DEIVATHIN KURAL # 43 (Vol # 7) Dated 25 Sept 2013

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 43 (Vol # 7) Dated 25 Sept 2013

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavãL 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 middle of page No 369 of Volume 7 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 continually)

420.        How is that food the first link in the chain of six elements produced?  It is by rain.  All the unmoving life forms of nature of trees, creepers and plants are known as 'sthavara' – 'स्थावर' in Sanskrit.  We make use of their leaves, flowers, grains and fruits as food.  We are not talking about the mobile animals here, whose flesh is also eaten by man.  Animals are known as 'jangama' – 'जङ्गम' in Sanskrit.  Anyhow they also grow with the input of water available from rain. How is rain formed?  As said earlier as per the orders of the Emperor of the Universe, his officers or agents being the natural forces, the celestials known as Devas forming part of the entire system of Nature, work in cohesion.  So, we are to care more for others and not be too greedy and selfish, offer our best to God through oblations in fire, with the intention of welfare of all the people of the world.  By this sacrifice the celestials are pleased and in turn they do many things for the well-being of the people of the world at large.  Especially they cause the rain-fall that does the major contribution in producing food for the masses.  So the third link is 'rain from Yãga'.

421.        How did this Yãga come about?  The intention of Yãga or Sacrifice being in one's heart and mind, they take the shape of actions as Yãga and Yagnya with Mantras, making up the fourth link in the chain 'Yãga from Karma'.  If your next questions is as to from where those actions which become powerful by Mantras arose, the answer is that, they are from the Vedas.  Thus Sri Krishna connects the fifth link in the chain as, 'Karma from the Vedas'.  Now, how did the Vedas come about?  Vedas have no coming into being and vanishing or destruction.  They are for ever, the very breath of God, inalienably Him.  So the sixth part of the link in the chain, as Sri Krishna says is, 'Vedas from God'!  Thus through the chain of Cause and Effect he connects human beings with God, in three slokas 14 to 16 of Chapter 3 of Bhagawat Gita, completing the chain of six links!

422.        Still continuing his advice further, Sri Krishna says that as far as the human being is concerned, the Vedas are centred in Yãga that is, his intention of 'Thyaga' in the form of action as Karma.  Here it becomes clear that, we should live with the minimum of possessions and properties cutting down on the needs and our expenditure so as to be able to sacrifice for the sake of others      , is the Dharma as directed by God!  It is clear that Bhagawan Sri Krishna wishes to underline and emphasise the importance of this attitude of Thyaga from the fact that this link 'Yãga / Yagnya' which is the third link in the chain is repeated at the end his talk about the wheel of Dharma.  He also warns that, forsaking and ignoring this Order of Dharma Chakra, those who live for only for selfish ends, personal gratification and wastefully overuse materials; would have wasted a lifetime in sin!

423.        In Tamil there is this ThirukkuraL by ThiruvaLLuvar which is like Dharma Sãstrãs in Sanskrit.  In the first chapter he refers to God as 'aravãzhi andaNan' – 'அறவாழி அந்தணன்'.  Here this phrase could be interpreted as 'the God holding the Dharma Chakram'.  May God grant us that if not now at least in the near future, He may make us leave our tendency to be too selfish and open our eyes to cut down on accumulations and undertake a life of Thyaga and helping the world with all our vigour and enterprise.  The political freedom we have thus got, by God's Grace may thus be useful for us to imbibe Dharma and live with in minimum means to pull ourselves above the flimsy pleasures of life to aspire for the great pleasure of refuge in God!

Prayer for the Nation and Individual's Real Freedom

424.        For long this country has persevered for attaining freedom.  By God's Grace and blessings of great Mahatmas of our land, and people's incomparable level of sacrifice this Independence has been achieved.  Let us pray that by this independence, our country may flourish, be rid of scarcities, social unrests, religion and caste based conflicts and become lovingly caring for each other and live as one Indian Society, for which the omnipresent God may bless us!  With the nation's attainment of freedom, let us also persevere for our individual freedom.  Only when we get to know ourselves completely we can consider ourselves to be free.  Contrary to such a state, as of now, neither our minds nor our senses are under our control.   We are not able to control our anger and desires.  Both of them are pestering us always.  We never think of the golden mien of saying, 'enough' of anything.  The sadness of life still has us in its grip.  Even small inconvenience or sorrow disturbs us immensely.  How are we to reach the shore of such ocean of sorrow and sadness? 

425.        Our mind has to come under our control.  For long it has been under nobody's control going every which way.  To control our minds, we have to start making some effort at least in a small way.  If and when this mind comes under our control, that will be the real and complete freedom.  Every day at least for a few minutes keeping our minds peaceful, we should train ourselves to dwell in meditating on God, without any other thought.  Practice makes us perfect.  By doing Dhyãna, over time the mind gets clear.  This is an ideal means of controlling ones anger and desire.  For a person who takes to this habit, steadily step by step this Sãdhana will make Ãtma Gnãna a possibility.  That is real freedom from all debilities and compulsions. 

426.        Others' women should be considered and treated as one's own mother.  Other's life should be considered as one's own.  Even at the cost of death one should speak only the truth.  Gossip and social conflicts and class conflicts should be completely abhorred.  Equal love should be evinced with all.  Everyone should wish for all humanity's welfare and well-being.  Everyone should work for his own increase of knowledge and personal progress.  For all this we should be praying to God to grant us the mind, the right attitude and power.  Like the ancient India the present Independent India should also shine as an ideal for high sense of Thyaga and be a direction pointer for all the people of the world.  With that prayer and well wishes I greet you all in this occasion!

(Deivathin Kural will continue.)

Sambhomahadeva