Sri Sadhguro Pahimam Parama Dayalu Rakshamam

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Dear Members

" Hindu Dharma " is a book published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which contains

English translation of two volumes of the Tamil Book " Deivatthin Kural " ; which

is a collection of invaluable and

engrossing speeches of Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi

MahaSwamiji.

 

http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap42.htm

 

Greatness of the Vedas

 

The glory of the Vedas knows no bounds and it is manifested in the

affairs of the world in a manner that defies comparison.

 

Of all the sacred places on earth Kasi comes foremost. When we speak

in praise of other hallowed centres, we say that they are equal to Kasi in

holiness. From this we know the importance of that city. In the south there is a

pilgrim centre which has come to be called " Daksina Kasi (Southern Kasi). There

is an Uttara Kasi (Northern Kasi) in the Himalaya. Vrddhacalm in Tamil Nadu is

also known as " Vrddha Kasi " . In Tirunelveli district (of Tamil Nadu ) there is a

town called " Tenkasi " (this also means " Southern Kasi " ). When we speak in

praise of a sacred place it is customary to describe it as being " equal to

Kasi " . But Kumbhakonam is considered greater than Kasi ( " in greatness it weighs

one grain more than Kasi " ). Here is a stanza that speaks of the high place

accorded to Kumbhakonam.

 

Anyaksetre

krtam papam punyaksetre vinasyati

 

Punyaksetre

krtam papam Varanasyam vinasyati

 

Varanasyam

krtam papam Kumbhakone vinasyati

 

Kumbhakone

krtam papam Kumbhakone vinasyati

 

" The sin committed in any (ordinary) place is washed away in a sacred

place. That committed in any sacred place is washed away in Varanasi (that is

Kasi). The sin committed in Varanasi is wiped away in Kumbhakonam. And the sin

earned in Kumbhakonam, well it is destroyed only in Kumbhakonam. "

 

The glory of Kasi is that all other sacred places are likened to it.

Even when a place is said to be superior to Kasi the implication is that Kasi is

uniquely great. It has acquired a distinction by being made an object of

comparison. A great man has composed a poem on Kasi. " ksetranam uttamanam api

yad upamaya ka pi loke prasastih, " so it begins. It means: " By being likened to

it even highly esteemed places become famous- that is Kasi. "

 

Similarly, when you speak highly of scared tirthas you liken them to the Ganga

or say that they are more holy than that river. We must

conclude from the foregoing that Kasi comes first among the sacred places and

that the Ganga is the holiest of the tirthas.

 

It is in this way that, when any work is to be extolled, it is said

tob e " equal to the Vedas " . The Ramayana is a very famous poetic work. There

are many versions of it. Take any language in India: the story of Rama will be

seen to be a theme in drama, poetry, music, etc, in its literature. The

greatness of the Ramayana is such that it is exalted to the position of a Veda.

" Vedah Pracetasadasitsaksadramayanatmana. " The Veda itself was born as Ramayana

to Valmiki, the son of Pracetas.

 

The Mahabharatha too is celebrated as a Veda: in fact it is called

the fifth Veda ( " pancamo Vedah " ).

 

Vaisnavas glorify the Tiruvaymozhi as a Veda. It is the work of Nammazhvar, who

is also called Sathakopan and Maran. They say: " Maran Sathakopan composed the

Tamil Veda. " The famous Tamil work on ethics, the Tirukkural, is also called

the " Tamil Veda. "

 

During the time of the author of the Kural, Tiruvalluvar, there was the " Kadai

Samgam " in Madurai. In that city there was a seat received as a gift from

Sundaresvara. Only the worthy could sit on it. The unworthy would be pushed

aside. Was such a ting possible? We cannot believe it; but we do believe that

when a coin is inserted in a machine we get a ticket.

 

[Here the Paramaguru tells the story of Tiruvalluvar and his Kural and

how the poets of his time came to regard Tamil as great as Sanskrit since it had

now come into possession of a work like Kural which, they said, was equal to the

Vedas. This story occurs in Chapter 5, Part Two, " The Vedas in their Original

Form. " ]

 

Saivas [in Tamil Nadu] regard the Tiruvacakam as the Tamil Veda. To the

Christians in India the Bible is the " Satya - Veda. " Thus we see that the Vedas

have a special place of honour. The Vedic river is ageless and it traverses the

length and breadth of our land as the very life-blood of our culture. This river

should not be allowed to dry up. There is no greater responsibility for a Hindu

than that of keeping the Vedas a live and vibrant tradition.

 

The sound of the Vedas must pervade everywhere, must fill all space.

The truths enshrined in them must be spread far and wide and the rituals

enjoined on us by them must be made to flourish. Sufficient it would be if the

Vedic dharma remains vigorous and is maintained atleast in our land. If a man's

heart is stout he will survive even if all other parts of his body are

afflicted. In the same way, if the Vedas flourish in this land all nations will

prosper and live in peace and happiness. This is the prayer of the Vedic dharma.

 

" Lookah samastah sukhnio bhavantu. "

JAYA JAYA SANKARA HARA HARA SANKARA

 

Thwameva Maathaa Cha Pithaa Thwameva

Thwameva Bhandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva

Thwameva Vidhyaa Dhravinam Thwameva

Thwameva Sarvam Mama Dheva Dheva.