DEIVATHIN KURAL # 132 (Vol # 7) Dated 12 Apr 2014

 DEIVATHIN KURAL # 132 (Vol # 7) Dated 12 Apr 2014

(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 second paragraph in page No 1017 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)

172.                  The needle of the clock does not go out and then go around it but rotates within.  One end of that needle is centred in the central point of the clock face.  That end in the centre is static and only the other end is mobile and goes around the centre.  Ãtma PradakshiNam can be considered to be like that only. Let me explain once again, the huge difference that exists between our doing it  and as it happens in the Solar System, is this self-centred rotation and going around another keeping that as the centre. The Heavenly objects are all doing both these rotation and revolution in ApradakshiNam that is anti-clockwise only.

173.                  In both spinning on their own axis and going around the Sun, what I said as Prapancha Dharmam is ApradakshiNam and that is only, 'idam varuvadu' – 'இடம் வருவது' and not 'valam varuvadu' – 'வலம் வருவது'!  There may be a big question of contradiction in the minds of listeners or readers, "As to how this man is saying that we should all be copying this Prapancha Dharmam of doing rotating on our axis and revolving around with God as the centre and then also bring in this huge difference that they are all doing it in ApradakshiNam and that we should be doing it in PradakshiNam?  Our heads are reeling like the celestial objects!"

174.                  Yes, We must go with the Prapancha Dharmam but that is not the end of it.  The Tamil proverb says, 'oorodu otti vãzh' – 'ஊரோடு ஒட்டி வாழ்', meaning 'live as closely with others as possible',  very similar in meaning to the English proverb which says, 'When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do'!  But, doing so, we must raise ourselves above all that, to the level beyond Dharma and Adharma.  Go with the rest and then go beyond, rising above the common lot!  Combining all this only, I think this Rule of PradakshiNam has been levied on us.  To copy Prapancha Dharma is to spin on one's own axis and revolve around the centre in our orbit.  Then, 'to do it in the opposite direction', is the idea of going beyond!  Hence this rule of PradakshiNam is required of us.  We being sentient must do differently to what the insentient masses of planets do, isn't it?  To move like that showing our right to that Omniscience also means keeping it on our right, isn't it?  The aim is to end our perambulations in it and that is the purpose of doing PradakshiNam!

175.                  The influence of Shakti on inert and insentient matter is seen as dynamic movements, shine and sheen, becoming beauty, exotic forms and colours, and miracles of nature.  Still, the completeness of it all lies in the stillness of peacefulness, isn't it?  The MãNdookya Upanishad says, 'Shãntam, Shivam, Adwaitam' – 'शान्तं, शिवं, अद्वैतम्'.  That counterpart of Shakti known as Shivam is on the right side, isn't it?  So we should be moving towards that side only.  Movement is the influence of Shakti, which should culminate in Shivam and so we should be moving towards the right from the left.  That is how the concept of PradakshiNam may be interpreted and understood. 

176.                  When you run with the world, life will be over with only worldly experiences, without the slightest bit of understanding and comprehending the meaning and mysteries of existence!  There will be no chance for experiencing the Ãtma, that is, Ãtma Anubhava.  But if you go with the worldly ways and thereby cancel out your Karma balances, through that you should find the ways of crossing it.  That is the principle of PradakshiNam which bridges the gap between the insentient world and the sentient being.  I said running with the Prapancha Reeti.  If you observe the running race, you may notice that they are running in the ApradakshiNam, from right to left.  There the job is that of physical power only, isn't it?  So there, man repeats or copies the planets movement in their orbits.  As long as there is physical effort Prapancha Dharma applies.  To do differently will affect the physical body adversely.  Inside the spires of the temples the spiral stair-case will be seen to be twisting in the ApradakshiNam only.  Even foreigners are surprised at the deep understanding and scientific knowledge of our ancient fore-fathers.

The Namaskãram Done after PradakshiNam

177.                  After doing the PradakshiNam we have to go down and do Namaskãra that is called, PradakshiNa Namaskãram.  There is a rule for that as to which direction should be faced.  For the Swami Sannidy facing east or west, the Namaskãra is to be done facing north.  For Swami Sannidy facing north or south, the Namaskãra is to be done facing east.  So the Namaskãra is always facing north or east and never facing south or west, which are to be avoided even when doing Namaskãra to elders.

178.                  One important point in this.  Normally inside a temple premises there will be one main Devata known as Moolavar and many other Sannidies for many other Devatas facing every which direction.  So, we are not to do Sãshtãnga or Panchãnga Namaskãrãs in all those places, for two reasons.  One is that it may be inconvenient to other devotees visiting the temple.  Secondly and more importantly, though God is everywhere, having come to a temple where we have installed various Murthys in different Sannidies, doing Namaskãra to one Swami may mean extending one's legs towards another Sannidy in that direction.  That is not to be done.  So the answer is that in all those places we are to do only Anjali.  Then coming to the Flag-Mast of the temple known as 'Dwaja Sthambam' – 'द्वज स्थम्बं', we are to do Namaskãra to the Moolavar from the side facing the direction of east or north.  That will be as good as having done Namaskãra individually to each of the Murthys.  This is similar to pouring water in the roots, which reaches all the branches of a tree.  But within the temple, if there is a Sannidy with its own separate Dwaja Sthambam, as normally Amman Sannidies are so organized, there will be nothing wrong in doing a Namaskãra there.

179.                  Another important matter.  PradakshiNam is supposed to be done very slowly, as slowly as what a fully pregnant woman will have to do when she is also carrying a vessel containing oil to the brim, ensuring that it does not spill!  That is how carefully one has to do this PradakshiNam, step by step.  Only then the mind can be kept on the one thought of the divine.  If we walk fast, the mind will also run in every which direction.  This is one reason.  Another reason is what I have already told you, that in the movement of Shakti we have to bring in the Shãntam of Shivam.  Thus in the movement of PradakshiNam we have to correlate the absolute sense of being at peace.   I said that contrary to the movement of the insentient planets in ApradakshiNam we have to do the opposite PradakshiNam.  Similarly contrary to their tearing hurry of rotation and revolution, we have to do it very slowly.

Rules of Sãstrãs beyond Human Intellect and Comprehension

180.                  These explanations are all only secondary.  Our ancient forefathers have given us the rules of the Sãstrãs, which are very much beyond human intellect and comprehension that cannot be brought into our experience on our own effort.  They have experimented, found the truth and recorded their experiences for the sake of posterity, out of their extreme kind heartedness, so that we may also try and experience the truths of the inner world.  If we were to try on our own, mostly they will prove to be only exercises in futility.  Their aim was the noble one of, 'yãm pertra péru peruga ivvaiyagam' – 'யாம் பெற்ற பேறு பெறுக இவ்வையகம்', meaning that "Let the world also enjoy and experience the immensely great experience that we have had by divine grace!"

181.                  So they told us, "Do that going around, but do it going from the left to the right and do it slowly, very slowly", in our best interest only.  Whatever is said in our Sãstrãs are with such noble intentions only.  We do not have to look for reasons and logic.  What is required is just implicit obedience.  Just because we have brains, we tend to question even the simple instructions and people like me keep justifying, to the extent we know.  If you wish to question their motive and want proof of their good intentions, the biggest proof is the fact that unlike any other country anywhere else, this very Indian Sub-Continent has produced so many Gnãnis from generation to generation; because they followed the instructions and advices of the elders without questioning them.  Not only that we have produced so many Saints and Gnãnis, the general population of this country have also lived a pleasant life sans upheavals, riots and revolutions for thousands of years with apparent love and mutual respect and not cribbing and cursing!  From the time we started questioning our own ancestors and their directions through the Sãstrãs, started our down fall, which we are practically seeing every day!

182.                  On the subject of PradakshiNam, as a prelude to Namaskãra, of just be lying as we are where we are; I have done a huge PradakshiNam covering a lot of areas. Starting from Shakti that is the power of action and mobility, to end in Shãntam is this PradakshiNam, at the end of which is this Namaskãram.  All said and done, the matter rests here.  A bodily action meant to exhibit a mental attitude, when practised and perfected over generations, gets the inner strength, like the pure carbon gets over years of being impacted by the weight of the mass of earth over it and becomes the very strong diamond.  So, if we also keep that attitude or 'mano bhãva' – 'मनो भाव' in our minds while doing that action of PradakshiNam and Namaskãram, this very act of going down on the ground will raise us to the pinnacles of Vinaya Bhãva surely.

The Greatness of Vinaya

183.                  In our ancient tradition this quality of 'Vinaya' – 'विनय' aka humbleness aka 'PaNivu' – 'பணிவு' has been given an exalted place.  Status, wealth, knowledge, beauty and all other things much admired in others; have all got one big hazard and that is what is known as conceitedness.  Most importantly the fall is greater when we get the feeling that we know too much!  Such people will make a joke of anything and flippantly decry and ridicule anything and or anybody.  If such knowledge is tightly entwined with Vinaya, one can avoid all the pit-falls of conceit.  This is what is repeatedly underlined by our Sãstrãs that, high education must go hand in hand with absolute humility as otherwise, all education is sheer waste!  In Bhagawat Gita (5.18) also Sri Krishna has combined these two essential qualities required together as 'Vidya Vinaya sampanna' – 'विद्या विनय संपन्न'.  Easwara Krupa or God's Grace accrues only where there is humility.  As a means of accumulating that quality we should do Namaskãra on as many occasions as possible.  In the olden times elders used to teach the youngsters that they should go searching for elders and do Namaskãra to them.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva