda Dharma, most convenient for the attainment of aims of both Iham and Param; and forced them to adopt narrow and difficult lanes and dark unlit paths through inaccessible areas. It is said that people of those days were lying scattered in deep primary forests – ‘agnaantar –gahana – patitaan’. Many such people came on the scene and caused people to desert the Veda Dharma. They either founded new religions or revived some old concepts afresh of what had become decayed or gone out of fashion. Whosoever they were, they were contrary to Veda Dharma, which had come about for the welfare of the whole humanity as founded by Rishis on God’s own promptings!
74. Amongst those founders and exponents of these new religions, there were two types. One type was of those who did not object to Veda Dharma completely. In their view point, there was no clear cut division of Pravrutti and Nivrutti Margas later converging on the latter at the end, as it happens in the Veda Dharma. They simply took any one aspect of one these two paths, elaborated it and ended there as the ‘be all and end all’! The second type was of those which overtly contradicted the Veda Dharma concepts and methods wholesale! These religions were Buddhism, Jainism and Saarvaakam. The first two have been named after the founders. Sarvakam can be called ‘Brhaspadam’ after the name of the founder ‘Brhaspathi’.
75. A Short Comparative Study of these Religions. You may feel bad now that I am being critical of the Buddhism and Jainism. Because you might have read only encomiums of praise about Buddha and Mahavira in our text books. It is doubtful if any of the Hindu religious leaders would have been spoken of so highly of, in any of the school text books. Nowadays while giving much importance to the principle of Ahimsa (not being cruel to animals) and Equality (for all people without any consideration of VarNa and or Aashrama), the acceptability of these principles is more due to the fact that they are considered as essential in Buddhism and Jainism! Yes, in the conduct of some of the Yagnas, there is cruelty to animals. (KTSV Adds: That cruelty caused to animals in conduct of Yagnas, is next to nil in comparison to the way animals and birds are slaughtered continuously in huge numbers just to satisfy human hunger in slaughter houses and abattoirs. I have seen one video in which four persons walk along two conveyor belts containing fowls. They just pick up each bird by their hands holding the neck of the bird between their index finger and middle finger. Just a flick of their hands sends the beheaded body of the bird hurtling to the sides. There are others waiting to quickly grab the birds and remove all the feathers. It is an unintended irony of the language I suppose, that the denuded carcasses of the birds are called, ‘dressed chicken’!)
76. That people have been classified based on birth in Hinduism is another platform on which it is criticised. But people are blind to the fact that despite accepting the initial classification on birth, it is also clearly believed and practiced that, how you are held and respected in the society is based on your apparent behaviour and inner attitude. Considering the fact that different castes do differ physically, attitudinally and intellectually; the work load of the society has been distributed between people of different castes broadly. The main concept was and remains enabling people to progress from the point in which they found themselves in at the starting point of their respective lives. This is not division in to castes, but systematic social order. (KTSV adds further: Coming to the point of equality. While talking about this equality, man is behaving like a hypocrite. While all the time comparing and grading everything and every event on the basis of shapes, sizes, colour, age, likes, preferences, choices, desirability and what not, it is facilely claimed that all are equal. The Hindu Dharma accepts that there is already some justice, not easily discerned, in the conditions in which one is born. To borrow a parlance from the card game of Bridge, we accept whatever the cards we are dealt and try to maximise their effective use. What happens in the name of equality in India today is that one is discriminated against for being born in a so called ‘forward community’ despite the real merits of one’s achievements in academics, sports and or on the job performances! If casteism was such a straight jacket stumbling block being as made out to be, there could not have been some 50 non-brahmins amongst the Nayanmaars out of a total of 63! As the readers may well be aware, Nayanmaars are highly respected devotees of Siva whose idols are kept in inner Praahaara of the Siva Temples and honoured and revered as equivalent to the God Siva Himself! Similarly amongst 12 Aazhwaars (highly venerated devotees of Maha Vishnu who have contributed to songs in Nalayira Divya Prabandam), at least five of them are known to be non-brahmins.)
77. So, the point to be emphasised is that, casteism was not all that evil as it has been made out to be, by foreigners for grinding their own axes and by the so called reformers of the Indian Socio – Political movements, who had their own axes to grind! This is not to say, that there were never any who did not over exploit their position in the pecking order. But exceptions always prove that the majority were unlike them! Like the VarNa division, the separation of an individual’s life in to Ashramas of Brhmacharyam, Gruhastam, Vanaprastam and Sanyasam was also a highly scientific arrangement, for successive progress of the individual from Pravrutti Marga in to Nivrutti Marga, with gradual attainment of maturity!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 53 (Vol # 5) Dated 17 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 53 (Vol # 5) Dated 17 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. Today we are proceeding from page No 322 of Vol 5 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)
60. Before Krishna Avatara, from Matsya Avatara (as a fish) up to Rama there had been seven Avataras. Balarama being a brother and contemporary of Krishna, I stopped with Rama. None of them were meant for advising people about Pravrutti and Nivrutti paths. Though there might have been some advises in bits and pieces, the purpose of the Avatara were not meant for that. Because till then the situations existing did not require that God should take an Avatara purely for such purposes of giving Upadesa for the common folk. Surya, Manu, Ikshvaku, his subsequent sons and grandsons were going on getting advised (as to how to do their job of governance while maintaining a tight leash on their own behaviour for the citizens to emulate) as said by Krishna, quite systematically, continuously and traditionally, from father to son or Guru to Sishya, satisfactorily.
61. The common folk were generally observing the Do’s and Don’ts of Dharma Saastraas, reasonably well. In those times, the purpose of Avataras used to be for sorting out some of these Asuras who became intolerably interfering with the common man’s righteous living. It is their despotic behaviour necessitating the direct intervention by God, the cause of Avataras. Once the purpose of these Avataras had been achieved, life went on as before on even keel. Without the Avataras having to take up the role of a Guru, sufficient Upadesa were available through Mahatmas’, Saints and Rishis at various times and people were proceeding on Pravrutti or Nivrutti paths depending on individual maturity and preferences.
62. Just to make the value of Gnaana known to people though, once in a while God came amongst the people of this world as Dutta or Hamsa Avataras, but he did not have use all his powers for this. Only when things go very bad, we need to use all the powers to re-establish the status quo, isn’t it? That is why, to sort out the powerful Asuras and Raakshasaas, the Avataras of God are counted as ‘Dasa Avataras’. Otherwise there have been many ‘Amsa Avataras’ (with a fraction of God’s might) such as, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanat Kumara and Sanatana, Kapila, Dutta, Vyasa and such. Though the whole world is permeated by God’s presence and He is the ‘Antar Yami’ in all animate and inanimate entities of existence. There are said to be 24 ‘Amsa Avataras’, of god which include those meant for ‘Gnaana Upadesa’ ones, as well as others including Dhanvantari and Mohini Avataras.
63. What happened after Ramavatara and before Krishnavatara was that, instead of being separately as a type of beings as Asuraas. Many human beings started behaving like the Asuraas. Kamsa, Jarasanda and Kouravaas; were all human beings only behaving horrendously with Aasuric traits. Parasurama too started with sorting out an ill behaved family of kings only. Then he went on a binge of vendetta of a killing spree, doing away with all Kshatriya kings and finally lost to Sri Rama. It was in Krishna’s time that many Kings started misbehaving. There were also Asuras such as Narakasura, Bakasura and BaaNaasura. But more atrocious was the behaviour of many kings spoiling the normal life of the general public. Despite all that, the majority of people were still Dharmic and abiding with the rules of the Saastraas. As I quoted Krishna in Gita, there were many who were following the Karma more for the resultant benefits, whom Krishna called the ‘Kaamaatmaas’ and hypocrites quoting the Vedas, without understanding and comprehension. It was as though the whole society was getting infected, before the disease became endemic. So, Krishna giving the ‘Gitopadesa’ to Arjuna covering all aspects of Pravrutti and Nivrutti paths was in the form of preventive vaccination.
64. Still, we cannot say that his Avatara was only for this purpose. His Avatara is called ‘Poorna Avatara’, covering all aspects of the whole noble values of life with the full force of his powers of Godhood! Bhagawatam says that the Bhumadevi (Earth as a Goddess), went and complained to Brhma about the intolerable behaviour of Asuraas in the form of rulers of the lands. Brhma went to Mahavishnu with Bhumadevi and all the Devas, seeking his benign interference, in response to which Mahavishnu came down to Mother Earth as the Krishna Avatara.
65. Look at what all he did during the Krishna Avatara! He sorted out many Asuras in the form of Kings, thereby reducing the heavy load of anarchy and tyranny on earth. He gave the right advices for both involved extroversion and detached introversion on various occasions as well as in the Gita. Then he did whatever can be done in an exemplary manner as a child, youth, son, disciple, friend, lover, ruler, warrior, wrestler, Guru and what not as a human being as well as a God! As a child he was a loveable pest and jester, stealing the butter from the shepherd women’s households, that nothing can ever be hidden from him. Playfully he kills so many Asuras like Bakasura and Sakatasura. As he comes across the girls carrying water from the river in mud pots, he shoots sling shots at them and breaks the pots as well as their hearts. As a child he puts mud in his mouth and when his mother asks him to open the mouth, he displays a video show of the whole universe! When the girls are bathing in the river or pond, quietly he steals on them and whisks away their clothes. Then he does ‘Raasa Kreeda’ with them, lifts up the Govardhana Mountain like an umbrella against pouring rains and dances on the hood of the poisonous snake KaaLinga.
66. He goes as a carrier of messages, works as a charioteer, showers his grace on devotees, and endows enormous wealth and affluence on Kuchela for old tome friendship sake! When Duschsana tries to unrobe Droupadi in the royal assembly and she mentally resigns to Krishna, the sarees start flowing endlessly, making a fool of Duschasana’s efforts. In all that he did in that Avatara, advising Arjuna on the battle field was only one of the important activities amongst many! That too he opened his mouth as a Gnaana AachaaryaaL only after a major portion of his life as a human being was over. Towards the end of his sojourn in this world as a mortal human being, he gave Upadesa to another devotee of his Uddhava, known as Uddhava Gita. The first one was named after the Guru, the Adviser as Bhagawat Gita. The second one was named after the disciple as Uddhava Gita!
67. Start of Kali Yuga and Later. Kali Yuga had been ushered in slightly before Krishna’s dropping of his mortal coil. So that there may not be an immediate collapse of all righteousness, decency, integrity, truthfulness and moral values, whatever Krishna had done in his life time acted as props to hold as underpinning braces and buttresses. Human abilities had dwindled and to suit the same Vyasa (another Avatara of Vishnu) had divided the huge ocean of Vedas into four parts, each with a few branches so that, each family could at least uphold the integrity and purity of one of those branches. Through that, he ensured that both the paths of Pravrutti and Nivrutti retained the essential element of morality in them so that they do not become chaotic endeavours. With that he collected all the important principles scattered in the nook and corners of the Vedas as precise and brief succinct statements as ‘Brhma Sutram’, like a garland of flowers or gems serially arranged according to size and brilliance on a string, thereby contributing towards Nivrutti Dharma. He further contributed to the general public’s spiritual nourishment and upliftment by writing the 18 PuraNas and another set of 18 Upa PuraNas. Thus even after the birth of Kali Yuga, for some 2,000 to 2,500 years, people were generally moving in the acceptably right paths only.
68. The advent of Kali Yuga was in 3,102 B.C. as precisely calculated. In the daily ‘Nitya Karma Anushtaana’ while taking ‘Sankalpa’, every day is counted and added on as to, in the present Brhma’s age, in which Kalpa, Manvantara, Chatur Yuga cycle in which Yuga, the particular year, its Ritu (season), Ayanam (Sun’s seeming travel northwards or southwards in relation to the Earth’s tilt), Masam (month), Paksham (the Moon’s waxing or waning fortnight), Tithi (lunar day after new / full moon) up to that particular day; are mentioned. Thus the calculation is going on every day by individuals as well as experts in Jyotish Saastraas, without any doubt! From that only we can say with near certainty that, till some 2,500 years back, the world was running quite reasonably well in terms of morality. Still in God’s play, the Kali Purusha has to be on the ascendant and so, his naughty endeavours became more pronounced since then!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 52 (Vol # 5) Dated 15 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 52 (Vol # 5) Dated 15 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 316 of Vol 5 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)
53. So, Krishna Avatara is meant to re-establish not only the Karma Yoga of the transients of the Pravrutti Marga but also refurbish and revive the Gnaana Yoga. These two paths of Yoga are inclusive of all other paths too, as obviously whatever the path they have to be part of, they have to be either Pravrutti or Nivrutti, isn’t it? The path of Pravrutti Dharma polished into Karma Yoga, that Krishna told Ikshvaku, said to be coming down from generation to generation, finally had to be the Nivrutti Dharma of Gnaana Yoga only. They could not have taught one and left the end part unmentioned. Whatever it is, Krishna anyhow spoke about the whole array of Pravrutti Marga  Karma Marga  Karma Yoga  Nivrutti Marga  Nivrutti Dharma  Gnaana Yoga; in the Bhagawat Gita.
54. Still it may be noted that, he starts his Upadesas with Sankhya Yoga meant for Gnaanis and ends also with Moksha Sannyaasa Yoga; thereby it may be discerned that his main aim is to clearly establish the Nivrutti Dharma only for attaining the Adwaita Anubhava. If Gita seems to emphasise the Karma Yoga mostly, as some people claim, it is due to the fact that, the direct recipient of his Gitopadesa is Arjuna who had to be made to fight as the person better equipped for Karma Yoga, with particular reference to the context of when and where the Upadesa was being given. Our AachaaryaaL has more than clarified in his introduction to the Bhashyam for Gita that, the very Krishna Avatara was meant thus to having refined both the Pravrutti and Nivrutti paths, finally firmly establish Gnaana as the pre-requisite for Moksha, thereby reaffirm the methodology of Sanaatana Vaidic Dharma.
55. Though he clearly says that the Karma Yoga that he had taught to Surya, who in turn told it to every next generation of the Sun Dynasty; it is clear that by the arrival of Krishna Avatara on the face of the earth, almost all the paths of Yoga had become eroded and repairable as seen from the very Gita. By that time Dwapara Yuga was coming to an end. Despite Krishna Avatara, in the passage of some 2000 and odd years of Kali Yuga, we are seeing further deterioration only. People showing off as though they are controlling their sensuality, are inwardly all the time thinking of self gratification only. That is the order of the day. Krishna calls such people ‘MithyacharaN’, in other words as hypocrites (B.G. Chapter III, Sloka 6). This, he points out in the Nivrutti Marga. That means that, in Krishna’s time itself there were many spurious, so called God Men! Before this in Chapter II, (in Sloka-s 42 – 44), he has a dig at Meemaamsaka-s saying, “Flowery speech is uttered by the unwise, immature Vedantins, taking pleasure in the eulogising words of the Vedas, O Arjuna, saying, ‘There is nothing else’! Full of desires, having heaven as their goal, (they grind their own axes,) leading to new births as the result of their works and prescribe various methods abounding in specific actions, for the attainment of pleasure and power. For those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are drawn away by such teaching, that determinate reason is not formed which is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi.”
56. Instead of taking the essential meaning of the words of the Vedas, they grammatically analyse the sentences and are taking pleasure in their masterly analysis. He calls such people ‘Veda vaadarataa:’. That is how Meemaamsakaas are of the opinion that the very purpose of the Vedas is to propel man into more and more work and not in becoming renunciate Sanyaasis. Such people who do all their actions for satisfying their desires, he calls them ‘Kaama – Aatmaas’! Instead of seeking the eternal bliss of Moksha, those who aspire for the equally earth like transitory happiness of Swarga (the heavens), he calls them as ‘Swarga – Paraas’! As they get more pleasure and power in the bargain, they only pressurise their followers back into the cycle of births and deaths, by their elaborate procedures. They talk attractively decorating their talk with flowery language, ‘pushpitaam vaacham’. Krishna calls them ‘avipaschita;’ with ‘apahruta chetasaam’, meaning ‘immature people whose minds have been whisked away’! In the path of devotion too, I had earlier described as to how people with predominant tendencies of Rajas and Tamas had corrupted the Bhakti Marga with prayers addressing Yaksha – Raakshasaas and residents of nether ethereal worlds such as ‘Bhootha and Pretas’,(meaning ghosts, ogres and other spirits,) respectively. Thus, Krishna Avatara was essentially meant for correcting the erosions in all the paths of this Sanaatana Dharma.
57. You may remember that Krishna had said that, for the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age. I started saying that Dharmam is of two types, namely Pravrutti and Nivrutti. Till Pravrutti Marga was not yet matured enough as Nishkaamya Karma Yoga suitable for paving the way for change of direction to Nivrutti Marga, Krishna was not even ready to call it a Dharmam! However much you may practice the Veda karma Anushtaana, till it is done for the resultant merits only, it is not okay. The fruits of such labour had to be given up instead of being avidly aspired for. That the very purpose of Pravrutti Marga is to give us the mental clarity and maturity to be able to opt for the Nivrutti Marga’, was his opinion. Whatever is given in the Vedanta only, Krishna reiterated as his confirmed opinions. Our AachaaryaaL further spread the word around on the same lines. The process remains Pravrutti Marga  Karma Marga  Karma Yoga  Chitta Suddhi  Nivrutti Marga  Nivrutti Dharma  Gnaana Yoga. If on the other hand, you spend your whole life only in endlessly doing things, where is the chance for Nivrutti Marga to happen? That is how, to correct the imbalances in people’s understanding and practice, Krishna Avatara took place.
58. Krishna and Sankara. What was the subject taken up for discussion in Deivathin Kural # 46 (Vol # 5) dated 30 Aug 2011? We were going to talk about the story of Sankara’s life. Instead of starting on details of the date and place of his birth and as to whose child was he born as, I have been talking about some Pravrutti and Nivrutti and have stopped now at Krishna Avatara instead of Sankara Avatara! The whole thing may look rather off beat! Let me connect. The necessity for Sankara Avatara was created by further deterioration of the conditions existing at the time of Krishna Avatara, wide the promise given then in the 4th chapter Sloka No 7 and 8. I Quote:
“yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanir bhavati bhaarata I
abhyuttaanam adharmasya tad-aatmaanam srujaamyaham II”,
followed by,
“paritraaNaaya saadhunaam vinaashaaya cha dushkrutaam I
dharma sanstaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge II”.
That means, ‘Whenever there is decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself’,
and
‘For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness I am born in every age’. Without Krishna, there is no AachaaryaaL. He is the one who made the nook and corner of this country resound with chanting of, ‘Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam mooda mathe’! They say that the place in which our AachaaryaaL was born, the Kula Deivam in that Kaaladi was Krishna only. Today when we say, ‘Jagat Guru’, if it refers to AachaaryaaL, the one who had that title earlier was ‘Krishna Parama Aatma’. There is a slokam on him which goes, ‘Krishnam vande jagat gurum’! For that Jagat Guru’s words, this Jagat Guru has done the word by word and sentence by sentence, meanings, explanations and Bhaashyam. It is in the rightness of things that before we talk about Sankara Avatara, we expatiate on Krishna Avatara and prostrate ourselves before him in all reverence!
59. Let storytelling and listening to it be set aside for a moment. We have to know as to why the story is being told, isn’t it? That is why I touched upon Pravrutti – Nivrutti, Karma – Bhakti – Gnaana and things like that. To fill up the pot holes, remove the outgrowth, repair the erosions and relay the paths; these two Avataras of Krishna and Sankara were necessitated. The time gap was about a thousand years between them, but the deteriorations were equally pronounced.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 51 (Vol # 5) Dated 13 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 51 (Vol # 5) Dated 13 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 311 of Vol 5 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)
THE YOGAS AS DEFINED BY BHAGAWAT GITA
44. Talking about these three main Yoga-s of Karma, Bhakti and Gnaana in the Bhagawat Gita, Bhagawan Sri Krishna has given the title of each of the 18 chapters as some Yoga only. Karma Yoga and Sankhya Yoga are the only two that directly deal with Pravrutti and Nivrutti Margas. The 12th Chapter is known as Bhakti Yoga. There are 18 titles for the Chapters namely Arjuna Vishaada, Sankhya, Karma, Gnaana-Karma-Sanyaasa, Sanyaasa, Dhyana, Gnaana-Vignaana, Akshara-Brhma, Rajavidya-Rajaguhya, Vibhuti, Viswaroopa Darshana, Bhakti, Kshetra-Kshetragna Vibhaga, GuNathraya Vibhaga, Purushottama, Deiva-Asura-Sampath Vibhaga, Sraddhathraya Vibhaga and Moksha Sanyaasa; each of them with a common suffix ‘Yoga’ as headings.
45. The first chapter is ‘Arjuna Vishaada Yoga’. That is, the confusion in the mind of Arjuna has also been called Yoga. How is that? If you ask, ‘Who gave these titles? This was basically a conversation between two friends in the battle field with Bhagawan doing most of the talking with Arjuna asking some questions in between. So, who gave these titles for each chapter?’ I will not be able to answer you. May be it was so accepted traditionally or it was Vyaasa Bhagawan, the author of Maha Bharatham, who did that. He is also considered as an Avatara of Vishnu only. So, it is all one and the same.
46. So once again, why was the first chapter describing Arjuna’s confused state of mind ‘Vishaada’ termed as Yogam? Till then without any confusion he had fought against many opponents and won over them, there by obtained name and fame as ‘Vijayan’ (that is the ‘victor’). Only now standing in front of his grand-sires such as Bhishma and DroNa, and cousins Kouravaas with whom he was to wage war, there was doubt in his mind, as to whether it is worth to cause all the sufferings and death. He started thinking that instead of winning the Kingdom from the Kouravaas it is better to beg and live on alms and doles! Yes, this was not a dispassion born of maturity and ripening of the wisdom. Till now, he had fought with many opponents without ever considering if it was cruelty or not. Now looking at relatives of all sorts arraigned against him, the blind sense of attachment, applied a break in his soldierly pursuits. Though he had to fight a battle of rightful cause of recovering ownership of land lost in gamble after meeting all the conditions and take revenge for the ignominy of Draupadi’s being stripped in the King’s Court and the deceitful burning of their palace; Arjuna was getting cold feet now! His confused state of mind was also a turning point, from the tendency of Pravrutti towards Nivrutti; for the first time in his life! That gave the opening for Sri Krishna to be able to paint the bigger picture and throw light on the ‘macro view’. Till now as a friend of Arjuna, Sri Krishna was more a partner in frivolous fun and even crime in getting him married to his sister Subhadra! There was no chance to talk about such things as Philosophy, Gnaana and Yoga till now. Now in the battle field, Arjuna’s unilateral declaration of forsaking of arms, this Arjuna’s Vishaada, his confusion, presented the opportunity to talk of sense and so it was named, ‘Vishaada Yogam’!
48. Yoga means, joining, meeting or union. As Bhagawan started advising Arjuna, all the things that would contribute towards clarity of Arjuna’s mind, help in attaining mindlessness and propel him towards realization of Atma Anubhava; were all added on as ‘Yoga’. Whatever will take us back to our source and origin is Yoga, isn’t it? In common parlance we say, “That man is having Yoga Kaalam. That is why he is reaping all the benefits”, don’t we? As per one’s horoscope too, when the planets reach suitably good positions in respect of the individual, he gets all opportunities for good things of life. So many such meetings and unions are Yoga only, the highest of the Yoga being, reconnecting to God, isn’t it? That is the essential purpose of Vedas.
ETERNAL YOGA OF ADWAITAM
49. In all such Yoga the ultimate is eternal oneness with Paramaatma, say the Upanishads. ‘Nirantaram’ is the word used to mean endless or continuous. ‘Antaram’ means gaps. ‘Nirantaram’ means, without any gaps in space and time too, without a gap and without a pause. These ideas of time and space are all our mind’s makings only. Till Jiva joins Paramaatma without a trace of a separate identity, there will be some gap. The smallest gap would mean that we will be talking about Him and us as different entities. When there is a gap or rift, the fear that the gap may widen will always be there. So the union without any gaps, ‘nir + antaram’, of Jiva with Aatma is the ‘Jiva – Brhma Abheda Yoga’, which happens to be the end of the end of Vedas, ‘sruti – siras’, the highest Yoga. Even a little gap there, will be cause for fear, says the Aananda Valli (also known as Brhmaananda Valli) in Taitreeya Upanishad. Any aspirant who wishes to be rid of all desires (Mumukshu), has one desire still left, that is to become fearless when he is completely established in Brhmam and that is the state of Adwaitam! Adwaitam is the union of oneness of Jiva and Parama Aatma, without any separate identity whatsoever.
50. Bhagawan gave the Gitopadesa to Arjuna to teach this ‘non differentiated oneness of Jiva and Paramaatma’ mainly. But as Arjuna was totally, deeply involved in the Karma Marga as a warrior of the Kshatriya clan; sudden introduction to the Nivrutti Marga would have meant a violent brake from deep ingrained tradition and tendency. So he spoke mainly about Karma Yoga and other Yoga-s and explained the Nivrutti Marga in detail in the chapter on ‘Moksha Sanyaasa Yoga’. Since Arjuna had a long way to go yet in Karma Yoga, he advised Arjuna to learn to sacrifice all the fruits of his labour to the Karma Phala Dhaata, that is Krishna himself and then that he would exonerate and relieve him from all demerits of past sins (of Paapa), finishing with ‘do not worry’ – ‘maa sucha:’! The 66th Sloka of the 18th Chapter of Bhagawat Gita says – “sarva dharmaan parityajya maam ekam saraNam vraja mokshayishyaami sarva paapebhyo, maa sucha:”!
51. Krishna’s Reformation and Revival of Ancient Teachings. What he had told The Sun God Surya and then conveyed from father to son in the Surya Kula of Ikshvaku dynasty traditionally and which had become ignored and forgotten over time, was told by Sri Krishna to his friend and devotee Arjuna. Krishna tells Arjuna that he has come to this world for this specific purpose of reviving these teachings. In the bargain, Krishna has revived and rejuvenated of these teachings for people of the whole world. Chapter 4, Sloka-s 1-3 in Bhagawat Gita says,
“Imam vivasvate yogam proktavaan aham avyayam I
vivasvaan manave praaha manurikshvaakave abraveet II
evam paramparaa praaptam imam rajarshayo vidhu: I
sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashta: parantapa II
sa evaayaam mayaa te adhya yoga: prokta: puraatana: I
bhakto asi me sakhaa cheti rahasyam etat uttamam II”
Sri Krishna says, “I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku. This, handed down thus in regular succession, the royal sages knew. This Yoga by long lapse of time has been lost here, O Parantapa. That same ancient Yoga has been today taught to thee by me for thou art my devotee and my friend; it is the supreme secret.” (Please note that the above six lines are a repetition of the end portion of the Paragraph No 34 in Deivathin Kural # 49 of 08 Sept 2011.)
52. Specifically, here Sri Krishna is talking about Karma Yoga. That is what has been practiced by the rulers of this country from the time immemorial. At the time of the occurrence of the Kurukshetra War, ‘the technique of how to acquit oneself of one’s duties in simply converting what is the path of Karma into Karma Yoga by Karma Phala Thyaaga’ had been forgotten and so, Krishna is reiterating it to Arjuna, a Royal Kshatriya Warrior. This is in the immediate context of why Bhagawat Gita was told to Arjuna in the battle field. But if you look a little more deeply, Krishna says in the 3rd Chapter 3rd Sloka that he has already taught the Gnaana Yoga to the ascetic renunciates of Sankhya-s that is the Sanyaasis and the Karma Yoga to the (Nishkaamya) Karma Yogis.
“loke asmin dvi-vidhaa nishtaa puraa proktaa mayaa anagha I
Gnaana yogena saankhyaanaam karma yogena yoginaam II”
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 50 (Vol # 5) Dated 11 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 50 (Vol # 5) Dated 11 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 307 of Vol 5 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)
35. Now a short foray and sojourn into Surya Siddhanta. (I have already referred to it in Deivathin Kural # 101 (Vol # 4) dated 15 Nov 2010, # 153 (Of Vol 2) dated 17 Sept 2008, # 85 of (Vol 2) dated 17 Feb 2008 and Deivathin Kural Series – 121 dated 13 Jan 2007.) We are considering a time scale much beyond anything ever thought of normally by the modern world! Here I am only translating what is given in the Post Script on page No 306 of Deivathin Kural Volume 4, Tamil Version, with reference to the word ‘Vaivasvata Manu’ occurring in the previous paragraph.
36. Brhma when he is functioning awake in his day time, it covers a period of a Thousand Chahtur Yugas, that is, 432, 000, 000 multiplied by 1,000 of human years! The created world functions during that period. When that is over, Brhma’s night time starts and goes on for an equal amount of time. During that period all the created manifestations are reabsorbed back into the source. When Brhma’s next day commences the creation and manifestation happens again. In that period of one daytime of Brhma of a thousand Chatur Yugas, 14 Manus successively come into being and rule over the worlds. The period of one Manu is called Manvantaram that lasts for 308, 448,000 human years. At the end of tenure of each Manu there is a Manvantara Pralaya (Armageddon), a smaller cycle of Samhaara followed by Srushti and Sthithi. Then the next Manu comes into being and starts the next cycle of creation, sustenance and absorption, as the first man of that Manvantaram. Presently we are in the Sweta Varaha Kalpa of the seventh Manu’s Vaivasvata Manvantara.
BHAKTI – THAT IS DEVOTION
37. Talking about Pravrutti as the tendency to do work with emphasis on extroversion and Nivrutti as giving up all actions with emphasis on introversion; I have elaborated on Karma Yoga and Gnaana Yoga only. In the process, Bhakti Yoga has remained untouched, which has in itself a lot of activities of individual Pooja to collective celebrations and festivals; as well as inactivity of Dhyana, Samaadhi and such in which one is totally lost to the world in complete absorption in divinity. Finally in devotion, when the difference between the subject (doing the prayers or meditation) and object (being prayed to) becomes erased, devotion leads inevitably to Gnaana!
38. The majority of people amongst the general public will be such that they are not interested or do not have the time to give their minds to such esoteric subjects as, Yoga, Vedaanta and Meemaamsai. For them Bhakti, that is being devoted to God is likely to be in a very light vein, either naturally evolving or more as copying what the public does. Here we are not taking into consideration the unbelieving atheists and the adherents of Karma Meemaamsai, who avoided any discussion about God. Generally mostly people are likely to think some time or the other, within themselves that, ‘for this world and universe with enormously huge inter connections and inter-dependencies with so much order and discipline; cannot be happening naturally accidentally, but with reason, intelligence and purpose. There has to be a causal power driving all this towards which, accepting our limitations of size, power and ability, we have to be beholden to’! That is the sort of devotion that we have all felt sometime or the other in our lives.
39. Even if people are too involved in their work as Karma Sanghis, they may not agree with the concept of the Karma Meemaamsai that, ‘there is no need for a God to be there as Phala Dhaata, the giver of fruits of our labour!’ As omniscient and omnipotent, they will pray to God for every one of their wishes whether it is about money or studies or health or power and promotion, while continuing their efforts. They will believe that their efforts will be fruitful only with His Grace and Sanction! Even if someone were to tell them that this is not devotion at all but looks more like a business transaction, from their side they think of it as Bhakti only. Even those who are made fun of, for their going to different Gods for different aspects of their prayers, in some corner of their minds, know that it is all one and the same God seen as different forms and are devoted to that one supreme power only.
40. Since our demands and wishes will be according to our own nature and preferences, to pray to different deities, when we customise the procedures for Upaasana as per our whims, a lot of unwanted things become tradition. As Karma Yoga became worthless in the hands of the followers of Poorva Meemaamsai, Bhakti Yoga too gets devalued, when you go to different Gods for different returns. You end up undermining the devotion as though manipulating Gods to satisfy your whims and fancies! In Gita Sri Krishna has spoken about this aspect too. To be devoted to different deities for various temporary gains as against being devoted to the one God for the eternal realization; have all been discussed in the Seventh Chapter called ‘Gnaana Vignaana Yoga’. Then before finishing in the 17th Chapter on ‘Shraddha Thraya Vibhaga Yoga’, Sri Krishna says, ‘people with Satva GuNa pray to deities with a pleasant temperament whereas those with violent tendencies of Rajo GuNa, are attracted towards Yaksha – Rakshasa type of deities and those predominantly deluded characters of sloth, approach ethereal powers of ghosts and ogres. In the bargain the devotional procedures get flagrantly violent and cruel like sacrificing living beings including humans! What I mean to point out is that, devotion covers a broad spectrum with many gradations from the highest zenith of the Nivrutti Marga with the devotee completely sublimating, undergoing a metamorphosis in to the object of his devotion without a trace; to crass levels of chopping off the head of an unwilling victim in the name of a sacrifice!
41. Pravrutti and Nivrutti are exact opposites and there cannot be a third side to it. That is why having talked about the tendency towards Karma and Gnaana; Bhakti that starts naturally in all people’s minds from the lowest level of Karma that takes us to the highest levels of Gnaana, was left unmentioned. Even the Gnaani who has practically experienced the truth of ephemerality of the whole world as a projection by Maya; knowing the existence of God as the Easwara of the Maya, virtually melts in his devotion to that God. At every event or happening, at every turn of one’s life, looking at nature in all its things of glory as well as ugly gory, the devotee is seeing God’s Maya and Leela. Then setting aside Gnaana, they continue to dwell in the glories of God as a friend, as a partner and even as a child. Remaining in the Pravrutti Marga only, deeply soaked in devotion they leave it to God to take them to the Nivrutti, if ever and whenever!
42. Karma Yogis to shift to becoming Gnaana Yogis, with Chitta Suddhi need to have Chitta Ekaagrata also. This concentration of focussing of one’s of mind is better achieved through thinking of God – ‘Easwara Chintana’ and nothing else. So they involve themselves in the Bhakti marga. With that, as God is the Phala Dhaata, they offer all the effects of their actions back to Him, without any interest in the effects. Even people like us who are all the time involved in actions, break coconuts, do ‘anga pradakshinam’ (that is to do circum ambulation of the prahara of the temple lying on the ground and rolling with the hands held high in a posture of Namaskaara) and many other things, in the name of devotion.
43. Whatever it is, all that we do and do not do; has to be part of Pravrutti or Nivrutti. That is why I left it at that. So it is said that the basis for Pravrutti Marga Dharma is the Karma Kaandam of the Vedas and as the basis for Nivrutti Marga Dharmam is the Gnaana Kaandam of the Vedas that is the Upanishads. Some people talk of an Upaasana Kandam in the Vedas themselves, taking out those portions where some deity or the other has been eulogised in the Vedas themselves. But the various devotional procedures and Sahasra Naamaas are more abundantly available in the 18 main PuraaNaas, 18 UpapuraaNaas, Bhagavatham and Maha Bharatham. Bhagawat Gita talks of the three Yogas of Karma, Bhakti and Gnaana. Actually there is a method of classification by which, the first six chapters of the Gita are known as Karma Shatkam, the next six as Bhakti Shatkam and the last six as the Gnaana Shatkam.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 49 (Vol # 5) Dated 09 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 49 (Vol # 5) Dated 09 Sept 2011

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti 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 No 301 of Vol 5 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)
26. At the very beginning of creation, God must have thought of having as much of variety as possible in types, sizes, shapes, colours, characteristics, behaviour and attitudes. That individual Jeeva should also have some freedom of choice, but not so much freedom that the whole system could go awry! So, he made known through the Vedas, the two paths of Pravrutti and Nivrutti. In olden times and the past Yugas, people took up whatever the path and attained to Sreyas, that is, name and fame through that path itself. Some went by the path of Renouncement and Inversion while, many adopted the path of deep Involvement and Extroversion.
27. Even those who went by the Pravrutti Marga, did not play on their independence too much, but kept it within limits as required by the Dharma Saastraas. Generally people were all God fearing and wished to please God Almighty. So their desires did not take deep roots beyond limits of decency. So, despite catering for sensual gratification by their actions, after some period, invariably the attachments to the need for gratification gave way to the greater need for self realization and Gnaana. Even when they were aware of not being matured enough to adopt the Nivrutti Marga, they were sensible enough to upgrade themselves to at least to opt for ‘Karma Phala Thyaga’. That means after some limited indulgence they were capable of applying self corrections to give up the ‘fruits of their labour’ for the simple mode of doing their duties for duty sake. That is where the Karma Marga became Karma Yoga. By that process, having obtained Chitta Suddhi, they were rid of the pestering urge for more. Clarity of mind led to clarity of thoughts, speech and actions! Then the automatic next step was to take up Sanyaasa and enter the Nivrutti Marga of Gnaana Yoga! This is how it happened till this Kali Yuga.
28. In the Dharma Saastraas, even in general order of life, by the fact that after having lived a wholesome life of Baalyam (childhood), there is the Ashrama of Brhmacharyam (youthful age of learning and celibacy), Gruhastam (life of a house-holder of being married and siring children), Vanaprastam (retired life severing the attachments one by one) followed by Sanyaasa (life of total detachment and renouncement); it is clear that almost all the people moved from Pravrutti Marga to Nivrutti Marga eventually. This was the way almost all people brought their lives to a culmination from being extroverts to introversion. So the order used to be that, up to sometime in your life, you were an active member of the society, participating in all involvement. Then you were still part of an active life, but were doing Nishkaamya Karma becoming disinterested in Karma Phala. Then, they went beyond that also taking up Sanyaasa. KaLidaasa in Raghu Vamsa Maha Kavya, while talking about the kings of Surya Vamsa says that though they were much attached to the worldly affairs, towards the end of their lives, they used to drop their mortal coils as Yogis (Ref – Raghuvamsam 1st Chapter 8th Sloka).
29. Even in those days, there could have been some who could not convert the Karma Marga into Karma Yoga. But they were respectful towards Karma Yogis and Gnaana Yogis, supportive of them. Their attitude used to be that, though they were not able to completely give up their attachments, they were aware that the rightful way for eternal values was to move away from involvement towards detachment. They did not try to establish that their Karma Marga (sans Yoga) was the best! Actually if someone had not taken Sanyaasa, the social custom used to be that, just prior to breathing one’s last, one will be administered the Sanyaasa Deeksha in one’s death bed!
30. Then with the passage of time, people’s desires started increasing in geometrical progression. Desiring for the fruits of labour, the tendency to work only for the returns became a way of life. With that, obtaining Chitta Suddhi was discarded by the wayside and the urge to move on to Nivrutti Marga dwindled. Those who did Karma like that, started making a philosophy out of such involvement saying, ‘That is how we should be doing things. This is the way of achieving man’s ennoblement. To give up persevering and take up Sanyaasa is reneging one’s responsibilities in life, an idle man’s excuse’. Setting aside God and self-realization and such things, they started claiming that the Karma as given in the Vedas give fruits of such labour on their own. There is neither a God as a Phala Dhaata, nor is there a heaven without work. We will do as per the dictates of Vedas and attain to the heavens. How can Moksha be obtained, if you do not work for it and simply do Gnaana Vichaara? Ours is to do and die. By that if we were to get the heavens, let it come when it does. This became their ‘Siddhaantam’!
31. Nivrutti, Gnaana and Aatma Saatchaatkaara are all talked about in the end portion of the Vedas, the Upanishads. Collectively they are known as Gnaana Kaandam. This was completely set aside and only the Karma Kaandam was accepted. Such a Siddhaantam was known as ‘Poorva Meemaamsai and Karma Meemaamsai’. Meemaamsai means ‘analysis of good things’. The later part of the Vedas, the Gnaana Kaandam gave raise to Uttara Meemaamsai, also known as the end of the Vedas is popularly called Vedaantam (an Indian synonym for Philosophy), as these Upanishads occur at the end of each Shaaka or branch of the Vedas. Let this be set aside temporarily.
32. From the early beginnings the Upadesa-s (words of advice) of the two lines of Karma Kaandam and Gnaana Kaandam on the Pravrutti and Nivrutti Marga-s have been given by great saints over the years for the consumption by the general public. They are considered as having been deputed by God himself for the enormous committed service they have been rendering for the common man. As the Nivrutti Marga is the end and final resort for Moksha, God Himself is the Guru as DakshiNa Murthy. That is the Parama Siva Roopa. Vishnu also has come in the form of Hamsa Avataara, Dattaatreya and Hayagriva and has counselled the followers on the Nivrutti marga, though these Avataras have not been so well known. These Gurus like Dakshinamurthy and Hayagriva did not go about everywhere eulogising and pontificating on their theories. The disciples have gone to them after a search and got their words of advice. DakshiNa Murthy used to sanction Gnaana through silence, instead of speaking! Even today when we approach Deities with various prayers, they do not come in front of us and grant our wishes, but do so in a subtle manner, isn’t it? Like that, there have been and are many who pray to DakshiNa Murthy and Hayagriva and get their Anugraha, even now. Even a common man knows that once there is a Sivaalayam, there will be a Sannidaanam for DakshiNa Murthy and he will sit down for a few minutes with his eyes closed, (even though he may not know as to what to ask for or what is Gnaana), but pray all the same! Hayagriva may not be known that much. Dattaatreya and the brothers Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatana (the four spiritual sons of Brhma, all Vishu’s Avataras) also used to roam about advising the Nivrutti Marga to many, though they did not make it their profession as such.
33. It was the Nivrutti Marga which was the difficult one, for which there has been a stream of great Saints. For Pravrutti Marga Dharma, God did not have to specifically do anything other than make available the Vedas through the Rishis, because it was the natural tendency of people. The Karma Kaanda of the Vedas was sufficient to take care of the Pravrutti Marga Dharma to be taught by the Guru who took care of the moral tenets during Vidhya Abhyaasa period as per the Vedas and Saastraas. For the people who did not learn the Vedas during the Adhyayanam, there were PouraNiks who instilled the basic tenets of morality in the common man through their periodic talks on Itihaasa and PuraNas.
34. Still, the secret that when you do the Karma Anushtaanaas in a dispassionate way without any demands or requests as Nishkaamya, it becomes Karma Yoga, capable of granting Chitta Suddhi; was first told by God Himself to Vivasvan that is the Surya Bhagawan. Surya in turn gave this to (Pravrutti marga Dharma) to Vaivaswata Manu, as to how Nishkaamya Karma paves the way for Chitta Suddhi and turns the Saadhak towards the Nivrutti Marga. Vaivaswata means Vivasvan’s son. Vaivaswata Manu advised the first king of the Sun Dynasty, Ikshvaku. Like this, Pravrutti Dharmam was passed on from father to son for long as Karma Yoga. Here please refer to the first three slokas of the Fourth Chapter of Bhagawat Gita. The third Chapter of Bhagawat Gita is about Karma Yoga. At the commencement of the Fourth Chapter Sri krishna says, “I taught this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshvaku. This, handed down thus in regular succession, the royal sages knew. This Yoga by long lapse of time has been lost here, O Parantapa. That same ancient Yoga has been today taught to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My friend; it is the supreme secret.”
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.