DEIVATHIN KURAL # 48 (Vol # 5) Dated 06 Sept 2011

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 48 (Vol # 5) Dated 06 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 295 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)
(An Amendment: In the last issue of e-mail dated 01 Sept, towards the end; For ‘wrting on water’, Read ‘writing on water’.)
18. As we go on being buffeted by the good and bad experiences of life, we learn some wisdom and get a little of maturity. Even in that stage we cannot forsake Karma. That is, the tendency to do something or the other for everything that happens around us and elsewhere in the world will not just drop off. Whether it is Tsunami in Japan or the escapades of the World Bank President, at the least we will talk about it amongst our friends, as though we know more about it, though the source of information may be same! We would not have attained the maturity to sit down in ‘Ekaantam’ that is ‘utter silence of solitude’ and meditate deliberating on Aatma – Brhmam – Gnaanam and such. Yes, what could have happened is that there will be an undercurrent of a thought, ‘hopefully someday or the other, it is better that we should also give up all this and do Gnaana Vichaara’. Such thinking may not be wide spread and their numbers may not be more than ‘Karma Sanghis’, but certainly more than people going on the ‘Nivrutti’ Marga adopting Sanyaasa.
19. The various rituals of Karma Kaandam, which form the major portion of the Vedas, as ordained by God for the sake of those in ‘Pravrutti’ Marga, does a great favour to them by the infinite Grace of God, that one day or the other they will change track, take a ‘U’ turn and go the ‘Nivrutti’ Marga way. When we do the Dharmic Karmas as given in the Saastraas, they give two types of fruition to the two sets of people who have different aims in doing the Karma. One variety is of those people who do not see beyond the satisfaction of the senses and mind here on the earth and in the heavens. These people for the sake of the pleasures of the senses they desire, if they do things as per their whims and fancies; it is likely that they will create problems for themselves and others. That is why God has stream lined and systematized as per the Saastraas, namely the Karma Kaandam, as a defined path towards progress known as Karma Marga.
20. It is as though God is addressing the man in the following way. “My Dear Sir, you can only keep on doing things forever. That is how I have made you. I have also given you some amount of freedom, for my pleasure and your progress. The freedom given to you is for you to make the right choice for your own good and for the society’s benefit. But mostly you make me almost regret my decision to give you that freedom, denying me the pleasure of watching the world drama, with some fun and latent surprises. Instead you tend to make it a mad ruckus with self inflicted injuries while hurting others too! To obviate that situation only, I have created the Do’s and Don’ts of the Karma Kaandam. In it I have provided for your choice preferences, comforts and likes in this world and in heaven. Since you tend to be active mostly, I have defined what is to be done and how it is to be done. So instead of doing things as per whims and fancies of yours, when you strictly do the Karmas as per the Saastraas; there will be some problems, difficulties and sacrifices, yes; but, if we do as per our whims and fancies, the difficulties and problems will be much more huge, isn’t it? Though pleasureful in the short term, in the long run they will cause much more inconveniences and harm. Relatively the Vaidic Karma Anushtaanaas as per Saastraas, though difficult to observe with some starvation, abnegations and inconveniences, will have long standing good effects. So better take control of yourself and do things by discipline as required of you”. So, the Path of Karma has been laid down by God’s commandments. This is for people who do not bother much about Aatma Anubhava and Self-realization and look only for an easy life, within what is sanctioned within the parameters of Saastraas.
21. I told you about another class of people. They are also not much given to Aatma Vichaara or deep devotion and only Karma Sanghis, but with a difference. They have come to detest the repeated hard work involved in making a living and wondering at the futility of it all. They know that they are missing out on a sense of fulfilment. Mostly as described in the previous paragraph, people are deeply involved in the path of Karma for the pleasures of this world and heavens as returns. But these few, who have come to identify the fact that they are missing out on the real, are involved in work not for the immediate returns of these worldly and heavenly pleasures. They have decided, ‘These Vaidic Anushtaanaas as given in the Saastraas are God’s own Commandments. We will obey them not for any returns, but because it is our duty to do so. We will not look for selfish gain, but do our appointed work as Nishkaamya for the benefit of the society and people of this world.’ Thus when you do things for ‘parameswara preetyartam’, there is automatically a subtle return of cleansing of one’s minds. Slowly they get greater clarity of the mind. Clarity of the mind, heart, words and action goes hand in hand! Then he will be able to give up on actions completely. His nature will be rid of the tendencies and compulsions. Slowly but surely, he will be turning around the corner to change directions towards the Nivrutti Marga!
22. Thus there are two types of gains in the Karma Marga. One is the pleasures of this world and heavens, which I have been talking about in the previous paragraphs, and the other is the ‘Chitta Suddhi’ of clarity of heart, mind, thoughts, speech and action through ‘Nish Kaamya Karma’! When we do all our actions as an offering to God obediently, this ‘Chitta Suddhi’ doesn’t finish there. Over time, it creates the worth in us to be able to enter the path of Nivrutti / Gnaana Marga!
23. Though I said that there are two types of dividends, in truth it is only the returns on this earth and in heaven of fleetingly temporary satisfactions only. Even when we do not want these returns we are not able to not do this Karma and when we do it within permitted rules it inculcates inner discipline which contributes for the welfare of the individual, his family and society. Still this Chitta Suddhi is not a direct return of Karma. What is the use of a kitchen garden? Getting some fruits and vegetables, isn’t it? Someone may work in the garden not exactly for getting vegetables and or flowers but only as a diversion to take the mind away from some loss or painful memory. So you cannot say that the return from gardening is compensating for the loss of a dear one! Similarly we cannot say that the dividend from Nish Kaamya Karma is Chitta Suddhi. The cleansing of mind and heart that one gets from dispassionate performance of one’s duty is directly attributable as Easwara Prasada. More than his action, it is resultant out of his right attitude. “Though he is not interested in the returns, this man is performing his duties to the best of his abilities, just because it is our command and since it contributes to the social order and well being. For this attitude of his, I must remove all the jinxes in his mind and body”, so saying God sanctions the Chitta Suddhi! So, Chitta Suddhi is not a result of doing Karma but forsaking the fruits of Karma!
24. Come to think of it, even what seem to be direct results of Karma are not its effects. Karma by itself is an inanimate event. The giver of results is always Easwara. Still differentiating within that, the gross effects of these worldly and heavenly pleasures are said to be direct results of Karma and the subtle effect of Chitta Suddhi is said to be Easwara Prasada that is obtained only by renouncing, sacrificing and relinquishing the fruits of one’s actions, however noble they may be!
25. God is telling, those who do not have the maturity of mind to proceed to the Gnaana Marga and are not happy with the pleasures of the Karma Marga on this earth and heaven, “Since you cannot give up doing work, carry on doing your ordained duties, but give up your claim to the effects of such actions. Do Karma Anushtaana for pleasing me. By that in time, you will have Chitta Suddhi. Then you can enter the path of Gnaana.” Here Karma Marga becomes Karma Yoga! Yoga means joining, reaching or fetching up to. To take the individual who thinks of himself to be a separate entity, to the only Truth of existence is Yoga. The ways of doing so are the Paths or Marga, namely Karma / Bhakti / Raja / Gnaana Marga-s to join us with the one and only Reality, as all the roads and lanes reach the main road and all rivulets and rivers reach the ocean! It may take days or years or ages, but surely one day you will also reach!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.