Thus Spake the Divine - Pashupati (Master of Cattle)

Thus Spake the Divine

Pashupati (Master of Cattle)

In this chapter, Poojyasri Maha Periyava says God has tied us up with the knot of karma, so that we do not harm ourselves by exceeding our limitations. At the same time, He also informs us how we can untie this knot. The metaphor of cow tied to its cow-hitch makes the concept easier to understand.

Lord Parameshvara is known as Pashupati; Pashu means cattle and Pati refers to the Master. The cattle referred to here are neither His Vehicle Bullock nor his Security Guard Nandi. We, the living beings, are the cattle and Ishvara is our Master.

Like how a cow runs behind greens and grasses, we are running behind sensory pleasures. As how the master of cattle administers them, ties and keeps them under his control, Ishvara has tied us up under His control. The knot may not be visible to us. Still, unconsciously, we speak about this knot. For example, we try our best to accomplish a task, but sometimes fail. At that time, we pacify ourselves saying, “I did my best! But who is free from the ties of Karma? That is why I could not succeed”. Here, ties of Karma are the binding knots! Yes! Our Master Pashupati has tied us with our own erstwhile Karmas!

Once tied, the cow is furious. Once untied, it goes and grazes in the neighbour’s land. The neighbour beats the cow severely and only then does the cow realise how safe it is to be tied! Similarly, we are also angry with the knot of Karma. Had God not tied us with such a knot, there would never be any sorrow or failure. Only when we encounter sorrows and failures, we accept it as our destiny and try to lead a happy and content life. If this knot is not there, there will not be any end to our desires and wants.

Despite this knot, man tries to exceed all his limitations. The entire world is not enough for him to fulfil his desires. He has already kept his foot on Moon and is now trying for Mars. Without a knot, the situation would be much worse. Thank God! This knot of Karma has saved us from driving all our desires into actions and getting ourselves caught unawares!

If the cow is not tied, it will graze the grass and get beaten up. Similarly, if we are not bound with the knot of our Karma, we will harm our own selves as well as the entire world. We are capable enough of doing things contrary to norms even with the ‘reduced’ power of having been tied by the knot. Imagine how we would act in a free scenario!

Only because of the knot, the cow remains closer to the cow hitch. Similarly, only if we are tied by the knot of Karma can we remain closer to Ishvara. Else, we will just keep struggling in this world of bonding, thereby forgetting God! God has tied us only for our good, for not inflicting sorrows on ourselves. When will He untie the knot? He will do that once we reach a stage of maturity, where we don’t cause harm to others and accumulate the resultant sins!

Sometimes, even we tie our children when they are mischievous. Like children, we are also endowed with the mischief of ‘desires’, which are the driving point of sins. That is why God ties us. Once the child grows and its mischievousness disappears, we let the child be free. Similarly, when we renounce all our desires, God will let us be free! At that point, we will not wish to possess other people’s properties. So long as there is the knot, we are in a state, where we and God are two distinct identities. Once the knot is untied, we realise that “we” are only “He”. In such a state of mind, there is no need for even performing pooja. So long as the distinction between God and man exists, there exists Karma. So long as Karma exists, there exists the knot.

What does Swami say? He says that the knot will remain to the extent of the existing Karma. He also says we need to necessarily carry out Karmas, as ordained by Shastras, if we want to attain the state of wisdom of non-distinction between God and Jeevan. In that case, will not these Karmas be binding us?

Let me explain to you. The ties of Karma, as per Shastras, help untie the knot arising out of Karma driven by one’s own desires. Still confusing? How can one binding unknot another binding? Let me explain this with an example. We see a person carrying a bundle of wooden sticks. He has tied it using round knots. The knot is twirled and hence he is unable to untie the knot. There is a way, which helps untie the knot of that bundle. Adjacent to that knot, a new rope can be tied very firmly and tightly around the wooden sticks without putting a knot. The impact of tightness of the new rope around the bundle will be such that the old knot will loosen itself. At that moment, the old knot can be easily removed from the bundle. The new rope can also be removed as there is not knot at all. Thus, a new binding has helped untie an old binding, isn’t it?

The Karmas, as ordained under Shastras, are similar to the second tie. This tie does not have a knot, though it appears knotted. Likewise, the rules of Shastras might appear quite stern. However, if one wants to relieve himself from the knots of Karmas arising out of sensory triggers and attain absolute serenity, happiness and liberation, there should be, as per Shastras, the tie of Karmas.

Once the tie of desires unknots, the tie of Shastras also vanishes. To relieve ourselves from the first tie, we have to voluntarily undertake the second tie. As part of the second tie, we have to perform various religious practices, such as pooja, yajnya, service to people etc. This way, once desires are renounced, all other activities relating to Divine, Vedic and Social activities can stop as well. When a person attains such a state, Devatas can become furious. (Devatas are different from one we commonly refer to as God. The same is explained in the coming chapters). The reason for Devatas becoming furious is they receive their due offerings from a human only if the person performs his Vedic Karmas. Else, Devatas will have to starve! Obviously, because once man stops all his religious practices, such a yajnya, Tarpanam and pooja etc, Devatas will not get their offerings and food. Therefore, they get angry!

If a cow becomes incapable of secreting milk, it becomes useless. Therefore, some may stop feeding the cow. The same happens with Devatas. When man relinquishes all his desires, then, he does not need the grace of any Devata. Thus, he stops his pooja or yajnya to that particular Devata. Our Puranas and scriptures narrate how Devatas create obstacles for Saints and Sages who take up penance to attain Brahma Jnyana (Moksha).

There is a term in Sanskrit called “Devata Priya” to denote immature and ignorant people who Devatas are fond of. Emperor Ashoka has described himself as “Devata Priya” in his inscriptions and sthoopi. One who does not go beyond the state of satisfying Devatas and attaining wisdom is known as “Devata Priya”.

In ancient times, even people who have attained wisdom were hesitant to give up Karmas ordained in Shastras. They continued to follow those Karmas, though it was not necessary for them to perform them. They did so just for guiding their future generations and to reach the state of being a Jnyani! People may feel that if not a Jnyani, at least they should become “Devata Priya”. Then, they would reach the world of Devatas after they die. But the world of Devatas is not Moksha. It is only a land

of entertainment and enjoyment. It is only Moksha that provides enduring bliss, which is beyond the reach of sensory organs. More so, Devata World is a land, which offers happiness only till the time we have earned through our punyas. Once the punyas’ time exhausts, we will have to necessarily return to earth.

Instead of being wicked souls, it is better for human beings to perform their Karmas, Poojas, Bhakti, Yajnyas etc. If we perform our Karmas without keeping Devalokam as our objective, the same Karmas will cleanse our souls and direct us towards wisdom. We then get the adoration of Devatas. We can then become a Jnyani by continuing our Karmas unmindful of Devatas. At that time, among Pashu (Jeevan), Attachment (Knot), and Pati (Ishvar), Jeevan and Knot will vanish and only Pati (Ishvar) will remain.

What is enunciated in Pashu-Pati-Pasham, the same is enunciated as Jeevan, Brahmam and Maya. Acharya elucidates this in the last two lines of Saundarya Lahari verse No. 99:

chiram jivanneva kshapati pashu pasha vyathikara,

paranandabhikhyam rasayati rasam tvadbhajanavaan.

Hey Mother! Whoever worships You will be liberated from sorrows arising out of bindings of this worldly life (Pashu and Pasham) and will enjoy the essence of supreme bliss!

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.