DEIVATHIN KURAL # 86 (Vol # 6) Dated 20 Nov 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 86 (Vol # 6) Dated 20 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 page No 583 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)

12.    If you say that a Gnaani should not be writing books on devotion (Bhakti Granthas), I would say that he should not be writing books on Gnaanam also!  As per their argument, all those who have written on Gnaana or given Upadesa to disciples on that subject of Gnaana, are all not Gnaanis as per their argument!  If you wonder as to why I am saying this, please think about, what is the definition of a Gnaani?  'Having identified that the whole universe is Maya; they are the ones who have realized practically that all the people who think of themselves as separate individuals as Jiva are deluded and ignorant.   So, they have clearly signed off the world and its people as inconsequential along with their minds and are merged in a state of all as one, including oneself, isn't it?  Then how can such a person be advising and writing a book, for whose benefit can such advises and book be for?  Even if the book is on the subject of Gnaana, how can that be appropriate?  He can think of improving the lot of others by the written and spoken words only if he accepts that there are so many others needing to be ennobled.   

13.    From this angle, all the past masters of Adwaitam will be seen to be – not Gnaanis themselves, isn't it?  Can we say such a thing?  Is it not anathema to even think on these lines?  What value can be there for the advices given by those who are not Gnaanis?  What power can be there in the words of a man who is not experienced?  But in fact we notice that, the chapters in Bhagawat Gita on Gnaana, our AachaaryaaL's 'Viveka ChudamaNi', Dattaatreya's Avadhuta Gita, Vasishta's 'Yoga Vaasishtam', poems of a Thaayum Aanavar or VaLLalaar or AruNa Giri Naatha and such – while reading them itself or at the least while reading them; takes us up in a jiffy to a 'Seventh Heaven' of absolute peace, isn't it?  There have been many before us already, in a fairly matured state who have been so highly motivated by these books, that they have gone to a forest or a mountain cave leaving their house, family, position and properties; to live in absolute solitary loneliness and seclusion!  Unless those who wrote them were at the peak of their experience and comprehension, how could their words have had such powers of motivating others? 

14.    So, it is not correct to argue for the sake of making a point as to 'How can a Gnaani have Bhakti and or how can Gnaani give Upadesa to 'non exiting imaginary characters'?  These may seem to be impossible; but still possible only.  Easwara Leela is beyond all such human parameters of what is possible and not possible.  If you wonder as to how Gnaani remaining rooted in Adwaitam inwardly, seems to be functional in duality, we can only say that it is part of Easwara Leela.  Gnaani has no mind of his own as his 'mano nigrahaha' (मनो निग्रह:) is already done with.  Maya's effect on him is no more.  But that does not mean that the world disappears for him.  It only means that he still sees them, but only as appearances on the screen and empathises with them.  What does it mean?  It means that there is a bigger, super mind that is doing all this, laying so many rules, regulations and order and directing them.  Causing them to act in dis-orderly ways is also part of its play in Maya, isn't it?  If orderliness defines the natural world, so also chaos defines the world of Maya simultaneously superimposed on the same world!

It is that power, referred to in Adwaita Saastraas as SaguNa Brhmam or Easwara, with Maya.  In Saakta and Saiva Saastraas, the NirguNa Brhmam devoid of any action is called the 'Sivam' and the SaguNa Brhmam is called Shakti or Paraashakti or AmbaaL.  As NirguNa Brhmam itself is functional like this as SaguNa Brhmam and AmbaaL; exactly similarly, the Gnaani who attains to the experience of NirguNa Anubhava, could be caused to function effectively for the uplifting of humanity at large too, as part of the Leela. 

15.    For one to aspire that the Maya should go and the mind should cease by way of Dhyaana and Vichaara, is the Gnaana Marga.  Another method is to pray to Paraashakti in whose hands Maya is only a powerful tool.  The imposer of Maya has the power to lift it too, isn't it?  It is like giving the keys in the hands of the thief, giving him the responsibility to safely guard the treasure!  Though for the sake of Leela, AmbaaL as Maya plays around with our minds in every which way; She is kindness personified.  Reunification is more pleasurable after separation. In praying for removal of Maya, the Jiva enjoys the essence of devotion and She enjoys the essence of her Anugraha in sanctioning his prayer!  For this reason is her play of duality.  When you pray to her for the release from Maya, She gives you the Milk of Gnaana out of her extreme compassion.

16.    The aim of devotion is God, as the devotee is the subject who wishes to reach his object of devotion and so there is duality.  With this in mind the question is asked, as to how a Gnaani can tread the path of devotion?  Even when they are seemingly separated like this as the devotee in the path of devotion and God as the destination of such a path, people ask such questions because they do not realise that the very devotion will take the devotee to ask for unity instead of asking for anything else.  When that level of maturity is reached, She – AmbaaL herself will guide the devotee as to what to wish for and fetch him there.  When the Gnaani knows that those who cannot go by the path of Gnaana, may proceed on the Bhakti Marga and could reach Gnaana as Easwara Prasaadam; will do his level best to assist them along the Path of Bhakti, write devotional songs, organize the devotional procedures and paddati, install Yantras, construct temples, do Pooja himself and show the way for others and why not?

17.    The Gnaana Marga in which the aspirant takes Sannyaasa receives the Maha Vaakhyaas, does SravaNa, Manana and Nidhidhyaasana; cannot be the path of all people.  If Aatma can be understood to be the Brhmam only when the mind has to be delinked; many do not know as to how to get rid of this mind!  What to do?  The more we try to get rid of the mind the mind assumes monstrous proportions and refuses to die.  If for a few minutes you thought that you have got rid of it, it comes back surreptitiously with ever new distractions!  You have to use the mind to get rid of the mind!  How can it be done?  With the palm of your hand you can beat others.  How to beat the palm with your palm?  It will only end up in clapping, as though in appreciation!  But there is a super power which is the cause of all this created entities, isn't it?  Let us leave this futile effort to get rid of the mind and surrender to its creator Paraashakti who can control it easily, as they say 'instead of falling in the feet of the witness, we could fall in the feet of the one who summoned us and the witness'!  She will grant the necessary Gnaana for that. 

18.    Either She can completely do away with this mind of the so called individual as Jiva and grant him the state of peaceful Siva and make us realise 'Shivoham'; or tell us, "All this is only my play my dear devotee.  The play became too serious only due to delusion created by Maya.  I will rub it off clean.  Then you can also join the fun, remaining the peaceful Adwaita Shivam inside (as सत्यं शिवं शान्तं), keeping a calm mind unaffected by Maya outside and enjoy being the witness for all my Leela!  Instead of destroying the mind, be simply happy!"  If you are crying and feeling ashamed and embarrassed, She is likely to say, "Why my child, why are you crying?  You can get rid of your mind only if it is your creation, isn't it?  Did you create your mind?  Did you create the Sun, Moon and the Stars?  The mountains and rivers, forests and plants, worms, insects, animals, birds, millions of life forms and human beings; did you make them?  Leaving all this you are feeling bad thinking of some small thing known as the mind, that you are not able to control or tackle!  Is it your creation?  My dear child, the world, the mind, all of you who call yourself as 'I', including the trap of Maya entrapping the whole universe; are all my creation only." 

19.    "This is what I have told you all, through the mouth of Sri Krishna as ' my impassable Maya', 'मम माया दुरत्यया'.  I have also said that it is 'a divine creation', 'दैवी'.  The Sloka 14 of Bhagawat Git, chapter VII says, "दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया | मामेव ये प्रपध्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ||".  That means, 'Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the three qualities of Nature (namely Satva, Rajas and Tamas), is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, cross over this illusion'.  If it is your creation, you can get rid of it also.  What has been created by my complete divine powers, cannot be undone by you without my help.  In my Leela, all of you the created being of the universe have limited powers and limited abilities.  There is no logic in your crying about being unable to overcome the mind and Maya and the world; which are my creations.  So you do not have to feel slighted by this inability.  It is not in your purview at all, but my portfolio.  Me as the creator can also make it ineffective.  So, come to Me in devotion and I shall gradually wean you from them."

20.    "If someone goes by the Gnaana Marga by controlling his mind and senses, even that event happens with my Grace only.  Leaving everything that looks as variegated, catch hold of one principle as your only aim, that is Adwaita Vaasana.  That also happens by My Anugraha only!"  (Refer to Avadhuta Gita I.1. wherein it says that human beings get attracted towards the concept of Adwaitam only by God's Grace –"ईस्वर अनुग्रहात एव पुंसां अद्वैत वासना".)  (Having spoken as though AmbaaL is addressing an aspirant, for the past two paragraphs and more, now PeriyavaaL continues his speech as himself.)   One another rare situation can be there.  Even after realization that all the happening of the world is Maya, this Adwaita Anubhava Gnaani can still be as involved in the world's happenings as before.  He has stopped participating, but has not lost interest in watching the fun!  She may be keeping him with her, like her as a Dwaitam/Adwaitam model.  Point to note here is that, he may still be a devotee, not only as a model for others to emulate, he may continue be a devotee because he may be a sincere fan of God with love and understanding accepting the oneness as well as the apparent variety.

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(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva