DEIVATHIN KURAL # 82 (Vol # 6) Dated 12 Nov 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 82 (Vol # 6) Dated 12 Nov 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 paragraph on page No 553 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)

Just Prior to Attainment of Siddhi – சித்திக்கு முன்னிலையில்

477.  Many doubts about the Aatma will get clarified during Mananam and will automatically lead you on to the one and only Aatma to be contemplated upon during Nidhidhyaasana.  During these times there could be many interactions between God and this Saadhak / Jiva, known only to them both.  So that he may not stand there with total confusion lacking in clarity, the Guru would have already injected into him much of Shraddha and Bhakti.  The aspirant will simply keep progressing in the path shown by the Guru without any confusion.  The last bit of ‘Karma Vinai’, of residual balances of Vaasanaas will be removed out of his system, as it is done in the ‘curl-twist-curl’ process while drying tea leaves.  That is when the ‘Antah KaraNam’ becomes subtle enough to enter the very minute hole of Hrudayam and in the process there will be the churning of the Naadis known as ‘Naadi Mathanam’.

478.  At times I wonder if I am unnecessarily telling you all this!  Because, when the aspirant’s only point of interest should be ‘Brhma Anubhavam’, in other words experiencing the merging with Brhmam conscientiously; these descriptions of Hrudayam, Naadi and Mathanam can lead the aspirant astray to thinking about questions such as, how does the final merging take place, where exactly will be the minute aperture in the Hrudayam, how does the churning take place and so on!  There is no need for him to know as to how exactly these things happen.  Moreover, every passenger on the path has his own unique experience.  Their experiences are as varied as there are people in the world, as their ‘Karma Vinai’ residual balances are equally varied!  The way God sorts them out is also variegated.  God, after all is very fond of his game-playing propensities called ‘God’s Leela’ that ‘variety seems to be the spice of God’s Life!’

479.  Just think of it, once this man reaches the end stage, the drama is over!  No more games!  So, there are as many ways to the top of the hill as there are people in the world!  Some may go through without any twisting or turning, and some may never experience the churning of the Naadis and some others may keep looking for the source of the breath and thoughts and yet others may never go through any of the processes as known to others!  Considering all these possibilities, our AachaaryaaL having described as to how the aspirant has to do Nidhidhyaasanam by lovingly assuming the Brhmam or the Aatma to be his own Self and keep deeply in such Bhaavana – ‘भावना’, he puts a full-stop to his description after telling us of the Brhma Saakshaatkaara!

(It is very difficult to find an exact synonym for this Sanskrit term ‘Bhaavana’.  It is not just thinking or assuming or a mere intellectual appreciation or even emotional wooing; but all of them put together, where the function of the mind, feelings are harmoniously woven together and we get to the heart of the matter.)  The wise one should intelligently merge the entire world of objects in the Aatman alone and constantly think of the Self as spotlessly clean and uncontaminated as the clear sky.   

           

சிற்றறிவு கடந்த மனனம்; மன உணர்ச்சி கடந்த நிதித்யாசனம்

Mananam beyond Mind; Nidhidhyaasanam sans Feelings

480.  There are said to be three proofs of evidence by which the truth can be known and they are, Sruti, Yukti and Anubhava; in which SravaNam is hearing of Veda Vaakhyaas and so it is the Sruti.  Mananam is use of brains or intellect with logic and reasoning and so it is the Yukti.  Then Nidhidhyaasanam is experiencing without becoming too sensitive with feelings and so it is the Anubhava.  Since the Mantras of the Sruti and all matters of Brhma Vidya are told by the Guru and heard by the ears of the disciple, it is in the rightness of things for SravaNam to be equated with Sruti.

481.  Yukti means use of logical reasoning.  (KTSV adds:-  In the name of rational thinking, especially in Tamil Nadu for the past 150 years or so, there has been a movement known as ‘Paguththu Arivu Iyakkam’, whose literal meaning is a ‘Movement to Differentiate and Learn’.  Though it sounds impressive enough, it is nothing too exotic as all learning is learning by differentiating only.  The so called ‘Paguththu Arivu Iyakkam’ people actually differentiate against the Brahmin Caste and benefit all other Castes, justice and fairness thrown to the winds and justified!  PeriyavaaL is slightly alluding to this movement when he says that Yukti is not a clever political argument of ‘Buddhi Vaadam’!  By hind sight, I can say that these movements by people like Ambedkar in the North India and E.V. Periyar in the South India, have only contributed to the further stratification of the society in which while some of the so called forward castes have had to bear the brunt of segregation and exploitation, while some others have benefitted their narrow parochial interest areas!  If it is Mr. M. Karnanidhi and Family that has usurped the movement in Tamil Nadu, it is Mrs. Mayawati and company in the Uttar Pradesh; with a whole array of similar sounding political party names!)

482.  I said that Yukti means use of logical reasoning and not mental gymnastics.  So also this ‘Anubhavam’ is not a sensational exhibition but an inner intimate participation in empiric awareness!  This is not what happens at the mind level with a whole array of continuously changing feelings running from pillar to post!  What I am talking about is a mind that has been refined to the finest degree by the entire process of Shraddha and Bhakti with the main purpose of controlling the ‘mano-buddhi-ahankaara-chitta’ combination, as the Antah-KaraNam is in the process of moving from being gross to semi-subtle to completely subtle state.  Whatever the analysis and understanding such a mind is capable of is what is Yukti.  Similar is the ‘Anubhava’ or experience here.  That mind or intellect at the deepest point where at the sprouting spring from which all thoughts and breath and ‘I’-ness emerge, that is experiencing this Anubhava.  I do not have to lecture about it.  If someone amongst us is lucky enough to go through such an experience, it is for him to know and not something to be lectured on!

483.  To be quietly in the centre without taking sides on any issue is, known as Saatvik or ‘सात्विक’ in Sanskrit and ‘சாத்வீகம்’ in Tamil.  Instead the state we are in now, in which we are agitated with intense feelings of excitement for and against any issues; is Raajasam or ’रजस’ / ‘ராஜசம்’ and so completely wrong.  The Yukti done by our minds now is Rajasik and so obviously wrong.  But that aspirant in the third stage of his Saadhana that we are talking about has a mind and brain in which Rajasik tendencies have been wiped out. Its Yukti now will be of a different order.  Instead of being a limited and parochial Yukti, assuming a disguise in the name of ‘Paguththu Arivu’ against the truth and tradition; it will be loyal and truthful to Vedas and Saastraas, exactly as described by our AachaaryaaL in the Sloka No. 182 of Viveka ChudamaNi.  “मोक्षैकसक्त्या विषयेषु रागं निर्मूल्य संय्स्य च सर्वकर्म |

सच्छ्रद्धया य: श्रवणादिनिष्टो रज: स्वभावम् स धुनोति बुद्धे: ||“  That means, “With single pointed devotion for liberation, he who roots out his attachments for sense objects, renounces all actions and with faith in Truth, constantly hears (the Truth) etc., such a man can purge the Rajasic nature in his intellect.”

484.  ‘Mumukshuta’ as the only goal, when he has destroyed all attachments to things, material, possessions and relationships; having also set aside all duties, works, jobs, business and professions; having taken up Sannyaasa also, with perfection when he is deeply involved in SravaNa, Manana and Nidhidhyaasana;  he would have completely overcome his Rajasic tendencies.  At that stage his Yukti will be uniquely different.  His Yukti of ‘Paguththu Arivadu’ will also be supremely devoid of selfish quirks and dirty politics!  Similarly, at that stage his Anubhava will also be not sensual but related to his ‘Antaraatma’ of inner being.  (Smilingly PeriyavaaL says,) Let me talk like a professor of Political Science, ‘that experience with be Super-Rational and Mystical!’  Mananam is required to relentlessly re-iterate the Upadesa so as to fix the mind irrevocably on one, without giving it a chance to deviate!  That re-iteration is called ‘aavrutti’ – ‘आवृत्ति’ as Brhma Sutra itself says that, ‘Upanishads are repeatedly saying that such repetitions should be repeated’!  Saying this PeriyavaaL laughs, at his iteration of the word!  If I say that the paddy should be repeatedly thrashed with a blunt ended mallet, what is the use of asking ‘For how long?’  It has to be done till the husk, covering the rice are removed.  Similarly, Mananam and Nidhidhyaasanam goes on till ignorance is removed and Aatma is revealed!

485.  Contrary ‘Bhavana’ to Vanish – ‘மாறுபாடான இரு பாவனைகள் விலக’.  However much refined and matured, till the end, one will be under the influence of Maya.  It is not very correct to put all the blame on Maya also!  Saakshaatkaaram is the very pinnacle of all existence and experience.  That top spot cannot be caught till all the Karma Vinai has been completely wiped out.  However much the Saadhana done, if the residual balance is so much more, what to do?  For it to be wiped clean, not as a dirty trick by Maya, but we can treat it as the play of God’s Grace, there could be things happening to shake up the Saadhak, with some totally unwanted ideas and thoughts!  They are not likely to be related to anger and lust, as those thoughts would have been already wiped clean from the mind.  Other unnecessary thoughts could be of two types, namely ‘Asambhaavana’ / ‘असंभावना’ and ‘vipareeta bhaavana’ / ‘विपरीत भावना‘.

486.  An example for ‘असंभावना’ is like this as follows.  “What?  Me to become one with Brhmam, never can such a thing happen!  How can it be that, me being such an infinitesimal good for nothing character, hope to become something like the historically and spiritually greats like VaLLalaar or Rama Krishna Paramahamsa or Vivekananda or Ramana?”  Then further with the feeling gaining more solidity, you start thinking “Let me not have any grandiose imagination about myself!  Adwaitam can look great on paper!  God is God and let me just be whatever I am!  Despite all the effort so far, my ego or Ahankaara has not gone.  Adwaitam is only theoretical and duality is what is practical!”  This being totally contrary to what we started with is an example of ‘विपरीत भावना‘.  Among these two, ‘Asambhavana’ can be overcome by further Mananam and ‘Vipareeta Bhaavana’ can be erased by Nidhidhyaasana.

487.  Like the green moss that covers the surface of stagnant water in a pond, the aspirant’s mind is likely to get clogged up repeatedly.  On such occasions, mulling over the powerful words and phrases of the Upanishads will come in handy.  Even if the real experience does not happen, the clarity that it could happen will be regained.  OK, Aatma Saakshaatkaaram could become a distinct possibility by Mananam.  But when will we know that it has happened.  Till now the duality is a practical experience and is so very real!  If Adwaitam is the Truth, when will that become a real and practical experience?  We may know that ‘Pancha Amirtam’ is a combination of sugar, honey, clarified ghee, banana and dates. But that is only a theoretical knowledge till one physically eats some ‘Pancha Amirtam’ isn’t it? 

488.  Once it is decided that it must be so, if very sincerely and with total dedication, one does Nidhidhyaasanam that it should become personally experienced, that taste will be experienced in flashes, though the taste, the taster and the thing tasted would all have become one and the same.  Then even when the state is lost, the taste will continue to linger.  When that happens, ‘Vipareeta Bhaavana’ cannot continue to linger.  In that end stages, these contrary thoughts themselves come as a help to confirm and assist the aspirant on the way as a Gift from God.  By this he gets the certainty of Adwaitam in his inner being of Antah KaraNam and Antaraatma.  Otherwise he may miss out completely.  When there is opposition, don’t we jump in to the fray girding up our loins with the clarity that either we should survive and win or die in the bargain.  Thus ‘Asambhavana’ and ‘Vipareeta Bhaavana’ may both prove to be incentives in the final stages.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva