DEIVATHIN KURAL # 151 (Vol # 5) Dated 30 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 151 (Vol # 5) Dated 30 Mar 2012

(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 941 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

988. I had told you earlier that our AachaaryaaL’s Jayanthi, that is, celebration of his date of birth is done on Vaisaka Sukhla Panchami, throughout the country. So we should continue to do so on that day only. Similarly the general belief is that the place of his birth is Kaladi in Kerala. Though that is what is said in all Sankara Vijayam books, in one of the versions of Aananda Gireeyam, it is given as Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu! This may not be very correct. But, there is some material to be talked about Chidambaram. There seems to be a subtle connection between AachaaryaaL and Chidambaram. He obtained from Parameswara five Spatika (Crystal) Lingams, which he installed in Sringeri in Kodagu Mandalam, Kanchipuram, Kedaarnaath in the Himalayas, Neelakanta in Nepal, and in Chidambaram. The last one was kept with him in person till his last few days in the human body and finally given to Sureshwara for being installed in Chidambaram as given in the Aananda Gireeyam.

989. Chidambaram is indicative of the deep principles of the end of all philosophy aka Vedaantam. The very name ‘Chid + ambaram’ means the ‘inner sky of our very being’. Normally the places of religious importance are all indicative of incidents in PuraNas, such as KaaLahasti, AruNaachalam, Jambukeswaram aka GajaaraNyam aka Thiruvaanaikka and so on. Only Chidambaram is related to Vedantam rather than indicative of religious anecdotes. Related to PuraNas though it has a name as ‘Vyagrapuram’ or ‘Puliyur’, it is the name Chidambaram that is rather famous. All the poems of Tevaram in praise of Siva start with the mention of ‘Thiru Chitrambalam’ in Tamil that is also another way of saying ‘Dahara Aakaasam’ in Sanskrit! The small space in the cave of our heart (that is not the biological heart), is known as ‘Dahara Aakaasam’, ‘the sky of the self’. This inner being ‘dynamic Nataraja’ is there as the Nishkriya (sans action), Aroopa (sans form), and Rahasyam (secret). That space of the sky (Aakaasa kshetram) is not only indicating the five Bhootas or the basic elements but, the very core or essence of our being.

990. In one of his works known as ‘Yoga Taravali’, our AachaaryaaL has talked about the importance of Sri Sailam, in which he has talked of the ‘Aatma Tatva’ the quintessence of our principle of existence. Similarly, in another of his works known as ‘Viveka ChoodaamaNi’, he has spoken about the value of the word ‘Chidambaram’. In the end part of that book, while describing the liberated soul of a Jeevan Mukta he says, “As such a being is fully firmed in his Reality, for the apparent appearance, he may seem to be any which way; he may be all quiet or he may look like a mad man; dancing around like someone in intoxication; sometimes behaving like a child; hovering like a ghost; wearing any skin of a deer or tiger or roaming about in the altogether unaware of his body; such a person then is firmly established in the ethereal plane of Knowledge Absolute, the space/sky of Gnaana. In describing him our AachaaryaaL uses the word, ‘chidambarasta:’! PeriyavaaL Quotes the Sloka No 540 of ‘Viveka ChoodaamaNi’: – “digambaro vaapi saambaro vaa tvagambaro vaapi chidambarasta: I unmattavat vaapi cha baalavatvaa pisaasavat vaapi charatyavanyaam II” – rooted firmly in his Absolute Reality!

991. Close to the Malayala Desam on the eastern side in the Kongu Nadu there is another Nataraja temple in Perur. I had told you earlier that Trichur in Kerala is also ‘Thiruchivapperur’ where our AachaaryaaL’s parents Siva Guru and AryaambaaL had done Tapasya for begetting a child, isn’t it? Perur has a name as Aadi Chidambaram! Ambalam is a word more commonly used in Malayalam. In Tamil Nadu, Chitrambalam, Ponnambalam and VeLLiambalam are all words used for the Sannidy of Nataraja Perumaan only. The upper portion of this temple in Chidambaram is also in the form of a roof as found in Kerala, rather than the Gopuram structure as found in other temples of Tamil Nadu. All the Deekshidar-s in Chidambaram tie their hair and let it rest in the front of their heads as the Namboodri Brahmins of Kerala. When the Namboodri Brahmins wear it straight atop (known as Oordva Shika) in front, while those in Chidambaram let it fall to a side in front (known as Poorva Shika). They both let the hair have a free fall at the back, which is a similarity.

992. That the Deekshidars of Chidambaram had some special connection with Malayala Desam is revealed from a reading of Periya PuraaNam which lists all the life histories of the 63 devotees of Siva known by the collective name as Nayanmaars. From a place known as KaLandai, there was a Koortruva Naayanaar ruling over a small regional kingdom. His was one of the vassal states under the Chola Dynasty paying periodical duties known as ‘Kappam’. He was famous as a devotee of Siva. He had an army of infantry, charioteers, horse mounted and elephant mounted soldiers. More than the might of his army, he was powerful because of his devotion to Siva Perumaan by eternally chanting the Panja Akshara Mantra of ‘Namasivaya’. By a number of fights he virtually defeated or won over all the states of South India. Those days, the Kings of the Sozha Dynasty used to get their coronation done at Chidambaram as Nataraja the presiding Deity there was like a Family Deity for them. Though, they used to get their coronation done in their capital at Uraiyur or Tanjore that function was only something like an official or social event. But in Chidambaram, it was considered as a religiously approved sacramental function, conducted by the 3,000 Deekshidars. The Crown given there was also meant only for that occasion. After the function is over, the Crown will remain in the custody of the Deekshidars in Chidambaram temple only.

993. Koortruva Naayanaar having won over all other rulers went to Chidambaram and requested them to conduct the Coronation by the proper method. They however denied doing so on the grounds that they will not do so, except for a king of the Sozha lineage. Having had a difference of opinion with the existing ruler, they considered it incorrect to continue living in that place. The Crown was also not to be removed from the temple premises. So they made one from among their midst to remain as a custodian for the crown and went away to Kerala under the Chera King of that time in the Malayala Desam. Please note that instead of going to the Pandya Kingdom nearby, they went away to the far off Chera Nadu! May be they wanted to distance themselves from the point of conflict or that there was a natural affinity to the other location of Nataraja temple and or between Deekshidars and Namboodri Brahmins! From the way the event developed one can draw certain other relevant deductions too. Even when only one Brahmin was the caretaker of the priceless crown, the king with all his power was still obedient to the wishes of the religious community. Then as the story of Koortruva Naayanaar goes, he prayed to Lord Siva Perumaan to place his adorable feet on his head, which the Lord kindly did in his dreams, for him to get the exalted name as a Naayanaar. Let me remind the readers that Nayanmars are revered as great devotees of Siva that there statues are lined up in the outer Praharam of all Siva Temples in South India. Later Rajaraja Sozha also got the title of ‘Siva Paada Sekhara’ by the process of praying for Siva Perumaan’s adorable feet to be placed on his head, thereby continuing the tradition as set by Koortruva Naayanaar I suppose!

994. Now coming to the version about our AachaaryaaL’s being born in Chidambaram, when we made further enquiries, it was revealed that his father’s name was Viswajit and mother’s name was Visishta. Further digging in revealed that it was Abhinava Sankara of 788 A.D. whose parents were Viswajit and Visishta. The 61st Sloka of ‘Jagatguru Ratnamala Sthava’ as explained in the Sushama Vyaakhyaana by Vaakpathy Bhatta known as ‘Sankarendra Vilasa’ clarifies this point. It underlined the earlier discovery of how the Orientalists were mistaken about Aadi Sankara and Abhinava Sankara, confusing one for the other!

995. Aanandagiri also had a special attachment to Chidambaram it seems. In Aananda Gireeyam wherever there is description of how the child Sankara grew up, it says, “saaktchaat chidambaresa iva viraajamaana:”, meaning that, ‘he was effulgently shining like Nataraja’, in Aananda Gireeyam, 3rd PrakaraNam. In the same PrakaraNam, it also says that the place where he met Govinda Bhagawat Paada and got Upadesa was in Chidambaram! Though in other books, that place is said to be as differently as the banks of the Narmada River, Badrikashram, and Kaasi, we are to note that it was Narmada River bank as widely believed in the light of what I had described earlier. During that Upadesa, unknown to the outer world, we can take it as intimately connected to Chidambaram, not simply a place name on the map; but as indicative of the inner Chidaakaasa. We know that Govinda Bhagawat Paada was an Avatara of Patanjali. Patanjali is inalienably attached to Chidambaram. If AachaaryaaL’s Guru is like this, the Guru’s Guru that is the Parama Guru Gowda Paada also got Upadesa directly from Patanjali, when he was in that Patanjali Roopa of a thousand headed Aadi Sesha Naaga! Then, our AachaaryaaL is ever imbedded in Chid-Ambaram as ‘Chidambarasta:’ and so we can take it that his Guru gave him Upadesa in the ‘Gnaana Aakaasa’ of Chidambaram!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 150 (Vol # 5) Dated 28 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 150 (Vol # 5) Dated 28 Mar 2012

(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 935 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

978. In Samkshepa Sankara Vijayam aka Madhaveeyam the sloka mentioning use of Vyasachaleeyam is as under:-
“vyasachala – pramukha – poorvika – pandita – kshma –
brut – samprudochcha – dhara – kaavya – taros – sureete: I
vidvan – madhuvrata – sugoru – rasaani – sarvaaNi –
aataatum – artha – kusumaan aham akshamo – asmi II
yadnaatu dalpa – tishaNaa shruNina gruheetum
sakyam tadatra sarasam sakalam gruheetva I
kaanchin maheswara – guru – smruti – binna – moha:
samkshepa – sankara – jaya – srajam – aatanomi II (KTSV Adds – I have already given you the meaning of the above sloka in the last para numbered 977. Please note that in the absence of the Sanskrit script in the Tamil book from which I am translating in to English, my transliteration must be suffering from some incorrect spelling of the Sanskrit words. You may check back with some Sanskrit scholar if available and get them corrected if need be.)

979. Giving the same simile, Govinda Natha in his Sankara Vijayam has praised Vyasa Achala in these words:-
“adyunna tasyaa kaavyatror – vyasa achala – bhuvo – akilam I
Artha prasoonaath – yadaatum asamartho – aham adbhutam II”, which means that, ‘On the high grounds of the lands of Vyasa Achala, as a very tall tree stands the Life History of our AachaaryaaL. I am incapable of fetching the wonderful meanings of his writings, which are like flowers on that tree!’ Coming back to Madhaveeyam, having praised Vyasa Achala, and then having expressed his humility in the august presence of the listeners / readers in some ten or fifteen slokas at the beginning, the Author again reiterates his admiration for Vyasa Achala. He says, “dhanyo Vyasachala kaviras – tat – krutignyaascha dhanyaa:” which means that, ‘blessed is this foremost amongst poets and blessed are those that read his writings!’

980. Aananda Gireeyam. Amongst the books on our AachaaryaaL’s Life History, available in full, the oldest seems to be Aananda Gireeyam. It is confirmed that it has the approval of genuineness from many a source. I told you how the first edition of Madhaveeyam published from Bombay had, two Vyaakhyaana-s (aka elucidations and comments), by two different experts namely, Achyutaraya Modak and Dhanapathy Soori respectively. Both of them have confirmed that, all that is contained in Bruhat Sankara Vijayam and Praacheena Sankara Vijayam; are to be found in Aananda Gireeyam. Even a few things not mentioned in Madhaveeyam are mentioned in Aananda Gireeyam. For example, Achyutaraya Modak in his ‘Adwaita Rajya Lakshmi’, while describing the end days of our AachaaryaaL, having covered the entire life of our AachaaryaaL as given in the 16th Chapter, 9th Amsam of Siva Rahasyam in total, till AachaaryaaL’s Siddhi in Kanchi, says that all these details are mentioned in Aananda Giri’s Bruhat Sankara Vijayam also, as an additional authority for his writings. From his writings we gather that Aananda Giri was also known as ‘Aananda Gnaana’.

981. Dhanapathy Soori in his book ‘Dindima Vyaakhyaana’, while giving his commentary on the 15th Chapter of Madhaveeyam, describes clearly as to which all exponents of other Siddhaantams that our AachaaryaaL argued with; what were the points of contentions and how did the discussion proceed; in some 800 slokas! At the end he closes the discussion with the statement, “atra pracheena anurodena vyaakhyeyam”, meaning that ‘this elucidation and commentary is based strictly on what is given in the ancient basic scriptures’. A close look at his statement and the mother book will reveal that he has intimately followed Aananda Gireeyam, without any doubt. The details of where all our AachaaryaaL went in his Digvijayam, which all cities/towns he visited, in which order, whom all he met and how long he stayed in those places; are all 90% as given in Aananda Gireeyam. Not only that, the order in which AachaaryaaL and his opponent argued, including the very words used, seem to be exact copies of what is given in Aananda Gireeyam.

982. Some time back I had told you that a book was written with the name ‘Guru Vamsa Kavyam’ on the direction of one of the Sringeri SwamigaL, didn’t I? That was written by Kaasi Lakshmana SaastrigaL, who has also written its Vyaakhyaana. In the basic book that he has written, while talking about AachaaryaaL’s Kulam (family tree), he has said that these have been already described by – ‘ aachaaryaaNaam kulam upadarshitam kaveendrai:’. For the explanation in his Vyaakhyaana, he has said, “Aananda Giri yateendraabhi:” – ‘meaning Anandagiri and such Yateendraas’, though mentioning only one by name.

983. One of the famous Indologist was H.H.Wilson. He is the one who identified ‘Sandra Kottus’. He has also accepted the prominent place of authority for ‘Aananda Gireeyam’. Generally I had already told you as to what was the Englishman’s attitude on these matters. So I am not quoting his name for any certificate of authority that, we should accept our own books only after it has been certified by foreigners! Many of them do not give much credence to our methods and beliefs. There was one Burnell, who has prepared an Index for the Sanskrit palm leaf manuscripts found in the Tanjore Palace. He has criticised the Ananda Gireeyam for things not mentioned there at all! For example, he has said that Aananda Gireeyam contains a lot of bluffs that AachaaryaaL established many Matams on the coramandel coast, when no such organizations had been established. In fact there is no such statement in Aananda Gireeyam at all! That is, Burnell is criticizing the book for a nonexistent statement, like punishing someone for a crime he never committed!

984. Wilson having seen the descriptions of many a miracle in our AachaaryaaL’s life, has also said in his disbelief, that it is full of fictitiously concocted stories. But still I am quoting his approval not as an authority but, that even a dis-believer like him having a contrary opinion on many of the issues that is reported in the book, considers Aananda Gireeyam to be authoritative, despite his differences of views. As per their beliefs our AachaaryaaL is supposed to have lived in the period between 788 and 820 A.D., isn’t it? Wilson’s comments are dated in the early part of the 19th Century. Having studied it, he says that there is enough internal evidence in the book that it was written almost contemporaneously with AachaaryaaL’s life time, ‘some one thousand years back’. He further says that it is a very safe guide to know about the state and methods of Hinduism of that period. There is a huge Sanskrit – English Dictionary by one Monier Williams, written after much research and analysis. He has opined that amongst the three books on the Life History of Aadi Sankara that he has seen, Aananda Gireeyam is very true in recording and reporting the factual details of the life of Aadi Sankara AachaaryaaL.

985. Since Aananda Gireeyam and Vyasachaleeyam have much relevance and authority, these two should be taken as true and wherever in other books there is additional information without contrariness, that is also added; that would about complete a study of our AachaaryaaL’s life history. Then what happens when there are deviations between them? With that, more importantly, what do you do when you find differences between two editions of the same book? There are many branches of the lineage of the disciples of our AachaaryaaL. We find that some of these books have their intense attachment and loyalty to some sub-sub-branch of such lineage. Generally Siva Rahasyam and Markandeya Samhita are of a balanced view point. They have no special affinity to his biography or philosophy and treat him as one amongst many divine beings, whose lives they are describing. These Itihaasa – PuraNas are predated to all the Sankara Vijayam books. Amongst the poets who have written on the life history of our AachaaryaaL, namely Sankara Abhyudhayam, Patanjali Vijayam and Sankara Aachaarya Sambu; we find that they were not partial to anybody and have reported without any bias. They were well established as great poets, before they endeavoured to write about our AachaaryaaL’s life. So, while writing about him, they gave relevance to beliefs and stories passed on from generation to generation verbally and already existing biographies of our AachaaryaaL. I am sure that, much study of the subject matter must have gone in before they attempted to versify the life history of our AachaaryaaL.

986. So, when we have to decide between the books or within a book as to which version is to be considered as acceptable, whatever tallies with Itihaasa – PuraNas; and what is given by general poets prior to that particular Sankara Vijayam; and if the poets are of a later date, the material that they have taken from this version of Sankara Vijayam that is being studied – such material can be taken as true! With all that, when not being able to come to a definite conclusion, we should opt for such belief as existing in the whole country or in a substantial part of it, that has been going on from time immemorial, heard and conveyed by word of mouth; instead of being discarded out of hand as cock and bull stories, should be given their due relevance! When there is similarity between writings of two different regions far apart in space, further confirmed by general belief of the populace; that can be accepted as true.

987. It looks as though AachaaryaaL himself is having some fun by displaying so much variety about his life! Between the basic texts such as Siva Rahasyam and Markandeya Samhita themselves for example, there are disparities and differences! Both contain the information that AachaaryaaL obtained ‘Pancha Linga-s’ (five idols of Siva Ling) from Parameswara. In Siva Rahasyam, it is said the Siva came out of Kaasi Viswanatha Lingam and gave our AachaaryaaL, the five idols of Siva Linga-s. Whereas In Markandeya Samhita it is mentioned that our AachaaryaaL went all the way to Kailasa and obtained the five idols as well as the ‘Soundarya Lahari’ Stotra. Actually this matches with the general belief amongst the populace. Then there is mention as to where all he installed those five Linga-s.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 149 (Vol # 5) Dated 26 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 149 (Vol # 5) Dated 26 Mar 2012

(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 927 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

969. As there can be two persons with one name, there could also be one person with more than one name, which can also give scope for some confusion. As there are people with aliases, This Mandana Mishra who became Sureshwara after becoming our AachaaryaaL’s disciple, is said to have had a name as Viswaroopa. Moreover, those who wrote these histories would have based their version on what they heard or gathered from others or other books. In them also, their reporting would have been based on what they believed to be true. As our AachaaryaaL had established many institutions in various parts of the country, people who were loyal to those organizations, would have given more weightage to them and could have said a few things in favour of those. In addition to these differences between books, even simple copying from palm leaf scripts to other media could have led to some additions and omissions!

970. You might have heard of the adage, “ezhudinavan ettai keduththaan”, meaning that, ‘the one who wrote spoiled the paper’! Thus the scribes could have been responsible for errors of commission and omission. Yes, writing should be objective without any grinding of one’s own axes. Though in principle it will be agreed that the source material should be objectively seen, some likes and dislikes do come in. When it comes to the matter of talking about AachaaryaaL and Adwaitam, these likes and dislikes have no place anyhow. Without taking sides on any issue, there is nobody who has analysed truth for the sake of truth, as he has done, undoubtedly. That is why in his Adwaitam, it has been possible for accommodating Dwaitam, Karmam, Bhakti, Saankhyam, Yogam, Bouddam, Meemaamsai and many other Siddhaantams. But none can be as unbiased like him and that is his greatness and uniqueness.

971. The biographies written by people of the past, is a matter that is already over. They all had much devotion for him and whatever they felt towards him, they wished to share with the generations yet to be. So they have all done a beautiful job to the best of their ability for which we should be indebted towards them all with a sense of gratitude. The matter that should get our attention now is as to how we are going to make use of them. Whichever biography we select to read, we should be approaching them as books of devotion. No question about that. Devotion is more important than questions and answers. Reading about our AachaaryaaL, wherever our hard heartedness is slightly melted, we should be thankful for the opportunity. So, let us read them all.

972. In our efforts to find the truth in the variations between the versions, we should not be biased. The way he looked at the truth without being self opinionated – we should be praying to him to guide us to be able to see the truth and only the truth. With truth, love is also important. For the sake of one, we should not be losing the sight of the other. If something looks absolutely certain to be the truth, we should not be against those who are not able to have a similar view. The very word Adwaitam means unity, integrity, absoluteness, comprehensiveness and universality. That immediately imposes on us a ban on being too mindful about differences with opposing viewpoints. We cannot commit a greater crime than causing differences of opinion about his life itself! We should know the truth for which we should have the courage to face it. That courage is not readiness to go to war with people who have differences of opinion. Without any lessening of the love in our hearts, we should be able to state our point of view. While approaching this discussion, we should be praying to our AachaaryaaL that even our opponents may be granted truthful outlook and a loving heart. That should be our mental attitude.

973. ‘Madhaveeya Sankara Vijayam’. I told you that Madhaveeya Sankara Vijayam is quite widely read and well known. One of the reasons for its popularity is that, it is full of literary merits. At the same time, it contains deep analysis of principles, viewpoints and concepts of our AachaaryaaL as well those of his opponents, putting forth the arguments from either side. It was the first of the Sankara Vijayam books to be printed, distributed all over the country and sold out. There were many ardent followers of Sankara AachaaryaaL, who were keen on its publication and distribution. The first issue was published from Bombay in 1863 and the second was from Ananda Ashram, Pune in 1891. It contained elucidation with comments from two experts on the subject namely, one ‘Adwaita Rajya Lakshmi’ by Achyutaraya Modak and ‘Dindima Vyaakhyaanam’ by Danapathy Suri.

974. The author of Madhaveeya Sankara Vijayam has given it a name as, ‘Samkshepa Sankara Vijayam’. He has given in the preamble of the book that he has given in brief (in samkshepa), life history of our AachaaryaaL, from already existing books. He has quoted that he has mainly made use of Vyasachala’s book and others’. He says in all humility that, “The poems by those earlier authors are rather sweet. So that you may not be satiated by too much sweetness, I have included other tastes also by adding some of my slokas also in a style of my own”. In his vinaya (humility) there is vaastav (genuineness) also. Vaastav does not mean that only the poems quoted are sweet and his poems are not! Actually his poems are also very sweet indeed, in fact more so. Then what is the vaastav part? He has genuinely quoted many portions from Vyasachaleeyam, Raja ChudaamaNi’s Sankara Abhyudhayam, Rama Bhadra Deekshidar’s Patanjali Vijayam, and Jagannatha Kavi’s Bhagawat Paada Saptasati, liberally. He has also made use of Aananda Gireeyam as a main source. But since Aananda Gireeyam is part prose and part poetry, in this book which is fully in slokas, he could not include all of them verbatim. He has made use of some of the poems from Aananda Gireeyam as it is and from the portions which are in prose, he has versified. All said and done, by putting together the crucial portions from various books, he has given us a virtual literary feast. Thus he has made use of the source materials in three modes; such as giving it verbatim, slightly modified and versified. Thus the book is popular with the intelligentsia as well as the common man.

975. Some people ask me a question. “He himself has quoted Vyasachaleeyam and Aananda Gireeyam as the source material. But, what is the proof that he has made use of ‘Sankara Abhyudhayam’, Patanjali Charitam’ and ‘Bhagawat Paada Saptadi’? Can it not be that, those authors made use of the ‘Madhaveeya Sankara Vijayam’, in writing their books?” Point one is that he has himself confirmed that he has made use of many authors before him. Not only that. However much the Sankara Vijayam books may be literarily high class, more than their literary value their religious sanctity is of greater importance. The authors never meant them to be great literary achievements but, more focussed on devotion to the Guru and religiosity of the reader. In such books, authorship and copy-right are not as important, as the intrinsic spiritual value! ‘Let us write a book which people can read with devotion’, would have been their intention. But, Raja ChudaamaNi Deekshidar, Rama Bhadra Deekshidar and Jagannatha Kavi are all firstly poets known more for their literary acumen, aspirations and achievements. Such people will consider below their prestige to add other’s writings in their works, unless when unavoidable, isn’t it? Otherwise, when their plagiarism if any becomes public, they get blamed for such endeavours by being called, ‘chora kavi’ or ‘ilakkiya thirudar’! If there is any such Sankara Vijayam, certainly it must be known word by word, at least to some of scholars. So, people who are famous as ‘Kavi’ (poets) will never make use of other’s writings except under quotes!

976. One more point. Madhaveeya Sankara Vijayam is a big book with some 2,000 slokas. Sankara Abhyudhayam and Patanjali Charitam are much smaller books. Bhagawat Paada Saptasati has only 70 poems. In a big book quotations from other’s writings will be acceptable. When the basic book is small, if it contains much material on loan so to say, will such a book see the light of the day in the literary world? Will that poet have much prestige? Whereas, in Madhaveeyam you will find that other’s writings have been suitably interpolated, without their becoming a stumbling block in the narrative. When the author himself has confirmed that he has made use of many authors’ writings without a tinge of any hurt to his ego, why should we be the one to object to it?

977. Vyasachaleeyam. In quoting Vyasa Achala’s (achalam means a mountain) book, the author of Madhaveeyam says at the very start of his book, “On the mountain of the elder poets like Vyasa Achala, there is the wonderful tree of Aachaarya Charitram, which is full of flowers. The erudite scholars of literature are like the bees which are drinking the nectar of those flowers. I am plucking those flowers, whatever can be reached by the pole of my limited intelligence, stringing them in to a garland, with my thoughts focussed on God in the form of my Guru and presenting them to you as this ‘Samkshepa Sankara Vijayam’. The same simile has been used by Govinda Natha in his Sankara Vijayam, while talking about Vyasachaleeyam.

(That we will see in the next e-mail.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 148 (Vol # 5) Dated 24 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 148 (Vol # 5) Dated 24 Mar 2012

(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 919 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

960. There are a number of books on the subject of Sankara Vijayam and there are different versions on where he met his Guru and took Upadesa, such as the banks of the Narmada River, Badrikashram, Kaasi and Chidambaram. Let me tell you the names of the books written by many great scholars, who have written his autobiography. They are Sankara Vijayam pre-fixed with Bruhat / Praacheena / Aananda Gireeyam/ Maadhaveeya / Chidvilaaseeya / Keraleeya / Govinda Naadeeya and finally Sankara Dig Vijaya Saaram. The last one has been written by one Sadaananda. There is one more Brhmaanandeeya Sankara Vijayam mentioned by S.V. Radhakrishna Saastry in Sri Sankara Vijaya Makarandam, which is something like a compendium of all the earlier writings.

961. ‘Bruhat’ in that title Bruhat Sankara Vijayam stands for big and detailed life history. It is not available in total. We know about that only from its being quoted in other books. It was probably written almost in our AachaaryaaL’s time itself. Similarly the ‘Praacheena Sankara Vijayam’ is also one of the oldest on the subject and is not available except being quoted in other such books. ‘Aananda Gireeyam’ and ‘Govinda Naadeeyam’ derive their names from the author’s names. Aananda Giri’s full name is Anantananda Giri. ‘Chidvilaaseeyam’ is in the form of a conversation between Chidvilaasa and Vignaana Kanda. ‘Keraleeyam’ was written in Kerala, very slightly varying from ‘Govinda Naadeeyam’ as Govinda Naada was a Keralite. The one book that is widely read and well known is ‘Maadhaveeya Sankara Vijayam’.

962. Other than these books named as Sankara Vijayam, there are certain other books also about the life of our AachaaryaaL. I told you earlier on, about one Raja ChudaamaNi Deekshidar who had said that before Gayatri Devi entered his mind Saraswathi had done so, isn’t it? He has written a book named ‘Sankara Abhyudayam’ in which he has covered AachaaryaaL’s life in eight Sargas (chapters) in the poetical form. He was there in the 16th/17th Century A.D. I had also mentioned that in the end of 17th Century A.D., one Rama Bhadra Deekshidar had written a book named ‘Patanjali Charitam’ in which, having covered the life history of AachaaryaaL’s Parama Guru’s and Guru’s in detail, in the last chapter, he has given a resume of our AachaaryaaL’s life in short. If Raja ChudaamaNi was the wife’s brother of Appayya Deekshidar, this Rama Bhadra Deekshidar was the disciple of Appayya Deekshidar’s younger brother’s grandson Neela Kanta Deekshidar. Then there is one Valleesahaya Kavi, who has written, ‘Sri Sankara Aachaarya Sambhoo’. This word ‘Sambhoo’ stands for the sort of writing in which poetry and prose are both used alternately.

963. You all know about T.S.Venkata Rama Aiyar, who is an expert in both Music and present day Law. His father was one Sri Lakshmana Soori. Not only in name, but also in brain and brilliance he was like the Sun aka Surya! Those who live forever in Vaikundam with Vishnu Bhagawan are supposed to be ‘Nitya Soori’ (eternal Suns). This man Lakshmana Soori has written Kaarikai (explanatory notes) closely following AachaaryaaL’s Bhashyam on Easawasya and Maandookya Upanishads. He has also written a poem known as ‘George Deva Sadakam’ on the British King of his time, who was also the Indian Emperor. Thus in various ways he has displayed his literary capabilities. Those days the Mysore Diwan Sir K.Seshadri Aiyar has given him the title Soori in addition to which he has also been given the title of ‘Maha Mahopaadhyaaya’ for his excellence in Sanskrit. He has written a life history of our AachaaryaaL called ‘Bhagawat Paadaabhyudayam’ as a small literary piece, towards the end of his life.

964. There are also two books named, ‘Bhagawatpaada Saptadi’ containing 70 poems, one written by Jagannaatha Kavi and another by Umamaheswara Saastry. This Jagannaatha Kavi is different from the one of the same name who was one of the courtiers of Shah Jahan. These two books are similar to the one written by Vedanta Desikar on Ramanuja AachaaryaaL known as ‘Yatiraja Saptadi’. Umamaheswara Saastry’s Saptadi is not available in full whereas, the one by Jagannaatha Kavi is available in full. Some 250 years back, on the orders of the then Sringeri Mataadipathy Sri Satchitaananda Bharathi Swami, the then Aasthaana Kavi Kaasi Lakshmana Saastry has authored a poem known as ‘Guru Vamsa Kavyam’ of seven chapters. The first three chapters contain our AachaaryaaL’s life history. In each of the Matams of our AachaaryaaL, in their books on Guru Parampara, his life history is available in full or in parts. Similarly in this Kanchi Matam too there are ‘PuNya Sloka Manjari’, ‘Guru Ratna Mala’ and its ‘Sushama’ which contain the life history of our AachaaryaaL. I told you already as to how our AachaaryaaL’s Avatara is Easwara Avatara of DakshiNa Murthy Swami. In them pointedly ‘Siva Rahasyam’ and ‘Markandeya Samhita’ cover our AachaaryaaL’s life in detail. They can be considered as basic texts on the subject.

965. Variations. Starting from Bruhat Sankara Vijayam, I have given you all a number of reference books for our AachaaryaaL’s life history. When there are so many authoritative references, it is natural that there are likely to be some variations. In Ramayana itself there are some differences between what is given in the books written by Valmeeki, Kambar, Tulasidasa and Vemana for example. There may not be totally different versions, but some minor disparities may be there. So are there some variations in the life story of our AachaaryaaL too. Whatever is uniformly similar we can take them as it is, as the truth. If without any major deviations, if one version is more elaborate, that can be taken as acceptable. One book may mention a place name not given in the others and that may be acceptable. When it comes to his actions, unless it is contrary to his very nature, we can accept them all. We may leave those things blatantly improbable, like for example if a place name like Neiveli Township or New Jersey, happen to be mentioned as having been visited by him, (PeriyavaaL is laughing while saying this), we may not accept that anyhow! Similarly, if somewhere it is mentioned that he had a debate with say, Bernard Shaw or William Shakespeare obviously we have to ignore that sort of a thing! But more than that, the greater risk is missing out on something that he has actually done! Every one of his actions and words has so much value, that it should not happen that we end up ignoring any of them by chance or design!

966. About our attitude to the subject of our AachaaryaaL’s life, Saastra Ratnakaram Bolakam Brhma Sri Rama SaastrigaL has written that, we could all endeavour to follow in his footsteps, exactly as he has done! What has he done? Let me explain. The route taken by a Yogi’s Jeevan till it reaches Brhma Loka, is known as ‘Archiraadi Marga’. In it there are 13 Parva or transit points. We get to know about these 13 points from the Upanishads. But, none of the Upanishads have listed all of them. Each Upanishad has left some and elaborated some. Neither have they covered them in order. Our AachaaryaaL has compiled information about each one of them and put them in order, in his Brhma Sutra Bhashyam (IV.3.1 – 3). Bolakam Saastry has said that similarly, we should serialise all the events in our AachaaryaaL’s life, from all these reference books, not leaving any detail while putting them in order.

967. Our AachaaryaaL has been there some 2,500 years before. He has not written his autobiography. So, in what has been written about his life later on, the differences and variations are but inevitable! Within his short period of 32 years he has gone crisscrossing around the whole country, not once but thrice! So, in every nook and corner of this country, there is some memorable event of his life affecting that part of India! Who could have written about them all exhaustively? If this task is difficult even today with all the availability of roads, rail and air travel facilities, in olden times, such a project would have been well neigh impossible. Moreover, after our AachaaryaaL’s time in each of his Matams there have been great Mahatmas as the heads of those institutions with names as Sankara AachaaryaaL, who would have been thought of as Aadi Sankara himself. This might have given rise to further possibilities of confusion! I had told you as to how Abhinava Sankara, who visited some of the Arab countries in the west and went as far as Cambodia in the East, was considered as Aadi Sankara! For example there are two versions about where our AachaaryaaL had ascended the Sarvagna Peetam (the Throne of Omniscience). In some books it is Kanchipuram and in some it is Kashmir. Three types of replies can be extended for this question of where he ascended the Sarvagna Peetam. One is that the general area of Kanchipuram has had a name as Kashmir. In Govinda Naadeeya Sankara Vijayam, this has been so maintained, in so many words. Second answer is that, ‘in Kashmir, what was similar to Sarvagna Peetam is the Sarada Peetam and in Kanchipuram it is Sarvagna Peetam. Aachaaryaal ascended both. The third explanation is that, Aadi Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL ascended the Sarvagna Peetam in Kanchi and Abhinava Sankara ascended the Sarvagna Peetam in Kashmir! Here there is a clear variation!

968. Not only that there have been many who carried his name; but in his story, there have been some who have had more than one name. This has also given rise to some confusion. Normally, even in a class in which there are only 40 students, we note that sometimes there are two students with the same names as well as initials. So, what we do is to add an extra initial for the place name of his birth. Similarly, we are told by scholars that there are more than one person, with names such as Aananda Giri and Mandana Mishra. There was one Aananda Giri who was our AachaaryaaL’s direct disciple and later in the Sishya Parampara there has been one different Aananda Giri who wrote Sankara Vijayam. Mandana Mishra who wrote three Meemaamsa Saastra Granthas and later wrote the Adwaita Grantha known as ‘Brhma Siddhi’, is considered as different from another Mandana Mishra who was a Meemaamsaka earlier and then became our AachaaryaaL’s disciple as Sureshwara and wrote ‘Naishkarmya Siddhi’ and Vaartikam-s on AachaaryaaL’s Bhashyams! There is yet another Mandana Mishra, who spoke on Adwaitam only but, slightly differently; who is said to be of a time somewhat prior to our AachaaryaaL’s time!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 147 (Vol # 5) Dated 22 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 147 (Vol # 5) Dated 22 Mar 2012

(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 913 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

952. The mother was very happy seeing the boy return from the mouth of the crocodile without any damage! In her sense of happiness, she forgot about the fact that her son had taken Sannyaasa! She said, “Thank God that you are saved! Come on, let us go home. My only ambition now is that before I close my eyes forever, I should see you married off!” Listening to this AachaaryaaL was surprised. He said, “Amma! You seem to have forgotten the fact that you have given me permission to take up Sannyaasa! Till now I was only your child and from now, I am the child of every mother! Yes, I am everybody’s baby. Every mother who gives me ‘Biksha’ is my mother only. Please do not think of yourself as my only mother. You are one amongst many. I am to receive the Gnaana Upadesa from a Guru. All of them in that lineage as my Guru are all my fathers. Once I attain to Gnaana and then do Upadesa; whosoever by that comes to the right path by listening to Upadesa from me are all my children.

953. If I were to have children, I have to have a wife, isn’t it? This moment I have married her! Her name is Shanti (aka Peace)! In the state of utter loneliness the Peace that is prevailing, is the nubile young woman whom I have been married to. The sloka in Vairaagya Satakam, written by Neelakanta Deekshidar has been suitably used as the words of Aadi Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL by PeriyavaaL here, “biksha – pradhaa jananya: pitaro gurava: kumaarakaa: sishya: I ekaanta – ramana – hetu: shaantir – daietaa viraktasya II” – meaning ‘for a man who has forsaken all desires and taken Sannyaasa, all those who give him alms are mothers; all the tutors and teachers are fathers; all the disciples are children; the peacefulness in absolute loneliness is the wife’! You only have to give me permission to proceed, he said.

954. “What? You mean to say that you are leaving me and going away? Even in my end days, I have to suffer due to this separation, is it?” His mother cried unable to bear this impending separation. He promised her, “Since I am going away now, I will compensate by being with you in your end days. You have to only think of me and I shall return. Despite being a Sanyaasi, I shall do the needful in terms of all the rituals including ‘Antima Dahana Kriya’, of confining your body to flames in the approved manner. The mother managed to console herself and allowed our AachaaryaaL to proceed. If you have a question as to whether a Sanyaasi is permitted to do such rituals as, ‘Antima Dhana Kriya’, I have already answered you by saying that, when it comes to such people, such excellent specimens of humanity, what they do is the Dharma. Moreover, the answer I give now is applicable too!

955. Mother is a position higher than everything else. So it is said in all the Saastraas too. What you owe the mother is called the ‘Matru RuNam’. You can get away from all the debit accounts and over drafts. You can get away from what you owe your father, by doing a particular Yaaga known as ‘SouthraamaNi’, but not from what you owe your mother! It is specifically said so in Dharma Saastraas that the only way the indebtedness to ones mother can be paid off, is by doing the Antima Kriya in the specified manner and reaching the Mother’s Soul to its destination in the heavens! If you have brothers, this can be handed over to them and the indebtedness can be cancelled and then, and only then, can one get away with it! As the only son, to be true to his responsibility, AachaaryaaL just could not have taken Sannyaasa at all. But this was an Avatara of the very divinity, after due check back with the-would-be parents, as to whether there should be one son or a hundred sons! Moreover it was the divine intension to do his all for the upliftment of all Dharmic and Vedic methods and procedures. It was the coming into being of the very root cause of all Vedas, Dharmas and Saastraas in human form as a Sannyaasa Guru! So the one son so born took up Sannyaasa. He was a divine Avatara alright, but, she was a normal human being, isn’t it? So her due had to be paid off, in all fairness, isn’t it? So her satisfaction is sacrosanct! Anyhow, her ‘Antima Karyam’ and Samskaara had to be done systematically. May be he did not intend doing other periodical monthly and annual Samskaaraas.

956. It is given in Dharma Saastraas themselves that , when a householder has a son and then takes up Sannyaasa and then dies as a Sanyaasi, his son in Poorva Aashrama (that is, the biological son) is not required to do any of the Karmas, but only what is known as the ‘PaarvaNa Sraardam’ on the 11th and 12th day. Using the same logic, if a Sannyaasi is entitled to the 11th and 12th day PaarvaNa Sraardam, as the only son, even a Sanyaasi should do the Dahana Samskaara, to his mother, in all correctness. When it comes to a question as to what is right and what is wrong; Bhagawat Gita says that the ‘Saastraas are the PramaaNam (that is, the authority)’ – Gita, Chapter XVI – 24. Our AachaaryaaL who has quoted this often in his debates and Upadesas could not have done or intended to do something forbidden by the Saastraas. So, we should not presume that he relaxed the words of the Saastraas in any way!

957. Further what is said in the Saastraas is that, the Sanyaasi is not required to have a bath when he gets to know of the death of any of his relatives in Poorva Aashrama, including his own son! But for his parents, he is required to bathe at once with the clothes that he is wearing, that is, immediately on getting to know of the news, without even a change of dress! If that is the equal level of importance given to one’s biological father and mother; elsewhere the mother has been given a higher state of relevance from the point of view of a Sannyaasi – Quote – “sarva vandhyena yatinaa prasur – vandhyaa hi saadaram”! That means, ‘Everybody should respect a Sanyaasi. Within the Sanyaasis, those who have done less number of Vyaasa Pooja should be respectful to those who have done more! All others, even if they are elders, should be submissively prostrating and thereby expressing their respects to a Sanyaasi. In this phrase ‘all other elders’, even the biological father is included and not the mother! It is not enough if he is respectful because there is such a rule as ‘prasur – vandhyaa’, but, with due respect, ‘hi saadaram’! So, that is how our AachaaryaaL promised her of his return as and when he would be required in her end days, just by wishing for his presence and went out in search of his Guru!

958. Why Does He Need a Guru? He has chanted the ‘Prysha Mantram’ and has taken Sannyaasa, isn’t it? Now, what is the need for yet another Guru and formalities? If that is your question, let me clarify that having taken the vow of celibacy and abnegation from all sorts of indulgence, if one dies, there ends the matter. But if by chance you continue to live, then you have to formalise your vow by approaching a proper Guru, take PraNava Mantra and Maha Vaakya Upadesa from him while accepting the order of Sannyaasa. If your question is about his being Easwara Amsa and as to what is the need for him to go through the rigmarole such as taking PraNava Mantra and Maha Vaakya Upadesa, my answer is that, once you are born as a human being, you have to demonstrate as to how well you can go through it all in an exemplary manner, with the right attitude, panache and style! Had he not gone to a Guru, people are likely to claim that, “Our AachaaryaaL himself did not go to a Guru formally, why should we? It is enough if we read these Mantras and Maha Vaakyaas in the books! Or we can do it in our own style, why not?” So whether he needed or not, so as to not set a bad example, he did everything as per directions of the Saastraas!

959. In Bhagawat Gita, Sri Krishna is saying, “na me parthaasti kartavyam trishu lokeshu kinchana” (III – 22), ‘that there is nothing that I have to do or get done in all the three worlds’! ‘But, see how active I am! Just now I am the driver of your chariot. I have gone as a messenger for you Pandavaas to the court of Kouravaas! I have fought with demons and so on. By all this, is there some personal gain that I am keen about? I have to act like every other human being. Otherwise, do you know what will happen? Krishna himself is doing nothing, and why should we be too keen on all these activities? If everybody thinks on such lines, the whole world will come to a standstill! In the whole society, there will be utter chaos. Once a society loses order and cohesion, it is as good as being destroyed. By being the one who has set in this trend of anarchy, I would be responsible for its destruction! So having come on earth as an Avatara, I have to act in a responsible manner.’ The same line of thinking is applicable here. It is exactly like that our AachaaryaaL ventured out in search of a Guru. Having started in the Malayala Desa of Kerala, he went all the way to the banks of the Narmada River in the middle of India and fell in the feet of Govinda Bhagawat PaadaaL!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 146 (Vol # 5) Dated 20 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 146 (Vol # 5) Dated 20 Mar 2012

(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 906 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)


944. Even today in Kaladi on the river Alwaye Puzha there is a place known as ‘Mudalai Kadavu’ or ‘Crocodile Ford’, where the child Sankara’s legs were caught by the jaws of the crocodile! Mother AryaambaaL was in absolute mental agony. She had lost her husband and was about to lose her only son too! This was the opportune moment that our AachaaryaaL had been waiting for. He spoke to his mother, while still struggling with the crocodile. “It is impossible to extricate from the crocodile’s grip. This is not a normal death but an accidental death. I will be undergoing a period of existence as an apparition and you will also be denied the benefits that would accrue from my observance of some of the Karma Anushtaanaas. I can think of only one method of recovery from this situation. That is, just now give me permission to take up Sannyaasa. May be the crocodile will let me go. Even if he does not, firstly, there is no ‘apa mrutyu dosham’ and 21 generations of my ancestors will get an exalted status by my taking up Sannyaasa. You are immediately taken care of. Even if the crocodile were to kill me there will be no Spectre like existence in store for a Sanyaasi! I think that is the solution to this faux pas! As per the custom, the Mantra for Sannyaasa is to be chanted and all attachments renounced mentally, while standing neck deep in water. This moment I happen to be standing in water. If this opportunity is lost, there is no escape from the crocodile’s grab! I will be gobbled and you will be left in the lurch! Without your permission, I cannot take up Sannyaasa. So please make up your mind!”

945. Which mother in the world would ever be able tell her eight year old boy to become a renunciate Sanyaasi? ‘Otherwise the croc is certain to take away the boy. Even if he were not to live with me, let him live somewhere as a renunciate or whatever. May be that I will be able to see him sometime! Even if I do not set my eyes on him ever, let him live somewhere with body and soul still together. But, how can I ever tell him to become a recluse renunciate?’ She simply said, “Do whatever you think is the best, my dear Son!” This was the second time that she was faced with a dilemma, ‘to let him take up Sannyaasa or not’? The first time was when he was yet to be born. At that time she had to decide between having 100 children with long life but dullards lacking in intelligence and one brilliant child with limited span of life! At that time also she had not exercised her choice. She had left it to the divine will. ‘Maybe the ‘alpa aayus’ period of ‘short life time’ mentioned then is finishing now. By our saying something it can prove to be a spoke in the wheel. If I leave everything to God, may be the child’s life time may get extended!’ Her thoughts were on those lines. By saying, ‘Do whatever you think is the best’, it is not as though Mother’s permission is not there for taking up Sannyaasa. So, our AachaaryaaL as the boy Sankara took it as his Mother’s Sanction. He did ‘Prysha UchchaaraNam’ and immediately adopted Sannyaasa.

946. You may wonder as to what is this ‘Prysha UchchaaraNam’. It is a declaration of universal love for all living and non-living things, so that no one will ever feel threatened by a Sanyaasi. The world of living should feel happy just looking at him. A householder Gruhasta may have to make use of others as labour / employees for various reasons. So he may have to often use harsh words of ticking off or even have to give some punishments at times. People may have to fear his very presence and avoid or bypass him. He may harvest the crop in the field or cut the vegetables in the garden. So the plants may become afraid of him thinking, “Here is the up-rooting menace!” Or they may think, “This man will pinch me repeatedly to take away my fruits and vegetables!” Sanyaasi is not supposed to do any of these things. He can eat only if someone gives him ‘Bikshai’ (that is to say ‘feeds him’). On his own he is not to pluck even a leaf! Even in a forest with no human habitation, he may make use of the fallen leaves, fruits and flowers. The ‘PoorNa Ahimsa’ that is, ‘total negation of cruelty’, advocated by Jainism and Buddhism, in practice can only be possible for this man, as laid in our Dharma Saastraas! It just cannot be made applicable to all people as a universal law at all!

947. In taking up Sannyaasa there are two or three methods. There is one method known as Krama Sannyaasa. He has to do a number of Homa, Japa and Sraddha like closing shop in all these activities addressed towards Devatas and ones ancestors and then formally take Sannyaasa from one’s Guru. He will tell you one of the Maha Vaakyaas and you are required to deliberate with all your heart and soul on that statement such as, ’You are that’, or ‘the whole world is verily the Brhmam’ or ‘knowledge is Brhmam’, till Self-Realization is yours. Then, another method of taking Sannyaasa is known as ‘Aatura Sannyaasa’. That is, when someone is sick and expecting death any moment, he may feel dispassionate about any further involvement in life, and may wish to adopt Sannyaasa. This method is known as ‘Aatura’ Sannyaasa, as in such a state you cannot be expected to do all the preparatory rituals. So the method has been shortened to make it convenient for someone unwell physically. On rare occasions, Sannyaasa can also be taken in a flash and that is known as, ‘Ati + aatura + Sannyaasa = Atyatura Sannyaasa’ that is also called ‘Aabat Sannyaasa’, when death is imminent. That is what our AachaaryaaL did, while still struggling in deep waters, in the grip of the crocodile. At once the crocodile left his legs. There was a Gandarva seen in the sky. It was the crocodile who had become the Gandarva.

948. Amongst the Deva Jaatis, there are supposed to be various types such as, Yaksha, Gandarva, Kinnara, Kimpurusha, Siddha and 13 more types! They are endowed with greater memory, intelligence and capabilities than the human beings. They know many things that human beings cannot know. Like for example we see, hear and smell within certain range of frequencies of colour and vibrations of sound. We know that there are more colours and frequencies on either side of what the human beings are capable of recognising. The radio waves that we cannot hear can be received in some manmade instruments, isn’t it? Similarly it may be possible for some living things to be capable of receiving and recognising frequencies and wavelengths beyond human abilities. You cannot simply say no, just because we do not know about such beings! Already within the animal world, we know that there are insects which can jump or carry much more than what human beings are capable of in relation to their own body weight or height; bats which can hear shriller sounds; some animals which can run faster; some animals which can identify and recognise traces of smells much better than human beings and so on! When we are ready to accept the findings of the modern day sciences every day, when it comes to our Saastraas, we are blindly declaring them to be blindly superstitious!

949. So it was the crocodile who became the Gandarva. That story is also given. Gandarvas are happy-go-lucky people. They are all the time enjoying themselves in dancing, singing and celebrating. So was this Gandarva. He narrated his story, (laughingly PeriyavaaL says) his own auto-biography to our AachaaryaaL. I used to drink and make merry with our women folk. One day I was a bit of a hindrance to ‘Doorvaasa’ Maharishi. He was totally against such behaviour. He was like an eternal ember in strictness of behaviour as well as very quick to anger! Since I was lying like a crocodile, uncaring for his arrival, he got irritated and cursed me to become a crocodile! I fell on his feet and apologised for my errant behaviour. He is ‘Parama Siva Amsam’ isn’t it? Like Parama Siva, he is not only quick to anger but also easy to be pleased – ‘aasutoshi’! The moment I requested, he was pleased. He said, “Anyhow, I cannot withdraw my curse, as once it is given, it remains so! You become a crocodile. But one day you will get the opportunity to catch hold of the feet of Parameswara. From then you will be relieved of your curse.”

950. PuraNas contain many such stories. One character commits a mistake by being absentminded under the influence of alcohol or by being preoccupied in some other pursuit, ends up in being disrespectful towards some great personage; gets cursed; begs for redemption; and so on. In all this, the lessons brought home are a few things. Normal human behaviour is that, individuals on their own think no end to themselves and so behave contemptuously towards others. When confronted with adversity, immediately they cool down and beg for mercy! If you are kindly or well behaved, they will be supercilious and if you are haughty and short tempered, they will be submissive. That is how, people behave normally. Such stories show the defining characteristic of Tapasya and Tapasvi! Tapasya gives enormous powers. So when a Tapasvi says, ‘You become a stone’, their words become true at once. But, what is the characteristic of a Tapasvi? He harnesses his power and makes use of it in a positive way. When people blunder in their presence, they may curse or punish the offender. But then, they are easily appeased and they lovingly give a suitable relief from their curse, contributing in a righteously acceptable cause. It is interesting to note the play of these opposing pulls in those stories!

951. So, the Gandarva rightfully fretted, “Oh! To catch hold of Parama Siva’s feet is easily said than done! After becoming a crocodile, I will be lying in some shallow waters of some lake or pond and Siva is normally sitting on the Kailasa Mountain! How and when will there be any ‘Shaapa Vimochanam’ that is, redemption from your curse?” In reply, that Tapasvi Doorvaasa Maharishi said, “Do not worry about that. God’s feet will come searching for you. Neither my Shhapa (curse) nor its Vimochanam (redemption) will fail to fructify. Your very birth as a crocodile will be at the time of Easwara Avatara. It will solve a faux pas situation and enable him to launch out in to the worldly life as a ‘Tureeya Aashrami’. Thus you will be lucky enough act as a tool so as to contribute towards enabling the achievement of the mission of the Avatara.” The Gandarva told the AachaaryaaL, “true to his words, I have today caught hold of your divine feet, as a result of which for me from today, the life as a crocodile is over and for you, life as family man is over!” So saying the Gandarva after prostrating at the feet of our AachaaryaaL proceeded on his way. If he could benefit by catching our AachaaryaaL’s feet despite being a crocodile, the message for all of us is that we could all be benefitted uniformly by catching hold of our AachaaryaaL’s feet! May be that is the reason for name of that village being called the ‘Kaaladi’, in which ‘kaal’ means feet and ‘adi’ also means the lower part of the feet, to enable us to remain focussed in his feet!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 145 (Vol # 5) Dated 18 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 145 (Vol # 5) Dated 18 Mar 2012

(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 899 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

The River Which Turned its Course!
936. By his eighth year of age, our AachaaryaaL had completed all his studies in Guru Kula and returned home. His father was no more. (In the books there are two versions that Siva Guru had died before his Upanayanam and another that he had passed away later.) For sometime he remained at home taking care of his mother. You know that he was born as a child to his parents only after the passage of many years of their life without an offspring. So, he did all the services to his mother who was all alone. One day she was unwell. Those days the Alwaye Puzha aka River was not flowing so close to Kaladi, but at a distance. His mother used to walk the distance to the river every day. Being unwell that day, his mother complained, “To day is a sacred day religiously. But, I am afraid that I will not be able to go all the way to the river! What to do?” AachaaryaaL said, “Let me pray to God” and he did so. Though the God Himself had come down to earth as an Avatara, in this edition he enacted the role of an ardent devotee repeatedly. So, earlier he had prayed to Maha Lakshmi Thaayaar.

937. Had he prayed that his mother’s health should improve and that she should be enabled to go to the river and have a bath, she would have been the only one to be benefitted. But he thought that if the river could flow a little closer to the village, instead of meandering somewhere in the forest, more would be benefitted. He asked for the river to come closer and flow nearer his hut. That is how it happened. On the way was a small temple for Sri Krishna which was damaged. Whatever good always happens to be mixed with some amount of bad isn’t it? This became news all around that a Brahmin boy, learning and completing his Vidya Abhyaasam in double quick time and after return home, had caused the course and flow of the river to come nearer for his mother’s sake; and such things became the talk of the nearby areas. He became famous and the matter reached the ears of the regional king. He came looking for a Darshan of this boy. Our AachaaryaaL, who had come down on earth so as to reinforce, revive and rejuvenate Dharma and who eventually renovated innumerable number of temples all over the Indian Sub-continent and revitalised and rehashed all the Karma Anushtaanaa procedures; got that temple of Sri Krishna which was damaged, due to the change in the course of the River Alwaye Puzha, repaired & renovated making use of the good offices of that King, as the first such action. That temple of Krishna is still there in Kaladi in a slightly raised ground on the river bank. As the local belief goes, when our AachaaryaaL took Sanyaasa and left Kaladi for his mission of Dig Vijayam, at that time the temple had been renovated and Sri Krishna statue was re-installed there. From the lay of the land in the general area around Kaladi, it is claimed that there is evidence of the fact that there should have been a change in the course of the river.

938. Call of Service – Human Nature and Mystery of the Avatara. AachaaryaaL was constantly reviewing his mission for which he had come down to the earth. From the time of birth, that was the main drive in all his endeavours in life. Doing the Nitya karma Anushtaana-s as a Brhmachari and other duties in service to his mother were all being done as though playing a role model! But he thought that when there are so many mothers waiting for his service, it is not very correct to remain stuck with the house hold duties in just one place. I am not the child of one mother only. I have my responsibility towards the whole society, and humanity at large. I cannot postpone my appointed role any further. Already my arrival here was necessitated because of much deterioration in standards of Dharma, morality and observance of the Vedic Religion. When the disease in the body has worsened, how long can we delay the administration of the medicines?

939. What medicine? The medicine of inaction! The medicine of Adwaita, that takes you to the stage of total inertia. To tell the people of the world, the value of keeping quiet, we have come amongst them to go on a non-stop pilgrimage of endless and dynamic circumambulation! Then what is the use of just going around only this village of Kaladi? For some time he remained in Kaladi as the only son of a widowed mother who was too lonely. Then looking at the plight of the world at large and deciding that he cannot delay his role as an Avatara further, decided to launch out in to the world as a renunciate Sanyaasi. In one way of looking at it, you may wonder as to what is this boy going to achieve in this highly competitive world, when he should have been taking care of his lonely, widowed and old mother?

940. Simply from the humane angle, his action to leave his mother in that condition seems rather cruel. But if you look at it as a Divine Play, you will agree that there are many things beyond our comprehension and control. The actions of Avatara Purushas should not be weighed only on the human scale. There are many things that happen, which are beyond our ken of understanding. God only knows as to who has done what and how to deal with each in accordance with what he or she or it deserves. Where to be kind and where to be ruthless, God only knows, is it not so? Avataras are not meant for individual father, mother, husband, wife and child! A little bit of such relationship things also come in. Dasaratha conducted the Putra Kameshti Yaaga and Rama was born as his son. For some time he grew up in the household of Dasaratha. Then when the onus of the particular job for which he was born as the son of Dasaratha, was beckoning, Rama had to go to the forest, leaving his father, mother and the kingdom, by which time Dasaratha’s PuNyam had also dwindled down next to nil possibly. So, it looked rather cruel on the part of Rama to have left the crying Dasaratha to his fate and gone to the forest. Then we know that Dasaratha died unable to bear the agony of being separated from Sri Rama! What we do not know anyhow is, as how well was Dasaratha taken care of in his after life!

941. Sivaguru and AaryaambaaL’s Tapasya of self denial was responsible for his Avatara as their son. The father’s account reached the nil balance as far as his playing the role of a loving father to our AachaaryaaL was concerned! So he died. After that we do not know as to whether he attained to ‘Saalokam or Saameepyam or Saayujyam’! Those three are supposed to be the final attainments of a devotee of Siva. ‘Saalokam’ means living in the same world as Siva. This need not be an achievement sometime in the future. Is the present world itself not permeated by divinity? If you feel so, we can see that we are already in ‘Saalokam’! Then is the point of ‘Saameepyam’. Nearness or proximity of God is a matter of how we feel about it. Sincerely and truthfully if we can be devoid of any guilt feelings, hypocrisy and or pride, we have every right to feel closer to God and that is Saameepyam! Then is the state of ‘Saayujyam’, that is, to merge in God without leaving any forwarding address! These things remain hidden from our eyes and senses. Once we realise the oneness of Adwaitam, differences matter no more! May be that lady had to go through some more trials and tribulations, I suppose. We do not know as to what God had in store for her future. For the present she had to suffer the separation from her son.

942. Even an Avatara had to come in as a child of some parents, isn’t it? We cannot be applying all human yard sticks for them very strictly. When events of much bigger proportions are waiting to be enacted, causing some hurt or inconvenience to some should be considered as acts of compassion and sacrifice only. Those who have come as parents of such Avataras may also have to do some sacrifices in the bargain, to go with the script of such role playing! If our AachaaryaaL was thinking of taking Sannyaasa, his mother and relatives were thinking in terms of getting him married! Normally it was the practise for the Brhmachari to be lifted in to Gruhastam on completion of Guru Kula Vaasa! What should have been completed by the time he was 12, this super intelligent boy had done in three years. But, it does not matter. There was the custom of ‘Balya Vivaham’ that is child marriage in vogue. After the marriage, it does not mean that they were permitted to indulge in all the responsibilities and pleasures of a married life! It only meant that you grew up in your respective households, under the tutelage of your own parents only. You were enabled to live as husband and wife only after the girl has come of age and the boy has become capable of taking care of his own family! (KTSV Adds – Contrary to the way the so called social reformers make a mountain out of a mole hill in India, in fact, the system prevented both the parties from going astray mentally as well as physically, as you knew that there was your partner waiting for you somewhere in some distant city or village! In the bargain, the urge and temptation for unfaithfulness and many of the sexually transmitted diseases were all obviated, without any need for moral lectures and or abortion / termination of unwanted pregnancy!)

943. Two different intentions as Marriage and Sannyaasa were there. Avatara Uddeshya is likely to succeed, is it not so? But there is no God superior to a Mother. Saastram itself says that there is no Saastram superior to her orders! Our AachaaryaaL’s Avatara was basically to re-establish the supremacy of Saastraas, isn’t it? But if he goes by her wish and remains at home as a well behaved son, married as per her wish, then what was to happen to the Avatara Karya? When God comes down on earth as a human being, such complications do arise. Then whatever he does is the Avatara Dharmam! A son, when his mother is dependent on him, should not take up Sannyaasa without her permission. Whether father or mother or wife, he has to make some permanent arrangement for them and then only take up Sannyaasa with their permission. He thought of making it a perfect example. Taking up Sannyaasa without a plan, on the spur of the moment is something else altogether! Poor lady, she was waiting for her son to be married, whereas he was deliberating on total renunciation! He did not wish to break her heart. So he was waiting for a suitable opportunity and so did not share his views on the subject with his mother. One day his mother had a bath in the river. Then he had a dip in the river and a crocodile caught hold of his feet from underneath, with its jaws!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 144 (Vol # 5) Dated 16 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 144 (Vol # 5) Dated 16 Mar 2012

(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 893 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)

926. Having said here that Lakshmi the power that is seen as various forms as Saraswathi, Parvathi, AmbaaL, Saakambari, Thaayaar and so many other persons and names; can you leave Brhma, Siva, Vishnu as separate entities? That is why, in the finishing stages of the Kanaka Dhaara Sthavam, he says that she is, ‘tri bhuvanaika guros tharuNyai’ the loving wife of one Guru of all the three worlds of ‘here, there and everywhere; past, present and future; lower, middle and upper’, Maha Vishnu! When we say that, again the sense of differentiation comes in between Vishnu and Siva. However, DakshiNa Murthy is the basic Guru and when you refer to Vishnu as the Guru from that root cause, the oneness of Vishnu – Maheswara is also established. Then as the power / Shakti of the Guru, she is not only the provider of wealth but also makes you aware of Gnaana.

927. As the Guru Parampara starts with Narayana, AachaaryaaL called Vishnu, the ‘Tri Bhuvana Guru’. Looking at the Ashtotra-s (the 108 names of God by chanting which you express your sincere obeisance and do Pooja), for Siva, Krishna and Rama, we note that in all of them one of the Mantras is, ‘Jagat Gurave Namaha’. When AachaaryaaL says, ‘tri-bhuvaneika-guros-taruNyai’, instead of taking him as the Guru or Preceptor for all the three worlds, he could be taken as the Father of all worlds too. As she is the Thaayaar that is, the Mother of all, he could be taken as the Father of all existence! In Lakshmi Ashtotra, the last but third mantra is ‘Brhma – Vishnu – Sivaatmikaayai Namaha’. It is this very meaning that is conveyed in the sloka that we have analysed.

928. Let us look at the next sloka – ‘srutyai namo astu subha-karma-phala-prasutyai ratyai namo astu ramaNeeya-guNaarNavaayai I saktyai namo astu sata-patra-niketanaayai pushtyai namo astu purushottama vallabhaayai II’. Sruti that is, the Vedas are our AachaaryaaL’s very breath. Non-Vedic and contra-Vedic etc, were driven away by our AachaaryaaL and clean and pure Vedic methods were resuscitated by him. His coming down to the earth as an Avatara was for that very purpose. We pay our respects to our AachaaryaaL by saying, ‘Sruti – Smruti – PuraaNaanaam Aalayam KaruNaalayam’, meaning that he is the temple or abode of all Vedas, Saastraas and PuraNas! Will he finish a prayer to the Thaayaar, who is the very embodiment of all Vedas, without mentioning her, this specific property? He starts by calling her, ‘Srutyai namo astu’. Though he was a Gnaana Avatara, he had persevered to get the rightful place for Karma Anushtaana, isn’t it? So, having described her as the very form of the Sruti as ‘Srutyai’, he is saying that she is the one giving birth to the necessary fruits that comes of the Karma Anushtaana as given the Vedas –‘subha-karma-phala-prasutyai’. Here there is a clear refutation of the philosophy of Meemaamsakaa-s.

929. Please do not get away with an impression that the philosophy of Meemaamsakaa-s is some belief of some crude sect of an ancient past of Indian culture! It is very much a concept much adhered to by people who believe that they are secular, scientific and ultra-modern! They believe that actions generate reactions without having to interpose an element of the Lordship of God. So rituals as per Vedas will do most sufficiently, thank you! For ‘rituals as per Vedas’, read ‘research and analysis in the laboratories and production on the shop floor’, will do most sufficiently thank you! As the Mother is full of good and salubrious qualities, she is like an ocean full of valuable gems. So, he says, “ratyai namostu ramaNeeya guNaarNavaavai”. The basis of all our actions should be the Sruti. That is to say that all our actions should be as approved by the Vedas. Then only our actions will be ‘subha karma’ that is, simultaneously giving us pleasureful experiences while cleansing our inner being. Otherwise our actions will be motivated by personal, selfish, clannish and parochial considerations of narrow mindedness and vested interests, corrupting both the inner and outer environments of our being!

930 There are two things, namely GuNa and Karma, the first one being related to approach and attitude; while the latter is related to behaviour as initiatives, reactions and responses. In Bhagawat Gita, Chapter IV, Sloka 13, Bhagawan Sri Krishna says, “by using the GuNa – Karma combination, I have created the four VarNas or castes /Jaati. Karma goes generally by the promptings of one’s GuNa or character. But if you do your actions as per the dictates of the Saastraas and make them as an offering to God each and every time, by ‘Subha – Karma – Visesha ‘ qualification, whatever the action, it will have a positive effect on the situation! So, our AachaaryaaL has connected the two aspects of GuNa and Karma, by describing Maha Lakshmi Thaayaar first as the ‘provider of beneficial effects of all our actions (Karma)’ and then as the ‘ocean of all salubrious qualities (GuNa)’. Then, since it is the power that is needed for all our actions, he is saying that she is also that Power and conveys his obeisance to her by saying, “saktyai namo astu”. Then he says that she is, “sata-patra-niketanaayai”, which means that she is seated in the lotus flower. ‘Sata patram’ is having a hundred petals or leaves. You do not have to restrict the meaning of ‘satam’ only to a hundred. It can indicate any big number. The lotus is considered as having a thousand petals also. In every individual human being, AmbaaL Parasakti is supposed to be seated in a combined posture with Siva, in the lotus with thousand petals in the peak of our head, as per the symbolic representation of the Kundalini Yoga.

931. Here AachaaryaaL while describing Lakshmi as the in-dweller of the lotus flower, is calling her as the ‘Sakti’ – ‘Saktyai namo astu’ – ‘paying his respects to the Power Being‘. Then he says, ‘Pushtyai namo astu’, meaning ‘my respectful obeisance to the nourishing power of Maha Lakshmi, as the wife of Maha Vishnu the executive and governing authority of the three worlds and she is the Mother of all. One after the other, he conveyed the idea that, all the pleasure, enjoyment and nourishment should be as approved by the rightful ways of binding rules of Dharma and Morality as enjoined by the Vedas; by paying his respects to ‘Srutyai, Shaktyai, Ratyai and Pushtyai’. He pays respects to her repeatedly as the inner state of happiness in all, as the power to act, as the ways of enjoyment and the very nourishment for our sustenance and well being! Then using the unique name of Maha Vishnu as the Best of all Beings as ‘Purusha + Uttama = Purushottama’, he describes her as his consort, ‘Purushottama Vallabhaayai’! Thus this child AachaaryaaL, finished his very first song inputting all the future, yet to be fully developed Points of Principles in seed form!

932. The moment he finished the song, Maha Lakshmi just caused a rain to pour on that hut and its surrounding areas included in its ‘adhruti’. Instead of water drops, the rain contained only golden nuggets in the shape and size of goose berry fruits, for a period of one Muhurtham of some 48 minutes! One slightly smudged and spoiled goose berry fruit given as alms returned to the donor as millions of golden nuggets! First the Brahmin Lady poured her heart out in tears. Then there was a down pour of AachaaryaaL’s words of praise for Maha Lakshmi. This was followed by a deluge of golden goose berries by Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity! That Stotram came to be known as ‘Kanaka Dhaara Sthavam’, to mean ‘a sloka that caused a pouring out of a flow of gold’.

933. AachaaryaaL did not have to put his views in to words and pray at all. It was enough if he wished well for that Brahmin Lady, and Lakshmi would have done the needful. But, a song had to come out of his power of verbal expression, which Lakshmi Devi had to hear and enjoy! Not only that, a whole lot of people for generations yet to be born, were to read, understand, enjoy the meaning and be motivated by committing it to memory, be rid of poverty and penury and enjoy the pleasures of plenty and contentedness. Basically She, Lakshmi Devi, wanted to get the pleasure of listening to his poetical brilliance and power of expression. She could very well have responded, the moment he said, “draviNa ambudhaaraam dhadyaat!” But instead she waited for many more slokas to be sung, and enjoy listening to them before she did the needful for the sake of that Brahmin Lady! Let also chant this sloka and benefit getting a relief from the ‘karma garma’ of the ‘heat of sinful activities’, since after all AachaaryaaL has given this Sloka for all of our sake with that lady only as a pretext.

934. Generally a sloka that gives material and financial benefits will be rather popular and famous. So is this ‘Kanaka Dhaara Sthavam’, being quite famous out of his writings. But, in it our AachaaryaaL has not only given this -worldly benefits but has blended into it some important benefits of the spiritual well being also! Similarly for freedom from diseases, it is SubrahmaNya Bhujangam and for all sorts of success in endeavours, it is ‘Soundarya Lahari’ that are famous. They are all very useful for wealth, health and all types of endeavours, while also being spiritually very inspiring. But it so happens that, it is ‘Baja Govindam’ which is the most popular despite being solely devoted to Gnaana, Vairaagya of total dispassion and renunciation! Its popularity is entirely due to the fact that it is a pure reflection of our AachaaryaaL’s mind and heart.

935. There was a rain of gold. AachaaryaaL did not even touch a grain of it and left it all for that Brahmin couple. The village where the golden rain had occurred is located very close to Kaaladi. Since an over ripe fruit was the cause of the golden rain, the place is known as, ‘Pazham Thottam’ to mean, ‘Fruit Garden’. There is a family known as ‘SwarNaththu Manai’, believed to be descendants of the Brahmin couple who had the blessings of our AachaaryaaL as described heretofore!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 142 (Vol # 5) Dated 14 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 142 (Vol # 5) Dated 14 Mar 2012

(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 887 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)

916. What ever you do in life, whatever you aspire for, all the variously innumerable checks and balances, education, business, commerce, trade, arts and crafts and what not including sex; is meant to bring you back to the right track of tracing your way to the fountainhead of God! That is what the whole creation is meant for. Nobody can live forever except some who are destined by God to live forever and they are known as ‘Chiranjeevi’ or immortals. Rest have to die as per the order of things in nature. But when we die, our accounts of Paapa and PuNya (or Merits and Demerits) do not cancel out each other. Only when they cancel out, both sides of the ledger balance equal each other, are you back where you started, the fountainhead of God. Till they equal both sides with a nil balance at the time of death, you have to be born again and the cycle goes on.

917. When repeatedly such chances to be born again and again have to be given, there have to be a father and a mother. Between them there has to be mutual attraction and the urge to procreate. So it all boils down to the fact that, the natural urge to sex i.e., ‘Kaamam’ is nothing but a tendency for this process to go on till in some life time or the other the ‘Jeevan’, the individual Soul, gets a chance to finally reach the shores of Samsaara Saagara! So by money, food, abode, and maintenance of the body by exercise and medicines and human advancement by education and sciences; are all for this one purpose of individual refinement only. Without knowing this purpose, we tend to indulge in all the aspects of life, amassing wealth for the wealth sake; indulging in sex for the sake of sex; adding material for the sake of accumulation; go on endlessly misusing God given facilities, that ‘Artham’ (aka money, wealth, material, the wherewithal), becomes ‘Anartham’ (aka mischief, meaninglessness) and material becomes immaterial! That is what our AachaaryaaL says in the ‘Baja Govindam’ song, addressing our own stupid minds as, ‘mooda mathe’. That should be remembered. If we do so, using all the facilities of the world till required, we will rise above the need for them, using them correctly as a ladder, to reach our oneness with the fountainhead of God! That will be the right use of Artham.

918. All our Saastraas are such right direction pointers and so are all the works of our AachaaryaaL. Whether he sings to Maha Lakshmi for wealth or to SubrahmaNya Swami for health in ‘Bhujangam’; he never forgets the human mission to reach ‘Aatma Sreyas’. Even when praying to Anna PoorNeswari for ‘Biksha’ (alms), he ends in ‘Aatma Vairaagya Siddhyartham’, that is, Self discipline of dispassion only! Even when pointing that poor Lady’s penury as ‘akinchana’, by indicating ‘karma –garma’, he relates to not only removal of her poor state of affairs, but also to enabling her deliverance from ignorant involvement in being mired in the worldly affairs.

919. This Stotram Kanaka Dhaara Sthavam has 18 slokas as per one version and 20 or 21 slokas by other versions. Amongst them all, it is only in one sloka that our AachaaryaaL is praying for material prosperity. May be in one more, starting with the words, ‘Ishta visishta’, there is a hint about her readiness to grant material wealth. In all the other slokas, it is simply praising of Maha Lakshmi in all her glory. In one, starting with, ‘Kaalambudaali lalithorasi kaitabhaare’, it is a description of how she is adorning the wide vista of the chest of PerumaaL, that she is like the flash of lightening in the black rain bearing clouds of the monsoon sky! The other slokas are all descriptions of Maha Lakshmi, her greatness, endearing qualities and such things.

920. Thus while going on describing many things, poetical nuances and devotional ideas, only in one sloka, he has mentioned the purpose of his prayers. As the wife of the Governing Power of the entire universe, she does not have to be beseeched repeatedly. It is enough to just slightly indicate your concern and she will do the needful. ‘Please take care of this woman so pathetically incapable of helping herself like a fledgling small of a bird’ is a beautiful way expressing his concern!

921. The Seed of Later Day Upadesas in the Very First Poem of His! In this there are two more things that I have to touch upon. In his very first Stotra, there is the seed of two prominent ideas that he developed in his later day Upadesas. One is the important point that he related all actions as an expression of devotion to God. ‘Karma is not an animate entity and cannot give effect by itself. Easwara is the ‘Phala Dhaata’. Do all your actions as offerings to God! Then only this small dividend will be replaced by the Jackpot of intrinsic Chitta Suddhi – that is, cleansing of our minds and clarity of minds, heart, thoughts and actions!’ This is said for the purpose of guiding the wayfarers of Karma Marga into Bhakti Marga. The second is that he is telling the wayfarers of Bhakti Marga, ‘Do not differentiate between your God and his God. Instead of mine, yours and theirs, if you are devoted to whichever God, it will all reach the one and same God. Develop the feeling that all Gods are different forms of the self-same God. If you start like this that all Gods are one and the same, later you will also come to realize that every iota of existence, including every human being is also another form of God, permeated by the same divinity! Thus you will be taken from the Path of Devotion to the Path of Gnaana! Both of these two ideas find their place in Kanaka Dhaara Stotram.

922. Having asked for an outpouring of material well being for the Sadaka fledgling, in the very next sloka he says, “ishtaa visishta matayopi yayaa dayaardra drushtyaa trivishtapa – padam sulabham labhante”. Here he says that even those who have total reliance in the worldly benefits and later heavenly blessings of ‘Ishti’ that is, from the various Yagnya Karmas; get their yields easily by just a glance of Maha Lakshmi. (‘Ishti’ are all the actions done for the purpose of getting any benefits, whether they are traditional rituals in an organised manner as a Yagnya, or all our day to day actions aiming at returns of interest, profit percentage, dividend or favour.) However much they may think that their actions are giving them the benefits, it is the divine will of God in the form of Maha Lakshmi that does the needful, as clearly expressed by our AachaaryaaL here.

923. That all Gods are the various forms of the one formless God is the message in the next Sloka, wherein he says, “geerdevateti garuda dwaja sundareeti shaakambareeti sasi sekhara vallabheti I srushti-stiti-pralaya-kelishu samstitaayai tasyai nama: tribhuvaneika guros taruNyai II” The one God when active as the holy trinity in the play of srushti-stiti-samhaara (of creation, sustenance and reabsorption,) is also present as their respective consorts in each roopa as Saraswathi, Maha Lakshmi and Sakti, he says. Yes, OK but, in talking about the three powers why has he used four names such as, ‘geer devateti, garuda dwaja sundareeti, saakambareeti and sasi sekhara vallbheti. For three wives why has he used four names?

924. Brhma, Vishnu and Siva are the three officials of the management of the existence as though, are said to be the three forms of the one God. As per that Brhma’s wife is ‘Geer Devata’ the Goddess of speech, writing and music, the Vaak Devi Saraswathi. Next, for the Vishnu who has the Eagle in the flag, ‘garuda dwaja sundari’, his consort to whom the entire sloka is addressed that is, there is Maha Lakshmi. Then as the wife of Siva, two names are being mentioned that is, ‘Saakambari’ and ‘Sasi Sekhara Vallabha’. So the question remains as to why he is mentioning four names?

925. This name Saakambari occurs in Devi PuraaNaas. There it is said that during a very bad period of draught conditions AmbaaL created a variety of vegetables and fruits from her own body for the consumption of the hungry people of the world. It is since then she got a name as Saakambari. This is slightly not very appropriate. In the three jobs of ‘Creation, Sustenance and Samhaara; the wife of Siva instead of assisting in Samhaara is extending her wherewithal for Vishnu’s portfolio of maintenance! How can this be correct? That can be your question. But, come to think of it, it is all in the rightness of things. Though people know Lakshmi to be of eight special roles as Dhana Lakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi and so on, the moment you take the name of Lakshmi, what comes before your mind is only wealth of Aishwarya. But can money be eaten? He wished to picture her as the Mother who, feeds, provides, maintains, nourishes and takes care! That is why he called her as the Saakambari. Though it is the name of ‘Sasi Sekhara Vallabha’ the wife of Siva who has the crescent moon on his head, once you know the basic fact that ‘all is one’, you may not have any violent objection to Maha Lakshmi being addressed as Saakambari! She is the Brhma Sakti, Vishnu Sakti, Siva Sakti as well as the root source, Para Brhma Sakti and that brings in Adwaitam!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 141 (Vol # 5) Dated 12 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 141 (Vol # 5) Dated 12 Mar 2012

(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 880 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)

907. “My dear Mother, Amma Maha Lakshmi, let their sinful past be one of accumulation of enormous debit like the worst hot summer of the desert. Still there could be a cloud burst that would cool it with a down pour of incessant rains, is it not so? In the land of Kerala, in the worst heat of Vaikasi month there is the ‘Edavappathi’ rain caused by the South West Monsoon, which lasts for months after that! Your kindness and compassion is so powerful! To remove their summer of bad past, it may kindly be offset by the side long glance of your kindness with a material shower of Grace on them please.” He prayed thus for the sake of the poor Brahmin lady, as evidenced internally in the ‘Kankaa Dhaara Sthava’ Sloka.

908. He says,
“Dadhyaad dayanupavano draviNa ambhu dhaaraam
asmin akinchana vihanga sishou vishaNNe I
Dush Karma garmam apaneeya chiraaya dooram
NarayaNa – praNayinee nayana ambhuvaaha:”
As she is the Mother who has unlimited Love for Naraayana the PerumaaL, he is calling her as ‘NaaraayaNa PraNayanee’ in the fourth line. In the very first line of the ninth sloka of Kanaka Dhaara Sthava he says, ‘Dadhyaat’, meaning, ‘Let it be given’ by the torrential rain of your Grace, ‘health, wealth and material well being’! The side long glance of your Grace that is the ‘cumulus nimbi’ with ‘dayaanupavano’ breeze of your Grace. Lakshmi Kataaksham means just one look of her eyes (shining bright after application of black collyrium), which is equated to the rain bearing black clouds and the result is pouring of abundant affluence.

909. That cloud is far away somewhere, but does not matter. Do not the monsoon winds blow the clouds over Andaman and Nicobar islands or somewhere in the Indian Ocean and bring rains over South India? Mother’s Grace is so powerful. Let the breeze of her Graceful Glance bring well being to these poor people. It is alright to give solace where it is due. But, is not Her Grace powerful enough to off-set even bad luck and awful trends? Do the monsoon rains start assessing if that part of the parched land deserves or not? The glance of yours is the cloud with Grace. It gives, ‘dadhyaat’, ‘ambu dhaara’ showering of rains of material well being! Material means matter, thing, physical and palpable well being. Finally of all materials the most valued material is Gold, even today in the whole world. So here the ‘ambu dhaara’ is a rain of gold nuggets, ‘Kanaka Dhaara’ as the sloka is named. For whom is this rain of Gold? Not for the child Sankara, who is praying since he is from a rich family. As a Brhmachari in Guru Kulam he is not to have any money or valuable things at all. Then for whom is all the wealth that he is praying for? He clarifies this point when he says, “asmin akinchana vihanga sishou vishaNNe” meaning, ‘for this poor small fledgling baby chick of a bird’; that is ‘vishaNNe’, that is dried up like a leaf in the fall season; ‘asmin’ pointing at the Brahmin lady that is nearby; who has virtually nothing ‘akinchana’. ‘Vihangam’ is a bird and ‘vihanga sishu’ is a small chick of a fledgling of a bird! So it is clear that he is referring to the poor lady alright. But why is he calling her a fledgling chick?

910. Even in his young age, he has the heart of a poet, which caused him to say that. When we look at the whole body of our AachaaryaaL’s writings, call it corpus or oeuvre, one will be astounded not only at the enormity of his knowledge base, but also how beautifully he has made use of the words and used all the figures of speech most appropriately, how well he has handled them and made use of play of words so originally as well as traditionally! Though he was the NirguNa Brhmam, beyond words, thoughts and concepts; he has flooded his writings with uniquely original nuggets of thoughts, as a Poet with a capital P. For all that, this is his first song as a child in which he has used this simile of a bird baby – vihanga sishu!

911. In our poetic tradition the name of two birds known as ‘Chakora’ or ‘Sadaka’ are often mentioned, which are not seen any more in the world. One is Chakora which drinks only the rays of the moon and nothing else! This Chakora is mentioned while describing the beam of a smile on the face of AmbaaL. The face of AmbaaL is traditionally described as ‘madi vadanam’, to mean the ‘that is like the face of the full moon’. From her face the light grin is pouring out, that is drunk by the Chakora bird. It is very sweet, extremely so. In drinking it, its beak was rendered inert by over satiation of sweetness. So the bird was looking for a slight change in taste and wished for a mouthful of slightly sour porridge (aka kanji). At that moment in the sky there was the moon shining with all its bright effulgence. The Chakora tasted that and for the birds beak over satiated by the sweetness of AmbaaL’s facial beauty, the moon light was the exact counter taste as required, of slightly sour ‘puLi kanji’ and the bird was relieved from the inertness of the beak! From then onwards the Chakora got into the habit of drinking the moon light, it seems as per the poets imagination.

912. In truth the moon light contains the nectar of Amirtam. Even that nectar can be made to taste like a sour tasting Kanji, that the moon light is referred as the ‘Kanjika Diya’ or the ‘Light of Kanji’. (In Kerala all people drink the porridge of cereal known as Kanji, popularly as famous as the Iddly or Dosa of South India.) This description is there in the 63rd Sloka of Soundarya Lahiri, sung by our AachaaryaaL many years later. Here in the Kanaka Dhaara Sthava, when he is talking about ‘Vihanga Sishu’, he is referring to the bird Sadaka and not Chakora.

913. The peculiar thing about the Sadaka bird is that, it has a hole in the throat. Whatever it may eat by the beak will come out of the hole in the throat! Like we make use of our hands by bending it while feeding ourselves, the bird cannot bend its beak and put the food inside the hole in its throat. So the only input can be what falls directly through its beak, into the gullet, like the rain drops, when it looks up with its beak open! When there is no rain that bird has to remain hungry. That is why it is said, ‘like the Sadaka bird patiently waiting for the rains to come’, in poetical parlance. So when he thought of praying to Maha Lakshmi to shower a rain of largesse, AachaaryaaL’s poetic heart immediately thought of the Sadaka bird pining for the rain and equated the poor Brahmin lady’s condition with that bird’s state. To eat with your mouth is like reaping the benefits of past Karma. What you eat, may not reach your stomach if there is a hole in the throat, which is like the negative effect of bad Karma! When AmbaaL showers her grace uncaring for the Karma, like rain drops reaching the Sadaka birds stomach directly, AmbaaL’s Grace will also reach where it has to reach!

914. Instead of saying just a bird he said a ‘kunju’, which means a small fledgling baby of a bird, more like a chick. Only a baby can never withstand hunger. It will cry when hungry. Elders and grownups will not do that. If a child is crying, anybody will feel pity for it. Maha Lakshmi is known by her name as the ‘Thaayaar’ the Mother. All over South India in all the temples, if Siva’s Consort is referred to as AmbaaL, PerumaaL or Vishnu’s Consort, Maha Lakshmi is lovingly addressed as Thaayaar only as the Mother Incarnate. Knowing very well that her Mother’s heart will melt that this baby, that too the ‘vihanga sishu’ is thirsting for Her Grace; AachaaryaaL put in those words in referring to the Brahmin Lady!

915. Though a baby himself, he is very nicely putting across her case. The Paapa – PuNya effect is common between a husband and wife couple. Since the unmanifested voice of ‘Asareeri’ had said that they are not likely to be relieved from the combined effect of their past Karma, AachaaryaaL is defending the case on their behalf. He says, ‘dush karma – garmam chiraaya dooram apaneeya nayana ambhuvaaha: draviNaambhudaaraam dadhyaat’. The phrase ‘dush karma garmam’ means ‘the summer of bad karma effects’. The hot summer is ‘garmam’. He is saying, “So, you are saying that it is their own past that is roasting them in such poverty. Is there no relief for that? If it is the nature of sin to roast the sinner alive, what happens to the nature of your kindness? We know that its nature is a cool remedial salve like the rain bearing clouds of the rainy season. If you say that it is very far away, to fetch it here is the breeze of your compassion and grace. Can anything be more powerful? Like the rain in summer, pour your kindly AruL on this Sadaka fledgling. Sadaka bird is thirsting only for sustenance. But, this couple in utter penury are craving for food, clothing and shelter. Even their so called hut is a standing evidence of their pitiable state. By your cool grace remove their ‘janma antara paapam’ – ‘apaneeya’. They have suffered enough and so, ‘chiraaya’ – forever ‘dooram apaneeya’ – throw off their difficult times forever far away and ‘draviNa ambu dhaaraam dadyaat’ – pour the rain of material prosperity! In one go, he has prayed for ‘paapa – karma – and daaridriya nivrutti’ – removal of sins, past Karmas and poverty!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.