DEIVATHIN KURAL # 31 (Vol # 6) Dated 30 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 31 (Vol # 6) Dated 30 July 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 page No 213 of Volume 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)

“Desika” – The Greatness of this Term
52. Because of the special value of this word ‘Desika’, Thotaka AachaaryaaL was subtly prompted by our AachaaryaaL to compose and sing the ‘Ashtakam’, that we as followers and devotees of Aadi Sankara are singing his praise by chanting the ‘Thotaka Ashtakam’ till date saying “Sankara Desika me charaNam” – ‘संकर देसिक मे चरणं’ – ‘சங்கர தேசிக மே சரணம்’! (This has reference to the story of how Ananda Giri, one of the disciples of our AachaaryaaL, who was thought to be a dull idiot good only for some menial work, spontaneously effervesced with an outpouring of an Ashtakam in praise of our AachaaryaaL in the Thotaka meter that he came to be known as Thotaka AachaaryaaL with much respect since then. For details about Thotaka AachaaryaaL please refer to Deivathin Kural # 167 (Vol # 5) Dated 01 Apr 2012. Each stanza of the Ashtakam finishes with the above quoted ‘संकर देसिक मे चरणं’. It is the tradition amongst the followers of our AachaaryaaL to chant this sloka and do a Saashtaanga Namaskaara at the end of each stanza, as part of the daily prayers!)
53. In Kandar Anubhuti also this phrase ‘சங்கர தேசிகனே’ (‘Sankara Desikane’) has been used by the poet devotee AruNagiri Naathar. It has reference to the Guru of Sankara Siva of Kailasa, when Siva’s son Kumara Swami became ‘Swami Nathan’ – ‘சுவாமி நாதன்’ and gave him Upadesa of the meaning of PraNava Mantram. But the poet seems to have taken special pleasure in calling him Sankara Desikan, since we note that the Kandar Anubhuti is Aatma Anubhuti only. In it, there are a number of descriptions of the state of Adwaitam such as, ‘tannam tani ninradu taan ariya’ – ‘தன்னம் தனி நின்றது தான் அறிய’, meaning ‘to know oneself to stand in total aloneness’; ‘ennai izhanda nalam’ – ‘என்னை இழந்த நலம்’, meaning ‘the benefit of losing myself’; ‘summaa iru sollara’ – ‘சும்மா இரு சொல்லற’, meaning ‘keep quiet sans speech’; ‘ennai vizhungi verum taanaai’ – ‘என்னை விழுங்கி வெறும் தானாய்’, meaning ‘having swallowed me, as only the self’; to indicate that AruNagiri was in total bliss of Adwaita Anubhuti and would have had our AachaaryaaL in mind, may be!
54. Amongst Vaishnavas they have names such as ‘Desikan’ and ‘Desikaachaarya’. In Desikaachaarya, there are two words Desikan and Aachaarya, both meaning the same thing as a Guru! They do so in remembrance of one of their important Aachaaryas, Vedaanta Desikar. Vaishnavas also prefer the name ‘Vedaantam’, though that word at least amongst the English speaking public has come to mean a synonym for Adwaitam! The direct meaning of that word ‘Vedaantam’ is only ‘the end portions of Vedas’ that is, Upanishads. The proponents of Adwaitam, Dwaitam and Visishtaadwaitam have all shown and demonstrated as to how their point of view is not only based on the Vedas, but the main intended message of Vedaantam! While Sankara and Madhva wrote their Bhashyam about the Upanishads; Ramanujacharyar through his Brhma Sutra Bhashyam, Vedaanta Saaram and Vedaanta Deepam, has extensively quoted the Upanishads in support of his arguments.
55. For the Visishtadwaita Siddhaantam, the ‘Antaryaami BrahmaNam’ of Bruhad AaraNyaka Upanishad is like a spinal cord. Though Ramanuja did not write Bhashyam for the Upanishads, one other Rangaramanuja has done so eliciting as to how their main purport is only Visishtadwaitam. Let that be so. But what I came to say was that, the word Vedaantam, which is almost a synonym for the Upanishads has become famous all over the world to mean exclusively Adwaitam! Still, Adwaitins do not name their children as ‘Vedaantam’ while it is being done extensively among Visishtadwaitins. Amongst them, one sage named by his parents as Venkata Natha, came to be known by a special name as ‘Vedaanta Desikar’.
56. Like Vedaantam, Bhashyam is another name preferred by Vaishnavas for naming their children. Nobody else that is, none of the other castes or sub-castes people prefer this name Bhashyam, whereas Vaishnavas do. For example, Bhashyam Aiyangaar, Bhashyam Reddy, Bhashyam Naidu – are all Vaishnava names. We as Smarthas and many other learned and knowledgeable persons all over the world, highly venerate our AachaaryaaL’s Bhashyams of Bhagawat Gita, Brhma Sutra and the 10 important Upanishads. Vaishnavas, who are very devoted to their AachaaryaaL Ramanuja, very respectfully call his Brhma Sutra Bhashyam as Sri Bhashyam and call him the Bhasyakaarar as a title and in their tradition use that word Bhashyam as the name of individuals also.
57. Amongst the three names such as Guru, AachaaryaaL and Desikan, Smartha Brahmins and non-brahmin Saiva-s have this name Guruswami or Gurumurthy mostly in remembering Swami Nathan / Murugan. In none of the traditions do we find the habit of naming children as ‘Aachaarya’. However amongst Vaishnava Brahmins there is the habit of using this name as a family / caste name, such as Raja Gopala Aachaarya. Amongst non-brahmins, the black/silver/gold smiths and carpenters have this tradition of calling themselves as ‘Aachaari’ and so do we call them by that name. They wear the ‘PooNool’ also. Madhva Brahmins have ‘Aachaar’ added to their names, like the famous name of Mysore Vasudevachaar. One funny thing is that here in Tamil Nadu, the Madhva Brahmins are all known as Raos, whereas in Karnataka State where Madhvacharya lived, the Madhva Brahmins instead of calling themselves as Raos, call themselves as Aachaar only. There, other than them all other castes may have a surname of Rao!
58. There was one Mysore Sadasiva Rao, who was a प्र्सिष्य (that is the disciple of one of the disciples) of Thyagaraja Iyer, the famous musician of Thiruvaroor. He has written a Keertanam on Chandra Mouliswara, to whom we do daily Pooja in this Matam in SankaraabharaNam Raaga, in which he has mentioned the name of the Swami in the Matam at that time as, ‘Sriman Maha Devendra Saraswathy’. Though his surname is a Rao, he is not a Madhva but Smartha Brahmin. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, including non-brahmins, there are many castes that have this surname as Rao. But, in Tamil Nadu, Rao means that he is Madhva Brahmin. So, as I have been telling you, though there is no individual name as ‘Aachaarya’, it is prevalent as a caste name or surname for many amongst Sri Vaishnava and Madhva Brahmins and as iron / gold / silver Smiths and Carpenters.
59. Amongst non-brahmin Saiva-s, there is a sect called ‘Desikar’ who are priests. Of course, in Vaishnavas people do have individual names as Desikan. Amongst them the sub-sect of Vada-kalai tradition, the most important master is referred as Vedaanta Desikan / Swami Desikan or just simply Desikan. Instead of adding ‘r’ and saying Siva-r with respect, don’t we say Siva? Similarly they simply call him Desikan instead of Desikar, out of extreme love and respect. Ramanuja is quite a common name among Vaishnavas. But among Madhvas, they do not use the name of their main proponent ‘Madhva’ or his changed name after taking up Sannyaasa as Aananda Teerta, for naming their children.
60. Among our Smartha Brahmins, Sankara is a very popular name and common. Whether this naming is thinking of Kaladi Sankara, that is our AachaaryaaL or Kailasa Sankara, the Siva Perumaan, we cannot say. Many of Siva Perumaan’s names are quite popular for naming children, such as, Sankara, Shankar, Viswanatha, Vaidyanathan, Parama Sivan and many others. Ramanuja though is applicable for all of the brothers of Sri Rama such as, Bharatha, Laxmana and Shatrugna; it is thought to be that of Lakshmana mainly as the one who was always like a body guard for Sri Rama. However, the Vaishnavas name their children Ramanuja, more as a respectful tribute for their AachaaryaaL. I do not know as to what extent is the name Sankara used for naming children as a respectful tribute for their AachaaryaaL! That too nowadays, the names have become more stylish and modern as Shankar and Shekar. Anyhow I have to presume that since my coming to Madras in 1957, the popularity of these names of our AachaaryaaL is on the up-swing! (Point to note here is that PeriyavaaL’s Sannyaasa Naama is Chandra Sekhara Saraswathy.)
“Paramachaarya”
61. This Desika title is used in Saiva Matalaya (சைவ மடாலயங்கள்) also. The Aadeena Kartaas or Heads of the Matams are referred as ‘Desika Paramaachaarya Swamigal’. As in our Adwaita Sampradaaya we say ‘Paramahamsa Parivrajakachaarya’ for the Head of the Matam, they call their Mataadipathy ‘Desika Paramaachaarya’. In fact this name Paramachaarya can be used for anyone in the position of a Guru as the Head of the Matam. It can also be used for the Guru of our direct Guru. Even here, the tradition in our Matam is to say ‘Parama Guru’ for one’s Guru’s Guru. The Parama Guru’s Guru is Parameshti Guru and his Guru is Paraapara Guru. Sometimes out of the existing two or three in line out of the Gurus the senior most could be referred as ‘Paramachaarya’, to some extent it sounds contrary to tradition. However that has been the practice in Saiva Matalaya-s in Tamil Nadu, though not exactly applicable to Smartha Matams. There is a protocol of saying ‘His Excellency’, ‘His Highness’ and ‘Honorable Justice’ at various levels, isn’t it? Similarly, I thought that it is necessary to correctly follow the tradition in this respect. As long as the Head of the Matam is above all this, matured enough as a Gnaani, it is alright to call him whatever. But otherwise, it may lead to some unnecessary head weight! (Knowing our AachaaryaaL’s mind on this, the devotees and people working in the Matam, refer to them only as PeriyavaaL, Maha PeriyavaaL and or Maha SwamigaL.) I just wished to point out that the Heads of such institutions are referred as ‘Parmaachaarya’, to which this word ‘Desika’ is also being added.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 30 (Vol # 6) Dated 28 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 30 (Vol # 6) Dated 28 July 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 page No 207 of Volume 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)

GURU’S LOVE AND SACRIFICE
42. I wished to talk about the fact that, because of experiencing the fully grown maturity, the one from whom delusion of Maya has ceased to be effective; such a Mahaan becomes a Guru capable of much sacrifice and shows extreme love and compassion to the disciple. This man while still in this world of ‘Iham’ (इहं) like anybody else is inwardly experiencing the totality of oneness with the reality, unlike all of us who are totally deluded. Our AachaaryaaL has written a work known as ‘Prodhaanubhuti’ containing a number of slokas, in which the Guru who is completely rid of delusion explains to his disciple, the state in which he is ‘स्वान्ते सम्यग् इह अनुभूतं’.
43. Why should a Jivan Mukta who is in such a state of completeness of experience devoid of all delusion, care to explain his state at all? It is not necessary for him and neither is he to gain anything by doing so. As said in Bhagawat Gita, Chapter VI, Sloka 22, “yam labdva chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tata:” – ‘यं लभ्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं तत:’ – having come to that stage, he has no more additional advantages to gain. In that stage there is no need for him to sing in praise of his own state. May be to do so, is likely to distract him and cause him to fall back on self pride! From the Sanskrit ‘prouda avastha’ of maturity, it may end up in making him proud! Yes, for a Jivan Mukta, whatever he may do apparently, it will not make any difference to his inner state and there will be no falling back or distraction. Still, it is certain that there is nothing whatsoever that he has to gain by such description. So why should he do so? He could simply remain in Samadhi and let the body fall off whenever it has to, isn’t it? So, why is he making this effort?
44. Our AachaaryaaL who himself was in that state of ‘prouda prouda anubhuthimaan’, still did ‘n’ number of such descriptions of the state of Gnaani, wrote many thesis on that subject extensively, analyzing the likely arguments for and against. He has written this ‘Prouda Anubhuthi PrakaraNam’, containing 17 poems, to explain the inner state of a Gnaani. Instead of beating his own trumpet by making it an Autobiographical Sketch, humbly hiding his own state, he has spoken as though some Gnaani is explaining his state to his disciple. To explain and teach a good and worthy disciple, “सद् शिष्य बोधाय”, a Guru takes the pains to do so! The aim of doing so is to motivate and encourage the disciple to make that additional effort to rise to such level of perfection and purification. For that reason the Guru comes down from his highest level of inaction and silence, to describe the state of a Gnaani to his disciple, though personally he is not looking forward to any gain whatsoever! It is the order and arrangement by God’s decree or whatever that, though the Guru has become inert, devoid of all feelings of bodily senses and mental constructs; he should continue to have feelings of love and a sense of sacrifice, so that the humanity at large may benefit. The Guru is already rid of all intentions, aims and missions. So, it is simply an arrangement by God to cause the Guru to have love for all and the readiness to sacrifice, like the parents. Parents do so, because it is their child, while Guru does similarly without the sense of me and mine!
45. In the first sloka of ‘Prouda Anubhuti’, our AachaaryaaL has used a string of words, ‘सच्छिष्य बोधाय सत्यं संस्मृतवान’ – ‘sachchishya bodhaaya satyam samsmrutavaan’ – meaning ‘that he recovered his memory in his non-existent mind as to what was his state ‘before and after’ that experience, so as to be able to tell that good and worthy student! Bodhna or Upadesam is done by mouth for which you have to remember, what your state was before and after the Anubhuti of Self-Realization. For which he has to do ‘samsmaraNam’, because he is not a ‘mouni’ whose power of speech has been blocked. But his mind has been annulled or erased, devoid of thoughts. To generate thoughts, to remember and keep record of past experiences and remember is difficult for him as his mind is no more! Such a man of transcendence has to come down to the mundane level first to be able to remember and recollect his own past state before he can explain his state before, during and after Saakshaatkaara!
46. It is as much difficult for him to reconnect with the mind, as it is difficult for us to disconnect the mind with its thoughts. By persevering and trying our level best, if we learn to discard the thoughts, we benefit immensely. But for the Gnaani, by reconnecting with the mind and recollecting his thoughts, he has nothing to gain. But still he does so, for the sake of the disciple – ‘सच्छिष्य बोधाय सत्यं संस्मृतवान’. First he has to revive his mind and then remember all the thought processes before, during and after that most important event of Aatma Anubhava. Then he has to come down further to put into words and advice his disciple about it all. It is not enough for him to have realized, but to enable another to similarly experience Aatma Saakshaatkaara, is the Gnaani out of infinite kindness becomes a Desika! In talking about his Self Realization and his infinite kindness, I am reminded of the Bhashyam by our AachaaryaaL for Aitreya Upanishad. (Refer to I.3.13-14.)
No Gnaana without Guru’s Upadesa
46. The individual who has come to realize the Aatma as ‘इदं’ or in Tamil as ‘இது’ or in English as ‘this’, as the very close thing, as the most intimate, becomes, ‘idamtran’ that is, ‘इदंत्र्न’. The first part ‘idam’ is about pointing and ‘tran’ is about vision or sight. So this word ‘idamtran’ is the one who has seen / known / identified Aatma as the very closest thing to himself. Still, great respectable people should not be referred just by their names isn’t it? So, after taking out one letter from ‘idamtran’, it has been given a special nom de plume as ‘Indran’ or ‘इन्द्रन’, as given in ऐतरेयोपनिषदि Aitreyopanishad.
47. Life entering a body through the hole in the top of the head and taking birth; then notes things and stuff after due analysis giving them names, identifying them as those and oneself as me; then getting to know that all that is seen and cognized to be the self and realizing them all to be oneself and then saying that “Now I have come to know the Brhmam here”; then by that cognition getting the name as ‘idamtran’; then out of respect and reverence and because Devas like to be not so very apparent, being called or becoming the ‘Indran’; and so on the Upanishad goes on describing. Nowhere is there any mention of a Guru there. But our AachaaryaaL observed and noticed a flaw there.
48. He felt as to how could a life can on its own analyze and get Brhma Gnaanam? Sucha thing cannot happen without Guru’s Upadesam and Anugraha, he noted. May be it is not mentioned because it is already known to everybody, he thought. When a person is detailed as a collector, it is evident that he has passed the competitive examination for Indian Administrative Service, isn’t it? Similarly, if someone has attained Brhma Gnaana, it is understood that he has been given Upadesam by a Guru, isn’t it? Still, we should make it evident for the readers and mention it in the Bhashyam, he thought. So, he added a sentence between ‘a life after taking birth and analyzing the world around him and before he cognizes his identity with the Brhmam permeating all the things around him’; inserted the sentence that, ‘by Guru’s Grace and Anugraha, because of it cognizes the oneness of all existence’. In very powerful words, he has explained the awakening of the individual soul to the reality of his being and existence, fully revealing the Guru’s Grace and role. He says, “The Guru with immense compassion drums into the ears of the disciple, the effectively powerful words of the Upanishads that could awaken Aatma Gnaana in the individual soul, through which he enables him to see the omnipresence and all pervasive permeability of Brhmam in the whole of all existence.” I am not putting one extra word here. I am quoting the Sanskrit original for you to grasp this directly, if you can, as the meaning has already been given! "परम कारुणिकेन आचार्येण आत्मज्ञान प्रबोध कृत् सब्दिकायां वेदान्त महावाक्य बेर्याम तत् कर्ण मूले ताड्यमानायां..."
49. Nobody should think that our AachaaryaaL has taken liberties with the text of the Upanishad and added any superfluous material. The message that, ‘Gnaanam is obtained only through the words of the Aachaarya’, is to be found mentioned in many places in the various Upanishads. For a man who is blind or his eyes are tied and lost in a dense forest, only those who have already known the way out can help and save him, isn’t it? Similarly for an ignorant man, as most of us are, only a Guru who is already a Gnaani, can show the way, as said in the Chandokya Upanishad (vi. 14.1 and 2.) – आचार्यवान पुरुषो वेद – that person knows who has a preceptor!
50. Mundakopanishad says, “गुरुं एव अभि गच्छेत्” – ‘Guru only is to be searched for and reached’. If Aitreya Upanishad is talking about a man who has researched and analyzed things, matter and materials; here in Mundakopanishad, it is talking about a man who is researching the Lokas or the Worlds! (Whether you are a scientist or an astronaut, or a banker sifting through the currency notes or a businessman muddling through the share market fluctuations, or simply a poor man rifling the wastage in a dump yard; it is one and the same thing!) These are all in some way related to work / Karma. The principle of Aatma Tatva is not about doing anything and cannot be reached or comprehended by action oriented efforts. Having understood this, you have to become delinked and dispassionate about worldly matters. Then to reach, know and comprehend Aatma, have to surrender to a Guru – “गुरुं एव अभि गच्छेत्”.
51. That statement ‘Guru only is to be searched for and reached’, means that, ‘You have to reach a Guru’ and that there is no other way! In the next mantra it is said that the Guru who is a Brhma Gnaani will, ‘Give him Upadesam on Brhma Gnaanam, as it is and thereby alleviate, assuage and give him solace’, says the Aitreya Upanishad. So there is no chance to think that our AachaaryaaL has added any unwarranted extra. While doing the Bhashyam for ‘Guru only is to be searched for and reached’ – “गुरुं एव अभि गच्छेत्”, our AachaaryaaL has clarified that, to emphasize and underline the fact that “Even a man well versed in the Saastraas, should not venture in to learning about Brhma Gnaana on his own”, it is said ‘गुरुं एव’. Only the man that knows could be our guide, especially in the spiritual field and that is ‘Desikar’.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 29 (Vol # 6) Dated 26 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 29 (Vol # 6) Dated 26 July 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 page No 200 of Volume 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)
34. What is this release or delinking of the cucumber fruit? Normally we know that other fruits fall off from the tree by their own weight, once they are ripe enough. Cucumber grows in creeper plants, which is permitted to spread around on the ground only. Farmers do not try to grow it on interconnected nets on stilts as they do with grapes, snake gourds, beans and bitter or ribbed gourds. The cucumber ripens at the ground level only. So it cannot fall off. Finally when the plant disconnects from the ripened fruit, there is no dropping off. The plant moves off leaving the fruit where it is, as it is. The small connecting stem like thing clearly separates from the fruit with no oozing or dripping. Even when the fruit is not yet ripe, you can see the clearly marked joint in the stem like thing connecting the fruit with the plant like the umbilical cord between the baby and mother, where the delinking is to take place, sometime in the future.
35. This is how the Gnaani is delinked from the involvement with the ties of the world. It is not as though he is like a fruit that falls off a tree. Even after ripening he remains as he is. Whatever work he may be doing outwardly he may continue doing so, but inwardly he would have become totally static अचल தன்னில் நிலை பெர்ற்றவனாக இருப்பான். For him there is no going to some other world like a Vaikundam or Kailasam. That happens only to Dwaitins. For the Gnaani, here in this world itself, while seemingly still in this body he would have experienced ‘Aatma Saatchaatkaar’, that is, ‘आत्म साक्षात्कार’ aka Self-Realized. That is the release unto total liberty with no ties whatsoever! What he had done was ‘Aatma Vichaara’ targeting his own Self, by which he has come to realize that he is the same stuff as the Aatma, which is not just some stuff! Then all ties drop off automatically and Dwaitam vanishes. Like the cucumber remains at the same spot on the ground, he will also be seen to be and known as a Jeevan Mukta. His individuality is no more. His identification with this body is no more. There are no binding ties that used to connect him with the mesh of worldly involvement. This is the Cucumber Mukti.
36. This is what I often used to say. Having heard me talking like this one learned Pundit Vidwaan told me something in addition. Actually what he said was not something more, but a different explanation as per his understanding, that he told me. Normally what happens to most of the fruits that fall off the mother plant? They keep lying there till someone picks it up or eaten by animals or become degraded there. But this ripe cucumber, unlike the other over ripe fruits, explodes and disappears without a trace, sans rotting and bad smell. He said that as per his understanding, he used to think that the ego in the person just goes, without a trace. “But your explanation of disconnection and on the spot release seems to be more appropriate and that the explosion of the fruit was slightly more violent and not very suitable” he said. His version and interpretation still appealed to my mind, making me to mull over it. Then I could include his idea of the VeLLarippazham (வெள்ளரிப்பழம்) blasting itself out of existence by saying, “The disconnection from the plant is Self Realization while still in the body known as Jivan Mukti and then comes disappearance without rotting and without a trace, known as Videha Mukti”.
37. Jivan Mukti is when a person still seems to be as before, but his mind has become inactive, his delusion of ignorance has vanished, his individuality is no more, and he is one with the reality of existence. This delinking of worldly Maya from him is what is compared with the cucumber fruit separating from the plant or rather the plant cutting itself and moving off. That is my explanation. Though Loka Maya is not there, his body is still seen to be there. In the eyes of the beholder, he seems to be another body, another person, isn’t it? Though he is not conscious of his body, we are seeing him as another ‘sareera’ the body. Till there is ‘praarabda Karma’ (प्रारब्द कर्म), that is already accumulated load of past meritorious actions and sins to be cancelled out are in balance; things such as being adored and admired by many and hated and ridiculed by some, periods of falling ill with diseases or periods of good health will all be experienced by the body. Though in his mind he is not affected by any of these opposites of good and bad experiences, the body remains the target of Karma till their effectiveness is over. Though there are many other interpretations about the Gnaani and Praarabdam, this is generally understood, as explained by me here. Even after being delinked from the plant the cucumber fruit is there in form. Like that even after Realization by a Gnaani, the Jivan Mukta is there in the body or with the body, till one day the body also drops off when all accounts of Karma are cancelled out and we say that he has cast off his mortal coil. That is Videha Mukti. While the body is still alive and he is experiencing the oneness with the Aatma, is Jivan Mukti. Now as the body drops off and he is one with the only reality of existence, is comparable to the cucumber finally exploding in to smithereens.
38. Unlike what was thought by that Vidwaan, in the exploding of the cucumber fruit also, there is ‘banda mochanam’, that is relief from attachments. That form or shape of the fruit does keep it bound, isn’t it? Similarly till there is a body, there are so many responsibilities such as that, it has to be carried here and there, arrangement made for natural ablutions, cleaned, bathed, dressed, fed, rested, and maintained. At least these things look like so many binding factors only. Thus only in death this attachment to the body seems to end, over and done. Even after this gross body is done with, there is the subtle body which continues with residual wants, needs, desires, likes and dislikes (aka Vaasanaas). It travels to different worlds (Lokaantara Praapty) of Vaikundam/Kailasam and such Heavens or Pitru Loka (that is, the world of the manes) or Hell to work out the comeuppance for the sins; and then in its time re-enters another body on the next birth day (of Punar Janma). Gnaani does not have any of these compulsions such as Sookshma Sareera of Gross Body or Lokaantara Praapty or Punar Janma of re-birth, but finishes as finally his separateness itself drops off! For us these things continue till one day, we also reach the shore of Samsaara Saagara. For us it continues because of residual Vaasanaas and the binding ties of the system of Karma. For Gnaani with the dissipation of Praarabda, all Karma ends as the body dies. That is, as the attachment with the gross body is over, there are no binding ties with a subtle body, and thus his death is a total delink or clean brake without a trace. Here the cucumbers’ blast of complete disappearance is a correct example. The delinking of the cucumber fruit from the mother plant is a parallel to Jivan Mukti. When praarabda bandam (प्रारब्द बन्दं) – inclusive of the deha bandam (देह बन्दं) (of identification of oneself to or as the body) – explodes, it is like what happens to the cucumber fruit in the end. This is really not an explosion outwardly but an implosion into reality!
39. I thought of another aspect. Amongst many of the Gnaanis who were Jivan Muktas, such as our AachaaryaaL, MaNikka Vaachagar, VaLLalaar and such, when their life time was over and they became Videha Muktas, there has never been any dissipation or rotting but only disappearance, making the onlookers wonder as to “What happened? Where did they go?” They seemed to have simply vanished into the cosmos! The disappearance of the cucumber fruit after it explodes is also like this only. It was there one second and it is no more the next second! Whether this is like that or that is like this, have it any which way you want! In that Mantra, that giver of Mukti Traiambakeswara, is said to be सुगन्दं पुष्टिवर्दनं, meaning fragrant and nourishing. Cucumber fruit instead of rotting and smelling explodes, isn’t it? Similarly the Gnaani’s body too just goes. But instead of the sound of blasting and vanishing into thin air, they are said to vanish – light unto light. Instead of ‘oli’ that is, ஒலி (sound which is a property of air), they are said to remerge into ‘oLi’ that is, ஒளி (light which is the property of fire). That light is also seen only for a fraction of a second and they are back with the omnipresent, all permeating formless state of अरूप (aroopa), non-partite ‘Akhandakaara’ Brhmam only.
40. When they make fire-works display during festivals in temples, they fire something known as ‘Out VaaNam’, that is, ‘அவுட் வாணம்’, which blasts, climbs up into the sky with a light and explodes into a brilliant display of colours. When the cucumber is ‘out’, it only makes a noise and when Mahatmas are ‘out’ there is only light. Not only at the end of attainment of Gnaana, but also at the end of Bhakti, people like Meera Bhai and Nandanaar simply vanished unto light, leaving no trace of their having been here, except possibly their poems and Upadesa! This can also be compared symbolically with the Cucumber Mukti!
41. I told that gentleman, “Since there are two stages as Jivan Mukti and Videha Mukti, my explanation can be said to hold good for Jivan Mukti and your explanation can be considered appropriate for Videha Mukti as it has happened in the case of many Gnaanis. So you do not have to feel bad about your understanding so far. In some races and competitions instead of there being a winner, sometimes they declare two persons as co-winners, isn’t it? So I gave him a ‘Prize’ of appreciation for his understanding and gave myself a tap on my shoulders also!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 28 (Vol # 6) Dated 24 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 28 (Vol # 6) Dated 24 July 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 page No 194 of Volume 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)
24. The Value of Parents. By what I have said about the relative value of one’s parents and Guru, it does not mean that parents are to be discarded as no good! The Veda itself puts them foremost by saying ‘maatru devo bhava, pithru devo bhava, aachaarya devo bhava’ and then ‘atiti devo bhava’ (तैत्र्योपनिशद - शिक्षावल्ली 1.11.2.) So the parents precede the preceptor. The parents are the first teachers and then at the time of Upanayanam the boy is handed over to the Guru. I have to tell you something about it.
25. There is a word ‘Aachaaryavaan’ which means ‘a good student of a good teacher’! Chandokya Upanishad (vi. 14.2) says, ‘aachaaryavaan purusho veda’ (आचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद). That means, ‘only the man who is a good student of an excellent Guru attains to Gnaana’. There are mantras in Bruhad AaraNyaka Upanishad in which, before this word ‘aachaaryavaan’, there are words as ‘maatrumaan’ and ‘pithrumaan’. Janaka is telling Yagnyavalkya Rishi about the Upadesas that he has received from various Gurus in the past, one by one. Each such Upadesa is approved and appreciated by the Rishi that the advice is, as it should be from a ‘maatrumaan, pitrumaan and aachaaryavaan’, as mentioned in the Upanishad. While further elaborating the meaning, our AachaaryaaL says in his Bhashyam that the one who has been correctly advised by the mother is ‘maatrumaan’ and after learning whatever from one’s mother, when such a person is advised by his father similarly to adopt the right means and the correct path is ‘pitrumaan’; and that when such an individual is also advised and directed on the right lines by the Guru from Yagnyopaveetam till the end of Gurukula Vaasam, is called as an ‘aachaaryavaan’. Thus when a student has had the correct coaching and guidance from three such important people who have powerful influence on the mind, attitude and behaviour of the student, is the one who in later years will prove to be a shining star in the life of future generations of people, to be adored and admired as a great teacher without deviating from the path of Aachaaraas. Thus, before he joins Gurukula Vaasa at the very young age of eight, the child that has been rightly guided and moulded by the mother and father becomes fit enough to receive the advises from the Guru. This has been lightly touched upon by the Bruhad AaraNyaka Upanishad and highlighted by our AachaaryaaL.
26. In the Katopanishad, this matter has been hinted at. Yama Dharmaraja is teaching Agni Vidya to Nachiketas. At the end, he says, “The one, who does this Yagnya thrice, related to three things, doing the three jobs; transcends beyond the cycle of birth and death. Normally the Brahmin is known to be doing six jobs as, ‘அறு தொழில் புரிபவர்’ or ‘षट् कर्म निरत:’. ThiruvaLLuvar also has called them ‘அறு தொழிலோர்’ (aru tozhilor). These jobs are, learning and chanting the Vedas and teaching the Vedas to others; conducting Yaagas oneself and for others sake; to receive alms from the good and holy who could spare them and to give alms to the deserving and needy! Thus between the self and others, these six actions could also be considered as ‘three sets of jobs’! But here we are not concerned with these six or three sets of jobs.
27. We are more concerned with the phrase ‘related to three things’ as given in the original as ‘tribiretya’ (त्रिभिरेत्य). Which are these three things, as referred by Yama and as mentioned in the Upanishad? While writing the Bhashyam for this, our AachaaryaaL has given the explanation that, ‘as related to the Mother, Father and Guru – that is, having been rightly advised and guided by those three people’, is the purport of that phrase त्रिभिरेत्य. In evidence, he has also quoted the Bruhad AaraNyaka Upanishad’s statement of ‘Matrumaan, Pitrumaan and Aachaaryavaan’. Mentioning the other two set of three jobs of ‘षट् कर्म’, he says that it could be taken as those things also! But first he has mentioned about being advised and guided by Mother, Father and Guru only.
28. I am emphasizing this point because, earlier we had noted that our AachaaryaaL had said “शरणं न भवति जननी न पिता न सोदरा: च अन्ये | शरणं देसिक चरणं”. So, with that as a pretext, whether people strictly follow what the Guru says or not, they may start on discarding the words of the parents, before inculcating any other discipline! Already I notice that there is deterioration and erosion in the value and attention given to the words of one’s parents. (The situation is further complicated with the elements / factors of step-father and step-mother coming in!) A lot of excuses are flaunted about freedom of choice, generation gap and such things! So, it is likely that people may decide and claim that, “Whether I follow our AachaaryaaL totally or not, at least I am following his advice to some extent”!
29. In matters of ‘Self-Realization’ and understanding of life, death and existence, it is not good enough to remain stuck with the words of the parents. It is in that vein, that he had said, ‘it is not enough to stop at that level’. One should always be respectful, considerate and thankful for what our parents do for us and tell us. But, for recognizing the inner core of one’s own being and reaching the final destination, we have to go and fall in Guru’s feet! The parents mainly concentrate on one’s physical growth and also cater for socially acceptable behavior and to some extent for one’s attitudinal progress. Whereas the Guru’s main area of interest is in your moral progress and erasing of Agnaana. So, concentrating on Aatma, your inner reality is the only area of interest for the preceptor. Thus, since Guru’s main emphasis is in guiding us on the right path in our best interest, in gratitude for this supreme help, he has been given this name of ‘Desika’ the Director.
30. Though the parents do a lot for our benefits, we often notice that by their pre-occupation with our material well being, they often end up diverting us from the narrow path of truth and integrity. If the offspring is not interested in marriage and wish to follow the path of renouncement, it is never accepted by the parents. That the youngster should study well and get employed in a remunerative job and earn a lot of money, get married and beget children; seems to be their main concern. Then they also wish to leave a lot of immoveable property, gold ornaments and shares in the market for their offspring. They do not seem to notice the fact that these things are all detrimental for the inner growth of the individual. If the son takes up even one day’s fast, their reaction is one of, “Why should one do such things so early in life?” Though we have to be beholden to the parents for their love, concern, kindness and the troubles that they undergo in taking care of us; when it comes to our inner growth towards realization of Aatma and understanding life and existence, they tend to corrupt us without intending to do so. That is all the more reason, for strongly adhering to the words and directions of the Desika.
31. In using the words ‘aasai’ ஆசை or आशा (desire) and ‘disai’ திசை दिच् (direction), I am reminded of a play on words by Bhoja Raja who was also a poet. This word आशा has two meanings one is desire and the other is direction! In ‘Ramayana Sambhu’, commenting on Agasthya Maharishi’s giving up all desires but preferring the southerly direction, he says, ‘अपास्त समस्तासं अब्युपगत दक्षिणासं’. In the first part ‘समस्तासं’, the word ‘aasam’ means desire – meaning that though he had given up all his desires; in the second part, अब्युपगत दक्षिणासं the word ‘aasam’ means direction – meaning that he went to the southerly direction.
32. There was this gentleman who organized some Vedic function in his house during which the priest aka Vaadyaar who was conducting the function, instead of paying attention to the mantras, was pestering the owner of the household for ‘DakshiNa’ repeatedly. DakshiNa means wages or remuneration for conduct of that function. When the owner of the house was getting annoyed, the Vaadyaar changed his tune that he should show some, ‘DaakshiNyam’, again a pun on the word to mean kindness and tolerance. Once his mood changed, the Brahmin again started pestering the owner of the house for ‘DakshiNa’! The owner of the house got fed up and asked, “Is there no end for your desire for DakshiNa?” The Brahmin again punned on the word saying, “How can there be an end to my desire for DakshiNa? Such a great sage like Agasthya himself has shown everlasting love for DakshiNa, isn’t it?” Here again he played on the meaning of word DakshiNa, to mean the southerly direction! So the story goes. The parents who themselves have desires and are bound by the ties of relationship cannot show the way out of the involvement out of the darkness of ignorance. The guidance on the right path out of the blind can only be shown by the Desika. His love for the Sishya is not less than that of the parents by any standard. So also his sacrifice is nothing less if not more, than that of the parents!
33. Gnaani’s Cucumber Mukti! This world of mirages and magic of duality drops off the mind and consideration of a Gnaani who is matured to total ripeness! He is in such a stage of experience of ‘Anubhuti’ as cannot be put in words or explained. It is equated to the way a cucumber separates from the mother plant when it is ripe enough. In fact the fruit does not physically do anything to separate or severe the connection. The Gnaani does not even bother or notice the connection or its severance. By itself the world of duality leaves him. Thus the Gnaani does not do anything to move away from the delusion of Maya, but like there is no more darkness when there is light, with the awakening of Gnaana, ignorance is no more! This idea is mentioned in the ‘Thrayambaka Mantra’ in which the devotee prays to the Three Eyed Parameswara to relieve us of the involvement with the imaginary world of existence! Oorvaarukam is the cucumber fruit. The full Mantra is like this – ‘thrayambakam yajaamahe sugandhim pushtivardanam oorvaarukamiva bandanaat mrutyor muktcheeya maam amrutaat’ - “त्रयम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्दिंपुष्टि वर्धनं ऊर्वारुकमिव बन्दनात मृत्योर मुक्षीय मामृतात”
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 27 (Vol # 6) Dated 22 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 27 (Vol # 6) Dated 22 July 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 186 of Volume 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)
(With regard to the subject content about Guru, as covered in today’s talk, the readers may also refer to Deivathin Kural (Vol # 3) under the heading ‘Guru – Aachaarya’ and in (Vol # 4) under the heading ‘Guru Kulam; Gatika Sthanam’.)

13. This prefix ‘upa’ has many further meanings. One of them is ‘near’ or ‘close by’. We know that the ‘PooNool’ KalyaNam or the ‘Thread Wearing Ceremony’ done to young boys, when they wear the ‘Yagnyopaveetham’ is called ‘Upanayanam’. Here that prefix ‘upa’ in the word ‘Upanayanam’ means that the boy is taken closer to the Guru or in other words, the individual soul is taken closer to his reality of existence! This ‘pooNool’ is known as ‘upa’veetham. After the ceremony of ‘upanayanam’ in which the boy is given ‘Brhma Upadesam’, for further instructions or ‘Upadesam’, he is left in the Gurukulam with the Guru who is also called ‘Upaadhyaaya’. Out of such instructions that the Upaadhyaaya can give the aspiring student are the end portion of Vedaantam known as Upanishads. Thus all these great things are all in some way related to ‘upa’!
14. When we talk about Upanishad, the student is seeking to know Brhma Vidya. Here this ‘upa’ means that the student is ‘approaching’ or ‘closing-in on’, as explained by our AachaaryaaL in the preamble to his Bhashyam to Katopanishad. The ‘ni’ that is after ‘upa’ means ‘certain focussing achieved’, while ‘sat’ at the end is pointing out the erasing of ignorance by that closing-in on Brhma Vidya. Erasing of ignorance simultaneously also means arriving at or revelation of Gnaana. Thus ‘upa + ni + sat’ means, ‘seeking brhma vidya, closing-in on it and arriving’. Thus, ‘upa’ shows closing-in near. This nearness to Guru at once means proximity, closeness, regards and respect. In many types of Moksham, ‘Saameepyam’ of intimacy is said to be a very high state of bliss. In the ‘Upadesam’ that the Guru gives, he does not just give instructions and lets the student fend for himself in any which way but, closely monitors the disciple’s progress and assists by staying close to the student. Such a package of advices, directions, counsels and instructions from close with love in the Guru’s heart reaching the disciple’s heart is what is known as Upadesam.
15. If the Guru thus says something, what is that something? Instead of talking about that particular thing, I am telling you things about it and around it. The thing that he teaches is the way of life. He tells the student to proceed on the life’s path in a particular direction. From this life of ephemeral mirage like existence, we have to progress to the everlasting life of experiencing eternity. While the disciple does as advised by the Guru, the Guru will encourage and assist from the physical as well as the subtle levels, theoretically as well as practically. Thus what he tells the disciple becomes qualitatively the Upadesam, in content as well as in effectiveness!
16. In this act of ‘Upakaar’ (meaning help), if the latter part of the word that is, ‘kaar’ is indicative of what all the Guru does; the former part of ‘upa’ is indicative of his interest, care, good-nature and readiness to persevere against all odds in his attitude. Similarly in the word ‘Upachaara’ (meaning the acts of service and hospitality), the ‘Upa’ part is indicative of one’s devotion, respect and gratitude. For Guru this teaching the student, instead of being a mere formality, becomes an act of Upachaara to the Goddess of Learning.
17. My discourses are called ‘Upanyasam’. This word is also synonymous with a ‘Novel’. Here, what is the meaning of ‘Upa’ and ‘Nyasam’? Nyasam has many meanings such as, ‘keep’, ‘register’ ‘leave’, ‘install’, ‘deliver’ and ‘abandon’! In Sanyasam the nyasam part means ‘to give up’ or ‘abandon’. To give or deliver convincingly can also be the meaning of ‘Upanyasam’. While we in the south understand this word ‘Upanyasam’ to mean spoken discourse or lecture, in the north of India, they refer to the big volumes of printed books only by this word. Whatever it is, Upanyasam is not below or lower to Nyasam but higher. The act of giving or delivering when done more forcefully or convincingly, it is Upanyasam. Similarly, when the act of delivering an order or instruction is done in a more refined manner, it is Upadesam. The one who does Upadesa is Upadesika or Upadesakar and one who does Upanyasa is Upanyasaka.
18. That Upadesika is also called Desika or Desikar. Though what he says instead of being simply ‘Desam’ is said with the prefix ‘Upa’ as ‘Upadesam’, without ‘upa’ the word ‘Desikar’ is a more popular. There is a word ‘swadesi’ to mean local or native. In this context of meaning, Desikar could also mean a guide who knows all the ins and outs of the local ways. But the word is more used for a guide for life, who teaches and gives directions for the journey of life. Though we use this word Desika without ‘Upa’ as a prefix, he is a man to be respected by position of higher standing, while simultaneously he stands very close in terms of love and compassion.
19. The Word Indicative of Intimacy. There are three words for the same person as Guru, AachaaryaaL and Desikar. As the Guru, it has the connotation that he is the one who erases the darkness of ignorance. Aachaarya or AachaaryaaL means that he strictly abides by the traditions of Aachaara himself and teaches the disciple the rules and regulations of those traditions, causing him to follow those rules. In these words ‘Guru’ and ‘AachaaryaaL’ there is no indication that he is the director. ‘Desikar’ is the only name indicative of his being the executive director. Firstly he is a bigger and elder man, secondly he is the one to chase away the darkness of ignorance, and then thirdly he is a follower of the high paths of Brhma Gnaana. For these reasons, the young children already look at him with awe, admiration and respect; making him to stand apart far above. He comes closer only when he tells the disciple the interesting points to look forward to or give attention to and the likely pitfalls and hazards on the way, like a guide does in conducted tours. Thus as a Desikar he comes closer and intimate when he protects the disciple from likely dangers in the material world and points out the beautiful scenarios not to be missed in the spiritual world! Then only the relationship from being mundane becomes cemented with love and affection.
20. Guru Is Far above One’s Mother and Father. Nobody can ever do what the Guru does. “If we are to be salvaged, one’s own mother cannot be our ‘शरणं’ / ‘சரணம்’ / saraNam that is, sanctuary! However much she may love us, sacrifice for us, she cannot lift and throw us out of the mire, as the double weight is likely cause her to go down further! Similarly one’s father is also disqualified and so are brothers, sisters and relatives. So, Guru’s feet is the only destination”, says our AachaaryaaL, virtually touching the responsive cords of our heart, in his ‘Bala Bodha Sangraham’. I Quote “சரணம் நபவதி ஜனனீ ந பிதா சோதராஸ் ச அந்யே | சரணம் தேசிக சரணம்”. (In this last line, one of them is ‘saraNam’ and the other ‘charaNam’) Now the Sanskrit version is as follows – शरणं न भवति जननी न पिता न सोदरा: च अन्ये | शरणं देसिक चरणं” Unquote. Here our AachaaryaaL has used the word ‘Desika’ for Guru. Thotaka AachaaryaaL while paying his homage to his Guru (our AachaaryaaL) has used the same poem with a slight variation saying ‘பவ சங்கர தேசிக மே’ saraNam. (There will be more about Thotaka AachaaryaaL later in our discussion.)
21. The parents having brought us into the world, enabling us to live comfortably, will also give us material assets. But, none of these things are permanent but, ephemeral. The only person who could give us the assets of eternal value is the Guru, who gives us the Brhma Anubhava. That is, it is only our Guru who enables us to experience our physical, moral and spiritual oneness with God everywhere as well as in our hearts (‘dahara aakaasam’ ‘दहर आकाशं’) and in the core of our existence. At the end of Viveka ChoodaamaNi our AachaaryaaL has described as to how intensely the Guru feels about his onus of responsibilities to teach and educate his disciples (Sloka 576 starting with the words ‘सकल निगम’ [sakala nigama]). He tells his disciple, “I have thought of you like a son of my own and imparted all the knowledge, concepts and principles to you!” This same sentence with a slight change in the Sanskrit original is differently interpreted to mean that he is saying, ‘you may go over these inestimable advices repeatedly mulled and absorbed’! The interpretation that appeals to my mind however is that, the Guru becomes both a father and mother to the disciple and advices and tutors him, never tiring or cribbing about the lack of his own comforts. Thus the Guru has to keep reiterating his Upadesa till the Sishya understands and absorbs the concept fully.
22. Aachaarya Dharma. At the end of Bhagawat Gita (72nd sloka in Chapter 18), Bhagawan Sri Krishna asks Arjuna, “Have you understood and absorbed all that I have so far told you with a concentrated and attentive one-pointed mind? Has the delusion of thy ignorance been destroyed, O Dhananjaya?” While explaining as to why Bhagawan asked Arjuna thus, our AachaaryaaL in his Bhashyam says that the aim is to confirm if the disciple has fully assimilated the essence and purport of the teachings. If he has not understood, Bhagawan as a good Guru would have had to think of how best to make him understand his message. Then he says that the Guru has a duty and responsibility to try in as many ways as possible to make the student understand and comprehend the teachings. Strictly following our AachaaryaaL’s outlook, Ananda Giri in his ‘Teeka’, meaning Explanatory Notes, says that even if the student is dull witted in his in-take, instead of leaving him to his fate uncared for, the Guru has to take extra efforts to make him understand. That is ‘Aachaarya Dharmam आचार्य धर्मम्’!
23. The way a mother uses all the tricks to fill the stomach of the baby, even when the baby is playful and not eating properly, so also the Guru redoubles his efforts with a student whose grasp is poor or below par. This shows the level of kindness and compassion of the Guru. The food given by the mother is satisfying for a temporary period. Then after a few hours there is hunger and weakness again. Guru’s Upadesam on the other hand is permanent and like the divine nectar of Amrutam gives the eternal nourishment of Aatma Gnaana. More than the mother’s feeding and the father’s material wealth, the Guru’s Upadesam is of eternal values.
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 26 (Vol # 6) Dated 20 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 26 (Vol # 6) Dated 20 July 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 page No 177 of Volume 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)

DIRECTOR CUM ADVISOR
(The Desika who is Also Upadesika – Path & Direction in Life)
Executive Counselor
1. The path is related to cardinal directions. If there is a path, it will proceed in some direction and reach or fetch us to some place. The moment there is space or place at once there is also direction. Without being related to north or south, east or west, there can be no space. The very word path is always from place A to place B. Even if it were to go right or left, up or down, eventually between places A and B, there has to be some direction, as related to the Earth in which we all live!
2. In conducting one’s life also we talk about the path that, we should adopt the right way and not go astray. When there are many problems faced in life we think of a way out. There is a proverb ‘தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும்’, (‘thai pirandaal vazhi pirakkum’), meaning that ‘by the time the month ‘Thai’ comes, the way will also be clear’! Thus life in conducting or running our life, there is a connection to a walkway or runway. Similarly in other languages too the movement in time (that is, life time) is invariably equated to movement in space, by some way or path.
3. As we move in time from one point to another, so also we move from one point to another in thoughts and space. Thus, what was, instead of remaining static, keeps moving and changing. This movement of change is seen in all things of life, weather living or non-living that the whole life is thought of as a journey and a way of life! For any journey we should know the route, isn’t it? If you do not have route plan or road map, we are likely to go around in circles or end up in the wrong place. So, there has to be the right direction in life too. Those who are seemingly without any aim in their life are thought of as being directionless. In Tamil such people are said to be, ‘திக்கற்றவர்’ (‘dikkartravar’). This word ‘திக்கு’ (‘dikku’) is from the Sanskrit root word ‘दिच् (‘dich’), from which the words ‘disaa’ and ‘disai’ in Indian languages and the word ‘direction’ in English, seems to have evolved.
4. Poorvottaram: கிழக்கு/வடக்கு (Kizhakku/East – Vadakku/North). In Tamil we ask as to what is somebody’s Poorvottaram, to mean as to what are that person’s past and future. The word ‘Poorva’ means East or prior/previous origins and the word ‘Uttaram’ means North or later day details about him. In books also the earlier part is called ‘Poorvam’ and the later part is called ‘Uttaram’ of the book. Thus, the order of events in time as they occur, are referred by terms of space, isn’t it? In Sanskrit, those words are rather closely related to directions. OK, we use East to indicate prior or poorvam. The opposite word for east or poorvam should be west. How can it be north or uttaram? So, how did this word Poorvottaram come into being? I mulled over it.
5. Life is often likened to a wheel and is said to be a ‘life cycle’. So, it runs in a circle from east to south, west and north, instead of going haphazardly like the acronym NEWS indicates. That is why the news of the world is also going in any which way, I suppose. We have this word ‘pradakshina’ for clockwise circular movement, of moving from east to south, west, north and again to east, thus completing the cycle; instead of the other way around, known as, ‘apradakshina’! So, if the start of life is east, you go to south, then west and finally north. Thus, start is poorvam and later at the end is north. Then the cycle goes on to east for the life cycle to keep rolling forward! Hence, the word Poorvottaram has come into being, with east in the beginning and north towards the end!
6. The words like opposition and oppose came into being because of their location on the opposite side. So, East – West and North – South would have meant opposition. Instead Poorvottaram indicates the circular movement in a progressive manner. In this, east is indicative of front and west, the rear while north is indicative of the top and south the bottom. Thus East – North as indicated by the word Poorvottaram is in the correct order. That is why, while doing Japa that is, chanting the mantras to the accompaniment of moving the beads, sitting facing east and north are preferred. So we say and move also.
7. Upper – Lower / West – East. While talking on the above logic, another matter occurs to me, that is not related to the way of life but the way in space. Let me tell you that also. When there is a crowd of listeners, I have to show off all my tricks, isn’t it? (PeriyavaaL says this with his tongue in cheek and a smile on his face!) In Tamil there are two words மேல் pronounced as ‘mel or male’ & கீழ் pronounced as ‘keezh’; which could mean upper or lower as well as west or east, respectively! But, only north and south are in fact upper and lower, whereas west and east are at the same level on the earth. Then why is that the east is thought to be lower and west has the connotation of being higher? The clue lies in the geographical location of the Tamil Land. In Tamil Nadu, towards east is lower, as clearly indicated by the flow of rivers from west to east, ending in the ocean. In the west are the mountains of the Western Ghats. If you look at the map of Tamil Nadu, you will observe that towards east, it is blue of the sea, then the deltaic regions of Chengalpet, South Arcot, Tanjore, Trichy and Madurai are green, which becomes successively light green, light brown and dark brown as you go towards west in areas of Salem and Coimbatore. So, towards east are the plains which are கீழ் and towards west are the மேல், thus giving this interpretation of lower and upper respectively I suppose.
8. The Word ‘दिच or திச்’ as a Noun and Verb. There are ways and directions in human life as also in space. I had been telling you as to how the words such as ‘Disha’ and ‘Dik’ or ‘Dikku’ have evolved out of this ‘Dich’. In Sanskrit this word ‘Dich’ could be a noun as well as a verb. Similarly the word ‘direction’ in English too could be a noun and or a verb isn’t it? So, whether we give directions as to how to do something or as to how to go somewhere, are both ‘showing the way’ only. Thus, we have again come back on the right path! When the doctor writes the prescriptions containing the list of medicines, he writes the sign ‘R’ with the right stroke slightly extended and crossed, which also has the meaning of ‘direction, as to how much of the medicine is to be taken and when. All this shows that these words such as ‘the way, path and directions have similar meanings’ with the underlying concept that life is a voyage, everywhere in the world whatever be the language.
9. Desam and Upadesam. The word ‘Desam’ is also a derivative of the root word ‘Dich’ only. Many of the States in India have the name ‘Pradesh’ or ‘Pradesam’ as a suffix. From the word ‘dich’ (which teaches what is to be done to do something or go somewhere), are the words such as ‘Upadesam’, ‘Aadesh’ and ‘Sandesh’ have all evolved. Generally though the cardinal directions are universal, the word ‘Desam’ derived from that sense has come to mean only a portion that limits and delineates the geographical area of a particular country or nation. Then you have to add a prefix of ‘aa / sam / ud or upa’ to mean directions or instructions! Aadesh means official instructions or inner promptings. Sandesh means information, news, message and or order.
10. The word ‘Uddesh’ could mean ideation or intention and or guess work or approximation. In ‘Vibhuti Yoga’, Bhagawan Sri Krishna himself while having listed as to how he is something special in every walk of life says in Bhagawat Gita, Chapter X-40, “Though I have listed all these things, my unlimitedly abundant greatness are not fully covered, but only a limited approximation, using the words ‘उद्देशतः प्रोक्तः’ (uddeshataha proktaha). Here this word ‘uddeshataha’ means approximation. As against this, ‘एकदेश’ (ekadesha) means particularly and individually. When someone has done something all by himself, we use this word एकदेश. All said and done, all these words Aadesh, Uddesh and or Ekadesh; are not about the subject that we have been talking about, about the way or path. That leaves the word ‘Upadesh’, ‘उपदेश’ / ‘உபதேசம்’ as yet unexplained; in preparation for which, I have given all these things as a preamble, in these 10 paragraphs!
11. The moment I say ‘Upadesam’, we will immediately think of Guru and disciple. There can be no ‘Upadesam’ without either of them. Anybody telling anything to anybody is ‘Sandesh’. Whether good or bad for the listener, from someone like a king or higher ranking person to a lower ranking person like a servant or citizen is ‘Aadesh’. What the Guru says for the betterment of the disciple is ‘Upadesam’. In status and position, more than the difference between the king and the subject, the difference between the Guru and Sishya is more, much more. Guru is to be kept at the same supreme position as God Himself. So a Sishya has to be even more obedient and subservient to a Guru. Still, without the rigidness of a royal command, the Guru’s advice and instructions are sweeter and pleasanter. More than honey and sugar, love is sweeter that is, मदुरं in Sanskrit and மதுரம் in Tamil.
12. The Inner Meaning of ‘Upa’. I told you that ‘upa + desam = upadesam’. I had also told you that if this word ‘desam’ is derived from ‘dich’, it could mean a direction telling someone to do something or follow an order. But, I also told you that ‘desam’ has no such meaning except that it defines a geographical area and that only when a prefix such as ‘aa’, ‘san’ or ‘upa’ is added, then only the meanings such as, order, message and advice come into being. Now let us clearly learn about this prefix ‘upa’. Normally words such as ‘angam’ (part), ‘katha’ (story) and ‘janaadipathy’ (president) have all got ‘upangam, upkatha and upajanaadipathy’ to mean a sub-part or side-story or vice-president. Thus we have come to understand the prefix ‘upa’ to mean an assistant or vice or the second. But, this prefix has one more connotation to mean ‘in addition to or more than’! For example there is a word ‘paraardham’ which means 1 followed by 17 ciphers. While describing the countless (अनन्त कल्याण) qualities of God, they are said to be उपपरार्ध, pronounced as ‘upaparaardh’, to mean ‘much more than a hundred quadrillion’!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 25 (Vol # 6) Dated 18 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 25 (Vol # 6) Dated 18 July 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 last para on page No 166 of Volume 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)
Murugan Who Got All the Benefits Listed in Phala Sruti
214. In our system of conduct of religious festivals, functions and narration of PuraNas or major devotional procedures; there is an important part known as ‘Phala Sruti’ (‘फल श्रुति’) in which the advantages and gain that are likely to accrue are listed for all to hear as a motivational fillip, I suppose. In this case, the persons chanting these 16 names of Shodasa Naamaas will benefit immensely during activities such as, ‘विद्यारम्भे’ (‘vidyaarambe’ – when we start learning); ‘विवाहे’ (‘vivaahe’ – during marriage), ‘प्रवेशे’ (‘praveshe’ – while entering any place or venture); ‘निर्गमे’ (‘nirgame’ – while venturing out anywhere); ‘संग्रामे’ (‘sangraame’ – during battles and confrontations) and ‘सर्व कार्येषु’ (‘sarva kaaryeshu’ – in all sorts of activities); will have no difficulties but be successful; as the Phala Sruti says. These benefits are amply borne out to be true, in the case of his own younger brother Skanda’s life!
215. ‘Vidyaarambe’. For SubrahmaNya who was born of the sparks of intelligence from Siva’s third eye known as ‘Gnaana Netra’, there was no need for separate educational classes to be conducted! Being himself the meaning of PraNavam, he has given that as Upadesa to his own father. So, there could have been no separate conduct of primary and secondary educational classes for him. May be his instant adoption of Sannyasa on not getting the fruit, which was snatched away by the elder brother, could be construed as adoption of Brhma Vidya in practice!
216. (In page 167 of Deivathin Kural Volume 6, there is a post script, in which the following incident has been described. Somebody pointed out to PeriyavaaL that one of the names for PiLLaiyar is ‘Kumara Guru’. PeriyavaaL confirmed that it was part of the ‘Doorvaa Yugma Archana’ in which the grass known as ‘doorvaa yugmam’ is taken in pairs and offered to PiLLaiyar 21 times with different Naamaas. One of those Naamaas is ‘Kumara Guru’! Consequently, PeriyavaaL said, “Do you think that Parama Siva was unaware of the meaning of PraNava Mantra? But he must have intended to demonstrate to the whole world, the importance of humility and being obedient to one’s own Guru! Whatever he may be, he has to learn through ‘Guru Muka Upadesa’; was the message in his learning the PraNava Mantra from his son! Having become famous as, ‘தகப்பன் சாமி’ (‘thagappan saami’ – ‘the teacher of the Father’), he must have wished to receive Upadesa from a suitable Guru. Father was already his disciple and so cannot become the Guru for him! As the equal half of the father his mother AmbaaL was also out of question! That leaves the elder brother ‘அண்ணா’ (‘ANNa’), for PiLLaiyar to become his Guru as the Naamaa – ‘Kumaara Guru’ indicates. PeriyavaaL felt happy that this explanation was better than the roundabout logic of PiLLaiyar being the Guru for Kumara Swami for having caused his adoption of Sannyaasa, for having lost the race for the fruit!)
217. ‘Vivaahe’. This is the story of Kumara Swami’s marriage to VaLLi, which we have seen in detail already, as to how the elder played a major part in that event. He has taken care of both ‘இல்லறம் & துறவறம்’, that is, Gruhastam and Sannyaasa of the younger brother, by causing him to renounce all worldly involvement in his childhood and made him a householder in his youth! Then he has caused his young devotee Avvaiyaar at a nubile young age to become, eternally old not only in looks but also in maturity and wisdom, though of her own volition! Mostly the God whom we adore as the bachelor boy has done many such funny and typically unique acts.
218. ‘Praveshe’. The very reason for the coming into being of Kumara Swami is Vigneshwara’s disqualification to sort out Soorapadma that we have seen in detail before. So the very advent of Murugan into the world is due to PiLLaiyar being the negative cause!
219. ‘Nirgame’. If ‘Praveshe’ is entry, ‘Nirgame’ is exit. Immediately after PiLLaiyar had arranged for his marriage to VaLLi, SubrahmaNya Swami went away to his permanent abode known as Skanda Loka, with VaLLi and Devasena. His marriage to Devasena had happened earlier. There are two reasons for his coming into being in this world. One is Samhara of Soorapadma and the other was to wed his uncle Maha Vishnu’s two daughters, Devasena and VaLLi who were being brought up as the daughters of Devaraja (that is, the King of Devas) and Vedaraja (that is, the King of Hunters)!
220. First he destroyed the Asura in the ocean beyond Thiruchendur. Then came to Thirupparankunram where he got married to Devasena. While living with her, he heard from Narada that VaLLi is melting her hearts out in constant thoughts about him only. So in the temple at Thirupparankunram, he is not to be seen with both VaLLi and Devasena. On the one side is Devasena and on the other side there is Narada who has come as a messenger from VaLLi. Here Narada’s role is as a Guru for VaLLi. Satguru acting on behalf of his disciple draws the attention of Paramaatma and diverts it towards the individual soul of the Jeevaatma. So, the Guru of the Father, Swaminathan aka Murugan, has Narada as the Guru of VaLLi, accommodated in his own Sannidy in Thirupparankunram!
221. On Narada’s advice, he ventures forth to meet VaLLi as a hunter, poet and as tree known as ‘வேங்கை மரம்’ (‘Vengai Maram’), a type of a tree known for its hardness and solidity! Finally of course, he could win over her heart and acceptance only after his elder brother PiLLaiyar had chased her as an elephant in musth and then could marry her. Then for some time he spent a sort of a honey-moon at ThiruttaNi with both Devasena and VaLLi representing the Bukti and Mukti principles of this worldly and the other worldly achievements! With that the purpose of his Avatara was completed. Thus the elder brother ably assisted the younger brother in ‘Nirgame’ too.
222. ‘Sangrame’. This word means ‘battle as mentioned in ‘Kandar Anubhuti’ as ‘sangrama sikavala’. Subrahmanya is a leader of soldiers, who displayed great courage and fighting abilities in the battle with Soorapadma. We can be certain that before launching himself in to battle, he must have correctly remembered to pray to Vigneshwara, without fail. He had known as to how both his parents had suffered with insurmountable problems when Siva went for ‘Tripura Samhara’ and AmbaaL had gone for Bandasura Samhara, respectively! Not only that, just before venturing against Soorapadma, he had also lost in the race for the fruit to his ‘அண்ணா’ the elder brother! Then, was he very successful in his life as a renunciate Saadhu? No. That was also very short lived and a no-win situation only! When his parents reminded him of the purpose of his Avatara, he must have given up Sannyaasa and Started out against Soorapadma. By now he would have clearly known that it was imperative to keep his elder brother in good humor!
223. ‘Sarva Kaaryeshu’. Competing with his elder brother for that ‘Pazham’ the fruit was unfruitful literally! Then his effort to become a renunciate Saadhu was also not even a pyrrhic victory! Though before venturing forth in battle he must have remembered the need to do Pooja to his elder brother, he again forgot when he went for winning over VaLLi’s hand. This time, I wonder if it was only to prove to the world as to how cruel the urgings of desire could be causing you to forget the priorities! So, there were a number of problems coming up. Then he had to pray to PiLLaiyar once again that, he came in the form of an elephant to help out his younger brother! Then after this I am sure the clause ‘Sarva Kaaryeshu’, would have been clearly understood that it is necessary to pray to PiLLaiyar first and foremost, without any doubt for all sorts of activities! So, at the end of the Shodasa Naamaas, the list has been completed by mentioning that Vigneshwara is the elder brother of Kumara Swami who had received all those Anugraha that is listed in the Phala Sruti.
224. The Special Value of the Name ‘स्कन्दः’ Skanda! This word Skanda has the meaning to come forth leaping / jumping / springing. That is how the sparks flew off the third eye of Siva with urgency of intension to be of benefit for all the worlds. That is how Skanda Murthy came in to being. Though he has many names as Kumara Swami, Kartikeya, Muruga, SubrahmaNya, SaravaNabhava and so on; the PuraaNa of his life is known as Skanda PuraaNam or Skaandam. His abode is known as Skaanda Lokam. The fast or Vrata we undertake on the Shashti is known as Skanda Shahti and his being with his parents AmbaaL and Siva is known as ‘Somaskanda Murthy’. Though he has a special name in Tamil as Murugan (முருகன்), in Tamil we still have so many devotional poems namely, ‘Kandar Anubhuthy’, ‘Kandar Alankaaram’ and ‘Kandar KaliveNbaa’. Then in the city of Madras, we have an important pantheon of his namely, Kanda Kottam.
225. If something happens to be mentioned in Sruti aka Vedas, there is a special significance and value, isn’t it? Such value is there for this ‘Skanda’ name also. If in Skanda PuraaNam aka Skaandam, Narada has a role as the Guru for VaLLi, Narada himself was given Gnaana Upadesa by his Guru Sanat Kumara. This Sanat Kumara is the ‘maanasika putra’ or the ‘mind born son’ of Brhma in one of the earliest acts of creation. There were four such brothers, all of them being the mind born sons of Brhma. From the very birth, they were Brhma Gnaanis, unconcerned with worldly involvement, considered to be ideal for all later travelers of Nivrutti Marga aka Sanyaasis! They are forever children who do not know the pangs of Kaamam or desire. It is that child of Brhma who was later born as son of Siva as SubrahmaNya, as given in Saantokya or Chandokya Upanishad. Though as the Son of Siva, Kumara Swami, he was the brave commander of divine forces, and had two wives it was the smell of the past Sanat Kumara that for a period he was the wearer of loin cloth in Pazhani. As Sanat Kumara he was not wearing even that piece of cloth as ever the baby child. Anyhow, let that be aside. I came to say that in Chandokya Upanishad (7.26.2), where it says that SubrahmaNya is the same Sanat Kumara, it finishes with repeating this name of Skanda twice!
226. This Skanda is a name famous all over the world. Like the word ‘School’ becomes ‘Ischool’ in the colloquial, in the lingo of many countries ‘Iskandar’ is quite popular. In the Semitic languages ‘Al’ is a definite article like word ‘the’ in English. To show respect also, they would add ‘Al’. So, this ‘Al iskandar’ is what became famous as ‘Alexander’ in Greece. ‘Sikandar’ is also a variation of this word only. So, in what it is today known as Secanderabad which is ‘Sikanderabad’, it is very appropriate that we have ‘Skanda Giri’ a temple for Murugan! Combining Sweden, Norway and Denmark, we have Scandinavian countries, isn’t it? Like Hindu India, it is ‘Skandia or Skanda India’ that came to be known as Scandinavian countries!
Let Us Start Everyday by Taking the Name of ‘அண்ணா’, the PiLLaiyar.
227. The moment we take the name of PiLLaiyar, we will also be reminded of his parents Siva and Sakti. Then when we say the sixteen names of Shodasa Naamaas and end in ‘Skanda Poorvajaaya Namaha’, we will think of the other son also and the divine family would be complete. That is why, that name is in the end successfully completing the list appropriately. We are all God’s children only, as children of Parvati – Parameshwaras. The eldest is the ‘அண்ணா’, PiLLaiyar for all of us. By taking the name of the younger brother ‘अनुज’ स्कन्द, all of us are included in between. Immediately on getting up in the morning, let us take his name with the intimate feeling of remembering the eldest of our family. Let us hope and pray that all our jobs in the day may be completed without any hindrance. By saying the sixteen names of Shodasa Naamaas, let us be entitled to all the sixteen benefits that accrue automatically!
Sumukascha ekadantascha kapilo gajakarNaka: |
सुमुकस्च एकदन्तस्च कपिलो गजकर्णक: |
Lambodarascha vikato vignarajo vinaayaka: ||
लम्बोदरश्च विकटो विग्नराजो विनायक: ||
Doomaketur gaNaadyakcha: phaalachandro gajaanana: |
दूमकेतुर गणाद्यक्षो फाल्चन्द्रो गजानन: |
VakratuNda: soorpakarNo heramba: skanda poorvaja: ||
ववक्र्तुण्ड: सूर्पकर्णो हेरंब: स्कन्द पूर्वज: ||
Shodasaitaani naamaani ya: pates-sruNuyaadapi |
षोडसैतानि नामानि पटे: श्रुणुयादपि |
Vidyaarambe vivaahe cha pravese nirgame tataa ||
विद्यारंबे विवाहे च प्रवेशे निर्गमे तता ||
Sangraame sarva kaaryeshu vignas-tasya na jaayate ||
संग्रामे सर्वकार्येषु विग्नस्तस्य न जायते ||
|| हरि ओम तत् सत् ||
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 24 (Vol # 6) Dated 16 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 24 (Vol # 6) Dated 16 July 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 last para on page No 160 of Volume 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)
204. PiLLaiyar has come into being (आविर्भाव) in many ways. In one of them, as I had told you earlier without any male contact, AmbaaL wiped her own body of all turmeric powder and other fragrant unguents and formed PiLLaiyar. In PuraNas, there are accounts of his coming into being in various other ways too. Swami and AmbaaL were together in the चित्रशाला (room where painting is done or where art works are displayed) in Kailasa and happened to view a decoratively and colorfully written प्रणवाक्षर (PraNava Aktchar Ohm) simultaneously. Then their vision coalesced from which the Vigneshwara रूप Roopa or form emerged. This is one version. In another version, AmbaaL had taken the form of a female elephant when Siva also was in the form of a male elephant! The baby elephant so born is GaNapathy. This has been referred by Thiru Gnaana Sambandar, in a Tevaram sung at Valivalam near Thiruvaroor. I quote the Tevaram song as follows, “பிடியதன் உரு உமை கொளமிகு கரியது | வடிகொடு தனதடி வழிபடும் அவரிடர் | கடிகண பதிவர அருளினன்.”
205. The word ‘பிடி’ (Pidi) means female elephant, while ‘களிறு’ (KaLiru) means the male elephant. When the couple of Siva and Sakti were in the form of a male and female elephants, Appar SwamigaL had practically seen them as the divine couple and sung this other Tevaram song, “காதல் மடப்பிடியோடும் களிறு வருவன கண்டேன் | கண்டேன் அவர் திருப்பாதம், கண்டறியாதன கண்டேன்”. When AmbaaL went to war against Bandasura, he had launched a ‘Vigna Yantra’ (विग्न यन्त्र) as an obstacle in her progress. Then she looked at Siva in the form of Kameshwara similarly dressed like her with ‘Dhanur – BaaNa – Paasa and Ankusa’ (Bow, arrows, lasso and the goad) at askance! At once GaNapathy came into being. That is another version. Thus, in all these stories/versions we note that, Vigneshwara had come in to being by male – female relationship. So, as per the precondition by Soorapadma, he could not have been killed by GaNapathy.
206. Vigneshwara was not in any way less powerful to Siva and not incapable of sorting out Soorapadma. But his Avatara as the son of AmbaaL meant that he could not have been the nemesis for that particular Asura Soorapadma because of the boon given by Siva earlier. So, the Devas had to pray for another son of Siva without getting any female contact! Hence, Kumara Swami was created from the six sparks from his third eye. To say the same thing in other words, Vigneshwara had to stand by for Kumara Swami to come into being. So as to save his father’s promise to the Asuras, PiLLaiyar had to stand aside without venturing to sort out the Asuras. That is the main reason for the younger one to become the commander of the divine forces. Despite being omnipotent, he let such a proverb to come into being as ‘மூத்தது மோழை இளையது காளை’, meaning that, ‘elder is inept while the younger is like a bull’! Only thus, the younger lad could have the opportunity to successfully defeat the demoniacal forces of the Asuras getting much name and fame. The followers and devotees of Kumara Swami shout hail for him saying, “வெற்றி வேல், வீர வேல்”, meaning ‘Victorious Spear, Courageous Spear’! The ‘வேல்’ pronounced as ‘Vale’, is the Spear famous as the weapon of Kumara Swami.
207. PiLLaiyar had the power to assume many forms by his own ability. If he wished he could have recreated himself into another Avatara without any connection or reference to AmbaaL, taken over command of the divine forces of Devas and literally vanquished the forces of the Asuras. Since he refrained from doing so, we could have God in another form as SubrahmaNya, the Kumara Swami! Thus, though he had no direct role to play in ‘Kumara Sambhavam’, he had a strong negative role of contribution!
PiLLaiyar’s Role in Younger Brother’s Marriage
208. Next important event is the younger brother’s marriage. As ‘VaLLi KalyaNam’, it is much talked about and celebrated in marriages, in ‘उपन्यासं’ that is, in narration of religious stories in temples; in cinemas, and in dramas on stages etc. This story is normally known to all and sundry as to how PiLLaiyar came in the form of an elephant in musth, chasing VaLLi who was a nubile belle from the tribe of hunters in forests towards SubrahmaNya standing there ready to save this damsel in distress. Here PiLLaiyar demonstrated that he as the elder brother is not good for nothing ‘மோழை’ (pronounced as ‘mozhai’), but as the elephant in musth was even far superior to the younger brother ‘காளை’ (pronounced as ‘kaaLai’), the young bull! Prior to this, the younger brother was in a quandary as to, how to win the heart of the girl. It is then, that he prayed to his elder brother to help, who promptly responded in the form of an elephant in musth, threatening the girl.
209. The Tamil poet devotee of Kumara Swami, AruNagirinaathar in his collection of poems known as Thiruppugazh (all addressed to Kumara Swami aka Murugan), in the very first poem of prayer addressed to PiLLaiyar, starting with the words ‘கைத்தலம் நிறைகனி’; completes the song with the narration of the above mentioned incident thus.
அத்துயரதுகொடு சுப்பிர மணிபடும்
அப்புன மதனிடை இபமாகி
அக்குற மகளுடன் அச்சிறு முருகனை
அக்கண மணமருள் பெருமாளே! While saying this, the poet is calling Kumara Swami as ‘சிறு முருகன்’, meaning ‘that small boy!’ In fact that Murugan when he was even smaller, it was that he fought and destroyed the Soorapadma Asura, to deserve all the accolades of praise. Sri Krishna in Bhagawat Gita, while describing his own divine glories in the tenth chapter of the Gita, such as that he is Saama Veda amongst Vedas; Jasmine amongst flowers; the letter alpha amongst alphabets; Sankara amongst Rudras and so on; he also mentions that amongst the soldiers he is Skanda! To quote his own words, सेनानीनां अहं स्कन्द: ! It is such a person, who later when he was a strapping youth, was not able to win over a simple lass of the hunters that he is referred by AruNagiri as ‘that small boy’ ‘சிறு முருகன்’ while, PiLLaiyar is being referred to as ‘பெருமாளே’, to mean ‘that big man’! Otherwise, we note that throughout Thiruppugazh this word ‘பெருமாளே’ is meant for Murugan only, though in the first poem, he is ‘that small boy’ and PiLLaiyar is ‘that big man’! So, we observe that in SubrahmaNya Swami’s marriage, Vigneshwara had a direct and active key role to play.
210. There may not be many, not knowing the story of ‘பழம் + நீ = பழனி’, the place ‘Pazhani’ where Murugan went and stood on a hillock, having thrown away all his ornaments and accoutrements, more out of disgust from a sense of being outwitted by his elder brother! In the story of Skanda, we saw that scene of marriage. There is Sannyaasa also in the life of Skanda, but that was before marriage, unlike the way it happens normally. First there is renunciation; then as a mighty powerful soldier, defeat of the enemies; then making use of the elder’s blessings, there is marriage; a unique and novel order in the life of Murugan! He was holding a ‘dandam’, that is a pole or stick to be known as ‘DandayudhapaaNi’. In fact that was not a weapon or ‘aayudham’, only a ‘dandam’ like in the hands of the shepherd, more like a twig that we renunciates are holding! Dandayudham is a weapon in the hands of a soldier for bashing up the enemies. In fact one of the commanders of Lalithamba’s army was known as ‘Dandini’. Before fighting with weapons like that, DandapaaNi’ stood on top of Pazhani with ‘dandam’, the twig in his hands, to indicate the need to control one’s own mind, in the war with oneself. So, the ‘Dandam’ is a symbolic reminder only.
211. Unlike anybody else in the array of Gods in the Hindu pantheon, DandapaaNi Swami is standing there as a young lad, little bigger than a baby, with his head shaved off, shorn of all hair, wearing only a small piece of cloth as ‘kovaNam’ (கோவணம்), holding a small stick! Is there any parallel anywhere else, in any other religion? If such a person of unmatched beauty and power, with incomparable status of eminence in all respects, is made to stand like that as a penurious destitute in silent supplication, melting our hearts and minds, within six days after his birth; who is the cause of it all? That is also our PiLLaiyar only, the elder brother! As he had walked around his parents in his slow gait three times and snatched away the fruit ‘pazham’, defeating the younger brother who was travelling at tremendous speed on his ‘Mayura Vaahana’ of peacock around the world and was thoroughly disappointed on return to note that the elder brother had beaten him hands down!
212. Then the parents went to Pazhani to console and cajole the youngster. After all these are only part of the show and another scene in the ongoing drama of life, isn’t it? The credit goes to PiLLaiyar for having taught a lesson for all people of the world forever that, every child has to look at the parents as the ‘be all and end all’, and as God in human form! So, with the arrival of his parents to assuage his hurt feelings, this Kumara Swami in a loincloth, got ready with all his embellishments and weapons as the commander of all the divine forces. Still, so that his short duration stay at ‘Pazhani’ as a renunciate beggar form may continue to spread the vibrations of control of the wandering mind and sensual tendencies, by being focused on spiritual awareness and peacefulness; he charged the idol at that temple, in all kindness for the future generations!
213. In Subrahmanya’s birth to be commander of the divine forces of Devas; in his betrothal to VaLLi, thereby becoming a husband – wife couple as another set of divine parents for us all; and then in his eternal presence as the very symbol of ज्ञान वैराग्यं, that is, spiritual awareness and dispassion at Pazhani; there is close and active contributions from Vigneshwara. So, to publicize this fact of closeness between the brothers, there is this special name as part of the Shodasa Naamaas as ‘Skanda Poorvaja / स्कन्द पूर्वज’, to mean ‘The Elder Brother of Skanda’. Poorvaja means born earlier, but this name comes at the end of these sixteen names! Thus the start and end are connected in an everlasting circle of continuity and completeness!
(To be completed.)
Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 23 (Vol # 6) Dated 14 July 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 23 (Vol # 6) Dated 14 July 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 last para on page No 154 of Volume 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)
193. GaNesha is not only adored and revered by the five faced Siva, but he is also having five elephant faces/heads with trunks; ten hands with the lion as the vahanam instead of the normal puny little rat to carry. Not only that the elephant is not afraid of the lion, but is commanding and controlling it, sitting on its shoulder /back! By his five faces if PiLLaiyar is reminding us of his father Parameswara, by riding on the lion he is also reminding us of his mother AmbaaL too, as she is the one normally famous as Simha Vaahini (the rider on the Lion), isn’t it? Heramba GaNapathy is like that. PiLLaiyar as Maha GaNapathy also has ten arms, but has neither five faces nor the lion as the Vaahana. Only Heramba as the one of the sixteen forms has these features. In Nagappattinam Neelaayadaakshi temple, there is Heramba GaNapathy made of copper, with the four faces towards North, East, West and South with the fifth one mounted on top of them like a crown. Just a glimpse of those five heads of elephants will give us happiness.
“Om Skanda Poorvajaya Namaha”
194. We have arrived at the last of the sixteen Naamaas. The name ‘Skanda Poorvaja’ is the sixteenth amongst the Shodasa Namaas, meaning the elder brother of SubrahmaNya, elder to Muruga. The word ‘poorvaja’ means ‘earlier born’ or previous. As we say ‘udan pirappu’ in Tamil, it is sibling in English and ‘Sahodara’ in Sanskrit. Sahodara = saha + udara; meaning, born of the same womb or stomach. But by this word we cannot make out as to who was earlier born and who is later. The word ‘poorvaja’ clearly means ‘previously born’, that is ‘ANNa’ (அண்ணா) or elder brother. Similar is the word ‘Thambi’ in Tamil or ‘Anuja’ in Sanskrit, synonyms for younger brother, like ‘Ramanuja’ means the younger brother of Rama, Laxmana. In the Amara Kosa, in the word meanings of SubrahmaNya, one of the names listed is ‘Gajamukanuja’ meaning the younger brother of Gajamukha. Similarly here, the elder brother is getting a name from the name of the younger brother! Such is the close rapport and affinity between the elder and younger brothers, that they derive each other’s names mutually from the other.
195. The Speciality of Being the Elder Brother of Muruga. In the sixteen names that we are discussing, there is no indication that he is the son of Siva or AmbaaL. That is, there is no mention whatsoever of the parent’s names, in these Shodasa Naamaas. There is also no mention of being the husband of so and so either! As there are many varieties of names as a single bachelor, there are also names of his, as the husband of so and so. With Vallabha as the wife, he is known as Vallabha GaNapathy. You also must have heard of him as the husband of Siddhi and Buddhi. There are supposed to be his children born of Siddhi and Buddhi also. But as part of the Shodasa Naamaas, there is no indication of any other relatives such as father, mother, wife and or children; while as the last of the sixteen names, one as the elder brother of Skanda, just one name indicating relationship has come in. How is that?
196. Normally the younger is introduced by mentioning an elder, famously known person’s name and then telling us the relationship between the two. Here for a change, a younger brother’s name has been given from which the elder is sought to be introduced! Why so? The reason lies in the fact that the elder brother has such an important role to play in the younger brother’s life history! The elder has a critical role in the younger brother’s Birth, Marriage and Sannyaasa. Hence the naming of the elder brother, by mentioning the younger brother’s name!
197. The Part Played by the Elder Brother in Junior’s Birth! If we take the birth of SubrahmaNya, his birth is specially known as ‘Kumara Sambhavam’. In Vaalmeeki Ramayana, Sage Viswamitra tells Rama and Laxmana the story of the birth of SubrahmaNya and at the end calls it ‘Kumara Sambhavam’. Taking a clue from Aadi Kavi’s words, Maha Kavi Kali Daasa also gave it the same title of ‘Kumara Sambhavam’ to his magnum opus too! What is so special about that occasion of ‘Sambhavam’, in Kumara’s birth? Others take birth, grow, learn the various avenues of knowledge, attain to certain minimum standards, get employed and then become entitled to name, fame and position. But in this case, the position of leadership of the Devas was waiting to be filled up by his birth. That is, he was detailed as the Army Commander of all the divine forces of Devas, even before he was born as Kumara or Kumara Swami! Having been badly beaten to pulp, trounced by the Asuras and confined to ignominy; the Devas were waiting for his origin, the ‘Sambhavam’ or the advent!
198. That, ‘Somebody equal to Siva only should be able to beat them’, was the boon that Surapadmasura, Tarakasura and others had obtained from Siva Himself! Who could be equal to Siva except himself? Having given the boon, he himself could neither cancel the boon nor could he go and kill them! This was the quandary they had placed the giver of the boon! Then without a fear in the world they were tyrannizing the Devas! After due deliberation, the Devas found the way out. Then as per the statement in the Sruti of the Vedas, “आत्मा वै पुत्र नामासि”, (that is, the ‘Son is the Father of the Man’), it was clear that as born of a man’s power, only the son is the equivalent of the Father. The two are one as per the Saastraas. So, the one who could save them all as the Saviour, ‘was the yet to be son only’, it was clear. The father Siva had to create a son accordingly, for which the Devas were aspiring for, through prayers and Tapas! The father as DakshiNamurthy was also in Tapas. To serve him AmbaaL was also in Tapas. So, all concerned were in an atmosphere of total abnegation, sacrifice, forbearance and abstinence; for the birth or coming into being of the answer to the problem!
199. Having been born as a child, for six days, (and only for six days,) Kumara Swami did play his ‘Baala Leelaas’ of so called childish pranks. In his case everything is six, born with six faces, on the sixth titi of Shashti, while His Mantra has six Aksharaas of ‘ச ர வ ண ப வ’ (saravana bhava of six Tamil letters)! When it came to feeding the baby, there were six ‘கிருத்திகா தேவிகள்’ (Krittikaa Devies) as foster mothers. Then he was born in SaravaNa Poigai, a pond off the Ganges River. Any river in Tamil is also called as ஆறு a synonym for number six! Though he had the child’s name as Kumara, he had only six days in which to play all his childish games and grow up fast! He played countless number of those games to make up for the short duration! Then having taken over the commandership of all the divine forces, he literally sorted out all the Asuras and ensured the security and protection of all the worlds! Instead of waiting to be instructed about his duties or receiving any applications or petitions, to be born with the appointment letter in his pocket (instead of unemployed graduates of these days), to become the Commander in Chief of the Divine Forces is the most special aspect of Kumara Sambhavam! “OK, Sir! All that you have said so far is granted and accepted. But, in all this, what is the ‘part’ played by our PiLLaiyar?” If that is your doubt, my answer follows!
200. If Siva’s son is equal to his father, Vigneshwara was the son of Siva, isn’t it? He was already there when everybody was in Tapas waiting for a son to be born to Siva, isn’t it? After all one of PiLLaiyar’s name is ‘Skanda Poorvaja’, that we are discussing now, isn’t it? Then what is the need for yet another son of Siva? The answer is that PiLLaiyar was very much as good as his father. At the time of Tripura Samhaara, did he not demonstrate that even Siva had to pay him his due regards and then only hope to achieve his mission isn’t it? Then what is the need for yet another child to be born to Siva?
201. (Note: The following matter in this and the next paragraph is given as a post script in page 159 of Deivathin Kural Volume 6.) To reinforce the above argument there is another story that clearly brings out the unquestionable might of PiLLaiyar, in Paranjyoti Muni’s ‘Thiru ViLaiyaadal PuraaNam’, ‘Valai Veesina Padalam’. Once upon a time, Siva was explaining the intricacies of esoteric principles to AmbaaL and she was slightly absent minded! Siva got annoyed and cursed her to be born in the ‘Karaiar’ caste. Both PiLLaiyar and Murugan were angry with their father at his annoyance and so they snatched the books of scriptures in his hands and threw them away! This caused further annoyance to Siva who cursed the Nandi who had permitted the children to come inside, to be born as a shark! Then he further gave a Saapam to Murugan to be born in Vysya family as a dumb child! The only person who was not cursed was the elder son, PiLLaiyar as such act will affect Siva himself in turn, as per that PuraaNam!
202. When this story was narrated to PeriyavaaL, having heard it all quite interestedly, he wished to know the exact words of the PuraaNam, bringing out the inviolability of PiLLaiyar from being cursed by even Siva! This was quoted to him in the next meeting with PeriyavaaL, who was very happy to hear the same. In Tamil it is, “வெருவரு செலவின் வேழ முகத்தனை விதித்த சாபம், பெருவலி தன்னைச் சாரும் பெற்றியால் சாபம் கூறான்”. That means, ‘The curse given to the fearless natured PiLLaiyar instead of affecting him will affect Siva Perumaan himself with added force and so, he did not curse PiLLaiyar!’ PeriyavaaL was happy to note the fact and said that, “Instead of talking about PiLLaiyar’s greatness in one of his own Vinayaka PuraaNam or such scriptures, it is added glory to come across such statements in a book meant to bring out Siva’s greatness!”
203. Then what is the need for another son? Why did the Devas pray for another son to be born to Siva? What was PiLLaiyar’s role in the birth of the second son? The problem was in the boon already obtained by Soorapadma. These Asuras always used to ask for such Boons as to be not easily countered. He had requested that he is not to be killed by anyone who is not equal to Siva and even if he is equal to Siva, he is not to be born of the union of male and female! So the all powerful PiLLaiyar was automatically ruled out! Now, if you again ask me as to ‘How could that be?’ you have to wait for the next issue of Deivathin Kural!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva