DEIVATHIN KURAL # 06 (Vol # 6) Dated 10 June 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 06 (Vol # 6) Dated 10 June 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 going ahead from the middle of page No 37 of Vol 6 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)
44. Paranjyoti (Siruthondar); Vaataapi GaNapathy. In the West Deccan, there is the capital of the Empire of Chalukyas known as Vaataapi, where the ogre brothers Ilvalan and Vaataapi lived. There was a GaNapathy temple there, also known as Vaataapi GaNapathy. When Nrusimha Verma defeated Chalukyas and ransacked the place, the commander of the forces from South was one Paranjyoti. You might have heard of the Tamil literary epic by the name of ‘Kalingathu ParaNi’. ParaNi is a particular form of writing which describes and extols a famous battle. This one describes the battle in which Kuloththunga Sozhan is said to have defeated the forces of Kalinga Desa. In fact the commander of the forces responsible for the conduct of the battle was the ‘Sena Pathi’ Karunakara Thondaimaan. Similarly for the victory of Nrusimha Verma at Vaataapi, the man on the spot was Paranjyoti. He was from Thiruchengattaankudi where there is this temple GaNaptheeswaram, about which we have been talking. So, Paranjyoti must have had an attachment to the PiLLaiyar there from his childhood. This is also a play by God (Easwara Leela) only! When he had won over Vaataapi and was bringing back all the gold, gems and wealth of that place; he also happened to come across the Vaataapi GaNapathy and brought away the statue for himself! As it happened with Asoka and as I explained about the change that came over Chalukya Vikrama Aaditya in Kanchi; there was a major attitudinal change that came over Paranjyoti after this!
45. Maamaathirar / Amaathiyar. Amongst Brahmins, those who do not practice Veda Adhyayanam, Adhyaapakam and such activities as a profession; but are given Brhma Upadesam at a very young age and so do Sandya Vandanam, Brhma Yagnam, Panchayatana Pooja daily and other poojas on special festival days, learn some Vedas, Slokas and Stotras; while keeping all of it only as a personal practice. Brahmins of such calling are known as ‘Maamaathira’. Paranjyoti though being a Brahmin was a ‘Maamaathira’, for having got involved in professions other than the allotted role of Brahmins. In Sanskrit ‘Amaathya’ is the word for a minister, which in Tamil is ‘Amaichar’, as though it is a Tamil word (because, they do not wish to use the word Mantri which sounds like a Hindi word from the North)! MaNikka Vaachagar was a Maamaathira Amaathya, that is to say a minister who happened to be a non-practicing Brahmin. As the minister for the Pandya King he had the title of ‘Thennavan Brhmaraayan’. In that title, the first word Thennavan means ‘the man from the south’. The word ‘Brahmaraayan’ indicates that he is a Brahmin, as the first part is ‘Brahma’ and an important functionary or officer as indicated by the second part ‘Raayan’. Similarly amongst Sozhaas too there have been Brahmin Ministers with the title of Brhmaraayan.
46. In the present day South India, the Brahmins who have left the Vedic profession and gone into government civil administration and the executive side are considered as ‘Amaathya’. Further those who went to policing and military service were considered as ‘Maamaathira’. Then many went to the medical profession as doctors. So thus both the jobs of removal of life as soldiers and preserving life as doctors; have been picked up by Brahmins. Then many of them also moved into the legal profession as lawyers and advocates! All these changes occurred mainly with the influx of English based education. The Brahmins with their natural flair excelled in education and happened to fill up these jobs as clerks, executives, bureaucracy, doctors and lawyers in a big way! Paranjyoti belonged to such an Amaathya community.
47. The Vested Interest in Establishing Tamil Culture as Totally Alien and Different to Vedic Culture! These days there is a distinct effort on the part of many to make an impression in peoples’ minds, within South India, at the national level, as well as influence the very writing of History books to prove as though Dravidian Race (Inam), Language and Culture were far different from the Aryan / Vedic Race, Language and Culture. (This trend has been there for more than some three centuries in South India, especially in the Tamil land) This Aryan / Dravidian divide though only a fictitious canard originating from the fertile imagination of British Strategic planners; conveniently suited the local aspirants with political and social ambitions. It was basically the British policy of ‘Divide and Rule’ in action. So it has become a common platform for so called historians of British origin as well as the Indian historians. So, holding the mistaken notion and view that Tamil culture and civilization is different to Vedic culture and civilization; they claim whatever was great in terms of people or arts or crafts as having come out of Tamil cultural background and that had nothing whatsoever to do with Vedas or related matters! Well read and knowledgeable people too in trying to quote each other have created a whole lot of cooked up propaganda based on the Dravidian South and Aryan invasion from the North!
48. However, if we refer to ‘inscriptions on stone’ of that period and read the Tamil literature of that period, we will note that there is no truth what so ever, in this pure fiction. At once I am flabbergasted and pained that this baseless picture painting can get so deeply etched in the minds of so many. What pains me is the fact that there are some well read Brahmin intellectuals who, believing Dravidian culture to be different from Vedic culture; are further propagating this wrong notion by their written and spoken words for reasons beyond my imagination! It is an inalienable fact that the Chera, Sozha, Pandya and Pallava kings have done so much to spread the word of the Vedas. If nothing else the temples of Tamil Nadu, their customs and traditions and their assets and a whole lot of villages assigned for Brahmins to live and their sustenance as ‘Maanyam’ are mute witnesses to my above statement! But, these writers of history, fiction based on history, history of Tamil literature and word to word translations / notes on old Tamil literature; possibly so as to curry favour from those in social and political power, are doing a disservice to their calling and truth. This is resulting in further alienation of minds within the people of this country.
49. Generally within Indian culture, there are regional differences and not racial! Within Tamil Language, look at the differences between the styles and habits that are there in the ‘Thenn (southern) PaaNdi Naadu, Kongu Naadu, Sozha Desam, North & South Arcot, the old Nadu Naadu based around Chengal Pattu and Thondai Naadu! Without joining any of them, while still making a blend of them all and adding some exotic trends from elsewhere in the world, is the culture in and around Madras. In the way Smaarta ladies wear their saris known as ‘Madisaar’ itself, there could be three or four different variations! But does that make them into ethnic differences of racialism? All put together is one Indian culture and civilization only. Within that there are differences in language, art forms of music, dance, sculpture and paintings; habits and styles. That is the beauty of variety. (KTSV adds: I noticed that in the far reaches of the Himalayas the Gaon Buda’s wife (village old man’s wife) pays respect to the visiting dignitary exactly the same way, by going on her knees and hands and touching the ground with her head, known as Pancha Anga Namaskar, exactly like a lady would do in deep south! North of Badri Nath, I found Bhutia ladies wearing ‘kumkum’ like women elsewhere in mainland India. In Nagaland and Mizoram, when visiting a dignitary the first thing that is offered is a small packet containing pieces of areca-nut and betel-leaves, like anywhere else in India!)
50. Every cleavage, schism and difference between tribes, castes and communities have been made use of, or rather exploited by the ruling Britishers all over India! If it was Hindu – Muslim rivalry that was exploited in most of the places, it was Bengali Vs Assamese in the East and Punjabi Sikh and Punjabi Non-Sikh in the West! If it was Khammas Vs Reddys in Andhra, it was Naicker Vs Naadaar elsewhere. Amongst them all it was the Aryan Vedic North Vs Dravidian Non-Vedic South that got well established in people’s minds, contrary to a plethora of proofs against it! This led to a situation that Vedic Aachaaram came to be a hated thing to be hidden, disowned and detested as anathema almost! Let them not like the Vedic methods and do anything for the welfare of Brahmins. That is their look-out. But to corrupt and rewrite history about the way kings and rulers of the past have taken care of the Brahmins, (allotting arable lands and living space especially for them), is not the right things to do! Such special care was extended to Brahmins not because they were imported from elsewhere but, because they were not supposed to accumulate wealth, cash and pelf or even look for any remuneration but only care for the minimum for survival and sustenance of their dependents! Writing of History should not be at the cost of twisting, ignoring and closing your eyes to truth! Then to say that the kings and rulers of yore only took care of Tamil Culture is an injustice to the very Tamil Culture itself!
51. Olden Rulers in their inscriptions on stones and copper plates have recorded for posterity, Royal Edicts containing mainly three things. More than 50% of them will contain details of lands given to Brahmins as ‘Bhu Devas’ (that is the Gods in human form) for their living space as Villages, Veda Paata Salas, and arable lands. Then there will be details of Maanyam for Temples. Then there may be mention of victories in war! Maanyams given for Brahmins were known as ‘Brhmadeyam’. ‘Deyam’ in Sanskrit means ‘what is given as donation’. Known by names such as ‘Veda Mangalam, Chatur Veda Mangalam, Needaa Mangalam’ and so on, these villages were donated as tax free havens for occupation by Brahmins. Mostly known as such and such an Agrahaaram, many of the names of these villages will end in ‘agaram’! Out of all these stone carvings or copper plate inscriptions in Tamil, there are no such words as ‘Tamizh Inam (Tamil Race), Tamizh PaNpaadu (Culture), Tamizh Marabu (Tradition) or Tamizh Naagareekam (Civilization)’; anywhere to be found mentioned! I have looked for any such mention with a magnifying glass, to the extent possible! I have come across things such as, “manu Needhi viLanga! (Let Manu’s justice prevail!) manuvaaru viLanga! (Let the tradition of Manu continue!), andaNar aaguthik kanal onga! (Let Brahmin’s fires continue to reach the skies!) and Jaathi ozhukkam pirazhaadu nirka! (Let the arrangement of discipline between the castes survive and thrive without aberrations!)”
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva