eLLu (part 12)

November 17, 2005

SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

Thilam (eLLu) is the often quoted in Upanishads, mostly in the context

of how oil is concealed / contained in such a small material.

In tarpaNam, it is this material which is offered – that is why Thila

tarpaNam – 'offer of Thilam to him / that '.

Why Thilam and not any other thing?

It is because it is the vasthu, having a perfect combination of all

the 3, bhuh, bhuvah and svah.

There is agni in it. If one eats more of eLLu (urundai), it is said to

cause heat in the body.

There is oil in it (a fluid content).

And there is earth in it. (the black colour stands for earthern

element – recall the Chandogya verses, that whatever is black in

colour, the wise people know it as the form of earth, because the name

stays in colour.)

When one does tarpaNam, the 3 levels of speech, mind and prana which

were once known by a name (of father) is invited. The three-some is

given seat by means of eLLu on darbhai aasanam. The three-some sits

there by eLLu, in the form of eLLu, because that denotes all the 3.

The three are offered eLLu so that what the 3-some gained from the

pancha bhoothas are given back to the pancha bhoothas. This is similar

to Brahma yajna explained in Gita. In Him, by Him, for Him and of Him.

Therefore the Lord who receives it all is Brahman Himself. He is the

pithru. He is the pithru yajna, as how He is Pancha yajna.

He himself is the pramana for this.

It was He who also chose eLLu for tarpaNam and there is no substitute

for eLLu in containing the 3 levels.

And again it was He who did the the first tarpaNam.

To whom?

To Himself by Himself.

In the beginning of this kalpa, when the earth was submerged in water,

the Lord reached the earth inside the watery cave. Since he reached

and held (avindham) the Go (Bhoomi), He came to be known as Govindan.

When Govindan held it out of the water, He was Varaha. When Varaha had

established the earth above the water, it was almost noon and it was

time for afternoon libations. As Varaha was hurrying to do, He had

three balls of earth stuck to his teeth, which He shook off. Since it

was His own creation, He didn't want it to be thrown out. Before the

three balls could fall down, He hurriedly spread darbhai and placed

them on darbhaasanam. He considered these three balls (pindam or

gathered mass) as Himself and offered libations to them by Thilam

which is formed of heat (agni) and which has oil inside it. He just

sprinkled the thilam with water. (The water as carrier and

transporter.)

Varaha then as Vrishaakapi declared the Dharma as to what must be

done and sustained. He declared that as one who has created this

world, He has also created the pithrus. The 3 balls of earth called

pindam reached the direction of the South when He shook them off.

Vrishaakapi declared - Let them be the pithrus who have no body. Let

the three-some be father, grand father and great grand father. I am

the one to be known through them. I am the one worshipped through

them. I am the father of this world, I am the grand father and I am

the great grand father.

Narrating this incident to sage Narada, the Nara-Narayana made this

declaration too. Whomever worships the pithrus are indeed worshipping

the Lord Vishnu, who abides in all and who is all these things. (MB,

Shanti parva, chapter 355).

This is further stated by Geethacharyan.

While outlining His vibhUthis to Arjuna,. Bhagavan describes Himself.

He is Agni among the Vasus. ("vasUnam pAvakah"- 10-23) The meaning is

obvious. Agni is the receiver at the first level in any homa. In

tarpaNAm too, the first formed Agni receives the first offering. The

very basic 5 senses of the parents who give us the sense organs first,

are offered first. Agni carries the offerings to the destination

He is Shankara among the Rudras. ("RudrANAm shankarah" – 10-23).

Shankara means one who bestows Auspiciousness. The water is an

Auspicious Element. The oil inside the eLLu is auspicious. That is why

lamps (Thiru viLakku) are lit with the oil of eLLU. ( a further note

in the next mail)

Again Brihadaranyaka assigns the highest place to milk as the Bhuvh

vasthu. The father says in the ear of the new-born child, "speech,

speech", the bhuh. Then he hands the child over to the mother to feed

milk to the child. The milk is considered as bhuvh, as it provides the

vital resources for the growth of mind and body, for the development

of proper functioning of the internal system – at the fluid level. It

is on this milk, that the Lord is floating. When offerings are made to

bhuvah, He at the milky ocean receives it as the grandfather. Thinking

of this, we get new insights into specific offerings mentioned in

texts during specific occasions, say during Ramayana paarayana. If we

observe the nature of substances offered, we find to what level they

are being offered and why.

Coming to the third level, He is Vishnu among the Adityas.

("AdhityAnam Vishnuh" –10-21). Vishnu has pervaded everything. The

subtle element of Prana, the svah element of the three pervades

everywhere. That is why we find the connection to the mental faculties

(as explained in the previous mail) which are subtle and can move fast

(in thought).

Any japa done is done well, only when done by heart, mentally. Vishnu

takes over the mind then. The all pervading one is Akasha. That which

is inside any seed is Akaasha, as revealed by sage Aruni to his son

Shwetha ketu (Akasha inside the seed of the banyan tree).

(Ghataakasha versus Mahakaasha is again Brahman – not going into

details in the assumption that readers may be aware of this) . The

PraNA inside our body is Ghatakaasha, Akaasha enshrined inside our

body, also known as the Small Akaasha (details can be read in Brahma

sutra bhashyam). The same Akashaa inside the eLLu is the fitting

offering for the Aditya level Vishnu.

Again at another level, this can be re-interpreted as eLLu

representing Bhuh, the agni, the water mixed with it, is Bhuvah and

the shraddha with which one is expected do the tarpaNam is Svah. Each

of this reach the respective deities such as Vasu, Rudra and Aditya.

Here again we are coming to the crucial part of what exactly happens

in tarpaNam. Verse 3-1-7 of Brahma sutras talk about the departed soul

becoming 'food' for the deities like Soma. This Soma represents the

Pithruyaana. But knowing by the way that pithrus are propitiated by

means the bhuh, bhuvah and svah, it is clear what is denoted as 'food

for Gods' such as Soma is indeed what is offered to pancha bhoothas.

Bhagavad Ramanuja describes how the verses of Chandogya and

Brihadaranyaka denoting the soul becoming the food for gods should be

seen only in a secondary sense and not in literal sense. What the Gods

eat is the repayment done to the pancha bhoothas, which they

themselves are.

Then who is this Soma? Soma stands for Moon. That Soma is Moon, is

established by the why Rama is known as Ramachandra, a name not found

anywhere in Valmiki Ramayana. The explanation I received from my

Acharya is that Valmiki compares Rama with Soman in Kishkindha

khandam. Since Soma is Chandra the moon, Rama came to be called as

Ramachandra, in later works such as Padma purana. (The Rama naamavaLi

from Padma purana is the customary recital at the beginning of

Ramayana / Sudhara khanda parayana and even in temple archanai.)

By Chandogya verse we know that Moon is Agni as it is red in colour.

Wherever it is mentioned in texts that Soma eats the souls, we must

know that it is about the aspect of Agni, being eaten by Agni itself.

Another interesting connection to this is the reason why the offering

is known as pindam (in yearly offerings) Pindam is just a gathered

mass of materials, having no specific shape or soul. Even in daily

offering of rice balls to crows as part of every day pithru yajna, the

balls are rice mixed with gingily oil (nalleNNai) and eLLu. ( Ellu for

agni (bhuh), thil-oil for bhuvah and rice for svah the erathern

element or food. )

Since pithru kaaryam is known as pindodayam, we understand that it is

the pancha bhootha related material that is being satisfied, and not

exactly the soul. Because the soul is obviously untainted.

But we do call them by name, because it is to the 3-some elements

connected to that name we are offering.

That 3-some elements is attached to them in their stay in pithru

lokam. The offerings through the 3 devathas reach them there. That is

why, tasmai arpaNam – arpaNam to that.

The soul might have taken another birth, particularly the grand

fathers or great grand fathers. They will now be known by another

name. But what they gathered in their previous name, in their previous

birth is still with them. Therefore when tarpaNam is done, the

repayment happens to them in their new births too, making them acquire

newer strengths, as the debt is repaid to their elements of previous

births. In receiving fresh vitalities, they are pleased. The soul is

pleased. That comes as blessings to the one who has offered. Perhaps

the sudden upsurge in vitality and mental faculties that people attain

for no obvious reasons might be to do with tarpaNam received from

their descendants in their previous births.

This brings to my mind the utter helplessness that Bheeshma faced at

the crucial time in his life, which must have been related to his vow

of celibacy. The very strong case for entering grahasthasrama is

advocated in Adhi parva, MB, by showing how the pithrus cling to the

creepers in an abandoned well thereby making a sage give up his

brahmacharya vratham and enter into matrimony.

Bheeshma didn't enter into matrimony , but must have certainly done

pithru tarpaNam with all shraddha. But what happened at a crucial

juncture in the war field? When he was being hit by Arjuna's arrows

from all sides (This part of MB is so beautiful and moving in lyrics.

Bheeshma roars, bearing the pain but helpless, 'this is not from

Sikandi, I know this is from Arjuna' The repetition of this sentence

after describing each hit he has received is demonstrative of the

poet's exemplary control over expression of emotions. A similar

poetic beauty is witnessed in Sundhara khandam when Hanuman laments

repeatedly 'na hi paschyami VaidhEhIm', bringing tears to our eyes.),

any onlooker would have cried as did the reader of this part of MB.

There were some beings too who were moved by his plight. They were the

Vasus! The first level deity denoting fathers. He heard them tell

that the time had come for him to lay down his life. Hearing them,

Bheeshma stopped to return the fight. He just bore the arrows and was

about to drop. But Dhakshinayaan was in progress and it was not the

right time for leaving his mortal coils. The Vasus failed to caution

this or failed to note this when telling about his anthima kaalam

having neared.

But by then, some activity started happening at another place. His

mother Ganga, again from Vasu level but from an exalted Deva level

sent some sages in the guise of swans to convey him to stop leaving

the body, as the period was Dhakshinayana. And he obliged.

Here the question comes why such a mis-leading direction given by Vasus?

The one reason I can think of is though he would have propitiated the

grand father and great grand fathers, their power to guide him or help

him got restricted by not receiving further replenishment from the

sons of Bheeshma. Unless they, at their level to influence bhuvah and

svah, receive replenishment, a person will not be able to fare better

at places where otherwise he could have, by receiving something in

return for the repayment of debt.

So brahmacharyam is not to be a permanent one in a person's life.

Begetting children is again a strong wish in one's life. The reason is

this. For sanyasins, the rules are different and they offer libations

to themselves. But that their obligation continues has been best

demonstrated by Adhi shankara's life.

This brings us to the next question, why men alone are powered to do

pithru tarpaNam. Two appendices are being sent along this mail, one my

earlier mail on the reason for male progeny, published in one of the

groups some time ago and the other by another author which I found in

indianest.com. Added to this, is a very recent news of a boy who found

his biological father by identifying the Y chromosome, which I am

sure readers must be aware of. That the Y chromosome continues

unchanged down the generations perhaps tells why the male is better

entitled to do pithru kaaryam. Modern science needs to divert its

focus from mitochondrial origin to the first woman to the origin of Y

chromosome. That might perhaps lead them to none other than Bhagavan

Sri Krishna Himself, since He is the Pita (Gita) and created man from

one part of His being (Aithareya Upanishad). The woman, as per our

texts can either be Gayathri, the Veda maatha, the womb containing the

3 vyahruthis, bhuh, bhuvah and svah or a part of the first created man

as per Aithareya. Anyway it is Intelligent Design theory, our texts

indicate!

The question now is who then is the Lord of the three, Vasu, Rudra and Adithya?

Obviously it is Lord Himself, but precisely it has to be VrishAkapi. (

I have not seen an exact verse (in my limited knowledge of scriptures)

saying this as 1 in 3+1. But going by the story of how pithru kaaryam

originated, it is deduced that VrishAkapi, as Varaha 'steadfast in

Dharma', is the Lord. The allusion to Dharma gives a further clue that

this pithru kaaryam must be sustained or else the impartial nature of

Dharma devatha (yama) will give fitting results to the doer (here,

non-doer). He, as Yama (BG) will have to be impartial to people if

they fail to keep up the equilibrium of the 3-some forces of Nature.

Lets recall the verse from Rig veda (quoted in part 4)

8. Our ancient Fathers who deserve the Soma, who came, most noble, to

our Soma banquet,-

With these let Yama, yearning with the yearning, rejoicing eat our

offerings at his pleasure.

The reference to Yama here, yearning and rejoicing - denote how the

debt-repayment is meticulously calculated and when paid well, it is

joy for yama. It is Yama's pleasure that the Nature's forces are well

balanced, that people do their karma well, without fail.

Let us read the hymn on pithrus again in the light of what we have

discussed so far.

HYMN XV. Pithrus (Fathers)

1. MAY they ascend, the lowest, highest, midmost, the Fathers who

deserve a share of Soma-

May they who have attained the life of spirits, gentle and righteous,

aid us when we call them.

2 Now let us pay this homage to the Fathers, to those who passed of

old and those who followed,

Those who have rested in the earthly region, and those who dwell among

the Mighty Races.

3 1 have attained the gracious-minded Fathers, I have gained son and

progeny from Visnu.

They who enjoy pressed juices with oblation seated on sacred grass,

come oftenest hither.

4 Fathers who sit on sacred grass, come, help us: these offerings have

we made for you; accept them.

So come to us with most auspicious favour, and give us health and

strength without a trouble.

5 May they, the Fathers, worthy of the Soma, invited to their

favourite oblations.

Laid on the sacred grass, come nigh and listen: may they be gracious

unto us and bless us.

6 Bowing your bended knees and seated southward, accept this sacrifice

of ours with favour.

Punish us not for any sin, O Fathers, which we through human frailty

have committed.

7 Lapped in the bosom of the purple Mornings, give riches to the man

who brings oblations.

Grant to your sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them

energy, ye Fathers.

8 Our ancient Fathers who deserve the Soma, who came, most noble, to

our Soma banquet,-

With these let Yama, yearning with the yearning, rejoicing eat our

offerings at his pleasure.

9 Come to us, Agni, with the gracioug Fathers who dwell in glowing

light, the very Kavyas,

Who thirsted mid the Gods, who hasten hither, oblation winners, theme

of singers' praises.

10 Come, Agni, come with countless ancient Fathers, dwellers in light,

primeval, God-adorers,

Eaters and drinkers of oblations, truthful, who travel with the

Deities and Indra.

11 Fathers whom Agni's flames have tasted, come ye nigh: ye kindly

leaders, take ye each your proper place.

Eat sacrificial food presented on the grass: grant riches with a

multitude of hero sons.

12 Thou, Agni Jatavedas, when entreated, didst bear the offerings

which thou madest fragrant,

And give them to the Fathers who did cat them with Svadha. Eat, thou

God, the gifts we bring thee.

13 Thou, Jatavedas, knowest well the number of Fathers who are here

and who are absent,

Of Fathers whom we know and whom we know not: accept the sacrifice

wellprepared with portions.

14 They who, consumed by fire or not cremated, joy in their offering

in the midst of heaven,-

Grant them, O Sovran Lord, the world of spirits and their own body, as

thy pleasure wills it.

-----------------------

(to be continued)

Regards,

November 17, 2005

SrI:

Really thought-provoking concepts on eLLu beautifully put forth by Smt.

Saranathan. AdiyEn also enjoyed your earlier posting on dharbhai too - very

important for every Srivaishnava to learn and understand.

Thanks a lot Smt. saranathan for the wonderful write-ups.I am eagerly looking

forward to many more to come.

-adiyEn dAsan

KidAmbi Soundararajan.

Jayasree Saranathan <jayasree.saranathan wrote: