DEIVATHIN KURAL # 150 (Vol # 6) Dated 02 Apr 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 1028 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)

"ஸர்வ ஸமர்ப்பணம்"

Total Submission or Surrender

693.  In between my explanations, I spoke about AmbãL surrendering her heart, soul and body to Swami as 'Easwara ArpaNam'.  The same way as total submission of our all is described in the next sloka No 27:-

जपो जल्प: शिल्पं सकलमपि मुद्राविरचना

japojalpa: shilpam sakalamapi mudrãvirachana

गति: प्रादक्षिण्यक्रमणं अशनाध्याहुति विधि: |

gati: prãdakshiNyakramaNam ashanãdhyahuti vidhi: | 

प्रणाम: संवेश: सुखमखिलमात्मार्पणदृशा

praNãma: samvesha: sukhamakhilamãtmãrpaNadrusa

सपर्यपर्यास्तव भवतु यन्मे विलसितं ||     

Saparyaparyãstava bhavatu yanme vilasitam ||

694.  In a nutshell the message of the poem is that all our actions should be done with the clarity that they are an offering to AmbãL in total submission and obeisance.  Pooja, Japa, showing of mudras by the fingers of the hand, going around the statue of the deity in circumambulation from the left in 'pradakshinam', doing Namaskãra, chanting the mantras offering oblations in the fire of Yagna are some of the actions performed by Devi Upãsakãs, isn't it?  They are all things to be done alright.  But these things have a time limit, done for some time, may be once a week or may be daily and then a person gets involved in the worldly affairs of earning a living and in satisfying the demands of the senses!  We should change this routine.  Instead of some time for AmbãL and rest of the time for oneself, all our time, attention and resources should be devoted in her service!  Not only the Devi Upãsakãs, but we should all be doing so!

695.  "How can it be done Sir?  Don't we have to do our daily ablutions?  Don't we have to have our food, rest, sleep, talking with friends and relatives, visit people, go to office, make purchases, and have some time for entertainment and such things, isn't it?  Even those who are known as Maha Gnãni have to do all this, isn't it?"  Yes, by all means, in her Leela of this worldly life, we all have to have all these activities.  The difference lies in the fact that those Maha Gnãni-s are absolutely clear in their minds that, this worldly life is part of the drama of Her Leela.  You also try to become like them.  You may not be able to reach their state at once.  But by persevering over time such attitude and behaviour can be inculcated.  For the present bring to your mind the idea that all our actions of bathing, eating, speaking, sleeping, walking and even breathing is all done by her power.  Without her power we cannot move even a finger. 

696.  Often keep reminding yourself of this fact and keep developing it!  When you think that we are eating with the power given by her, we will not be eating unnecessary and harmful materials.  AmbãL gives us the power to walk as a thought, will keep us away from race-course and gambling casinos.  If we remind ourselves that we talk by the power given by AmbãL, we will not get involved in gossip, curses and unnecessary discussions.  The thought that our hands and legs move by her power, will deter us from wrong actions.  Such thinking will gradually enable us to control our thoughts too.  Instead of us doing things we will learn to be an agent in her hands.  Finally we will know that all the aberrations in our behaviour are due to lack of control over our minds.  Though we may not attain to the Lakshya of 'Mano Nãsa' as the aim to be achieved, it is enough to train ourselves to gradually leave it to her dictates.  Then all our speech, actions and thoughts will be in AmbãL's service!  Whether she makes us speak or do whatever actions or move about or not do any of these things; inwardly we will remain peacefully unconcerned!  Our ÃchãryãL has blessed us with this sloka so that we will attain to such a stage of peaceful equanimity!

697.  japojalpa: – The word 'jalpa:' means all talks, speeches, conversations and self-praise!  Let all my talks be your praise / Stuti.  Instead of only chanting some mantras as, 'Bala, Panchadasi or Shodasi'; (which are required up to certain levels of maturity is attained, as Sri Krishna says in Bhagawat Gita that 'yagnãnãm japosmi'), the Sãdhak is saying 'let whatever I speak be your Japa'!   sakalam shilpam api mudra virachana – 'Whatever actions I do with my hands be considered as the 'hasta mudras' done in your pooja.  Shilpam means all actions by the hands or all 'Kãryam' or what is said as 'kãrigari' in Hindi.  Somehow in Tamil Shilpam has come to mean only sculpture, possibly because as Brhma creates so many forms of varying shapes and sizes, man also does in Shilpam!  Instead of doing the 'pradakshina' in your temple, let all my walking anywhere be tantamount to doing systematic circumambulation of you – 'gati: prãdakshiNyakramaNam'.  At least let such a thought be in my mind!

698.  Then I eat to satisfy my hunger, isn't it?  They are called 'ashanãdi', which includes all eats and drinks consumed by the mouth; food for the eyes; food for the ears; and food for the sense of touch!  So all such foods for the senses may be taken as – 'Ãhuti vidhi:' – oblations in the Homam for you.  In fact before we consume food our custom is to offer them as 'Ãhuti' that is oblations to the five breaths of PrãNa, Apãna, Vyãna, Udhãna and Samãna; which are meant for breathing, exit from the anus, spread all over the body, raise like the hiccup and balancing pressures respectively.  In Gita Sri Krishna has confirmed that all the food that is eaten is consumed by himself as the 'Vaisvãnara' in the stomach in all living beings as 'Jãtara Agni'.  Once we have this idea clear in our minds, will we ever feed our stomach or any of the senses with avoidable and unnecessary craps? 

699.  When I lie down to sleep, that act of 'samvesha:' may be considered as 'praNãma:', that is a Namaskãra to you!  While going to sleep if we think that we are lying in the feet of AmbãL, just visualise how happily and peacefully our day will end!  Let it be so!  Why carry on extending the list?  In short, instead of doing any 'special Sãdhana of Japa, Pooja, Dhyãna and so on, whatever we may be doing – 'sukham akhilam … yanme vilasitam' – happily whatever I may be doing that is, all my actions – 'tava saparyã paryãya: bhavatu' – 'may please be considered as your Pooja!'  The word 'saparya' means pooja and the word 'paryãya:' has several meanings out of which one is substitute and one is synonym, suitably applicable here.  So the poet is saying that, 'Let all my actions be considered as your Pooja and 'in place of pooja read my actions'.  Using similar sounding words with different meanings is known as 'yamakam' – a decorative Alankãra in poetry, for example this use of 'saparyã & paryãya' immediately following each other! 

700.  When we function without any strain, comfortably, happily and naturally are all included in that one word 'sukham'.  Now, since the mind is not under our control, to guide the mind in morally acceptable and righteous paths becomes too much of a strain.  As Thãyum Ãnavar said 'எல்லாம் உன் செயலே', if we are to leave it all in the hands of AmbãL, then morality becomes natural!  To be natural is 'சௌக்கியம்' and 'सुखं'!  In the present condition, our disturbed and agitated state is what is natural to us because the mind has a thick layer of dust over it in terms of past 'karmãs and vãsanãs' and the 'sukham' derived in that state of 'unnatural nature' is fleetingly transient!   But if we hand over this mind to her that she is directing us and in her hands we are nothing but a puppet, then morality and good behaviour will become natural and give us long lasting peace and comfort, without even any awareness that we are behaving in a morally right manner!

701.  In Bhagawatam there are nine types of Bhakti described.  On top of that list is 'Ãtma Nivedanam' and that is what is recommended by Bhagawan Sri Krishna at the end of Bhagawat Gita, as total surrender and by our ÃchãryãL here in this sloka as 'सुखम अखिलम आत्मार्पणदृशा' meaning, 'the most comfortable self-surrender'!  This is the life-line for not only this sloka, but also for all religions of the world and for LIFE itself!  This phrase 'आत्मार्पणदृशा' means, 'by an attitude of self-surrender to' the Ultimate!  Then all our talks will be Japa, all actions Mudra and everything will be appropriately, perfectly and rightfully correct!  By such an attitude, 'let it be so', as he says towards the end 'भवतु यन्मे विलसितं'.  In this sloka our ÃchãryãL has made a complete video picture of such a person's life, of one who has completely surrendered his all and so has become a continuous prayer to God and a blessing!

702.  Almost same ideas and opinions have been expressed by our ÃchãryãL in similar words in another sloka in 'Siva mãnasa pooja':-

आत्मा त्वं गिरिजा मति: सहचरा: प्राणा: सरीरं गृहं

Ãtma tvam girija mati: sahacharã: prãNã: sareeram gruham

पूजा ते विषयोप भोग रचना निद्रा समाधि स्तिति: |

pooja te vishayopa bhoga rachana  nidra samadhi stiti: |

संचार: पदयो: प्रदक्षिणविधि: स्तोत्राणि सर्वा गिरो

sanchãra: padayo: pradakshina vidhi: stotrãNi sarvãgiro

यत्-यत् कर्म करोमि तत्तत्दखिलं संभो तवाराधनम् ||

yat yat karma karomi tattat akhilam sambho tavãrãdhanam ||  That means, "Siva!  You are my Ãtma, the mind is your wife Girija, the five PrãNãs are your Kinkara – your servants; my body is your temple and all my enjoyments of the senses are your pooja; my sleep is the state of Samãdhi; my movements are your pradakshinam; all my talk is your stotra; whatever I do Shambho is your Arãdhana!"

703.  So also Bhagawan Sri Krishna says in the Gita, "Whatever you do whatever you eat, all your offerings in Yagna and Tapasya; surrender them all unto me!"   

यत् करोषि यत् अश्नासि यत् जुहोषि तदासि यत् |

yat karoshi yat ashnãsi yat juhoshi tadãsi yat |

यत्तपस्यसि कोउन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ||

yattapasyasi kounteya tatkurushva madarpaNam ||  Pattinaththãr says, 'என் செயலால் ஆவது யாது ஒன்றுமில்லை' and MaNikka Vãsagar says, 'நன்றே செய்வாய், பிழை செய்வாய் நானோ இதற்கு நாயகமே'.  The Nãyanmãrs, Ãzhvãrs and many other luminaries of other religions too have spoken in similar tones about the principle of 'total surrender'.  Interestingly the Islam as a religion also strongly advocates the same theme for its followers!  In the path of Gnãna, the final stage is 'Mano Nãsa' and the same becomes 'SaraNãgati' in the path of Bhakti.  Both have the same end effect, the pleasure of 'Moksha Ãnandam' while still alive and living known as 'Jivan Mukti'!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva