PART I MYTHS- Sec.2 Anec 3 to 5

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

We present Anecdotes 3, 4 and 5 from Section 2 of Part I - Myths

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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The power of Omnipresence ( Uddalaka and Svetaketu)

 

In a conversation between Uddalaka and his son Svetaketu, the son asked

his father how the vast Universe with its infinite variety could be

produced, sustained and supported by God who, however, remained

incognito. Uddalaka asked him to fetch a fruit of the Nyagrodha

(Banyan) tree, break it and tell what he saw. Some seeds were seen. He

asked him to crush a seed and tell what he saw. " Nothing" replied

Svetaketu. Yet in that subtle substance inside the tiny seed which could

not be seen lay the power that produced the Nyagrodha tree with its

massive branches. Uddalaka explained that in the same manner, all that

exists in the Universe was potentially in the 'Sat' of Brahman- the

material, instrumental and supportive cause of everything.

 

Again, he asked him to put some salt in water. Next morning, he asked

his son to find out whether the salt was still there. Svetaketu replied

that he could not find the salt but when he drank the water it tasted

saline. Uddalaka explained that in the same manner, even though God

could not be seen, he was the cause of the Universe and was very much in

the world supporting it from within and without, controlling it and

directing it.

 

Comment

 

This 'Brahman' which controls conducts, directs, ordains, supervises,

pervades, performs and regulates our lives, our desires, our wisdom, our

actions, our very being, our knowledge, our happiness, the universal

truth and beauty, besides time, space and matter - remains humble and

non-interfering. It refuses to force itself upon us. However, it

imperceptibly envelops our every thought, word and deed in our

existence. Out of sheer grace it does all this without making itself

felt as overbearing. This Brahman lives in the horizon of mystery

revealing itself when occasion demands but content to remain

unrecognized by us while all the time recognizing us, in its all

encompassing compassion in its ' presence-in-absence'. This is no

abdication of responsibility but a selfless self distancing

deliberately undertaken to be more involved than any specific localized

presence would allow. This absence is meant to give the world a sense of

autonomy and the living beings a sense of freedom. Thus, this

unobtrusiveness, this masterly non-intervention actually underscores

the other facet of his concern for us.

 

4. The power of perseverance ( Nachiketas )

 

Vajisravas performed a Yagna in which he was to give away all that he

had. But, actually, he gifted away old, scrawny cows. His son,

Nachiketas, a boy of 8 years was put off by this. He asked his father "

To whom would you gift me?' At first, the father ignored. But, when

Nachiketas persisted, in a fit of rage, he said" I would gift you to the

Lord of death". Soon, he realized that a word given at a Yagna had to be

kept up. Undaunted, the boy agreed to go to the Lord of death.

 

Yama, the Lord of death was away and Nachiketas had to wait for 3 days

to get an audience with him. On his return, Yama regretted his having

kept the guest waiting and offered to grant him 3 boons. The first boon

was that his father's anger should vanish and should receive him with

pleasure as he returned home. The second boon was to instruct him on the

Yaga that would open up the way to Heavens. Yama instructed him in

detail of the procedures of Agni Vidya. The third boon was to know what

happens to the soul after death. This was a big question deserving an

elaborate answer. Yama tried to dissuade him offering to grant him

whatever other boons he desired. But, Nachiketas was steadfast, insisted

on Yama delineating on the 'after death scenario'- a secret that cannot

be ordinarily revealed to anyone. After satisfying himself that he was

fit to receive the secret, Yama advised him. Nachiketas returned home

and finally attained immortality.

 

Comment

 

The story of Nachiketas aims to prove that when a disciple shows utmost

sincerity in learning and prays to be instructed, there is no secret, no

truth that cannot be revealed to him by a qualified preceptor. Also, in

this case, the willingness and ability of both the teacher and the

taught were of a very high order - the capacity to impart was as great

on the part of Yama as the capacity to receive on the part of

Nachiketas. The perseverance of Nachiketas proved his depth of sincerity

which Yama could not ignore. Thus, this episode brings out in bold

relief the duties of the preceptor and those of the pupil in the matter

of spiritual knowledge.

 

Another lesson the story conveys is that when a guest arrives, the host

should extend all courtesies due to him. This is one of the Panchamaha

Yagnas prescribed for being observed by a Grihasta ( householder) and

the guest in fact is considered to be a divine visitor as the saying

goes " Athithi Devo Bhava" next only to the mother, father and

preceptor. Any lapse in this duty has to be atoned and recompensed as

Yama did by offering any boon that Nachiketas desired.

 

5. The Power of Exception ( Sage Ushasti )

 

The Kuru kingdom was once afflicted with a severe thunderstorm. A great

famine followed killing thousands of people, cattle and all other living

beings. This led to an exodus to other places. A Brahmin sage by name

Ushasti also trekked long distances in search of food and shelter along

with his wife. At one stage, he was so famished and exhausted with

hunger and thirst that he almost fainted and apprehended that his end

was near at hand.

 

A mahout riding on an elephant passed by. When Ushasti inquired whether

he could offer any food, the mahout had only left over remnants of baked

horsegram part of which he had eaten. Ushasti gladly accepted the

grains. But,later when the mahout offered water to drink, Ushasti

declined saying that he cannot accept water contaminated by his spittle.

The mahout asked how in the first place, he accepted the horsegram when

that was also equally contaminated. Ushasti explained that he accepted

the grains since he was in a life-threatening situation and that if he

had not eaten, he would have died instantly whereas drinking water was

not in that category, life having been saved and the danger to life had

disappeared.

 

Comment

 

Some people posing to be more puritanical than the real puritans

question whether one could eat onions, garlic etc. which are not

approved by the Sastras. At the other extreme are those who argue that

in the background of modern hectic activity and struggle for survival,

one cannot be too meticulous about observing the age old stipulations

of Dharmic duties, one cannot be too fastidious about avoiding such

foods, or too fussy about partaking in 'socializing' involving as it

does imbibing intoxicants. Neither of them is correct. What CAN BE eaten

and what MAY BE avoided

(note the difference between can be and may be) have been clearly

indicated in our Sastras. Again, it is not as if activity has become

hectic only now, or the struggle for survival has become intense only in

our days. Life has always been hectic and the struggle for survival was

perhaps much more poignant in the past than now, since the people in

those days lacked much of the luxuries and comforts we have converted to

be necessities for us today.

 

The moral of the story is that in times of danger to life, Sastras do

permit consuming any vegetarian edibles and such intake will not go

against Pramanas. This point is clearly declared in Sri

Ramanujacharya's Sri Bashyam Sutras 446 - 448 " Sarvaanna Anumaty

Adhikaraanam".

 

But, Sutra 449, clearly and categorically forbids consumption of meat

(on grounds of Ahimsa) and liquor in any form even in the face of danger

to life.

 

The restrictions on food prescribed are only for general guidance. The

Sastras do not prohibit but only advise avoidance of certain foods like

onion, garlic etc for the purpose of regulating / eliminating Rajo /

Tamo gunas which mold one's attitudes and character adversely, if

consumed in the long run and as a matter of addiction. Swami Sri

Desikan has listed such items in his " Aahaara Niyamam".

 

It should be understood that should a person be unable to fulfill his

Dharmic duties or is compelled by circumstances beyond one's control

(individually or socially) to resort to consuming such items when

nothing else is available and to avoid life threatening hunger, for

example in a foreign land, one can partake, (more by way of exception

than as a routine) and with a sense of remorse (Nirveda) and perform

atonement (Prayaschitta).

 

This can be seen from the fact that where Sastras have prescribed severe

observance of certain rites like repeating mantras 1008 times, or

observing Vratas for as long as even 36 years, the same Sastras also

provide for substitutes like repeating the same Mantras for just 28

times or even 10 times and observance of the same Vratas for

incredibly short periods. The Sastras also prescribe purificatory

procedures like Punyavachanam (sprinkling holy waters with appropriate

mantras), eating Panchagavyam (the five products of the cow also with

appropriate mantras) - only to drive home the fact that should one be

compelled by circumstances to get polluted, there is always a way to

cleanse oneself. But, mere ritualistic cleansing will have no value

unless they are accompanied by sincere remorse and atonement as

mentioned above. Our fault lies in making the exception the very rule.

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