DEIVATHIN KURAL # 145 (Vol # 6) Dated 22 Mar 2013

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 145 (Vol # 6) Dated 22 Mar 2013

(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 993 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)

643.  Let us start with same sloka that we saw in the previous issue of Deivathin Kural: - "यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य गलानिर भवति भारत |                                 अभ्युत्तानं अधर्मस्य तदात्मानं स्रुजाम्यहं ||   For English trans-literation refer to the previous paragraph.  Its meaning is that 'whenever there is harm for righteousness and Adharma is on the up-swing, (that is, 'abhyuththãnam' – 'अभ्युत्तानं'), then I situate myself suitably there as an Avatara to effect a counter ground swell', says Sri Krishna!  So, this word as अभ्युत्तानं has one meaning as a 'ground swell' and as seen in the Soundarya Lahari has another meaning as, 'to go forward to receive'!  Looking at this I wonder if we should give more credence to this meaning and interpret the Bhagawat Gita sloka slightly differently to mean, 'It is Adharma which goes half the way forward to receive God and compel the God to take an Avatara and be born in this world'!  (Making this above statement PeriyavãL laughs for long!)

644.  RavaNa, HiraNyakasibu, Kamsa and such others committed a lot of atrocities causing an up-swell of Adharma which was reason enough forcing and pulling God to take an Avatara, isn't it?   'So, let us also do a lot of Adharma', PeriyavãL laughs rather long saying this, without completing the sentence!  But we should not forget as to how they were punished, isn't it?  When Easwara is returning home, in the anxiety to receive him, AmbãL gets up suddenly and runs forward – it is that anxiety conveyed by the Sanskrit word 'prasabham'.  It is at that time, when she is suddenly getting up and running forward, that her lady assistants are warning her to take care and not trip over the crowns of the Devatas lying at her feet.  At the time of Maha Pralaya, AmbãL is forsaking all these who were lying in her feet and protects only him in whose feet she wished to take refuge in.  If you have a question if this isn't letting down trust, the answer is a counter question as to, do they really come to ruin?  Only their bodies are destroyed but their life is inalienably integrated with her.  What else is there?  It is the poetic knack to say that they are destroyed and by her 'pãtivratyam' and the special power of her 'sowmãngalyatvam' that Siva continues to survive and flourish!

645.  Her 'pãtivratyam' that is true faithfulness to her husband and 'sowmãngalyatvam' that is, the power of her continued felicity as a wedded woman are both unquestionably true also.  That is why even when other devas have to drop their bodies, his body and being are forever.  In fact his life and hers are ever one!  Looking at their two different outer appearances they are considered to be apart as husband and wife.  So that there may not be any damage to their, this bodily relationship also despite their oneness spiritually, even at the time of 'Sarva Samhãra' also, he continues as before.

ரக்ஷணை – சிக்ஷணை லீலை

Leela of Protection & Punishment

646.  Not only during the 'Sarva Samhãra' period, but also at the time of 'Amrita Mathanam' when the milky ocean was churned by using Meru Mountain as the plunger-churner and the snake Vãsuki as the churning rope, for getting Amrita for the benefit of the Devatas, the first thing that emerged was the 'Kãlakoota' poison which could have just burnt off the whole lot of Devatas and Asuras! The Devatas who had not invited Easwara for the 'Amrita Mathanam' came running to him now for saving them from this peril!  He did not make much fuss but readily rolled the whole 'Kãlakoota' poison and swallowed it promptly out of infinite kindness!  For a true Lord, called 'எஜமான்' – 'यजमान' in Tamil and Sanskrit respectively; both providing protection and doling out punishment are defining character qualities.   He has the responsibility to protect people under him and moreover, he has to punish the wrong doers.  That is what we see in governance.  Hospitals, Schools & Colleges, Public Works Departments and services including the defence forces are all meant for providing the protection.  Then for identifying crimes and punish the evil doers for the errors of commission and omission are the Police and Judiciary.

647.  Stories of this divine and royal couple of Swami and AmbãL's Leelas of protection and punishments make interesting readings.  That play has happened in many differing ways.  In Daksha Yagna when AmbãL sacrificed her body, the Devatas were responsible for the error of not objecting to Daksha's crude behaviour towards Siva.  So the Devatas were punished by Siva.  She who sacrificed her life in the 'Homa Kund' was born again as the daughter of Himavãn the King of Himalayas.  Then she begot a child SubrahmaNya who became the Senãpathy of the Devas' Army, thereby proved to be a source of protection for them.  When Yama threw his famous 'Yama Pãsa' to snatch Mãrkandeya and the rope fell around the Shiv Ling also, it is she who got annoyed enough to punish Yama.  That is said to be a left-legged kick by Siva – symbolically!  That is the story of Kãla the Time.  Whereas in the case of Kãma the Lord of Love, when he was burnt to ashes by the third eye of Siva, since his left half is hers, it means that 50% of the punishment is hers.  Then by reviving Kãma back to life she gave him power enough to defeat the Swami, which means indirectly as though she has punished the Swami for his over-reaction! 

648.  Here in Soundarya Lahari it is revealed that when he consumed the dangerous poison thereby saving the Devatas from destruction, it is the power of her 'ताटङ्ग महिमा' – the Ear Studs that Siva himself was saved!  In the PurãNãs it is explained that AmbãL slightly caressed Siva's throat and prevented the poison from going in to his stomach for him to get the name as 'Neelakanta' – 'नील कन्ट' – 'நீல கண்டன்'!  The question arises as to how the poison whose smell can hurt, remain harmless when contained in the throat?

ஈசனுக்கு உயிரூட்டும் மருந்து அம்பாள்

The Life Sustaining Medicine for Easwara is AmbãL

649.  The underlying principle is something entirely different to the world of time and space as denominations!  It is said in the Vedas that there is a medicine known as 'Sivã' which is a universal medicine for all diseases and anti-dote for all poisons, known as, 'vishwa beshaji' – 'विस्व भेशजि'!  More than any other disease this cycle of repeated birth and death is known as 'bhava roga' – 'भव रोग' and 'Sivã' is the palliative for that also!  Then it is also the therapeutic for Siva himself as the Veda says further that she is 'rudrasya beshaji' – 'रुद्रस्य भेषजी'.  That is, Sivã is the medicine for Siva in any of the forms as say Bhava, Sarva, Easãna, Bhima, Ugra, Rudra, Pasupati and or Mahat!  We chant that as the 'Rudram' and do Abhishekam for the Shiv Ling all over the country, in all temples and houses where Shiv Ling is installed! 

650.  There in, as we continue the Abhishekam, we are chanting the Sri Rudra Mantras.  In it is this portion as though AmbãL is conversing with Siva, is there.  "Hi! Parameswara!  Who gave you the medicines that you are surviving even after eating the Kãlakoota poison?  Do not think that I do not know that!  I am going to make it known to the whole word!"  There is such a depiction in Rudra Prasna like a dramatic scene in which Veda Mãtã is addressing Siva.  Now, how does she reveal the truth?  "My dear sir, you have two bodies in which, you are now seen as 'roudrãkãram' – 'रौद्राकारं' – the form of Rudra, just the mention of which causes the world to shake and shiver in fear.  Then you are 'ghora:' – 'ghoratarebhya:' meaning ugly and ugliest! So I have advertised to the whole world!  For such a person as you, there is also a beautifully pleasant and benign name as 'Siva', howzat?  That is because you also have such a pleasant name as well as a beautiful body and an amiable personality!"

651.  [Having spoken as the Veda Mãtã for some time, now PeriyavãL continues as himself.]  In the world of duality (which includes multiplicity), all things good and bad is all the same Easwara Swaroopa.  In our religion, we do not credit God for all good things of life and blame Satan for all evil and bad things.  One Easwara is the Samhãra Rudra and the other extreme as beneficial and pleasant Siva.  When we classify them as Ghora Murthy and Soundarya Murthy, in Ghora all things ugly, anger and evil are included.  In Soundarya all things beautiful, pleasant, peacefulness and benevolent are included.  Looking at the ways of the world it seems bad and ugly seem to proliferate and dominate.  When it goes to the extreme often some event happens or some individual of sterling character comes up to re-introduce balance.  The removal of off-setting influence is called ghora-samhãram.  But instead of it being out and out evil, often some civil, urbane, nice thing happens or welcome change takes place like the medicine for illness.  That this world should be the drama stage, in which good and evil will have to balance out each other, seems to be the way God wills it to be!  We can presume that the ugly and unpleasant aspect is meant to remain dominant with a slight edge.  Then only our minds will think of ways and means to get out of our involvement in it and at least some times think of what is beyond!  None of us know clearly as to what is the purpose of existence.  That is why I said that we can presume.  We can also presume that it cannot be God's intention that only the bad and evil is to be overly predominant all the time.  Once we accept variety and blend, how can it be all bad?  Then as illness is treated by medicines, for the Ghora world, it is the Sivã medicine prescribed, that is 'so already written'!  But this Sivã medicine does not make the world all good, fair and nice.  It just cannot be so!  The world cannot be all good, everywhere all of the time.  Such is the very warp and weft of how this world has been woven!  You are hungry.  You eat food.  Then after some time again when you are hungry, again you have to eat!  So is the cycle of birth and death and evil and good, which have to alternate.   So, often for the ghora disease, you have to have the medicine that Sivam makes, known as Sivã!

652.  "My dear Sir, your 'Roudra sareeram' – 'horrendous body' has been made into amiable Siva by the medicine known as Sivã. 

For the Paramãtma who is the root material for all bodies, within that is the altruistic benevolence of motherhood.  It is that Sivã which has cooled your ferociousness of 'Roudram' into Sivam, says the Sruti.  The Sruti does not stop at saying that for all our problems of inextricable involvement in the worldliness, it is AmbãL who is the medicine only.  That is, it does not stop at 'vishwa bheshaji' – 'विश्व भेषजी', meaning that it is medicine for the whole world.  In the basic stuff that comprises all the words drama stage, screens, props, cast and crew; in it all preventing the over flow of 'Roudram' by the flow of 'rudrasya bheshaji' – 'रुद्रस्य भेषजी' and compensate, also is that Sivã, the medicine and therapy!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva