DEIVATHIN KURAL # 147 (Vol # 6) Dated 26 Mar 2013

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 147 (Vol # 6) Dated 26 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 the second paragraph on page No 1007 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)

663.  The ear known in Sanskrit as 'srotram' – 'श्रोत्रं', with its ability to hear has more value than the other sensory organs in that, it is the organ that can tune in to the sound waves generated by the 'Ãkãsa Tatva' – 'आकाश तत्व', which is the highest and the finest of the five basic elements known as 'pancha bhoota' – 'पञ्च भूत'!  The whole lot of the Vedas were thus received and grasped by the ears and hence obtained the name 'Sruti'.  The Upadesa-s from the Guru are heard by the disciple through the ears only.  Though AmbãL is Guru SwaroopiNi, all the Vedas and Agamas and Mantras, were heard by her as the disciple, as told to her by Easwara.  More than anything else our prayers, stotras and pleadings have to be heard by her ears isn't it?

664.  May be for these reasons, our ÃchãryãL has much devotion for her 'Thãtangam-s', the ornament for her ears.  For our AmbãL known as 'Sarva MangaLa' it is the auspicious sign.  They are both the Sun and the Moon as given in Lalitha Sahasranãma – 'thãtanga yugaLee bhootha tapanodupa mandala' – 'ताटङ्ग युगली भूत तपनोडुप मण्डला'.  In this Soundarya Lahari itself our ÃchãryãL has described AmbãL's bosoms which feed us with the milk of human kindness as the Sun and the Moon (ref sloka No 34).  So on the one hand, her 'Tãtangam' is the sign of her 'Sowmãngalyatvam' as the wife of Parameswara and for us her children, her breasts are indication of her 'Vãtsalyam', the love of the mother for the children!  That is why when in Jambukeswaram Akhilãndeswari's power was too intolerably fierce for the populace, our ÃchãryãL deliberated on installing the Sri Chakra there and thought of pulling in all the extra energies in to it.  But later he decided to make the Sri Chakra in the form of a pair of 'Thãtangam' and installed them in her ears.  In Kanchipuram, said to be the centre point of the Prithvi Kshetram, when similarly the power of AmbãL Kãmãkshi was unbearably extreme, in front of her on the ground itself the Sri Chakra was installed – in the Prithvi – towards the end of his life.  Jambukeswaram is 'Appu' Kshetram that is, the Water place.   How can you install the Yantra in water?  May be under the Kaveri River?  Similarly of course you cannot do it in 'Teyu, Vãyu or Ãkãsa that is, fire / air / space either!  As it can be done on earth as the basis, this was done on Earth in Kanchipuram!   

665.  Do you know what he did in Jambukeswara?  He intended that more than the flow of water in the river, her auspicious Saiva Chittam should abundantly flow and her Vãtsalyam for her children should inundate them.  As the 'ताटङ्गम्' was the common sign of both her fidelity for her husband and love for her children, he made the 'Ear Studs' in the shape of Sri Chakra and made her wear it as an ornament – a Yantra as well as an ÃbharaN!  The way this Soundarya Lahari is informing us of the esoteric principles as a Tattva Sãstrã and reveals the beauty of AmbãL as a literary work of art; those two 'ताटङ्गम्' are providing guidance to people as pieces of Tatva Sãstrãs and are beautifying the beauty of AmbãL as ornaments!

666.  They are said to be 'Sri Chakra / Siva Chakra' 'ताटङ्ग' – Ear Studs.  In the Sri Chakra itself out of the nine 'ÃvaraNa', that is, concentric circles, four are said to be 'Siva Chakras' and balance are that of AmbãL.  In our stotra of Soundarya Lahari itself, in Sloka No 11, there is this statement, 'chathurbhi: sri kantai: siva yuvathibhi: panchabhirapi' – 'चथुर्भि: श्री कण्ठै: शिवयुवथिभिः पञ्चभिरपि', in which this above fact of Sri Chakra / Siva Chakra' have been mentioned.  Here, that Swami has been referred as 'Sri Kantan' and AmbãL as 'Siva Yuvathi', is so beautifully and logically meshing with the ideas in the 'Thatanga Mahima' sloka. 'Sri Kantan' is the same as 'Neela Kantan' as, Sri is also a name for poison; and so is the one who survives and thrives even after swallowing the 'Kãlakoota' poison. 'Siva Yuvathi' is the nubile young bride of Siva indicative of her marital status, eternal 'Sowmangalyatvam' and Siva-like nature of pleasant and amiable disposition.

667.  Vedas called her 'Rudrasya Bheshaji', meaning the medicine for the ferociousness of Rudra.  By the time our ÃchãryãL came on the scene, her appeasing power itself was intolerable for the people of the world.  Not that she had become fierce but people in the age of Kali had lesser tolerance levels to withstand the potency and efficacy of the 'Rudrasya Bheshaji'!  When you are physically weak due to illness, even normal food becomes heavy and you are given gruel to drink isn't it? Similarly, AmbãL's normal power had to be diluted for the people of the world to bear. So, our ÃchãryãL concentrated the extra energies in the 'Thãtangam-s' and offered them as ornaments for her to wear in her ears.  In the episode of consuming poison by Siva, she changed the dangerous poison into a necklace for him to wear and here our ÃchãryãL diluted her benign potency and gave her as an ornament to wear, as it was too much for the people of the world to bear, due to their weakened state of constitution in Kali Yuga!

668.  Instead of making some sign or symbol like the 'Logo' for various commercial firms that they adopt; symbols like Sri Chakra were arrived at, based on what was deeply felt, especially by great Mahatmas or Rishis.  In such cases the Symbol bears a contributory power to the base root principle.  If the symbol is adversely affected there is a negative effect on the root original, isn't it?  Take for example the 'यज्ञोपवीतं' or what is known as 'பூணூல்' in Tamil, is sanctified enabling one wearing it to be able to do the daily rituals with self-discipline,  good attitude and acceptable behaviour.  At times even when that symbolic 'PooNool' gets cut accidentally one feels as though something bad is likely to happen.  Let alone symbols made by Mahatmas and Rishis, even such things as a National Flag whose honour is deeply etched in the minds of a majority of people happens to be cut or torn, it seems to cause some national calamity or external threat to the Nation, isn't it?  That is why they have enacted laws for people not to cause any harm or display disrespect to the National Flag and Constitution failing which one will be punished severely!  Bible is only a symbol and a small book.  But as it is believed that it has the power to motivate the office bearers to adopt the morally right attitude for sensible governance, that even the President in U.S of A., is required to hold it in his hands while taking the Oath of Office!  (With a laughter and smile PeriyavãL makes the next point!)  It is a dubious question, if we believers in religion have the same respect and awesome regard for our religious symbols; that the agnostics of political parties in South India have for the Black / Red & Black colours that they have in their flags and borders of Saris and Dhotis that they wear!   

669.  The point I wished to make was about how the sign or symbol, can add to the original factor it symbolises both positively and negatively! Greater value and power can be added by the Bhava of belief, respect and regard.  This matter of 'தாலி' and 'தோடு' aka Thãtangam is also like that only.  That is, not only when the husband is dead that the symbol has to be removed; the husband may not have been hurt at all, let alone died if the 'தாலி' and 'தோடு' had not been removed or treated with scant regard!  That is, in an inanimate thing you put life and trust with deep sincere Bhava, that it gets a life of its own and gets animated! 

670.  At the time of her marriage, AmbãL must have been christened as a 'Sumangali' and given her 'தாலி' and 'தோடு' to wear.  Both Swami and AmbãL would have thought of it as a symbol of her 'Sowmangalyatvam' and his continued wellbeing.  Then just imagine how much intrinsic value and power that 'தாலி' and 'தோடு' would have gained.  If for Easwara AmbãL is the protection for life, that Thãtangam would have been the protector of her 'Sowmangalyatvam'!  That mantra-yantra-ornament would have been animated to ensure her that protection with assurance!  So it will never come down or give up ever its appointed role!  When it is so adamantly and persistently effective, there can be no harm for Swami by poison or floods or fire.  That is the power of her 'ताटङ्ग महिमा', our ÃchãryãL is talking about!  But, ultimately all the Mahima, power and Shakti; is all hers only.  Any and every item in existence gets its value, power and effectiveness by the power of the Ultimate only!  That is what Sri Krishna Paramãtma says in Bhagawat Gita (Ch. X. 41) that whatever has any greatness, value or Mahima, it has come about as a fractional part of my inherent worth – 'mama tejomsa sambhavam' – 'मम तेजोम्स संभवं'.  So also our ÃchãryãL has pointed out as, 'It is all Yours, Amma!', when he says, 'तव जननि ताटङ्ग महिमा'! 

விஷ்ணுவை விட்டது ஏன்?

Why was VishNu Left Out?

671.  Brhma, Indra and all the inhabitants of the Deva Loka are destroyed – 'vipadhyante vishwe vidhi shata makhadhya divishadha:' – 'विपध्यन्ते विश्वे विधिशतमखाध्या दिविस्द:' says sloka No 28 of Soundarya Lahari.  Here 'vidhi' means the one who creates and sets the rules – Brhma and 'shatamakha' is Indra who has done 100 Ashwa-Medha Yagas.  Thus here VishNu has not been mentioned!  Earlier he included Vishnu to this list as those who are prostrating in the feet of AmbãL as 'mukunda-brhma-indra', and left out Rudra.  Then where he talks about all the divine being getting destroyed in Maha Samhãra in the Sloka No 26, he included VishNu, when he says, 'hari: ãpnoti viratim' – 'हरिराप्नोति विरतिं'.  Is it that VishNu being the brother of AmbãL the poet does not wish to repeatedly say that he meets death?

672.  Here the talk is about all the divine beings who partook Amrita, 'sudhãmapyãswãdhya….divishada:' – 'सुधामप्यास्वाध्य.... दिविषशदः' meaning that 'even the divine beings who partook Amrita died'. In fact there is no end to Maha Vishnu's contribution in that episode of churning the Ocean of Amrita Sudhã!  First, he was the one to advice the Devas to churn the ocean to get the Amrita.  Then he helped in the process of churning by pulling the rope Vãsuki.  Then when the Mandara hill slipped and was about to fall into the ocean, he took the Koorma Avatara and held the mountain in place!  Then he took another Avatara as Dhanvantari, the Doctor and brought the Nectar in Amrita Kalasa.  Then he took one more Avatara as Mohini to distract the Asuras and serve the Amrita only to the divine beings!  The very fact that he was the one to serve Amrita to the Devas means that he was not seated with those feasting!  So he was not one of those who consumed Amrita and hence his name has not been included here.

673.  Since AmbãL is a 'Nitya Sumangali', Easwara's name is not included amongst those who had to die.  Rudra, Sadasiva, and Kãmeswara all being different forms of the same Easwara none of them are included.  Siva whose name means 'Mangalam and Shubham' is also saved since AmbãL's Sumangalitvam is eternal, in which ÃchãryãL is so keen about!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva