maRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu- (PART 30 -- CONCLUDED)

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"maRRai nam kaamangaL maatru": 'vEdanta-sAra mantra'

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This series of essays -- it began on 16th January this

year! -- ends today with this posting to the

Tiruvenkatam Group list!

 

My sincere apologies for the rather leisurely and

sporadic manner in which this long series of postings

has progressed from beginning to end. It dealt with a

profoundly Vedantic theme: "kaama" as 'purushArtha'.

The theme apparently simple is actually so vast and

formidable. It simply overwhelms anyone venturing to

do it justice through an essay elucidating it.

 

The theme of "kaama" has many splendorous variations.

They are to be found in several parts of the vast body

of Vedantic scripture, lore and literature. To truly

understand it all -- its infinite variety, its

overtones and undertones, its echoes and resonances

--one truly has to cover a lot of ground. This long

series of mine attempted to do it to the best of my

meagre knowledge and ability.

 

I had to persevere with this series right to its very

end amidst countless ordinary but pressing concerns

and distractions of the day-to-day ('loukeeka') world

in which we all live and flounder. They intrude into

and interrupt what might have otherwise been, if only

God had willed it so, a life of constant

"bhagavath-chintana" --- a pre-occupation with

thoughts sacred and matters divine... a life, so to

say, entirely given to 'saatvIka kaama'. Alas, such a

blessing is not upon me...

***************

 

Amongst common men, imitation is said to be a form of

flattery. In the community of the spiritually minded

too, imitation is not an uncommon form of expressing

one's deep veneration for godly or saintly persons.

(Those who worship Lord Rama, for example, strive to

imitate in their lives the examples of conduct in the

Ramayana. Again, it is not uncommon for 'sishyAs' in

the "vaideeka" fold to always want to imitate their

respective 'AchArya' in word and deed. Why, even in

the Christian tradition, the true Christian ethic is

said to strive to imitate Jesus of Nazareth --- that

is why, John Bunyan, for example, was inspired to

write his famous work of Christian piety, "The

Imitation of Christ").

 

In the phrase "maRRai nam kaamangaL maatru", appearing

at the very end of the immortal and classic Tamil work

of religious devotion, the "TiruppAvai", AndAl summed

up in a single marvellous expression everything she

had intended to convey in 28 preceding stanzas. And

imitating her -- imitating the very same style of the

"pirAtti" (Lady) of SriVilliputtur out of my sense of

unbounded veneration for her -- I too intend this last

and 30th posting ("muppathUm thappAmE") in this series

to be a concluding summary of all the 29 postings that

went before.

 

*************

 

The Vedanta “mArga-s” of “gnyAna”, “karma” and

“bhakti” yoga (known collectively as "hita" in

Vedantic terminology) are essentially all about one

thing only: they point Man towards the highest

“purushArtha” -- the everlasting joy of union with

God.

 

The attainment of this "purushArtha" lies in the

conquest of earthly “kaama” --- that Force latent in

the fuel of Life called Desire which in turn drives

all human action. That "fire of Desire", called

"kaama", can never really be quelled or put out

completely. However, it can and must be tamed. It can

and must be made to serve Man's true and highest ends

in life. This cardinal truth is revealed in the 3rd

chapter of the Bhagavath-Gita:

 

evaM buddheH paraM buddhvaa

sa.nstabhyaatmaanamaatmanaa .

jahi shatruM mahaabaaho

kaamaruupaM duraasadam.h .. 3\.43..

 

"Thus, knowing one's own soul to be transcendent and

beyond the pale of material senses, mind and

intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady

the mind with the aid of spiritual intelligence and

deliberation. And thus — by spiritual strength —

conquer this insatiable enemy known as "kaama",

Desire".

 

*****************

The taming of "kaama" involves changing its basic

character rooted in "primitiveness" into one that is

"culturally or ethically higher".

 

Such change or conditioning ("kaamangaLai maatruthal")

is accomplished by exercising human Will. Exercising

the Will means making right, deliberate choices in

life.

 

If we willed ourselves in life (it is arduous,

life-long struggle to do so) to make only the right

choices and resolutions, and to abjure the wrong or

useless ones, it would bring about a change in the

whole texture and complexion of our Desires.

 

It is our desires that define our persona. When our

desires are transformed, our inner persona too stands

transformed. With persona transformed, the true Self

within us can, at last, begin to discover its true

indentity: as a source of inexhaustible Love and Joy

(ref: Sage YagnyavAlkya's story from the

BrihadAranyaka Upanishad in posting #13).

 

What is then discoveed is pure Joy and Pleasure -- the

Vedantic ideal (of "purushArtha") known as "Kaama". It

is the Supreme Pleasure-Principle which is verily

Godhead: that which the Vedas have celebrated as the

"brahmAnanda" -- an "Ananda" that simply defies

description or comprehension through ordinary sensory

experience. Such "brahmAnandam" is within the grasp of

all men. It is their birthright.

 

Such ‘change in desires’, such transformation of

persona, is exactly what is signified in the

TiruppAvai in the Tamil expression “maRRai nam

kaamangaL maaRRu”.

 

All the above themes and sub-themes were dealt with in

Postings # 1 through # 12.

 

****************

How to actually bring about such transformation in

Desire, in our persona and life is a question of great

Vedantic importance.

 

According to Vedanta, “change” in “kaama” can be

effected in one or more of 3 different ways. They are:

 

(1) CHANGE IN THE DIRECTION OF DESIRES brought about

by deliberate exercise of the human Will --- a Will

grown ripe and enlightened through

Self-knowledge ("gnyAna"). This is called

“gnyAna-yOga”. The best illustration of this "yOga" in

practice is in the dramatic example (we saw in posting

#15 in this series) of Nachiketas in the "Katha

Upanishad".

 

(2) REDUCTION IN THE QUANTITY OF DESIRES through

“kArma-yOga”. This is essentially the idea of

“unification of desires” explained in posting #16

through #21. To amplify this, again, the dramatic

example of Tondaradipodi Azhwar's early life was

narrated in this series.

 

(3) IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF DESIRES through

practice of “bhakthi-yOga”. This is called

“sublimation of desires” and it is, in fact, the

central theme of the whole of the TiruppAvai. It lies

at the very core of the expression “maRRai nam

kaamangaL maaRRu”. And this was illustrated (even at

the risk of offending the orthodox SriVaishnavite's

sensitivities) through the story of a Saivite

Nayanmar, Sri Poosalar of Tiruninravoor (postings #22

through #29) whose extraordinary tale of "bhakti" is

one of the most glorious in the annals of Vedantic

hagiology.

 

***********

 

This series now concludes with an observation that

should probably provide unusual food for thought to

all lovers of the TiruppAvai who recognize the work to

be what is really is: "upanishad saaram", essentially

a work of Vedantic thought more than anything else.

 

The way the TiruppAvai deals with the theme of "kaama"

actually imitates the way of the ageless Vedic

'sruti'. The conceptual template of the TiruppAvai as

it goes about expounding the subject of "kaama" in 30

magnificent stanzas appears to have been inspired by

the same one found in the famous Vedic passage -- the

"chamakka prashna".

 

It will be recalled that Posting # 9 in this series

briefly referred to the "chamaka prashna" as an

exhaustive "wish-list" of human Desires ("kaama"). The

“chamakam” occurs in the 4th “kAnda”, 7th

“prapAthaka” of the Yajur Veda. It has 11 “anuvAkAs”

or passages. The passage rings throughout its course

with the conjunctive word “cha”, “cha, “cha” meaning

“and”, “and”, “and”. Hence the name “chamakam” given

to the “prashna”. The “chamakam” contains the verb

“kalpataam” which in Sanskrit means “may it be granted

to me”. The whole of the passage thus reads: “May this

and that and (“cha”) this and that and (“cha”)..... be

granted to me (kalpataam”), O Almighty!”

 

Between the verb “kalpataam” and the conjunctive “cha”

is contained a lengthy recital of several things of

the world that one perhaps may best describe (using

the modern expression) as the “good things of life” or

"goodies". The whole of the “chamakam” thus is a

prayer for 347 earthly "goodies" -- some of the most

valuable and desirable things in life Man might

petition God.

 

The "chamakkam" inventory includes grain, food,

health-care, wealth, progeny, fame, friends,

neighbors, obedient subordinates, kith-and-kin that

harbor no secret jealousy... and so on and so forth...

These get invoked, one after the other in a cascading

series, as it were, with the magical sound of the

sweet refrain: “cha … cha… may… kalpataam…”.

 

*****************

 

It is very significant to note that the 3rd ‘anuvAka’

of the ‘chamakam’ –- a very popular piece indeed that

is very often chanted on occasions wherever the Vedic

faithful congregate in worship even today–-- the 3rd

‘anuvAka’ is actually called “kaama-” or

“priya-anuvAkam”. It begins as:

 

“sham cha may, mayas cha may, priyam cha may, anu

kaamas cha may, kaamas cha may, sowmana-sas cha may,

bhadhram cha may, srEyas cha may……”

 

(meaning):“May God grant me these things: the

Happiness of this world, the Happiness of the other

world, objects dear and pleasing, objects alluring,

all things desired for in the other world, the

happiness of having well-disposed relations, welfare

and prosperity in this world …….”(unquote)

 

>From the above passage we should be able to understand

beyond a shadow of doubt that the “kaamaanuvAka" of

the “chamakam” is an explicit prayer to the Almighty

to grant the human heart the fulfillment of its

“kaam-ic” urges i.e. to grant it all the natural and

normal desires to be unabashedly or unreservedly

sought in the world.

 

*************

 

Now, if one turns to the TiruppAvai and studies the 30

verses therein from a purely Vedantic standpoint, one

will not fail to notice that it too deals with a

recurrent and underlying sub-theme: "Prayer for human

desires to be fulfilled". The Tamil phrase of AndAl is

"vEnduvana kEttiyEl" and it is an eloquent epigram for

this particular theme.

 

Further, in Stanza 3, there is an eloquent prayer for

all forms of earthly prosperity to be blessed upon the

world to ensure human well-being --- "teenginri

nAdellAm tingaLL mUmmAri peyydhu" (copious rains),

"cennel oodu kayaLugaLa" (rich crops), "perUm

passukkal" (productive livestock), "neengAdha selvam"

(undiminshing wealth") etc.

 

Again in Stanza 9 we find the following beautiful

lines echoing more of the same sentiment:

 

"thoomaNi maadaththu sutrum viLakkeriyath*

thoopam kamazhath thuyilaNaimEl kaN vaLarum*"

 

These are marvellous lines of Tamil poetry suggestive

of wholesome domestic bliss in in all human dwellings

--- the "dream-homes" that all men aspire for in life

(please refer Posting # 23 in this series).

 

In Stanza 11 there is the phrase "sutraththu

thOzhimaar ellaarum vandhu" suggestive of another

aspect of Man's wellbeing -- his basic urge or desire

for human fratenity and communion i.e. the longing for

the cozy feeling of companionship amongst friends,

good neighbours etc.

 

Then in the 19th stanza there is the richly evocative

phrase: "metthenRa pancha sayanam" -- which by itself

is an extraordinarily suggestive "catch-all" phrase

alluding to all manner of homely comfort and luxury

the human heart craves for.

 

The 26th and 27th stanzas of the TiruppAvai are

full-throated petitions indeed (similar to the

"chamakka prashna") for many of the world's "goodies"

--- which the poetess AndAl symbolizes through a

series of poetic imagery: "kOla viLakku", "kodiya

vidhaanam", "choodagam", "thOL vaLai", "thOdu",

"sevippoo", "paadagam", "aadai","paaRchORu", "neyy"

etc.

 

Thus, as one reads through the text of both the

TiruppAvai and the Vedic "chamakka prashna", one

cannot fail to notice that they both indeed do offer

up prayers to God seeking fulfillment and the objects

of the best or most ideal of human desires ( i.e.

"kaama" as "purushArtha").

 

***************

 

Both the "chamakkam" and the TiruppAvai -- all-time

classics of Vedantic profundity -- seek however to

show Man the way to not only fulfill "kaama" but to

transcend it as well. Both contain within themselves

the germ of an implicit answer to the most fundamental

philosophical question of life:

 

"Fulfillment of Desire ("kaama") towards what end? For

mere selfish or evanescent pleasure of Man?" (AndAl,

in fact, poses the same question in famously poetic

lines: "yaam vandha kaariyam aaraayndhu!")

 

"No", say both the "chamakkam" and the TiruppAvai

quite emphatically.

 

Our earthly urges and desires, according to the

"chamakkam" are meant to be fulfilled for a very

specific purpose. The purpose is spelt out in

unequivocal terms in the 10th "anuvAka":

 

".... aayur yagnyEna kalpataam, praaNO yagnyEna

kalpattam, apaanO yagnyEna kalpataam, vyAnO yagnyEna

kalpataam, chakshur yagnyEna kalpataam, srOtram

yagnyEna kalpataam, manO yagnyEna kalpataam, vaak

yagnyEna kalpataam, aatmaa yagnyEna kalpataam, yagnyO

yagnyEna kalpataam!..."

 

meaning: "(May all the objects of my fulfilled

desires, may all the good things I've been blessed

with), May the longevity of my lifetime, may the the

vital airs in me, may my blessed eye-sight, my sense

of hearing, my Mind and powers of Speech, May my very

in-dwelling Soul .... May all these prove fit and

efficacious in my hands for the purpose of the many

sacrifices I shall perform in life! May such

sacrifices complete my lifetime to perfection! May all

these verily become utterly dedicated to the ultimate

sacrifice of mine --- "yagnyO yagnyEna kalpataam"!"

 

Man must seek fufillment of "kaama", of Desire,

principally to aid in the realization of one great

purpose in life: "yagnya" -- i.e. self-sacrifice,

called variously in Vedantic parlance as "aatma

samarpaNa", "aatma nivEdanam" etc. It is the ultimate

true end in life ('summum bonum') that Man must always

keep at the back of his mind while going about life

seeking satisfaction of earthly urges and desire.

 

*****************

 

The TiruppAvai too, in many a stanza, affirms the same

Vedantic truth. The 'aaypaadi' girls of AndAl's

pastoral poem go about talking of the sacrificial

"vratam" or vow which they wish to perform during the

holy month of "maargazhi" (dec-jan). Hence they go

about petitioning the Almighty for all manner of

earthly things as described above.

 

For instance, here are some oft-quoted lines of the

TiruppAvai which speak of Sacrifice as the main

purpose for which earthly desires should be fulfilled:

 

1. "vaazha ulaginil peydhidaay naangaLum*

maargazhi neeraada magizhndhElOr embaavaay"

 

2. "neyyuNNOm paaluNNOm naatkaalE neeraadi*

maiyittu ezhudhOm malarittu naam mudiyOm*

seyyaadhana seyyOm theekkuRaLaich chenROdhOm*

aiyamum pichchaiyum aandhanaiyum kai kaatti*

 

3. "dhEvaadhi dhEvanaich chenRu naam sEviththaal*

***************

 

If Sacrifice ("yagnya") is the ultimate goal of

desire-fulfillment -- in other words, if "kaama" is to

be offered as Sacrific unto "yagnya" -- the next

philosophical question that naturally arises is: To

what purpose "yagnya"? To what ultimate end

self-sacrifice?

 

The "chamakkam" and the TiruppAvai closely following

suit, both answer the question in one and the same

breath and in an emphatic manner:

 

The end of "yagnya" is verily the Lord Almighty

Himself: Holy Communion with and Eternal Servitude to

Him!

 

In the final soul-stirring 11th 'anuvAka', with a

magnificent flourish of poetry at the end, the

“chamaka prashna” of the Veda lifts ups its hands to

the skies and prays for nothing less than “Him who is

immanent in this infinite like space and time; Who is

born after the last of things and who exists at their

end; Who is immanent in the earth and who is

“adhipathi”, the Lord and Ruler, the Immortal:

 

“vyAshniyas cha aanthyaayanas cha aanthyaayas cha

bhowvanas cha bhuvanas cha adhipathis cha…!”

 

The TiruppAvai too in the penultimate stanza similarly

defines the climax or consummation of the sacrifice

("vrata") of the 'aaypaadi' girls as "parai" : that

exalted and blessed state of existence in the presence

of the Almighty where they could sing everlastingly

His Glory:

 

"un_dhannaip-paadip paRai kondu yaam peRum sammaanam*"

and

 

"vandhu unnai sEviththu* oon-potraamarai adiyE pOtrum

poruL kELaay*"

 

***************

 

The long Vedantic journey of life upon which Man

embarks thus, begins with a fundamental inquiry into

the nature of "purushArtha" (Goal in life); it then

travels through the pathways of "hita"; it progresses

then beyond the milestones of "gnyAna", "karma" and

"bhakti" yoga; eventually it approaches "yagnya" or

"atma-nivEdana"; and then it finally culminates in the

realization that the Almighty Himself and everlasting

bondage to Him is indeed and in reality the only true

Desire, the only true "kaama" that Man should aspire

to satiate.

 

This Vedantic journey is a long and arduous one. It is

a journey that one can aptly characterize in the

proverbial terms of "one thousand miles"!

 

And the very first step of this great journey of Man

is what indeed ANdAl in the TiruppAvai had in mind

when she described it in a single, beautiful and

unforgettable phrase: "mattrai nam kaamangaL

maatru...." ... "Change my Desire, O Lord!"

 

"andaal tiruvadigaLE sharaNam"

(CONCLUDED)

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sudarshan Madabushi

Chief Financial Officer & Vice-President

KGL Ports International

Plot A-21, Kuwait Free Trade Zone.

PO BOx 24565, Safat 13106,

Kuwait.

Ph: (965)- 4827804/5 Ext 212

Fax: 4827806

mob: 7063337

email: mksudarshan2002 (AT) (DOT) co.in

 

 

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