WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 13,525

Date uploaded in London – 8 August 2024                 

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

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xxxx  

All the Dravidian illiterates around the world repeat one line like a parrot, without understanding the following  philosophical poem in full.. It is as follows

The oft quoted Sangam Tamil verse from Purananuru (192) goes like this:

“Every town our home town; everyman a kinsman.

Good and evil do not come

From others

Pain and relief of pain

Come of themselves

Dying is nothing new.

We do not rejoice

That life is sweet

Nor in anger

Call it bitter

Our lives, however dear,

Follow their own course,

Rafts drifting

In the rapids of a great river

Sounding and dashing over the rocks

After a downpour

From skies slashed by lightning’s

We know this

From the vision

Of men who see

So,

We are not amazed by the great

And we do not scorn the little”

-Kaniyan punkundran (Pura Nanuru, verse 192)

*****

Original poem in Tamil is as follows

யாதும் ஊரே; யாவரும் கேளிர்;

தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா;

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோரன்ன;

சாதலும் புதுவதன்றே; வாழ்தல்

இனிது என மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே; முனிவின்

இன்னாது என்றலும் இலமே; ’மின்னொடு

வானம் தண் துளி தலைஇ, ஆனாது

கல் பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லல் பேர் யாற்று

நீர் வழிப்படூஉம்’ புணை போல் ஆர் உயிர்

முறை வழிப்படூஉம்’ என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின், மாட்சியின்

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே.

—-புறம்.192, கனியன் பூங்குன்றன் (பொருண்மொழிக் காஞ்சித் துறை)

****

Drifting Wood

Sankara said the same in Viveka Chudamani (VC)

स्त्रोतसा नीयते दारु यथा निम्नोन्नतस्थलम् ।
दैवेन नीयते देहो यथाकालोपभुक्तिषु ॥ ५५0 ॥

strotasā nīyate dāru yathā nimnonnatasthalam |
daivena nīyate deho yathākālopabhuktiṣu || 550 ||

550. As a piece of wood is drifted on to a high or low ground by the current, so is his body carried on by the momentum of past actions to the varied experience of their fruits, as these present themselves in due course.

****

 Fallen Leaf

यत्र क्वापि विशीर्णं सत्पर्णमिव तरोर्वपुः पततात् ।
ब्रह्मीभूतस्य यतेः प्रागेव तच्चिदग्निना दग्धम् ॥ ५५६ ॥

yatra kvāpi viśīrṇaṃ satparṇamiva tarorvapuḥ patatāt |
brahmībhūtasya yateḥ prāgeva taccidagninā dagdham || 556 ||

556. Let the body of the Sannyasin who has realised his identity with Brahman, wither and fall anywhere like the leaf of a tree, (it is of little consequence to him, for) it has already been burnt by the fire of knowledge.

कुल्यायामथ नद्यां वा शिवक्षेत्रेऽपि चत्वरे ।
पर्णं पतति चेत्तेन तरोः किं नु शुभाशुभम् ॥ ५५९ ॥

kulyāyāmatha nadyāṃ vā śivakṣetre’pi catvare |
parṇaṃ patati cettena taroḥ kiṃ nu śubhāśubham || 559 ||

559. If a leaf falls in a small stream, or a river, or a place consecrated by Shiva, or in a crossing of roads, of what good or evil effect is that to the tree?

****

Soul is Immortal

अविनाशी वा अरेऽयमात्मेति श्रुतिरात्मनः ।
प्रब्रवीत्यविनाशित्वं विनश्यत्सु विकारिषु ॥ ५६२ ॥

avināśī vā are’yamātmeti śrutirātmanaḥ |
prabravītyavināśitvaṃ vinaśyatsu vikāriṣu || 562 ||

562. The Śruti passage, “Verily is this Ātman immortal, my dear”, mentions the immortality of the Ātman in the midst of things perishable and subject to modification.

Notes:

[Sruti—Brihadáranyaka IV. v. 14; “Verily is

this Atman immortal, my dear, indestructible by Its very nature”]

****

Broken Pot- Space merging with Space

घटे नष्टे यथा व्योम व्योमैव भवति स्फुटम् ।
तथैवोपाधिविलये ब्रह्मैव ब्रह्मवित्स्वयम् ॥ ५६५ ॥

ghaṭe naṣṭe yathā vyoma vyomaiva bhavati sphuṭam |
tathaivopādhivilaye brahmaiva brahmavitsvayam || 565 ||

565. As, when a jar is broken, the space enclosed by it becomes palpably the limitless space, so when the apparent limitations are destroyed, the knower of Brahman verily becomes Brahman Itself.

****

Milk Mixes with Milk

क्षीरं क्षीरे यथा क्षिप्तं तैलं तैले जलं जले ।
संयुक्तमेकतां याति तथात्मन्यात्मविन्मुनिः ॥ ५६६ ॥

kṣīraṃ kṣīre yathā kṣiptaṃ tailaṃ taile jalaṃ jale |
saṃyuktamekatāṃ yāti tathātmanyātmavinmuniḥ || 566 ||

566. As milk poured into milk, oil into oil, and water into water, becomes united and one with it, so the sage who has realised the Ātman becomes one in the Ātman.

****

HE BECOMES SIVA

लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगतिं त्यक्त्वा यस्तिष्ठेत्केवलात्मना ।
शिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः ॥ ५५३ ॥

lakṣyālakṣyagatiṃ tyaktvā yastiṣṭhetkevalātmanā |
śiva eva svayaṃ sākṣādayaṃ brahmaviduttamaḥ || 553 ||

553. He who, giving up all such considerations as – this is a fit object of meditation and this is not – lives as the absolute Ātman, is verily Śiva himself, and he is the best among Knowers of Brahman. 

****

Infinite Bliss

सदात्मनि ब्रह्मणि तिष्ठतो मुनेः
पूर्णाद्वयानन्दमयात्मना सदा ।
न देशकालाद्युचितप्रतीक्षा
त्वङ्मांसविट्पिण्डविसर्जनाय ॥ ५५७ ॥

sadātmani brahmaṇi tiṣṭhato muneḥ
pūrṇādvayānandamayātmanā sadā |
na deśakālādyucitapratīkṣā
tvaṅmāṃsaviṭpiṇḍavisarjanāya || 557 ||

557. The sage who always lives in the Reality – Brahman – as Infinite Bliss, the One without a second, does not depend upon the customary considerations of place, time, etc., for giving up this mass of skin, flesh and filth.

****

Following comparisons will prove my point.

1.Every town our home town; Everyman a kinsman.

யாதும் ஊரே; யாவரும் கேளிர்;

‘Earth is my mother; I am her son’, says Veda.

‘God is one; we are his children

World is a happy lake – says the Veda’ (Bharathyar song)

ஒன்று பரம்பொருள் நாமதன் மக்கள்

உலகின்பக் கேணிஎன்றே

நன்று பல்வேதம் வரைந்தகை பாரத

 நாயகிதன் திருக்கை- பாரதியார்

****

2.Dying is nothing new.

We do not rejoice

That life is sweet

Nor in anger

Call it bitter

சாதலும் புதுவதன்றே; வாழ்தல்

இனிது என மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே; முனிவின்

இன்னாது என்றலும் இலமே; ’மின்னொடு

Bhagavad Gita says (2-27)

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ||2- 27||

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛityur dhruvaṁ janma mṛitasya cha
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śhochitum arhasi

For to the one that is born death is certain and certain is birth for the one that has died. Therefore for what is unavoidable, you should not grieve.-Bhagavad Gita 2-27

****

Buddha said the same with a story

Gautama the Buddha consoled the mother who lost her only son while yet a child by asking her to go into the town and bring him  little mustard seeds from any house where no man has yet died. She went and found that there was no family where death had not entered. She discovered that it is the law of all things that they will pass away.

The Buddhist nun Patacara is represented as consoling many bereaved mothers in the following words:

“Weep not, for such is here the life of man

Unasked he came, unbidden went he hence

Lo! Ask thyself again whence came thy son

To bide on earth this little breathing space

By one way come and by another gone…..

So hither and so hence— why should ye weep?”

— Psalms of Sisters (E.T. by Mrs Rhys Davids (1909) quoted by Dr S Radhakrishnan in his Bhagavad Gita commentary.

Garuda Purana says,

Sukhasya dukkhasya na kopi data

Paro dadatiti kubhuddir esa

Swayam krtam svena phalena yujyate

Sarira he nistara yat tvatya krtam

“No one gives joy or sorrow. That others give this is an erroneous conception. our own deeds bring to us their fruits. Body of mine, repay what you have done.”

Compare it with Tamil Lines

3.Good and evil do not come

From others

Pain and relief of pain

Come of themselves

தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா;

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோரன்ன;

*****

4.Rafts drifting

In the rapids of a great river

Sounding and dashing over the rocks

After a downpour

From skies slashed by lightning’s

We know this

From the vision

Of men who see

’மின்னொடு

வானம் தண் துளி தலைஇ, ஆனாது

கல் பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லல் பேர் யாற்று

நீர் வழிப்படூஉம்’ புணை போல் ஆர் உயிர்

முறை வழிப்படூஉம்’ என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம்

Adi Shankara in his Viveka Cudamani (verse 550) says,

As a piece of wood is borne by the current to a high or low ground, so is his body carried on by the momentum of past actions to the varied experience of their fruits, as these present themselves in due course.

****

5.We are not amazed by the great

And we do not Scorn the little

ஆகலின், மாட்சியின்

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே.

Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says,

विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि |
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिता: समदर्शिन: || 18||

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ

Sages see with an equal eye, a learned and humble Brahmin, a cow, an elephant or even a dog or an outcaste.(5-18)

xxx

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also  deals with it by giving many similes. I will give them separately.

—subham—

Tags- Puranauru, Adi Sankara, Viveka Chudamani, Poem 192, Kanian Punkundran, Bhagavd Gita, Hindu Philosophy, Sankara ,Most Famous,  Sangam Tamil Poet , Research Notes on VC 35