1-06WhyNeedSwamy

By Periyava

Translation: Veeraswamy Krishnaraj

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ஸ்வாமி எதற்கு? அத்வைத அமைதிக்கே! : தெய்வத்தின் குரல் (முதல் பகுதி)1-06

The Āsthikars (Theists or Believers) declare there must be a God to create and maintain this universe. Every deed generates a fruit. God looks at every deed and dispenses a fruit, according to the believers.  A question may be raised, “So what? Why should we have Bakthi (devotion) to him? Did he ask us to be created? Because he created us, we suffer miseries. Why should we have devotion to him?” That may be an objection.

 “He is capable of giving relief from difficulties. Therefore, be devoted to him.” That is what the theists say. Others may raise an objection. “Only by devotion to him, he will administer relief: That Swamy as you say is not an ocean of mercy.” May it be said of God. You say he dispenses just fruits for different deeds. You may ask, “When he dispenses hardship as punishment for our sins, can we supplicate him to change the outcome?”

Mahāṉ Nīlakaṇḍa Dīkṣithar in his ‘Āṉantha Sāgara Sthavam (Ocean of Ecstatic Panegyric of God) answers this question. ‘Ammā Mīṉākṣi, nothing need to be said to you. You know everything. If the hardships are not voiced to you, the mind is wounded. When uttered, temporary comfort and surging enthusiasm are felt. Though you know all, I bring forward to you my deficiencies.’

No on desists from telling their hardships. Just expressing them brings relief and peace of mind. Instead of telling to unknown people not knowing their reaction, you are better off telling them to God. He may bring relief from your sorrows without supplication. He may give us hardships for our sins or give us beneficial rewards for our merits. He may determine to administer punishment for the sins. He may give us the maturity to undergo hardships. As all these variables are possible, supplication to him gives us certain amount of mental peace.

But, saying I am a devotee of God is not for the removal of hardships. It does not say we should express gratitude to God for giving us a happy life. It is like saying, ‘the planter of the tree must water the plant.’ Our creator must give us a good life! The objection would be why there should be a gratitude (to God, since he must care for his creations).

I am not talking about Bakthi in that vein.  Why am I talking about it?  Sorrows and happiness oscillate the mind. Absence of oscillations is true bliss. Other joys are not permanent. When we are inert in Deep Sleep, there is no misery or happiness. But, there is no awareness of bliss or peace during deep sleep. There should not be any mental waves or oscillations. We should have full knowledge of our remaining in peace.  Once that state is attained, nothing binds us. Rising bubbles of thoughts make us different from Paramātma: Paramātma-Jīvātmā Divide. With the cessation of thoughts, the Bheda-buddhi (consciousness of difference) will vanish.  We will remain in Advaitam, a state of absolute non-difference from Paramātma without oscillations of the mind. When we bring the mind to a standstill in pursuing tranquillity and peace, the fruit thereof is one of expansive Advaitic experience. To reach that state, continual meditation on God is essential. When we meditate on an object continually, that we become. There is scientific proof to support it. Swamy is the target and the ideal for tranquillity and bliss in this model.

Swamy remains tranquil with no slackness of mind and with all the multiplicity of activities in the universe: the conduct of the affairs of the universe, supervision, disbursing benefits… Iṣvarā’s other name is Stāṇu (log, tree). It is a living tree but appears lifeless or without self-awareness. It is Kaṭṭai Maram (insensate log of a tree) and Paṭṭa Kaṭṭai (insensate log). Ambal is the vine that spirals around the tree. That vine is Aparṇā, meaning a vine without leaves. The vine-Parāśakti is living and yet with no turbulence of feeling (quietude). She envelopes the Supreme God apparently with no feeling. To think of Swamy is to associate him in our mind with Jñāṉam and Sāntham (Wisdom and serenity), Meditations on Swamy regularly help us attain wisdom and serenity in our mind. Remembrance of him in Bakthi is essential.

We go to Swamy for removal of sorrows. Or we express gratitude for giving us prosperity. As thoughts of him become stronger, the mind will be released from ‘The Hardship-Prosperity’ paradigm.  Whichever way he treats us, let him do it. Leave the burden on him. The mental attitude of Viśrānti (Rest, repose, relaxation) will take place. A sense of bliss and tranquillity will spread on the mind. This will take us to the state of Amarars (Deities), which is laying a path leading from the relentless world of deficiency to a changeless perfection.

By Self-enquiry, Dhyāṉam, and Yogam, we make our mind an insensate log (பட்ட கட்டை; ablation of the mind) and remain in perfection. That is the truth. You may ask me why I made no mention of these spiritual pursuits but extol Bakthi. Srī Ādhi Sakara Bhagavatpāthāḷ calls Mōkṣa as inaction and annihilation of thoughtunder these conditions, Bakthi is absent too.  Earlier, I told you to practice Bakthi. Even Acharya recommended Bakthi among the paths for Mōkṣa; the path of Bakthi is the greatest. As I cogitate about its feasibility for me, Acharya gives a new definition for Bakthi. He says, ‘Delving deep into the true state of one’s own Ātmā and remaining immersed in it are Bakthi. The Bakthi as explained by Acharya appears as Ātma Vichāram, Dhyāṉam, and Yogam.  The meaning I gave earlier makes it appear that Swamy was alien to us, and the love we express to him is Bakthi itself.  Love as Bakthi does not portray Bakthi.

OK, though Acharya defined Bakthi as such, he instituted in his Mutt Chandramoulīsvarar Pūjai. Though he said that formless Ātmā Tattva as the ultimate aim, he established ritual worship services and earned the title, ‘Ṣaṇmatha Sthāpakar.’ (six Religion Founder or Organizer) Going from Kṣētra to Kṣētra, he performed stōttiram (Panegyric, Praise of the Deity) of multiple deities. Looking at all these, Acharyas had approved the traditionally professed Bakthi.

Jñāṉa is the highest form. Ātmā Vichāram (self-enquiry), Dhyanam, and Yogam are high. Bakthi, Puja, and Kṣētrātanam are a notch lower than the former. Bakthi, Puja, and pilgrimage are still lower. Below Bakthi are Ācārams (the many forms of orthodoxy), Aṉuṣtāṉam (observance of religious austerities), and Vaidik Karmas. This is the consensus. In the modern times among the educated, this opinion is prevalent. Rituals are all superstition. Bakthi is sentimental. Meditation (Dhyāna), Yoga, and Self-inquiry are the spiritual paths, according to the prevalent opinion.

Although Ācārya established Advaita characterized by immersion in Ātmā Sorūpam, inaction and absent thought propagation, and promulgated Jñāṉa Mārga, he endorsed the mind-driven Bakthi and activity-based Vaidik Karmānuṣṭāṉams (observation of religious austerities).  His reason is all of us caught in worldly affairs have ever turning wheels of the mind. It does not stop even for a moment. Failure is the result in any attempt to stop the mind, thought, and action. Our passions, hates, unhappiness, happiness… assault and put us in trouble. Besides, we are always making plans after plans.   For practical purposes, there is no way to stop or suspend the activity of the mind and dissolve in Ātmā. This lysis of the mind in ātmā is next to impossible to attain.

Past life Karma is the reason why we are unable to stop Citta (thought and will). We were engaged in commissions, omissions, and sins over many births. Until there is a complete resolution of the sins, we will not attain Supreme Bliss. After Īśvara, the Dispenser of fruits of sin (and merit) having given punishment for our sins and bringing them to a zero sum, we can obtain the everlasting Supreme Bliss. Īśvara gives us birth with compassion, so we can resolve and expunge the sins from previous lives. What do we do?  Instead of expunging the old sins with the help of new merits, we do more sins and make the Karmic bag much bigger. Acharya promulgated Karma and Bakthi as supplements to Jñāṉam.

Sins are twofold: Pāpa Karma by body and Pāpa Karma by mind and thought. For the latter, meritorious acts must be performed. To eliminate sinful thoughts, meritorious thoughts must grow in strength.

What is Puṇya Karma (Virtuous deed)? Everyone is subject to reward according to his deeds, as mentioned in Vedas. Veda dharma divided the society into four divisions of labor and established the vocation of each division, their internal laws, and conventional observances. When member of each division observes the code of behavior, and perform their vocation, that translates into virtuous acts. How does an act become Pāpam (Sin)?  We want to achieve our goal, based on our desire. When we execute that act with unethical and criminal intent and attain it by any means, the deed becomes sin. Because of it, the mind becomes impure with hate, sorrow, fear… Not intent on goal, and doing an act according Vedas, there is no erosion from great greed, there is no competition and there is no hatred, sorrow, and such.

Vedas dispensed fourfold division for weal and welfare of the society and the whole world. Understanding it, not considering personal profit, and doing the acts keeping the world weal in mind, they all become virtuous acts and do us good. Our sins are expunged. 

Thoughts and deeds have a close relationship. If you decide to remain with no activities, the evil thoughts from the back of the mind will force themselves on you.  The English proverb is “Idle mind is devil’s workshop.”  The Cittam should be cleansed, if Advaita Jñāṉam is to be obtained.  Acharyas established Vedic Karmas, to begin the cleansing right from the start.

The Puṇṇiya thoughts that expunge Pāpa thoughts are philanthropy, mental attitude of selfless service, munificence…which are generally called Love. Bakthi is to direct the love to Paramātma, the source of all worldly beings. Paramātma is the basis for our existence. By memory of Bhagavat, we should dissolve Pāpa Vāsanās (remnants of sin from past lives) and hold Paramātma alone fast. This will lead to Ātmā’s perpetual Supreme Bliss.

Karmam and Bakthi are the means to Dhyana Yogam with mental one-pointedness in Bhagavat.

Chanting, Pūja, and Pilgrimage are the starters for Bakthi which makes the mind one-pointed to Paramātma and we begin to experience true Supreme Serenity of his real nature. Unlike sleep, confusion, and bewilderment, and conscious of good thoughts, Bakthi brings the mind to a steady state of Supreme Bliss, a little closer at each time. That is why I recommend to show Bakthi to Paramātman.

It is of no use to mouth ‘Advaitam’ in vain.  Īśvara is in a state of Advaitam, deified serenity and ideal example, whose remembrance (of Īśvara) even for a few moments will help us immerse in Supreme Bliss.  Instead of saying Advaita state is beyond understanding and easy adoption, perception of his Nirguṇa state as Saguṇa Īśvara will offer us a hold and loftiness. For lifting us (to a lofty state of Supreme Bliss), Swamy is indispensable. Īśvara Bakthi is essential for two reasons: Not only for the removal of our sorrows but also for self-awareness and immersion in Ātma Śarīra (Soul body = The soul body is a body of light which evolves and matures into the likeness of Purusha Brahman—Himalayan Academy)