Periyava Times Vol 6 issue 4

PERIYAVA Times “ Shreyo bhUyAt sakala janAnAm ” Dec 2021 Online Special Edition 2021 Volume 6, Issue #4





4 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Deivathin Kural KARYAMUM DHYANAMUM Dr. B Ramaswamy Deivathin Kural - Vol 4 Chapter 302 Let us take the example of cleaning the temple premises. It is very important to perform this job with the intention of: “ The Omnipresent Lord Parameshwara, whose true manifestation is beyond the worldly scope of our senses, has showered his mercy by residing in this form of a deity in the temple. Cleaning the premises will cleanse our mind and especially when this becomes a community activity, there is harmony in society devoid of differences and conflicts”. But the physical task itself becomes an impediment for us to immerse in such divine thoughts. For the streamlined focus of mind, physical task indeed is an impediment. We have to accept this. Though a task can help us direct the mind towards a certain broad vision, it cannot help us focus on it completely. The moment a Karya (task) combines with Chintana (thinking), they become two-dimensional instead of one-dimensional focus. “All right! Why then should I use the physical task as means to express gratitude to divine? Why don’t I sit in meditation to focus my thoughts towards the divine and avoid this physical distraction of a task?” “Try doing that. Did you drop the broom and start meditating?” “Yes” “Continue being in this state for a while.” (Sri MahaPeriyava enacts this scene by mono acting as the two above characters) “Are you meditating still? Did my question disturb your state?”

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 5 “No Swami, No, you didn’t disturb. It got disturbed by itself. It is wrong to even say that it got disturbed. It didn’t converge even to begin with. What is there to be disturbed? For a couple of seconds, after beginning to meditate, my mind attempted to bring in the divine thoughts. It focused on the Lord. Immediately a thought arose: “ Bhakthi and Dhyanam are way superior to the inferior Karma”. Let me be transparent here.. My thoughts then migrated to questioning you and asking ‘Why is this Periyava advising us to stick to Karma when He should be focusing on Dhyana and Advaita?’. It then moved on to : ‘Is He trying to attribute this approach to Sri Krishna Bhagavan and Adi Acharyal?’. Then I thought, Will the vision of this system be so different from practicality? As a continuation I felt how Gandhian philosophy as a vision contradicts with current day industrialization and military expenditure. Then, I started thinking about politics, whom to vote for and even cursing the leader of the party with views opposite to mine. At this point I began feeling guilty. I came all the way to clean the temple premises with a noble intention and sat on Dhyana realizing the futility of physical task. In turn, I ended up accumulating more dirt in my mind. The physical task of cleaning is far better than this. Though unhelpful in bringing focus, it atleast prevented me from negative thoughts and deviations. Enough of this! May I begin to work! But how will I remove this Dhyana façade that I created before Periyava? Right when I was thinking about this, you called me out Periyava. May be the act of cleaning the temple blessed me with this transparence with you!” Cleaning the temple involves fetching water, getting appropriate vessels, tightening the broom, cleaning dirt once or twice based on the depth of grease, removing different clogs and so many spontaneous tasks that surface. These will definitely prevent us meditating upon divine things, but it will prepare your mind for the right moment to attain that state. Satkarma is the only way to prepare us for that state of mind. Until this state of mind is reached, it is advisable to perform the Satkarma through tasks without restricting oneself to Dhyanam. Satkarma by itself may induce positive thoughts in us but at least will prevent negative thoughts in our mind. Its benefits through negation are way higher than through affirmation. That doesn’t mean that one should not indulge in meditation in the early stages. This human birth is not necessary for one who continues to indulge in tasks mechanically without using the mind. We might as well take birth as a machine in a factory. In order to reach a final state of Dhyana one day, how can we avoid taking the first step? In fact, It is all the more necessary for our immature mind to begin immediately striving for that state.

6 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 The puny becomes powerful with Yogasana. It is indeed difficult for the puny to perform Asanas. Do you stop the practice then? Beginning with five minutes and then ten and then fifeteen and so on, we see so many people developing strength gradually. This is no differ- ent! The whole intent of my Upanyasa, is to induce the feeling of Atma and the practice of Advaita, little by little, in your minds. While this little spark is present in you all, I advise the performance of Satkarma to kindle that thought even more. In the end, thoughts and even the Dhyana cease with the all-pervading remnance of Gnana.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 7

8 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Periya Puranam PERIYA PURANAM Sri. Balaji Baghavathar SAKKIYA NAYANAR GURU POOJA: AVANI MOOLAM Our Sanathana Dharma is replete with several Sampradayas and Siddhantas formulated by exemplary Mahatmas. All these means may differ, but the destination of divinity remains constant. As the saying goes: ākāśāt patitaṃ toyaṃ yathāgacchati sāgaram . sarvadava namaskāraḥ keśavaṃ pratigacchati .. As all rains falling from the sky reach the ocean; so also, the prayers to all gods ultimately get to the Lord Keshava. The flowing water, by the divine grace, develops to ability reach the divine ocean unlike the stagnant water in ponds and wells until there is an external force that changes their path. Similarly, lives that are influenced by heretic ideologies without an open mind stagnate within their boundaries. Our Dharma Acharyas, therefore, always insisted upon following and practicing our Sampradayas with utmost devotion.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 9 They believed that the “Pashu” in us will be reared by Him, the “Pathi’, if we are bound by “Paasham”, Even if our mind tries to wander and reaches for unknown territories, the “Paasham” brings you back home through His divine will. Our Acharyas, therefore, laid extreme emphasis on maintaining family worship and practices to minimize unnecessary distractions and deviations. Bhakti towards the Lord are of two forms: Antarmukha (Inward) and Bahirmukha (Outward). The Bahirmukha worship through external practices of Japa, Pooja, Abhishekam and Aradhanai are means to realizing the divine in Antarmukha. This leads to the knowledge of non-duality (Advaita) of divine. Many elevated souls are born with the inborn ability to reach the state of Antarmukha Bhakti directly without the ladder of Bahirmukha. Poet Kalidasa, immersed in a theatrical play, suddenly realized that he forgot to perform his daily Shiva Puja. He immediately performed a Manasika Puja right there and took a betel leaf. He peeled its stem and offered that as Pushpa and performed the Archana. The next day when He started His everyday Puja, He saw the Shivalinga Moorthi in his residence covered with betel stems. In MahaBharata Lord Krishna himself showed the value of Bhimasena’s Manasika Pooja to Arjuna. Such an elevated soul was born in an agricultural family in Thiruchanga mangai. Very less details are available about his actual name and family. Born with a very inquisitive mind, He spent a huge part of his adolescent life learning various philosophies and knowledge systems. Due to the influence of Buddhism in Tamil Nadu during his time, He was attracted to it and became a Buddha Bhikshu. As Bhikshu, he wandered around various parts of Tamil Nadu and became known as ‘Chakkiyar’ (Tamil word for Buddhist). Perturbed by more and more questions in his mind, He decided to travel to Kanchi, the education capital of Tamil Nadu. The land of Ghatikasthana and universities flocked by students across the world. Upon reaching there, he immersed himself into more contemplation and reading. As the Lord of the three worlds, always presents himself in the curious and hardworking mind, Chakkiyar came across Shaiva Siddhanta. He was moved by the idea but was unable to give up his present state of monkhood. In such a state of personal conflicts, Chakkiyar decided to perform a Manasika Pooja. He delineated the holy Shivalinga in his mind and performed Aradhana everyday, emotionally moved by the state of submitting to Parameshvara. One such day, as He was wandering through an uninhabited part of a forest, he saw a Shivalinga moorthi. The mere physical sight of His Master brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to offer something to His Lord immediately but was challenged by both fear of being ostracized by his society and unavailability of flowers or fruits in that wild land. Overcoming these challenges, he looked around and saw few pebbles lying around. He picked them up and visualized them as valuable offerings and placed them at the Lord’s Sannidhi. This became his everyday morning routine before even having his food. One day, he forgot to submit his everyday offering and went to receive his bhiksha. Suddenly, he remembered his folly, dropped his plate and rushed toward his Lord.

10 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 He prostrated before His Sannidhi and offered his everyday stone. Parameshwara pleased by His devotee’s affection, immediately appeared before him along with Mother Parvathi. He blessed Sakkiyar and awarded him the coveted post of Shivaloka. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavat Gita: “patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayachchhati” tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ “If one offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that item offered with love by My devotee in pure consciousness.” This Punya Charithram of Chakkiya Nayanmar reiterates how the Lord is pleased by such simple submissions when offered with the purest of intentions. Saint Sekkizhar provides a beautiful analogy for Chakkiyar’s offering. He says no parent ever gets angry when the child jumps on them, pulls their ears and dis- turbs them even if its painful. They only continue to enjoy the affection of the child in clinging on to its parent forever by all means. Like the circumstances in Chakkiyar’s life, political and cultural surround- ings prevent many devotees across the world from outwardly expres- sion of their Bhakthi even today. His Charithram provides us with the solace that with the right Bhava Bhakthi, we can be recipients of the Lord’s choicest blessings.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 11

12 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam NJ, USA In HIS presence - Virtually ...

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 13

14 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Management lessons Abhilash Sridharan Paramacharya “If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution” – CEO Steve Jobs Lesson 20 Effective decision making is a critical skill that all Adopting the Socratic approach business leaders must hone. It is both an art and and taking a 360-degree view to science and as with most skills, it is honed through problem solving hard work, apprenticeship and considerable trial and error. A foundational step to taking the right decision is comprehensively defining the scope of the problem, after taking a 360-degree view of the possibilities. A key challenge faced by leaders is that while they have a view of the broader landscape, they are rarely closer to details. And the increasing complexity of today’s dynamic business environment and hybrid operating model, only further exacerbates the challenge.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 15 Amid these constraints, successful leaders adopt unique facets (among many) of Paramacharya’s tools and techniques to stay engaged with their teams problem solving approach that are worth emulating: on the details, without coming across as micro- managing. One such technique is the Socratic method (1) Taking a 360-degree view to solving a – a management technique of asking questions to problem, while factoring in downstream and long- gather perspectives and generate stakeholder buy-in term implications and multi-stakeholder impact for the problem to be solved, rather than be top-down directive. (2) Deploying a Socratic approach to both gather perspectives and engage team members in the problem The method traces its origins to the legendary Greek solving, while being directive where needed philosopher Socrates (470 – 399 BC), who had developed a unique approach to learning known as (3) Exhausting all possible options to persevere “elunches” whereby he proactively questioned highly and solve a problem before downsizing the scope learned individuals to examine and understand their perspectives. 1, 2 It is worth noting that the Greek The below incident serves as a sterling testimony to God Apollo had complimented Him with the quote Paramacharya’s unique problem-solving approach. “No other man is wiser than Socrates” . In the 1960s, Paramacharya camped at the National High School (Tiruchirapalli), organized by American law schools and certain business schools Nangavaram S Annadurai Iyer (an ardent devotee) have extensively incorporated this teaching method and a team of volunteers. The team had organized to train new layers to critically think through the daily “Annadanam” (sacred offering of food) for all problem, defense, and possible rebuttal. . There are devotees and Paramacharya was mightily impressed six types of Socratic questions : with the efforts. However, within 15-20 days, there was a crisis – the team had severely underestimated (1) Clarify (e.g., Why do you say that? How does a few factors: (1) Supplies needed, which had almost this relate to our discussion?) come to an end (2) Number of volunteers needed for logistics (e.g., serve food, dispose banana leaves / (2) Probe assumptions (e.g., What could we plates, offer religious water) (3) Efforts needed to clean assume instead? How can you verify or disapprove the disposed leaves and food, mounting outside the that assumption?) school (4) Number of devotees showing up repeatedly across multiple batches. Overwhelmed by increasing (3) Probe reason and evidence (e.g., What would problems, Shri Annadurai Iyer and his team proposed be an example? What is this analogous to?) a quick-fix alternative to Paramacharya – offer packed ‘Annadanam’ in a compact plastic box to all devotees (4) Develop viewpoints and perspectives (e.g., and restrict the scope of the current effort. What would be an alternative?) (5) Probe implications and consequences (e.g., What are the consequences of that assumption?) (6) Question the question (e.g., Why do you ask this question?) It is a remarkable coincidence that HH Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada, the first Acharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and whose lifetime on the face of earth (509 – 476 BC ) just preceded that of Socrates, also employed the Upanishadic question-and-answer approach as part of His pedagogy. There are three

16 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Paramacharya invited all members of the committee for a discussion and understood their perspectives on the scope of the problem through a series of questions. After grasping the details and their concerns, He redefined the scope of the problem / effort in a multi-dimensional manner: (1) Devotees who show up repeatedly are doing so on account of their hunger, and it is a noble service to satisfy their hunger (2) The banana leaves and the remains of the food dropped outside also help satisfy the hunger of the indigenous gypsy (“narikuravar”) community as well as that of cows and other animals (3) While packing of food might solve the challenge around mounting food waste outside the temple, it results in poor devotee experience especially with water not being served along with it, and raises the potential risk of food wastes getting dropped in multiple places in the city. After carefully debating the pros and cons, Paramacharya and the team decided to stick to the status quo, while adding two other solutions to make the model sustainable – (1) Quickly raise funds to refill the necessary supplies and resources needed (2) Enlist willing students and teachers from the school (given most of them were on vacation) as volunteers for this noble activity, thereby instilling in them a spirit of service. The “Annadanam” campaign was a roaring success with large groups of volunteers willingly participating in it. While adopting the Socratic approach and taking a 360-degree view to problem solving might take longer than being directive, it helps leaders both establish a more holistic solution and generate greater buy-in from their teams. The author would like to thank Sri Ganesa Sarma for his YouTube videos on S Annadurai Iyer, as part of the series on “Periyava’s Thiruthondargal (spiritual volunteers)”. REFERENCES: 1. Srimad Yenipadigalil Manthargal (pages 355-357) by Sadhguru Sri Sivan Sar 2. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&context=jhoe 3. https://www. kpu.ca/sites/default/files/ Learning%20Centres/ Think_Critical_LA.pdf 4. https://www. thehindu.com/news/ national/government- wrong-on-adi-shankaras- birth-year-kanchi-seer/ article7908827.ece 5. https:// www.youtube.com/

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 17

18 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Sri Sivan SAR Ramana Kiran Excerpts from YPM - A Maha-Purusha's heed to Purushaartham : SOCRATES Thiru-idai-marudhur Athirudram. A session of Tarka (debate) on the real number of Purushaartham (objects of human pursuit). \"There are four!\" claims Noorani Brahmashri Ananthakrishna Shastri, against 'five' claimed by Thethiyur Brahmashri Subrahmanya Shastri on the other side. In the middle sat our adjudicator, Sri Maha Periyava! The two veteran Vidwans cite verses from many a scripture to state their claim, back and forth. Truly an inspiring display of knowledge and intellect for the onlooker. After this prolonged 'battle', silence loomed awhile.. the adjudicator was to provide the verdict. \"*Bhakthi* is indeed, the fifth Purushaartham! Thethiyur Shastri is correct!\", revealed the Sage. Dharma-Artha-Kama-Moksha-Bhakthi. With this in mind, let us get into the life of a Mutrina-Viveki (A Wise Renunciate) from a land afar, Greece. These are excerpts from Sri Sivan SAR's extols on (Sri) Socrates. PAGE 355-359 : \"Socrates of Athens, celebrated among the meritorious of Europe as the One who had brought Vedanta from the heavens, was clad in a solitary cloth. He merited a place in the kingdom and had participated in a war in the years of his youth. He later grew dispassionate of all that were worldly. The Deity Apollo had, to a friend's enquiry, answered \"No other man is wiser than Socrates\". His teachings were canonised by a few disciples importantly Plato through written records. He was devoted to the Almighty and at times underwent acts of Grace. \"The children of the Royal Senate used to frequent and engage in lay conversation. However, the line for 'what to instruct' was clearly drawn. He was bestowed the state of Mysticism (Atma-Sanchaaram) by the Egyptian Brahmins. Many a scholar voluntarily slipped away from his sight as they were heavily questioned, the answers sought for the sole purpose of self-consolidation\". He further stated the following: The Gods do not test among creation; About Purity and the Atma; Benefit and Punishment derived after the soul leaves the body etc. \"Many members of the Senate were displeased with Socrates due to his forthright expression of the

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 19 Philosophy Ramana Kiran shortcomings of the kingdom and ideal aspects of Vedanta. Soon, central authorities and three of those who showed enemity decided to frame and arrest him under the following: defaming the kingdom, misleading learned youth, absence to days of worship. He claimed his honesty on all three counts, but was undiplomatic in delivery despite being at court. Well, why would a Mutrina-Viveki be bothered the least for court decorum or proving his innocence? The death penalty was decided by a narrow difference between the assembly of 557 members. It was the norm in Greece to carry out punishment without further ado, but was postponed by a month due to a temple festivity that had to begin on the day. Despite much persuasion by friends to legally proceed to get fair justice, Socrates strictly refused to prove his innocence. \"Disciples (including Plato) and friends gathered at the prison as early as dawn on the fateful day. The legcuff was removed. Socrates spent hours happily conversing on the essence of Vedanta. He revealed that a life of great joy awaited after he dropped the body, hence none need grieve over this. It was soon five in the evening. \"The hour is impending, so I shall be back after bathing\". He added that the women needn't bathe the corpse (as a ritual). \"Socrates! The bath need be in no hurry! A two hour extension claim can still be made, even after dusk!\", exclaimed Crito, a friend. \"Crito! By leaving at the opportune moment, I gain out of *not* extending time by two hours\", replied Socrates, proceeding to bathe. Afterwards, He enquired what was to be done after consuming the poison, to which the jailer respectfully: \"do lie down as soon as the legs feel heavy while walking\". \"O Socrates! Pray command what I ought to do for you and your family\", asked Crito to which \"That which is conceived today might not even materialise tomorrow. Hence, let such things happen the way they are supposed to\", advised Socrates, now taking the goblet of the poison 'Hemloc'. \"And he having received it very cheerfully, neither trembling, nor changing at all in color or countenance drank it off readily and calmly\" state the words of Plato. Socrates laid down after walking briefly. A veil was cast over his body. While those around were wailing and unable to witness the events, Plato was saddened that the world was to lose a 'Maha-Purusha', although unaffected by such grief. \"Unfailingly perform our obliged ritual to the Deity Aesculapieus\" reminded Socrates to Crito. Within seconds of Crito acceding with \"At once\", Socrates left the world. Can we now retrace our steps to Sri Maha Periyava's adjudication? ‘Bhakthi, the fifth Purushaartham'. How remarkable was the life of Socrates, whose last words shone with the same! Our gratitude to Sri Sivan SAR to present us these precious incidents.

20 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 21 BhargaviKamakshivalli Periyava and Music

22 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Guru Bhakthi Dr. Srikant Kamesh Iyer Rituals have an Inner Meaning Srikant Kamesh Iyer One of the very first thing that we notice about Sanatana Dharma is the there are a very large number of rituals that are to be followed, right from the birth of a person to his death. We see rituals being performed by people every day in their homes and in temples. For example, the most common ritual we see is people offering things like flowers, fruits, neivedhyam, chandanam, incense sticks, performing haarathi with a lit lamp etc. There is sometimes a feeling that lingers in our minds as to whether these are “merely” rituals that are being performed for formality or do these rituals have an inner meaning. Everything that we experience in this world is based on our pancha indriyas or the 5 senses (Ein Pulan in Tamil). These in turn can be sub-divided in Gyana indriyas (indriyas to infer/learn) and Karma indriyas (indriyas to perform). It is because we have a nose; we are able to perceive things like say pleasant smelling flowers by our sense of smell. Similarly, we see the various shapes and colors of objects around us only because we have eyes to see them. Some organs like our eyes also perform multiple functions, for example we can recognize colors (roopam), know about the number of objects (sankhya parimanam) or know about their size with our eyes. Similarly, the tongue helps experience the taste of things and also in speech. So it is quite pos- sible that if we had some other additional senses, we may have perceived the world quite differently that what we perceive now. For example, mammals like dogs, cats, ferrets, and reindeer have specialized lenses that allow them to see ultraviolet light and the world would appear different to them as compared to how it is perceived by humans. Conversely, if we lack a specific sense, we would not even we aware of the existence of certain properties of the world around us. For example, if a person were to be born without the sense of hearing, he would not be able to perceive the existence of a guna called “sound”. Hindu metaphysics teaches us that these five senses are in turn dependent on the presence and interaction with the pancha bhootas like bhoomi, vaayu, etc. For example, it is the presence of water or wetness in our tongue that allows us to experience the sense

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 23 of taste. As human beings endowed with the five senses, we enjoy using good smelling perfumes that pleases our sense of smell, listening to a good song on the radio that pleases our sense of hearing, or eating sweets that please our sense of taste etc. The five basic things (Pancha upachara) that we see being offered to the divine are (1) Gandham (chandanam), (2) Pushpam (flowers), (3) Dhoopam (incense sticks),(4) Deepam (lit lamp) and (5) Neivedhyam (food offering). The inner meaning here is that: it is the one formless Paramatman that has taken form as the pancha bhootas. It is based on these pancha bhootas that we experience this world and enjoy the things around us with our pancha indriyas. Like the giant sun that shines in the sky is also seen shin- ing in small droplets of water, everything in this world, including all living and non-living entities, are verily a manifestation of the Paramatman. Since if it by the grace of God that we are enjoying things like clothes, food, vehicles, house etc and leading a comfortable life; like a loving child who offers atleast a small piece of the chocolate that he has received to his parents before consuming it himself, we try to offer some things to God as a token of our loved and gratitude towards the Him. If we learn to do arpanam of these small things as a token of our love before consuming it ourselves, we will not be accruing paapam. As Bhagavan Krishna says in the Sri Bhagavat Gita (BG 3.12), the person who consumes these gifts but never offers it to the divine is essentially a thief. So while the Pancha upacharam is a basic necessassity that is to be performed every day, more elaborate upacharas that include many more elements are a part of the shodasha upachara (16 upacharas) and the grand chathushashti upachara (64 upacharas), that are usually performed in Madams, temples and by Royal houses. The next obvious question that arises in our minds is even if rituals have an inner meaning, why should we continue to perform rituals till we fully understand it? The answer to this question was also provid- ed by MahaPeriyava. He gave the example of a blind man carrying a lamp who comes across another person. When asked by the other person as to why he continues to carry the lamp when he lacks the sense of vision, the man answered by saying that he was car- rying it so that the other person does not bump into things in the darkness. Even if we go not know the inner meaning of all the rituals, if we carefully pass these rituals on to the next gen- eration, maybe one amongst us will be able to grasp the inner significance. Even if one person in millions is able to do so, it will still be a worthwhile effort on our part to continue performing it. As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavat Gita, “Swadharme nidhanam Shreyaha”. May we continue to perform our nithya anushtanams and rituals with complete earnestness, even if we do not completely un- derstand the significance of the rituals. Since rituals are not a mere formality, may we also not try to modify the rituals to suit our whims and fancies. *The writeup is based on my limited un- derstanding on the discourses given by Sri MahaPeriyava titled “Nature and God”.

24 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 MOOLAVAR - SRI MAHAPERIYAVA MANIMANDAPAM NJ USA

Guru Bhakthi 25  Periyava Times - Online Special Edition

26 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 27

28 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 29

30 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020