DEIVATHIN KURAL # 91 (Vol # 6) Dated 30 Nov 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 91 (Vol # 6) Dated 30 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 in page No 618 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)

61.    Through Soundarya Lahari, we get the AruL Lahari of our ÃchãryãL.  While saying this, another meaning also comes to my mind.  ÃchãryãL is himself the very embodiment of AruL and so an 'AruL Murthy', like it is said in the sloka for our ÃchãryãL,

"श्रुति स्मृति पुराणानां आलयं करुणालयं |

नमामि भगवत् पाद संकरं लोकसंकरं ||", meaning thereby that, "I pay my obeisance to that benefactor Sankara for the whole world, who is ever in the feet of God, as more of a repository of Grace than all the sacred Sruti, Smruti, PurãNãs (that is the heard, and remembered parts of the Vedas and recorded historical events) and temples!"  He is 'करुणालयं', a temple of compassion.  So to read his poetry is to have his darsan and Anugraha as well as AmbãL's darsan and Grace!  After all who is he and who is AmbãL, they are one and the same.  So, it means that though he was in human form only for 32 years, through his poems, in the body of Soundarya Lahari he continues to give us darsan and Anugraha, eternally.

62.    I must say a few more things about such poetry.  With devotion when we chant any of these slokas, God's Grace will be immediately available.  Why only that, even if we do not understand the meaning of the words properly and make mistakes in the pronunciation of the words, if our devotion is complete their power to provide benefits of Grace, is automatically assured.  The difficulty is more in our intensity of devotion.  Here is where such poems help us more dramatically.  The very poems feed us with the necessary frame of mind for such devotion.  If we chant Appar's Thevaaram songs, his intensity of feelings get transferred to us and cause us to melt in devotion completely.  Soundarya Lahari is not so moving in intensity of feelings of devotion but, by its literary refinement and beauty of expression attracts our mind, spoon-feeding us with devotion as we go along by riveting our imagination and attention solely on AmbãL. 

63.    I wish to talk about another aspect about such poems.  In Sanskrit the word 'Kavi' indicates the poet.  'Kãvyam' or 'Kavita' indicates the poetry, whereas in Tamil, 'Kavi' will indicate both the poet and poetry, as though the poet himself has taken the form of the poetry!  I was going to tell you about a type of 'Arut Kavi'.  That is, instead of responding to our level of devotion or by itself instilling devotion in us and then giving us the effect of the sloka, there are poems which by the very 'sound effect' of the mantras, give us the necessary fruits.  We may not be devoted enough and the words may not have much of literary merit or emotional appeal either; still the very sound of the words and letters known as 'Aksharas'; have the power to invoke the needed response from the cosmos.  Such words (aka'vãk') have the power of Mantras.  By their divine powers, (even if the one saying it does not understand the meaning), such slokas will give the one chanting it a variety of beneficial effects.  We could call it the 'mantra sabda visesha'.  So we note that among such poems, there are some which excel in their quality of word power in the literary sense and some others which excel because of their quality of sound power in the sense that they are as good as mantras!

64.    In our ÃchãryãL's writings there is no superfluous wasting of words at all, as they are like a mine of gems in terms of excellent meaningful appropriateness.  There is no glass pieces or imitation gems.  Though made of gold they are full of the fragrance of meaningfulness.  Elders have selected out of his writings, two of his works as being full of excellence in terms of 'Word-power' as well as 'Mantra-power', as I told you earlier – SubrahmaNya Bhujangam and Soundarya Lahari.  The first 41 slokas are anyhow of Mantra Sãstrãs, while all the balance 59 slokas describing the beauty of AmbãL's form, also have the power to receive and transmit the divine Grace of AmbãL, because of the excellence of the words.  Each sloka used in Japa has a special effect.  Many for generations have benefitted by doing that.  But a Mantra (including any of the slokas of Soundarya Lahari to be chanted as a Mantra), is to be obtained through a Guru in a formal manner.  If you happen to chant it simply as a devotional poetry too, you can reap enormous benefits.  However if it is to be considered as Mantra Sãstrã, then getting it formally through a Guru is essential, following the Do's and Don'ts as specified by him.

65.    All of us may not go by that route.  It is enough if your aim is to be devoted to AmbãL, and you chant a portion daily with that aim, all other benefits will also accrue automatically.  Even if it happens or not, you will not be noticing as devotion can be an end in itself!  Whatever devotional poems our ÃchãryãL has composed on Siva, Vishnu, AmbãL and many other deities; are all such that they have both word-power and mantra-power!  Other than the first part of 41 slokas of Soundarya Lahari being known as Ãnanda Lahari, he has also written a separate stotra of the same name as Ãnanda Lahari.  Further, there are big ones on AmbãL such as 'Devi Bhujangam', 'Tripura Sundari Mãnasa Pooja Stotram', 'Tripura Sundari Chatushshashty Upachãra Pooja Stotram' and 'Tripura Sundari Veda Pãda Stavam'. Then there are small ones on AmbãL namely, 'Annapoorna Ashtakam, 'Ambãshtakam' and 'Bhavani Bhujangam'.  Then there are slokas on Madurai Meenãkshi, Sringeri Sãradãmba, Sri Sailam Bramarãmba and other such famous AmbãL Murthy-s in such temple towns.  Like his 'Siva Aparãda Kshamãpana Stotram', he has composed one addressing AmbãL requesting Her to forgive him for his errors of omission and commission, known as 'KãLi Stuti'.  That poem is also famous as 'KãLyaparãda Kshamãpana Stotram'.  This is supposed to have been written by our ÃchãryãL and much in vogue for PãrãyaNam (being chanted regularly) in Bengal, that is famous for Sãktam, the Religion of devotees of Shakti.

66.    Though our ÃchãryãL has composed hundreds of devotional poems big and small on a variety of deities, amongst them all the top most is Soundarya Lahari as acclaimed by the discerning persons of erudition.  In the 'Ashtothram' eulogising our ÃchãryãL, it says, "सोउन्दर्य लहरि मुख्य बहु स्तोत्र विदयकाय नमह", meaning thereby, 'Prostrations to him who endowed the world with many slokas and stotras, foremost of which is Soundarya Lahari'. There is no mention of any other poems of his in that 'Ashtothram'.  Amongst his Bhashya Granthas it is 'Brhma Sutra Bhashyam', amongst his original works on philosophy and procedures known as PrakaraNa Granthas, it is the 'tiara' like 'Viveka ChudamaNi' and amongst his Bhakti Granthas, it is 'Soundarya Lahari'; which are foremost.

67.    Depending on individual experience, maturity, education, culture and status in life; a study of works like 'Soundarya Lahari' is sure to lead to a lot of inner meanings becoming revealed.  Many have discerned many inner meanings like that and such a process will continue in the future too. So, newer shades of meanings will continue to be discerned, like the spring that gives you more water as you keep digging.  It will not stop with my telling you about what occurs to my mind.  For people who are ready to dig or dive deep, many more gems or pearls are waiting to be revealed!  Some amongst you, may be one or two or many, if you do come and tell me different shades of meaning; that will be received by me as great 'Ratna Abhishekam / Mukta Abhishekam'!  (PeriyavãL is alluding to the custom in India to honour elders as they reach older ages with Abhishekam with water specially brought from Ganges River and other such sacred sources, petals of flowers, milk, gold coins, gems and or pearls!  Here Abhishekam is the action of pouring such things on their heads; Ratnam is a gem and Ratna is plural of that and Mukta means pearls similarly.  By saying this PeriyavãL is motivating the audience to dig / dive deep into Soundarya Lahari, evidently!)

"The Commentaries on Soundarya Lahari Known as

Bhashyams / Vyãkhyãnams"

68.    Poems with literary and spiritual values are read, enjoyed and savoured.  But then the readers wish to share what they have enjoyed with the discerning public by writing commentaries on the hidden treasures of value and beauty they found.  In the case of books containing Mantra Sãstrãs the aim is also to give explanatory notes to make the abstruse subject materials a little more clear and easy to comprehend.  Since Soundarya Lahari has both literary value and subtle materials of Mantra Sãstrãs, it is but natural that there should be many such commentaries / Vyãkhyãnams.  There are 36 different books of commentaries on Soundarya Lahari that we have / received or obtained in our matt. Amongst them the one by Lakshmidara is more famous.  Nowadays many of the available information in what is known as Sri Vidya Tantram aka Lalithopãsana are from Bhaskara Raya's Bhashyam for Lalitha Sahasranãma.  Lakshmidara for Soundarya Lahari holds similar place of eminence as the commentator par excellence like Bhaskara Raya for Lalitha Sahasranãma. 

69.    Then there is one by a gentleman known as Kaivalya Ãshrama, who has written a commentary called 'Sowbhagya Vardhini' and another by Kãmeswara Soori, called 'AruNãmodini', which are somewhat famous.  From the Nepal Governments Manuscript Library we have recently received a book known as 'Ãnandagiri Bhashyam.  The author Ãnanda Giri claims that he has written it on the orders of one 'Ãnandavãra Krutsna SankarachãryãL'.  Till date we have not been able to identify as to the time period of its being written or as to which was the Sankara Mata, that Swami was the head of.  There is a belief that he was possibly Thotaka Ãchãryãr, one of the direct Sishyas of Ãdi Sankara.  There is also a person with the name of Ãnanda Giri who is said to have written 'Teekas' for many of the writings of Ãdi Sankara.  We also know that one of the authors of biographical sketches of Ãdi Sankara Bhagawat PãdãL (called Sankara Vijayam), is known as Ãnanda Giri.  So evidently that gentleman has also written his commentary on Soundarya Lahari. 

70.    Amongst the many such Bhashyam for Soundarya Lahari, one is known as, 'Gopalasundari'.  The surprising thing in that work is that the slokas have been interpreted as about AmbãL as well as Vishnu!  That is, each sloka has been so explained in two ways that it can equally apply to either of them.  So, connecting LalithãmbãL and Sri Krishna Bhagawan, the book has been named aptly as 'Gopalasundari'.   It may be remembered here that one of the great Adwaita exponents by name Madusudana Saraswathi has similarly explained as to how 'Siva Mahimna Stotram' can equally be interpreted to be applicable to Maha Vishnu also!

71.    Here in Saraswathy Mahal Library in Tanjavur, Baroda Library, Bhandarkar Oriental Institute in Pune and many other such places all over the country; we continue to get copies of Soundarya Lahari and its Bhashyam.  From this we can make out its popularity was fairly wide spread, at least in some circles of the society.  People from Kashmir make much of their claim that Soundarya Lahari was written in their part of the country only!  Other than being written on palm-leaf-manuscripts, it is also inscribed on stone.  Trichy Malaikkottai Mathru Bhutheswar Temple, Suganda KuntaLãmbãL Sannidy is a case in example.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 90 (Vol # 6) Dated 28 Nov 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 90 (Vol # 6) Dated 28 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 in page No 610 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)

50.    There is a custom by which the Goddess is referred to as 'Pattãrika' that will become 'Pattãrikai' in Tamil, meaning 'someone who is worthy of our respect to be worshipped.    Possibly 'Pattãrakar' refers to a male titular head and 'Pattãri' is for the feline counterpart which with some more respect added becomes 'Pattãrika'.  In olden times the endowment made to village temples are recorded on stone / metal plates known as 'sãsanam', is recorded as 'Pattãrika Mãnyam'.  It is this word 'Pattãrika' that has morphed in local slang as 'Pidãri', possibly!

51.    AmbãL is Pattãrika and so three of her most important devotees have been given a special title as 'Pattãrakar'.  One is Easwara himself, known as 'Paramasiva Pattãrakar'.  Second one is Mahãkavi Kãlidãsa.  He is the one to get 'Vãk Siddhi' that is expertise in word usage and erudition by his devotion to KãLi in Ujjain.  If you think of stotras for AmbãL, the first few that will come to one's mind are 'SyãmaLa Dandakam' and 'Navaratna Mãlã', which were his compositions.  He was famously known as 'Sringãra Pattãrakar'.  There are two things known as 'Ganam' and 'Laghu'; in which 'Ganam' stands for heavy and 'Laghu' for light.  There is one 'Laghu Pattãrakar' who is said to have written a work known as 'Panchastavi' of five stotras on AmbãL.  There is a view that this 'Laghu Pattãrakar' was Kãlidãsa only.  If 'Gana Pattãrakar' is Easwara from the divine beings and the 'Laghu Pattãrakar' was Kãlidãsa from human beings, the third one had to be from the lot of Rishis.  Within Rishis also there are Deva Rishis such as Narada and Manushya Rishis from human beings. 

52.    From whichever class, if they were so refined and sensitised by years of Tapasya (that is, severe penances coupled with deep meditation) and so were capable of cognizing and detecting the eternal mantras that are present in the Ãkãsa in a very subtle form; and could catch these Mantras with photographic memories and make them available for the use of the common man; were known as Seers, also known as a class apart as Rishis.  In Vedic rituals like when doing 'TarpaNam', such a classification as Devas, Rishis and human beings that are dead and gone as Pithrus, has been recognised.  So, from the three Pattãrakars, Easwara is from the Devas, Kãlidãsa is from human beings and the third had to be from amongst the Rishis.  Then only it will be correct, isn't it?  Who is that Rishi?  He is none else but, Durvãsa, who had obtained the complete approval and Prasada of beneficence of AmbãL.  He was also famous for his extreme anger, as you may know already.  So, he was known as 'Krodha Pattãrakar'.  So, we have Easwara as the 'Paramasiva Pattãrakar', Kãlidãsa as 'Sringãra Pattãrakar' and Durvãsa as the 'Krodha Pattãrakar'; completing the trinity.

53.    Krodha Pattãrakar Durvãsa Rishi is the first earthling to have composed and sung in praise of AmbãL.  With Dvisati, he has also composed a poem known as 'Shakti Mahimna Stotram', a really high class poem.  Other poets' works became known only after his.  Those who read his works with true devotion would virtually experience AmbãL's true personification in their presence.  Around a central dot 43 triangles are formed in tiers with pentagonal and heptagonal outer peripheries, with a number of Devatas surrounding the centre, the whole arrangement rises to conical top like a mountain at the top centre of which Kãmeswari aka Rãjarãjeswari is seated on the left lap of Kãmeswara.  The poem describes all the 'ÃvaraNa Devatas' step by step.  The whole arrangement of the structure is known as Sri Chakra, a three dimensional edifice of highly esoteric and spiritual significance.  Reading this excellent poem as a PãrãyaNam is very beneficial to the devotee, especially for written, spoken expressions as well as poetical genius.

54.    Certainly Ambikai aka AmbãL sanctions enormous varieties of benefits to her devotees.  Out of them the most important is the powers of speech and written expression that she bestows on the devotee.  It is this Anugraha that enables the devotee to share his experience with all others, isn't it?  To a dumb man she endowed this most powerful ability in the Kãmãkshi temple in Kanchipuram.  It may be noticed that generally deafness and dumbness are together the afflictions in people.  As the child knows no sound, it does not feel the urge to so express itself by sound I suppose!  We know him as 'Mooka', meaning 'the silent dumb man' whose name is not known to anybody!  The moment he got AmbãL's Anugraha, not a hundred or two hundreds, he poured out 500 songs of pure brilliance!  Durvãsa wrote the 'Ãryã Dvisati' in the Ãryã Metre, isn't it?  Similarly in the Panchasatee composed by Mooka, the first 100 are 'Ãryã Sadakam' also in the Ãryã Metre.  The next 100 slokas (Second) describing her adorable feet are known as 'Pãdãravinda Sadakam'; the next 100 poems (Third)are the 'Stuti Sadakam'; the next 100 slokas (Fourth) are about Mother's side- long glance known as 'Katãksha Sadakam'; and the fifth lot of 100 poems describing her very light mysterious smile is known as, 'Mandasmita Sadakam'.  Thus Ãryã Dvisati and Mooka Panchasati, like the work of an expert painter bring before our eyes the beauty and form of Ãryã AmbãL.  What is beyond the reach and comprehension of the human eyes and mind, is made an intimate experience; by those two works of Durvãsa and Mooka.

"நூற் சிறப்பு – The Greatness of the Book"

55.    Now, coming back to Soundarya Lahari, it is clear that from the time 'stones had come into being and sand was yet to be', there has not been poetry of such order of brilliance in terms of beauty of word selection, conceptualization and picture painting!  You may hear it 'n' number of times or read it as many times that it is so captivating and energising that one can never tire of it.  There is so much sweetness, softness and gravity.  Mooka Panchasatee is also very sweet and soft, but the Soundarya Lahari is more known for 'Gãmbeeryam' (गाम्भीर्यं), that means gravity and power.  Though there is no lack of softness, the deliberation in selection of words are, heavier in terms of seriousness.

56.    In terms of simplicity in all of ÃchãryãL's writings, it is 'Baja Govindam' that is tops.  Soundarya Lahari is not so simple.  Some hard words will be there.  When it comes to description of subtle and delicate matters, precision is more important.  To that extent he has made use of some difficult words.  May be more difficult for understanding, still the words will be sweet for uttering.  Once we understand the meaning, we will be full of appreciation of the aptness of the words with reference to the context.  Baja Govindam is like the primary class book on spiritual matters and hence has very little descriptions and decorative words in simple poetical metre.  Here as the purpose is to describe the ethereal beauty of AmbãL herself, using the poetical nuances intricately, the style and metre had to change accordingly.  Using the 'SikhariNi' metre of four lines each with six and eleven 'Aksharãs' this 'Chandas' that is, poetical metre, has given him full scope for taking us to the high pinnacles of beautiful descriptions!  (The very word SikhariNi as the name of the poetical metre means 'pinnacle', as I told you earlier!)

57.    Starting from the 42nd till the 100th sloka, in the description of AmbãL's form, our ÃchãryãL has put in as much of his poetical genius as he could, in trying to bring Her form before our eyes, as though She is giving us a personal interview.  A renowned artist of the Art of sculpture, when he puts the chisel and hammer to the stone with respectful adoration and devotion and carves out a divine form, the divine being comes to reside there, it is said.  Similarly to enjoy God's vision repeatedly, with the very power of words that God has granted, when our ÃchãryãL has composed this poem as an offering of love to Her the very Stotra is in Her form!  Like the Flower Artist who picks up each flower ties them up with the thread made of veins of plantain trunk, adding ribbons of colour to it; select the letters forming words, connecting them with verbs, nouns and adjectives; stringing them in to sentences; our ÃchãryãL is seen here as a poet of superlative competence.  In the Tamil languages we have parallel words as 'பூமாலை' and 'பாமாலை' for garlands of flowers and poems of words strung together.  One is for the eyes and mind, while the other is for the ears and mind!  Like the fragrance for the garland of flowers, is the meaning for the poetry.  One major difference is that the பூமாலை will wilt and the பாமாலை wont.

அருட்கவி: இரு பொருளில் – Divine Poet With Two Meanings

58.    Between the normal poets of the world and divine poets who are great Mahatmas there are some differences.  Thiru Gnaana Sambandar, Nammaazhvaar, Sadasiva BrhmendraaL, VaLLalaar, AruNagiri Naatha and such poets are not only just simply poets but have the Grace of God.  If the poet has the God given inspiration of 'அருள்' – 'AruL', he is called the அருட்கவி, meaning a divine poet.  He does not write poems with his brains, memory, imagination and experience; but with God given Gift of inspiration and intuition, beyond his own abilities.  In another way also the writings of great Saints are out pouring of divine grace.  Such poems, in addition to being sources of enjoyment of literary pleasures also have the power to give the reader Anugraha of 'அருள்'.  If normally அருட்கவி is the one who is a divine poet, his poems are capable of imparting the same to the readers.  Like VaLLalãr's poems are known as, 'திருவருட்பா', for their, this ability.     

59.    The great Saints who have composed and written these poems, in such extreme state of bliss, without any awareness as an individual human being, under the complete inspiration by God, they are really poems of Grace.  Thiru Gnaana Sambandar says so in his writing when he says "என(து) உரையே தன(து) உரையாக", in the padigam that starts with words 'மலையினார் பருப்பதம்வாழ்'.  Our ÃchãryãL also echoes the same sentiment when he says, "त्वदीयाभिर्वाग्भिस्तव जननि वाचां स्तुतिरियम्", in the 100th poem in Soundarya Lahari. So such Saints by being capable much beneficence themselves, in addition to being poets by God's Grace, are also imparting the same to all and sundry!

60.    Such great Saints do not have to impart their Grace only through their poems, when they are capable directly passing on the Grace! But they have anyhow granted this additional bounty for the sake of posterity, so that those who do not live in their lifetimes may also benefit.  Though it is a fact that such Mahatmas continue their service to the humanity in their subtle form, we are gross enough that we are not capable of receiving their transmissions.  When any such great Saints name is mentioned, we look at some photograph or drawing or sketch and say, "Oh I see!  That was Tulasi Das, is it?"  Those who had the 'darsan' of our ÃchãryãL or Thiru Gnaana Sambandar would have received Grace just by that undoubtedly.  But as our luck would have it, he lived on this earth only for 32 years.  In the case of Sambandar he lived for only half that time!  So that coming generation of people may benefit, such people have concentrated their power of Anugraha and put them in poetry for the sake of posterity to read and benefit in the years to come, even after they have dropped their human coil, to remain as conduit for divine Grace!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva