Devi Kãlotram - Day 4
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Sri Sri Swamiji has been rendering ‘Upanyãs’ (discourses) in Tamizh. This is being brought to you here.

There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãs’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Sri Swamiji.

Sri Sri Swamiji,

" We receive pictures or idols from the hands of Mahãns. Some Mahãns have received idols from Bhagavãn, Himself! Lord Muruga's temple in Thiruporur had been built by one Chidambaram Swamigal. It is a small hillock. The samadhi of this Swamigal is found here. He stayed in Madurai for a year drinking the water of 'Potrãmarai kulam' (a pond by name 'potrãmarai kulam' in Meenãkshi temple) in the temple precincts. Goddess Meenãkshi appeared before him and gave him an idol of Herself! He was such a great Mahãn. The pond in the temple at Thiruporur has never dried up, even in the worst summer. It is connected to the 'moola garba' (sanctum sanctorum) through a 'neerottam' (small stream). There is a 'yantra' for Lord Muruga here. 'Trisati' archana is done for this. Periya Periyava saw this 'yantra' and asked it to be safeguarded, as it is very rare to be seen. It is preserved well and 'archana' is being done. Meenãkshi ordained Chidambaram Swamigal to take up construction of Her son's (Lord Muruga) temple in Thiruporur. When he asked Her how to go about it, the Devi said, "You go ahead and you will find a way out!" In those days, this part of the country was under Muslim rule. A Muslim king passed this way and the citizens gave him a warm welcome with 'poorna kumba'. The king enquired about the place and was informed about the Mahãn who lived there. His wife suffered from some disease and he wished to know if this Mahãn could cure her. This Swamigal cured her of her disease and the pleased king, in gratitude, lent full assistance in building the temple at Thiruporur. It is here that Kirtans began springing forth from Sadhuram Swamigal - 'Arut kavi' (One who becomes a poet by the blessings of the Lord).

Mahãns do not care to bring their writings in print. Bodendra Swami had written 8 grantas on Nãma siddhãnta but today only one is available. No one knows what has happened to the remaining 7 grantas. He had written a granta by name 'Hari Hara beda Dikkãram' but it is not to be found anywhere. Leave alone writing commentary to their writings, there is none to even preserve these grantas. Bodendra's disciple and successor to the Peetha also attained samadhi near Bodendra's samadhi. After placing a disciple on the Peetha, he retired to Govindapuram where his Guru's Samadhi was, with a desire to spend his last days here. He was the 60th pontiff of the Kamakoti Mutt.

The writings of Mahãns like Ammãlu Ammãl have not been born out of sheer intelligence. They have been written after the experience of direct vision of the God. It is very difficult to understand the words of Mahãns. 'Mãnushatvam, mumukshatvam, mahãpurushatvam' says Sankara in Vivekachoodãmani. It is very difficult to get human birth, the desire for Liberation and the company of a Mahãn. How are these attained? Only due to 'punya' accrued over crores of janmas.

‘Mamadhai inri’ -What should you do? Do not entertain 'mamakãra' (feeling of mine). ‘Karunai manni’ - Do you seek Jnãna? Only by following the right way ('anukoola') is a desired thing obtained. Is that not so? You desire Jnãna. But, if all the work that you do is against it, how will you get Jnãna?
A path is prescribed for attaining each and everything. The path advocates you to avoid some acts and perform some acts. Therefore, only if you follow the path as prescribed, can you attain the goal and not otherwise. If you go about it as per your will and pleasure you will never attain the goal. While reading a sloka one should give importance to the order of the sloka. The Lord first points out the qualities that a 'mumukshu' should earn before stepping on the path to Liberation. Even before detailing on how 'Ãtma vichãra' has to be done, the Lord points to the qualities a 'mumukshu' should possess. What does He say? ‘mamadhai inri’ - do not have the feeling of 'mine' - 'I", 'I', 'I'. Whenever such a feeling rises what should you do? Some sanyãsis when enquired, "Where do you come from?" would answer, "This ('idu') has come from….." They will not use the term 'I' but 'this' and 'that' to avoid 'sariira abhimãna' - attachment to the body. However, Ramana never used to speak this way. Some use 'bahuvachana' - that is, instead of 'I' they use 'We' or 'Swami' - 'We' say; 'Swami' says. But, one who has attained 'Poornatva' (Fullness/Oneness) will not bother about this. It does not make any difference to them - whether 'I' or 'We' or anything else. Only those who have not attained 'Poornatva' try to be careful and use the term 'It', 'This', 'We', instead of 'I'. - It is going; It is coming; This is doing!

Therefore, the first attachment comes to the body. When the small 'I' rises up, it attaches itself to the body. Many ask me, "What is the difference between the small 'I' and the big 'I'? I once again repeat, "Small 'I' relates to the body. The small 'I' rises up to relate you to worldly affairs. Like I said the other day, one can be born without some part of the body, but never without the 'manas'. Only with this 'manas' does he move about in the world. Can a child be born without a heart? Can one be born without the brain?

But, just as the heart is afflicted by some problem, 'manas' is also afflicted by 'vyãdi' (sickness). What does 'ãdi' mean? Sickness pertaining to 'manas' is called 'ãdi'. Even the 'manas' suffers from 'vyãdi'. There is a connection between 'manas' and 'sariira' (body); and 'manas' and 'ãhãra' (food). Consumption of certain food incites the feeling of lust; some deepens 'tamo guna' (lethargy). One who consumes thick curd keeps sleeping. Thus, there is a link between food and 'manas'. It is good to eat sãttvic food. If you eat less, the 'sariira' will be under your control. It will listen to all that we say. If we eat too much, it becomes difficult to get up, sit down or walk around. Then, we have to listen to the 'sariira'!

The thought 'I', 'I' keeps rising in the 'manas'. This precedes every thought. As soon it rises up, it relates you to the body. It identifies you with the body and thus with the world. This is the small 'I'. In Ramana's Self-enquiry method, one has to find the source of this small 'I'. If you keep tracking down the place of origin of the thought, it will get back to it.

The 'cheshtai' (mischief) of the 'manas' is not found in sleep - in 'tamo guna'. The 'buddhi' is not in full swing ('deekshanya') then. 'Manas' does not get destroyed in 'tamo guna'. But now, I am awake and very alert. At the same time I am controlling my mind; I do not allow it to rise and am pushing it back to the place of origin ('upãsana' of self enquiry). This is a process for destroying the mind. Do you understand?

I sleep at night. What do I find in sleep? It is 'tamo guna' in sleep. In sleep there is only 'mano laya'. The 'manas' does not work in 'mano laya'. It is quiet. When the 'manas' remains quiet, the vãsanas are not destroyed. They are only dormant.

But, now I am awake and alert. My 'buddhi' is alert. I turn my vision inward and do not allow my 'manas' to rise up but am very carefully keeping it in the place of origin. Now thoughts do not rise up.

Thoughts do not rise up in sleep and now, in my waking state, too. But, now the 'manas' has not risen. What do I do? I am awake. Now the vãsanas are being destroyed. In sleep, vãsanas are not destroyed. Why? Because now the 'buddhi' is working. It is pressing down the thoughts that rise up. Some vãsana or the other keeps rising up. Is that not so? As each and every thought is being pressed down to the place of origin, it gets destroyed. If it is possible for you to set your mind in the place of origin constantly, then the mind gets erased out. Slowly the progress is made and it is enough for you to control (press down) as and when a thought arises. If no thought rises up, then there is no need for 'vichãra' (enquiry).

What does this small 'I' do? It relates you to the body, which in turn relates to the world. We go about working in the world. As soon as this 'mano maya sariira' goes out, the connection with our body ceases. The body is lying down on the ground. When a person dies, the astral body comes out and it looks at its own body just as another person does! Is this not his body? Should he not take it? But, it is lying down on the ground. Yogis look at their body as different from themselves. Therefore, you are not the body. It is only the 'manas' that connects you to the body. What is the first thought? 'I', 'I', 'I'. 'Aham' is the first thought to rise up. Chain of thoughts follow suit. If this small 'I' does not rise up, there is no link with the body and subsequently with the world.

How do thoughts rise up? There is a 'nãdi' called 'moorda nãdi'. Just as kundalini (nãdi) rises up from 'moolãdhãra' for the yogis, a 'nãdi' called 'moorda nãdi' rises up from 'hrudaya' (heart). Ãdi Sankara speaks about this 'moorda nãdi' and so does Ramana. In the case of those who do only 'Brahma vichãra', those who do only 'Ãtma vichãra' (Self-enquiry), it is not their 'kundalini' that rises up (from deep down). This is not needed for them. Each thought rises as a small speck of fire (just as in sparklers) from the heart and hits the 'sahasrãra' (topmost point on the head). It is then that we perceive this world. If it does not reach the head, for one who is in samãdhi, the world is not perceived. Jnãni is not aware of the existence of the world. This is because the 'manas' does not hit the 'buddhi'. Only if it hits the 'buddhi' will the world be made out.

Until some years back, a person was considered dead if his heart stopped functioning. But, today it is being said that only death of the brain is death of a person and not the failure of heart. While performing by-pass surgery, an artificial heart is fixed, that pumps blood. If the brain were intact, a person can survive with an artificial heart. The medical world has now found out that the anatomical system of man and pig are the same. The pig's heart is well suited to replace a man's heart. This is being tried. Thus, it has been decided that cessation of function of the heart is not the death of a person; but only death of the brain is death of a person. In hospitals, with advanced technology, artificial breathing is given to the dead if some part of the body, viz. kidney, the eyes, is to be removed for some medical purpose. This is only to give blood circulation and keep the body from decomposing. Once the desired work is completed artificial breathing is stopped.

A 'jyoti' (light) rises up from the heart and hits the 'sahasrãra', that is a thousand petalled lotus and one enjoys great 'ãnanda'. Sankara sings about this 'ãnanda' that rises from the 'moolãdãra'. Ãchãrya sings in Soundarya Lahiri, 'Mahim mooladãre…………..' There are lots of undulations/furrows ('kuzhi'- technically known as 'sulcus') in the brain. The intelligence of a person is directly proportionate to the number of undulations. One's IQ depends on the number of furrows in his brain. One's memory is powerful if the furrows are deeper. When one retains his breath, lot of air goes to his brain; when the brain relaxes, the fissures deepen and his memory increases. When the brain is short of air, we yawn and thus the brain gets the required air. In the same way, when we control our breath, the brain receives the required air.

It is said that if we unroll the nervous system of the brain, it can circle the earth 24000 times or so. Such is the magnitude of the nervous system! There are lots of tiny cells in the nervous system. These cells help in carrying, sending and receiving messages. Now, I look at you. The mind immediately perceives each as 'This is a doll; this is Krishna; this is Rãma.' There is a chemical (liquid) between each cell. It is this chemical that transmits the message from one cell to another. There is a liquid that receives and transmits the message from one cell to another. In the case of a drunkard or a drug addict this liquid loses its function to a large extent. It becomes incapable of receiving and transmitting messages and thus he is unable to recognize anything. He becomes drowsy and unstable on his feet. During full or new moon, the mentally disturbed people become violent or more restless than usual. This force becomes vigorous.
On full or new moon, one is advised not to go near the sea. Why? Because the sea waves rise high up. Why? This is because of increased gravitational force. The liquid within the brain gushes up on these days. What happens then? He, therefore, becomes restless. The liquid rises up on such days. This occurs in everybody. While a normal person is able to withstand it the mentally sick are unable to withstand it. Everyone is affected on these days but our body takes it easy. Their nervous system being weak, the mentally sick are unable to bear it and become deeply disturbed.

So, ‘mamadhai inri karunai manni’ - be affectionate to all beings in the world.

‘Bhoodangal thamakellãme abhayan thandu’ - ‘Sarva bhoodangalukkum abhayam thandu’ - - Nobody should fear you. What does this mean? Be full of 'premai' (love). You may do japa and dhyana but of what use will it be if you cannot control your temper but are abusive? Do not be like this. Similarly, one who does 'ãtma vichãra', following Vedãnta marga, should not feel depressed or feel sad for his/her state. Why? Because, we say that 'manas' is a bluff! Then, how can we feel sad or depressed? If you say so, then it means you have not understood the philosophy properly. An Advaiti should not be very weak. Why? Because we know very well that these are all 'mithyai' (illusion). Then where is the question of mind (mind's behaviour)? We know that the work of the 'manas' is only this. Try to overcome it by perseverance and continuous sãdhana. You should never feel dejected. Understand? ‘Mamadhai inri karunai manni sarva bhoodangal thamakkellãme abhayan thandu’.

‘Mumukshuvãi’ - always hold deep yearning ('thãpa') to attain Moksha. Keep listening (to your Guru). Do not give up Mahatma's 'sangha' (company). They always speak on the glory of Moksha - 'One should attain Moksha; this is the only 'lãbha' (benefit); this is only 'paripoorna' (complete/final).' Keep listening to these. Do not move away from this till you attain Jnãna. Only if you do not move away from this, will He be with you till you attain Jnãna.

So, what should you do if you desire progress in life? Keep your goal beyond reach. Only if you keep your goal beyond reach, will there always be a forward march. There will be continuous effort. Let us assume that somebody asks you, "What is your ambition?" You reply, "I want to earn 1000 rupees." You may achieve this very soon. Then you do not know what to do. Emptiness sets in. A vacuum is felt. You feel, "I have achieved it." You do not know what to do after this. So, you sit idle. Therefore, keep your goal beyond reach. If you do so, there will be something to be achieved all through your lifetime. The fulfillment does not come about and all through your lifetime you keep working towards it. It will keep motivating you always.

What you earn is not important but how you earn it is important. One who has earned a crore of rupees in a lottery cannot experience the joy experienced by a man who has come up from a humble beginning. Suppose, a man began his life with a small bunk shop and gradually progressed in his business to become a 'crorepati'. This man knows every pulse of earning this money. There is a thrill in it. He remembers the difficulties that he had to pass at every stage and how he had overcome them. So, he enjoys his present state. He knows the value of - the worth of - the money earned. The one who earns ten crores through lottery will not enjoy this money as much as the other one who had toiled for it.

Two men go hunting. A lion that has just had a sumptuous meal is lying down. It has hurt its legs and is unable to run. One hunter kills this lion. The other hunter chases a deer. This deer runs away. But, this hunter does not give up. He chases it the whole day and at dusk manages to hunt it down. Who will enjoy his hunting more? It would seem that the one who killed the lion is greater because it is difficult to kill a lion. But, he will not have the satisfaction because he killed the lion without any effort on his part. The other one hunted the deer with thrill. He was not sure if he would get it. But, he kept chasing it all through the day and finally made it. So, keep your goal beyond reach always. Do not think small.

Upanishad says, "Do not befriend an 'alpa' (one who thinks small) because you will also become 'alpa'. Befriend a 'magat' so that you will be a 'magat'." Befriend those who think big. Their thoughts will be good and great. There will be no full stop if the goal is beyond reach. Even when you proceed on spiritual path, do not ask for mantra siddhi, wealth or 'vãk siddhi'; what should you desire? 'Ãatma' - desire ãtma. There is no full stop in worldly things. In this, (spiritual) there is a reach. 'Ãtma Sãkshãtkãra' is final. There is nothing beyond. A 'mumukshu' should desire 'Brahma Sãkshatakãra'.

People ask if there is rebirth. The answer is, "If a person dies with vãsanas he will definitely come back." Vãsana 'kshaya' (destruction) is only Moksha. Do not dream of attaining Moksha without vãsana kshaya.

‘Mumukshuvãi’ - you should entertain deep yearning to attain Moksha. It should be like fire. It should always be burning like a flame.
‘tarparanãi’ keep trying unceasingly. Keep a routine (the whole day). Suppose a person is employed in an office. He has to report at his office at a particular time, say 8 or 9 a.m. He cannot go late to his office. If the reporting time is 10, you have to be present there at 10 and remain there until the specified time, attending to the work allotted to you. We do not take leave of this duty of ours even if our spouse or child is unwell or to attend a marriage, etc. We think a lot before absenting ourselves from our office. Are we not attending to all worldly affairs even as we attend to our office duties? Do we drop our office work all of a sudden? Are you not slogging 8 hours for 'loukiika vishaya' (worldly affair)? Then slog like this for 'Bhagavat vishaya' (spiritual matter) also. You are in an office now. This is God's office. What should you do in this office? Four hours of dhyãna in the morning and four hours in the evening. If you enter your office at 8 in the morning are you not working till 1'o clock there? If you do not work or if you leave early are you not being shouted at by your boss? But, here it is God who is your boss and He will not shout at you at all! He is the real boss! Is he not? Read the Bhãgavatam for four hours in the morning, do japa and do dhyãna. Repeat this for another four hours. All your other work should be done only beyond this, if time permits. This should be given the priority. What do you say if you are asked to go to the shop while you leave for your office? "No! It is time to go to my office! I have to reach my office on time." Our priority is office work. All the rest come later. Is that not so? Sãdhana time should also be followed in this manner and there should not be any compromise in this aspect. Only one who labours hard will get the desired. Only one who labours gets Bhagavãn. Only one who labours can get even the 'loka' (worldly things).

Hence, when we wake up in the morning we must do japa for a fixed hour, parãyana for a fixed hour; until then, do not speak to anyone. Let anything happen. Attend to other things later. So, we should keep ourselves aloof and do the sãdhana in a routine manner. There is an advantage in doing the sãdhana in a routine manner. As repeatedly being said, 'manas' becomes a slave to habit. If you fix up a time for your dhyãna and follow it for about six months, what would you find? The 'manas' goes to dhyãna automatically at the fixed hour. This is because it has got into this habit. A person takes to drinking habit. He gets used to drinking every evening at 6'o clock. At sharp 6 in the evening, the 'manas' seeks the drink. Why? Because he has made a habit of it. The 'manas' expects the drink. Suppose we meet a close friend of ours daily at a fixed time and this practice continues for sometime. What happens? If this friend fails to turn up on a day the 'manas' becomes restless. We await him and feel disappointed when he does not visit us. This is because the 'manas' has become habitual to meeting him. Therefore, if you hold on to a habit at a fixed time, the 'manas' begins to expect it and also accommodates itself to it. So, take some trouble, wake up at 3'o clock in the morning and do japa. Do it from 3 to 5. Initially, there will be some struggle ('porãttam') because it is not used to this (sort of a discipline). But, if you are stubborn and do it for sometime, around 2'o clock you will wake up on your own. As you keep doing japa from 3 to 5, the difficulties faced during the initial period will lessen. The mind will come to rest automatically. In 'brahmamuhurta' (3 to 5 in the morning) the cosmic is filled up with what is called the 'ojas' that is very supportive ('balam') to those who do spiritual sãdhana. Our religion speaks of 'prãtha snãna' that has scientific purport also. In 'Mãrgazhi' month(the Tamizh month from nid-December to mid-January), this 'ojas' deepens, though it is to be found on all mornings. Between 3 and 5 in 'brahmamuhurta', the energy called 'ojas' spreads out in cosmos. When we do 'sandhya vandana' we say, 'ojosi sahosi bhalamasi…'

It is a great power that procures spiritual power ('deiva balam') for us. So, as soon as you wake up early morning, do some japa, dhyãna, pãrãyana and then attend to 'loukiika' matters at a fixed time. If we maintain this routine we will not face any problem. We can attend to worldly affairs, cook, eat, read, do japa, dhyãna and do everything. There will not be any confusion, if we follow a routine. During morning upto 12 noon, we must practice our japa, dhyãna etc. Periya Periyava, even on his 'yãtra' would keep doing japa till 12. He would sit out and people who came for his darshan could have darshan and move out. He would attend to his duty. He would not then interact with anyone. On waking up in the morning, he would speak a little with 'Pudu Periyava', drink some water, apply vibhuti all over the body, followed by his various other activities in a matter of routine.

Maha Periyava was very great in 'mãnasa' puja (mental worship). What is 'mãnasa puja'? He was used to the performance of Chandramouleeswara puja (while on the 'peetha'). Though he had given up the 'peetah' he continued to do it, only mentally now. One could make out that he was doing it because you would find his hand picking up imaginary flowers and offering it. If we have 'mano shakti' and watch him, we can make out his 'manasa' puja. Vãdirãja Swami and Vyãsarãya Swami were adept in 'mãnasa' puja. This is the reason that Vyãsarãya Swami had a doubt cleared by Kanakadãsa. Vãdirãja Swami was an adept in this. Lord Hayagreeva was 'pratyaksha' (seen directly) to him. He used to carry some 'kollu' (oats) mixed with jaggery on a plate on his head and Hayagreeva used to come from behind and eat it from that plate! This picture is popularly found everywhere. Mãdhwãs are great in mantras. They do lot of mantra japa and attain 'siddhi' in it. They are not 'Nãmãs' like we do but Mantras with 'bheejãkshara', viz. Krishna mantra, moola Rãma mantra, Mahãlakshmi mantra.
When Vãdirãja Swami moved from one place to another, carrying Lord Hayagreeva in a palanquin, the palanquin would seem to be floating in the air. Vãdirãja Swami would walk beside the palanquin with folded hands. Actually it was 'bhoota ganas' who carried it. Others could not see these 'bhoota ganas'. Vãdirãja Swami used to eat very well. Once, his disciples decided to take him to a place where no food was available. They wanted to see how he would manage to get his food! They took him into a forest and said to him, "Swami, there is none to offer 'bhiksha' here". The Swami said, "Do not worry about it." He then called the 'sapta kannigai' ( 7 divine damsels) from above who prepared a festive meal and offered them food with 'vada' and 'pãyasa'! The disciples were aghast and the Swami said to them, "Fools! It is not just Vãdirãja who can get food anywhere but anyone who utters 'Vãdirãja' will get food anywhere!"

He once said to his disciples to close him up in a Brindãvan. He said to them, "Open up after two days but you will not find me in!" This Brindãvan is in Sondhe in the West coast. He was not to be seen at all after two days. He was a great Mantra siddha.

‘Yogathil tharparanãi odi kãlotharathin eka vazhi nirka isaindu’ - (With the mind fixed to Yoga,) Stand firmly in the path advocated in this granta. "

" GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM!
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!”

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NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyãsam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

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