DEIVATHIN KURAL # 69 (Vol # 6) Dated 17 Oct 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 69 (Vol # 6) Dated 17 Oct 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 474 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)

361.  Gnaani, when he drops his mortal coil, his PraaNa or Uyir (प्राण / உயிர்) does not go anywhere.  For him there is neither a re-birth nor yet to be attained Moksham or realization.  So also his Moksham is not sometime somewhere when his death occurs.  The day he got Gnaana or Aatma Saakshaatkaaram happened, then itself the Jiva-Manas that caused his being tied up, drops and he is already a Jivan-Muktan.  He, considering the Aatma as the be-all and end-all of his very being, without even thinking that he is devoted, still goes on with the highest Bhakti that dissolves his Ahankaara to a virtual state of nullity.  At some point or the other that Ahankaara goes into the Hrudayam and abides in the Aatma Sthaana.  At once he becomes a Jivan Muktan. 

362.  Still, at that stage he is not dead.  Jivan Muktan means that he is a Gnaani while still alive.  Then one day his body dies.  Why should he continue to live even after his Mukti and when does his life leave him?  These are questions we need not get into now.  The important view about this is that, he continues to live in the same body till his ‘praarabdam’ is worked out and also he functions as a tool in the hands of God, to do his bidding in terms of being a direction pointer for many of the common folks!  (Praarabdam means those events that had already been decided that will happen in his present life and have become current, as per the rules of the system of Karma.)  So, he continues to live in the present body, even after Aatma Saakshaatkaaram and when that finishes, he drops his mortal coil.  If you still have a question as to what happens to his ‘Uyir’, the answer is that; “As his Antah KaraNam, including Manas, Buddhi and Ahankaaram have already abided in his Aatma Sthaanam, death simply occurs to the body.”  So, at the time of death, the Uyir or PraaNa does not go out by any of the Naadi or Navadwara-s, the nine holes in the body.  It is so stated in Upanishads and Brhma Sutra, very clearly.  In the colloquial also, it is said that ‘he dropped his mortal coil’ or that he ‘abided within’! 

363.  Now, let us come to those others, who are supposed to have so managed the situation that they may not be required to take life in this world anymore.  The collective name for them is ‘Upasaka’-s.  There are many kinds of such people.  They are all such that they are convinced that existence is not over with this body and this world.  They know fully well that all these things seen as you, me and the world; are all only appearances.  They also know that there is a basic truth as the back-drop which is the origin as well as the destination.  So to release themselves from the clutches of the binding ties is their basic aim.  There ends their commonality and starts their variation!  Accordingly their approach and methods vary.

364.  One variety of ‘Upasaka’ thinks of the basic truth exactly as the Adwaitin does.  But contrary to the Adwaitin he thinks that such a basis is existing for each of the Jivaatma-s uniquely,  Though like the Adwaitin he thinks that it is NirguNa Brhmam, but not as Sat-Chit-Aananda PoorNam.  He thinks of it as being an empty vacuum.  It is not like the Buddhist ‘Soonyata’ either. He also achieves ‘Mano-Nigraha’ and through Yoga practices, is said to reach a state in which this Jiva Bhaava with Ahankaara is totally annulled.  We call him a Yogi.  His knowledge and awareness of the essential truth remains short of complete understanding.  The Adwaitin tells himself that he is not the mind or body and is in fact the Aatma only, as given in the Maha Vaakhya-s of the Vedas, thereby learns to ignore the mind’s promptings.  Thus with the stoppage of the thoughts, the mind is also erased and vanquished.  But the yogi, finding it difficult to master the mind, takes the help of the breath.  For him control of the breath enables control of the mind.  As the aim of his is the Truth of blank Kaivalyam, his breath is made to merge in the ‘प्राण शक्ति’ and that merges in the Maha PraaNa Shakti – ‘महा प्राण शक्ति’, he becomes endowed with the miraculous powers of Ashta Maha Siddhis, such as Anima, Garima and so on.  So, he has an additional responsibility to, not get waylaid by those powers and guard against going astray!

365.  There is one other type of ‘Upasaka’.  He thinks the basic truth that is the, Aadhaara Satyam is a ‘SaguNa’ one and so we have to reach it.  After reaching, we should not merge in it losing our own identity.  We must retain our individuality as otherwise there will be no opportunity to enjoy the endearing and salubrious qualities of the SaguNa Brhmam.  From amongst its many enrapturing and alluring qualities any one or a mix of some or all of them, may be of interest to the Upasaka, depending upon his individual likes / preferences.  So instead of merging in it, only if he stands apart; he can watch the fun and enjoy, isn’t it?  So he feels that Mukti is ‘सालोकं (to be in the same world) or सामीप्यं’ (to be not only in the same world but to be very close) and not ‘सायुज्यं’ (that is, merging).  Not only that he does not want ‘सायुज्यं’, he is also convinced that ‘सायुज्यं’ is just not attainable or possible!  His claim is that no such status is possible for the Jiva at all!  (These are the followers of Visishtaadwaitam and Saivasiddhantam, if I am not wrong – says KTSV.)

366.  There is yet another variety of Upasaka-s.  They are not able to do Saadhana by controlling their mind or breathing or are not that interested in the esoteric methods.  They are neither able think of the world totally as Maya nor are they able lose themselves in devotion to a God who is not so easily to be discerned intellectually or mentally or by way of feelings!  So devotion is not their way and so also not the path of Gnaana Yoga!  But, these aspirants are seriously and sincerely keen on being relieved from the binding ties of this life, especially from the flimsy sensual pleasures.  So, without hankering for the fruits of their labour, they carry on doing their Swadharma duties as enjoined by the society and Saastraas.  He does all the things mentioned in the Vedas for the cleansing of mind and antah KaraNam, including all the Samskaaraas.  In the present day practical world, we can include amongst these people, those who are completely involved in social service uncaring for name or fame!  Whether they do Vedic Karma or Social Service, they should be keen on the Nivrutti Marga, wishing for release from the binding ties of this-worldly-involvement.  With that they should be absolutely selfless thinking only of the public good.  With complete faith in God’s justice, they work ceaselessly accepting all the ups and downs even in their social service.  “There is a God.  All the events of the world happen by his wish / will / Sankalpa.  We have no right to be adamant that, things should happen as per our wish. Whatever we think to be the best, let us carry on doing, leaving the results to that ‘Phala Dhaata’!  These are known as the Karma Margi-s / Karma Yogi-s.

367.  From what I have said, other than the one in Gnaana Marga, the term Upasaka-s includes Yogis, Devotees and Karma Margi-s.  Further we could include all those who do not object to the Vedas, and do not say that there is no basic truth as ‘Aadhaara Satyam’ and only ‘Soonyata or Zeroness’.  There are many divisions and sub-divisions of the Sanaatana Dharma, the followers of which can be included here, if they are honestly and sincerely following their Upaasana paths.  All these people after death are not born again.  But still their Uyir does not immediately merge in God, as none of them wished for the Adwaita Lakshya of Oneness with God!  They have neither understood nor comprehended it, nor worked towards that or asked for it!  God who does not easily grant what you ask for, why should he do so when you have not asked for it?  (PeriyavaaL says this with ‘tongue in the cheek humour’!)

368.  Still, as these people have all wished for release, they are given that from the world and from being born again.  They do get Moksham and are born in the Brhma Loka.  Having heard all the stories so far, most of you would have understood that there is no separate world of the NirguNa Brhmam.  But there is a world of the Deity Brhma as SaguNa Brhmam.  Those who know call him the ‘HiraNya Garba’ and his world as ‘Hiranya Garba Loka’, like Kailasam and Vaikundam.  Between the very subtle state of NirguNa Brhmam and the creation of the gross physical world by its Maya by SaguNa Brhmam; there is a middle state that is symbolically said to be ‘HiraNya Garba’ – the Golden Womb state. This is the state in which SaguNa Brhmam is keeping all the creation in it in a dormant state like in a womb.  Since the Avidya or Maya is sheer darkness, it is by the reflection of Brhma Chaitanyam it carries out this wonderful creation of the micro and macro cosmos, the brilliance of the reflection is said to be golden – Hiranmaya.

369.  Since the exit is the entry also, it is through HiraNya Garba that the Srushti or Creation comes into being and goes back into subsidence.  When HiraNya Garba completes 100 years of his existence, his life time is over to be replaced by another Brhma as the creator.  Then he goes and merges in the NirguNa Brhmam.  In our human calculations, this period one day of Brhma is as good as a 1,000 Chatur Yuga-s.  A night of Brhma lasts for another 1,000 Chatur Yuga-s.  (Refer to Sloka No.17 of the Chapter 8 in Bhagawat Gita.)  Day means evolution or projection or manifestation of the universe.  Night means involution of the universe or Pralaya.  The worlds are limited or conditioned in time.  Therefore they return again.  The world of Brhma (Brhmaloka or Satyaloka) is also transient, although it lasts for a thousand ages.  When the four great Yuga-s have gone round a thousand times, it makes a day time of Brhma and when an equal number of Yuga-s pass again it makes a night.  (For details of the ‘Chatur Yuga’ as to how it lasts 4,320, 000, years; refer to Para 35 of Deivathin Kural # 72 of (Vol 2) of 17 Jan 2008.)  When Brhma completes his one hundred years of existence he completes 311,040,000,000,000, number of human years!  Then Brhma also is merged in Brhmam and with him all the worlds and life forms will be absorbed for an equal period of time, when only Brhmam will be there.  Then another cycle of creation will start. 

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva