Hinduism

Aspects of Hinduism interpreted by a scholar

K.S. Sivakumaran

This week's column is basically a review of a book in Thamil which is illuminative in showing some aspects of Hinduism.

The title of the book is Sathya Vingnam (meaning Science of Truth). It was published by the All Ceylon Gandhi Seva Sangam at Yaalpaanam. It consists of selected 75 editorials of Ganthheyam (1968-1978). While the editorialists were the late Pulavar Sivam Karunalaya Paandianaar and the late E. Rathinam, the editors of this compilation were S.K. Thambipillai and T. Uthayasooriyan.

This 180 page book not only extols the virtue of the late Mahathma Gandhi but also give an exposition on aspects of Hinduism as understood by the late Thamil scholar, a specialist in ancient Thamil literature - the late Sivam Karunalaya Paandianaar. This is done by the late .Rathinam, a scholar, translator and researcher written in both Thamil and English. Almost all the editorials included were written by the late E. Rathinam.

For our purpose let us take excerpts from what E R has written in English. Two purposes are served: an introductory evaluation of the contribution of the late S K P plus clarifying some aspects of Hinduism. As we would see S.K.P.was not only an erudite scholar in Thamil but also a religious person exemplified by his thoughts and action.

Talking of Sivam Karunalaya Paandianaar, E. Retina writes:

"He had a very good knowledge of Sanskrit, the Upanishads and Patanjali Yoga Sutras. He had studied the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and Patanjali Yoga Sutras. He had also read the Mahabharatta in Sanskrit.

He was familiar with Sanskrit Literature and grammar. This knowledge helped him place Thamil Literature and the growth of philosophy in their proper perspective and evaluate their independence and originality....".

"His loyalty to philosophy and religion was of a complex nature. Even though Aadi Sankara put forward the theory of Nirguna Brahman he was an ardent Upasaka. Paandianaar was not an Upasaka but was a householder. His philosophical convictions were not sectarian but eclectic.

He chose those tenets which were logically satisfying from all darsanas and religions. This was something different from his approach to linguistic problem. To a great extent he was a 'Vedantist' with his own modifications. He did not believe in supplicating to a personal God. But he recognized that each man had his own level of evolution and approach and was very accommodative...".

His approach to philosophy was integral. This does not mean that his concept was similar to that of Sri Aurobindo. His integration was within his range of gleanings from pure literature, religious literature, and philosophical treatises in Thamil and Sanskrit. His knowledge of logic was refined and sharp. His deficiency was in the field of modern science. His acumen was in interpreting pure literature in a metaphysical way. The kind of perception, that of going beyond the pure literary to philosophical is not alien to Thamil Commentators and he followed in their footsteps."

Scholar E. Rathinam further elaborates Sivam Karunalaya Paandianaar's importance in relation to Hinduism. For the benefit of our readers here are a few more lines to make clear some observation on Hinduism.

"His knowledge of the discipline of raja Yoga was eclectic as was his philosophy. Even though he was in a position to identify the modern movements in meditation, he was well aware of their disciplines. He was in a position of to evaluate the comparative merits of modern, meditative ways in relation to Sachidananda and pinpoint the relative values of them. The central idea of modern movements of meditations was not something alien to him. In fact he was a staunch adherent to one of them".

Significance of Nanthy flag in Hindu temples

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

The world revolveth not round the inventors of new noises, but it revolveth inaudibly round the inventors of values, thus said a German poet. In the history of the world, every nation has stood for a particular idea which has sought to weave into the fabric of the lives of the people.

Thus the Germans made the concept of beauty essentially their own. The Spartans excelled in sports and the commitment of the rule of law moulded the pattern of the Britishers. Long before the Greeks and Romans, the Hindus were told to govern their lives by the norms of Dharma which comprehends all the excellence which make for an ideal humanity.

Every religion, every nation and every political party is identified by its own flag. They hoist their respective flags during all the important occasions and celebrations. In that way the whole world comes to know the different celebrations and festivals.

As far as the Hindus are concerned there was no such flag being hoisted during festivals or ceremonies anywhere in the world. Realising the improtance of hoisting a flag for Lord Shiva, the Colombo Saiva Munnetta Sangam came forward to hoist 'Nanthy Flag' which symbolizes Dharma.

Sinna Durai Dhanabalaa who is the trustee of the Colombo Saiva Munnetta Sangam, Vice-President of All Ceylon Hindu Congress, Vice-President of World Saiva Congress (Sri Lanka) took all possible steps to request the Trustees of the Hindu temples and Presidents of the religious organizations to hoist this 'Nanthy Flag' which signifies Lord Shiva during temple festivals and various other religious occasions.

The hoisting of the 'Nanthy Flag' was the vision and brainchild of late S. T. Sinnadurai, the father of Dhanabalaa. Late Sinnadurai and being a Hindu has tremendously helped Buddhist causes and Sinhala culture.

He was consistently pragmatic in his approach to national problems and wanted all communities to live in peace and unity to bring about communal harmony. He always promoted goodwill, mutual understandings and steadfast faith towards each other.

Nanthy, the Bull is the Vehicle of Lord Shiva and as such Nanthy is usually found outside Sivan Temples. As an independent deity, the Bull was in ancient times, the Lord of Joy (Nandikaswara) and was represented as a man with a bull's head. The vahana or vehicle of Lord Shiva, the 'Nanthy' is always found facing the Sivalingam in places of worship.

The Bull is a vehicle representing movement. It is the movement of the supreme consciousness and the dynamic nature was called as Nanthy.

The hoisting of Nanthy Flag at the top of Rajagopurams of the temple and in all other religious organisations will explain the principles, philosophies of Saivasm to achieve the goal of life which represents Lord Shiva and symbolises Dharma, which will bring everlasting peace and eternal prosperity to Sri Lanka.

The Hindu Temple worship

Most Hindus adept on Ishta Deivam. That is from among the pantheon of Hindu Gods, the devotee chooses one, according to the family background or due to the closeness to one form of such divine magnificence.

For example certain families hold God Ganesha as their Kuladeivam - family God, yet another may have Anman - Mother-Goddess - Aadi Paia Sakthi as their family Deity for generations. Whether it is a stone, or metal image, or a sacred form, it marks the place that the chosen God or Goddess will manifest in, to put in scientific language the metal or stone image or symbol works like an antenna - which receives the divine rays and if the devotee's heart is tuned to it, then there is communication established. This, one could know only through experience. When the brahmin priest performs a Puja he enhances this communication.

This becomes changed or magnetized through one's devotional thoughts and feelings.

Man takes one body, and then another in his cycles of birth, death and rebirth. Puja and rituals provide temporal and spiritual uplift and relief. Hindu Temples are the places of worship. God is everywhere. Why go to the temple? has been the question of many. There is an answer. The Sun's rays fall on all objects but no objects catch fire. Focus the rays on to an object through a lens - it catches fire.

So does a devotee feels the force of God when he worships at the Santum Sanatorum. Most idols are made of radioactive material which radiates tremendous force. How much of it is received by the devotee depends on the intensity of his devotion to respond to the vibration. Have you noticed the tapering triangular formation over the sanctum sanatorum? That pressures these special forces and enhances the tremendous positive change generated within the sanctum sanctorum for a long period even for centuries. This scientific process has been known from ancient times, and has been used for the welfare of humanity. According to Hindu concept, the entire era from the time of creation till the time of destruction, is divided into four different periods or Yugas. The Knetha Yuga. An era during which men and beasts and birds could understand each other and there was righteousness.

The Thretha Yuga - when Ramayanam took place. People were good but deceitfulness sprang up - people lacked the power to understand the animal langauge.

The Devapaia Yuga - the era when Mahabharatha took place, people became worse and worse.

And last, by the Kali Yuga where man is simply vile, saints and sages and prophets and god men are born to lead the people to the righteous path of living. Are they fighting a losing battle? One is bound to ask as there is so much of atrocity in the world as mentioned in the Vedas.

The Vedas have talked of the destruction of the world at the end of Kaliyuga. But Lord Vishnu in the Gita has said if there is even one person who adheres to the principles of Dharma - righteousness, the world will be saved. When men invoked the Gods in rites and rituals. The Gods would descend to earth and perhaps save the earth. Righteousness in Kaliyuga is only one tenth of it found in the Kreta Yuga. All vices are like the Pandoras box opened floating about in Kaliyuga - anger, lust, passion, pride, discord and jealosy.

It is in Kali Yuga that temples appeared. Icons were installed. If the icons are properly enshrined, and the temples correctly built and the rites and rituals properly carried out then God could be felt. It is the experience of a person. Saints and sages have felt the presence of Rama-Krishna Parama Hamsar, his spouse Saiada Devi, Sage Swamy Vivekanandan.

They could communicate with God - their hearts were not of all impurities like ego and they were in a state of Nirvana. Hence they enjoyed the total bliss of being in communion with God.

Source: An Introduction to Hinduism

By B.S. Sarma.

Representations of Siva: The Sivalinga

Tambyah Nadaraja

Of the various representations of Siva used in both public and domestic worship the anthropomorphic icons and the aniconic symbol of the pillar or column called the Sivalinga are the best known. There are several well known anthropomorphic forms of Siva such as Nataraja, the Dancing Lord Dhaksinamurti the 'south facing form' of Siva as teacher; and Somaskandamurti, Siva with his consort Uma and his son Skanda. But, however great the emotional appeal some of these forms have for worshippers as subjects of their devotional fervour, the linga is considered the mulavigraha, the 'fundamental form' of Siva, as being the most abstract as well as the most comprehensive in meaning of all the visual representations of Siva. Consequently, it occupies pride of place in the innermost central sanctum, the garbhagrha or 'womb house' of the temples of Siva.

In the cult of Siva it is indeed the most sacred object in both public and private worship, while the anthropomorphic images are disposed in niches in the outer walls of the garbhagrha, or in shrines in the corridors and the courts that surround it, or they appear on the gateway towers (gopurams) of the temples.

Lingas may be made of various kinds of materials. Those intended for temporary use to be discarded thereafter may be made of ephemeral transitory (ksanika) materials, such as sand, river clay, rice, sandalwood paste, flowers or molasses; while for more durable lingas stone, metal, precious stones, wood or earth may be used.

Indeed the substance of a linga may be any one of the, five constituent elements of the universe, the pancabhutas of earth, water, fire, air and ether. Lingas may be movable cab lingas) or immovable (acala lingas) and they may be man made (manusa lingas) or 'self born' (svayambhuva lingas) which are highly venerated as they are believed to have come into existence spontaneously and to have existed from time immemorial.

The man made immovable lingas made of stone, which are set up for public worship in temples, consist of three parts: the visible cylindrical uppermost part, called the Rudrabhaga, the Rudra part or Pujabhaga, to which the rituals of the temple service (puja) are directed; and two lower parts that are not visible (because they are inserted in and covered by the supporting pedestal) the intermediate octagonal Visnubhaga, the Visnu part, and the lowest square Brahmabhaga, the Brahma part.

To be continued